Ranma 1/2: Defiance of the Heart
    A fanfic story by Katrina Lee Halbred

This is my first fan-fic so please, bear with me.
Second Draft

All characters in this story are (c) by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz,
Kitty, and anyone else involved in the making of Ranma 1/2 or
anything related to Ranma 1/2. 

*********************
Please do not sell or distribute for profit. 
*********************

With the exception of the Dream Demon which is of my
own creation. (At least I've never seen anyone else use one.
I've heard that there was a dream demon in a UY movie, but it
appears to be a different sort.<shrug>
Thanks go to Brendan O'Donnell for pointing that out.)

Thanks go out to Nicholas Leifker for his C&C and help on getting
me through the first fanfic I have ever done.

Well, on with the show....

Note: This episode takes place shortly after the anime episode
"Am I...Pretty? Ranma's Declaration of Womanhood"
---------------------------------------------------------------

[Opening theme song: Return to Innocence by Enigma]

    The day had been a semi-eventful one for the Tendo household,
 but, now things had begun to wind down as it approached the
 evening. Kasumi had began her usual ritual of putting on her
 apron and getting ready to cook dinner. Genma and Soun were
 playing shogi on the back porch. Ranma was coming down the
 stairs. And Akane was entering the kitchen as Ranma started to
 walk by...
    "Kasumi, can I help cook dinner?" asked Akane.
    Kasumi looked slightly surprised, but she was still smiling.
 It seemed as if she was always smiling, sometimes."Sure, " she
 replied."Are you going to try bridal training again?"
    Akane started to look very uncomfortable at the mention of
 the word, bridal. "Um...Yes," she slowly responded. "I guess you
 could say that. I'll show Ranma I can learn to cook, she
 thought. I'll show all of you I can do it!
    Kasumi seemed to beam at that response, saying "Good, I knew
 you wouldn't give up!"
    Someone groaned from the kitchen entrance. Akane and Kasumi
 both turned to see Ranma, standing in the doorway, with a big
 sweat drop on his head. Akane started to get an annoyed look at
 this interruption. 
    "What's your problem, Ranma?" Akane asked, icily.
    "Come on, Akane," he began. "we all know you can't cook, so
 why torture us with your apparently futile attempts? Why not
 just let Kasumi do the cooking since she knows how to cook - um,
 Akane, don't look at me that way. Hey! I'm just stating-!"
    A glowing red Akane began to advance on a now nervous Ranma.
 Ranma has started to back away form her, quickly finding that
 there is only so much room that he has to back up to.
    Nabiki picked that moment to be walking by the kitchen
 entrance. She notices the ensuing argument and shaking her head
 sadly goes to the back door, opens it, and moves the table out
 of the way of any possible flying people on their way out the
 door. 


    On the back porch, Genma and Soun were still playing shogi.
 Genma had a rather victorious look on his face.
    "I've got you, Tendo, old boy," said Genma with a smirk.
    "Wait, what's - " began Soun, desperately trying to find a
 distraction so he could cheat. He was cut off by a shout from
 Akane from inside the house.
    "RANMA, YOU IDIOT!" Yelled Akane.
    <*POW*>
    Ranma flew out the back door, knocking the shogi board over
 and Genma into the water. As Ranma continued his flight to the
 Tendo Pond via Air Akane, he banged his head on the railing as
 he broke it, following Genma. Ranma-chan came back up almost
 immediately as did a grumbling Genma-panda who was currently
 getting out of the pond.
    Rubbing the back of her head, Ranma yelled "What'd you do that
 for, you JERK!" back in at Akane.
    "Ranma! Stay away from me!" Yelled a very mad Akane who
 stomped up the stairs and into her bedroom, slamming the door in
 a very unfeminine way upon reaching her destination.
    Ranma-chan got out of the water, still rubbing the back of
 her head and with a confused expression on her face.
    "She is soooo uncute! All I did was tell her the truth about
 her cooking." Ranma said indignitly.
    Nabiki, who was watching Ranma-chan from the porch, shook her
 head. "Ranma," she began "have you ever heard of a word called
 tact? And besides, you know what happens whenever you even open
 your mouth about her cooking. You must be dense or something."
 Having said that, Nabiki walked back into the house.
    Genma-panda held a sign up that says "Can't you two argue
 without destroying the place each time?"
    Grumbling, Ranma-chan said "It's not like I start the fights
 or nothing. Akane overreacts to everything I say, the uncute
 tomboy."
    A few minutes later, Akane came back down and joined the rest
 of the family for dinner. Her and Ranma both seemed to ignore each
 other the whole time, neither of them saying a word.
 Occasionally, Akane glared at Ranma, who glared right back at
 her.
    Soun finally decided to break the silence. "You two really
 ought to try to get along." He pauses to look at both of them,
 scrutinizing each of them before continuing. "Not only are you
 supposed to inherit the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts,
 but you are both supposed to be engaged to one another. Can't
 you both find other ways to work your differences out that are
 more constructive (and less destructive)?"
    Ranma looked a little more indignant than was probably good
 for him as he said "Yeah, right, as if that violent tomboy knew
 any other ways to express herself." 
    <*SLAP!*>
    Akane looked rather mad as she got up, saying "I'm going to
 my room." A few stomps up the stairs later, there was the sound
 of a slamming door.
    Ranma was obviously too stunned to move as he looked like a
 statue with a red mark on his right cheek. All to quickly, he
 recovers and yells "OW!" as he rubs his cheek.
    Nabiki smirked. "Well, Ranma," she began. "Whenever you open
 your mouth around her for the most part, it seems you can't help
 but stick both hands and feet in (with Akane's help of course)."
    Ranma glared at Nabiki, who seemed unphased by it. "Well,
 ha-ha to you to." He said sarcastically.
    Nabiki giggled as she headed upstairs to her room to figure
  out who owed her money and how much. She carried the daily
  stock report with her as she went upstairs.
    Genma and Soun both groan.
    

    Later that night, Ranma and Akane both went to bed, in their
 respective rooms. Both of them seemed to be cooling off about
 the earlier incident between the two of them.
    Ranma, as he lyed down in his futon "Uncute tomboy."
    Akane, as she got into her bed "Idiot."
    After a bit, they both fell into troubled slumber. 

    
    Ranma woke up to find himself fully clothed and in total
 darkness.
    Akane also found herself fully clothed and in total darkness.
 In the distance, a short ways away, she could see Ranma, who
 appeared to be looking around in confusion. She tried to call out
 to him, but he continued searching like she wasn't there.
    Ranma, with a confused look on his face, "Where the heck am
 I?"
    Akane also wondered where she was. Being in a dream was one
 thing, but for some reason this didn't feel like a dream. It
 felt more...real.
    As Akane tried to think through what had happened to her, she
 suddenly found herself in a gi and in the Tendo dojo,
 challenging the new girl, Ranma. She suddenly forgot about what
 she was trying to figure out and concentrated on the sparring
 match she was having.
    "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you." Akane said, a determined
 look on her face. She got into a battle stance.
    Ranma-chan looked unconvinced as she got into a battle
 stance as well. "Um...If you say so." Ranma-chan smiled,
 slightly.
    Akane made several attacks at the red-headed girl in
 Chinese clothes that stood before her. Much to her annoyance,
 though, Ranma-chan ducked and dodged every attempt that she
 makes. Akane began to get unnerved as well as mad.
    This girl, is acting like she isn't even trying, she thought.
 Is she reading my moves?
    "OK," began Akane. "This time, all out." Akane put all her
 strength into a frontal power punch, but ended up putting a hole
 in the dojo wall. She suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder from
 behind. She turned around to see a nervously smiling Ranma-chan.
 After a few seconds, Akane and Ranma-chan started to laugh. Akane
 started to walk out of the dojo and stopped just at the door.
    "I'm just glad you aren't a boy," said Akane, looking back at
 Ranma-chan. Akane began to walk out of the dojo when she
 felt a tap on her shoulder, again.
    Akane looked around to find the two of them in a park,
 sitting on a bench, together, both of them in nice dresses.
 Ranma-chan's was white, while Akane's was blue. Akane, looks a
 bit confused.
    "What-? Where's the dojo?" Akane asked, looking quite
 startled. Then, she seemed to notice Ranma-chan's dress for the
 first time. "Ranma? What's going on? Why-? When did you ever
 decide to start wearing dresses? You look so...feminine...NO!
 NOT THAT AGAIN!!! ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!" Akane began to get a
 large sweat drop on her head as she remembered the incident
 where Ranma thought he was a girl.
    Akane looked around, again, and noticed that Ranma was still
 wandering around. She listened to what he was saying. She could
 make out the word "mother". It appeared, that he was looking for
 his mother.
    "If that's Ranma over there, then who are you?" Akane asked,
 once again looking at Ranma-chan sitting next to her.
    Ranma-chan smiled and said "I'm Ranma as well...or, at least,
 a side of Ranma you rarely see. No, not exactly that again. For
 now, just call me, Ranko, to keep from confusing yourself." 
    Akane looked baffled, but nodded in agreement.
    "Ranma has hidden so far under that mask of pride and honor
 bull that at times, he doesn't even know I exist. He refuses to
 accept the fact that I'm here, whether he wants me to be or
 not." Ranko looked thoughtful as she said this.
    Akane nodded, quietly.
    "You've seen brief glimpses of me," began Ranko. "One time
 was the incident where Ranma banged his head. That was only part
 of me. It was twisted because of what you were doing at the
 time."

    Looking startled, Akane said "What do you mean?" As she
 remembered the moments that led up to the incident, her look
 darkened. "That...idiot. He had that coming, only..." Her voice
 trailed off to a softer pitch. "I never realized that he would
 want to stay a female."
    Akane looked around and noticed that they are sitting in
 blackness. Ranma was off to the distance, in front of them, still
 looking for his mother.
    "Am I dreaming this?" Akane asked Ranko.
    Ranko smiled as she responded. "Are you dreaming this, or is
 Ranma dreaming this? Maybe you are both in a dream together.
 Then again, it would be much simpler to accept the fact that
 none of this was real. Yet, why am I here, then? Look around you
 and what do you see?"
    Akane looked around them, in the darkness, and then down. "I
 see darkness...And Ranma searching for his mother. Why is he
 looking for his mother? He knows where she is. He can't go to
 her, though. So why is he looking for her?"
    Ranko looked at Akane, a very serious expression on her face.
 "In actuality, Ranma does not know where she is. I do. He
 doesn't know because if he did, there's the lingering promise he
 has."
    "But..." began Akane, even more confused then before.
    "Ranma can never hug his mother, tell her he loves her, or
 even tell her what's been happening in his life. He can never
 tell her about the curse, either. Can he do any of these things,
 without threat to his well being?"
    Akane looked around again. "No, I guess not."
    Akane froze in her movements as a familiar voice said "What
 don't you guess, dear?"
    Not now, Akane thought. I didn't need this now. She quickly
 put on a false smile and glanced at the person the familiar
 voice came from.
    "Hello, Auntie Saotome! How are you?" Said Akane, trying to
 sound cheerful.
    Frowning, slightly, Nodoka responded "I am well. And yourself?"
    Akane, still trying to hide how nervous she felt, said "I am
 fine. Just trying to figure out where I am, right now."
    Nodoka glances around, a puzzled look on her face. "Why, you
 are in a lovely park. However, why are you not with my son? In
 fact, why is my son looking for me? I'm right here."
    Akane realized that someone was missing. This doesn't seem
 right, she thought. "Auntie Saotome, have you seen Ranko
 anywhere? She was here a few moments ago, but now, she seems to
 have vanished."   
    Nodoka shook her head at Akane and began to walk over towards
 Ranma. "My son! I am over here!" Called out Nodoka. 
    Ranma, looking nervous, began running towards his mother.
 "Mom! I've missed you so...!" Ranma suddenly slipped and fell in
 the pond as he was running alongside it. Ranma submerged for a
 moment. Akane gasped as she tried to think of something quickly.
 Panic began to grip her when she saw Ranko emerge and exit the
 pond, looking slightly confused.
    Nodoka gasped. "Ranko?" Nodoka asked confusedly. "Where's my
 son? He fell in the pond somewhere near where you are, but now,
 I don't see him. Is he OK?"
    Ranko started cringing in terror and tears streak down her
 face. "Mom," she began "I'm OK, for now..."
    Nodoka didn't seem surprised at that last statement. "I was
 wondering how long you would keep up this facade, Ranko. How
 long did you think you could keep me from knowing the truth?
 Your promise that you made to me is still in effect. You know
 the punishment. Uphold family honor." Her katana blade appeared
 from nowhere. "You are _not_ a man!" She began to advance on
 Ranko, her blade held in a prepatory slash position.
    Before Akane had realized what she was doing, her bokken had
 appeared in her hands from somewhere as she charged in front of
 Ranko, interposing herself between the two. Ranko, had sunk to
 her knees, a look of pure terror on her face. She looked as if
 she was deep in shock. Akane set herself in a defensive stance,
 her bokken held ready and a fierce look of determination on her
 face.
    "I can't allow you to do this, Auntie Saotome." Said Akane, a
 big sweat drop on her head. I have...other plans for Ranma."
    Nodoka laughed. "Why do you care, Miss Tendo? You always said
 you hated him and never wanted to see him again. I thought you
 wished you'd never met him. What's he to you, now?"
    Ranko, tried to recover somewhat from her fear of being
 forced to commit suppuku. What's she doing? Ranko thought to
 herself. Akane can't match mom's sword skills. I can't seem to
 move, though. I feel as if I'm being waited down by Akane's
 cooking...
    Akane, suddenly, for no apparent reason, got an irritated
 look on her face and suddenly spun around on Ranko. "RANMA YOU
 JERK!" She wacked him upside the head with her bokken. She then
 spun back around to face Nodoka.
    Ranko, recovered enough to yell "What was that for, you
 JERK?"
    Akane suddenly looked sheepish. "Um...I'm not sure why I did
 that..." Her expression, once again became determined. "Are you
 going to fight me, Auntie Saotome? I'm not going to let you kill
 Ranma without a fight."
    Nodoka looked quite amused. "You dodged that question quite
 nicely, Miss Tendo. However, it was still a dodge. I repeat, in
 case you didn't understand my question, what is Ranko to you?"
    Akane had begun to get an annoyed look on her face. "I care
 about him, OK? Is that OK? And his name is RANMA. I thought you
 of all people would appreciate that fact. _He_ is after all your
 _son_ and-" Akane's voice started to get really sarcastic, "of
 course he _wanted_ to get cursed. It makes him _so_ manly. But,
 I guess you can't see that beyond his physical form."
    This can't be Auntie Saotome, thought Akane. This person is
 cold, like a demon. She doesn't seem to care anything about her
 son. Almost as if she was enjoying torturing him. That can't be
 right.
    Nodoka laughed again, "I didn't think you went for the
 perverted cross-dressing type, Akane. But, then again, I guess
 you always were a tomboy..."
    Nodoka eeped as Akane's downward slash with the bokken
 carened off of Nodoka's katana blade.
    "I'm the only one who can call Ranma a cross-dresser or a
 pervert. He's MY fiance! I can't believe you could be so cruel
 to your own son. At least I care about him. Supukku, yeesh! What
 a lame idea! And besides which, Ranma's more manly than a lot of
 boys I know!" Akane yelled as she attacked Nodoka with all her
 will.
    "He is _not_ manly. He mistreats you, verbally. It would seem
 as if he likes the low orbit flight plan you have set for him.
 He has no respect for others and steps all over them with his
 ego. How can you call him manly?" Nodoka looked smug after
 saying this.
    "Ranma's an insensitive jerk at times, but he's manly enough
 for me!"
    Nodoka looked startled as she backed up. Akane stared into the
 glowing, red eyes of the laughing figure.
    Wait a minute, thought Akane. Red eyes? Akane began to back
 up, nervously as she realized that something was wrong.
    Ranma, still in shock on the ground, but trying to recover
 had heard this. Akane, he thoght, do you mean what you said? Do
 I mean that much to you? Is this real?
    Ranma tried to get up, but can't focus enough.
    Nodoka's eyes continued to glow a brighter red as her form
 began to shrink and change into the form of Ranko. Gasping,
 Akane looked behind her to see a male Ranma, still paralyzed.
 She looked back at Ranko and noticed that Ranko was in a battle
 stance.
    "Well, Akane," began Ranko. "You always wanted me to take you
 seriously and fight you for real. So, now you get your chance.
 Are you ready for me?" Ranko began to advance on Akane.
    Akane began to get nervous. I have never been good enough to
 defeat him, she thought, in any form. He was always able to
 dodge my blows, even while reading a book or not paying
 attention.
    She backed up.
    Suddenly, Ranma jumps to his feet and steps in front of
 Akane. Akane looks relieved, but tries to hide it behind a mask
 of annoyance. Ranma was paying too much attention to Ranko to
 notice.
    "Stand back, Akane, this is my fight, I believe." Ranma said.

    "That's funny, Ranma." Began Ranko, smirking. "I thought you
 wanted nothing to do with me." Ranko looked thoughtful for a
 moment before continuing. "Because of that, I am myself for the
 time being. Call me Ranko. Come on, Ranma, shall we dance? Now's
 your chance to be rid of me once and for all."
    "No. You are not me. You cannot be. It's bad enough that I
 have to be you when my mother is around, but you do _not_
 exist." Ranma responded.
    "Then supposing you tell me why I am standing right here,
 right now."
    Ranma shrugged. "I have no idea. There are any number of
 reasons why you are here."
    Ranko smirked at this. "You created me, Ranma." she said.
 "You don't even know who you are anymore. When was the last time
 you looked in the mirror? Which is the real you? The facade you
 show everyone, or the sweet and innocent female you were last
 week?"
    That last remark seemed to hit the right buttons. Ranma
 suddenly became enraged and attacked Ranko, his movements almost
 too fast to be seen.
    "I am a guy!" screamed Ranma, blinded by fury. "Got that? A
 GUY! Die, whatever the heck you are! CHestnuts Roasting On An
 Open Fire Attack!"
    Ranma's fists seemed to move at a speed faster than the eye
 can follow, but Ranko merely blocked all one-hundred of his
 punches and kicked him in the gut about half-way through his
 attack. Ranma staggered as she followed up with her own
 Chestnuts attack. Ranma tries to block but only succeeded in
 blocking some of them as the majority of the punches connected 
 to his midsection. A final punch from her Chestnuts attack
 connected with the underside of his chin and he flew backwards,
 several feet, landing next to Akane.
    Ranma was in a daze. He couldn't get up as his feet were too
 unsteady. He tried, but collapsed.
    "No, I can't be beaten...I'm a guy, not a girl...I'm not a
 female inside," his voice went quiet as he said "Am I?".
    Ranko charged in for another attack, but Akane interposed
 herself between the two combatants, standing protectively in
 front of Ranma. Ranma didn't seem to notice this. He seems to be
 out of it.
    "Enough, Ranko." Akane said. "You've made your point."
    Ranko frowned. "Have I? Give him a few seconds and he'll
 start hiding behind his pride again. He always does and I, for
 one am tired of it. He's so afraid of being called a girl..."
    Akane suddenly realized something that had been bugging her
 for quite awhile. "You aren't Ranko, are you?" Asked Akane,
 pointedly. She waved her hands and a kettle of hot water
 appeared in her hands. "Who, or more preferably, what are you?"
    Ranko eyes the hot water, nervously. "A-Akane," Ranko
 stammerred. "W-what are y-you doing with t-that hot water?"
 Ranko started to get upset. "How did you do that? I'm the master
 of this dream! I made sure that neither of you could do anything
 other than normal. I should be the only one who can do things
 like that."
    "Thank you, Ranko, for confirming what I've suspected for
 awhile now. There were quite a few things-Oh, hell with this!"
 Akane threw the kettle of hot water at Ranko, who for some
 reason, couldn't move. A beautiful blue aura began to glow
 around Akane as her love for Ranma manifested itself. Akane
 didn't seem to notice this. Ranma was sobbing on the ground,
 oblivious to what's going on.
    "No, it can't be! How did you lock me in place??! NO!" Ranko
 sceamed as the water made contact with her body. Her whole body
 seemed to lose cohesion as it flowed into the form of a black
 cloud with glowing crimson eyes. Ranma suddenly revived, looking
 startled and confused.
    Akane glared at the dark cloud.
    Akane had a made look on her face as she asked "Who are you?
 Why did you do this?"
    The cloud seemed to pause for a few moments before saying
 anything. "I am called, Sankiousna. I am a Dream Demon and its
 my job to do what I did. But, not for you. I have been tricked
 by this Happosai person who summoned me."
    Akane looked as if she was in a bit of surprise. "A dream
 demon?" She asked. "As in something summoned to give a person
 nightmares?"   
    A groan emmanated from somewhere with the cloud. "Um," said
 the cloud, with a disgusted sound in its voice. "That's
 close enough to the truth, I suppose. I was supposed to torment
 Ranma all night with his mother and Ranko. But for some reason,
 you are here as well. This should not be happening."
    It was Akane's turn to groan as the familiar name of Happosai
 was mentioned. Her face darkened quite a bit as she said
 "Happosai is a pervert in the worst case. He usually spends most
 of his time glomping onto Ranma-chan's chest while she's trying
 to get away from him."
    The cloud paused for a minute. "It would seem, then" it
 continued, "that I have a few debts to pay him. You see, you are
 both a loving couple." Akane and Ranma both looked at each other
 and blushed, quickly glancing away. "I can find no real wrong
 doings in your hearts, except for your pride. You both have
 never intentionally hurt anyone. Though at times, Ranma, you are
 too kind towards females. If you don't exert some back bone,
 they will forever be taking advantage of you and you'll never
 have the fiance fiasco solved. You, Akane, " Akane jumped,
 slightly at the mention of her name, "need to stop jumping to
 conclusions at everything Ranma does. He doesn't know how to
 apologize since his father never showed him."
    Ranma and Akane both looked away from each other, blushing
 furiously.
    The cloud continued. "Finally, Ranma, learn to accept your
 female side more than you do. Only in that way will your mother
 know who you are. For if she knew how you were as a male, _then_
 you would have something to worry about. You are not a man, but
 you are a MACHO and EGOTISTICAL brute who needs to have his ego
 shatterred every now and then." 
    Ranma looked quite mad, by now at hearing anything about his
 female half. He looked like he was trying to say something, but
 was strangely silent.
    The cloud began to fade out. "Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Saotome.
 Until next time..." it disappeared.
    "That...That...That JERK! How dare he...!" Ranma was furious. 
    Akane suddenly jumped into Ranma's arms and kissed him on the
 mouth. Ranma was to startled to know how to react.
    Ranma started blushing again. "Um...Akane...But...People,"
 looks around, the park is desserted "...I...well..."
    Akane laughed. "Since this is only a dream, it doesn't
 matter, does it?" She asked.
    Ranma's blush got deeper. "But..." He started to mumble.
 "Great, now she's acting like another Shampoo...I miss the
 tomboy-erk! That is-! Um..."
    Akane, who had obviously heard his muttering, got very mad.
 "RANMA! You idiot! You could ruin a romance novel!!!"
    <*POW*>
    Akane decked him with an uppercut that sent him flying into
 the air. He landed in the pond, only to wake up in his futon. 
    He got up, groggily. The first thing he noticed was that he
 was female. The second thing she noticed was that she was wet all
 over. She felt her futon, but noticed that it wasn't wet. A
 worried look slowly emerged from her face.
    "That was a weird dream. It was a dream, wasn't it? It had to
 be a dream." She yawned. "Still, I suppose I'd better go apologize
 to Akane for insulting her yesterday..."
    Ranma got up and headed for the door. She didn't notice the
 glow of light that suddenly surrounded her. Nor did she notice
 the fact that her clothing had changed. She wobbled, slightly,
 still groggy from her sudden awakening. Her father was still
 asleep on his futon as she opened the door and exited her room
 to the hallway. She noticed that Nabiki was already awake. She
 was staring at her curiously. She ignored it, as she was used to
 it. However, she noticed Kasumi, Soun, and Akane all stared at
 her curiously.
    A large sweat drop formed on Ranma's head as she started to
 get very nervous, realizing that something wasn't quite right.
 She gulped. Her clothing suddenly didn't feel right for some
 reason.
    "What? What are you all staring at?" She asked, somewhat
 crossly. "Nabiki, did you take photos of me again last night?"
 Nabiki shook her head, smirking. "But, if you didn't-how? No!"
 A sudden panic began to grip Ranma-chan as she started to blush.
    "Are you feeling OK, Ranma?" Nabiki asked, giggling. Nabiki
 had her camera in hand and was taking pictures of her.
    Ranma-chan gulped. "Sure, Nabiki, why do you ask?"
    Kasumi smiled sweetly as she said "That outfit looks so sweet
 on you, Ranma."
    Ranma-chan gulped again. "Outfit? What outfit??" She asked,
 not really wanting to know the answer. Something definately
 felt more...drafty abou the current outfit she was wearing.
    "Ranma," began Nabiki. "If you had wanted a sleeping outfit
 like that, you could have just asked me. I've got plenty that'd
 fit you nicely."
    Ranma-chan closed her eyes and looked down at herself. She
 opened them and screamed. "Happosai, you pervert! I'm going to
 get you for this!" Yelled Ranma-chan.
    Ranma-chan ran back into her room while everybody laughed.
 She grabbed a mirror and looked at herself good. She groaned,
 not wanting her father to see her in the outfit. She glanced
 over at him, nervously. He was still snoring away. She looked at
 herself in the mirror again, staring at the blue frilled ladies
 nighty she was wearing with pink panties. A thought passes
 through her head before she can banish it: "Cute..." She changed
 clothes, quickly. As she finished, she looked over to a picture
 of her mother sitting next to the futon. Her mother looked
 hopeful in the picture. Ranma-chan started to get nervous as she
 realized that she didn't have any pictures of her mother. She
 picked up the picture and looked at the back. On the back was a
 note.
    
    I'll be over later today, I hope to see you and your father.
 I love you.

            -Nodoka Saotome

    Ranma-chan gulped as she realized the day it was signed was
 today. She splashed her father with cold water from a
 conveniantly nearby bucket. Genma-panda wakes up, startled.
    "Mom's on her way here, Pop." Ranma said nervously.
    Genma-panda held up a sign. "How do you know?"
    Ranma-chan started to look frantic. "Dammit! I know, OK. I
 can't explain."

    Meanwhile, Akane had gone back into her room and was getting
 ready to come downstairs. Just before she left her room, she
 noticed that the picture she had of her mother sitting by her
 bed is crying. She stared at that, startled.
    Akane looked confused. "That picture is usually in my desk
 drawer." She said, thoughtfully. "And its...crying. How is that
 possible?" She shruged, chalking it up as another weird
 happening with no explanation and walked out of her bedroom.
    A little while later, Ranma-chan came downstairs in her usual
 Chinese clothes. She looked a bit nervous.
    Kasumi was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. "Breakfast will
 be ready in a few minutes." She called out. "Oh, Ranma, why
 didn't you change into a boy?"
    Ranma-chan looked uncomfortable. "Um...Mom's on her way
 here."
    Several gasping sounds came from several directions as
 everyone suddenly listened to what Ranma-chan was saying.
    Nabiki was the only one who didn't look surprised. "How do
 you know this, Ranma? Nothing's come in the mail to indicate
 this. Are you sure?"
    Ranma-chan nodded emphaticly. She looked at Akane, who looked
 at her questionly.
    Genma-panda finally came downstairs as well.
    "Excuse us for a minute," Ranma-chan said as she grabbed
 Akane's hand and dragged them both onto the roof.
    Genma-panda and Soun both headed for the back door, trying to
 hear what was going on with their two children. They were
 intercepted by an interposing Kasumi who's smile had dropped,
 slightly, to show some disappointment. This had the effect of
 giving everyone in the room a cold shiver. Genma-panda and Soun
 both beat a hasty retreat.
    "This time, I think we should leave them be." Kasumi said,
 smiling again, but her voice had something else in it that made
 everyone in the room sweat.

    On the roof, Akane looked irritated, but was somewhat nervous.
 "It was a dream, Ranma, it never happened." She blurted out,
 suddenly.
    "Wait." Replied Ranma-chan. "How did you know what I was
 going to ask? No...it couldn't" Ranma-chan and Akane both began
 to blush, furiously. Ranma-chan took a deep breath. "Look,
 Akane...I'm sorry...I insulted you yesterday about your
 cooking. I was...well, everytime I try your cooking, I always
 get sick."
    Akane's face started to get flush with anger. "Ranma...WHAT
 ARE YOU SAYING???! ARE YOU SAYING MY COOKING"S BAD??"
    Ranma-chan instantly regretted her choice of words.
 "N-nothing...I'm just trying to apologize, Akane."
    Akane started glowing red, yet again. "RANMA!"
    Ranma-chan gulped, knowing what was coming. In the first
 second, Ranma-chan for some reason stared at Akane. Before
 anything happened, Ranma-chan mutterred "Cute" under her breath
 before realizing what she'd just said.

    Kasumi came out back to announce breakfast, but she never got
 a chance as Ranma-chan came crashing through the roof, landing
 on the table.
    "Uncute, tomboy. What'd she go and do that for?" Ranma-chan
 got up, still grumbling insults under her breath.

    Akane, her mallet disappeared back to where ever it came
 from, suddenly realized what Ranma-chan had said before she had
 been "hammered". Did he call me cute? She thought to herself.
 She jumped down to the ground and walked in.

    Soun suddenly started to look around. "Where's the Master? He
 usually never misses a meal."
    Ranma-chan looked thoughtful for a minute. "One minute." She
 ran out.
    Ranma-chan ran into Happosai's room to see what's going on.
 As she got to the room, she heard screaming and cursing sounds
 emmanating from Happosai's room. She entered the room and saw
 Happosai being held by a foot in mid air by a dark, ominous
 cloud. Ranma-chan gasped as she recognized the Dream Demon. 
    Ranma-chan casually looked at the pair. "Hey! What are you
 doing, Dreamy?"
    The demon groaned as its eyes turned to stair at Ranma-chan.
 "Ranko, the name is Sankiousna, not Dreamy." It said, sounding a
 bit miffed. "I'm giving paybacks where they are do. Don't
 interfere. This doesn't concern you."
    "Actually," began Ranma-chan. "Considering what and how I
 woke up, I'd say I have first dibs on Happi as far as beating
 the tar out of him."
    "Ranma! Help! Please!" Screamed Happosai.
    Ranma-chan put on her cute and innocent look and said
 "But, Happosai, aren't you supposed to set the example? It
 wouldn't be proper to interfere in a man-to-..er man-to-demon
 fight, now would it?"
    Happosai started to look frantic. "OK, I'm sorry, Ranma, now
 help me, PLEASE!!"
    Ranma-chan sighed. She knew she was going to hate herself for
 this. Faster then the demon can follow, she grabbed Happosai
 from the demon's grasp and punted him through the ceiling and
 into the air.
    "Take that you pervert!!" Yelled Ranma-chan.
    The demon glares at Ranma-chan, but soon sighs and
 disappears. "You win, Ronko. I can do nothing more to you at
 this time. As it is, I've tormented you enough. Farewell...for
 now."
    The rest of the family rushed into the room in time to see
 the demon dematerialize into the ether. Akane erks as she
 realizes the dream about the demon wasn't just some weird dream
 she shared with Ranma.
    "Well, I'm starved, let's eat." Stated Ranma-chan.
    "Oh, my..." said Kasumi, as she looked up.
    Ranma-chan face-faulted. "'Oh, my'? I don't like the sound of
 that..." began Ranma-chan as she got up.
    Happosai dropped back through the hole in the roof, landing
 on Ranma-chan's chest, squeezing and groping. Ranma-chan freaked
 out.
    "Ah, my darling Ranma-chan, let me thank you properly!"
 Exclaimed the pervert.
    Ranma-chan grabbed for Happosai, but Happosai simply tossed
 her through a wall. A few seconds later, Ranma-chan ran back in
 after Happosai. Both zoom by the family and into the hallway.
 "Come back here you little freak!" Yelled Ranma-chan, enraged.
    Akane groaned as she said "Just another _EXCITING_ day in the
 Tendo house."
    Ranma-chan and Happosai ran back into Happosai's room as they
 all heard a knock on the door and a familiar female voice say
 "Hello?" Everyone turned pale as they realized who it was.
    Ranma-chan took the opportunity of distraction to grab
 Happosai and punt him into the next episode.
    "Hello, Auntie Saotome!" Said everyone, trying to look cheery
 as a somewhat surprised Nodoka walked into the room.

 [To be continued.]
    Coming up next: Nodoka vs. Happosai in "Leave My Niece
 Alone!"
                   

 Author's notes:

 * Note 1 * - The whole sequence is the fight between Akane and
 Ranma when they first meet in the first episode titled "Here's
 Ranma"

 * Note 2 * - That mysterious incident that everyone keeps
 freaking out about is the episode "Am I Pretty?...Ranma's
 Declaration Of Womanhood" found on tape 5 of the Hard Battle
 Series put out by Viz Video. The tape is titled "Pretty
 Womanhood"

 * Note 3 - A dream demon is a race of neutrally aligned demons
 that are neither good or bad who visit certain people for some
 of the things they have done wrong. At times, they are very
 cruel. Other times, they are very kind for they reward people as
 well. They come from the ethereal plane and are usually referred
 to as dream masters while "pestering" someone.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------

 Well, I hope you like this story. It is my first attempt at
 writing a fan-fic so please send comments, questions, etc. I
 plan on writing some other stories along this line dealing with
 Ranma, his female side, and his trying to get back together with
 his mother so watch in the future for "Leave My Niece Alone". 

 Some personal notes : I don't use any of the Japanese verbage
 since I get quite annoyed at a lot of it. Especially since I
 still don't know what half of it means. (What does ne and ja ne
 mean?) I figure if I'm going to write this in english, it'll be
 in english. If it's going to be in Japanese, I'll write it in
 Japanese (where's my Japanese to English dictionary?). Those are
 my views.

 Please, comments and criticism welcome. I know this isn't the
 best story, but I do plan on making quite a few changes in it if
 I'm given the proper feedback.

 Let me know what you thought about the story and what needs to
 be changed to make it better.
 (I go through my roommate's account so title any email sent to
 me with "Katrina: <title>" or something like that)

    -Katrina Lee Halbred
     mathius@keyway.net