managed to find this one common ground upon which the two of them 
could agree upon.  Ukyo was her friend, and perhaps Akane's, and 
Ranma-chan was glad. 
 
     Pushing aside the blue drapes of the Ucchan, the two girls 
embraced the succulent smell of sizzling okonomiyaki, and their mouths 
began to water - especially Ranma-chan's, since she hadn't eaten at all. 
The place was packed with people, but two seats remained 
conspicuously empty by the counter - almost as if Ukyo had been 
anticipating Ranma-chan and Akane's arrival at her restaurant.  Speaking 
of which, Ukyo looked up from frying a large batch of okonomiyaki.

     Her hair, which was undone the last time Ranma-chan saw it, was 
now pulled back into a ponytail and fastened with a white headband.  
She wore her usual chef's shirt, and her black tights, and she sported a 
bandolier filled with her throwing spatulas.  Her fighting spatula was 
nowhere to be seen. 
 
     "Hey, Ranchan!  Akane!  I've been waiting for the two of you!" 
called Ukyo as she fried the food and sprinkled ingredients all over the 
okonomiyaki.   
 
     "Sorry to take so long, but all four of us wanted to window shop 
some more," replied Ranma-chan. 
 
     "That's alright, Ranchan.  Pull up a seat and I'll just be a second." 

Ukyo glanced over at Akane, and broke into a smile.  "You too, 
Akane." 
 
     "Thanks, Ukyo."  Akane sat beside Ranma-chan, who leaned over 
with a grin on her face. 
 
     "Now, what was it that you're saying about liking Ukyo, Akane?" 
she prodded slyly in a whisper. 
 
     "Come on, Ranma.  One okonomiyaki is not going to solve 
everything...!" whispered Akane back. 
 
     "How about two?  Or three?" 
 
     "You know that's not the point."  Akane turned away from Ranma- 
chan and adjusted herself on her seat.  "Food is not going to buy my 
friendship, Ranma.  You should know that by now." 
 
     "So, Ukyo treating you to some free okonomiyaki doesn't mean a 
lot to you?"     "I don't even know if it's going to be free.  Even if it was 
free...yes, it does mean something, but...she can't expect to solve all of 
her problems with a little food.  I mean, between us and Ukyo, 
not...you know...between you and Ukyo."   
 
     Ranma-chan could have sworn Ukyo flinched a bit at that, but she 
wasn't sure whether it had happened or not - or, if it did, exactly why. 

Akane picked up a chopstick and began fiddling with it.  Ukyo finished 
that batch of food and came over to the two girls, her spatula and batter 
bowl at the ready. 
 
     "Okay!  Now, I'll cook that deluxe okonomiyaki for you, Ranchan. 

Akane, which one was it you wanted...?" asked Ukyo with a smile. 
 
     "Oh...I...just an okonomiyaki.  The cheapest one on the menu, I 
guess."  Akane began to search the menu for the cheapest.  Figures.  
Ukyo wasn't going to give her free food after all, not this time. 
 
     "Nonsense, Akane.  Since this is free, you might as well get 
something worthwhile eating.  I know, I'll give you the Seafood Delight 
special." 
 
     "Free?  I...thanks, Ukyo.  Sure." 
 
     "Nothing to it."  Ukyo began to pour the batter for the two 
okonomiyaki.  "So, how was your shopping, Akane?" she asked. 
 
     "It was great!  Me, Sayuri, Anemi and Ranma here went shopping 
for four hours." 
 
     "What did you get?"  Ukyo swiped a little more cooking oil on the 
grill. 
 
     "Just a dress, and a pair of jeans, and some other stuff.  Ranma 
here got..." 
 
     "Hey!  Keep it down, willya?" shushed Ranma-chan.  Ukyo 
stopped frying and leaned over the counter at Ranma-chan. 
 
     "What *did* you buy?" asked Ukyo with a small smile on her 
face.  Ranma-chan blushed in embarrassment and clamped her legs tight 
on the shopping bag beneath the counter, on the floor. 
 
     "J...just a few things.  Nothing important," she stammered in 
reply. 
 
     "Did you have fun, too?  I mean, going around and looking at 
stuff?"  Ukyo resumed cooking. 
 
     "Depends," said Ranma-chan evasively, her face reddening even 
more.  She did have fun, but it would be the last thing for her to admit 
right here, right before Akane and Ukyo. 
 
     "On what?" 
 
     "Nothing.  It wasn't fun carrying those shopping bags for Akane.  
I thought she had bought an elephant, or something.  My arms were 
hurting when we walked out of the mall!"  To emphasize that, Ranma- 
chan rolled her left sleeve back and felt her arm with her right hand.  

 
     "I wouldn't say the same thing if I were you, Ranma.  Remember 
that Bodyglove swimsuit, and your...," Akane's voice dropped to a 
whisper, "panties and your bra?" 
 
     "Keep it down, stupid!" whispered Ranma-chan fiercely. 
 
     "Then don't go saying that I bought so much stuff when I really 
didn't," replied Akane evenly, "It's not like I'm rich or anything.  
Besides, Sayuri bought more than I did." 
 
     "Well...I see that the two of you bought something, at least.  Sure 
wish I had the time to walk from store to store, the way you two did." 

Ukyo sounded a bit wistful. 
 
     "Why?  Just take a day off and go."  Ranma-chan traced circles in 
the hardwood counter with her finger. 
 
     "With whom?  It's no fun going by yourself, and if it's not going 
to be fun, then I'd rather be back here earning my living." 
 
     "Just go with Akane, or some of your other friends at school.  You 
hang out with Sayuri, don't you?" 
 
     Ukyo shook her head.  Ranma-chan, surprised, turned to Akane. 
 
     "Akane...Sayuri doesn't hang out with Ucchan?" asked Ranma- 
chan. 
 
     "No.  They just...you know, know each other.  That's all." 
      
     "Then who do you hang out with, Ucchan?" asked Ranma-chan in 
curiosity.   
 
     Ukyo was quiet for a few seconds, then she shook her head and 
quickly flipped two okonomiyaki onto two plates and handed the first 
one to Ranma-chan, then the Seafood Delight to Akane. 
 
     "Here, you two.  Enjoy.  Excuse me, but I've got to take care of 
some customers up front."  Ukyo whirled, to face the customers.  The 
paying ones, that was.  Ranma-chan turned to Akane. 
 
     "Akane...I know you don't hang around with her, but do you know 
who does?"  Ranma-chan took a big bite out of her okonomiyaki. 
 
     "The thing is...Ranma...nobody.  She only sees me when she 
comes over to see you.  Other than that, I don't think she has any...I 
mean...I don't know."  Akane stared down at her okonomiyaki guiltily, 
her appetite suddenly diminished.  Ranma-chan, on the other hand, was 
shamelessly wolfing down her XL okonomiyaki - at least, it seemed that 
way to Akane.  Akane poked Ranma-chan on the shoulder and the red- 
haired girl turned to her, still munching on a mouthful. 
 
     "What?" she managed after a few moments of chewing. 
 
     "Do you think Ukyo's mad at me?" whispered Akane. 
    
 
     Ranma-chan glanced at Ukyo.  She seemed fine enough, and 
looked at everyone - including Akane - enough times to convince 
Ranma-chan that she was not angry at all.  <Heck, she's even 
smiling!> 
 
     "Naw.  I don't think so.  Come on, eat up." 
 
     "Okay.  If you say so...." 
 
     "Stop being a worry-wart and eat, already.  Ukyo's not like that, 
to get mad over something that is not really your fault!" 
 
     Ukyo was aware that Ranma-chan and Akane were talking about 
her, and Ukyo cast her thoughts back to what Akane had said.  <She's 
right.  Giving free food is not going to solve my problems>, thought 
Ukyo.  To think she had assumed that female Ranma would suddenly be 
reunited with male Ranma, and that Akane would recognize that this was 
Ukyo's way of trying to be friends with her - all with the wave of a 
spatula - coupled with free food.  Ukyo sighed inwardly.  The demands 
of her business had eaten into her social life, and now she could only 
count the two Ranmas, and perhaps Akane, as her friends in Nerima.  

 
     Then again, since Ranma wasn't a friend in the platonic sense, and 
her relationship with Akane was doubtful at times, it remained to see 
that Ukyo had no friends at all.  Sure she knew the schoolgirls in her 
class, but did they hang around her at lunchtime?  They gravitated to 
their friends, most notably Akane, but Ukyo was always left alone.  
They hadn't noticed Ukyo standing alone, by herself, so caught up were 
they in gossip and whatnot...or perhaps they would have seen Ukyo 
attempting to make some friendly conversation with the guys - and of 
course, *they* took it the wrong way.  One boy had even asked her out 
on a date.  She had declined politely, citing her busy work schedule.  
 
     And now, as she watched Ranma-chan and Akane talk about their 
trip in the mall, about what they had bought respectively, and about 
Sayuri and Anemi and a host of other girls, Ukyo was reminded of what 
she had given up in order to establish her business, her livelihood.  
Truly it is said that business has no space allotted for emotions. 
 
     She hugged herself inwardly for a moment, gathering strength, 
then she turned back to the two girls.  Akane was slowly finishing her 
food, and Ranma-chan was trying to sneak a piece or two from Akane's 
plate, getting smacks on the wrist for her efforts. 
 
     "Stop it, Ranma!  Get your own okonomiyaki!" 
 
     "But, the way you're eating it we'll never get out of this 
restaurant!" 
 
     "You sound as if you're anxious to leave."  Akane munched on her 
okonomiyaki, savouring its taste and Ranma-chan's obvious impatience. 
 
     "No, I'm not...I didn't mean it that way." 
 
     Ukyo watched the two girls playfully arguing back and forth, her 
heart warmed by that sight, and she almost joined in but a customer rang 
the bell by the counter and she moved to serve him.  After she was 
done, she turned back but her opportunity was lost.  Akane was 
finishing the last piece and Ranma-chan had stopped fidgeting.  By all 
looks, they were ready to leave. 
 
     "Leaving now, Ranchan?" asked Ukyo.  Ranma-chan nodded and 
she stood up. 
 
     "Thanks, Ucchan!  That was great cooking, as usual."  Ranma- 
chan hesitated for a second, then she said, "Well...see you later, 
Ucchan, and take care!" 
      
     "See you, Ranchan."  Ukyo watched Ranma-chan walk out the 
door of the Ucchan.  Akane wiped her hands on the napkin, thanked 
Ukyo and began to leave. 
 
 
     "Umm, Akane?" 
 
     "Yes, Ukyo?" replied Akane, turning around. 
      
     "I was wondering...when are you going shopping next?  Because 
I'd like to come along then." 
 
     "I...uh...I'm not.  Not for a while, anyhow, until my Dad gives 
me more money.  Sorry."  Akane stood still, very still, and tried not to 
stare at Ukyo. 
 
     "I see.  Well, keep me in mind when you go next, okay?"  Ukyo 
felt crushing disappointment entering her heart and she let out a sigh.  
Too bad.  Ukyo had feared that Akane would still be closed to subtle 
hints of friendship, and this rebuttal, though quite plausible, came as a 
sting to Ukyo's heart. 
 
     "Okay."  Akane began to leave once more, but she turned back 
again.  "Ukyo?" 
 
     "Yes?" 
      
     "I'll see you some time."  Akane smiled.  "Bye."   
 
     And Akane left.  Ukyo stood there for a moment, then she threw 
herself into her work and time lost its meaning in the scrape of her 
spatula and the hiss of frying okonomiyaki. 
    
     By the time Ranma-chan and Akane reached home, it was three 
o'clock and sundown was still quite a ways off.  Ranma was home, and 
reading a book on martial arts techniques while lying on the floor with 
a glass of icecream near the book.  The panda played shogi with Soun 
and Kasumi was helping Nabiki with her laundry. 
 
     Ranma-chan pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt in the privacy 
of her room, then she headed downstairs.  Her gaze came to rest on 
Ranma, lying prostrate on the ground with his hands supporting his 
head, reading his book - and she suddenly felt a little hot.  She admired 
his body from the vantage of the stairs, feeling her nipples harden under 
her bra, and she began to walk down the stairs.  Feeling somebody 
watching him, Ranma turned around and peered up at Ranma-chan. 
 
     "Hey, come have a look at this book I found at the bookstore!" he 
called to Ranma-chan. 
 
     "Okay."  Ranma-chan got down on her hands and knees and 
pretended to peer at the book.  Ranma, who was in front of her, was 
pointing out various stances and blocks, but Ranma-chan wasn't 
listening.  Every instinct in her body told her that she was enjoying the 
sight of Ranma's muscled back and defined arms, but her mind was 
screaming bloody murder.  Still, unable to pull away, Ranma-chan 
remained where she was, giving only a token gesture to acknowledge 
that Ranma was speaking while letting her eyes roam, and roam. 
 
     She blew a small puff of air into his face, hoping to get him to 
look at her, and he glanced up involuntarily - right into her loose T- 
shirt.  He was speechless for a moment then he got to a sitting position. 

Ranma-chan leaned back on her legs and put both hands on her knees. 
 
     "You're...you're wearing a bra" he stammered, pointing a finger 
at her chest.  Ranma-chan grinned. 
 
     "You like it?  It cost me 850 yen, and it feels just fine."  She 
patted her chest and her breasts bounced enticingly.  Ranma gulped and 
wiped some sweat from his forehead. 
 
     "No, that's not the way I meant it!  I mean, why're you wearing 
a bra?" 
 
     "Well, duh!  I gotta...you know...wear something underneath?  It's 
like underwear, but we call it lingerie." 
 
     "That's still not what I meant!  Stop jumping around the question 
and give me a straight answer." 
 
     "Well, you see...since I'm gonna be a girl until we get the cure, 
I might as well observe feminine decency.  I mean, I can't go around 
without a bra...Mom would only take me out bra-shopping again.  This 
way I get it over with." 
 
     Ranma-chan seemed to hesitate, playing with her pigtail as she did, 
then she cast her gaze downwards, as if repentant.  Her hands crept to 
the base of her shirt and her slim fingers took hold of it. 
      
     "But...if you're so concerned...."  Then Ranma-chan slowly pulled 
her shirt up and off her, so that she was topless save for the bra.  
Ranma's eyes went wide. 
 
     "Put your shirt back on!" he whispered fiercely. 
 
     "Well, since you don't want me to wear a bra, I...guess I'd better 
take it off now."  She rolled her eyes and reached ever-so-slowly to her 
back to undo the bra, thrusting her chest out in the motion.  Ranma 
grabbed her hands and pulled them forward.  Then he grabbed her shirt 
and began to try and pull it on Ranma-chan. 
 
     "Hey, leggo of me!  I was just joking!  I wasn't really gonna take 
it all off!" she cried in muffled tones under her shirt, her face hidden 
from view. 
 
     "Yeah?  Well what's all this talk about feminine decency after all, 
huh?" said Ranma as he finally succeeded in putting the shirt back on 
Ranma-chan.  She pouted and began to tuck her shirt in. 
 
     "I was just playing with you, that's all.  No need to attack me like 
that." 
 
     Ranma grumbled something back, then he settled down to read the 
book again.  Ranma-chan crawled over to Ranma's side and curled up 

beside him, but without their bodies touching.  Ranma seemed to take 
no notice.  <All the better>, she thought as she began to sneak peeks 
at him again, feeling erotic pleasure once more. 
 
     It had been said that similar minds thought alike.  Ranma could 
feel Ranma-chan's body next to his, even though they weren't physically 
touching.  He turned to relieve the pressure put on one elbow and took 
a good, long look at the female next to him.  Ranma-chan's legs were 
curled up and away from him, and her petite body excited him in a way 
that made him shift his position in order to make himself 
more...comfortable.  His eyes lingered on her curves, and travelled all 
over her body to rest on her tight shorts and her smooth, exposed legs. 

He peeked up and admired the way her slim arms, and shoulders seemed 
to complement her breasts and the soft skin of her neck.  Her hair 
looked especially silky up close, especially against her peach-soft skin, 
and Ranma restrained his impulse to reach over and touch it.   
 
     As time progressed, Ranma found his mind straying off the martial 
arts book more and more.  Ranma-chan edged closer to him and Ranma 
tried to blot out perverted daydreams concerning him and Ranma-chan. 

At that moment, looking at Ranma-chan, he wondered how she would 
feel if he leaned over and put his arms around her, then one thought lead 
to another and soon - in the privacy of his mind - he was fantasizing 
about sex.  He looked at Ranma-chan, at her breasts underneath a 
T-shirt that was almost sheer, but not quite.  For some reason she 
looked more sexy with her bra on, than off... 
 
     A fantasy flitted through his mind and he imagined Ranma-chan 
without any clothing on, and in the bath with him.  She was right next 
to him, and her hands were flitting almost playfully under the water, 
near his legs...With an effort he banished the fantasy before it could 
develop any further.  His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer 
before he forced himself to look at her face.  Ranma-chan looked up at 
that moment, apparently also lost in thought over something. 
    
     Ranma-chan snapped her gaze up the moment Ranma looked up, 
her face flushed red in embarrassment.  How is it that she felt so...hot 
near Ranma?  A flicker of a daydream had entered her mind, a little 
thingy concerning herself and Ranma.  The both of them had been naked 
and lying on a bed.  She had been lying on her back and Ranma had 
been rubbing warm oil all over her while straddling her with both legs 
on either side of her, his hands lingering on her breasts  and tickling the 
tips of her nipples.   
 
     "What're you guys doing?" 
 
     Both Ranma and Ranma-chan looked up in surprise, to see Akane 
standing over them.  She was wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top, 
the latter article of clothing getting a wide-eyed look from Ranma and 
a slightly-jealous glance from Ranma-chan. 
 
     "Uh...just reading a book.  What's it look like?" asked Ranma- 
chan petulantly. 
      
     "Yeah, what's it look like, Akane?" piped in Ranma.  Ranma-chan 
got to her feet and folded her arms across her chest.  Ranma did not get 
up at all, actually turning his body so that the lower portion was facing 
away from Akane. 
 
     "Oh, just asking, that's all."  With that, Akane walked away and 
both of them heaved sighs of relief.  Then Ranma-chan squatted before 
Ranma and tapped him on the head.  Ranma looked up. 
      
     "Yeah?" 
 
     "Since it's so hot today, let's go to the ice cream shop and have 
something.  I still have a bit of money in my room." 
 
     "That's *my* money." 
 
     "Which makes it mine as well.  What's yours...is mine."  Ranma- 
chan got up and walked upstairs, to her room.  Ranma followed close 
behind, the book forgotten on the floor as he followed the petite, pig- 
tailed girl.  As he walked behind her, he was struck by how sexy she 
looked from behind while walking up the stairs.  He stared at her butt 
all the way up, and he tripped on the top step as a result.  He 
windmilled his arms but still fell right on Ranma-chan, knocking her to 
the ground as a result. 
 
     "Oooof!" Ranma and Ranma-chan exclaimed at the same moment, 
Ranma on top of Ranma-chan.  He, and the fall, had knocked the wind 
out of her. 
 
     "S..sorry!  I tripped...and I guess I fell on you," said Ranma by 
way of apology. 
 
     "That's okay.  It was just an accident," mumbled Ranma-chan 
from under Ranma.  Ranma liked the feeling of his body on top of 
Ranma-chan's, especially the way her butt was... 
 
     "Would you get offa me already?  You're heavy, you know!" 
protested Ranma-chan and Ranma quickly rolled off.  She got to her 
feet, cast Ranma a glance, then opened her room door and got her 
money.  The two of them told Kasumi where they were going, then they 
walked to the ice-cream store. 
 
     Ranma trailed behind Ranma-chan, the urge to admire her 
curvaceous body making him slow his pace deliberately in order to 
remain behind her.  Her shorts reached about halfway down her thighs 
and she was wearing sandals, so quite a bit of leg was exposed to  see. 

She looked so different wearing clothing other than what she usually 
wore, decided Ranma, and so much sexier too.  Especially the way she 
walked, the way her arms swung, and her pigtail swinging she looked 
from side to side, but her most attractive quality - looking from the back 
- were her hips, and her butt....Inside he knew he should not be looking 
at the female version of himself, but the compulsion to was almost 
addictive in itself.  Ranma-chan suddenly stopped, but did not turn 
around.  Ranma stopped too. 
 
     "What's wrong?" he asked quizzically. 
 
     "Is something wrong with the way I'm dressed, or something?" she 
asked without looking at him.  Ranma felt his face color in spite of 
himself and he looked away from Ranma-chan. 
 
     "No...actually, you're dressed fine," he managed to get out.  His 
ears were burning and he fought to calm his pounding heart.  Ranma- 
chan turned around and stepped close to Ranma. 
      
     "Then why have you been looking at me all this time?" she asked 
softly, peering up into his eyes with her own. 
 
     "Well...uh...that's because...ah heck.  That's because I like the 
way you look, okay?!" shot back Ranma defensively.  He was never 
good at lying anyways. 
 
     "So you're saying I look...great?" asked Ranma-chan, her hand 
stealing to her pigtail and smoothing it out behind her. 
 
     "Y-yeah.  I guess.  Look, I'm sorry already for staring at you..." 
 
     "Oh, don't worry about it!  If you really wanna know, I've 
also...uh..." 
 
     "Also what?"  Now Ranma was getting suspicious and he folded 
his arms across his chest.  Ranma-chan blushed and turned to keep 
walking, but Ranma reached out and pulled her back.  "Don't you run 
away on me now.  You've also....?" 
 
     Ranma-chan swallowed nervously and glanced around, as if to 
make sure that they were alone.  Then she leaned up on her tiptoes, 
placed her hands on his left shoulder to support herself, and put her lips 
close to his ear. 
 
     "I've been getting these...feelings lately, whenever I look at you.  
They're not bad or anything, or painful, but...it's kinda hard to 
explain," she whispered.   
 
     "What kind of feelings?" he pressed, now determined to know. 
 
     "Exciting ones."  Ranma-chan shrugged as she dropped back on 
her heels.  She had never realized how much taller her male side was 
over herself.  Taller, broader and tougher.   
 
     "Gee, that tells me much.  Come on, you've got to give me more 
to work on." 
 
     Ranma-chan, who was less than a foot from Ranma, tried her 
hardest to keep looking at his face and not at the rest of his body. 
 
     "Okay...I...I don't feel the same like I used to be.  You know, 
before the Nullifier, even when I...we were in cursed form, I know we 
never had those feelings before, the ones that I'm feeling whenever I 
look at.....at...you," finished Ranma-chan lamely. 
 
     "Just tell me what those feelings are already, okay?" 
 
     "Alright.  You know how you feel when you see a really hot chick 
walking by?" 
 
     "Yeah.  Oh no.  You don't mean to say that...you...."  
 
     "Yup.  And not just you, but other guys," Ranma-chan paused for 
a second then resumed, "I don't even know why I'm telling you this 
stuff.  You probably think I'm weird or something by now, right?" 
 
     "But don't you....I mean....don't you feel sick, or wrong, when 
you get those feelings you're talking about?" 
 
     "At first, I do.  I think to myself `okay, I shouldn't be doing this', 
but a few moments later I find myself enjoying it.  I try to look away, 
but I don't because...it just felt natural to me.  I mean, looking at guys. 

Like you."  On impulse Ranma-chan stepped right up to Ranma and 
wrapped her arms around him. 
 
     "Wha...what're you doing?" whispered Ranma in a hoarse voice. 
      
     "Indulging myself.  Humor me, okay?"  Ranma-chan could smell 
Ranma that close up, with her face resting on his chest and her breasts 
pressing on his stomach.  She slowly reached an arm up to his head, to 
pull his head closer to hers.  Strangely, he did not resist - rather, he 
went along with the motion. 
 
     Their faces were inches apart, hot breath threatening to obscure 
their vision - even though they didn't wear glasses - then Ranma-chan 
tilted her head and slowly, tentatively put her lips on his.  Then they 
kissed - for just a moment - and Ranma-chan broke it almost 
immediately.  That felt good!  It was almost like an electric current had 
run from his lips to hers, and that current had stimulated her body.  
Even now her nipples were hard and pushed a little into her bra.  And 
between her legs she began to get hot, and she rubbed her legs together 
to help ease the feeling.  She glanced down and she saw a telltale sign 
that Ranma was as aroused as she was, and she blushed.  It had been 
pressing on her loins through the material of Ranma's pants when she 
had kissed him, and she hadn't even known it. 
 
     "Uh...I don't think I should indulge you any further.  I mean, what 
you're doing...is wrong!  And...." protested Ranma as he tried weakly 
to push Ranma-chan off of him.  Ranma-chan touched her lips, then she 
licked them.  Strange how she could still feel his kiss.  Ranma-chan 
reached up and gently pulled Ranma's head down again, so that his 
cheek was caressing her own.  Then she pulled back a little, and went 
in for another kiss, but Ranma jerked his head away and disengaged 
himself from Ranma-chan.  She stumbled back a bit but caught her 
balance. 
 
     "I'm sorry," she said after a while, "I got carried away, I guess.  
I mean, this is all so new to me...and it wasn't so bad after all.  And 
something tells me you kinda enjoyed it, too. 
 
     "I did not!"  But it was a lie and Ranma knew it.  He had liked 
having that female body right against his own, with Ranma-chan's soft, 
yet firm curves melting into him, becoming a part of him it had seemed. 

But most importantly, the kiss was something in its own category.  How 
to describe those luscious lips on his own, kissing ever-so-gently and 
passionately?  What words could capture the feeling, the rapture of 
sharing an intimate act with her? 
      
     "Whatever.  Come on, let's go get our icecream before people start 
staring at us."  Ranma-chan whirled, pigtail flying, and jogged off to the 
icecream store.  Ranma followed. 
 
     Ranma and Ranma-chan took a seat in the store and a waitress 
came up to serve them shortly. 
 
     "May I help you?" she asked. 
 
     "One strawberry sundae, and a banana split," said Ranma-chan. 
 
     "Thank you, it'll be just a moment." 
 
     It came to no surprise to Ranma that Ranma-chan had known 
exactly what he had wanted, for obvious reasons.  The shrill ring of a 
bicycle bell, the sound of air rushing past a falling object, and the 
screech of tires on concrete were the only warning sounds that trouble 
had arrived.  Without even bothering to lock her bicycle a certain cutie 
with lavender hair ducked under the canvas awning.  Counting a wad of 
bills in her hands, Shampoo walked into the shop.   
 
     <Finally!  Payday at last.  Benefits follow hard work like sunshine 
after rain, as great-great-grandmother says.  Now...I think I'll have 
something nice and cold to eat, to treat myself to>, thought Shampoo, 
in her native tongue of course.  Thinking in Japanese was supposed to 
help her learn the language better, faster, but what better way to ensure 
a facade of stupidity than limited knowledge of the main language in this 
country?  At least she did not have to fake her accent.  Great-great- 
grandmother had taught her that trick.   
 
     She scanned the restaurant for a booth all to herself - and caught  
sight of Ranma-chan guzzling a banana-split.  One could almost hear the 
targeting beeps and see the crosshairs as the Amazon weaved her way 
around tables to Ranma-chan.  Ranma was hidden from view by the 
booth's high-backed seats.  With an extra bounce in her step, she walked 
over to Ranma-chan's table.  What a pleasant surprise, to see her 
husband-to-be here! 
   
     "Ni Hao!!  Ranma, you want to date with Shampoo!"  Shampoo 
made it sound like a fact, not a request.   
 
     "Oh...no.  Shampoo."  It was all Ranma-chan managed to get out 
between mouthfuls of icecream and banana. 
 
     "Oh well.  I suppose she was going to find out sooner or later, if 
Cologne didn't tell her," said Ranma in resignation. 
   
     Shampoo reached the booth, and saw the two Ranmas.  The wad 
of bills drop and scatter all over the floor from nerveless fingers, and 
Shampoo's eyes were wide with astonishment. 
 
     "No, I suppose she didn't tell her," quipped Ranma-chan to 
Ranma. 
   
     "Ni men liang ke ren...Shampoo mean, why there two of you?  Is 
Shampoo dreaming?" 
 
     "Shampoo, your money!" 
 
     "Oh!"  Shampoo bent down and gathered all of the bills back up 
into one wad.  Then she sat down heavily, beside Ranma, and looked at 
him questioningly, before staring over at Ranma-chan.  Ranma took this 
opportunity to fill her in on the situation. 
 
     "Shampoo no mind so much.  Shampoo only ask for boy-type 
Ranma!"  With that, Shampoo latched onto Ranma and began to cuddle 
him.  Ranma-chan couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at 
Shampoo's behaviour - Shampoo was usually very devoted to him, even 
when he was a girl, but now that the curse was practically lifted from 
Ranma....Ranma-chan quickly finished her icecream up. 
 
     "Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds together..." she said in an 
offhand tone and got up to leave, her hands in her pockets. 
       
     "Wait!  Don't go!" cried Ranma with the urgency of a swimmer 
with a cramp. 
  
     "Wo ai ni!"  Shampoo tightened her grip on Ranma and began to 
grow a little more aggressive in her cuddling, knocking Ranma onto his 
back in a tangle of limbs and tablecloth.  Patrons began to lean over, to 
see what was the matter. 
  
     "Your dish, sir," said the waitress as she placed a strawberry 
sundae by the window ledge, where it would be safe from the `action'. 
 
     "Shampoo!  Shampoo!" 
 
     Ranma-chan leaned out of her booth and saw a robed figure 
silhouetted against the bright street.  It had sounded like Mousse, and 
Ranma-chan's suspicions were confirmed when the figure got out of the 
glare and was revealed for who he was.  Mousse pushed his glasses onto 
his head and smoothed his long hair back, his robes fluttering with the 
wind blowing into the store.  He peered out at the bicycle parked outside 
the store. 
       
     "Her bike's here, so she must be inside!  Shampoo!" called Mousse 
again as he walked further into the store. 
  
     "Hi ya, Mousse!  Shampoo's down there!" said Ranma-chan in 
greeting, while pointing down at a furiously blushing Ranma and a 
slightly miffed Shampoo. 
      
     "Saotome!!  What are you doing with my Shampoo?!" cried 
Mousse, pointing accusingly at Ranma-chan. 
  
     "I ain't doing nothing.  Why don't you ask Ranma down there, not 
me?" said Ranma-chan, crossing her hands behind her back.  Shampoo 
snorted in derision. 
  
     "Is true, stupid Mousse.  Ranma taking Shampoo on date.  We just 
having fun *before* date," Shampoo said before hugging Ranma anew, 
amidst gasps of surprise from all nearby patrons, who were now 
*really* trying to lean close and peer inside the booth. 
   
     "It's not that way!!!" cried Ranma to a couple in the next booth, 
who were peeking around. 
 
     Mousse looked long and hard at both Ranma-chan and Ranma. 
 
     "So...you aren't....I mean....what are YOU doing to Shampoo, but 
if you're there...then...." he said without making much sense. 
  
     "Time to get new glasses, Mousse.  You're seeing double!" said 
Ranma-chan with a smile. 
  
     "Maybe you're right..." said Mousse as he removed his glasses and 
put his hands into his sleeves, "...but you're still taking advantage of my 
Shampoo!  Prepare to die, Saotome!!" 
 
     Mousse threw his arms out wide.  Six blades shot out of his left 
sleeve and a wickedly curved sword appeared from his right.  Shouting 
a battlecry, Mousse leapt to strike...and proceeded to mangle a nearby 
plant. 
  
     "Idiot," said Ranma-chan to herself as she made her exit, glad to 
leave the chaos behind her.  Glad, but sad in a way because while 
nothing had changed for Ranma, it seemed that everything had changed 
for her.  She strolled out of the restaurant, went down the street, turned 
a corner and bumped into somebody, and she stumbled back a few feet. 
 
     "Oompff!  Sorry 'bout that, guy.  Are you alrigh...K..Kuno?!"  
Ranma-chan began to back away.  But it was too late.  Kuno threw 
himself on Ranma-chan and began to nuzzle her head with his chin. 
 
     "Oh, pig-tailed goddess!  What strange turn of fate doth draw us 
together, like the heavenly spheres in symphonic harmony!" he cried, 
accompanied with a paroxysm of cuddling and dramatic weeping. 
  
     "Let *go* of me, you freak!!" shrieked Ranma-chan from within 
Kuno's embrace.  She struggled ineffectually but couldn't free herself. 
 
     "How can I let you go now, my love!!  How can one such as I 
possess the strength of will to let the one, true love of my life go?" 
  
     "Like this!!!" 
 
     *CRACK* 
 
     The business end of a mallet was introduced to Upperclassman 
Kuno's head and said individual released Ranma-chan and slid off of 
her, to lie on the ground with eyes crossed and limbs akimbo, like a 
dead frog.  A growing bump on his head and a small groan were the 
only indications that Akane's mallet had only knocked him out.  A pity. 
   
     "Honestly!  Are you all right, Ranma?" asked Akane, the mallet 
still in her hands and at the ready should Kuno come back to 
consciousness. 
 
     "I...guess so.  Nothing broken here."  Ranma-chan laughed at her 
own joke.  Akane was not so amused. 
 
     "Where's Ranma?  I thought I saw the two of you walk out 
together, to go somewhere...?" 
 
     "Being nosey today, aren't we Akane?  He's back in the icecream 
shop, being pawed over by Sham...I mean...he's just having 
a...uh...friendly talk with....a friend." 
 
     "Don't lie to me, Ranma!  Shampoo's here, isn't she?!"  
  
     She hefted her mallet and stomped off towards the ice cream shop. 

Ranma-chan tried to hold her back but Akane hardly noticed 
Ranma-chan's feeble attempts to prevent bloodshed.  Through the 
window of the ice cream shop, Akane and Ranma-chan could see 
Shampoo still clinging onto Ranma, who was valiantly trying to finish 
his sundae. Mousse was berating the two, waving his weapons 
threateningly over the couple in the next booth over.  Ranma saw Akane 
and Ranma-chan, and more importantly, the infamous mallet.  His eyes 
went wide with fear and he tried to pry Shampoo off him. 
  
     "RANMAAAA!!!!" yelled Akane as she stomped into the ice 
cream store, to loom over Ranma and Shampoo, her left eye twitching 
dangerously. 
  
     "Akane!  What you do here?" cried Shampoo, looking up at her 
arch rival, her hands still resting on Ranma's chest. 
  
     "That's a question I ought to ask you!  What are *you* doing 
here?!"  With that Akane grunted, lifted her mallet over head, and 
brought it swinging down on Shampoo.  Shampoo cried out as she 
whipped out a concealed bonbori and blocked the strike. 
      
     "This is not the place for a fight, you guys!!" cried Ranma-chan, 
waving her hands desperately. 
 
     "Yeah, yeah!  Quit it already!!!" Ranma yelled from beneath 
Shampoo.  He saw both Akane and Shampoo doing their blue aura thing 
and he cringed. 
  
     "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!" yelled Akane to Shampoo. 
  
     "AKANE DIE!!!" snarled Shampoo as she sought to land a blow 
with her bonbori. 
  
     "DIE, RANMA!!!" roared an angry Mousse at a table. 
   
     There was general bedlam for a few minutes as Akane traded 
swipes from her mallet with Shampoo's bonbori.  Ranma-chan pulled 
Ranma out from the fight and the two make a *very* quick exit.  
Mousse was still stabbing the table with a spear when Akane and 
Shampoo noticed that the person they had been fighting over had run 
away.  They turned as one and burned out the door in a madcap chase 
after both Ranmas. 
   
     "Why me?!  Why does it always have to be me?!"  Ranma was 
running for all he was worth down the street, beside Ranma-chan. 
  
     "Because it's you, I guess!" replied Ranma-chan. 
  
     "Well you don't have to rub it in just because you don't have to  
worry about stuff like this, now!" 
  
     "What do you mean by that?"  Ranma-chan had a little frown on 
her face. 
  
     "I mean, you're a girl.....oh, leap up here." 
 
     In one smooth motion both Ranma and Ranma-chan leapt 
gracefully over the top of a nearby store, to land on its roof.  Then they 
quickly hid themselves behind an air-intake.  Ranma-chan turned to 
Ranma, who was less than a foot from her. 
 
     "Say what?" she asked. 
  
     "Nothing," he replied evasively, his eyes darting furtively here and 
there as if he expected the Akane and Shampoo to loom out of mid air. 
 
     "No, tell me!" cried Ranma-chan, who grabbed Ranma's arm and 
shook it. 
  
     "Are...are you sure?"  Ranma looked at his female half closely, 
involuntarily noticing the light play of the wind on her hair, the 
highlights and features like his own...yet so very different, as a girl.  
There was nothing said for a few moments. 
  
     "Very," Ranma-chan replied at last.  She had been lost in the azure 
gaze of her male half, instinctively reacting to his manly features, and 
absently noting how broad his shoulders were in comparison to hers.   
   
     "Okay.  If you say so, but don't tell me that I didn't warn you.  I 
was gonna say that..now that you're a girl, you don't have psycho 
chicks chasing after you anymore." 
  
     "Yeah, that's true."  Ranma-chan turned away from Ranma and 
folded her arms across her chest. 
  
     "Did I say something wrong?" he asked in a worried tone.  
Ranma-chan paused for a moment, then she let a grin appear on her face 
unbeknownst to Ranma.     
 
     "Not really.  You know, the reason why they're chasing after you 
is because you're handsome." 
 
     "Thank you." 
 
     "No, really."  Ranma-chan turned back to Ranma and inched a 
little closer to him, "You *are* handsome." 
 
 
     "So...you're trying to say that because I'm handsome, girls like 
Shampoo, Kodachi, and Ukyo chase after me."  Ranma puffs his chest 
out a little and preens himself.   
 
     "That's right.  But...there is one thing I feel I have to tell you." 
      
     "What?" 
 
     Ranma-chan traced circles in the roof, then she looked up at 
Ranma. 
 
     "You know about what I said about having those weird feelings?  
You know, looking at guys and stuff like that?" said Ranma-chan.  
Ranma looked sick. 
 
     "Yeah.  And your point is?" 
 
     "Point is I feel those feelings to be a part of me, you know, just 
like how you feel certain stirrings, or urges, when you see cute girls." 
 
     "But, you've already told me that, didn't you?" 
 
     "Yes, but it seems to be a part of me.  It's...it's so hard to 
explain.  It's like my body is causing it, but my mind does not really 
accept it.  Yet."  Ranma-chan had her hands clasped together and she 
was wrangling her fingers. 
 
     "What do you mean by `yet'?" 
   
     "I mean, right now I'm sorta fifty-fifty on this thing, but later I 
might be one hundred percent." 
 
     "I don't get you," replied Ranma with a blank look on his face. 
 
     "Then...why don't you get this?" 
 
     Without another word Ranma-chan slowly slid herself on Ranma 
and pushed him ever-so-slowly on his back, on the roof.  Ranma stared 
up in speechless surprise as Ranma-chan ran hands up his sides, to his 
face, and dipped her head close to his.  The tip of her pigtail hung over 
her shoulder and tickled his ear, but all he could see...and feel was 
Ranma-chan's face a mere inch away from his own, their noses almost 
touching.  Such eyes, and eyelashes as could only belong to an angel yet 
were present on Ranma-chan....her bangs hung straight down and 
mingled with his own, red against black, fire and dark mystery.  Her 
body seemed to melt into his.  Then she kissed him lightly on the lips, 
still looking into his eyes.  Ranma broke the kiss. 
 
     "Ranma...what are...what are you doing?" he whispered to the 
female lying on him, very acutely aware of her breasts squishing on his 
chest.  Already he felt himself reacting to her body and Ranma-chan 
smiled as her leg brushed against his growing manhood. 
 
     "Indulging myself again.  Sort of like a treat after my dessert, you 
know?" she said in a sultry tone, batting her eyelashes at Ranma.  She 
pulled herself up to a straddling position, her hands on Ranma's chest. 
Ranma could feel a heat radiating from where Ranma-chan was sitting 
on him, his stomach. "I...I feel like I'm riding a horse, or something, 
sitting on you like this."

     "Well...our names mean `horse', so what's so strange about that?" 
Ranma found himself enjoying the feel of Ranma-chan's body on his
own, and her fingers on his chest, but....  Her left hand began to trace
nameless patterns on his chest and she flipped her pigtail over to her
other side; that was when Ranma rolled out from under Ranma-chan and
got to his feet.  Ranma-chan rose as well, a surprised look on her face.

     "I...I think they're gone by now.  Come on, let's go home
already," said Ranma in an uncertain voice.

     "What?  We're....we're not going to....go any further?  Even just
a little?" asked Ranma-chan, her hands clutching Ranma's left arm
tightly.  Ranma did not answer as he gently shook Ranma-chan's hands
off of his arm and leapt off in the direction of the Tendo Dojo.  Ranma-
chan followed close behind.

     It was fast approaching dark in Nerima Ward and both the Tendo
and  Saotome families were about to have their supper.  A night breeze 
brushed the wind chimes and the tinkling noise resembled that of a
bird's song.  A carp leapt out of the water and caught an insect. The
night was quiet and there were no automobile sounds to ruin the
sacredness of the evening.  Kasumi stepped out from the kitchen.
  
     "Supper is ready, everybody!" she called.
 
     "Yes, come and eat!" called Nodoka from the kitchen.  She was
wearing her sword-shaped bundle on her back.

     Within minutes the entirety of both families were seated around the
table, their rice bowls and chopsticks at the ready.  Akane jockeyed with
Ranma-chan for space, because Ranma took up quite a bit of space by
himself.  Nodoka put a rice cooker by the side of the table.  After a
moment's pause, she turned to Ranma-chan with a rice ladle in her
hands.

     "Ranko, could you please help me hand out the rice?" she asked
Ranma-chan, holding out the rice ladle.  Ranma-chan blinked, then she
got to her feet.
 
     "Uh...s-sure, I guess."

     "You are such a sweet girl, Ranko!" Nodoka exclaimed with a
smile on her face.
  
     Ranma-chan filled the rice bowls and flipped them to everybody in
a flourishing move.  Nodoka calmly put the food on the table even as
spinning bowls landed all about her in precise order. The two families
settled and began to eat. Ranma-chan, just as hungry as Ranma, who
was wolfing down his food, began to do the same as her male
counterpart.

     "Ranko...it is unseemly for a girl to eat like that," admonished