Tuesday morning, Akane woke to the sounds of combat.  She looked 
out to see Ranma and her, no, *his* father ("must remember to use the 
right pronouns") sparring in the backyard.  It was going to take a while 
to get used to seeing a girl fighting a panda.
	After breakfast, Kasumi presented Ranma with the results of a 
night's sewing.  Even the transformed boy had to admit the 
properly-fitted trousers were more flattering.  "But after yesterday, I'm 
not so sure I wanna be flattered."
	"You'll be fine, Ranma.  Oh my, look at the time!" 
	The teens rushed to school.  Akane was surprised to see a much 
smaller crowd of boys than usual waiting to attack.  She was even more 
surprised when several of them ran right past her and attacked Ranma, 
who'd hung back out of respect for Akane's challenge. 
	Akane mopped up her suitors in record time, and looked back to 
see Ranma triumphantly standing on a pile of foes.  She almost expected 
him to do a Tarzan yell. 
	"Akane Tendou.  Ranma Saotome.  Twain fixations of my heart, who 
my mind flutters twixt and tween.  I challenge thee both, that we may 
join in romantic battle."  It was Kunou. 
	"Did he say `both'?" asked Ranma.
	Akane nodded.
	"Then let's give him both!"  They simultaneously kicked the 
annoying swordsman to the ground, and ran over him into the school. 
	Akane saw Yamaguchi, the captain of the varsity baseball team, 
and realized he hadn't been among the attackers this morning.
	"Uh, Yamaguchi, not that I'm complaining, but why weren't you 
outside today?"
	"Miss Akane!  Er, Kunou made another announcement last night, 
putting dates with Ranma on the same terms as a date with you.  And I 
remembered what you'd said about how Ranma would tell us herself--"
	"Himself."
	"Uh, himself, when...he...wanted to date boys.  Y'know, when it's 
put that way, it sounds even screwier.  Anyhow, it suddenly dawned on me 
how stupid getting beat up in hopes of landing a date with a girl who 
doesn't even like me is."  Yamaguchi rubbed his neck in embarrassment.
	"You got that right," said Ranma.
	"You're still the cutest girl in school as far as I'm concerned, 
Akane, and I'm keeping those pictures of you on my wall, but I'm not 
going to harrass you any more, and I think a lot of the other guys agree 
with me."
	"Why, Mr. Yamaguchi, I--that's good.  I'm glad somebody around 
here finally had some sense.  Tell you what, new rules.  When and if I 
want to date a boy, I'll ask *him*.  Spread the word on that, okay?"  
Akane smiled. 
	"Okay.  And Ranma?"
	"Ranma will make up his own rules, right Ranma?"
	"Oh.  Uh, yeah.  I'll letcha know when I think of 'em." 
	Between the next two classes, Ranma asked, "So, you gonna date 
this Yamaguchi guy?"
	"I doubt it.  I still hate boys.  But we'll see if any of them 
can stop being jerks long enough to become men.  How about you?"
	"Date *boys*!?  I don't think so!  I'm a guy!"
	"Sorry!"  Still way too early for that question, Akane admitted 
to herself.
	Despite Ranma's nervousness about it, gym class actually cheered 
him up.  His athletic prowess impressed the other girls, most of whom 
remembered to play along with the "Ranma's a boy" game.  A couple of them 
even went so far as to flirt with him.
	There were even some good-natured squeals of embarrassment when 
Ranma entered the shower.  Though the girls soon settled down, Akane 
noticed Ranma tried hard not to look at them. 
	After school, Kasumi took Akane and Ranma shopping.  Ranma was 
not at all thrilled by the prospect of wearing a bra.  Akane finally 
asked, "Would you wear an athletic cup if you had to?"
	"Well, yeah."
	"Then you should at least have a sports bra.  But you'll 
eventually want a couple more if you ever want to wear a lighter shirt." 
	Kasumi asked Akane to help Ranma pick out a couple of outfits for 
casual wear. 
	"Don't you want to help choose, Kasumi?"
	"I think my tastes are a little too feminine for Ranma.  He'll 
trust you more." 
	Fortunately the androgynous look was "in" this season, so they 
were able to find some clothes Ranma didn't absolutely hate. 
	At supper, Ranma and his father fought over their food.  Again. 
	Afterwards, Akane asked, "There's plenty to eat here.  Why do you 
and your father have to fight over every little scrap?" 
	"I dunno, we've been doing it for years.  I think it's one Pops' 
stupid training ideas, or started that way.  Or maybe he's just a 
glutton.  
	"You know, the day after we got cursed, I was chasing him around 
the area because he deliberately dumped me in one of the other pools, 
just to see if it would work.  He managed to lose me, I wandered around 
for hours looking for him.  When I finally got back to the guide's hut, I 
found out he'd been there all along.  *And* he'd eaten all the boiled 
pork.  Not even the skin left.  I had to settle for a little rice crust." 
	"You should ask him to knock it off.  It isn't helping your table 
manners any."
	"Never needed table manners before.  But if you say so."
	Wednesday morning, the attackers had dwindled to a half-dozen 
diehards, unaware of the new rules, or too stubborn to give up on the old 
ways.  Among them was Kunou, of course.
	"Get a life, Upperclassman!  We are *never* going out with you!"
	"Your lips say `no', but your eyes plead `Yes'!"
	Akane and Ranma's fists said `no' also, and they decided the 
contest. 

		TO BE CONTINUED...

This chapter dedicated to Chris Willmore :-)


SKJAM!