Ah�ight, lets get it on!  Oh yeah, characters ain�t mine, Ranma and co
are property of Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and other people.
Perfume and Altered Destinies are Wade Tritschler's.  You can sue, but
you got all my money anyway.



 Yeah, first fanfic.  Be gruesome, I mean gentle.
 �speech�
 (thoughts)
 *sound effects*
 <panda signs>
 {other languages}
  -chan and -kun used to indicate what sex the person is at the time.

              Two halves make one?
                                 or
             Little Sis is so... Manly?!?


 "Back off, pops!  I want to see my family!"
 The speaker in question, a young boy with blue-black hair and extremely
solid build, wearing black pants and a yellow silk shirt with a
backpack, turned and glared at a large furry figure behind him.  It was
a panda wearing a backpack, and it waved a sign at the boy.  Bystanders
gave them both a wide berth.
 <Alright, have it your way.  We can go see your family.>  Inwardly it
was gloating, (Heh Heh. Don�t want to seem too eager now.)
 �We don�t have time to visit; we gotta git back to China!  Do you
really wanna  explain THIS to your dad?�
 The panda and the boy turned to regard a young girl, probably around
the same age as the boy, wearing black pants and a red silk shirt.  She
was of slight build, shorter than the boy, with long red hair bound in a
pigtail.  She carried another backpack in one hand, not noticing its
apparent weight.
 �Look, I know you want to see your family �cuz I wanna see my Mom, but
we can�t show up looking like this!  We gotta get a cure first!� said
the girl.
 The panda seemed taken aback by this statement, and thought, (Crap!
The boy will ruin everything!)  It tried to make a reply, but its
vocabulary was limited and neither of the young couple paid any
attention to the sign it waved frantically.  Several of the bystanders
however, did.  One in particular, a large boy wearing a red bandanna and
holding a map, dropped a jaw and stared.
 �Yeah well, it would be kinda awkward explaining this.  Although a hot
bath and warm bed would be nice,� the boy replied.
 �Come on, all we gotta do is go back, find a cure, and then we don�t
have to worry about it ever again.� the girl pleaded.
 �I suppose it�s for the best,� the boy said doubtfully.  �I just hope
it doesn�t take too long.�
 (Damn, he talked her into it!  Foolish boy!) the panda thought.
Seemingly coming to a decision, the panda adjusted its pattern of sign
waving, and brought it quickly around to smack both of the teenagers in
the back of the head, knocking them out.
 (A true martial artist should always be aware of his surroundings.
Teach them to pay attention to me,) the panda exulted.  Then it picked
them both up and staggered off.  (Unh, maybe that wasn�t such a good
idea.)
  The aforementioned bystander shook his head and ran... into a sign.
     ***********
 Tendo-
 Returning from China with Ranma and Akane.
 -Saotome

 Tendo Soun, a tall, thin man in his forties, with long dark hair and
moustache looks at a postcard with a picture of a panda on the front.
Suddenly he burst out crying joyfully.
 �Akane is coming home to her Daddy!  Finally our two families will be
joined as one!  Kasumi!  Nabiki!  I have great news!� he wailed.
 �Yes, father?� an attractive girl with long dark hair, age around 19,
stepped out of the kitchen.
 �Oh Kasumi!  Akane is returning with her fianc�e!  Where is Nabiki?�
Soun gushed.
 �I think she is in her room, Father.  I�ll go get her,� Kasumi replied
calmly.
 She walked up the stairs and knocked on a door.  Faint, unidentifiable
sounds emanated from behind it.
  �Nabiki, can I come in?� she asked.
 Slight rustling, then, �Yeah.�
 Kasumi opened the door to reveal a medium-sized bedroom decorated with
assorted posters for bands and an empty bed.  For a moment the room
seemed occupantless, but that soon changed when a girl about a year or
two younger with short brown hair swung down into view.
 She hung from a bar that stretched from wall to wall by her legs and
did upside down sit-ups.  In one hand she held a clipboard and the other
hand she had a calculator.  A pen was clenched in her teeth while she
hit buttons with her thumb.
 �Mmm?  Wa�uant?� she said, not pausing either her exertions or her
calculations.
 �Calculating the calorie burn?� Kasumi asked. �This may be why people
think you�re weird.�
 Nabiki�s only reply was a brief look at Kasumi and a grunt as she swung
back up.
 �Father has important news for us.� Kasumi continued cheerfully.
Another grunt.  �He says Akane is coming back from China with her
fianc�e.�
 Nabiki responded by spitting her pen and dropping her clipboard.  She
nearly dropped the calculator but was able to catch it in time.
 �What!?  Akane?  Fianc�e?!  China?  When?� she exclaimed.
 �I don�t know.  We should go let Father fill us in on the details.�
Kasumi responded.
 Nabiki arched her back and straightened out her legs, flipping around
to land on her feet.  �Let�s go!�
 They headed downstairs, continuing their conversation.
 �China you say?  Sounds exotic.� Nabiki said.
 �That�s what Father said when he got the postcard.� Kasumi replied.
 They soon found their father sitting at the table, drenching his
surroundings.
 �Oh my baby�s coming home!� and similar comments poured out of him with
about the same consistency as his tears.
 �Please calm down, Father.� Kasumi said.
 �Yeah, give us the dirt on our sister and her fianc�e!� Nabiki chipped
in.  �Is he cute?�
 Soun calmed down enough to look embarrassed.  �Ah, I don�t really
know.  I�ve never met Ranma.�
 �You�ve never met him?  Why are you letting her marry him if you�ve
never even met him?  He could be some sort of pervert or something!�
Nabiki exclaimed.
 �Now, let�s not jump to conclusions.  I�m sure he�s a very nice boy.
If he�s not, well, remember Akane?  She would tie him in knots if she
didn�t like him,� Kasumi replied.
 Soun continued, �I engaged her to Ranma before they were born
actually.  Genma and I decided to unite the Anything Goes schools by
engaging my daughter and his son.�
 �Before they were born?  How did you know he was going to have a son
and you were going to have a ...oh.�  Nabiki trailed off.
 �Ah, well, Genma and I decided that the best way to unite the schools
under strong heirs was to raise and train them together.  Although it
pained me to see my daughter go, Genma came and took her to train with
Ranma on a training trip.  They are supposed to be very good martial
artists now, and they must have fallen in love.  Truly a good day!�
Soun started sobbing incoherently again.
 Kasumi started to say something when they all heard a knock on the
front door.  Soun instantly stopped crying and said, �That must be them
already!�
 �Well don�t just sit there!  Let�s go see them!�  Nabiki replied.
 They both got up and hurried to the door.  When they get there they
opened it to see a panda holding two struggling teenagers.  They turned
and fled in terror from the panda, who was obviously a kidnapper.
 �Gaaahh!� yelled Soun.
 �Aahh!  screamed Nabiki.  �Panda!� she yelled at Kasumi to clarify.
 �Oh, my!� commented Kasumi.
 �Knock it off, Pop.�
 �Yeah, you�re scaring my family!�
 Because of the distracting sight of the panda and the reverberating
yells, it was hard to tell which of the teenagers had spoken what.  The
local Tendos calmed down enough to get a look at the trio.
 Akane was the first to squirm free from the panda�s grasp, only to be
immediately grabbed by Soun.
 Nabiki was the first to speak. �Wow, Akane is pretty big and strong
looking.  And her fianc�e is cute too.  Odd that he has red hair
though.�  She walked over to get a better look.
 �Oh my darling little girl!  At last my daughter has come home!� Soun
cried.
 Nabiki put a hand on Akane-kun�s arm to feel the muscles.
 Soun let Akane go and grabbed Ranma-chan, who was just being set on the
floor, into a Manly Embrace.
 �Ah, Ranma!  It is good to finally meet my daughter�s future husband!�
Soun stopped suddenly and held Ranma at arm-length to look at him.
 Nabiki had poked Akane�s chest by this time and looked at her
strangely.  She then looked over at Ranma and poked him in the breast.
 �Hey!  Quit it!�
 �Father?  I don�t think HE is your daughter, and I don�t think SHE will
make a very good husband.�
 Soun looked back and forth between the two.  Ranma had bristled at
being fondled and Akane was still looking around in awe, happy to be
home finally and not knowing what to say.  Akane hadn�t even really paid
much attention to what was being said; she was too busy staring at her
family.  Ranma caught the remark about not being a good husband and had
gotten irritated.
 Soun put his hand behind his head and said, �Ah, Akane, Ranma, sorry
about this.�
 Kasumi took all this in with her customary calm and looked at Ranma.
�Hi Akane.  It�s nice to see you again.  We were both really young the
last time we saw each other,� she said.
 Nabiki jumped in. �Yeah, we really missed you.�
 Akane replied, �Yeah, it�s nice to be back.�
 She received a pair of blank looks.
 Ranma looked back and forth and started slightly.  �Um, yeah, it is
nice to be here after this ... long?�
 Kasumi smiled encouragingly, while Nabiki was full of questions.  �Why
did you dye your hair red?  It wasn�t that color when you were little.
Is it for your boyfriend here?�
 Akane blushed at the boyfriend comment.
 �Ooh, and shy too,� Nabiki continued.
 Ranma was sure they had them confused now, but was at a loss to
explain.  �Um, no?  It was more of an accident, really.�
 Akane had realized that her sisters have them confused, but was
reluctant to dissuade them.  Just how do you go about breaking news like
that to your family?
 Kasumi looked Akane over.  �You must be happy with him.  He�s very
manly.�
 Ranma looked over at Akane and grinned.  �Yeah, he�s definitely not
much of a girl.�
 Akane bristled and glared at Ranma. �At least I�m more of a man than
you are.�
 Ranma�s grin lost some of its intensity.
 Kasumi said, somewhat puzzled, �Of course you are.  I�m Kasumi, Akane�s
oldest sister, and this is Nabiki.�
 �Yeah, yeah.� Akane replied, still glaring at Ranma.
 Nabiki thought, (Ranma may have a great bod but he is a real jerk.).
Out loud she said, �So I hear you are both great martial artists.  Care
to give little old me a demonstration of your skills?�  (Got to see if
they�re competition. That�s the last thing I need right now.)
 �Sure,� Ranma replied slowly, smiling at Akane.
 �Do you know any kempo, Nabiki?�  Akane asked.
 �A little,� she replied modestly, �but I want to see you fight each
other.  Let�s go to the dojo.�
 The three of them headed out to the dojo, leaving the panda and Soun
inside.  Soun was so happy that Akane has returned and is happy with her
fianc�e and the schools will be united and life is good and there is a
panda in the kitchen.  He was crying so much that Genma had to pour hot
water on himself twice.
  Ranma and Akane looked all over the place, taking in the scenery.
Both of their gazes fell on the koi pond at the same time, and they
repressed a shudder, somehow knowing that the pond was evil and out to
get them. *
 Nabiki broke the silence.  �So, you went to China?  What was it like?�
 Both Akane and Ranma went slightly pale, which did not escape Nabiki�s
notice.
 �Horrible place.  I don�t recommend vacations there,� Akane replied.
 �Yeah, if there�s one thing you can look forward to in China, it�s
getting out.�
 �Really?  Why, what happened?� Nabiki asked, curious as to what could
scare someone like that.
 �Bad things,� Akane shuddered.  �I don�t really want to talk about it.�

 Ranma simply nodded and went a little paler.
 They entered the dojo and looked around.  Racks holding various wooden
practice weapons lined the walls, showing some wear, and the family
shrine dominated one wall.  At the end of the room was a sign, �Iroha�.
The floor was worn smooth from use and an almost welcoming peace was in
the air, seeming to say �Come in, relax, we are all friends here.  Let�s
beat the crap out of each other.�
 �Nice place,� Ranma commented.  �Do you get many students?�
 �No,� Nabiki sighed, �not anymore. Lately, Dad hasn�t really been much
for training, and we haven�t taken in any new students to replace those
who quit.�
 �Did you train with them?�  Akane asked.
 �After you left,� she said, nodding at Ranma, �Dad needed someone to
help him train the students, sort of a demonstration dummy, and he
decided I fit the bill,� she answered.
 �Enough talk.  Let�s fight!� interrupted Ranma.  Then she got into a
defensive position, eyeing Akane.
 �All right Ran, ah, �Akane-chan�.  I owe you one anyway.�  Akane said.
 Nabiki stepped back to watch.  Akane was the first to throw a punch,
followed by a leg sweep.  Ranma dodged back and then jumped up to
rebound off the roof and attempted to kick Akane, who moved in time to
avoid it.  They both backed away to opposite sides of the dojo and
sprang at each other, exchanging a flurry of kicks and blows before
landing again.  Then they moved in to close work.
 Nabiki blinked a few times.  (Wow.  They�re good.  Especially Akane, I
can barely see her move! Ranma is pretty fast too, and strong!) she
thought as one of Akane�s wheel kicks cut through the wooden wall as if
it was paper.  .
 Ranma took advantage of that slight distraction to touch Akane once,
but on the second try Akane back-kicked past Ranma�s arm into her
stomach and sent her across the room.  Ranma rolled with impact and came
up again to meet Akane�s rush.  Ranma moved to the side and blocked a
few punches, then as Akane tried to kick her again she pulled his other
leg out from under him.  In a flash, Ranma was over Akane indicating
that she could land more than a few punches and kicks before Akane could
do anything about it.
Ranma-chan looked down at her fallen opponent and said smugly, �You need
to work more on that balance y�know.�
 Akane-kun looked at her for a moment and replied sweetly, �Remember
last time?  Who won that fight?�  Then she grabbed and flipped
Ranma-chan over his head, into the wall.
 Nabiki winced when she heard the impact of flesh on wood.  She knew
that there was no way she could beat either of them in a fight, and no
way she was ever going to spar with Ranma.  They were pretty evenly
matched, but it was a good thing Akane was so fast she could dodge the
blows.  Ranma seemed to have no compulsion against hitting a girl.
Strangely, Akane appeared more reluctant to hit Ranma.
 (I hope she doesn�t want to hit him because she�s afraid of
retribution.  I�ll make his life a living hell if he hurts my sister.)
�Well, that was certainly something.  You�re both pretty good, but
Ranma, don�t you know you shouldn�t beat girls?� Nabiki said coolly.
She didn�t like the way Ranma seemed to dominate Akane.
 �Ah,� Akane-kun said, scratching the back of her head, �Yeah, I guess
I�d hate to be beat by a boy too.�
 About that time, Kasumi called from the house, �If you are through with
your practice, why don�t you come in for a bath?�
 �Yeah, we�ll do that Kasumi,� yelled Akane-kun.  �Why don�t you head on
in, Nabiki?  I want to have a few words with �Akane-chan� alone, okay?�
�Sure, take all the time you need.� (You macho jerk.  I�m going to hang
around and hear this.)
 Nabiki headed out the door until she was out of sight, then she jumped
to the top of the dojo, using all of the skills that she had learned to
eavesdrop on conversations.  She landed silently, and lay down to hear
better.
 �What�s the deal here!  Why didn�t you tell them I�m really me?�
 �Why didn�t I tell them?  Why didn�t you tell them?  They�re your
family!�
 �Because they would have thought I was crazy!�
 �Yeah, same here.  I�m sure they won�t think you�re crazy, just a
freak.�
 �A freak.� The words were spoken low, heavily laden with bitterness and
anger. �Is being a freak better than being someone you ain�t?  Look at
me!  This ain�t me!  Now they think I�m you and you�re me.  If we didn�t
say anything what are the odds Uncle did?  Not very high!  Now I either
gotta keep pretending to be you, and have my own sisters look at me as a
piece of meat that hits girls, or be considered... a freak.�  Once again
the voice nearly choked, probably holding back tears.
 �Hey!  They�ll think I�m a freak too!  Just look at it this way, we�ll
be freaks together.  That ain�t so bad is it?  I�m here to share
freakdom with you!  I think it�d be best to tell them.  Pops ain�t gonna
stay a panda for long, so they�ll have time to get over the initial
shock.  I�m sure they�ll understand.  They said they missed you.�
 �Yeah, but they said it to you!�
 �Then let�s go get that bath and straighten things out.�
 �Okay....�
 Nabiki was thoroughly confused, and she hated to be confused.  Just
what was going on here?  According to that conversation, Akane was Ranma
and Ranma was Akane?  How could that be?  And what was that about the
panda?  It was Ranma�s dad?  This was weird, even by local standards.  A
thought occurred to her.  They are going to get a bath.  The boy says he
is her sister, her sister says she is a boy.  I�ll just �accidentally�
walk in on one of them.  Better make it her sister, that wouldn�t look
as bad if she turned out to be wrong.  The Incident still made her
shudder today and had taught her a valuable lesson in checking to make
sure her sources were correct.
                                           *************
 �Did your practice go well?� Kasumi inquired.
 �I�ve had better,� Ranma-chan smirked, �but yeah.�
 Akane-kun gave him an evil eye, and sighed.
 �Are you ready to get a bath now?  Here are some towels.� Kasumi handed
them each a towel. �Akane, you can use the one upstairs and you can use
the one down here Ranma.�
 �Yeah, I suppose.� Akane sighed.
 �Come on, its not that bad, let�s just get it over with.� Ranma said.
 Kasumi looked back and forth.  Did they not like baths or something?
 Ranma walked upstairs while Akane went to the downstairs bathroom.
Akane passed by Soun and another man sitting at the table drinking
sake.  He paused and frowned at the old man, then opened the door to the
bathroom and went inside with the enthusiasm of a man walking to his own
execution.
 Ranma on the other hand, was far happier about the prospect of hot
water.  He cared little for the opinions of Akane�s sisters, the only
girl he worried about already knew about his curse.  So it was with a
light step a certain young redhead stripped, washed and slid into the
steaming tub, gasping as her body flinched outward and filled out, hair
becoming black and body larger, more masculine.
 �Ahhhh.  That�s the stuff,� he sighed in contentment.  Ranma worked his
muscles, relaxing in his natural shape.
 �Well now, how many different ways is this awkward?�
 Ranma froze at the sound of the voice. (Great!  So much for the
plan.)   He slowly turned and looked at the person who was able to sneak
up on him.  Nabiki stood unmoving in the doorway, giving him a rather
strange look, somewhere between shock and frank appraisal.
 �Uh,� he said cleverly.  It didn�t seem to work, so he tried again.
�Uh?�
 Nabiki swept her gaze downward. �Nice one there little sis.  I didn�t
know you had it in you.�
 Ranma realized that not only had he been caught, he had truly bared it
all.  Turning bright crimson, he sank lower in the water and said
tightly, �Look,�
 �I am,� Nabiki said smoothly.
 Gritting his teeth, he continued, �I know you want a few answers, just
let me finish my bath and we�ll continue this with everyone else, ok?�
� We meaning Akane and you?� Nabiki asked.  Seeing his jump she said,
�Alright, but you better have a really good story.�
 �Just go okay?� he implored.
 �I�m going, I�m going,� and she did.
 Ranma banged his head against the side of the tub. (How did she sneak
up on me like that?)
 Downstairs Soun and Genma had made significant headway into the sake
bottle when Akane-chan emerged from the bathroom.  She looked much the
same as she does usually, post haircut.  She had more of a feminine air
about her, possibly because she had breasts and softer features.  She
was also several inches shorter and much less heavyset, although she
still looked powerful.
 Soun didn�t notice and Genma didn�t care.
 Akane seemed to be trying to get up the courage to say something when
Nabiki came down dragging Ranma.
 Soun finally looked up. �Who is that boy and what is he doing here?�
Ranma looked embarrassed, hand behind his head.  �Ah, I�m really Ranma.�

Soun looked confused. �Nonsense!  Ranma is over here!�  Looked at Akane,
then started.
 �I�m really your daughter Akane.� she sighed.  �Sorry about this.�
 Soun hit the floor.
     *****************
 Kasumi had came in to see what the commotion was and the round of
introductions had been made.  Akane and Ranma sat close together, not
touching.  Soun had revived and was staring at the two of them.
 �Now I want to know what is going on.� Nabiki said in a voice that
would be dangerous, if it hadn�t nearly cracked, �And who is this guy?�
 �This is my old friend Genma Saotome,� Soun replied.
 Genma walked over behind Ranma and Akane.  He pipes up, �As to what is
going on, allow me to demonstrate.�
 He grabbed Ranma�s shoulders before Ranma could react and threw him out
the door to the pond.  The other three looked on in incomprehension
until a sopping wet redhead stood up.
 �What�d you do that for?� she sputtered.
 �Now he is a girl.� Kasumi said.
 Nabiki looked at her in irritation, but turned her attention back to
Ranma-chan.
 Genma answered, �I would have threw Akane in but I wasn�t sure it would
have been obvious.�
 Akane had been glaring at Genma during this whole little exchange but
the last part really sparked an over-charged battery.  She glowed blue
briefly, then exploded with a furious one-two sending Genma flying into
the koi pond himself.  Ranma, who had gotten out, was knocked back in
just as fast.  A waterlogged panda stood up beside the girl.
 �If you had wanted to make an impression, I�ll help you make one on the
wall!�  Akane yelled.
 Ranma jumped back out of the pond with an irritated glance at Akane.
He moved over to where the others stood openmouthed.  �We need some hot
water.�  Then he walked back to Akane and shook water off onto her.
 Nabiki and Kasumi watched closely.  Akane filled out, like the mass
from her chest was distributed to her shoulders.  She grew several
inches, ending up slightly taller than male Ranma, and much taller than
Ranma-chan.  Akane was also much more massive than even Ranma-kun,
almost to Ryoga levels.  Her hair color and everything else stayed the
same.
 Akane didn�t notice.  Genma-panda pulled a sign out from somewhere and
waved it.
 <You said you were willing to (flip) give your lives to martial arts.>
 Ranma opened his mouth, then shut it again.  After all, no matter how
clever your comeback, it probably can�t compare to picking up a large
stone sculpture and smashing a panda over the head.
 Soun returned with a kettle.  Akane stomped over, Ranma trailing
behind.  Ranma was the first to grab the kettle and pour it on herself,
then handed it to Akane.  Akane then noticed that he was in his cursed
form.
The local Tendo family watched again in amazement as the change took
place.  This was much more dramatic than Akane�s transformation.  The
hair turned darker, and rose in the air as height was added to Ranma�s
frame.  The breasts seemed to not move much, only the rest of the body
grew to surround them.  Akane�s shift was the same as before, only in
reverse.
 Genma-panda managed to crawl over and reach for the kettle.  Akane-chan
glared at him, then poured the water out on the ground.
 �Stay that way for all I care!� she shouted.
 Nabiki turned to Soun who was crying to see his friend and family like
that, �Exactly why are you friends with them Daddy?  It seems to be
contagious.  Akane wasn�t like this before.�
 �They weren�t like this,� he sobbed, �It was all because of that
terrible trip in China.�
 Ranma and Akane told the story.
     ********************
 Mt. Quanjing, Bayankala Range, Qinghai Province, China.  A small group
of people, four to be exact, was walking down a path.  The only
unfamiliar one was a short, slightly pudgy Chinese man, maybe a little
older than Genma, in a brown outfit and cap.
 �Here sirs, are Legendary Cursed Training Grounds of JusenkyoTM.  More
than one hundred springs, each with its own very tragic story,� said the
Guide.
 �What�s so great about this place pop?� Ranma asked.
 �Yeah, why�d you drag us out here in the middle of nowhere?�  Akane
seconded.
 �This is a place recommended in the oldest of texts, the really great
martial artists came here to train.  Do you want to be the best or
not?�  Genma replied.
 Akane and Ranma looked at each other, and smiled grimly.  Each was
thinking, (The best.  Whatever it takes.)
 �What�d we gotta do?� they said in unison.
 Genma smiled, �That�s the spirit!  Akane, we�ll go first.  Jump on that
pole in the pool and we�ll fight.  I�m not going to take it easy on
you.�
 (Fine with me.) she thought.
 Genma and Akane hopped onto bamboo poles over the water, balancing
almost effortlessly.
 �No Mr. Customers!  Very bad if fall in pool!  Why you want risk of...�
the guide trailed off in Chinese.
 Ranma looked at the guide, then back at them.  �Are you sure that�s a
good idea?  The guide seems pretty upset.�
 �Shut up Ranma!  You�re just worried that I�m gonna get better than
you!.�  Akane yelled back.
 �Better than me?  You got a long way to go tomboy!�
 Genma picked then to attack, jumping up and across the pool to strike
at Akane.  Akane barely glanced at him, being more interested in
exchanging insults with Ranma, but she wasn�t totally inattentive.  She
grabbed Genma in a judo move and, pivoting, threw him straight down.
Ranma paused mid-insult, impressed despite himself.  (Wow, she�s getting
pretty good.)
 The Guide nearly hopped up and down in frustration.  �Aiyah, Mr.
Customer, you fall in Shonmaonichuan, Spring of Drowned Panda!�
 �What?� echoed the two teens.
 A very large panda jumped out of the pool aiming for Akane.  The sight
of the black and white fuzzy missile heading straight for her triggered
the denial sense we all have buried in our subconscious.   A pretty
useless sense, especially as it froze her long enough for the panda to
connect and send her flying up, up, and down into a pool.
 The Guide seemed to sigh in relief.  �Oh, you very lucky Mr. Customer.
Nannichuan, spring of drowned boy, not have any effect if you already
male.�
Akane sputtered at the edge of the pool.  The words started to register
in her, his brain.  He opened his gi and looked down.  Akane may have
just acquired a change in vocal cords, but the scream that tore from his
throat was pure female anguish.
 The Guide was confused.  Did young Mr. Customer want a curse?
 Ranma stared in shock at the two victims.  He leaned over and spoke to
the Guide.  �Akane is a girl.  Was anyway.� To Akane, �Well, I always
said you was a tomboy.  Bet you could play sports at school now.�
     ******************
 A voice broke in, �What do you mean by that?�
 �Different story, tell you later.�
     ******************
 It was the exact wrong thing to say.  Instead of glowing like a camp
lantern before getting medieval on him Akane just folded in on himself.
Akane still looked like before, only she was more boyish than ever.  He
started to cry.
 Ranma was at a loss as to what to do.  He felt like a first class heel,
which he had just pushed past his own tonsils.  Teasing was one thing,
but he could never stand for a girl to cry, especially Akane.  He pulled
Akane out of the water and sat down beside him.
 �Come on, its not that bad.  I�m a guy and I can live with it.� He
almost pleaded.
 Akane might would have smiled at such a crappy effort to cheer her up,
that�s the great thing about crappy efforts, but years of insults and
having to pretend to be a boy, only to become one, are not easily
forgotten.
 �Easy for you to say!  You ain�t got a curse!�
 The Guide managed to figure out some of what they had been saying, and
after flipping through a Chinese/Japanese dictionary he began to speak.
�Very tragic story of boy who drown in pool 1000 years ago.  Now who
fall in pool turn into boy, hot water change back.�
 �See?  It�s not permanent!  Don�t cry, please?  You ain�t a boy, not
really.  We just have to get some hot water and cure the curse.�  Ranma
said.
 Genma-panda had came over and grunted at the Guide, who began building
a fire.
 Akane-kun wasn�t quite as devastated as before, but he still seemed
incredibly unhappy.
 �WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW?�  a familiar voice screamed out behind them.
 �Ryoga?!  What is he doing here?�  Akane exclaimed.
     *****************
 �Who?� that interrupting voice again.  Don�t you hate that?
 �Hibiki Ryoga, old friend from boy�s school.�
 �Boy�s school?  Akane was a girl!�
 �What do you mean �was�?  I still am!�
 �Same long story.  Later.�
     *****************
 �Probably lost again, the baka.  Bet he was looking for the bathroom.
Hey!  RYOGA!  Over here man!�
 �Ranma?  Are you lost too?�
 �No!  I�m not lost!�
 �Well I can�t find you!�
 �You better go get him Ranma.  He�ll never make it own his own,�
Akane-kun said.
 Ranma left and followed the sound of Ryoga�s voice.  He soon returned
dragging a large boy, tall and extremely heavily muscled, wearing mud
stained clothes and a large backpack, carrying an umbrella.
 �Hi Akane!�  Ryoga greeted.  Instead of the friendly �Hi!� he was
expecting in return, he got the rather surprising response of seeing him
burst into tears.
 �I don�t look any different do I?� he wailed in a way that would do
justice to Soun.  �I was so unfeminine that I get changed into a boy and
I still look the same!� he screamed.
 Ryoga was shocked to put it mildly.  He wasn�t the fastest thinker in
the world, and most of his thoughts were on finally finding his friends
again after he got lost so many weeks ago.  He was lonely.
 �What happened?  Ranma, would you tell me what is going on here?
Akane is a boy right?�
 This, of course, set Akane off again.  Ranma was nearly pulling his
hair out in frustration.  He had never really had to deal with emotions
before, other than anger, and didn�t know what to do.  He turned to the
problem he could handle.
 �Ryoga, Akane was really a girl.  She was pretending to be a guy so we
could go to the same school and Pops could keep track of us easy,� Ranma
explained.
 Ryoga was even more confused.  �Akane is a girl?  I�m looking at him
and he is a he.�
 �This is Jusenkyo, training ground of cursed springs.  Akane fell into
the spring of drowned boy.  See that panda?  That�s Pop.  Drowned
panda.  We�re waiting for water to heat up to change her back to
normal.�
 �Really?  Akane was a girl?� Ryoga asked.
 A round of nods, even an affirmative grunt from the panda answered him.

 �Really?  Wow.  Akane, you�re a really good actor.�
 Akane seemed to like this idea.  Ranma seized on it.  �Yeah, Akane�s
just a good actor.   Not that she had to do much.�
 Akane�s expression started to darken again.
 Ranma started to panic once more.  �I mean, uh, uh, that you were
really easy to fool.  I can�t believe that everyone didn�t figure out
that she was a girl, I mean she is pretty cute.�
 �You think so Ranma?  You mean it?�  Akane looked hopeful.
 Ranma plunged ahead.  �Well..., yeah.  The rest of them were just such
bakas that they couldn�t see it.�
 Akane looked happy, smiling at Ranma.  This, meaning a guy smiling like
that at a guy that just called him cute, did make Ryoga a little
nervous.  (Man this is weird.  I hope they ain�t lying to me about Akane
being a girl.)
     ****************
 �How sweet.� Damn the voice! �But it still doesn�t explain your curse
Ranma.�
 �Just let me finish alright?�
     ****************
 Akane�s expression still fell.  Ranma asked why she was still upset.
 �I know you!  You�ll never let me forget this!  I�m going to be called
tomboy until the end of time!�
 �No I won�t, I wouldn�t do that!.�
 �Yeah you would.� Akane said morosely.
 Ranma looked around.  �Look.  Howbout I give you something to laugh at,
huh?�
 �What are you talking about?� Akane asked.
 �Watch.�  (What the hell?  It ain�t permanent.)  Ranma ran over to a
different pool, and jumped in.
 Akane looked on in shock, Ryoga stared, and the Guide shook his head
and said softly, �Aiyah.� He muttered something in Chinese, then
continued in Japanese.  �Mr. Customer, you now Ms. Customer.  That
Nyannichuan, spring of drowned girl.  Why you jump in?  I tell you about
curses.�
 A petite girl with long red hair in a pigtail, waded to shore.  With
slightly exaggerated slowness she opened her shirt and looked down.
 �Well, I thought it would be something else.  Who would have thought
that they would stick drowned girl next to drowned boy?�  Ranma-chan
said right before she fell over backward in an apparent faint.
 Akane giggled.  Ranma proceeded to get up and run in a little circle,
complaining in a high falsetto, made higher by her actually being a
girl, �Oh no!  I�m a girl!  What ever shall I do?�
 Ryoga was chuckling and Akane was laughing outright.  Genma-panda
looked at her and his eyes bugged out.  (Damn!  What the hell has the
boy got into now?)
 �Hey Ryoga, you want to try it?�  Ranma asked jovially.
 Ryoga just said, �I�ll pass.�
 The guide repeated his question.  �Mr. Customer, why you want curse?�
 Ranma stopped and looked at him.  �It�s not that big of a deal right?
We just have to get some hot water to cure it.�
 �Ah, Mr. Customer, hot water reverse curse, cold water bring back.�
 Akane jumped in, �Hey!  You mean hot water isn�t a cure?�
 The Guide shook his head.
 <Oh, crap.  Nodoka�s gonna kill me. (flip) And Ranma.  Maybe Akane...>
 �AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!� from Akane.
 �........�  from Ranma, her mouth open in a scream.
 �AAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOORRRRLLLLL.�  from the surrounding canines.
     ****************
  Nabiki was pacing the room and talking.  She punctuated her words with
various forms of arm waving.
 �I can�t believe it.  I just can�t believe it.�
 �Believe it.  These curses have really messed up our lives.�  Ranma
said.
 �No, no, not the curses.  I can handle that, what with the evidence
before my eyes.  I can�t believe that for once, Dad was right on the
first try!  He usually jumps to the wrong conclusion, and it certainly
looked that way.�
 �Yeah.  You didn�t seem surprised.  Why?� Akane asked.
 �I have my ways,� she said smugly.
 �She walked in on me in the bathroom.  Before that she probably heard
our conversation in the dojo,�  Ranma answered.
 Nabiki seemed to deflate slightly.
 �You were in the bathroom with him?  You hentai!� Akane exploded.
 �I..., I thought it was you!�  Nabiki stuttered.
 Akane picked up the table and waved it threateningly at Nabiki, who
jumped back well out of the way.  �Really?�
 Nabiki shook her head and held up her arms.  �How was I supposed to
know?  I thought it was you!�  Akane seemed slightly molified, but she
still glared a bit.
 Nabiki looked at them and thought, (Wow, my sister is a violent
maniac.  No wonder �Ranma� seemed like a jerk, beating up on a girl.)
 Akane set the table back down and looked at her sisters.
 �So you don�t think I�m some sort of freak?� she asked hesitantly.
 �Well you are a freak, but you�re still our sister.�  Nabiki replied.
 Kasumi shot a quelling look at her.  �No one thinks any less of you
because of your condition.  You are actually luck to have an fianc�e
that likes you enough to do that for you.�
 �Yeah, I guess so.  You keep saying �fianc�e�.  Ranma ain�t asked me to
marry him.  We�re just friends,�  Akane finished with a puzzled look.
 �But Father said you were engaged,� Kasumi replied.
 �No, we ain�t engaged or nothing.  Why�d he think we was?�
 �It could be because he arranged a marriage between you and Ranma
before you were born, or didn�t you know?� Nabiki replied sarcastically.

 �UNCLE!�

 It took a while, but everyone finally slept.  Some were pummeled
unconscious, another cried to sleep,  most finally dropped off after the
shouting died down so that it couldn�t be heard through the pillows over
their heads.  Two fell asleep on the roof, one having gazed at the
stars, the other having glared at the panda laying in the yard.
Everyone has something they blame for all the problems in their lives.
 �Ranma?�
 �Um?� he answered sleepily.
 �Thanks.�


*  According to my dictionary, koi can mean carp, love, or EVIL intent.
It�s a sort of pun, one I came up with all by myself.  ;-)
 Read the later chapters at
http://lavender.fortunecity.com/clockwork/416/anime.htm
Let me know what you think, I just love attention.  Thanks.   Send
comments, criticism, and copyright infringement lawsuits to
ballisticsausage@hotmail.com   Flame me!  I�m heat resistant!  Any MST3K
will cause the offending person to be put on my list of people I�d
donate a kidney to.  No liver, it probably won�t live anyway.
First created on 12/27/98.

--
  Ragun P. Moody
  AKA Kichigai
  R.P.M. Grafix
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