(Previously:  Ranma fell into the Spring of Drowned *Little* 
Girl.  Among the changes due to this:  Ranma hasn't had a finacee forced 
on him yet, and in theory he gets to pick a Tendou sister; and Kunou is 
not in lust with Ranma's other half.)

				NO FAIR!
			  by Scott K. Jamison
			(Takahashi disclaimer)
			     Chapter Five

	That afternoon, Ranma showed off by doing an one-handed handstand 
on the chinning bar by the athletic field.
	"So you studied acrobatics in China?" asked the brown-haired boy, 
who'd introduced himself as Hiroshi.
	"Weren't you paying attention?" chided his darker companion 
Daisuke.  "He said martial arts."
	"Saotome Style Anything-Goes Kempo, to be precise," corrected 
Ranma as he dismounted.  He winced as his ribs protested.  Kunou had 
really gotten in a good shot this morning.
	The other guys didn't seem to notice, and they all settled down 
to watch the girls play softball.  Apparently part of the reason for 
Akane's remarkable popularity with boys was her athletic prowess. 
	"So, have you gone all the way with Akane yet?"
	Ranma started.  "Ack!  No!"
	"Well, at least you've done heavy petting, right?  I mean you are 
her fiance."
	"No!  And I haven't chosen a fiancee yet."
	Hiroshi grinned.  "That's strange.  Nabiki said you'd already 
been sharing baths with Akane."
	"That was just once!  And it wasn't my idea!"
	"You're saying you wouldn't *want* to share a bath with Akane?" 
asked Daisuke a bit dangerously.  Ranma was saved from having to answer 
by a softball trying to imbed itself in his cheek.
	It turned out to be a line drive by Akane, who came right over 
after running the bases.  She was apologetic.
	"I'm fine, Akane."
	"I don't know, Ranma.  It looks like it's swelling.  Here, let me 
see it."  As Akane moved in, she inadvertantly brushed against Ranma's 
side. 
	The pain was blinding, and it was all Ranma could do to keep from 
weeping. 
	"Ranma!  You're really hurt!  We're seeing Dr. Toufuu *now*!"  
She dragged him off.
	"Hey!  I can walk by myself, you know."
	As soon as they were out of earshot, Akane let go.  "Honestly, 
Ranma!  Maybe you're better as a girl!  At least then you'll admit when 
you need help." 
	"You *want* me to be a wimp?!"
		*			*			*
	Kasumi strolled into Dr. Toufuu's waiting room, her shopping 
basket on her arm.  There were actually a few people in there for a 
change.  Normally when she arrived, it was empty.  Then she remembered 
she hadn't called ahead this time.  He must hurry through his patients to 
make time for me, she decided. 
	Buoyed by the thought, she smiled at the waiting patients, who 
greeted her somewhat nervously.  She never could understand that 
reaction.  Everywhere else, people seemed to be much nicer.  Their joints 
must ache awfully. 
	To her mild surprise, the current patient was Ranma, with Akane 
nearby.  As soon as Akane saw Kasumi, her face turned worried.  Kasumi 
hoped she hadn't been fighting with Ranma; Akane's tendency to hit things 
and people when angry was one of her less pleasant traits. 
	"Good afternoon, Sensei, Akane, Ranma."
	"Why, Kasumi!  What a pleasant surprise for you to drop by!" said 
Dr. Toufuu, twisting Ranma's arm into what looked like a very painful 
position.  Still, the doctor was very Skilled, so he knew what was best.  
	"I've brought back the pressure points book.  Do you have any on 
pediatrics?" 
	"Why certainly!  They're right on that shelf over there," replied 
Toufuu, swinging his arm wildly and forcing Akane to duck.  "Borrow as 
many as you need!"  He was doing that trick where his glasses fogged up.  
Kasumi had no idea how he did that.  Maybe they taught it in medical 
school. 
	"And how is Ranma?"
	"Oh, he's just got a little bruising," said the doctor, poking 
his display skeleton's ribs.  "But the boy is nothing but skin and 
bones.  You should eat more, son."
	"Whatever you say, Doc," gritted out Ranma, obviously still in 
some pain. 
	"You know, I had another patient named Ranma just the other day.  
A cute little girl.  Come to think of it, she was with you too, right 
Akane?"  
	The younger girl started.  Y-yes, you could say both Ranmas are 
staying with us." 
	"Our father has decided to engage one of us to Ranma," put in 
Kasumi. 
	The fog on Toufuu's glasses seemed to thin.  "Really?  Which 
one?" 
	"That hasn't been decided yet.  It could even be me."
	"But it's not final, is it?"  The doctor's glasses were 
completely clear now.
	"I'm not in any hurry to get hitched," said Ranma.
	"You are rather young to be thinking of marriage, Ranma.  Now how 
did your arm get that way?"  He turned back to his patient. 
	Kasumi decided she'd learned what she wanted to know.  She put 
the cookies in a safe place, picked out two pediatrics texts, and bid the 
others good day.
		*			*			*
	"Hold up a moment, Ranma."
	"What's up, Doc?"  Ranma stopped in the doorway, aware Akane 
would quickly get impatient.
	"I was just wondering...are you favoring one of the Tendou 
sisters?  For the engagement?"
	"Well, not really.  Kasumi's really nice, but she mothers me a 
bit too much.  Nabiki's kinda remote, I haven't got a good fix on het 
yet.  Akane, well, she's cute and we have a lot in common, but she's got 
a nasty temper, and she's kinda unfeminine, doncha think?" 
	"I think Akane's really a very sweet girl, once she lets down her 
shell," replied the doctor.
	"If you say so, Doc."
	"You'll see.  Now go, you've kept her waiting long enough," 
Toufuu joshed, giving Ranma a light shove in the back.
	"So what did he want to talk to you about?" asked Akane when 
Ranma caught up with her. 
	"Oh, just guy stuff.  I think the Doc is kinda sweet on your 
sister." 
	"I've noticed."  Akane's tone sounded like she wasn't entirely 
thrilled by this, and Ranma remembered certain of her own actions. 
	"You have a thing for the sensei, too, doncha?  I thought you 
didn't like boys." 
	Akane flushed a little.  "I don't like immature boys.  Doctor 
Toufuu Ono is a *man*."  
	Ranma was a bit stung.  "Hey, I can be mature too!"
	Akane giggled.  "Sure, Ranma--"
	Ranma pitched forward on his face.  "Aggh!"  He couldn't feel 
anything below his waist. 
	"Are you all right?"
	"I can't move my legs...I get it, this must be the Doc's little 
joke when he pushed me.  Mature, huh?"
	"We're only a few blocks from home.  I'll just carry you the rest 
of the way."
	"No way!  You think a man would stand for such humiliation?" 
	"But it's be okay for a little girl, right?" asked Akane with a 
hint of mischief in his voice.  She took a garden hose lying nearby and 
blasted Ranma with it.  
	"Hey!  Whadja do that for?" 
	"Well, you'll be a lot lighter this way, for starters."  Akane 
picked up and arranged him in a piggyback position.  
	As they walked along, Ranma noticed how nice Akane's hair 
smelled, and how strong her shoulders were, for a girl.  Sweet girl, huh? 
he thought.  Jury's still out.
		*			*			*
	Ranma was gratified to slip past Kasumi and to the bathroom for a 
quick heat treatment.  He didn't want to hear about his "cuteness" right 
now.
	"Time for supper!"
	After the meal, Ranma went straight up to Nabiki's room and 
knocked on the door.
	"Entre vous."
	Nabiki was at her desk, clicking away at an abacus.  Neatly 
arranged piles of paper were stacked on each side of her.
	"Oh, Ranma.  What can I do you for?"
	"Well, I just wanted to get to know you a little better.  After 
all, we may wind up being married."
	 Nabiki had a very good poker face, but a little bit of panic 
showed through it. 
	"No!  I mean, I'm sure you'd be happier with one of my sisters." 
	"Well, maybe, but you've been deliberately avoiding me, and I'd 
like to know why." 
	Nabiki's face smoothed again.  "Ranma, no offense intended, well 
maybe a little, but I want a husband with smarts and money.  And you're 
not exactly loaded with either."
	"Hey!"
	"What kind of idiot drags his father to some cursed training 
ground and insists on fighting there before the guide can tell them 
what's wrong?" 
	Ranma felt his ire stirring.  "Is that what the old man told 
you?  It was *his* idea to go to Jyuusenkyo, because he couldn't read 
enough Chinese to spot the word "curse".  And *he* was the one who wanted 
to spar right away!"
	"Really?  Fine...but shouldn't you have known better than to 
blindly follow him?"
	She had him there.  Ranma was hard-pressed to think of a single 
time trusting his father hadn't led to trouble.  But still, Genma was the 
only family he'd had.  If you couldn't depend on your own father, who was 
there? 
	"Okay, you made your point."
	But Nabiki wasn't quite done.  "As for money, the only thing 
you're trained to do is martial arts, and in a style disallowed by most 
legitimate tournaments.  It'd be at least five, six years before you've 
got enough of a rep to attract students to the dojo, and that's assuming 
you're as good as your father claims.
	"Meanwhile, you two eat like horses, your curses are going to 
send our water bill sky-high, and that new wardrobe Kasumi bought you 
cost two months of the household's discretionary budget."
	Ranma felt distinctly uncomfortable.  He'd been so busy feeling 
put upon by the shopping trip, he hadn't paid any attention to the price 
tags.  And despite their big house, the Tendou family wasn't very well 
off. 
	"I'd like to help, if I can, but Fuurinkan doesn't allow outside 
jobs."  Legitimate ones, he amended, remembering the pictures of Akane. 
	"Well, if you really mean it...Officially, it woulodn't be you 
with the job, it'd be your other half.  She's really cute cleaned up and 
dressed right."
	"You want to take hentai pictures of me like that!?  Are you 
sick?" 
	Nabiki waved denial.  "No, no, not like that.  There are some 
markets even *I* won't touch.  But legit ad agencies are always looking 
for cute child models that can take direction.  And that exotic hair 
color should make her a pretty hot commodity." 
	"I don't know.  I don't much like being a little girl in the 
first place.  Deliberately using it like that..."
	"You don't have to decide right now, Ranma.  I'll do some 
research, see if there's really a market.  But you should seriously think 
about it.  Models make good money, you know."
	"I'll...think about it," Ranma said.  "'Night, Nabiki."
	Ranma went to his room and struggled with his homework for a 
while. 
	Eventually he threw it down in disgust.  There was just too much 
to think about.
	He took Chiyoko down from the shelf and sat her on the desk in 
front of him. 
	"So, do I pick Kasumi?  Akane?  Try to win over Nabiki?  Or do I 
let them pick for me?  Take a humiliating job, or feel like I'm 
freeloading?  Is family honor the most important thing, or should I tell 
the old men to take a leap?  What do you think?"
	Chiyoko just smiled enigmatically. 
	"Sheesh.  Now I'm talking to dolls.  Time to call it a night."  
He patted Chiyoko on the head and turned out the lights.


TO BE CONTINUED


SKJAM!
"All fics are finished, eventually..."
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/5990