[FFML][R1/2][FRAGILE CLAY] Episode 4 (A)

Welcome, yet again, to another Epic Episode of our Beloved "Fragile Clay" Series! I am your Host, Kaoru Shimitsu. This Fic seems to be building up a little popularity <Though I don't rightly know why....> so I decided that now would be a good time to start on another episode.

I think that, through the beginning of the first episode, I had despaired ever finishing the pilot.... and look, here I am on the 4th episode, cheerily plugging away at a storyline that everyone seems to like.

Of course, comments and criticism are very helpful, and I am actually begging any of you out there who like this to send your C&C to my e-mail! Opinions, Ideas of what might make the story better, things you like, things you didn't like..... Anything is welcome. But just don't flame me needlessly.

As before, I would like to thank a few people.....

Frank-Kun of the Ranma 1/2 Library for Tolerating me and putting up with my stories on his Page....

Tokibana Yumeko, for being a great C&C fan, and for conversing with me in the wee hours of the morning about this fic, giving me some ideas and input about it, and pointing out a few things I never thought of.

Emry-kun <Nabiki> From #RanmaRPG on Starchat, for helping my creativity with the story, delving into a future character's Psyche, and for just being an all around great friend.

I'd also like to thank my Adopted Imoutochan from Starchat #RanmaRPG on mIRC as well, for being such a great player, friend, and always being there for me. ^_^

And I can never forget the people who have gifted me with their love, both in the past and the present, and hopefully the future. My family, Sera, Josh, Ken... Lots of love you guys.

Then there are all the people who have actually e-mailed me.... <You guy's know who you are....> Thank you for actually responding to me about this beginning fic.

Then there's all the rest of the fans, who I am doing all of this for..... I hope you like it. If you don't, well then why are you reading episode four, Bakas? ^_^

Sin.

Kaoru-Ryuu, Of Ryuu Shimitsu

{kaoru@mosquitonet.com}

Fragile Clay: Volume 2

Episode:4

"The Ballroom Blitz?! Akane's Prom Night Challenge!"

The cracking of a cement block rang out through the clear morning air, and a flock of birds took wing as the sound resounds through the calm, breaking the still that seems to surround Nerima Ward. The brisk scent of winter hangs over Tokyo, ominously foreshadowing that perhaps winter is in a bit of a late swing.... but no less prominent in it's arrival. It would be here soon, by the chill of the air.

The loud sound had resounded from the Dojo of the Tendo family, where three daughters lived with their widowed father.

Recently, over the past 6 months, the Tendo household had been housing the Saotome's. Ranma and Genma. Along with these two followed, to most it would seem, all the chaos the world had forgotten.

From a dojo destroyer, to princes of lost lands who come seeking a bride, from ancient martial artists well over 300 years old, to various victims of the Accursed Springs of Jusenkyou.

Recent events, however, had been quiet.... too quiet.... and quiet in Nerima is like fish in the Sky... it was far too odd to the residents. Which, through simple deduction by most people, foretells that it was not to last.

And undoubtedly to be the center of whatever happened was the man whose life fate had decided to smile upon, the young soul whose destiny was forever bound by a curse that held his fate in the balance, the young Saotome boy.....

Ranma Saotome.

* * * * * *

"HIIIIYA!" Another slab of concrete snapped in half, almost effortlessly. Ranma huffed for a moment, looking at the two halves of the block he had just split. It never ceased to amaze him how easy it seemed.... focus, concentrate, and strike.

Of course, he was not used to breaking blocks. That was more of an Akane type thing to do.

Ranma walked over to the pile of cement blocks, and carefully picked one. He returned to his place and set it on the platform before him. He assumed his proper stance and gazed at the block a long moment..... his mind, for some reason, wandering back to the contest four days before.

It had been the first direct challenge he had made against his once fiancee, Akane Tendo, since he had set foot on the Tendo's doorstep. A cooking challenge. Now, most people who were familiar with Akane Tendo�s cooking skills would think anyone was mad as a hatter to initiate a challenge involving cuisine..... but, in a way, it had been something Ranma had to do. Hiroshi had pointed THAT out to him.

"Man, 'Roshi, now I'm in more of a mess than before!" Ranma sighed, and struck the block with his fist, smashing it in two effortlessly.

His friend, Hiroshi, had been the one to suggest the idea, so that Ranma could smooth things over with Akane after one of their many fights. Hiroshi seemed to be doing a lot recently to help Ranma out of the insanity that infested his daily existence.

Of course, things did not go as planned..... Ryouga Hibiki, Ranma's arch-rival, had barged into the cafeteria, and promptly destroyed a table.... initiating a very short battle which ended quickly due to Akane's renowned temper.

In fact, Ranma ended up with a table smashed over his head. Not at all a pleasant feeling. *Why'd she hafta go'n do that?* Ranma shook his head, and wiped his brow with his arm. He could still imagine that his head smarted from the blow.... even though the pain had quickly passed after the initial attack.

Because of Ryouga's interruption, Akane had ended up losing the challenge.... which didn't make her at all happy. While Ukyou and Shampoo tried to calm down the youngest Tendo girl, telling her that winning wasn't what was important, she insisted on a formal challenge involving martial arts.

Ranma sighed, slumping his shoulders. *Ranma, if you had kept your fool mouth shut she wouldn't have thought a second about another challenge.....* Ranma brought his gaze back up to the pile of broken concrete around him.

"Gonna clean that up, Ranma, or are you too much of a girl to lift the rubble?" Ryouga..... his voice was a constant taunting jest to Ranma. Whenever Ryouga found something that got to the Saotome boy, he pounded on that nerve until there was little choice left but to pound on his face.

Ryouga leaned against the dojo entrance, staring at Ranma with a smug expression on his face.

"Shutup, Ryouga.... I told you last time not to push me, and I almost hurt you seriously. You can't be tellin' me that you LIKED having your ugly face beaten in, do ya?" Ranma turned to Ryouga with fire in his eyes. If there was one thing Ranma couldn't stand, it was Ryouga making fun of his female side, and demeaning his masculinity.

Ryouga shook his head. "No, but you sure seemed to like it, Ranma. Makes me wonder if you won't fly off the rocker and hurt Akane like you did me," Ryouga scoffed, turning to look at the blocks.

Ranma clenched his fists, glaring at the Hibiki child. "You better watchit, Ryouga, or you'll regret what I do to you. You pushed the line last time.... You..... You've got no idea what I've been through, man....,"

Ryouga returned his smug expression to Ranma. "Maybe not, but I think you're losing it Ranma. What self respecting man would wear make up and dresses?"

Ranma growled and began running to Ryouga. "RYOUUUUGAAAA!" Ranma began throwing a furious amount of punches at Ryouga, and Ryouga began blocking them, while still holding his smug expression.

For a good ten minutes, Ranma and Ryouga exchanged attacks, neither seeming to gain any footing to launch a counter offensive. They both seemed evenly matched to each other, and locked in a dance of graceful deadliness. Then, Ranma found an opening...

"KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" Ranma yelled, breaking into a furious blur of fists, Ryouga's smug look vanished as Ranma pummeled him to the ground.

Ranma heaved a breath. "Thanks, Ryouga. I needed that." Ranma grinned, picking Ryouga up and setting the boy against the wall.

"That.....wasn't..... very nice, Ranma.....," Ryouga huffed, gritting his teeth as he looked at Ranma.

"Yeah, and where did it say in the rules that I gotta be nice to a meat-head like you, piggy?" Ranma laughed, turning and bowing to the Dojo, then put his slippers back on and stepped outside. Ryouga was bright red as he left.

* * * * * *

Ranma walked into the Tendo Household and silently slipped his shoes off, yawning in the process. The past three days he had been practicing alone in the dojo, and casually wearing himself out every night. It beat having to deal with Akane mentioning the challenge she had initiated.

Ranma slowly padded through the living room, where Nabiki was Reading a book titled, "The Economics of Money in Japanese Society," and Soun and Genma were playing a game of Shogi.

Ranma glanced casually at Nabiki, then headed upstairs as he thought to himself. Nabiki had been strangely silent for the last four days, not muttering more than a few sentences to him at any given time.

He had asked her about it, but had received only a cold glare in return.... the glare Nabiki gave people when she thought it was better they not ask, for their sake.

Ranma slowly pushed the door to his room open and plodded in, somewhat tired from the fight with Ryouga and the exercises he had been doing all night since dinner had ended.

He virtually collapsed on the futon, the events of a very vigorous day wearing at him. He'd been busy today exercising with his father. Genma hadn't been talking to him much since their fight seven days ago, but had agreed that today they would train together.... if only to keep Ranma's abilities up to par.

Of course, Genma had said almost nothing during the day except to give Ranma some encouraging advice, or to comment on something important. It unnerved Ranma that he could have driven his father to such a reaction.

Of course, when Ranma had yelled at Genma he had said some fairly strong words that had struck deep to Genma's heart. Ranma wasn't so sure it could be repaired so easily, even though he regretted it now.

Ranma heard the door to his room slide open, and he sat up, looking at the doorway. He instantly recognized the sillouhette, and sighed again.

"Heya, Akane....." Ranma said half-heartedly. Somehow, he had been somewhat depressed recently, although he didn't know why. Maybe it was because Hiroshi had begun avoiding him again, even after their talk.

*I hope it snows soon, I'm not sure I can take much more of this from him....* Ranma mentioned to himself. He didn't know why, but having Hiroshi happy had become a major driving force in his life recently.

"Is that all? Heya Akane? No, 'Sorry Akane for avoiding you so much recently' or 'Sorry for what happened at the Cooking Contest'?" Akane walked in slowly.... there was very little anger in her voice, Ranma noticed.... and Ranma wondered if she had calmed down over the entire cooking ordeal.

"Well.... I dunno what to say, really..... I accepted your challenge, Akane, what else do you want from me?" Ranma rested his elbows on his knees, and looked at Akane as he tilted his head.

Akane took a seat beside Ranma, a worried expression on her face. "You've been trying to stay away from me, as if I wanted to hurt you again. I think the table did enough damage to that poor brainless head of yours...." Akane smirked.

"Hey! Watchit, you Kawaiikune Tomboy.... I'm jus' as smart as anyone else," Ranma was a bit red from Akane's comment, but turned even brighter red when Akane laughed.

"Oh Ranma, I was just kidding. Geeze, you never know how to take a joke, do you?" Akane placed a hand on Ranma's shoulder. "I have to know, Ranma, there's something bothering you, isn't there?"

Ranma stared at Akane for a long moment, then looked over at the mirror. For a moment, an image flickered in it.... an imagining by Ranma's psyche.... a flash of red hair. "Well....."

"I know there is. It was back when we went to Tofu's, isn't it?" Akane assumed a similar posture beside Ranma, staring at the mirror in front of them.

"Uh.....yeah..... I guess that's a little responsible...." Ranma rubbed the back of his head, unsure what to say to Akane. He was still so new to opening up to people. *How Hi does it.... I'll never know.*

Akane brought her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, looking at Ranma sideways with her knee's under her chin. "I'm sorry, Ranma. When I saw your reaction, I thought that you just brushed it off.... I didn't think that you might be just as upset as I was."

Ranma laid down straight, and looked up at Akane. "Yeah.... I was pretty freaked, actually. It's not every day that a guy is told he's grown another inch in the bust and hips...." Ranma shuddered as he repeated what Tofu had told him. *How does it feel, knowing you�re growing into a woman? Damn scary....* Ranma whispered in his mind.

Akane looked at Ranma sadly. "You don't know anymore, do you?" She ran a hand through her hair as she looked down at him.... recently, Ranma had begun having doubts about his gender. It worried Akane to no end.... and it scared her.

Ranma bit his lower lip as he looked up at the ceiling, where the Gundamn poster was hung. "Nope..... there's a lot of things I'm unsure of nowadays, Akane. I mean, who would have ever thought that you could learn to cook Sukiyaki."

Akane turned red for a moment, but quietly pushed her anger down. "You're trying to change the subject, Ranma," Akane stared at the mirror, wondering what Ranma could have seen in the mirror that would disturb him so.

"Yeah, I know Akane. It's just that I'm scared too...." He turned to look at her with a solemn look on his face. "Jus'.... don't tell Pop I said that, okay??"

For a long moment they gazed at each other, Akane's soft brown eyes with Ranma's deep blue..... then they both leaned forward simultaneously, lips touching for a moment.... and drew back, instinctively. Akane slapped Ranma, also instinctively.

"HEY!!!" Ranma rubbed his cheek, and was about to say something to Akane, but paused when he saw the look on her face.

"I Love you, Ranma Saotome," Akane whispered softly, her fists clenched. Her mind was reeling, and seemed to be thrown back in time, to a single moment that heralded a change in her life.... *Hello, I'm Akane.... would you like to be friends?* Echoed in her mind. Her first words to Ranma.

Ranma's hard, prideful air seemed to melt away for a moment. "Yeah.... I know, Akane. I Love you too." She had kissed him.... He had kissed her. HE had kissed her, in MALE form.... He'd finally done it!

Then Ranma shivered a moment. "It's jus'..... I don't think I'm ready for this. Somethin' keeps buggin' me, Akane, and before we can.... you know, get engaged again, I gotta find out what that somethin' is. It has a lot to do with me, which is becoming more and more difficult to figure out for myself...," Ranma sat up on his futon, and reached over.

Akane's face was solemn, and a bit disappointed.... Ranma's hand took hers, holding it softly he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.

"I promise you, Akane, we'll always be close. We'll always have what we have now, what we've worked so hard to find....." Ranma lifted his hand from Akane�s chin, gently brushing his fingers across her cheek, as if she was some delicate flower to be treated carefully.

Akane smiled, looking at Ranma�s eyes, then blushed nervously. "...R...anma." She said.. pulling a bit away from his gentle caress.

Ranma sighed, feeling a bit of that old barrier coming between them again. "Yeah, Akane?" he suddenly found himself picking nervously at a loose string on his pants.

"I came in here to ask you something." Akane�s eyes looked back at Ranma�s, her mouth in an unsure smile.

Ranma smirked back at Akane. "So, the strong, Fierce, independant Akane comes to Ranma for advise??"

Akane slapped him across the cheek, looking a bit upset. "It�s not like that, Baka. I came to ask you for a favor."

Ranma rubbed his cheek, a bit of the old flair edging back into his voice. "What would that be?" His sore cheek was a bit red from the slap. *Kawaiikune.... she could at least ACT female for another minute or so.*

"I... invited some friends over tomorrow night, they�re going to be sleeping over. It�s kind of a slumber party, really...." Akane looked down at her knee�s, studying them intently, her mind half wondering the expresion on Ranma�s face at that moment.

Ranma sighed, laying back down and looking at the ceiling. "I guess you want me to leave, then. What time??"

Akane spared a glance at Ranma, but found that keeping her eyes on him was a bit more agrivating than just staring at her knees, and decided that the latter was better than the former. "No.. It�s.. I mean, not really..."

"Aww, c�mon, don�t tell me that you don�t know when you want me outta here. What, an hour before so you can get ready?? Hey, when�re they coming over anyways? I promise I�ll get outta your hair so I don�t ruin your evening." Ranma looked at the window, sulking silently to himself. *She was being so nice, and then she tells me all this....*

"It�s.. Ranma, I don�t.. really want you to leave." Akane picked at her dress, wondering at why she found it so hard to ask something so silly of Ranma. *Oh... wait... maybe because it�s so silly.*

"Huh??" Ranma looked back at Akane, mulling over the words for half a moment. "Oh... so you just want me to stay outta your way?? S�okay, I need to read some stuff anyways-"

"Ranma, I- Kinda want you to come along." She looked up at the blank wall, her heart pounding in her chest. *Stupid idea.. stupid stupid...*

Ranma did a mental double-take. "Huh?" he sat up again, looking over at Akane. "Uhm... why would you want a guy there, Akane?? I�d just ruin your �Girl�s Night� bein� there." Ranma felt more than slightly confused, usually a natural state until recently.

"I want you to come as a girl... Like.. Like the beach, when you and I were friends," Akane spared another glance at Ranma, who�s face was one of shocked confusion.

"A-a-a-girl?" Ranma�s mind flashed a picture of Ranma and the girl�s, singing at the beach, a moment of happiness for everyone. *It.. was so nice, but I never thought it would happen again.*

"Hai, Ranma... uhm.."Akane looked away.... back at the door. *Bad idea, Akane. You know how Ranma is, this�ll just confuse him more.*

"A-Akane. I... I liked it, but.. I dunno if I�m ready to... be like that again. It was a little scary, now that I think about it." He�d enjoyed it. That�s why he was so upset, he shouldn�t enjoy being a woman so much. It only served to enhance his confusion and insecurity.

Akane turned and hugged Ranma tightly. "Please, Ranma, it would mean so much to me if you were there... I... I liked the time we spent at the beech. Just consider it, okay???" Those moments were so few and rare in Akane�s life, when she saw Ranma truly happy. The beech had always stuck in her mind as one of those precious few memories of Ranma�s happiness.

Ranma was shocked at first, but wrapped his arms around Akane after a long moment of introspection. "....sure.....sure I�ll come, Akane. For you, I�d wear a Fuku..... well, maybe not that far.... but if it means so much to you, I�ll be there."

Akane sighed... leaning back and looking at Ranma�s deep blue eyes, she saw there a tender caring and concern that was always well hidden. "Thank You, Ranma. You don�t know how much this means to me."

Ranma sighed, looking away for a moment, then back. "Sure I do, Akane. I know what it means to you, because I feel kinda the same way."

Ranma smiled...... and for once, it seemed a genuine smile. Not the brash, cocky grin that he used to flash around at everyone. This was..... a secret smile.... one Ranma had never shown anyone.

Akane blinked. *No..... I've seen it before.....*

But where, was the question....

* * * * * *

"GERONIMOOOOO!" Hiroshi yelled, jumping hard against the end of the diving board and plunging into the air.... twirling gracefully in an intricate pattern before straightening as he dove into the pool behind his house.

"Really Hi, you don't have to be so graphic, not that you can hear me underwater," Daisuke casually sipped his warm tea, dressed in warmer gear due to the coming cold. Daisuke didn't know WHY Hiroshi swam at this time of year. It was so close to winter the water must have been freezing.

"Yeah, Uncle 'Roshi.... you should be more quiet, too," Kaehmi hugged Jessabelle, her stuffed cabbit, closely against her. She resumed humming the soft lullaby song in an effort to put her cabbit to 'Sleep'.

"Actually, verbal resonation is what I was meaning, Kaehmi," Daisuke muttered, setting his tea down and picking up a book titled, "The Principles of Technological Revolution in the Late 90's,". He casually adjusted his glasses.

Kaehmi giggled at Daisuke's words. "Uncle Dai say's funny words... doesn't he, Jessabelle?" She whispered to the stuffed animal. Daisuke grinned and winked at Kaehmi.

"Indubitably."

Hiroshi surfaced, shaking his head to get rid of the water. "Brrrr.... it's a little chilled, but not bad for this time of year. I can't believe you two don't want to come in, it's not THAT cold....," Hiroshi muttered, splashing some water at Kaehmi, who began emitting shrill shrieks and backing away from the pool.

Memeko walked up to the pool, looking at Kaehmi, then at Hiroshi. "Hiro-kun.... you know I told you not to try and get her wet," Memeko gave Hiroshi a stern glare, which promptly caused his mischievous grin to waver, then wither completely.

Daisuke turned a page. "Hey Hiroshi..... isn't the Prom this weekend?" Daisuke muttered half heartedly, not even sparing a glance up from his book.

Hiroshi ceased his splashing and resumed his glum countenance. "Yeah, Dai... it is...." He murmured in a dejected tone.

Memeko scooped Kaehmi up into her lap and took a seat. "Is something wrong Hiro-kun?" Memeko was worried for her brother, ever since discovering the identity of his secret girl, she had been waiting for him to make some sort of decision.

"Nah.... just that I'm probably not going to go, that's all. Besides, it's just another dance. Nothin' special," Hiroshi tried to resume his previous glee, but could not.... so he floated slowly in the water, a sad look on his face.

Daisuke looked up from his book. "Whyever not, Hi? Gimme a break... there's several girls that I'm sure would jump at the chance with going with you," Dai set his book down, and stood up, taking his glasses off and putting them in his shirt pocket.

"Yeah.... but there's only one girl that wouldn't, and that's the one that breaks my heart...." Hiroshi sighed deeply, almost on the verge of a sob.

"Why doesn't Uncle 'Roshi go with Auntie?" Kaehmi asked, which caused Memeko to jump in surprise and Hiroshi to turn a little pale. Memeko hurriedly tried to hush Kaehmi, who had an utterly confused look on her innocent little face.

"Auntie???" Daisuke asked, looking back at Hiroshi. "You've got ANOTHER Sister???" From what Daisuke could remember, Memeko was Hiroshi's only sister.

"It... She.... She's someone that Kaehmi knows, she just calls her Auntie... that's all. She's quite taken with her....," Hiroshi mumbled out slowly.

Daisuke raised an eyebrow at Hiroshi's reaction, shaking his head. "Whatever. Sounds like Kaehmi thinks she's the top of the world," Daisuke sighed, sitting back down in his seat and rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, Auntie is the greatest!!! She tells me stories, and plays with me when Uncle 'Roshi and Mama are too busy....," Kaehmi said hurriedly.

"Shhhhh, Kaehmi. Uncle Dai doesn't want to hear about Auntie, he's talking to Hiroshi right now," Memeko whispered softly to her child, which emitted a smile from Kaehmi.

"Hi..... you only get ONE Prom..... you've gotta go!!! I mean, even I'm going. Granted, without a date, but I'm still going. This is a once in a lifetime deal," Daisuke chuckled softly a moment, putting his glasses back on his face.

Memeko smirked for a moment, and Hiroshi sighed, dragging himself out of the water with a shiver.

"Actually, Dai.... there was a Prom last year I went to... so that�s two Prom�s. There�ll be a Prom next year too," He murmured half heartedly.

Daisuke shook a hand at Hiroshi as if brushing him away, an annoyed look on the boy-geniuses face. "Details, Details! Lighten up, wouldja!!"

Kaehmi jumped down and rushed up to her Uncle Hiroshi, a pleading look on her young face. "Please Uncle 'Roshi!!! I know Auntie would love to go with you... she's always saying how nice you are to her, and I bet if you just asked her...." Kaehmi trailed off from the sad look on her Uncle's face.

"I'm sorry, Uncle 'Roshi.... I said something bad, didn't I? I'm sorry....," Kaehmi looked abashed at Hiroshi, whom had a defeated look on his face.

"That's okay, Kaehmi-chan.... it's not your fault. Uncle 'Roshi just doesn't feel very good," Hiroshi snatched his towel up and began trudging to the house. Kaehmi followed him, trying to cheer him up by taking his hand and offering him Jessabelle... but he shook his head silently.

Daisuke stared after his friend, a slightly worried demeanor creeping into his usual jovial mood. "Oh gods, he's got it bad..... never seen him look so depressed about a girl before," Daisuke looked over at Memeko, who was staring after her brother as well. "Whenever Kaehmi kept mentioning Auntie, Hiroshi looked more and more depressed.... why would that be, Memeko-chan?" Daisuke had never heard much about an adopted Aunt...

Memeko looked at him with a slightly surprised look. She had to think quickly... which was what she did best. In a moment she had thought up a reason. "Because Hiroshi couldn't bear to ask anyone else but his Lady Love to the Prom...."

"Oh... so that's it. Geeze, and I thought Kaehmi had hit on something..... only to find out that mentioning other girls makes it worse. Glad I found out this way, instead of me trying to hitch him with one of the girls at school like I was going to," Daisuke shook his head.

"Daisuke! I am ashamed you would do such a thing..... Hiroshi has told you, he can't handle other girls until he gets through figuring what he is going to do about this one.... and believe me, he has a lot of thinking to do," Memeko worried for her brother.... she hoped he would make a choice. She hoped it would be the right choice..... if any choice with Ranma can be said to be right.

"Okay, Memeko-chan! I told you I wasn't going to... it was only a fleeting thought," Dai looked at Where Hiroshi and Kaehmi had gone inside and sighed. The more he watched Hiroshi suffer, the more he felt that things just seemed to be getting worse. *Things are never easy, are they Hiroshi. Heh.... All's fair in love and war.... should be more like Everything hurts in the War of Love.*

* * * * * *

Sunlight shone into Ranma�s room, the slumbering form of the young Saotome child looked at peace. The gift of restful sleep always a quiet blessing in Ranma�s life of chaos and uncertainty, at least, for this night. Nightmares, which lately had troubled the gentle blessing of dreamless sleep, were blissfully absent.

Then, without warning, they returned. Flashes of a man named Grim, two small children, a vast expanse of darkness and a dreadful feeling of loneliness.

Ranma�s form stirred, a slight whimper issuing from his lips, rolling over the dream came to a climax... the masked man�s face suddenly drawing closer, and Ranma�s entire body being swallowed by those cold, socketless eyes in the porcelain face cover.

Ranma gasped, sitting up in a cold sweat, the fear thick in his mind as his heart pounded. *...again.... Dammit, AGAIN!* The visions slowly faded, as they had for the past few weeks, leaving Ranma with a vague sense of dread.

Light played softly through the window, casting Ranma�s face in a soft golden glow. Genma was, naturally, absent.. having been sleeping with Nodoka as of late in the Attic Room Kasumi had cleared out. *...well, at least they are getting along again... even if me�n pop are still not talking.*

A moment later, the door opened, and Akane�s face peeked in. "...Ranma? You�re awake?" Her voice was full of surprise as she blinked in shock. *Funny... he is usually dead asleep until 2:30 pm on Sundays.*

Ranma looked at Akane, his heart slowing down. *A dream... a nightmare, only a dream.* "Yeah... I.. kinda woke up, had trouble sleeping." Ranma looked around the room, suddenly noticing how empty it seemed, except with the Gundamn poster hanging above his head.

"Oh.... Okay.." Akane stepped in, fully dressed in her pastel yellow and red floral printed dress. "I... was just about to go out to town to shop for some things for tonight."

Ranma blinked, looking at the alarm clock. *12:00??? Not AGAIN!! Why can�t that dumb dream just leave me alone??* He sighed, hearing no forthcoming answer. Not that he had expected an answer.

"Would you like to come along?" Akane leaned against the door, looking at Ranma as he was bathed in the light.

"Huh??" Ranma blinked, suddenly being jerked back to reality by Akane�s inquiry.

Akane sighed, shaking her head. "Ranma... I just asked you if you wanted to come shopping with me." Akane was a little upset that Ranma was so inattentive upon waking, but then she couldn�t blame him. He�d been getting less sleep, from what Kasumi had been telling her. *But.. the Baka could at LEAST try.*

Ranma scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Urr.... why would I want to go Shopping?" Ranma suspected that Akane wanted him to carry her bags or something, this was the first time Akane had ever asked him to do such a think.

Akane frowned, furrowing her brow. Her hands resting on her hips. "Well, maybe because it�s a pajama party, and YOU don�t have anything appropriate to wear?"

Ranma�s mind seemed to halt for a moment, Akane�s words racing through them. *Pajama party??? What did you get yourself into, Ranma...*

"Urr...." Ranma stated intelligently. His mind ran through a hundred different reasons to avoid shopping with Akane.

Akane saw the unsure, nervous look in Ranma�s eyes and spoke before he had time to formulate his objection. "Uh-uh! No backing out, Ranma! You promised me." Akane�s eyes told Ranma that this was something that really DID matter a lot to her.

With a heavy sigh, Ranma got up and walked to Akane. "..okay.. okay.. I did give my word, so I guess I�ll go with ya. Just one thing, though. I already got some Pajamas, from Kaehmi-chan and Memeko-Sama."

Akane blinked at Ranma�s latter comment, then smiled a bit at having won a small battle with her would-be-fiancee. *...Maybe things won�t be as bad as they were before. Maybe they�re getting better.*

"BUT..." Ranma added, looking Akane straight in the eyes, a tone of seriousness in his eyes and voice.

Akane dropped her smile, looking directly at Ranma.

Ranma relaxed when he saw Akane was taking him seriously. "I am going to go with you as a girl, okay??? I�d feel funny goin� shoppin� for this stuff as a guy." He managed a smile afterwards, attempting to encourage Akane�s previously bright attitude.

It worked, to a degree. She did smile a bit, although it was a bit half hearted. "Hai, I understand." She smirked after that... stepping aside and opening the door for Ranma. "You make it sound like we�re going shopping for lingerie or something."

Ranma groaned as his mind was brought to attention of the arranged shopping trip. "Please, don�t remind me.... Mom has already planned to get me some stuff after the Prom this weekend."

Akane stifled a giggle. "Really, Ranma, it�s not that bad. Bra�s and Panties won�t kill you, you know."

Ranma shook his head, looking a bit concerned as he mulled over the past month. "Yeah... I know that, Akane, but I don�t like it in any case. If I didn�t feel more comfortable with the bra, I wouldn�t wear it."

This time, she couldn�t hold back the giggle as she imagined Ranma wearing a bra as a guy, under his vest.

"What�s so funny??" Ranma asked, suspicious of why Akane seemed to be trying to hold her laughter down.

Akane waved Ranma off, stifling another bout of giggling with her hand. "Just wondering... do you wear that sports bra as a guy, so that if you changed.....?"

Ranma�s face turned Red as he stopped at the bathroom door. "...remind me to hurt Nabiki." he wrenched the door open and walked in, closing it behind himself.

Akane blinked, her mind feeling numb for a moment. *..R...Ranma wears....??* She shook her head. *That�s... silly.* Akane walked downstairs, sitting at the dining table and thinking carefully to herself.

From Ranma�s reaction, obviously her �Imagined Joke� was very much a reality. It made some sort of sense, if Ranma had become so used to wearing a bra as a girl. *...they ARE more comfortable.. but... Ranma, as a guy, wearing one??*

Then again, she�d noticed that recently Ranma hadn�t bothered changing back to a guy when splashed with cold water. It made SOME sort of sense, but... she couldn�t help but feel Ranma was being a LITTLE perverted for doing such a thing.

*Baka.. he doesn�t HAVE to wear one so much.. I mean.. why can�t he just carry one in his school bag??*

But then again, Ranma only had his bag at school, and he was only splashed on occassion at school. Usually, AFTER school some strange event would cause him to change... and that usually meant that his bag wasn�t with him.

Kasumi set breakfast on the table, and served Akane a plate. The youngest Tendo daughter was so busy in her thoughts that she began eating a bit mechanically, her mind running over Ranma�s embarrassment over her �Discovering� the odd little secret.

Kasumi noted that Akane was rather busy in her own thoughts, so kindly avoided making any comments, as her sister would hardly even acknowledge her words if she had spoken. *So many things have happened lately, it�s a wonder Akane hasn�t been thinking more until now.*

With that thought, the elder Tendo daughter stood up and left the room, leaving Akane to her thoughts.

After what seemed like but a few moments of silent thinking, Akane noticed that Ranma was sitting next to her in a dark red dress with gold buttons and trimming. "...so... you.. uhh.. want to go shopping??"

Akane blinked, looking at Ranma carefully. For one, the red-head�s hair was unbound again, and showed the definitive wavy property that Ranma shared with Nodoka.

After a long moment of staring, which upset Ranma, Akane shook the silent amazement from her face. "R...Ranma?? Why are you dressed like that??" Some part of Akane flared up in anger, noting that Ranma was very beautiful, even more so than Akane herself.

Another part of her felt sadness, that her Ranma could be so beautiful yet be so afraid of his femininity.

Still another part felt fear, that this was some sort of sign that the Ranma she knew was slowly slipping away, replaced by this unfamiliar girl.

Ranma, in response to the question lowered her eyes to the table. "I thought about some of the stuff that�s been happening recently, and I thought that maybe, if I was gonna be a girl tonight at your party, that I could spend the whole day as your... friend." Ranma looked back up at Akane, an ache in her chest growing in intensity.

Why did she have such trouble with Akane??? So many times she had longed to just hold Akane and never let go. Yet more and more often, it was easier to get closer to Akane as a woman, not as a man. That had changed recently, but only because of a friend�s help.

Akane put a gentle hand on Ranma�s. "....Ranma... you don�t have to go that far, you know." The same ache echoed in Akane�s own heart, the desire to wrap this lost girl in her arms and protect her from the world�s cruel touch floating through Akane�s soul.

"I know, Akane... I want to do this." A smile drifted across the red-head�s face, it was an uncertain smile. One that someone in a particularly uncomfortable situation might give.

Akane looked down at her hand on Ranma�s, a gentle touch that seemed to bring them closer together for a small moment.

Her other hand slapped down on the surface of the table as she smiled. "Well, I guess we should get going then, ne?"

With a firm nod and that unsure smile, Ranma stood up.

Both girls made their way to the door.

* * * * * *