(Previously:  In this alternate universe, the Jyuusenkyo springs 
change minds as well as bodies.  Thus Ranma's female form is her own 
personality named Ranko.  Ryouga turns into a boy named Shinnosuke, who 
Ranko has some feelings for.  Currently, Ranko has been locked in cursed 
form by the Chiisuiton.)

				TWILIGHT EXISTENCE
				by Scott K. Jamison
	(Ranma 1/2 and its associated characters created by Rumiko 
Takahashi.  No infringement intended.)
				  Chapter Fourteen

	I was in the doctor's office, and Dr. Toufuu told me there was no 
cure for the Chiisuiton.  "But it's all right, Ranma wasn't all that 
great a person anyways.  You're much nicer than he ever was."
	Then I was on the street, walking along with the Chiisuiton in my 
hand.  Ryouga appeared, running towards me.  He was shouting angrily.
	"Ranma, you've made my life a living hell!  Prepare to die!"  
Then he saw it was me.  "So, you treacherous girl.  We meet again."
	I smiled.  "And this will be the last time, Ryouga.  I'll make 
you Shinnosuke forever, and we can get married!"  I ladled the water on 
him, then hugged my love.  But something felt wrong.
	I pushed away, and saw a girl with fangs smiling at me.  "Didn't 
Ryouga tell you he was getting rid of Shinnosuke?  Hi, I'm Yoiko!"

	I sat bolt upright in bed.  Okay, maybe indiscriminate use of the 
"locking water" wouldn't be such a good idea.  It was only an hour until 
I had to get up anyway, so I got off the futon and took a nice long hot 
bath.  It was such a luxury!
	I finally got out when I noticed my finger skin was getting all 
wrinkly.  The first time I'd ever seen that.  By this time, Kasumi was 
making breakfast, so I went down to help her after dressing.  The other 
members of the family were waking up, and by the time the food was ready, 
only Father had failed to show up.  
	I went to his room to check on Father.  It wasn't nearly as nice 
as mine and Ranma's, just a storage room Kasumi had converted to a 
sleeping space.  The only thing that showed his personal presence was his 
backpack stashed in a corner.
	Uncle Tendou once said that "Saotome understands there are only 
two true necessities, food and sleep, so he snatches them whenever he 
gets a chance."
	Father was still lying on top of his futon, in the same gi he'd 
had on the night before.  He still looked rather battered.
	"Breakfast is ready, Father."
	He woke up at that and visibly winced, which told me Father was 
in considerable pain.  For all of his very vocal whining about my and 
Ranma's behavior, he was remarkably stoic about physical suffering.
	"Perhaps you should see Dr. Toufuu about that when you go to work 
today," I suggested.  "How'd you get so banged up, anyway?"
	"Ranko...you haven't turned back yet?"
	"No, Father, the doctor says--"
	"Just as well, then," he interrupted, the "crafty" expression 
creeping across his face.  "Two or three days ought to do it."  He got 
up. 
	I didn't understand what he meant, but since he didn't object to 
me staying me, I had no urge to look a gift horse in the mouth.
	As Akane and I walked to school, the possibilities whirled 
through my mind.  There were so many things I could do now that I didn't 
turn into Ranma.
	I asked, "Akane, do you think I would look better with a French 
braid, or should I get my hair waved?"
	She stopped in her tracks and stared at me.  "What are you 
*talking* about, Ranko?"  In retrospect, I missed the important warning 
signs.
	"My hairstyle.  It's about time I had a change."
	"You and Ranma are trapped that way, and all you can think about 
is your stupid *hair*?"  Akane sounded awfully mad, and I couldn't 
understand why.
	"Akane, I'm not trapped, I'm *cured*.  It may only be temporary, 
but at long last I can do what *I* want, without worrying about turning 
into Ranma and embarrassing him.  I can wear my hair in something other 
than this pigtail, I can put on frilly underwear, I can even put pink 
polish on my nails if I want!  I'm free!"
	Akane slapped me, and I fell over.  "Ranko you IDIOT!" she 
screamed, then turned and stomped away.
	I just sat there nursing my sore cheek.  I'd often felt the 
soreness from Akane hitting Ranma, but this was the first time she'd ever 
hit *me*.
	I remembered what Ranma had written to me a while back:
	[Normally, I can avoid Akane hitting me no problem.  But if I've 
done something to really get her mad, then wham! she nails me.  It's like 
something in me feels that I deserve to get hit.]
	I didn't think I deserved being slapped, after all I was just 
telling the truth, but maybe Akane did.
	I got up, dusted myself off, and finished walking to school.  I 
just barely made it before the bell rang, so I didn't notice anything 
unusual.
	It was a bit of a surprise, then, when the teacher announced, "We 
have a new student joining our class today."
	I looked up to see a very handsome boy with long dark hair tied 
back in a ponytail.  His features were soft, what they call "bishounen", 
and he had chocolate brown eyes.  He also had an enormous spatula tied to 
his back.
	"Hi!  I'm Ukyou Kuonji!  To introduce myself, and my new 
restaurant Ucchan's, I'll demonstrate my skill!"  To my complete shock, 
he had a portable grill hot and ready to go, and poured out the batter 
for several okonomiyaki.  They cooked quickly, and Ukyou started flinging 
them across the classroom, each landing squarely on a desk.
	There was just a hint of hesitation before he sent one to me.  
The symbol for chaos, "Ran" was written in sauce on the fried treat, but 
the lower half of it was smeared.  It tasted delicious, the best 
okonomiyaki I'd ever had.  (Admittedly, I hadn't had that many in my 
short lifetime to compare.)
	My classmates agreed with my judgement, with at least one 
exclaiming, "I'll never eat anything but okonomiyaki ever again!"  But 
then that fellow was known for exaggeration.
	There was an open desk at the rear of the classroom, and Ukyou 
was seated there.  I stole frequent backwards glances at the handsome and 
talented boy, and I caught other girls doing the same, despite warnings 
from the teacher.
	Between classes, Ukyou came over to my desk, prompting glares 
from some of the girls at me.  He asked, "You're Ranko Saotome?"
	"Yes, that's right."
	"But I thought it was Ranma Saotome who was registered here."
	"He is.  I'm his sister."
	Ukyou looked puzzled.  "Ranch--Ranma never mentioned he had a 
sister." 
	"Um...he didn't know.  We only found out about each other 
recently.  You know Ranma?"
	"Yes.  We were...best friends.  Didn't he ever mention me to 
you?"  He seemed a little hurt.
	"No, but that doesn't mean much.  My brother doesn't like talking 
about his past."  I remembered how he hadn't even recognized Ryouga at 
first.  "How did you meet him?"
	"He and his old man were camped out near my father's okonomiyaki 
cart when I was six.  We used to play a fighting game where if he could 
get past me, he could have a free okonomiyaki."
	"Free food?  Yeah, Ranma would go for that."
	Ukyou smiled, and my heart skipped a beat.  "It was a great time, 
and--where is Ranma, anyway?"
	I fidgeted.  "Ranma?  He's uh, um, away.  He might be gone for a 
while."  I felt just a little twinge of guilt over my earlier disregard 
for Ranma.  I knew my brother didn't have many friends, and now my 
condition was keeping him from being with one of them.
	"When did he leave?"  Ukyou's voice had turned a little sharp.
	"Three days ago.  He didn't say when he'd be back, and I don't 
have any way to get a message to him."
	"Three days ago...I wonder--"  He cut himself off, and smiled 
again.  
	The next teacher came in to start the class, and Ukyou asked 
quickly, "Can I see you after school?  I'll show you my place.  Uh, the 
restaurant, that is."
	I nodded, a little bit of burning in my cheeks.
	The rest of the school day passed in something of a haze for me.  
I was embarrassed to find during a particularly boring math lecture that 
I'd been doodling "Ranko Kuonji" all over my notebook.  He was very 
handsome, but had I forgotten Shinnosuke already?
	Akane insisted on tagging along with us to Ucchan's.  "I'm Akane 
Tendou.  The Saotome family is staying at our family dojo."
	"I'm pleased to meet you, Akane," Ukyou replied in a friendly 
manner. 
	Ucchan's was really just a hole in the wall place, with barely 
enough room to walk behind the stools at the cooking counter.  Still, it 
looked friendly and clean.
	"'Scuse me, I have to change," Ukyou said, disappearing behind a 
curtain. 
	"Ranko, I don't like this," hissed Akane in my ear.  "We don't 
really know anything about this Ukyou person.  What if he has some kind 
of grudge against Ranma?"
	"Oh come on, he's Ranma's *friend*.  And how can any guy that 
good-looking be a bad person?"
	Akane sighed and rolled her eyes.
	Ukyou came out in his cook's outfit, and he cut rather a dashing 
figure in it.  In practically no time, he'd made okonomiyaki for both of 
us.  "No charge for such lovely ladies, especially as you're Ranma's 
sister." 
	The sauce on mine said "sukiyo", "I like you."  I blushed and 
looked at Ukyou.  He met my eyes with his, and my heart melted.
	"I hope you won't think I'm too forward, Ranko, but would you 
like to go to the jazz concert with me this weekend?  They're playing 
some Billy Tipton music."  He flipped another okonomiyaki on my plate.  
	I was stunned.  Ukyou was asking me on a date?  A date!  Why 
not?  Surely Ranma would approve of me being nice to his best friend.  
And Ukyou was so gentle-seeming, not like Kunou's pushiness.
	"I...I, yes, Ukyou, I'd like that very much!"
	More customers came in, attracted by the smell of food, and Akane 
and I left for home.
	As soon as we were out of earshot of the restaurant, Akane turned 
to me.  "Ranko, what were you thinking?"
	"I was thinking that a date with a handsome boy would be really 
nice.  I've never had one, you know.  Besides, I'm sure Ranma would 
approve." 
	Akane frowned.  "Maybe.  But don't you still have to get your 
father's permission?"
	I'd forgotten about that.  "I suppose, but since Ranma dated you, 
it should be okay.  Oh, and I guess he can tell me about Ukyou too."
	When we got home, Father was shadow boxing in the back yard.  He 
looked much better, though it didn't look like he'd changed his gi.
	"Good afternoon, Father."
	"Ah, Ranko.  Dr. Toufuu told me what happened."  He frowned.  
"We'll have to find a cure, and soon.  This situation could 
be...unpleasant for all of us."
	"But this morning--you said--"
	"I was thinking of something else.  There is no way I'm going to 
allow my son to be locked away.  I've worked too hard for this, he's 
sacrificed so much..."  Father's eyes drifted to the horizon.  "Er, 
anything else unusual happen today?"
	"Well, there's a new boy at school, his name is Ukyou, and he's 
really handsome, and he's asked me on a date, and can I go, *please*?"
	Father slipped on a rock and fell into the koi pond, which turned 
him into a panda.  I decided to interpret that as a "yes."  The panda 
ambled off to the bucket of bamboo shoots Kasumi had put out just in 
case. 
	After dinner, Kasumi helped me pick a new hairdo, mostly straight 
except for some curls by my ears.  It made me look a lot more grown up.
	I wanted to get my ears pierced so I could wear some nicer 
earrings, but Kasumi pointed out that would carry over to Ranma, so I 
really needed to get his permission.  And I couldn't do that, because he 
was stuck inside me.  I was a little ticked.  Ranma was gone, but he was 
still running my life.
	This was going to have to change.


			TO BE CONTINUED

Next time:  Ranko's first date!

Comments, please?
SKJAM!
earlier parts at http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/5990