Alternate Landings
Episode 1
"Leave me alone!" I shout, as I run from my father. *He
doesn't care that I've gotten this curse, just wants to keep his "precious"
honor intact. As if he had any honor to begin with!* I run down the
street, shouting back at him, "It's your fault that I got this damn curse
to begin with, and now I CAN'T EVEN GET RID OF IT!!!" I slow down as I try
to keep from crying. It isn't manly. *Not that "manly" can even apply to
me anymore.* "I hate you!" I scream, as I start getting back up to speed,
"I hate you for taking me to China without being able to speak Chinese! I
hate what you did to me! I hate you!" I can't help it. The tears are
coming, whether I want them or not. *Damn this rain* I think, as I stop
and look at myself, *Damn it for changing my father into his cursed
form...* That's as far as I get before something hits me in back of my
head, and the world goes black.
*****
A man is holding a postcard emblazoned with a picture of a
panda eating bamboo on the front. The man looks up and we notice that it
is Soun. "At last! Ranma is coming, finally!" Soun mumbles to himself.
Then he gathers his breath and starts calling, "Kasumi! Nabiki! Akane!"
(As you've probably read this seventeen zillion times before, I will be
skipping details unto the meeting of the Tendo's and the Saotome's.)
A panda comes around the corner, holding a teenage boy that is
kicking and shouting "Put me down, Pops! You're scaring them!" The panda
then decides to put the boy down.
Soun points at the boy and asks, "You...wouldn't...be?"
The boy looks up at Soun, and then drops his gaze back down to
the floor, "I'm...Ranma Saotome. Sorry about this."
Soun grabs Ranma, "Ranma! I have waited for this for so long!"
Ranma just pushes Soun away.
"I'm sorry, but we should talk, first...Oyaji probably failed to
tell you the specific problems of the marriage. If you could get some hot
water, I can explain everything." Soun looks on happily while ignoring
everything Ranma says.
*****
I'm sitting in the Tendo's living room. I was hoping to stall
this, but to take this properly, I have to tell them. Right out. *Damn, I
hate doing what's right* I sigh as the oldest daughter walks in with a
kettle of hot water. *I hope it isn't too hot.* I stand and retrieve the
kettle from her. She just smiles at me, and then takes her place at the
table. "You're probably wondering about the panda that brought me here.
Here's the simple truth. That panda is my father." Everyone looks
shocked, but I continue, "My father took us to a training ground in China,
called Jusenkyou. My father and I were about to start training when the
guide said that the place was cursed. As my father rarely listens to
anyone, we started training, regardless." I take this time to glare at my
father, but continue, "At first, we traded a few blows, but I got the first
real hit in. I kicked him into one of the pools, which the guide later
told us was the spring of drowned panda. Anyone who falls in turns into a
panda with cold water."
Soun looks at me confused, "They change into a panda with cold
water, how do they change back?"
I just pick up the kettle, and pour it on Father. All the
Tendo's look surprised, then Soun just shrugs and asks, "Well, do _you_
change into anything with cold water?" I just shake my head, then Soun
nods, and then introduces his daughters. Kasumi just smiles. Nabiki looks
at me as if I was a bank vault, or something. Akane just glares at me.
Father claps me on the back, "Well, son? Which do you choose?
Who will you marry?"
Father forgot one point. "I'm not finished the story, so SIT
BACK DOWN" I growl. Everyone looks startled, but settle back to listen.
Father is trying to shush me, so I throw him into the pond. "After Oyaji
jumped back onto the poles, I was startled, but I kept up. Father tried a
sneak attack on me, but I managed to dodge, for the first while. Then it
happened. Father got a good hit on me. The pool he landed me into was one
of the hot-springs that also littered the area. The guide told me that it
was the hot-spring of drowned young girl."
Soun speaks up, "But you said you don't change into anything
with cold water!"
I snarl, "I don't" I then pick up the kettle and pour the rest
of it on myself. Soun faints. Kasumi looks surprised. Nabiki looks
shocked. Akane just stares. I feel the tears welling up again, but I
don't have the control to stop them with this body. I can't help myself. I
start crying.
*****
Akane looks at the girl sitting and crying in front of her.
While she doesn't know if she has any feelings for this boy-turned- girl,
she knows that this girl is in a lot of pain right now.
Ranma seems to try to collect herself, and manages to do so,
after about five minutes. She speaks clearly, but with a small tremor in
her voice. "I asked the guide later about cures for our curses, and what
he told me was this: Your father can be cured, if we can just find the
Nannichuan. But you, I'm afraid, are stuck to be like that forever. The
hot-springs can cure some of the cold- spring's curses, the cold-springs
can cure cold-springs, but only hot-springs can cure hot-spring curses.
Before you ask, no. There is not a hot-spring of drowned boy. I'm sorry."
Ranma seems to be holding more tears in, but she can't hold them in for
long.
Akane stands, walks over to Ranma, and then sits beside her.
When Ranma doesn't notice, Akane puts her arm over Ranma's shoulder. Ranma
seems to unconsciously grab onto any support she could find, as she turns
and hugs Akane fiercely. Akane was surprised, but she doesn't hit Ranma.
*After all, She's only a little girl now, right?* Akane just ignores her
instinct to punch Ranma and just holds onto her. Akane then has a mean idea.
"Ranma, you need a bath, right? Would you like to take a bath
with me?" Kasumi looks very startled, but then smiles. *I hope that she
understands.* Thinks Akane as she waits for a response from the crying
Ranma.
Ranma stops crying long enough to whisper a tentative "Yes."
Akane just smiles at the little girl and then scoops her up into her arms.
"Kasumi? Could you bring up some clothes and a couple of
towels for us, please?" Akane has a mischievous grin on her face, and
Nabiki looks like she understands what was going on. *I hope that he
doesn't take advantage of me while we're in the bath... unless I use warm
water to rinse her off, in which case, she won't be able to... That's what
I'll do.*
Kasumi just smiles and nods.
*****
I take Ranma into the bathroom, and she seems to calm down a
little, then she starts panicking for some reason. "Ranma calm down! Stop
acting like a spoiled brat!"
Ranma calms down a little and then asks, "What about me being
a boy?" She seems to be very concerned about that.
"Well, Ranma, you will turn back into a boy with cold water,
right?" Ranma nods, "Well then. If I don't let you touch cold water for
the duration of the bath, it's no problem right?"
Ranma nods, and then looks at me peculiarly. "Bu....You're
pretty..." I'm shocked, that Ranma should say that, even in girl form.
Unless...
"Ranma, would you say that as a boy?" Ranma looks startled for
a bit, and then sits down and thinks.
While she thinks, I undress her and start washing her. She
is really cute as a girl, now that I notice. I start thinking about how
life would be with her, and then I blush. Ranma doesn't notice as she is
still thinking. When I bring the bucket up to her, Ranma starts looking
panicked. I shush her, saying that it is warm water, not cold. That seems
to calm her, as I pour the water over her. Then something weird happens.
Ranma seems to start wavering in front of me, as if she is going to change
or something. For a second, it seems as if Ranma is both a girl and a boy
at the same time, then the wavering settles down and Ranma remains, still
as a girl.
Ranma then looked up. "Yes." She states clearly.
I am startled, "Yes what?"
Ranma flushes a bit, "Yes I would say that, even if I were a
boy." Ranma fidgets a bit, and then asks, "Do you like me?" She seems
very self-conscious.
I think about it, *Do I like him, her, whatever? I don't
know...She's nice as a girl, but that just might be because anyone can hurt
her that way. As a boy, he seems pretty nice, and he stopped anyone from
getting engaged by his actions. Would I _want_ to spend the rest of my
life with him? I don't know... Waitaminuite! That's not what she asked!
She wants to know if I like her. Actually, she's very nice, so I would say
yes.* I look Ranma straight in the eye, and say, "Yes, I think I like you.
Why do you ask?"
Ranma flushes a bit, "I don't have very many friends. When I
started finding friends, Father always dragged me away, saying it was time
to continue with my training." Ranma looks sad, "But those days are gone,
now. And it's been a long time since I saw any of my
friends. " Ranma takes a deep breath, as if she is going to ask something
really big, "Wouldyoubemyfriend?" She lets the remainder of her breath
out explosively.
I'm shocked. *A long time without friends, and being dragged
away from ones he was just making...Can I be a good friend to him, her? I
can't do any less than try.* I look Ranma straight in the eyes. She is
scared for some reason. I plod on, "Ranma, I would be honored to be your
friend. But I think it would be time to get into the tub, don't you?
Aren't you cold?"
Ranma looks like she just noticed the cold, herself. She
nods, and we both slide into the tub. Ranma seems to be happier now, and
also seems to enjoy playing games in the tub. It is as if, when she
changes into a girl, that she is a girl, in more ways than just the body.
Something to think about later.
*****
For once in my life, I am happy. I have a friend, she likes
me...I am happy. I play in the tub, reveling in the childhood games that
my father never let me play before. But then, he isn't here and I am. I
play in the tub for what seems like hours.
Then Akane gets out of the tub, and I dodn't want to be left
behind, so I climb out, and start looking for the clothes that Kasumi said
she'd get out for me. Then I notice her.
Nabiki is watching from the side of the door, and Akane is
staring at her as if she is a viper or something.
"Did you have fun?" Nabiki asks. She has a mean smile on and
had a camera in her hands. For some reason this scares me.
I grab onto Akane's waist, hoping for some protection.
*Protection? I can take care of myself!* one part of me thinks, but I know
better. *I'm helpless in this form, and no, at this point, I CAN'T take
care of myself.* I mentally scream at myself. I'm trembling with fear at
what Nabiki can do to me, while still only claiming to be doing her duty.
Akane is surprised at my actions, but then she lookes at Nabiki
angrily. "Nabiki," she growles, "Ranma and I were just having a bath, so
leave us alone!" Nabiki just smirks.
"Just having a bath?" She seems much worse than a viper
now...I can barely keep from screaming. "What I heard sounded a lot more
deep that 'just a bath,' Akane."
Akane looks scared now. I dodn't blame her. "Nabiki, what do
you mean?" Akane's voice, even though she is scared herself, bears just
the faintest trace of steel. I look at Akane, not understanding what is
going on. Akane looks down at me, "It's all right, Ranma. I'll take care
of this." For some reason I believe her. Nabiki just smirks.
"Well, Akane," Nabiki drawls out Akane's name like it is
candy or something, "What do you think daddy-dearest would say if he saw
this happy picture. Hmm? He already knows that you fight all the boys at
the school. He just might take _this_ as another point of proof that you
aren't like most other girls." Nabiki just smirks, "In fact, I'd say he
would be disappointed in you. And yet, at the same time, he just might
arrange both of your marriages in spite of what Ranma revealed. " I am
starting to get what she is saying...and it scares me, more than anything
that has ever happened to me before.
"But we can't!" I almost scream, "We can't be married! Do you
think she'd want to take care of me in this form for the rest of her life?"
Akane looks at me carefully, and I start to feel doubt, "Would you?" I ask
Akane, afraid of her answer.
Akane looks at me for a minute. Nabiki gets this huge grin on
her face. Nabiki laughs then, "Well, Ranma. It looks like you might have
a prospective fiancee already! I just hope that daddy-dearest doesn't try
forcing you...he might ruin something beautiful." I'm still watching
Akane, hoping beyond hope.
Then Akane reaches down and picks me up. She brushes my
hair aside, and kisses me on the cheek.
*****
I pick Ranma up, brush her hair aside, and kiss her on the
cheek. *What am I doing?* I mentally scream at myself. *Ranma needs me.
When he turns into a girl, he needs to have someone protect him. I _want_
to be that someone.* Then it hits me. I want to be with him. Forever, if
need be. For some reason, that both scares me, and excites me. I look at
why I am scared. *It's because she turns into a boy, that's why, right?*
I look at Ranma. *That's part of it, I just don't know how he will be when
male.* I start hugging Ranma.
Ranma looks at me, and quietly asks, "Would you like me if we
were engaged?" Ranma's voice quiveres, as if she's afraid of the answer.
*Would I? Well, I would rather know him better, but...*
"Akane? Are you going to answer him?" I whirl around. I
forgot completely about Nabiki. She is standing at the door, looking
interested at my answer. Not the way she usually looks at me, just genuine
interest.
I turn back to Ranma, and she looks afraid still. I smile,
trying to put Ranma at ease. "Ranma," I say, "I would like to get to know
you better. At this point I'm not sure if I would or not, but later I will
know. Is that good enough for you?"
Ranma just looks at me hopefully, and then hugs me. "I
want a friend more than a fiancee right now. Can we still be friends,
please?" Ranma seems so insecure, seems to need comfort more than anything
else. I pull her up again and hug her back. Then I do something that I
will remember for a long time. I think Ranma will too.
I lift Ranma's face up to mine, and say, clearly, "I hope
that, in time, we will be more than that." I then kiss Ranma. Not those
light pecks on the cheeks, or a small kiss. A Kiss. On the lips. I don't
know who was more surprised. Me, for doing that, Ranma for not resisting,
or Nabiki, who watched it all. I then sit back, trying to get my bearings.
*That never happened to me, before...* I think surprisedly to myself, *What
came over me? Maybe I _do_ love this person. Oh, no! It's almost
suppertime!* "Ranma, It's almost supper time, I think we should get ready,
don't you?" Ranma nods, still confused, as we walked into the laundry
room. On the bench there are two towels, and two sets of clothes. You can
tell which one is mine, instantly, for it is the larger of the two. What
surprises me is Ranma's clothes pile. It is a small dress, with all the
accouterments of a little girl. What is even more surprising was that she
is putting the clothes on, _without complaining_. "Ranma? Are those
yours?"
Ranma flushes. "Yes, they are." She looks guilty, "I won't be
able to change back into a male permanently, so I _have_ to get used to my
new body. It doesn't mean that I have to like it, I just have to get used
to it." Ranma looks down at the floor. Now that I can get a good look at
her, she really _is_ cute. She has her red hair tied up in a long
pony-tail, has big, blue eyes, and that little blue dress doesn't take
anything from the effect. In fact, if she was a bit older, I'd have to say
that she would be _beautiful_.
Then something occurres to me. "Ranma? How long do you
usually stay a girl?" I am curious. Then I notice something else. I'm
standing here, watching Ranma get dressed, and failing to do so myself. I
flush and quickly start getting dressed. Nabiki, it seems, had walked out
while I watching Ranma.
Ranma looks at me, strangely. "I don't know," she admits,
"Usually I try to get back to being male as soon as possible. But for some
reason, I don't want to be male for a while." Her face goes comical, "Why,
do you _want_ to see me here, " she waves her hand around, "as a male, in
_this_?" and points at her dress. I try to think of what Ranma would look
like, like that. I can't suppress the giggle that I have at the thought.
"See? I don't know how long I'll stay like this, this time. Maybe a day,
or so." She looks down at herself, and then grins. "What do you think
father will think?" She twirls around, "Think he will throw me in the pond
as soon as he sees me?"
I think about her father. While he seems to be a good
father from what I saw, so far, after consideration I have to truthfully
admit, "Actually, I think he might." I grin, then, "But do you think he
would go through me to do so?"
Ranma looks at me, and gets this little impish grin. She grabs
my hand, starts walking out the laundry room door, and giggles, "Would you?
I haven't been a girl this long before, and I would like to see what it is
like for the next while. Could you, please?" She looks at me, and I
swear, the cuteness level in the room must be tripling in a few short
seconds.
I pull Ranma back, so that she won't trip and hurt herself,
"Sure Ranma, anything for my friend." I smile at her when she abruptly
swings around and hugs me again. Maybe this is a good thing, after all.
At the very least, she isn't complaining about her curse all the time. She
truly wants to get to know this side of herself better. I hug her back,
and then I see father.
*****
"Oh, Akane!" Soun cries, "How good of you to take care of guests
like this. You make your father so proud of you!" Soun, apparently,
thinks nothing of his daughter bathing with his guest. Ranma looks
surprised, and turns around quickly, a flush on her face. Soun ignores it,
"Akane, while I know Ranma's curse may be difficult to deal with, could you
take care of him while he stays here?" Akane's eyes go wide. She numbly
nods while holding onto Ranma, to keep her from running away.
"Yes, father, I will." Akane looks at Ranma, grinning. "I
wouldn't want my new friend to hurt herself, no?"
"Friend? He's your friend, now? Well, that's your choice. See
you at supper!" For some reason Soun seems to be acting strangely, as if
he is still in shock or something. Something occurs to Akane then, he
isn't crying, as he usually is. Maybe he should be taken to Dr. Tofu's.
After supper, of course.
Ranma is looking wide-eyed at where Soun was just standing, "Is
your father normally like that, Akane? It seems to be pretty strange
compared to the way he was crying all the time before." Ranma seems to be
in a bit of shock herself. She then shakes it off, "Akane? Are we going
to go for supper? I'm hungry." As if to agree with that statement, her
stomach growls loudly. Ranma blushes in embarrassment.
Akane giggles a bit, and then pulls Ranma toward the stairs,
carefully. "Yes, Ranma, we'll go for supper, now."
*****
Ranma surprises me at supper. While her father seems to try to
eat everything in sight, she seems to actually _try_ to eat like a proper
human. She actually seems to be trying to act like me, as if to try to
make herself better, or something. Surprisingly enough, Genma didn't try
to throw Ranma into the pond as soon as he saw her. While he does steal
glances at Ranma and I while we were eating, he doesn't say anything about
the bath. Good enough, for I dodn't want to deal with that at this point.
Kasumi has really out-done herself this time. The food is
excellent. Maybe she did it to try to impress our guests. From what I see
of Genma, impressing him isn't hard. Ranma, however, seems to be harder to
impress, and yet, she enjoys the meal as much, if not more than, her
father. Maybe it was because of the company, maybe the food, maybe both.
I'll ask her later.
Ranma is staying as close to me as possible, without seeming to.
That's interesting. Maybe she loves me, too? Can't think about that right
now. Kasumi might notice.
Nabiki is ignoring the rest of the family while she works on
her ledgers. *I hope Ranma doesn't get the wrong idea about her. She's
really the only one that's keeping the dojo in the black, and what she has
to do to do so isn't really nice.*
Ranma mumbles something while she's looking at her father. I
lean closer to her to ask what she said, and she notices. I blush, and see
a responding blush work it's way onto her face.
"What did you say, Ranma?" I ask, trying to keep my voice down,
so as not to alert to many people.
"Father had the chance to get rid of his curse after two days at
the springs. He passed it up, saying that he didn't deserve to be without
a curse if I had one. I sort of feel sorry for him, being able to get rid
of his curse, and yet not, for honor reasons. And yet I envy him being
able to get rid of it in the first place." She looks me in the eyes, and
whispers, "Did you know that I even jumped into the cold-spring with the
same curse that I have now? It didn't work...because the hot-springs are
more magical then the cold-ones. They have to be, it seems, for it's nearly
impossible for hot-springs to exist in the same area as cold-springs
without magic. I just wish that I had fallen into something that would be
easier for me to deal with..." Ranma looks like she is about to start
crying again. I slowly draw her close and hug her. She is valiantly
trying to stop crying, but is unable to. I hope that she doesn't consider
this "unmanly", for I've seen some men cry over less.
Ranma's father is looking at us, strangely, but decides to keep
his peace. Good thing, too, for if he had says anything that would have...
*There I go again, rushing to protect Ranma. But she needs it now. For
this once, I'll listen.* If he upsets Ranma any more, then I won't hesitate
to mash him to a pulp.
That reminds me, "Ranma, do you practice kempo while in
your cursed form?" Ranma looks startled. That's what she needs, something
to keep her mind off Jusenkyou.
Genma looks at me, and nods. "That's right, son. You need to
find out this form's weaknesses and strengths. Go and practice, It'll do
you some good." I look suspiciously at Genma, but he's just watching Ranma.
Ranma lookes at Genma, then at me. "Would you train with me?"
She asks, "I don't want to train with father right now...he's used to me
being male, and might...might hurt me too much." Ranma looks scared at
that prospect, so I quickly agree. "After supper, though," Ranma is quick
to put in, "I don't think that was enough to hold me over for a full
training session." It was true, Ranma hasn't even finished half of her
food. Then I notice her face.
"Ranma, " I state, "you don't have to eat it all. Kasumi will
understand." Ranma looks sick, for some reason.
Ranma turns to me, and says in a quivering voice, "I...I
normally eat as much as pops...for some reason, I can't even think of
eating that much, anymore..." Ranma looks green.
I hug her closer, "It's all right, you wouldn't be able to eat
that much, anyway. You are quite a bit smaller than him, so it's all right
now." I then stand up, "Come on, it'll be dark soon, and we want to do as
much as possible before bedtime, right?" Ranma nods, so I lead her quietly
to the dojo.
*****
I impact with the mat again. *I haven't been beaten this badly
since I first started out* I think to myself morosely. *It's a good thing
that I can defend myself better in my other form.* I look over at Akane.
She isn't even breaking a sweat. I don't blame her. My new body is
weaker, slower, and all-around worse than my male body. But one thing that
people say about me is that I never give up, even against hopeless odds. I
stand up again, and go through one of the advanced katas for clearing the
mind. I also notice that I was clumsier in this form...something else that
I had to work on. I looked at myself, small bruises everywhere.
My mind clearing at last, I look at Akane, and she says, quietly, "One
last time, and then that's it for tonight." I nods, and then fall into
the ready position. Akane motions for me to start the attack this time.
As I know that she can take quite a lot from me in this form, I go all out.
I leap at her and prepare for a jump-kick, and then notice one important
thing. I don't go as high as I should. She sees me prepping for the
jump-kick, so I quickly change tactics, as the kick wouldn't have landed
anyway. Instead of kicking out, I drop to the floor and try a sweep-kick.
It would have worked, if I was only ten times stronger than I was.
I then notice something important. I had kicked with all my
strength, and when the kick landed, it felt like kicking steel. In my
normal body, I can handle it. But this body can't. I hear a crack as I
finish the sweep. Pain rushes through my body.
I scream loudly, as I feel my leg breaking. Akane rushes up to
me, as I whimper from the pain.
"What's wrong?" She asks. As I can't talk right now, I point
down to my leg, which is lying there, bent at an awkward angle. "Oh,
damn!" Akane mutters. She then calls out, "Kasumi! I'm taking Ranma to
doctor Tofu's!" She then gently picks me up and starts walking
quickly to the gate.
Kasumi rushes out and asks, "What happened?"
Akane answers for me, "Ranma and I were training in the dojo, and
she tried a tactic that she wasn't strong enough for. She broke her leg
trying to knock me off my feet."
Kasumi looks at me, and then says something that scared me,
"Ranma, I don't want you fighting. I know it's what you are used to, all
the time, but you need to settle down. This could have easily been a
dislocated leg, and then there would have been a big mess to clean up." I
look at her, like she's crazy, and she explains as we move quickly down the
street, "Ranma, when you dislocate your leg, it's worse than dislocating
your arm. Your leg muscles are strong enough to send a dislocated bone
right through the skin. You could have died, and there would be nothing we
could have done about it." I get scared. Very scared. I start crying.
Akane looks at Kasumi, and says, "Kasumi, I think you should go
back to the house, I don't think our fathers can be trusted to be by
themselves in the house by themselves." Kasumi nods, and leaves. Akane
turns back to me, "It's all right, Ranma. You didn't dislocate your leg,
you aren't in any danger. Just take it easy for now. We're almost there.
Calm down." She continues her soothing talking, and soon enough I am calm
again. Then we are at the clinic.
*****
Doctor Tofu is looking at my leg. "What did you do, try
to kick a stone?" Tofu asks, concerned. He is poking and prodding at my
leg, most of which makes me whimper in pain. "Well, you are one lucky girl.
You almost dislocated your leg, and that would have been bad." Tears start
to form in my eyes from the constant pain. "You were also lucky in that I
had to stay here tonight to do some paperwork. Now, this is going to
hurt..." He proceeds to pull on my leg, trying to straighten the bone. As
I know what to do, I pull my body in the opposite direction. The pain is
enormous, but I've survived through it before.
"There," Tofu said, as the bone finally slides into its proper
position. He then proceeds to poke a few spots on my leg and back.
Probably shiatsu pressure points. "There, now. You should stay off this
leg for about two months, can you do that?" I think about staying as a
girl for two months straight. That is scary, but accidentally wrecking the
setting of the bone by changing would probably be worse. I nod. "Are you
okay? Is there something wrong?"
Akane starts to say something, but I hold up my hand, stopping
her. "Yes, I think that it will be...hard...for me to stay as a girl for
two months straight." Tofu stares at me like I am crazy. "Ever hear of
Jusenkyou?" At his nod, I continue, "I fell into one of the springs. What
you see now, " I point to myself, "is my cursed form. Normally, I'm a
sixteen-year-old teenage boy."
Tofu looks at me, and then asks, "Why didn't you reverse the
curse while you were there?"
I look down at my hands, "I couldn't. There isn't a hot-spring
that _can_ cure this curse." Tofu blanches, "Yes, I know that's scary, but
I have to live with it now. I can try..." I hold back the tears, barely,
"I can try to live life as well as I can, considering my curse, but it will
be hard. What will be harder is meeting my mother again, after what I've
been through. I don't know how she will react."
Akane walks up to me and holds me close. Tofu then says
something that surprises me, "Ranma, I've seen a study done on people with
Jusenkyou curses, and there is a way for you to change forms while your leg
is broken. From what I read, only what happens to the hot-water form is
permanent."
I start giggling. "Doctor, this _is_ my hot-water form."
Tofu appears surprised, and then takes on a thoughtful pose,
"Ranma, I would like to try something, but I want to keep it in here, is
that fine with you?" I nod, "Fine then. Akane? Could you please get some
cold and some hot water? We'll be waiting for you." I watch quietly as
Akane leaves to get some water. She comes back a couple minutes later with
two buckets of water.
Tofu picks up one of the buckets, I guess that it is the bucket
with the cold water. I wait nervously as Doctor Tofu gets ready to pour
the water on me, then he asks, "Akane? Could you please get ready with the
hot water? If something goes wrong, I want to undo the damage as soon as
possible." Akane nods, and then hefts the other bucket.
Tofu then notices something else. "Ranma, I don't think you
want to ruin your clothes, right?" I'm surprised. I completely forgot
that I grew _drastically_ when I change back into a boy. I quickly strip
out of my clothes, letting Akane help me with my gi and panties. Then I
climb back on the table (not without wincing) and get ready for the
experiment.
Tofu comes up with the water. For some reason this scares me.
I try to examine my fear. I then start thinking of Akane, but that's
wrong. *Why would I be afraid of Akane?* I think of any reason, and the
bath pops into my mind. *But that was okay, she invited me and made sure
that I was a girl the entire time! She wouldn't be mad at me for that,
would she?* I dismiss the thought as useless. Tofu then throws the water
at me, and the pain starts again, and doesn't stop. I scream, and then a
sheet of hot water flies over me. I'm back into my girl form, and the pain
lessens considerably.
When I can see properly again, I notice Tofu standing beside me
looking concerned. "Ranma," He asks, "what was the pain like? I'd like to
know what the problem was so that I can fix it."
"It sort of felt like my bone was breaking, again." I mumble,
"And again, and again..." I stifle a hysterical giggle.
Tofu looks surprised for some reason. "Ranma?" I look at him,
"I will need to take some tissue samples, is that all right?" I nod,
"Good, I want to check some things...maybe this will be able to tell me."
Tofu goes about the tissue-gathering process quickly, taking a small amount
of blood and a bit of skin to go along with it.
"Okay, Ranma. Now I need to check something, can you hold on
for a few minutes?" I nod, seeing no harm in it. Tofu leaves, and then
walks back in the examination room about ten minutes later.
"Ranma, from what I can tell, so far, you will need to stay in
your cursed form to heal the bone properly. I found a reference in one of
my texts that gives an idea on how to prevent the curse form activating.
Or, in your case, keeping the curse active. I'll need your permission to
continue with this, though."
I look at him, and he appears to be nervous about something.
"What is the process?" Akane asks. She appears to be nervous, as well. I
wonder why?
Tofu looks me straight in the eye, "I would need to insert a
non-organic object into an area of your body that your other form can't
handle."
"What do you mean?" I ask, being very confused by his meaning.
"Ranma, he means that he has to put something here," Akane
points between my legs. I finally get what she means and start blushing.
"Will it hurt?" I ask. *What am I asking that for? Of course
it won't! What's wrong with me?* My mind flies around in circles, and I
miss what Tofu's reply was. I nod, without really thinking about it.
"Akane, can you hold her down, please?"
That startles me out of my thoughts. *Hold me down? It _is_
going to hurt? Oh, nonononononononono...* I don't have enough time to
move, as Akane is close enough to just reach over and grab me. I start
panicking as Tofu comes over with this smooth metal rod-like thing. "No,"
I moan, but it's too late. Tofu quickly slides the rod inside me. I scream.
*nonononOnONONONO!!! Get this thing out of me!!!* I try
kicking and squirming, but Akane holds me steady, and my kicks don't hurt
Tofu. He grabs my broken leg, to keep it from further harm, with one hand,
while pushing the rod further into me with the other. While it doesn't
hurt, the fact that something is _inside_ me is very frightening. My
screaming turns to crying, and Akane holds me tighter, moving around so
that she's holding me with a hug, instead of just holding my arms.
"It's okay, Ranma," Akane whispers, "it's okay. This is
_normal_. Kinda. Girls have to put foreign objects inside themselves all
the time."
I slowly stop crying. "Yeah? When?" I asked, feeling slightly
strange.
"When you get older, Ranma," she replies. "When you start
having your...period." Akane blushes at that. For some reason, I can't
keep the blush from my cheeks, either.
Tofu is watching my face. "Ranma? Is it bothering you still?"
I shake my head, "No, it just startled me, that's all."
Tofu nods, "I expected as much. Now, Ranma. I will need to
put a brace on your leg, to keep the bone from moving around too much."
I'm curious, "Why not a cast?" I inquire, as I start putting
my clothes back on.
Tofu shrugs, "A cast would break your bone even more, should
you change forms. Although that rod will reduce the possibility, what if
the rod falls out?" He gets out this plastic brace that looks like it has
really big cloth bands holding it together. "Okay, this is what we are
going to use on you. This is my last one, so don't break it, okay?" I nod,
"Good. This one is self-adjusting, so if you change forms, it will stay
around your leg without breaking. It's also waterproof, so you can still
wear it in the water." Tofu then pulls my leg straight, and attaches the
brace. "The only problem is when you change back to girl form...it doesn't
change sizes down on it's own. You will have to re tighten it every time
you change. But that isn't much of a problem, right?" I nod, "Good. I
will be checking out those samples of yours, to see what changes, besides
your age and sex, there were to you. Okay, you two, it's time for me to
close up, off you go."
"Thank-you doctor!" Akane and I chorus, as we leave back to the
house.
"You're welcome. Bye now." Tofu waves to us. I wave back.
Akane is surprised at that for some reason. I just shrug and try walking
with the brace on, noting that it supports my weight nicely. Akane takes
my hand and leads me home again.
What an interesting day.
*****
Although I expected Ranma to act a bit differently when in
female form, I didn't expect it to be this much. I walk towards the house
without really noticing the things we were passing. Ranma says something
that startles me, though.
"Akane? Doesn't that look like mother?" I whirl and look
where Ranma is pointing, but I don't see anyone.
"Where, Ranma?" I'm getting nervous. *Is Ranma seeing
things?* I hope not.
Ranma points again, "There! In that house over there!" I look
closer, and sure enough, through an open window I can see that there was
someone who looks startlingly like Ranma, albeit about thirty years older
than her current form.
"Yes, Ranma, she looks a lot like your mother. Now we have to
get home, now. It's getting late."
The woman looks up, "Did you say Ranma? Do you know where he
is?" The woman heard us, it seems.
I nod, "Yes, I said Ranma. This is...her. Ranma, say hello to
the nice lady."
Ranma dutifully says, "Hello. Are you my mother? I haven't
seen her for ten years." Ranma looks sad.
The woman looked startled, "Ten years? I haven't seen my son
for that long, too! Pardon, young miss, but you could not be more than
five years old. How could you not have seen your mother for ten?"
I start getting nervous again, but Ranma replies before I can
answer her, "I'm not really five, I'm actually sixteen. My father was
taking me on a training trip..."
The woman interrupts, "A training trip? Tell me, is your
father's name Genma?" Ranma nods, and the woman looks at me for
confirmation. I nod. She then asks Ranma to continue.
"As I was saying, my father took me on a training trip, and
about a month ago, we came to this training ground. It was a place with a
lot of cursed springs that changes people into whatever drowned in there
last. While we were training, father fell in the spring of drowned panda,
and he knocked me in the hot-spring of drowned young girl." Ranma finished
her explanation.
"Well, that's an interesting story. Can you change back right
now?" Ranma starts to look scared.
"Sorry, she can't, right now. For a couple of reasons,
really," The woman gestures for me to explain, "Well, Ranma needs cold
water to change back to her normal form, and I don't think that it will be
a good idea for her to change again." At her puzzled expression, I clarify,
"Ranma broke her leg today when we were training at my families dojo. The
doctor says that if she changes back to her male form, that she will
re-break her leg, and that would slow the healing process a lot."
The woman nods, "That's a good explanation. Is there any
reason for Genma to not be able to change?" I shake my head, "Fine then.
I'd like to see my husband, again. It's been too long. One other thing,
how does Genma reverse his curse?"
I say, "He needs hot water to change back into human form. Why
do you ask?"
The woman looks at me, "It's because he's a coward at heart. He
will probably try to hide behind his curse when he finally notices me."
She grins, "I'm glad you told me, Ranma. I'm also glad that I vetoed your
father's suggestion for seppuku if he didn't make you a manly man. Not
that I would have taken the curse into consideration, though. By the way,
is there a way to remove the curses permanently?"
Ranma starts to get tears in her eyes, "There isn't a way, for
me. But there is one for father. He can reverse it using the spring of
drowned man."
"Why can't you remove your curse?" She asks.
Knowing that this will make Ranma cry even more, I kneel down
and hold her close, as she answers, "Only a hot-spring can reverse
hot-spring curses. But...but there isn't a hot...hot-spring of drowned
man." Ranma starts crying and I hold her tightly, trying to calm her down.
"What's wrong with my son?" Demands Ranma's mother, "Why would
he be crying about something like that?"
I start getting angry, "It _means_ that Ranma won't be able to
control what form she's in, for the rest of her life!" I try to calm down,
but only marginally succeed, "How many people do you think will _want_ to
marry a person with Ranma's problem? Offhand, I only know of one!
Oops..." I blush, noting that I went too far.
Ranma immediately stops crying, "You would?" She asks
incredulously. Ranma's mother looks very surprised at both my outburst,
and Ranma's reply to it.
"Sorry, I wasn't thinking about what my son was going through."
She looks at me, "I'm also sorry that I heard your testament of love, " She
smirks at that, "but that's your business. Oh! I forgot the
introductions. My name is Nodoka Saotome."
I flush, for I forgot to introduce myself as well, "My name is
Akane Tendo. Pleased to meet you." My breath suddenly leaves my body, as
Ranma gets over her startlement and tackles me with a hug. "Ranma," I
gasp, "could you please tone it down? I'm not used to be a landing mat."
Although I'm gasping for breath, I can't help but giggle at that. Nodoka
is laughing as well.
"Well, Akane," Nodoka giggles, "it seems that Ranma mirrors
your own sentiments. Can you tell me where your place is, so that I can
visit tomorrow? I'd like to surprise my wayward husband." I giggle at the
thought, and tell her. "Well, you ought to get home, soon. Your fathers
are probably worried sick." She smiles as we bid each other farewell.
What an interesting day.
*****
Ranma and Akane had only a five minute walk to make it back to
the house, which went by without incident. They step into the house at
about nine-thirty. Kasumi greets them.
"Did everything go okay at the doctor's, Akane?" Kasumi looks
concerned.
"Everything went fine, Kasumi. One thing though, Ranma won't
be changing back to male for two months. Doctor's orders." Akane grins.
"Oh, my. We will have to find someplace for her to sleep,
then." Kasumi looks at Akane, who blushes.
"She can sleep with me, if it won't be too much trouble," Akane
replies, still blushing.
"That's a good girl," approves Soun, who just walked downstairs,
"Kasumi? could you make some tea please? I'm finding it hard to sleep."
Kasumi nods and walks into the kitchen. Akane and Ranma look
at each other, shrug, and hurry upstairs.
In Akane's room, Akane is helping Ranma get ready for bed.
"But I don't wanna wear pink!" Ranma complains, "Especially
pink with kitties!"
"Quit your griping. It's the only one we have for anyone your
size. If you want, we can buy you some new ones tomorrow. Is that all
right?" Ranma stops complaining at than point and just nods. "All right,
then. I'll just go and get another futon for you. Just wait here and I'll
be right back." Akane leaves the room and comes back a couple minutes
later with a futon and some blankets. She then proceeds to set up the
futon on the floor.
"There. You can sleep here tonight. Good night, Ranma,"
states Akane, as she lays on her bed.
"G'night, Akane." Replies Ranma, as she climbes into her
makeshift bed. Ranma tosses and turns for almost half an hour before she
gives up. She stands up and walks over to the bed. "Akane?" Ranma calls
out softly.
"Nnngh?" Akane asks.
"Can I sleep with you, please?" Ranma asks quietly, "It's too
cold on the floor."
"Sure..." Akane mumbles. Ranma then climbs into the bed
beside Akane.
Snuggled up against Akane, Ranma soon falls asleep.