This is a sequel to "The Taming of the Horse", in which Akane took
advantage of her discovery at Jusendo that Ranma loved her to advance
their relationship.  Ranma has been training Akane for some months.  Ranma
and Akane are attending St. Hebereke's thanks to Kodachi, who now knows
about Ranma's Jusenkyo curse.  Following a short and nearly tragic battle,
Cologne has taken Shampoo and Mousse back to China.  Ranma and Akane have
married and gone on honeymoon, not without incident.  "Centaur" picks up
the morning after Chapter 10 of "Taming" ends.

TotH webpage: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/seifertv/toth/

I wrote "Taming" for myself, but I wrote "Centaur" for the people who
wanted more, and especially for June, whose writing has influenced mine
from the beginning.  Thanks, everyone!

Thanks also go to Dave Roeder, prereader par excellence.

C&C, positive or negative, public or private, gratefully accepted.

     ~~~~~

Centaur

a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction by Vince Seifert (seifertv@csus.edu)

Ranma 1/2 characters and situations are copyright 1987, 1999
by Takahashi Rumiko.  Publishing rights (Japan) by Shogakukan
Inc.  Publishing rights (North America) by Viz Inc.  This work
is not intended to infringe those rights.

Chapter 1: The Lion and the Jackals

     ~~~~~

     When Akane awoke, her first awareness was that she was on a
futon rather than in her bed, and the association that triggered
was quite pleasant.  *Honeymoon....*  Her second awareness, of a
warm body sharing the futon with her, was even more pleasant.
*Ranma.  Mine.*  Her third awareness was that she was in the
Tendo house, and that meant--  *Darn.  The honeymoon's over.*
With that, the world came rushing in upon her, and she suddenly
sat bolt upright.  *I forgot to set the alarm!*

     "Ranma!  Get up!  We have to go to school!"

     Ranma slumbered on, oblivious, a slight smile on his face.
Akane's expression softened; under the circumstances, it was not
unreasonable for her to hope that he was dreaming of her.  She
reached over and shook him hard anyway.  "Ranma!"

     "mmmgrblfm...."  Ranma shifted a little, but showed every
indication of going right on sleeping.  Akane bit her lip.  She
didn't have a bucket of water handy, but it was beginning to look
like one would be necessary.  She smiled suddenly, leaned down,
and planted a kiss on Ranma's lips.

     Ranma's eyes shot open, rolled wildly, then steadied.  His
arms arose from under the quilt like the tentacles of some
subterranean monster bent on succulent girl-flesh for breakfast
and closed around Akane.  "Eeep!  Let go, we have to get ready
for school!" she cried, struggling.

     "Hey, you kissed me," Ranma said, grinning.  "My turn."  His
arms tightened, but Akane broke free, rolled away, and scrambled
to her feet.

     "Stop that.  We don't have time," she said breathlessly.
"Besides, you taste terrible."

     Ranma shrugged, yawned, and stretched.  "So do you, but you
don't hear me complainin'."  He ran an appreciative glance over
Akane's pajama-clad form.  "Bath, or ya wanna work out a bit?"

     "Bath," Akane said firmly.  "I'll go first."

     Ranma's eyebrows rose.  "What, don'tcha want your back
scrubbed?  I'll come with you."

     Akane looked uncomfortable.  "Ranma, it's... well... it's
different here.  My family... um, our family...."

     "Gimme a break," Ranma snorted.  "You were crawlin' all over
me for the last couple of days, and now you're all of a sudden
shy-like?"

     Akane blushed.  "Ranmaaaa!" she yelled to cover it.

     ~~~~~

     "LECHER!"  Wham!

     "Tomboy!  Bii-da!"

     Nabiki watched Soun's mustache begin to quiver as the
violent sounds echoed down from upstairs.  "Oh, Nabiki," he
sobbed, "they're still fighting!  I'd hoped, after they were so
nice to each other when we were all talking last night, that they
were over this!"

     Nabiki rolled her eyes.  "Give it a rest, Father," she said
derisively.  "Some things never change."  She cringed as the door
upstairs slammed open and Ranma came flying down the stairs
wearing boxer shorts and tank-top.  He skidded around the corner
at the bottom and headed for the bathroom, with Akane thundering
after him.

     "You baka!  I'm going first, I said!" Akane protested as
Ranma dove out of sight.

     "Too slow!" Ranma taunted, his voice echoing out of the
tiled bathroom.  Akane slammed the door behind them.  "Woop!"
Crash!  "Nyaaah!  Hey, what--!"  Splash!  "Hey, no fair!" Ranma's
female voice yelled.  "Wait!  No!  Get awaaay... wahaha!"

     Relative silence descended.  Soun stared at Nabiki, tears
forgotten.  Nabiki stared back.  "Perhaps I'd better go stop them
from hurting each other," Soun began tentatively.

     Nabiki reached out an arm to stop him.  "Don't, Father.
It's too dangerous.  Besides, the only one who's likely to get
hurt is Ranma."

     "Why, Nabiki!  He's your brother now!  You owe him some
concern!"

     "Yeah, right.  If Ranma got hit by a truck, I'd worry about
how badly the truck was damaged."

     Kasumi came out of the kitchen.  "They're so lively, aren't
they?" she said cheerfully, placing a pot of tea on the table.
Soun and Nabiki waited until she'd turned away before rolling
their eyes.

     A few minutes later, the house shook again as Ranma and
Akane dashed out of the bathroom and back up to their room.
Shortly thereafter, they both came into the main room wearing
their St. Hebereke's uniforms and dropped to sit at the table.
"Good morning!" they chorused in unison, and then noticed Soun's
bulging eyes and Nabiki's slightly ruffled look.  "What?"

     "Is it going to be like this every morning?" Nabiki sniffed.
"If so, we're going to have words about it."

     Ranma looked at her blankly.  "Like what?  Oh, thanks,
Kasumi," she added as the miso and rice appeared before her.

     "The shouting.  The running.  The shrill cries of pain... it
was pain, wasn't it?"

     Akane blushed.  Ranma shrugged.  "Ask Akane.  If she'd just
scrub my back like a good wife-- oof!"  Akane removed her elbow
from Ranma's ribs.

     "Now, Akane, be nice," Soun admonished.

     "I was being nice!"  "She was being nice!" they said
simultaneously.  "If the human hammer here wasn't being nice,"
Ranma continued, "I'd be out in the garden."  She gestured with
her chopsticks at the intervening shoji screen and continued
eating.

     "And don't you forget it," Akane muttered, concealing a
smile.  "Kasumi, you should have woken us up," she accused her
eldest sister as Kasumi joined them at the table.  "I forgot to
set the alarm."

     "Oh, I thought you could use a little more time in bed,"
Kasumi said.  She politely overlooked Akane's fierce blush,
Soun's spit-take, and Nabiki's facefault; Ranma was apparently
devoting all of her attention to her breakfast.  "I made your
lunches," Kasumi continued, "so you won't be late to school."

     Akane's blush receded.  "Thanks, Kasumi."

     "Yeah, thanks, Kasumi!" Ranma seconded enthusiastically.

     Akane rounded on her.  "And what's wrong with the lunches I
make?!"

     "Nothing," Ranma said equably, putting her empty bowl down
as Akane relaxed.  "Nothing that another few years of practice
won't fix, anyway-- waha!"  She dodged Akane's lunge with a
handspring over the table from her seated position, flipping
between Soun and Nabiki and out into the hall.

     "RANMA!"  Akane leapt in pursuit.  She was back a moment
later.  "Oh, Kasumi--"  Kasumi had already gotten up and was
coming out of the kitchen with their bento boxes in hand.  Akane
took them with a quick smile.  "Thanks.  See you later!"  She
left rapidly.

     "Have a good day!" Kasumi called after them.  She favored
Soun and Nabiki with a gentle smile and returned to her place at
the table.

     Nabiki had a slightly shellshocked look.  "Yup.  It's going
to be like this every morning.  The sooner I move out, the
better."  She shook her head disgustedly.  "Lovebirds."

     Soun gaped at her.  "What?  But, but the insults, the
hitting, the yelling...."

     "Oh, Father, that's just how they are," Kasumi said as
though to a slightly dim child, pouring herself a cup of tea as
she did so.

     ~~~~~

     "Ranma, stop a moment," Akane called when they were almost
to St. Hebereke's.  "We need to talk."

     "You mean you wanna tell me something," Ranma grumbled, but
she slowed from her run as Akane did.

     Akane ignored the crack; it was essentially true.  "Ranma,
remember we can't let them know we're married to each other.
They think we're married to two guys.  No PDAs, all right?"

     "'PDAs'?"

     "It figures you wouldn't know that.  Public Displays of
Affection.  Hugging, kissing, holding hands...."

     Ranma sighed and looked away.  "Sure.  It'll be just like
before."

     "I know it'll be hard," Akane said sympathetically.  "It's
easier for me when you're a girl, but I want you to know...
there'll still be times when I want to hug or kiss you, but I
won't.  Not because I don't want to, but because we have a secret
to keep."  Ranma nodded, still looking away.  "Best friends isn't
so bad, is it?"

     Ranma looked back at her with that cocky glint in her eye.
"Best friends, hell.  Partners."

     "Stop that," Akane said unsteadily.  "You're making me want
to kiss you.  Partners it is."

     Ranma nodded, good humor restored, and held up her hand.
Akane slapped it, and they walked in through the school gate.

     Michi and Junko were loitering inside the gate, obviously
waiting for them.  "Hey!" Michi called, waving.  "Welcome back!"

     "Well, how was it?" Junko asked as they met and started for
the main entrance, mingling with the crowd of other students.

     Akane blushed, smiled, and shifted her grip on her
schoolbag.  Her gold wedding ring glinted in the morning sun.
"It was... good," she replied.

     "I'll bet it was," Michi said slyly.  "Just how good was it?
Come on, we want details!"  Akane just shook her head, still
blushing and smiling.

     Junko turned to Ranma.  "How about you, Ranma?"

     Ranma put her free hand to the back of her head, touching
the ring braided into her pigtail.  "Like Akane said.  It was
good."

     "We'll tell you about it," Akane broke in, "but not here and
not now.  Not even today.  We have schoolwork to catch up with,
after all."

     Junko patted her schoolbag.  "Sachi and I took notes for
you."

     "Thanks, Junko.  That'll help a lot.  Probably tomorrow,
then.  You'll just have to be patient until then, Michi.  So,
anything new here?"

     "Funny you should ask," Junko said.  She looked around and
lowered her voice.  "Kodachi's been acting even stranger than
usual for the last couple of days."

     "Hm," Ranma observed.  It wasn't surprising; Kodachi had
tried to interrupt their wedding, and had been soundly defeated
at Akane's hands.  "Well, we'll see at gym, I guess."

     ~~~~~

     The locker room didn't appear to have changed at all in the
four days they'd been gone, but Akane opened her locker with
caution anyway; their friends were just about as odd as their
enemies, and she was expecting anything from a burst of sleep-gas
to a sudden explosion of spring-loaded rubber snakes.  Nothing
happened.  She sighed in relief, relaxed, and started unbuttoning
her tunic.

     Ranma was less wary; fortunately her locker hadn't been
tampered with either.  Kodachi came around the end of the row of
lockers while Ranma was changing and walked up to her.  She spoke
to Ranma without acknowledging Akane's presence in any way.
"Ranma-sama, I wish to speak with you in private, if you would."

     Ranma looked annoyed.  "Can I get dressed first?" she asked,
gesturing at her own nudity.

     Kodachi didn't smile.  "Of course, Ranma-sama.  I shall
await you outside."  She turned and left.

     Ranma and Akane exchanged glances.  "That was strange, all
right," Ranma remarked, stepping into her leotard and pulling it
up.  "Well, it can't hurt to talk to her, I guess."

     Akane looked around to see if anyone else was in earshot.
"I'm not letting her get you alone," she said quietly.

     "Relax, Akane.  I can handle her.  Uh, I mean--"

     Akane glared at her.  "You 'handle' her and I'll pound you
flat.  She tries anything funny with drugs or hot water and I'll
pound HER flat."

     Ranma smirked.  "Works for me."  She settled her shoulders
in the leotard and walked out.  Akane finished putting on her own
leotard and followed.

     Ranma came out into the gymnasium and looked around for
Kodachi, spotting her up in the bleachers.  She ran across to the
edge of the floor and ascended the tiered bench seats in a series
of rapid flips, coming upright next to Kodachi.  "So, whatcha
wanna see me about?"

     Kodachi's face looked as though she were concealing
distress, but her posture was as proud and provocative as ever.
"I understand that your wedding to-- to that Tendo person was
forced to a conclusion despite my objections," she began.  "Never
fear, Ranma-sama.  I am prepared to do all in my power to ensure
that your divorce is as swift and painless as possible."

     Ranma's jaw dropped.  "My what?!"  She stopped, lowered her
head, and pinched the bridge of her nose between thumb and
forefinger.  "Listen to me, Kodachi, 'cause I'm only gonna say
this once," she said with as much restraint as she could manage.
"I'm not gettin' a divorce."

     "I understand, Ranma-sama."

     Ranma raised her head hopefully.  "You do?"

     "Yes, I see it now," Kodachi said sympathetically.  "Your
family is forcing you to remain with that harpy by binding you
with promises that an honorable man such as yourself cannot
break."  She sighed, not noticing Ranma's expression, which had
passed annoyed and was well on its way to furious.  She glanced
at Ranma suddenly.  "You didn't, ah, consummate the marriage, did
you?"

     "There's that word again," Ranma muttered.  "If you're
askin' if I boffed 'er, yeah, I did.  So?"

     "Eeeee!"  Kodachi recoiled, hands to her cheeks, and stared
at Ranma in horror.  She controlled herself after a moment and
hung a wan smile on her lips, but she was looking rather
desperate around the eyes.  "Ah, well, it's not what I had hoped
for, but I suppose I can bring myself to play the role of the
other woman.  I'll be waiting with open arms for you to seek
affection outside this loveless marriage.  After all, how long
can it be before you grow tired of a girl like that?"

     Ranma's restraint shattered.  "Kodachi, you IDIOT!  Don't
you GET it yet?!  I married A--  I married for love!  Not honor,
not promises!  I don't love you!  I'll NEVER love you the way you
want!"  Her shout echoed in the gymnasium, and she suddenly
noticed that all the other girls had stopped what they were doing
and were staring up at the two of them.

     Kodachi paled and put her hand to her mouth.  "No..." she
whispered.  Suddenly her eyes flashed.  "No!" she declared.  "It
cannot be true!  It cannot be that you love-- that person!  You
always denied it!"

     Ranma grimaced.  "Yeah, well, now I'm not denyin' it, okay?"

     Kodachi's brow furrowed.  "But why, Ranma-sama?  That person
fed you horrid dishes, berated you without end, and even abused
you physically--"  Kodachi broke off, and her eyes widened in
sudden surmise.  "Ranma-sama!  Why didn't you TELL me?!"

     "I'm TRYIN' ta tell ya!" Ranma screeched.

     Kodachi paid no attention.  "I would have been HAPPY to
inflict as much pain upon you as you desired, darling!"  She
produced a large mallet and wound up.  Ranma, stunned by her
enthusiastic leap to an erroneous conclusion, didn't have a
chance.  WHACK!

     "OW!" Ranma yelled, squatting on the bench and clutching at
her head as a goose-egg lump sprouted on it.  "Cut it out, you
crazy fool!"

     "Ranma-sama!  Give me a chance!  I can be just as cruel to
you as your ill-chosen mate!  Feel the full impact of my love for
you!"  Kodachi swung again, but by that time Akane was there, and
the mallet quivered to a stop a centimeter short of contact with
Ranma's shoulder.

     Kodachi tried to wrest the mallet free of Akane's hold and
failed.  "You wretch!  How dare you interfere!"

     "I beat you at the wedding, Kodachi," Akane snarled.  "I can
do it again any time you're dumb enough to try me."  She ripped
the mallet out of Kodachi's grip, flipped it into the air, and
caught it by the handle.  Something a little like a grin but much
nastier crossed her face as she hefted it.  "Not bad."

     Kodachi took a couple of steps back and suddenly noticed
their audience.  "This is not at all what it appears to be," she
said with dignity to the assembled girls.  Their flat-eyed stares
didn't alter.  Kodachi glanced back at Ranma.  "We will resume
this at another time and place," she said quickly as Akane took a
step forward and raised the mallet.  "Farewell, Ranma-sama!  Oh-
hohohoho!"  She bounded away down the bleachers and out the
gymnasium door.

     "Show's over," Akane told the audience firmly, lowering the
mallet.  "Well, don't you have anything better to do?  Go on!"
It dawned on the onlookers that Akane looked like she was really
hoping for a target to present itself for the mallet she hadn't
had a chance to use yet.  They scattered.

     "Ow-ow-ow-ow...."  Ranma straightened cautiously, one eye
still squeezed shut in pain, and prodded gingerly at the lump on
her head.

     Akane looked at her and tsked.  "And you.  Why on earth did
you let her hit you?"

     "I dunno," Ranma groaned.  "She surprised me.  Or maybe I
got a weakness for girls with big mallets--"

     "WHAT?!"  The mallet twitched.

     "I didn't say that!" Ranma gibbered.  "If I did, I didn't
mean it!  Joke!  Joke!"

     Akane giggled.  "Baka.  After what you said to Kodachi, I'm
not about to clobber you."  She brought the mallet head up and
gently rubbed her cheek against it, but continued to smile at
Ranma.  "Nice mallet," she crooned in a voice that had dropped
half an octave.  "I think I'll keep it."

     Ranma swallowed hard, but not for the usual reason.

     ~~~~~

     Yuriko poked her head out the trapdoor access to the roof of
the St. Hebereke's gymnasium and saw Kodachi, standing on the
roof some distance away clad in a cloak that rippled in the wind.
She made sure the headband that secured her dark-brown hair
behind her ears was firmly in place and emerged from the
trapdoor, wishing she was wearing more than a leotard.
"Captain?" she said when she reached Kodachi, who continued to
gaze out over the school grounds as though surveying her domain.

     "Did you observe those insolent girls?" Kodachi mused
without turning, as though speaking to herself.  "Indeed, it is a
sorry pass to which I have come, to tolerate such behavior as
that."

     "Well," Yuriko began diplomatically, "they don't believe
that Saotome is really a man.  She, uh, he's a pretty convincing
girl--"

     Kodachi wheeled to face Yuriko.  "My word should be enough
for them!"

     Yuriko's pretty oval face looked pained.  "Yes, certainly,
but after you said before that there were two Saotome Ranmas, one
male, one female--"

     "He deceived me with that Chinese curse of his!  How was I
to know that such wonders existed?  But now I know the truth, and
so should they!"

     "I apologize for the failure of my attempts to reveal it,
Captain," Yuriko said formally, hoping it would calm Kodachi a
little.

     "As well you should," Kodachi sniffed. "This situation is
insufferable.  To be thought a, a pervert, when in fact I am
pursuing the manliest of men... no, I cannot allow this to
continue."  She heaved a sigh.  "And that Tendo person.  I curse
my father for afflicting me with her; he has been the ruin of my
scheme.  No, although it pains me, it is clear that I was correct
that Ranma-sama must be sent away; it is a threefold gain.  My
darling will be separated from Tendo, Tendo will be here where we
may torment her at will, and these foul rumors regarding my, er,
preference will abate, for Ranma-sama will surely return to his
delectable male form once gone from here."

     "But how?" Yuriko asked.  "Saotome won't be so careless in
the showers again.  I tried telling her, er, his friends,
but...."  She bit her lip, remembering the amused look in Junko's
eyes when she'd told Junko that Ranma was really a man.  "So
what?" Junko had said, and brushed past her.

     "Yes.  They are now loyal to Ranma-sama, and they must be
made to regret it, as an example to others whose loyalty to me
may be wavering.  I cannot imagine why informing Hasegawa-sensei
failed, though."

     *I can,* Yuriko thought.  *She didn't believe you.  Heck,
I'm not sure I believe you....*  "I await your instructions,
Captain," she said.

     Kodachi produced an envelope and handed it to Yuriko.
"Deliver this."

     Yuriko read the inscription on the outside and paled.  "The
Headmistress?"

     "So it must be, alas."

     Kodachi continued to stand on the roof after Yuriko had
gone, trying not to think of the dreadful words her Ranma-sama
had spoken to her, trying not to remember the astonishing speed
and strength of the Tendo girl, and trying not to imagine Ranma's
perfect body joined with another woman's.  She concentrated
instead on a vision of Ranma coming penitently before her,
begging her forgiveness and declaring his love and desire for
her, and her spirits began to revive.  "You will yet be mine,
Ranma-sama," she whispered to herself.  "I was a fool to believe
that I could win your heart by refraining from the use of my
arsenal, or restraining my desire for you.

     "The Black Rose shall triumph!  Oh-hohohohohohoho!"

     ~~~~~

     "Race you home,"  Akane said suddenly as she and Ranma
walked out the St. Hebereke's gate after school.  She smiled at
Ranma, but there was something under her smile that Ranma
couldn't identify.

     "Huh?" Ranma began, perplexed, but Akane was already
sprinting away.  Ranma tossed perplexity to the four winds and
ran after her.  "No way ya gonna beat me, slowpoke!"  Akane
didn't turn at the taunt, and didn't waste breath replying to it;
she leapt to the roofs, showing Ranma her heels-- and an
occasional flash of thigh as her skirt flapped.  Ranma shut up
and concentrated on overtaking her.  *Jeez, she's serious!*

     Akane took the straight path over the rooftops to the Tendo
house, denying Ranma an opportunity to cut her off in curves, and
didn't slacken her speed a bit.  Ranma simply had to run faster
than Akane, and she did, but it was harder than she'd thought it
would be.  Still, Ranma was ten yards ahead when she hurdled the
wall around the Tendo compound and skidded to a halt, tagging the
gate-post.  "Hah!"

     Akane ran past her and into the house.  Ranma gaped.  "Hey!
I won already!"  She staggered after Akane, breathing heavily.
As soon as she was inside, she was hit with a hug that rivaled
Shampoo's best glomps.  "Wah!"  She recovered from her surprise,
dropped her bag, and hugged Akane back.

     "Just couldn't wait, could ya?" Ranma said teasingly when
she had her breath back.

     "No.  I couldn't.  I didn't think it would be that bad, but
it was."  Akane's voice was flat and serious.

     "Yeah, well, ya might wanna take your hand off my butt
before Kasumi comes by...."

     "Eeep!"  Akane drew back a bit, blushing, and looked around.

     "Not that I mind or nothin'," Ranma said hastily.  She blew
out a breath.  "Good run.  We oughta do that more."

     "Sure," Akane said, bending to pick up her bag.  "Did I, um,
push you at all?"

     "Nah," Ranma began automatically, then stopped.  "Uh...
maybe a little."

     Akane grinned.  "Good.  'Cause I can run faster than that.
I was just saving breath for this."  She leaned forward and
kissed Ranma, then twirled away and started up the stairs.

     "The hell you can!" Ranma called after her.

     Kasumi had left the kettle on the stove, but she wasn't in
the kitchen when Ranma poked her head in.  Ranma shrugged, turned
the burner off, picked up the kettle, and headed for the
bathroom.  She shut the changing-room door behind her and
stripped quickly out of her St. Hebereke's uniform, then poured
the hot water over her head.  The change back wasn't quite as
much of a relief and pleasure as it had been before, but he still
preferred his male body.  He donned the clothing that Kasumi had
left there for him, clean and neatly folded.

     When Ranma came out of the changing room wearing his gi,
Akane was waiting for him.  She slid into his arms for another
hug, a longer, slower one, and a matching kiss.  "I feel a lot
better now," she said after their lips parted.

     Ranma blushed a little.  "Uh... me too."

     Akane studied him.  "You don't need this as much as I do,
though, do you," she said, a bit sadly.  "You probably wouldn't
admit it even if you did."  Ranma looked away; all Akane could
make out of his mutter was something about "mushy stuff".  She
sighed and took a grip on the overlap of his gi top, the same one-
handed grip that could put him through the wall if she caught him
off guard, and pushed him back into the changing room.

     When she turned back from closing the door, Ranma was
already looking apprehensive.  "Akane...."

     "It's all right," Akane said, half-smiling.  "I knew you
were the strong, stupid type when I married you."

     "Hey!" Ranma protested, but he lost the apprehensive look.

     "Ranma, you wanted me to be your buddy, and I've been your
buddy.  I like being your buddy, but... Ranma, I want you to be
my... my lover."  Akane wanted not to blush as she said that, but
her face had different ideas.

     "What, right now?" Ranma blurted.

     Akane's grip tightened as her head lowered.  "And if I did?
Are you tired of me already?" she said quietly.

     "Ack!  No!  Hell's bells, I just got through tellin' Kodachi
that!"

     "Well, what's your problem, then?  If I should happen to
want a hug or a kiss or a snuggle or-- or whatever from my
husband in private, I would think he'd be a bit less shy about
it!"

     Ranma muttered something.

     "What?"

     "This morning ya call me a lecher, and say 'no PDAs in
school', and then ya grab me when we get home, an' now this...
jeez, I wish you'd make up your mind, is all."

     "I-- you-- argh!"  Akane stopped and took a deep breath.
"Well, sometimes I feel like it, and sometimes I don't, and
sometimes it's just not the right place or time!"

     "Yeah?  How the hell am I supposed to know?!"

     "You--!"  Akane felt the flustered anger welling up inside
her, but on the way up it changed to something else.  She flung
herself forward and up and was kissing Ranma fiercely almost
before she knew it.  This time, Ranma knew what to do with his
arms; his two-handed grip on her buttocks through the heavy
cotton of her gi held their bodies clamped together while the
fireworks went off.

     "Ah, newlyweds...."  Their eyes snapped open and rolled
sideways.  Happosai was resting his elbows on the rim of the
hamper and watching them googly-eyed with a brassiere-- one of
hers, Akane noticed with chagrin-- draped over his head.

     "Old fart, you'll pay for that!"  Ranma disentangled himself
from Akane and struck before he'd finished speaking.  Crunch!
The hamper disintegrated, but Happosai had leapt clear and
bounced across the room.

     "Come and get me, you whelp!" Happosai jeered, waving the
bra at Ranma.  Ranma went and got him.  Wham!  Happosai's counter
left Ranma plastered upside-down to the wall of the changing
room, but kept the old man occupied long enough for Akane to
unleash a vicious snap kick.  Happosai caromed off the wall for
his second lump and ran into Akane's fist for the third.  "Ow..."
he whimpered, dragging himself along the floor.  "How can you
mistreat your poor old master so, Akane-chan?"

     "Easy," Akane grated.  Her elbow slammed down, sending
Happosai into dreamland.  She retrieved her bra, picked Happosai
up, and evicted him from the changing room.  Ranma was back on
his feet by the time she'd finished.

     "Goddamn ol' lecher," Ranma complained, rubbing his head.
"He musta been in there the whole time!"

     "Talk about ruining the mood," Akane agreed.

     "Heh.  I guess you felt like it, but it wasn't the right
place or time, huh?"

     Akane giggled.  "Something like that."  She sobered.
"Anyway, about knowing how I feel... I guess it's just something
we'll have to figure out as we go.  I don't always know how you
feel, either."

     Ranma snorted.  "Hell, I usually don't."

     "Well, I hope you feel like being clobbered a little now,
because I have some frustration to work out."

     "My violent tomboy wife beats me," Ranma complained sotto
voce as he followed Akane out, but his lips were twitching.

     When they walked into the dojo, Kasumi was already there,
performing a kata of her own devising.  Ranma stopped to watch.
Akane glanced at Ranma, and firmly suppressed a momentary twinge
at the way his face had softened; she felt the same way.  To
watch Kasumi practicing kempo was like watching a ballet dancer
or a figure skater; her Art hardly seemed martial.

     Kasumi finished her kata and smiled at them.  "Hello!"

     "Lookin' good," Ranma said, tossing her a towel.  "Startin'
a little early today, hey?"

     "I just felt like it," Kasumi replied.  She dabbed at her
brow.  "And I'm trying something a bit more elaborate tonight for
dinner, so I'll need to stop earlier."

     "We'll need to stop early today as well," Akane put in.

     "Oh?  Do you have schoolwork to make up?" Kasumi inquired.

     "That too."  Akane glanced at Ranma.  "We have to go out
before dinner."

     "We do?  How come?" Ranma asked, surprised.

     "We, um, should go see Ukyo."

     Ranma grimaced.  "Oh, hell."

     "We owe it to her to tell her, the sooner the better."

     Ranma nodded reluctantly.  "I guess so... but I'm not
lookin' forward to it."  He moved out clear of the wall and began
one of his kata.  Akane watched him moving, admiring his strength
and speed, then noticed that Kasumi was watching him too.  She
was shifting slightly, as though following along with Ranma's
movements, but her expression was fond... and perhaps a little
yearning.  Akane felt the twinge again.

     Kasumi glanced at her, then turned away from Ranma and
straightened a little.  Her face reverted to its usual pleasant
smile.  "I'd better go bathe now, and then start dinner."

     "Um... we need a new hamper," Akane mentioned.

     Kasumi's eyebrow rose.  "Oh?  What happened to it?

     "Ranma and Happosai."

     "Oh.  Oh, dear.  Well, enjoy your workout...."

     "I will."  As Kasumi left the dojo, Akane went outside and
started setting up her doomed concrete blocks.

     ~~~~~

     Ukyo's face froze when she saw Ranma coming into her shop.
She returned her attention to the okonomiyaki sizzling on the
grill.  Ranma gulped and steeled himself, then walked up to the
grill through the sudden silence and the stares of the other
customers and slid onto a seat.  "Hi, Ukyo."

     "Ranma."  Ukyo's voice was hostile.  She looked over his
shoulder.  "Where's your wife?"

     Ranma flinched.  "I, uh, I guess you heard about it,
then...."

     "Yeah, you've been the talk of the town."  Ukyo's gaze
flicked over his hands.  "Not wearin' a ring?  You ashamed of
her, or just cheap?"

     "No.  Neither."  Ranma's voice was even, but his eyes had a
pained look.  He turned half away so Ukyo could see the ring
braided into his pigtail, then turned back.

     "Sorry," Ukyo said, looking a bit less hostile.  "So where
is she?"

     "Outside.  She, uh, wasn't sure you wanted to see her."

     Ukyo chuckled bitterly.  "Hell, right now I wanna see her
more'n I wanna see you.  Bring 'er in."

     Ranma got up and walked out, the set of his back betraying
his rigid control, and came back in a moment later with Akane.
Akane looked around at the customers; a couple of them frowned, a
few smiled, but most of them just looked curious.

     "Konatsu, take the grill, hey?"  Ukyo came out from behind
the grill as Konatsu took her place.  She walked up to Akane and
embraced her stiffly.  "Congratulations, Akane."

     "Thank you, Ukyo."  Akane's voice trembled a little.

     "Got time for a woman-to-woman chat?"

     "Sure," Akane said, surprised.

     "Great.  C'mon upstairs.  Not you," she added to Ranma when
he moved to follow them.

     "But--"  Ranma subsided when Akane caught his eye and shook
her head.  He watched them disappear up the stairs, and then sat
down again at the grill.

     "I offer my congratulations as well, Ranma-sama," Konatsu
said diffidently.

     "Thanks, Konatsu."  Ranma watched morosely as Konatsu
finished grilling and serving the okonomiyaki.  "So, how's Ukyo
doin'?"

     Konatsu didn't pretend not to understand.  "Ukyo-sama is...
unhappy and angry, but otherwise well.  Er, may I serve you, or
do you wish to wait for Akane-sama?"

     Ranma's stomach growled.  "I'll wait."

     ~~~~~

     Ukyo led Akane up to her room, closed the door behind them,
and dropped to sit cross-legged on the floor.  "Have a seat," she
said.  Akane knelt facing her and waited.

     "So," Ukyo said finally.  "How was the honeymoon?"

     "Why do you want to know that?" Akane asked quietly.

     Ukyo suddenly looked very tired.  "Dunno.  Morbid curiosity,
I guess.  Humor me, okay?"

     "It was... good."

     "How good?"

     "Ukyo...."

     "Don't bullshit me, Akane."

     Akane locked her eyes on Ukyo's.  "It was wonderful for me.
Even better than I thought it would be.  As far as I could tell,
it was pretty good for Ranma, too.  Do you really want me to
spell it out?"

     "I... guess not.  I can tell you're tryin' not to be cruel."
Ukyo sighed.  "He still wants to be my friend, doesn't he."

     "Yes.  We both do."

     "I can't hold this against you; you didn't do anything I
wouldn't have done.  Him, though...."  Ukyo shook her head.
"Tell me the truth.  If things had been different, and he'd
married me, would you be able to be my friend?"

     "I really don't know.  I hope so."

     "Can you imagine how much it would hurt to see him with me?"

     Akane flinched, but didn't drop her eyes.  "Yes.  Easily.  I
imagine things like that all the time.  Ukyo, I... I can't make
myself apologize to you, because I'm not sorry I married him.  I
love him."

     Ukyo studied her and nodded slowly.  "And he loves you.  No
doubt about that.  Dammit."

     Akane smiled a bittersweet smile.  "Yes."

     "So where does that leave me?"

     "I don't know.  Ranma really feels bad about the yatai and
the betrothal.  We were worried that Shampoo or Kodachi would try
to hurt us-- and they did-- but we were worried that we would
hurt you.  And we did.  Ranma wants to make that all up to you
somehow, but he can't think of a way.  I can't either.  It's just
too big."

     Ukyo nodded again.  "Yeah.  Well, all I have left is
Ucchan's, I guess.  I'm not leavin' like the Joketsuzoku did."

     "There's Konatsu...."

     "He's not my type," Ukyo said dryly.  "I don't feel that way
about him any more than you did about Ryoga, those times I tried
to get you two together."  She paused.  "You've been a better
friend to me than I deserved, really.  This is all Ranma's fault.
I don't know if I can be his friend again, but I think I'd still
like to be yours."

     "I'm glad, Ukyo."

     "Thanks for bein' straight with me."  Ukyo slapped her knees
and stood briskly, and Akane rose to her feet as well.  "I don't
really want to see Ranma right now, so if you would just take him
home, I'd be obliged.  I'll be in touch."

     "All right."

     "One thing," Ukyo said suddenly.  "Shampoo said something
last week.  She said I shouldn't fight you, because I'd lose.  Is
that true?"

     "Could be," Akane said evenly.  "If you really need to know,
challenge me and we'll find out... between friends."

     A small but genuine smile crept onto Ukyo's lips.  "Huh.  I
might do that sometime, just for fun."

     Akane smiled back, then turned to open the door.

     ~~~~~

     "Hey, Ranma-kun," the guy on the next seat said.
"Congratulations."

     Ranma eyed the fellow sidelong and recognized him from
Furinkan.  "Thanks, uh, Toshi.  How are things at school?"

     Toshi grinned.  "I was just gonna ask you the same
question."

     "Pretty good," Ranma allowed.

     "Yeah, I'll bet.  Twice as many girls means twice as many
cute girls, hey?  And no other guys around... man, you got it
made."

     Ranma flushed.  "That's not what I meant!"

     "Suuure it's not.  You gotta have girls chasin' you around
with hot water all day--"

     "It's not like that!  They don't even know I'm a guy!"

     This announcement was met with a blank stare.  "You're
kidding.  You stay a girl all day, every day?"

     "Even in the bathrooms and locker rooms?" the girl on the
seat next to Toshi broke in.

     "Well, yeah, sorta...."

     Toshi's jaw dropped.  "Oh, man.  What a show-- ow!"  The
girl had slugged him.  Ranma thought wistfully of Akane for a
moment.

     "It's not a joke," the girl told Toshi severely.  She glared
at Ranma.  "We figured they were all boy-hungry enough to go
along with it, but if they don't know, you're just a peeping
pervert, Saotome."

     Ranma looked around desperately for support, but the only
sympathetic face in the place was Konatsu's.  "I, uh...."

     "Hey, Chieko, it might not be like that," Toshi suggested.
"Maybe he likes bein' a girl."

     "Now wait just a--"

     "Maybe Akane married him 'cause he could become a girl,"
Chieko mused.  "She's always hated guys--"

     Ranma sprang to his feet, pale with fury.  "You take that
back!" he hissed, jabbing a finger at the girl.  "You say what
you like about me, but leave Akane out of it!"

     "Or what?" Chieko said defiantly.  "Or you'll beat me up?
Saotome Ranma, big bad martial artist, beats up defenseless
girls?"

     Ranma froze.  Konatsu coughed.  "Please, everyone, let's not
annoy the other patrons--" he began.

     "How about it, Ranma?" Chieko said over Konatsu's voice.
"Akane knows you're really a guy; how come she didn't tell the
other girls at school?  She likes girls, doesn't she?  I'll bet
you did it girl-girl on your honeymoon."

     In the sudden dead silence, the crackle of the ice forming
in the glass of water next to Ranma's elbow was clearly audible.
Toshi gulped.  A couple of the brighter patrons edged behind a
couple of the dimmer ones.

     The tense moment was broken by the sound of descending
footsteps.  "Ranma, let's go home," Akane said as she came down
the stairs.  Ranma wheeled and strode out of the shop, not
looking at anyone.  Akane stared after him.  "Ranma?  What on
earth--?"  She glanced at the shopful of customers, who were
desperately trying to appear innocent, or at least casual.  She
looked puzzled for a moment, then ran after Ranma.

     Toshi exhaled in relief and looked at Chieko.  "Jeez, you
live dangerously," he muttered.  "If Akane'd heard that, you'd be
in traction by now."

     "Nonsense," Chieko said, but her voice was a little
uncertain.  "It was just a joke."  Her eyes widened.  "You don't
suppose it's true, do you?"

     "Ranma is a kind and decent man," Konatsu said firmly.  "I'm
sure he has good reasons for gazing on rooms filled with
unclothed schoolgirls."  He flipped an okonomiyaki, ignoring the
mass facefault.

     ~~~~~

     "Ranma?  What was all that about?" Akane asked when she'd
caught up to him.

     "You don't wanna know."  Ranma's voice was cool and
controlled.

     Akane shivered as she sensed his aura.  She let hers brush
against his, and her expression hardened.  "Yes, I do.  If
someone in there did this to you, they're about to regret it."

     Ranma sighed, and his aura subsided.  "Akane, you wouldn't
beat on people who can't defend themselves, so just forget it."
He laughed without humor.  "The worst part was, it was all true.
It just sounded bad the way she said it."

     "Ranma, if you don't tell me, so help me, I'll beat on YOU!"

     "Go right ahead."

     "Hmph.  Masochist.  Tell me and I'll give you a kiss?"

     "Heh.  I can get that anyway."

     "Well--  If you don't tell me, I'll tickle you!"

     "They were talkin' about St. Hebereke's," Ranma said quickly
and quietly.  "About how I was peepin' at gals who didn't know I
was a guy."

     "That shouldn't have made you THAT mad."

     "They said I liked bein' a girl.  That you liked me bein' a
girl.  That... that we did it while we were both girls."

     There was a moment of frozen silence, then--  Crash!  Akane
pulled her fist out of an innocent wall.  "We're going back
there, and you're going to show me who said that," she snarled.

     Ranma grabbed her arm.  "You can't!" he hissed.  "They're
not martial artists!"  He lowered his voice another notch.
"Besides, it's true!"

     Akane gaped at him.  "Well, sure, but that doesn't mean I
want people SAYING it!"  Ranma raised an eyebrow at her, and she
suddenly realized how silly she sounded and laughed a little.
"Well, all right.  This time they get off easy."

     Ranma wiped imaginary sweat from his brow, breathed an
exaggerated sigh of relief, and resumed walking.  "So, what did
Ukyo have to say?"

     Akane grimaced.  "She's mad at you.  She says she's not sure
she can be your friend any more."

     "Damn.  Can't say I blame her, though."

     "I know.  Well, don't give up."

     "Me?  Not likely."

     ~~~~~

     "Saotome-san!"  The call echoed under the vaulting roof of
the St. Hebereke's gymnasium.

     Ranma looked in the direction of the call and saw Coach
Hasegawa beckoning to her.  "Hai!" she called back.  "Sorry,
Sachi," she told Sachiko, who was doing a handstand and balancing
a ball on one bare foot at the moment.  "Get, uh, Junko to help
ya.  I gotta go."  She trotted over to the older woman.
"Sensei?"

     "We've been summoned to the headmistress' office," Hasegawa
told Ranma.  "Come on, let's go."  She walked off at a brisk
pace.

     Ranma fell into step beside her and eyed her sidelong.
"What's the matter?"

     "I can't tell you," Hasegawa said, not looking at Ranma.
She lowered her voice.  "I don't really know.  I suspect that
someone has made a complaint about you at a higher level."

     Ranma flinched.  The last complaint had been an anonymous
letter informing Hasegawa of Ranma's reaction to hot water.  It
had been countered by a petition from Ranma and Akane's four
friends, and Hasegawa's overt support for Ranma's gymnastic
activities and implicit lack of interest in any secrets Ranma
might happen to have.  This looked to be rather more serious.
The rest of the walk through the halls of St. Hebereke's was
silent.

     Four women were waiting in the administration offices when
Hasegawa escorted Ranma in and shut the tall wooden doors behind
them.  Ranma dragged her eyes away from the kettle resting on the
desk with a folded cloth under it, and swept her gaze across
them: the headmistress in her wheelchair, Sister Naomi, Ranma's
homeroom teacher Kogara-sensei, and, most disturbing, Dr. Nagato.
Ranma moved to stand before the desk, carefully keeping her face
impassive and her mouth shut.

     "Saotome-san," the headmistress began, looking faintly
embarrassed, "I have been informed that you, er, do not meet the
requirements for admission to St. Hebereke's.  It has been
alleged that you, er, are not female.  Do you have anything to
say about this?"

     "It sounds pretty silly to me," Ranma said carefully.  She
flicked a glance at Dr. Nagato.  "Have her examine me if you
like, but this--" she gestured at her leotard-clad form-- "ought
to speak for itself, Headmistress."

     The old woman nodded.  "The information alleges that there
is dark sorcery making you appear female, and that hot water will
break the spell.  Ordinarily we would dismiss such suggestions,
but as the source is, ah, highly placed, and by the nature of our
school we are sensitive to possible, er, evil influences on our
charges, we have decided to make the test.  It seems harmless
enough.  The water is not hot enough to injure."

     Ranma's jaw muscles flexed.  "Make your test."  *Sorry,
Akane... it was good while it lasted.*  She racked her brain for
a way out of the trap, a miracle that would turn the hot water
into cold before it touched her--

     Dr. Nagato picked up the kettle, held it over Ranma's head,
muttered an apology, and poured.

     Ranma stood before the assembly, quite wet, obviously
female, and clearly furious.  "Are you done?  May I go now?"

     The headmistress nodded ruefully.  "Yes, I think that will
do, Saotome-san.  I apologize for this incident."

     Ranma's fury abated somewhat, and she bowed.  "Thank you,
Headmistress."  She straightened, turned on her heel, and left
the office.

     By the time she returned to the gymnasium, the afternoon
session was over and most of the girls had left.  Akane was
waiting with Michi, Junko, Sachiko, and Eriko, all still wearing
leotards.  "What happened, Ranma?" Akane asked as Ranma joined
them.

     "Tell ya later."  Ranma craned her neck to look over the
taller girls.  "Say, anyone seen Kodachi around?"

     "I didn't see her here in the gym today," Junko said.
"Why?"

     *'Cause I wanna beat her to a pulp.*  "No reason."  Ranma
headed for the locker room.  She showered and changed silently,
paying no attention to the other girls, but aware that Akane was
watching her with concern.

     "So, do you have time to tell us about the wedding?" Michi
asked hopefully as they left the gymnasium.

     Akane glanced at Ranma.  "I suppose so...."

     "Great!" Michi said happily.

     "We can go to my place," Eriko volunteered.

     "Sounds good," Akane agreed.

     "I, uh, can't.  I gotta go home."  Everyone looked at Ranma.

     "Oh, come on, Ranma," Michi pleaded, "we've been dying to
hear about it!  Pleeeease?"

     "Are you all right, Ranma?" Akane asked, giving Ranma a
worried look.

     Ranma pasted the best smile she could manage on her face and
hoped for the best.  "Sure, I'm fine.  I just gotta go.  You go
with 'em and tell 'em the story, Akane.  It's all right."

     "Well, if you're sure..." Akane said slowly.

     Ranma nodded emphatically.  "Yeah, you go on.  I'll see ya
later.  Bye!"  She sprinted away, took to the rooftops, and was
quickly out of sight.  Akane stared after her.

     "Wow.  There's sure nothing wrong with Ranma's health,"
Michi observed.  Akane glanced at Sachiko.  Sachiko pursed her
lips and shrugged, but her eyes had a concerned look similar to
Akane's.

     ~~~~~

     "I'm home!"

     Kasumi counted to five, picked up the waiting kettle, and
turned towards the kitchen door.  "Welcome home, Ranma," she said
brightly when Ranma looked in, but then she dimmed a little.
"Where's Akane?  Nothing's wrong, is it?"

     Ranma took the kettle.  "Nah.  She's just chattin' with some
of the gals from school.  'Scuse."  She headed for the bathroom.
Kasumi tilted her head, considered for a moment, then went up to
her room.

     When Kasumi came down again wearing her gi, she could hear a
rhythmic thudding noise coming from outside the house.  From the
covered walkway leading from the house to the dojo, she saw Ranma
lashing out at the rope-covered post in the side yard: punch,
punch, kick.  Punch, punch, kick.  Punch, punch, CRACK!  Ranma
stood looking down at the broken post and breathing heavily.

     "Isn't that more like something Akane would do?"

     Ranma looked up at Kasumi, standing on the dojo's veranda,
and half-smiled.  "Yeah, I guess."  He noticed her gi.  "Say,
Kasumi, wanna spar?"

     "I thought you'd never ask."  Kasumi let a note of doubt
creep into her voice.  "You're not going to be as hard on me as
you were on that poor post, are you?"

     "Nah," Ranma said sheepishly, coming up the steps.  He took
up a position in the middle of the dojo floor and waited
impatiently for Kasumi to finish a quick warmup.  When Kasumi
stood before him in a closed defensive stance, he nodded to her
and began.

     Ranma meant to go slowly, tailoring his movements to
Kasumi's strength and speed, which were considerably less than
Akane's, but suddenly he realized that he was lashing out at
Kasumi nearly as hard as he had at the post.  Kasumi was taking
it, though, gracefully deflecting his punches and kicks so that
he spent his energy on the air or wasted it recovering from
overextension.  Curious, he probed carefully at her with a more
sophisticated attack, and was rewarded with a quick flash of
uncertainty in her eyes.

     Ranma returned to the simple attacks and defenses, and found
that his anger was washing away in Kasumi's calm acceptance.  His
assault on her guard gradually softened, becoming a reaching out
for contact and comfort, and it dawned on him that his overtures
were being returned.  He stopped, put his hand behind his head,
and laughed uneasily.

     "What's wrong, Ranma?" Kasumi asked, straightening from her
stance.

     "Nothin'."

     Kasumi gave him a look of gentle concern very different from
Akane's usual skeptical glance.  "I'm not as oblivious as some
people think, little brother.  Something is bothering you, and
I'd like to help, if I can."

     Ranma groped for words.  "Sparrin' with you sure is
different from sparrin' with Akane," he said finally.

     Kasumi went along with his apparent change of subject.  "How
is it different?"

     "Well... gaah.  I can't tell ya.  I'll have to show ya."
Ranma dropped into a stance again, one Kasumi recognized as
Akane's, but exaggerated somewhat.  He moved in and engaged her,
with linear, precise, powerful punches and kicks in combinations
that flared and vanished.  Kasumi had trouble coping with Ranma's
attacks, in the same way that she had trouble coping with Akane
when they sparred; she kept trying to find harmony in their give
and take, and it always eluded her.

     Rama disengaged and stepped back.  "That's Akane, right?"
Kasumi nodded.  "Okay, this is me."  Ranma slid into a relaxed,
open stance, then rushed forward.  He was suddenly all around
Kasumi, swirling and turbulent, leaping and flipping so that his
attacks came from directions that seemed chaotic.  Kasumi
recognized the pattern behind them: Ranma's signature probing for
weakness and ruthless exploitation of it, but again exaggerated.
This time, Kasumi found herself yielding to Ranma's advances and
pursuing his retreats in a circling that fed back into itself.
It made her want to laugh, or at least giggle, from the sheer
exuberance of it.

     "See the difference?" Ranma said, pulling back a little and
slowing, but not stopping.  Kasumi nodded again.  "Now this...
this is you."  Ranma's movements suddenly complemented Kasumi's
in a graceful dance that surged and retreated across the dojo
floor, never really attacking, never truly defending.  Kasumi
felt a keen sense of loss when Ranma finally retreated a little
too far and stopped.

     "That was amazing, Ranma-sensei," Kasumi said in tones of
genuine awe.  "Thank you."  She bowed.

     "Well, you see how it is, then?  Akane's like... fire,"
Ranma said seriously.  "I'm air.  You're--"

     "Water," Kasumi said, nodding.  "You and Akane are fire and
air.  Akane and I are fire and water."

     "That's why sparrin' with each other isn't much fun for
either of you," Ranma agreed.  "Your styles just don't fit."

     "And you and I are air and water.  Together...."  *Clouds
and rain,* she thought, but had the presence of mind not to say.

     Ranma didn't notice Kasumi blush and drop her eyes.  "Wind
an' waves, I guess," he said.  "Sparrin' with Akane is...
exciting.  Sparring with you is calming.  I sorta needed that
today."

     "I'm glad I could help, Ranma."

     Ranma met her eyes.  "You always help, Kasumi."  He fidgeted
a little.  "While we were, uh, away, Akane told me about all the
talks she had with you about her an' me.  Things mighta gone a
lot different if it weren't for the stuff you told her, so I
guess I owe ya for that.  And for takin' care of her after her
mother, uh, your mother passed away.  And for takin' care of me,
too.  Thanks aren't enough, somehow."

     Kasumi's answering smile was not vacant at all.  "You're
welcome, Ranma.  Truly.  I've known all along that you
appreciated me.  You've been so good for Akane, too.  She's so
happy now, when before she was... well, you know how she was,
perhaps better than anyone.  We all miss Mother terribly, but
Akane was... wounded worst of all, and I've never known how to
heal her.  You did.  I'm very glad that you joined our family,
Ranma."

     Ranma blushed and reached for the back of his head.  "Aw,
Kasumi...."  He looked so flustered that Kasumi just had to take
three steps forward and hug him.  She felt the twitch as he
controlled the reflex that would have vaulted him clear; instead,
his arms came down around hers, and they stood motionless for a
comfortable moment.

     Ranma was just beginning to become aware of how very female
his new sister was when the dojo door slid open.  "Ra--  RANMA!
What are you DOING!"

     Ranma sprang back and goggled at Akane, standing in the
doorway.  "Akane!"

     "What, one Tendo girl wasn't enough for you?!  You had to
try for another?!"  Akane's shock was igniting around the edges.

     "Sister.  Brother.  Please don't quarrel."  Kasumi's pained
voice cut through the developing catastrophe, stopping both Ranma
and Akane in their tracks.  "Ranma, I'd like to have a word with
my-- with your wife, if you don't mind."  She made a shooing
gesture.

     "Mind?  Me?  No, not at all!" Ranma babbled, but his feet
knew what to do; they made it out the back door before his mouth
was quite finished.

     "Honestly, Akane," Kasumi said patiently, heading off
Akane's attempt to restart her tirade.  "I know you're in the
habit of insulting Ranma, and that's between you and him, I
suppose, but this time you're insulting me, too, and I think I've
earned better than that."

     Akane gaped.  "But you... he...."

     "I was hugging my brother," Kasumi sighed.  "He'd just said
something very touching.  He thanked me for taking care of you,
for all the years before he came to live with us."

     Akane's expression, which had gone from anger to
uncertainty, collapsed into full-blown guilt.  "He what?  He said
that?  My Ranma?"

     "Yes, your Ranma.  Really, I think you underestimate him
sometimes.  He certainly doesn't deserve... what you said."

     "Oh, Kasumi, I'm sorry!"  Akane's eyes were beginning to
overflow.  "I saw you... and I thought...."

     "Well, you always think that, and it's never been true
before, has it?  You're just being silly, sister."

     Akane laughed a bit at Kasumi's teasing tone.  "I guess so.
I'm really sorry, Kasumi."  She came into the dojo, wiping her
eyes.  "He just keeps attracting girls, and I was afraid you were
the next one."

     "I told you, he's not my type," Kasumi said.  "Besides, I
doubt I could defeat you in savage combat to win his heart."
That got a real laugh out of Akane.  "But he's a fine brother.
Which reminds me; something's troubling him.  I helped him as
much as I could, but he needs you... even if he won't admit it."

     Akane slapped herself on the forehead.  "Right, that's why I
came home.  I'll go find him."

     "And apologize?"

     Akane grimaced, but she was already moving.  "And
apologize."

     Kasumi waited until Akane was out of the dojo, then relaxed
slightly, sighed, and fanned herself with her hand.  "Oh, my,"
she said to herself.  "I really need to find someone to marry
soon."

     ~~~~~

     As Akane cleared the eaves, she spotted Ranma right where
she thought he'd be, pacing away from her along the peak of the
roof.  "Yeah, that's what I'll say," she heard him mutter.  "That
was so uncute--"  He broke off and whirled when he heard her feet
land behind him.  "Eeep!"

     "I'm sorry, Ranma."  Akane clasped her hands in front of her
and looked down at them.

     "Damn," Ranma said, chagrined.  "I was gonna chew ya out a
while first."  He shook his head at her and frowned.  "Didja tell
Kasumi you were sorry?"

     "Yes."

     "Well, all right, then.  I mean, I'm used to it, but Kasumi?
Jeez."

     "I know.  She said it was silly, and it was.  I just can't
help it.  I've always been a little jealous of Kasumi.  You
remember when I had that crush on Tofu-sensei...."

     "Well, Kasumi's pretty special, and she's the best big
sister I could ever hope for.  But you're the one I married,
baka."

     Akane looked up and smiled ruefully.  "I'd slug you for
that, but this time I deserve it."

     "Boy, do you ever.  I mean, what were you thinking?"

     "All right, already.  I said I was sorry!"

     "Fine, then," Ranma muttered, sitting on the roof.  Akane
sat beside him and leaned up against him, and he put an arm
around her absently.

     "Now that that's out of the way, Kasumi said something was
bothering you.  Is it the same thing that was bothering you when
we left school?"

     "Yeah.  Kodachi just hit the top of my list."  Ranma paused.
"Hasegawa-sensei took me to the Head's office.  Someone told 'em
to pour hot water on me, so they did."

     Akane felt her stomach freeze solid and drop four inches.
"Oh, no!  They'll kick us out!"

     "No."

     "What do you mean, 'no'?"

     "I didn't change.  I tricked 'em.  I used cold aura to take
the heat out of the water before it hit me."

     "Ranma... wow.  That's amazing, even for you."

     "Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Ranma said proudly.  "Anyway, I
thought maybe I'd locked the curse by doin' it, so I had to get
home quick to see."

     "Well, it looks like it worked."  Akane ran a hand over
Ranma's muscular chest.

     "Yeah.  I'm gonna have to practice that aura trick, though.
If the water'd been hotter, or Nagato-sensei had poured it
faster, or the kettle'd been fuller... well.  I mighta been able
to keep from changin', but someone mighta noticed the chill.  It
was close."

     "Still, it could be a good thing in the long run.  I doubt
they'll believe the next person who tells them you're really a
guy."

     "I hope.  This is really a pain, though.  I thought things
would be better once we got married, with the fiancee stuff all
gone.  But there's just more crap alla time!"

     Akane shrugged.  "I told you before.  That's just the way
your life is."

     "Yeah, but this time I can't fight it!  I can beat anyone if
they'll just fight me, but they're hittin' me ways I can't fight!
Kodachi's tryin' to get me kicked out of St. Hebereke's, those
guys at Ucchan's were sayin' stuff... why won't they just let us
be?"

     "Well, you know the saying: the nail that sticks up gets
hammered down.  You stick up pretty far, Ranma."

     Ranma cheered visibly at that.  "Yeah, that's true, isn't
it."

     "And they're just doing the same thing you always do:
attacking your weak points, and preventing you from striking at
theirs."

     "Huh.  Yeah."

     "What I don't understand," Akane said, warming to her theme,
"is why you're upset about it.  Ranma, you love fights!  You're
never happier than when you've just figured out how to defeat
someone who gave you real trouble.  This is just another battle.
Enjoy it!"

     "Well, maybe... but Musabetsu Kakuto doesn't work real good
at this."

     "So come up with something else."

     "Easy for you to say," Ranma muttered.  "If you'd been
there, you woulda just put that gal in her place somehow."

     "That's another thing.  Ranma, you're not alone.  I'm your
partner, remember?  Besides, this is my fight too.  Kodachi's
trying to get BOTH of us kicked out of school.  Those idiots in
Ucchan's insulted me too... well, sort of."

     "Hmm...."

     "Think about it.  Kodachi tried to split us up by having you
transferred to St. Hebereke's, and we beat that.  We stood
together when our fathers tried to get us married.  When Shampoo
attacked me, I came and found you, and we won.  We even scored
off of Nabiki when she tried to set us up on our honeymoon."

     "Damn.  You're right!"  Ranma leapt to his feet and struck a
heroic pose.  "We'll show her!  We'll show them all!  Together,
we cannot be defeated!  Wahahaha!"

     Flash!  CRACK-BARADABADOOM!

     "Don't you say it," Ranma warned, leveling a finger at Akane
as the rain began to fall.

     Akane said it anyway.  "Have you been taking lessons from
Kuno-sempai?"

     "Gaah."

     Akane laughed and got up.  "Come on, let's get out of the
rain."

     "Too late," Ranma said ruefully, looking down at her chest,
but she followed Akane down the slope of the roof and leapt to
the ground.

     "So what happened with the gals?" Ranma asked, sitting down
on the veranda outside the main room.  "I thought you'd be
chattin' with 'em for a while yet."

     "Oh, that's right," Akane exclaimed.  "It slipped my mind.
My goodness, what a busy afternoon....  Well, when we got to
Eriko's house, it turned out that they'd set up a sort of party
for us to celebrate our wedding.  Nothing fancy, just food and
drinks and a chance to chat in private.  So I told them I'd go
see if I could talk you into coming over after all."

     "You mean you were going to drag me over there by my
pigtail."

     "Wow, Ranma!  You're smarter than you look!"

     "Baka.  Yeah, sounds like fun.  Lemme go wash up and we'll
go."

     "Fine.  I'll go tell Kasumi we won't be here for dinner,
then get changed."

     ~~~~~

     Akane was caught half-dressed when Ranma opened the door of
their room and came in.  "Eeep!" she began, groping for something
to throw with the hand that wasn't holding her dress to her
chest.

     Ranma stopped drying his hair and gave Akane a raised-brow
look.  "What's the matter with you?"

     Akane blushed.  "Oops.  Sorry.  Habit, I guess."  She
finished dressing while Ranma slipped his usual black trousers
and Chinese shirt on over his shorts and tank top.  They went
down the stairs, found their umbrellas, and left the house.

     Akane resumed their conversation as they walked briskly
along the street.  "So what are we going to do about Kodachi?"

     "I dunno yet.  Still workin' on strategy.  She's doin'
pretty well at tactics-- hittin' my, uh, our weak points-- so we
need to find her weak points and hit 'em.  Long term, though, we
need to find out what she wants and deny it to her.  We have to
get her attention away from attacking us and put it on defending
herself.  We have to go on the offensive."

     Akane stared at him.  Sometimes she forgot how good Ranma
really was at conflict, and then something like this would come
out of his mouth to remind her.  "Um, right.  She knows what we
want: to stay at St. Hebereke's.  I guess she still wants you.  I
can't imagine why she's trying to get you kicked out of school,
though."

     "Maybe 'cause I want to stay.  Maybe she wants revenge.
Having me slap her down like that must have cost her face, even
if she bounced right back.  She wants... huh.  Maybe she wants
respect.  I sure do."

     "Ranma?"

     "Yeah!"  Ranma turned to her suddenly.  "Listen, Akane, one
of the best things about me training you was that you started
callin' me 'sensei' and listening to what I had to say.  It felt
really good.  Respect.  I've been getting it from the gym gals,
too.  I want more of that.  I want people to quit taking
advantage of us by hitting us where they know we won't hit back.
Like Kodachi and those gossips... and Happosai.  Pops.  Kuno.
Maybe Nabiki, if she hasn't learned her lesson yet.

     "That's not all.  I want for people who are good to us to
have good things happen to 'em.  Kasumi.  Momma.  Junko's gang.
Maybe Ukyo, if she ever gets over what I did to her."
     
     "That's a lot to want," Akane said slowly, but as she did,
she realized that she wanted a lot of it herself.
     
     "Yeah.  But with both of us workin' together, I think we can
swing it.  You said to treat life like a battle.  I want us to
win, and I want us to have fun while we're doin' it.  How about
it, partner?"
     
     Akane reached out with her free hand and gripped Ranma's
shoulder, stopping him, then turned to face Ranma and held her
hand up between them.  Ranma clasped it.  "I'm with you all the
way, Ranma," Akane said in a low, fierce voice, staring up into
Ranma's gray eyes.  "Now and forever."
     
     Ranma's grip became iron.  "They're gonna be sorry they
messed with us," he breathed, smiling grimly.
     
     Flash!  CRACK-BARADABADOOM!
     
     "Jeez.  That's embarrassin'," Ranma muttered, rolling his
eyes.
     
     Akane laughed, released Ranma's hand, and clapped him on the
shoulder.  They resumed walking, two figures under large
umbrellas in the late-winter downpour.

     ~~~~~ end chapter 1 ~~~~~

Chapter 2 is written and in prereading, coming soon.

Vince Seifert    Network Analyst     seifertv@csus.edu
Techie: http://webpages.csus.edu/~seifertv/
Fanfic: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/seifertv/toth/
CSUS hired me to build their LANs, not to give away the homeworld.