Ranma 1/2 is the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi and all of the
companies that have licensed it.

Alternatives, Chapter 2



*************

"Ranma, wait up!"  Akane yelled towards Ranma.  He had jumped over the
wall of the Tendo family yard and had begun running to school.  She
exited through the gate and ran after her betrothed.

He glanced back at her and slowed down enough for her to catch him.
After a few minutes, he looked around making sure that no one he
recognized was within view.  Satisfied that the coast was clear, he
jumped and landed in front of Akane causing her to stop.  Uncertain, she
stood waiting for him to explain himself.

"Akane..." Ranma looked around making absolutely sure that no one else
was in earshot, "I'm going to my mother's this afternoon.  Could you
come with me?  I'm going to ask her about some stuff, and I'd sorta like
you there."  As he spoke, he shyly lowered his head so that he was
looking at her knees rather than her face.

Akane was surprised. She wasn't sure, but thought that he was actually
blushing.  The shorthaired girl started smiling as she realized that he
had asked her to go with him to talk with his mother.  "S, s, sure,
Ranma.  What are you going to ask your mother?"  She hesitantly asked.

"Gee thanks, Akane!" Not wanting to answer her, he thought of a quick
dodge.  "Oh no, we're going to be late!"  Ranma jumped onto a nearby
fence and began running to Furinkan High.

"Wait up, Ranma.  What are you going to ask your mother?"  She stomped
her foot in frustration as she watched him leave.

"We ain't got the time, Akane!  Anyway, I want you to hear it when Mom
does!"  He yelled over his shoulder as he rushed towards Furinkan.

Akane followed him, trying to catch up with him.  She thought as she
ran, 'I wonder what he's going to ask his mother?  He wants me there.
What would that baka need to ask his mother about?  Maybe, he wants to
set a date for our wedding.  Oh, that would be wonderful!  What would be
a good day?  I wonder if he'll tell me he loves me?  Better slow down
Akane, what if he wants to get out of our engagement?  No, he has too
much honor for that!  Besides, I know he loves me. Even though he denies
it, I heard him at Mount Phoenix.  I'll ask him again when we get to
school.  I'm sure he'll tell me then.'

When they arrived at school and Ranma slowed down, Akane tried a
different tactic as she asked her fiance, "Ranma, if you tell me what
are you going to ask your mother, we can work out the best way to
approach her."

Ranma stopped at the stairs leading into Furinkan and turned to Akane.
Unsure of how to answer, he nervously stammered, "Uh, Akane, I'm going
to have a hard enough time saying it the first time.  Telling you now
will only make it harder to ask later."

The other students, seeing Akane and Ranma talking, also noticed that
both looked rather nervous.  Most decided it would be better to give
them a wide berth by using a side entrance to the school.  A few brave
or foolhardy souls continued to use the front entrance, but even they
gave the pair a wide berth.

"Ranma, that doesn't make any sense.  Talking things over with friends
always makes things easier!  I always talk out problems with my friends
before taking them to Kasumi or Daddy," Akane stopped.  Her eyes got a
little bigger and she hesitantly moved closer to Ranma and said in a
tiny, fearful voice, "Unless," she stretched her hand halfway towards
him, "Is the reason you don't want to talk it over with me is that you
want to break our engagement?"  Akane continued silently in her mind,
'Don't say yes.  I love you, you stupid baka.  Don't you know that?'

"No, Akane.  Don't be stupid or nothing.  I just want you and Mom both
to hear it at the same time is all," he said as he stepped back and
waved his right hand at her in negation.

"You don't trust me to keep it a secret until this afternoon?"  She said
a little miffed and frustrated.  To herself, she thought, 'he's not
going to tell me.  I don't believe it.  That BAKA!'

"Geez, Akane.  I'm just not good at mushy stuff is all.  Just wait till
this afternoon, OK?"  He smiled at her as he placed his left hand behind
his head.

"You promise that you're not breaking the engagement?" Akane said
threateningly as she again moved closer to him.

"Yes, Akane, I promise."  He smiled at her trying to break the tension,
"Geez, how many times have you broken it, anyway?"

"Ranma, I can break it," she poked him in the chest to emphasis this.
"You can't, got it?"  Akane said as she playfully swung at him with her
bookbag.

"OK, Akane, OK!  You don't have to hit me over the head, OK?" Ranma
jumped back out of her range.

"Humph!"  Akane turned her back on Ranma and went to her class. She
decided to talk to Sayuri and Yuka at lunch.   She was sure that the
three of them would be able to figure out what was going on with Ranma.

As he watched Akane walk away, Ranma heard someone clear her throat.  He
turned around and felt his stomach sink as he beheld two familiar young
ladies.

"Hi Ucchan, Nabiki!  How long have you been here?"  He nervously giggled
as he stood waiting for their answer.

"Long enough to know that you're going to your mother's today with
Akane!" With a hurt look on her face, Ukyo questioned Ranma, "How come
you didn't ask me Ran-chan? After all, I'm your cute iinazuke!"

"Ucchan, I just need some time with my mother and Akane this afternoon,
OK?" He looked like a little boy who had just been caught getting
cookies when he was supposed to get a banana.

Smirking, Nabiki chimed in, "So, are you and Akane going to set a new
date, Ranma?"  She moved forward and smoothed over a non-existent
wrinkle from his shirt.

"The only date he's going to be setting is with me, do you understand
that Nabiki?"  Ukyo turned to the middle Tendo sister with fire in her
eyes.

"Yes, I believe I do Ukyo-KUN," Nabiki said sarcastically as she
pointedly looked over Ukyo's male uniform and then sauntered off to her
class.

'Hmm,' Nabiki thought, 'I hate not knowing what's going on.  I'll be
sure to pump Akane when they get home tonight.'

Ukyo glared at Nabiki for a few seconds and then turned to Ranma and
said pleadingly, "Ranma, I want to come.  May I?"  She had her hands
clasped in front of her and was looking at him through lowered eyes.

"Ucchan, I really need to talk with my mother today.  I want Akane there
as a friend."  He continued his thought, 'And so that I won't back out
of asking Mom what to do with all of my problems.'

"I don't like you going there with Akane, Ranma." She looked at him,
trying to figure out whether he wanted this or had been forced into it.
Since he looked so foolishly guilty, she assumed that he wanted it.
"But, OK," Ukyo relented.  'That doesn't mean that I can't follow you
and see what I can find out.'

******************

Sitting in class, Ranma nervously fidgeted.  As the school day
progressed towards lunch, he noticed that Akane's mood seemed to shift
from pleasant and smiling to angry and glaring at him within seconds.
He couldn't figure it out.  Ucchan seemed to be hurt and angry that he
didn't ask her to go to his mother's home.

Glancing between the two, Ranma replayed the morning in his mind.
'Man, I didn't want anyone to know that Akane and I were going to Mom's.
Now Ucchan and Nabiki both know.  I wonder who else knows now?'

******************

In another part of the school, Nabiki held court from her desk.  She
looked up at the person standing in front of her and said, "As a matter
of fact, Kuno, I know precisely where Akane and Ranma will be this
afternoon."

"As for that lout, Saotome, I care not whither he goes." Kuno began, "As
for the beauteous Akane, I will allow you the privilege of dispensing
said information to me."

"First, Kuno-baby, I need 10,000 yen.  Then and only then will I tell
you where Ranma and my sister are going."

"Whilst the heavens themselves weep at the thought of one so noble
paying for the right to know where his love is forced to be, none will
ever say that I failed my love, my Akane." Kuno stated as he paid her
the yen.

"Yeah, Yeah," Nabiki accepted the money.  "Akane and Ranma are going to
visit Ranma's mother this afternoon at her home.  He wanted Akane along
for some kind of moral support.  He said something about wanting to ask
his mother something or other."

'Hmm, I'll send Sasuke to find out what this is about.  I'll decide what
to do based on what Sasuke finds out.'  Kuno lost himself in his
planning.

"That is all the information I have right now, Kuno.  Please move along,
I have other business to attend to."  Nabiki waved her hand
dismissively.

"..."

Nabiki watched Kuno leave.  After he left, She decided to call Shampoo.
She would be able to sell the information to her, too.  Nabiki pulled
out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"Nekohanten Cafe, Shampoo speaking."

"Hello, Shampoo.  This is Nabiki Tendo," Nabiki opened negotiations
pleasantly.

"What you want, Nabiki?"  Shampoo replied in a wary voice.

"I would like some of your delicious ramen for lunch today.  Think you
could deliver some to me?" Nabiki silently added free.

"Yes.  What you really want?"

"I just thought that we could talk about where Ranma and Akane are going
to be this afternoon is all," Nabiki paused.  She knew that she had
Shampoo now. The only thing left was to determine the price.  She sold
to Kuno, the idiot, for 10,000 yen.  She would let Shampoo negotiate her
down to 9,000 yen.

"Airen go on date with violent pervert girl?  He no allow to, Shampoo
his wife," Shampoo said angrily.

"Why don't you ask him, after you bring me my lunch, hmm?" Nabiki said
triumphantly.  "I could even let you know where they are going for say
...  15,000 yen?"

"Shampoo come, pay 7,500, you buy ramen."

"Make it 12,500 throw in the ramen and it's a deal."

"10,000 and free lunch all Shampoo pay."

"It's a deal.  See you at lunch! Bye!"  Nabiki hung up the phone
smiling.  She always enjoyed herself when negotiations went her way.
Knowing a fight was in the offing, she started setting up the betting
pools.

******************

Akane, ignoring Ranma, sat with Sayuri and Yuka during their lunch
period.  As they sat under the tree in the schoolyard, she told them
everything that Ranma said that morning.

"OK, let me get this straight.  He made sure that no one else could
hear, right?"  Sayuri asked Akane.

"Yes, he looked around the block making sure that no one else was
around, before asking me anything," Akane answered.

"Uh huh, How did he ask you?  Was he excited, embarrassed, sad?"  Yuka
continued grilling her.

"Well, he seemed a little embarrassed," Akane paused as she opened her
bento, "and a little nervous.  You know Ranma, he never likes to show
much emotion."

"Well, how has he acted in class today?"  Sayuri asked.

"Hmm, He kept looking at me and Ukyo all morning.  First, he would look
at me.  Then, he would glance at Ukyo.  Every time he looked at Ukyo, he
would look a little sad.  I don't know why he kept looking at her.  I
got mad every time I caught him looking at her.  When he looked at me,
he would either smile or act like he wasn't looking at me," Akane
responded thoughtfully.

"Well, I think he's going to at last make you his official one and only
fiancee!  He might even ask you to set a date for a wedding and get his
mother's help in setting it up.  That will be so cool!"  Yuka enthused
as she reached over to hug her friend.

"You are so wrong, Yuka!  I think that he is going to try to get out of
his engagement.  Why else would he want Akane there?" Sayuri rolled her
eyes at the other two girls.

Akane listened to her friends arguing as she put finished her lunch.
'Well, they really helped out,' she thought wistfully.  "I wish I knew
what this was all about.  At least, they helped me sort out what I am
feeling.  I'm a little scared and a little excited.  What is that baka
going to be talking to his mother about?'

******************

Ranma felt a little strange.  It was lunchtime and he was bored.  Akane
was with her friends. Upset with him, Ucchan had made a show of setting
up her portable grill well away from where he normally ate.  No one was
glomping onto him and no one had challenged him. He decided that this
must be how most people have lunch.  'It's boring,' he thought, 'but I
could get used to it.'  He stole away to the soccer and sometime
challenge field.  After finishing his meal, he caught himself yawning.
'You stayed up too late last night,' Ranma scolded himself.  Deciding to
take a quick nap, he got settled.  Just as he closed his eyes, the
pig-tailed boy heard a bicycle bell.

"Airen, why you take Akane on date!  You Shampoo's husband, not pervert
girl's!" Shampoo angrily protested from her bicycle.

'Uh, oh.'  "Hi, Shampoo."  Quickly going into full denial mode, Ranma
said, "I'm not going on any date with Akane!"  He was shaking his hands
in denial at the Chinese girl.

"That not what Nabiki say.  Mercenary girl say you take Akane to
mother's house.  That not true?" Shampoo asked in a more normal, yet
suspicious tone.  She climbed off her bicycle and sat beside him.

"Um, err... Yes, that's true Shampoo.  Akane and I are going to Mom's.
It's just that I have some things to talk over with my mother and I
wanted someone with me," Ranma nervously replied.

"Shampoo your wife.  Ranma should trust wife to support Ranma.  Shampoo
go instead. Yes?"  Shampoo said happily as she glommed onto Ranma.

"No, Shampoo.  It's not OK.  All I am going to do is be with my mother
and Akane, is that OK?"  He said as he struggled to get out of her arms.

"IT NOT OK!  PERVERT GIRL NOT WIFE, SHAMPOO IS!"  Shampoo began
tightening her hug on Ranma.  Hiding her face to hide the pain she felt,
she buried her face in his chest.

"Hold it right there, Shampoo.  If Ranchan wants to spend time with his
mother, we should let him have it," Ukyo said as she ran up and helped
pull Shampoo off of Ranma.  The chef had made sure to put up her stand
where she could keep an eye on her fiance.  "Why he wants Akane there, I
really don't know.  But I do know that he didn't invite either of us."

As Shampoo and Ukyo began a standoff, neither saw Ranma slip away
towards Akane and her friends.

******************

"Akane, would you mind too much if we went to my Mom's now?"  Ranma
asked nervously as soon as he came within easy talking distance.  He
kept looking over his shoulder where his other two fiancees were
intensifying their verbal assaults.

"We still have the afternoon classes to go to Ranma.  Why do you want to
go now?" Akane asked as she looked at Sayuri and Yuka for support.

"Shampoo is here and I think she and Ukyo are about to fight.  I just
want to get out of here before it gets out of hand," he grimaced.  "I
don't want to show up at my mother's looking as if I had been in a
fight."

Akane, surprised that he wanted to leave before a fight started, said,
"Well, OK.  Let's get our stuff and go."

As they ran off, Yuka turned to Sayuri and excitedly said, "See there!
Sayuri, Ranma is really excited!  He's going to get Akane and his mother
to set a date for their wedding.  I just know it!"

"I think he just didn't want to get beaten up by Shampoo and Ukyo,"
Sayuri deadpanned.

******************

As Ranma and Akane walked towards his mother's home, Ranma became more
and more agitated.  At one point, in desperate need of some reassurance,
he looked at Akane and stuck his left hand out in invitation to be held.

Akane, seeing this, grabbed his hand and started beaming in happiness.
Inwardly, she was shouting, 'YES!  He does love me!  I knew it.  I just
wish that he would open up to me.'

"Ranma, can you give me any hint about what you want to talk to your
mother about?"  Akane timidly asked, as they were waiting on a light to
change so that they could cross the street where they were.

He looked at her, at her hand in his, and sighed.  "Akane, I want to
discuss my honor, my curse and all of my unwanted fiancees.  I'm going
to ask my mother for help.  I didn't want to tell you earlier because
someone else might have heard.  Can you imagine what would've happened?"

"Why did you pick me to go with you?  After all I'm one of the unwanted
fiancees, am I not?"  Akane bit her lip, fearing his response.

Ranma turned so that he faced her and simply looked in her eyes.  Akane
stared back and soon lost herself in the love reflected there.  She
flushed as her heart warmed itself in the fires of love.

"No, Akane.  You have never been unwanted.  I l.. l.. l-word, no, love
you.  I have loved you for a long time now."  He reached up with his
free hand and pushed a stray strand of hair from her face.  "It's time
to clean up my life.  Don't you agree?"  Ranma said fearful of
rejection.  As he watched, a smile bigger than he thought possible
blossomed on Akane's face.

"..." Akane was speechless.  She was thinking, 'did he just say that he
loves me?  He said that he LOVES ME!'

Dumbstruck, she simply stood there looking at him.  She felt happier
than she ever had.  Her heart was pounding and she wanted nothing more
than to feel his arms around her.

"Akane, are you all right?"  Ranma asked nervously.  Taking her silence
negatively, Ranma assumed the worst.  He thought she was trying to find
a way to let him down easily.

Startled out of her reverie, Akane responded, "I am better than all
right, Ranma.  I am absolutely great!  I love you, too!  We'll work out
whatever problems we need to, I promise."  Akane then glommed onto
Ranma.

Using his right hand, Ranma gently grasped Akane's chin and lifted her
face so that he could again see into her eyes. He slowly brought his
face towards hers and breathed, "Arigato, my kawaii iinazuke."  Saying
that, they kissed, unaware of where they were or who was around them.

After a few moments, they heard clapping and yelling.  They parted and
realized that they were on a busy street and the people around them were
cheering for them.  With embarrassed smiles, they bowed to everyone.
They then continued on, arm in arm.

******************

Having heard the doorbell, the middle-aged woman opened the door.

"Ranma, Akane!  What a nice surprise!"  She exclaimed as she saw her
visitors.  Thinking for a second, she asked, "Shouldn't the two of you
be in school?"

"We left early today. Can we visit you for a while?"  Ranma asked.

"Of course, Ranma, of course.  Come in.  Would either of you like some
tea?" Nodoka was already making her way to the kitchen.

"That would be great, Mom!"

"Yes, I would like some tea, Auntie Nodoka."

As they settled in the main room, drinking their tea, Nodoka asked,
"Ranma, Akane it's always wonderful to see you.  To what do I owe the
honor of your visit?"

"..." Ranma looked at the floor nervously.  He was unsure of how to ask
for her help and still seem manly.  He looked at Akane and saw her
smiling encouragingly at him.

"Well, Ranma?  After all you came here to talk to your mother," Akane
said gently.

"Mom, I've been thinking.  I've got some problems that fighting can't
fix."  Ranma began very nervously.  He ran his hand through his hair as
he looked to see her reaction to this admission.  She sensed this and
encouraged him to continue.  "I can't figure out what to do.  I'd like
your advice on some things," Ranma continued slowly.  Under his breath
to Akane, he whispered, "Yes, Akane I do think every now and then."

"Oh, Ranma, I will help you all that I can.  What is it you need help
with?" Nodoka asked lovingly.  She looked at her son.  She thought,
'What a man you've become!  You're much manlier than your father is.  He
still doesn't know when to ask for help.'

"It-It's several things, Mom," Ranma paused here.  He looked at Akane.
She gave him a squeeze of the hand and an encouraging smile.  To himself
he said, 'OK, here goes nothing.'  Ranma quickly began speaking, "Please
don't think this is unmanly or nothing, but my biggest problem is that I
have four fiancees.  Akane is my fiancee from an agreement Pop made
before either of us was born.  Ukyo is my fiancee from an agreement Pop
made during our training trip.  Shampoo considers herself my wife
because I defeated her in a fight and is bound by her honor to marry me.
Kodachi just wants me.  I'm sure that there are others that Pop engaged
me to, but haven't found us yet.  When we first came to Nerima, two
different families that Pop engaged me to found us.  At least with
those, we found a way to break the engagements," Ranma finished in one
breath.  He then stammered on, "Mom, I."  He looked at Akane and said in
a stronger tone, "I l-love Akane."

Ranma stopped.  Taking time for another look at Akane, he then spoke in
a quiet, almost embarrassed voice, "I would be happy to have her as my
wife.  She's not the problem.  One problem is that family honor demands
that I marry both Akane and Ukyo.  Another problem is that Shampoo's
honor demands that I marry her.  I think Kodachi really just wants a
chance," Ranma looked up at his mother.  A little fear and some hope
could be seen on his face.

Straightening himself up, Ranma asked his mother,  "How can all of the
demands of honor be met?  If I try to marry any one of them, we would
just see a repeat of the last wedding," He paused and looking back down,
he finished, "Mother, I don't want to hurt any of them.  Ukyo and
Shampoo are friends of mine.  I don't know about Kodachi.  She has
problems.  I don't think she is as bad as her brother, Tatewaki, is yet.
It might be that she's just lonely.  I hope I am not disappointing you,
coming to you like this, Mom."

There was silence for a few moments.  When Ranma could stand it no
longer, he looked up at his mother.  His mother was crying.  He said,
"I'm sorry, Mom!  I'll act like a man.  I'll figure it out my problems
somehow."

Cutting him off before he could go any farther, Nodoka began to speak,
"My son, I do not think it unmanly of you to begin to face your
problems.  Facing your problems and seeking help to solve them only
prove how much of a man you've become.  I am proud of you.  I also want
to thank you for coming to me," Nodoka smiled.

"Thank you for what you just said, Ranma, I love you, too," Akane
whispered as she hugged Ranma.  She couldn't believe that he had finally
said that he loved her and told his mother.  She then continued on in a
more thoughtful tone, "I'm sorry, Ranma, but you will have to hurt
somebody.  You can only marry one of your fiancees and that one will be
me."

"Akane, there's another problem with getting married.  I'm only a man
half of the time.  Do you really want to marry someone who is a girl
half of the time?  What would we be when I'm a girl?  It wouldn't be man
and wife!"  He said sadly.

"That's not a problem, Ranma.  When you're a man, we will be man and
wife.  Woman to woman, we'll figure it out together," Akane said.  To
herself, she thought, 'Please, let us just be friends when we're both
girls.  Unlike what Shampoo thinks, I am not a pervert-girl!'

Ranma began to sweat and stammered, "Besides, I've been noticing weird
things lately when I'm a girl.  You know that I have always acted
differently when I'm a girl.  Things like how I stand, hold my arms,
walk, and even sit.  I've noticed that I am starting to think
differently as a girl, too.  When I'm a girl, the thought of holding or
kissing another girl is pretty disgusting to me and I've been looking at
guys and noticing stuff.  I look at them and notice how well groomed
they are.  I notice what they are wearing and what fabrics their clothes
are made of.  I even notice if their shoes are shined and whether their
fingernails are clean or not.  I check out how they are built.  Do they
have broad shoulders?  Do they have big hands and feet?  I even start
wondering if they are going to be good fathers."   As he finished, Ranma
was blushing and unable to look at either his mother or Akane.

"Ranma, that's not so weird all girls ...do ...OH!"  Akane blushed as
she realized what Ranma was saying.

As he continued on, the tone in his voice became disgusted.  "Now when
I'm a guy, I'm all guy.  I don't like guys or nothing.  I like girls.
It's just that when I'm a girl, I've been getting attracted to boys.
Akane, remember the last time I fought Ryoga as a girl?  Remember how he
got that hit on me that send me into the wall?  I got distracted.  I was
noticing how cute his fangs were and how strong his hands were.  Ugh!
Akane, would you really want to marry someone who is interested in you
only half the time?"

"Yes, Ranma because the other half of the time, you would be my best
friend," Akane said lovingly, "Ranma, I love you.  I love you when
you're a man and I love you as a girl.  Don't start thinking that you
can run away from me because of some silly curse."  She grabbed and
hugged him.

"Ahem," Nodoka interjected softly.

"Ranma, you do have some serious problems," she began in a loving tone
of voice.  "It is very manly to have so many women betrothed to you at
once.  However, it is not very manly to notice how cute other men are."
Seeing Ranma blush at her last sentence, she lay her hand on his as she
continued, "I have some good news for you.  I never understood why you
and Genma did not cure yourselves when you first got cursed.  So, I
wrote a letter to the Jusenkyo Guide.  I asked him about the curses and
their cures.  I received a response just this week."

"You did?  What did he say?"  Ranma asked excitedly.

"The letter states that there are only two ways of being truly cured.
The first is to simply live through it.  In the case of people falling
into the spring of drowned animals, the curse stays with you as long as
that animal would have lived normally.  For example, Spring of Drowned
Mouse affects most people for two years.  The Spring of Drowned Cat
curse lasts from 12 to 18 years.  However for the pools of drowned
people, the curse only leaves when you accomplish what the spirit wanted
to do in his or her life.  Specifically, the Spring of Drowned Girl
curse lasts until the person cursed gets married to a man and has a
child.  The spirit of the curse then allows you to choose to keep the
curse or not.  The guide wrote that in every case of someone fulfilling
that specific requirement, the person ended up keeping the curse."  She
stopped and took a long look at Ranma.  She smiled and her eyes became
tear-filled.

"Ranma, I understand that.  You don't know the joy and happiness of
seeing the life that you carried for nine months the first time.  The
bliss of holding that little one.  Even the ecstasy of smelling your
baby and knowing, this is MY child.  You also cannot know the absolute
commitment you feel when holding your baby for the first time.  You say
to yourself, I would die for this child.  It is one of the things that
makes being a woman so very special."  Nodoka cried.  "Son, I must warn
you.  If you give birth to a baby, you will not wish to become a man
full-time ever again."

"I can't believe anyone would want to stay a woman, especially after
having a baby."  Ranma said bravely as he felt the pit of his stomach
drop to the ground in fear.

He was scared.  To be cured, he would have marry a man and have his
baby.  'I'm a GUY,' he thought to himself. 'I want to marry Akane, not
some other guy.  Besides,' he continued, 'guys do not have babies.  AND
I don't want to have a baby!'

Nodoka answered him, "You've never had a baby, Ranma.  The next time you
are in your girl form, ask someone to let you hold her baby.
Afterwards, come and tell Akane and I how you felt holding that precious
little one."

Ranma was visibly shaken.  His face had gone pale and his eyes had
gotten huge.  Shutting his eyes, he pulled himself together.

Akane pictured Ranma holding a baby.  She started to laugh and then
almost started to cry.  Fiercely, she thought, 'I don't want to lose you
Ranma, especially to a man.'  She moved closer to Ranma and put her arms
around him.

"Ranma, if it means a cure for you, I'll ... I'll get in the Spring of
Drowned Boy.  That way we would always be man and wife.  It would be
that sometimes, you would be the husband and sometimes I would be,"
Akane offered.

"Thanks Akane, but I really don't want you to become cursed," Ranma
hugged Akane.  Looking at his mother, he asked, "What about if I jumped
in the Spring of Drowned Man?  Wouldn't that cure me?"

"The Guide also wrote that many had tried that early in the history of
the springs.  It was found to their horror that the curses mix together.
For instance Spring of Drowned Wolf mixed with Spring of Drowned Woman,
you get someone who looks like a European werewolf rather than being
cured."

Ranma interrupted, "That explains what happened to Pantyhose."

"Many of the tales of strange or mythological beasts may come from just
such occurrences.  If you jumped into the Spring of Drowned Boy, you
might come out with no sex.  You would be neither male nor female when
your curse activated and there would be no way of getting rid of it.
However, for those brave enough, there is a way to be permanently cured.
If you were to jump into the Spring of Drowned Twins, you would be split
into twins.  However, in the case of curse victims, instead of becoming
identical twins, you become yourself and your cursed form.  In your case
Ranma, you would be both Ranma and Ranko forever.  Half of you would
always be a man.  The other half always a woman.  On that day, I would
gain a daughter."

Ranma's face paled at the thought of being a woman forever.  He
continued thinking, 'it's not like I don't take advantage of the form.
Have sex with a man?  Ugh!  Have a baby?  No Way!  But ... half of me
would get to be a man forever.'

Akane looked into his face.  "I will support you, whatever you decide."

"There is another side effect of the Spring of Drowned Twins, that we
may want to think about.  If you used the Spring to separate into two
halves, your new male side could then jump into the spring and make a
Ranma for each of your fiancees.  Family honor would be upheld.  If you
wanted, you could even make a Ranma that had no fiancee," Nodoka
suggested.

After a few minutes of silence, Ranma looked at Akane and asked, "Akane,
would it bother you to have several of me around?"

"No, as long as I have you Ranma, I don't care if Shampoo, Ukyo or
Kodachi get another one of you.  Just don't go hentai on me and start
switching or something."  She screwed up her face in disgust at the
thought.

"Would you help the other me adjust to being a woman full-time?  I would
need a lot of help."  Ranma asked both women.

"Akane doesn't need to answer that Ranma.  As my daughter, it would be
my duty and my pleasure to help you.  I am sure that she would be your
friend, though," Nodoka interjected.

"Of course I would, Ranma."  Akane smiled at him.

"Thank you mother, I knew you would be able to help me.  May I think
about my options for a few days?  Neither cure is an easy one," Ranma
bowed to his mother.  He then added, "Mother, I'm glad that I could come
to you.  Pops let me think you dead for too long.  It's great to have a
Mom!"

"You are welcome, my son.  It is wonderful having my son back, also."
She wavered for a moment, then asked, "Would you stay for dinner?  I
would love to learn more about you, Ranma.  Tell me about the different
techniques that Genma taught you.  Akane, I'd like to know more about
the girl Ranma loves."

The conversation continued with Ranma telling his mother and Akane
outrageous stories, the bulk of them true.

******************

Late that night Ranma, Akane and Nodoka were sitting in the family room
of Nodoka's home.  It was very similar to the Tendo's family room.  It
opened out onto an immaculately maintained rock garden.  Since it was
dark, not much of it could be seen.  Akane snuggled up against Ranma,
face shining with happiness.  Ranma's left arm was wrapped around her.
Nodoka sat across from the happy couple with a smile on her own face.
Ranma was happily telling Nodoka stories of his life.

He had just finished telling his mother about Akane's and his Martial
Arts Ice-skating Competition.  Ranma stopped and started thinking.

"Mom?"  Ranma asked hesitantly.

"Yes, dear?"

"Would you mind if I stayed here for the next couple of days as I make
my decision?"  He asked tentatively, "It's easier to think here.  I
don't have to worry about as many interruptions as I do at the Tendo's."

"Of course I wouldn't mind, Ranma, this is your home as much as it is
mine!" Nodoka smiled.  She then continued in a firm, motherly tone, "You
will still have to go to school while you are here.  Can you make it to
Furinkan and back without too much trouble?"

"That'll be easy!  Oyaji would tell me the challenge would be good
training!  Thanks, Mom!"  Ranma looked at Akane.  She looked a little
disappointed.

'Why is she disappointed?'  He thought, 'Oh man, I forgot to ask Akane
if she wanted to stay!'

Ranma apologetically asked, "ER, Akane, would you be able to stay here
with me?  I'd really like to have you here. ... We could spar and
things."

"Really, Ranma?" She asked hopefully.  "Do you really want me to stay
here with you?"

"Yeah, I do," Ranma said.

"I'd be happy to stay.  If you really meant it about sparring, do you
think you could show me a move or two?"  Akane continued.

"Well, you are kinda slow." Ranma noticed that Akane's hug starting to
tighten.  He quickly smiled and added, "I know a thing or two that could
speed you up."

Mentally hitting himself for not checking with his mother, Ranma
belatedly asked her, "Mom, you wouldn't mind Akane being here would
you?"

"She can stay in the guest room." Nodoka laughed.  More seriously, she
added,  "You show Akane the guest room, Ranma.  While Akane gets
settled, I'll call the Tendo's and arrange everything.  I'll get Nabiki
to bring both of you a weeks worth of clothing to school tomorrow.
Akane, dear, I'll be by after I speak with your father and give you a
spare nightgown.  Ranma, I have some of your father's pajamas for you to
wear. I'm afraid they'll be a little large on you."

"That's OK, Mom.  I'd rather sleep in a pair of Pop's pajamas than have
to change and wear a nightgown," Ranma answered with a grimace.
'Especially, if I had to borrow one of my mother's.'

"Oh, if both of you will place your clothes outside of your rooms, I'll
have them washed for you in the morning.  I don't want anyone to think
that you have to wear dirty clothes when you visit me!" Nodoka said with
feigned chagrin.

"Aunt Nodoka, you don't have to do that!"  Akane started.

"Mom, Akane's right, you don't have to..." Ranma interrupted Akane but
stopped when he saw Nodoka raise her hand.

"I do have to make sure that you wear clean clothes.  That's part of a
mother's job.  I haven't had many chances to be a mother to you, Ranma.
Let me have this one," Nodoka said softly and pleadingly.

Ranma and Akane exchanged glances.  Akane heard the pain in Nodoka's
voice and wondered if Ranma had.  Ranma knew that his mother really
wanted to do this for them.

They both turned and bowed to Nodoka.

"Thank you, Mother.  I am sorry," Ranma apologized as he bowed.  'I'm
sorry that Pop took me away from you, that I had to be Ranko to you for
so long, that I had to be afraid of you, and that I didn't even know you
were alive until last year.  I'm sorry for all of the time I lost away
from you.'

"Thank you for your kindness, Aunt Nodoka," Akane then smiled at her
host.  'I still don't know how you lasted so long without Genma and
Ranma.  I can understand wanting to be rid of Genma.  That baka!  It
must have been torture knowing that Ranma was somewhere and you couldn't
hold him or help him when he needed it.'

"No, it is I who should thank you," Nodoka said.  She stood, walked to
them, kneeled and brought both of them into a hug.  She then said, "It
has been a long time since Ranma slept in this house.  I have looked
forward to it for a long time.  I just wish you could stay longer.  Now
go to bed you two.  I'll be by later.  This house hasn't been a home in
over ten years.  At least for the next few nights, it will be."

**************

A little ninja left soon after they went to bed.  He needed to report to
his master and mistress.

Nabiki sat disappointed in her room.  Not only did she not know what was
going on with Ranma; she wasn't going to get to know until sometime the
next day.  The most irritating thing of all was that she was being
forced to carry clothes for both of them to school the next day.
Imagine, her, Nabiki Tendo, doing something so menial.

Neither Shampoo nor Ukyo had made it to Nodoka's home that day.  They
both had to recuperate from their fight.

******************

Thanks,

Mike

Email me at allenmk@gte.net
This is my home email address.