TALES OF RANMA AND RANKO

Story One: "Ranma's Secret". By Lady Tesser and Jack Staik

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Chapter Onev

Akane growled deep in her throat. She knew that Ranma was cheating on her, she had known for the longest time. She had tried following him, but had always lost him.

Now, though, thanks to the tracking device that she had purchased through Nabiki, she had learned of the location he went to a couple of times a week - his secret hideaway.

Akane had not known that the school gymnasium had a dropped ceiling, with about six feet between the indoor ceiling and the roof. Now she and Nabiki were there, through the concealed hatch, in the place, which was furnished like a small apartment. There was a loveseat and some futons and a table and even a hotplate and a small refrigerator. Some plyboard facade walls seperated it from the rest of the area, with a couple of mirrors to suggest space.

"Hmmm, looks like Ranma-kun's been busy here." Nabiki commented.

"I'll bet he's been 'busy' - the pervert!" Akane accused. "All this time, he's been bringing his sluts up here! I bet Shampoo and Ukyo and Kodachi know all about this place!"

"Nope. I've had my people trail him - when he comes here, all their whereabouts are accounted for. If he is bringing a girl here, it's not one of the usual suspects."

"So, he brings some *other* girl here! Just wait until I get my hands on the baka! He'll *beg* for a malleting, just for a break from the pain!"

Nabiki edged away from her little sister's battle aura, which was getting uncomfortably warm. "Unless you make the place burst into flames first."

"Nani? Oops - sorry." Akane breathed deeply, letting her aura dampen down. "I just get so mad at that -"

"I know, Akane-chan. Now, let's find someplace to hide. Ranma will be here soon, and we can catch him red-handed!" Nabiki readied her camera; a few candid - hopefully very candid - shots of Ranma with his secret lover (assuming there was one) would go a long way toward the Tendo college fund.

Unfortunately the position the two girls had to hide in was behind a facade wall, prevented them from getting a clear view, but they could hear just fine.

"Ah! Alone at last!"v

(Ranma! He was here! Nabiki put her camera up over the wall slowly - trying not to alert Ranma's preternaturally-sharp martial-artist's senses.)

"Trying to get me alone again, huh, Saotome?" asked a playfully sultry voice.

(Who the heck was *that*? The voice sounded familiar, but neither girl could place it.)

(Akane went pale as a sheet. Inside herself, she always knew that Ranma was a victim of circumstance, that he hadn't been running around with the other fiancees. And she subconsciously expected this to be another one of those incriminating coincidences.)

(But there was a girl here.)

"C'mon Ko-chan, you know I wouldn't do that!"

('Ko-chan'?)Nabiki thought. No, not Kodachi, the accents are wrong - not to mention that this one is differently pitched, a bit lower. And Kodachi is in rehab right now. Not that it does any good...>

"I know, I know. 'Saving yourself for marriage'. I swear, Ranma-kun, you are the only seventeen-year- old boy on Earth who can drag a willing girl off to a secret attic and *not* try to get fresh with her!"

(Akane's attitude did another about-face. 'Saving himself for marriage'? He *wasn't* messing around with her? Even though she *wanted* to?)

"Of course not. I'm a man, not a boy, and *men* don't behave that way."

(Akane thought about that. Ranma's statement would mean that he... wasn't a pervert. And the fact that this 'Ko-chan' was up here with him and he wasn't trying anything with her... proved it.)

"Oh well, a girl can dream. If we didn't have these obstacles in our way ... "

"I know," Ranma sighed. "Y'know, Ko-chan, sometimes I just want to start crying. It seems so hopeless! Why can't everyone just leave us alone?"

Ko-chan let out a girlish sigh. "I wish I knew. But they won't. Poor Ranma-kun - why do they abuse you so?"

"I don't know. They all want to use me - everyone just wants to make me the thing that solves their problems. There are only two people that don't want to use me - you and Akane."

(Akane's heart skipped slightly. Perhaps - )

"You don't want to use me because you love me, and Akane doesn't because she hates me."

(Akane's heart stopped skipping. Ranma thinks I *hate* him?)

"Now Ranma-sama, I don't think -"v

"Yeah, yeah, you don't think that Akane really hates me." Ranma chuckled in a dry, grim fashion. "She beats me, she curses and insults me, she poisons me, and you say she doesn't hate me."

Ko-chan's voice suggested amusement. "Actually, I think she's in love with you."

Ranma's laughter echoed through the attic. A faint "No, I'm serious." could be heard from Ko-chan, almost drowned out by Ranma's belly-laugh.

(Nabiki almost chuckled herself - until she saw Akane's face, with that blank look, as if her brain had shut down. Could it be that her over- emotional little sister had never figured it out herself? That she honestly believed her protests?)

When Ranma's reaction had died down to a chuckle, Ko-chan cleared her throat. "Are you quite finished now?"

"Hee-hee-hee... almost, just a minute... hee-hee- hee..."

"Just look at the facts - "v

"She wallops me daily for no reason," Ranma stated. "She calls me a pervert, even though *she's* the sex-obsessed one. She accuses me of cheating on her, even though she sleeps with Ryoga whenever he's in town. She tells me to my face that she hates me and wants me dead. And she force-feeds me poison!"

(Nabiki heard Akane sob slightly. Hearing Ranma talk about her like this was getting to her. Well, the little princess needed to be taken down a peg or three.)

(Akane was shocked. Ranma thought *she* was a pervert? That she was sleeping with Ryoga? That comment about her cooking just slid past, so shocked was she at the rest of it.)

"She's scared and insecure, too," Ko-chan said. "She's afraid of her own sexuality, and you arouse her, so she lashes out at you. She gets jealous because she's afraid of being abandoned. And to be fair, I don't think that she knows that Ryoga is P-Chan, and perhaps she really is a bad cook."

(Nani?? RYOGA?!?)

"Nobody could be that bad a cook! It must be on purpose! And P-Chan is so damn obvious!"

Ko-chan snorted.

"Why are you defending her?" Ranma asked.

"Because she's really a nice girl, and I understand what it's like to love someone who doesn't like you," she said sadly.

Ranma was silent. "Oh."

"I'm sorry, Ranma-kun, I shouldn't have mentioned -"

"I forgave you a long time ago, my love."

"I know. But I haven't really forgiven myself."

"Ranma-sama, please -"

"I hated you so much, and when I finally talked to you - I was so ashamed of myself ... "

For several minutes, the only sounds were Ranma's sobs and Ko-chan's soothing, gentle words.

(Ranma crying? Nabiki was shocked that Ranma would let his guard down around anyone. Did he really love this girl?)

(Akane listened to Ranma's pain. She had never seen this part of Ranma before. But he thinks I hate him. Why would he show his feelings to me?)

"Why do you torture yourself like this, Ranma-kun? You had every reason to hate me."

"And I'll make it up to you, Ko-chan. I promise."

"You already have. You were my first real friend. And you saved my life more than once. Remember when Kuno had that sword? I could have died, but you managed to stop him."

(Kuno? Trying to kill a girl? When did *that* happen? Nabiki had Kuno under almost constant surveillance; how did both he and Ranma get away from her minions long enough for a fight? Someone in her organization would be answering some very unplesant questions.)

"That was nothing.."

"Stop being so modest. Y'know, darling, you have got to do something about your self-esteem."

"What's wrong with my self-esteem?" Ranma said defensively.

"Nothing, Ranma-kun. In fact, you have the greatest inferiority complex in all of Tokyo."

"Yeah, that's right - hey!!"

Ko-chan chuckled. Soon, Ranma joined her.

* * * * * * * * * *

The two talked for nearly three hours, chatting about school and the fiancees and martial arts techniques and ice cream and sports. They had a spirited discussion about the virtues and vices of the latest Jackie Chan movie, and about a fantasy novel (it seems Ko-chan liked her Piers Anthony in Japanese translation, while Ranma preferred the original English; neither Tendo girl knew that Ramna knew the language - he certainly didn't use it in his school English work.) Nabiki even managed to sneak a few pictures of the "happy couple" (at least, she hoped so; being unable to see her subjects made photography difficult).

Akane was miserable. Ranma never talked to her like this. How could this be the bakayarou hentai she had malleted so often? Sweet, caring, affectionate ... had she scared him so much he couldn't open up to her like this? Was she wrong about him?

A watch alarm chirped. "Damn, gotta go, Ko-chan. I should get home."

"Chikuso! I don't want to go!" Ko-chan whimpered. "We never have enough time!"

"We'll meet later, sweetheart. One day, all this madness will be over with. And we'll find a way to be really together."

"I love you, ichunnohito ... 'who dwells in the center of my heart'."

"I love you, Ko-chan. Always."

After a few minutes of silence, Nabiki got nervous and peeked. And got a good look at Ko-chan.

Akane heard Nabiki whispering; it was a prayer their mother had taught them. What could shake Nabiki up like that?

Akane carefully peeked over the wall ...

* * * * * * * * * *

That night, Akane was quiet, not even rising to Ranma's digs. Soun was alarmed, but then Genma put a positive spin on it; that she was finally developing the thicker skin she needed to live with Ranma.

Akane's thoughts kept on churning.

Nabiki's thoughts were busy as well.

And foremost in their thoughts was what they saw

...

Ranma stood at a mirror, gazing at Ranko, their hands resting on opposite sides of the mirror's surface. The look the two had on their face was of love and pain and longing.

Ranma let his hand fall from the mirror then turned and left. Ranko stood at the mirror a minute or so after Ranma left, then walked away.

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter Two

How could she not have known? That Ranma could live day to day, between being glomped by fiancees, drilled by a self-interested father, target of assassination and her own abuse. How could she have known that he'd find peace in the affection of his female half.

She got up, turning on her desk lamp, and unlocked her drawer, pulling out various photos she had collected from Nabiki's blackmail material on her fia ... on Ranma.

She placed two photos side by side. One of Ranma on the school grounds, looking right at the camera and smirking. The other of Ranma-onna, smiling gently, being caught off-guard during a game of shogi.

But Ranko was now more real, her own entity, if Akane would allow herself to believe it. She was almost sure there was something perverted about it, but the memory of Ranma's sobs filled her ears again. There was no perversion in the basic love she offered him. Ranko was the only one who he allowed to witness that side of him.

Again, Akane wished she had been more understanding in the beginning. She recalled when they first met, he was in his female form, and he refused to fight her. He was so sweet then -

She knew it was her own fault. She finally admitted it to herself now, after knowing that he didn't love her. Her reaction to finding out "she" was really a "he" was rash, uncontrolled, all out of fear and persona ... and he responded in kind.

They both hurt, she knew that. It was too late now. Far too late. If she started treating him better, he'll begin to suspect, then find out that she knows about him and Ranko. Who knows what he'll do if he found she knew.

Akane fished deep in her soul ... and found nothing, for she fell asleep across the pictures of Ranma, dreaming of Ranko stepping out of the mirror and taking Ranma away for good.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The next morning, Akane still remained thoughtful as she and Ranma raced to school, she jogging in the streets and he striding on the fencetops, whistling to himself.

"Hey, Akane," he goaded her. "You haven't talked since class yesterday. You got sick on your own cooking?"

She looked up at him, a frown crossing her face.

"Shut up," she replied at last, running faster.

Ranma paused, staring after her, wondering why she hadn't dragged out another mallet right at his head. The sky that had been threatening all morning rumbled ominously, and he hurried after her.

* * * * * * * * * *

All morning in class, he sat back with Hiroshi and Daisuke, making comments about the teacher's inability to draw on a chalkboard, then shooting pieces of wadded notebook paper at the other girls in class, causing them to giggle.

Akane remained quiet, watching him out of the corner of her olive eyes, wondering how long Ranko had been intimately part of his life. He showed no sign on the outside. Could it have been since the beginning, since Phoenix Mountain, since when? Nothing had changed ever since they had met over a year ago, except now she didn't respond to his zingers.

"Miss Tendo!"

She looked up. "Yes, sensei?!"

"Pay attention! What is the square root of 256.8?"

"Hey, Akane," Ranma whispered, sotto voce. "Whatever you had that's making you dumb as a brick, keep taking it. You're almost bearable."

She suddenly burst out with "Ranma no baka!" and brought out an extra large mallet, starting on a swing.

She could have sworn she saw him smile in *relief* ... until the eraser hit her head.

"Akane! Ranma! Go stand in the hall!"

* * * * * * * * * *

"That was fun," Ranma whispered, holding his pail of water at his side, staring straight ahead.

"How was that fun?" she demanded, whispering fiercely.

"I was wondering what was wrong with you." He remained expressionless.

"You ... you worried about me ... ?"

He snorted in laughter.

"No, just wanted to make sure it wasn't contagious."

She growled, hoarsely replying, "Anajaku!"

"You are so uncute."

Before she knew it, she threw her pail at him, and he moved fast out of its fury ...

But not fast enough, for the well-built dark- haired teenage boy was not standing before her, but a nicely shaped redheaded girl. At the moment, she was shaking her hair of the excess water.

"Now what was *that* for?!" Ranma-chan demanded.

"You are such a pig!" Akane yelled back, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. She bit them back hard, turning away from the redhead.

"Actually, Ranma is," a softer voice stated. "I'm a bitch."

Akane held her breath. It was the same voice Ranko had, the one filled with soft understanding. She slowly turned around to face her fiance.

Instead of a cross-faced Ranma-chan, it was a giggling Ranko, who was still wringing the excess liquid from her baggy clothing.

"Nani?" was all Akane could manage.

"I know," Ranko smiled apologetically. "He can be obnoxious at times, but once you get to know him, he's not all that bad."

"Where's Ranma?"v

"He's here," she pointed to her breast. "Inside me. I sensed it was time for me to come out, after you and Nabiki finally caught us."

"H-h-how did you know that?" Akane asked as alarm filled her. Would Ranma kill her for having this conversation?

"Even I can hear the old prayer Nabiki was saying when she saw us. Ranma is a little too sloppy when he opens to me, but it's kept him sane ... " a small smirk passed her lips. "As sane as he can manage with you clobbering him half the time."

The Tendo girl turned her face shamefully to the floor, studying the flecks of color in the beige tiles at her feet.

"What now?" she mumbled.

"Can you keep a secret, Akane?"

Akane looked up at her, seeing expectancy in her blue eyes.

"What?"

"Come with me to the attic. It's the only safe place to talk in all of Nerima."

Akane nodded, and followed the sprinting redhead, both girls quietly running through the halls as silently as shadows. The only sounds were the rain on the roof and the scratching of students' pencils in the classrooms.

They raced each other to the gym, then stopped short, realizing that the martial Arts Rythmic Gymnastics team was in practice. Ranko grinned, and whispered, giggling girlishly, "Remember the Art of Invisibilty - become one with the walls."

Akane furrowed her brow and pursed her lips together, unsure of what she meant by that, but watched as Ranko shimmied up the bars over the gym windows, then made her way across the wide ceiling by hanging on the rafters over the parquet floor.

The youngest Tendo daughter inhaled deeply, tucked her skirt up to keep it from falling in her face, and climbed up.

As she crawled with all her limbs hanging onto the rafters, she looked down to the floor, watching the gymnasts stretch. If they only knew what was going on about a dozen meters above their heads ...

Akane reached the open hatch and Ranko's slender hand appeared to help her in. After she was safely inside, the trap door was closed, and Ranko let out her breath, plopping down on a multi-colored striped futon.

"Do you want anything to drink?"

"No, thank you, Ranma ... I mean, Ko- ... I mean ... " she grunted and balled her firsts.

"There's no need to be angry with yourself, my friend," Ranko laughed sweetly.

Akane's aura changed completely at the affectionate tone in her voice.

"Sorry ... this takes some getting used to. What *should* I call you? You aren't Ranma - "v

"True, I am not Ranma, and not even a different facet of his personality. I am ... well, the female half of him, had he been born female, yet all my memory is his as well ... " she trailed off softly. "Call me ... Ranko."

Akane nodded, sitting next to her and drawing her knees up to her chin. "So, what secret do you want me to keep?"

"It's not a question of 'want', my friend, but of need. So far, only two people know of Ranma and me: you and Nabiki. Can I trust Nabiki to not reveal my exsistance?"

"She can't find any way to make any money off it, so you're safe with that."

Ranko's face relaxed into a smile. "Good. I like Nabiki, She is useful at times, though a pain the rest of the time."

Akane said nothing, gazing at the mirror where she saw Ranma and Ranko standing the day before. The look they gave each other came to her mind again, and she turned back to the redhead.

Ranko continued, "I also need you to not mention to Nabiki that I can walk at will when Ranma is in his female form."

"How is that done?"

She looked up thoughtfully, then, half to herself, said, "It seems that when I came into consciousness inside him, I was an 'alternate' personality. If the first personality - Ranma - became out of control, the second personality - me - could take over.

"But, I found I could take over at will when he got wet, and plenty of times we had battled for dominance at given moments. He finally gave in ...

She looked off toward the mirror. "When we began to actually talk, and he saw I was not going to hurt him ... he wanted so much to be able to trust someone ... "

Akane shifted uncomfortably, knowing she was partly to blame. She had abused him the moment she found out he was a boy, embarrassing her when she accidently walked in on him in the bathing room, thinking that the redheaded girl who sat beside her now was really in there.

She fell back on the cushion, and mumbled into her hands covering her face, "I'm sorry, Ranko. I'm so sorry, Ranma ... "

Ranko was drawn out of her thoughts and stared in awe at the girl.

"I never thought I would ever hear those words with all that sincerity from you, Akane," she stated quietly. "And I held firmly to the belief that you cared for him, despite your abuse toward him."

"How could you know?" Akane bit back the tears again.

"Are you still convinced that I *am* Ranma? My friend, I am female, as much as you. I think and react and feel as one. I know all those mallets, all those head slaps, all that name calling was out of jealousy. Granted, you react like a twelve- year-old with those jealous fits."

Akane removed her hands from her eyes to stare down Ranko, but all she saw was concern and honesty. She could find nothing in her to attack the girl for her statement. Because it was true.

Below them, the bell rang for the lunch period, but they ignored it.

"Does Ranma know we are talking, Ranko?"

"No. That was going to be the third part of you keeping this secret. You are to tell him nothing of our conversation, and you still do not know of my exsistance. As far as he believes, no one knows of my existance or his and my relationship. You must understand, he is scared, and he needs somebody ... until you are ready to be his fiancee."

"But I heard him," Akane sat up. "He doesn't want to marry me."

Ranko giggled. A rather pixie-like laugh, then she replied, "Akane-chan, who do you think he's saving himself for in marriage? I almost envy you for having that honor!"

* * * * * * * * * *

Later that day, Ranma had been restored to his natural state, properly mad and storming up to the tiny apartment above the gym.

"Ko-chan!" he called, trying to keep his voice and temper down.

Ranko's image appeared, dressed the same as he. She was braiding her pigtail.

"I thought we weren't to meet today, Saotome." She smiled. "But this is still a nice surprise."

"What happened today after Akane threw that bucket of water at me?"

"I decided to walk around for awhile," she placed her palms on her side of the mirror.

Ranma, touched his palms to hers, all he could feel was the cold glass of the mirror. He sighed, and leaned his cheek against hers, meeting more coldness.

"Was I about to ... to ... hit her?"

Ranko remained silent, wondering what to do. She made like she laced her delicate fingers between his large ones, sighing softly.

"I didn't feel like being punted through the ceiling - "

"But was I going to? I don't fight girls- " he began as Ranko giggled. "- when I can help it."

"I know, my love. No, you weren't at that point and I didn't feel like it."

"So, what happened?" he looked up and stroked her face, his fingertips sliding over the cool, smooth glass surface.

"I yelled at her a little, and ran off to the nurses' office. Hinako-sensei was there, and she wanted to talk about everything for a while so I obliged her, and only when she left was I able to turn back and hand everything over to you."

She rested her hand against his chest, looking up at him.

"Does Akane suspect?" he asked for the umteenth time in ten months.

"Not at all. We had a lively name-calling session for a little bit. 'Anajaku' seems to be her favorite insult nowadays. After I left, I understood she carried out her punishment and went through the rest of the school day without incident. She's probably back home, cooking up a wonderful welcome home dinner for you."

Ranma gagged, and pretended to pinch her arm, "I already feel bad enough! Don't make me think she's doing what she calls 'cooking'."

She giggled, leaning up to kiss his cheek, saying, "Have a cast iron stomach, darling!"

"Her cooking can melt a cast iron anything," he chuckled.

She laughed, lacing her fingers against his again. "Suki da."

"I love you, so much, Ko-chan ... " he sighed deeply. "Sometimes, I do need you to hold me."

She sniffed and commented softly, "I only wish I could. Then we can be together."

"And then we can get away from here - from crazy fathers and psycho fiancees and dirty old hentai masters and jealous idiots ... "

"And poor Akane ... "

Ranma paused and looked up into Ranko's blue eyes. "You don't mean that?"

"I do. I know your heart better than you do, Ranma-sama. It's the part of you that you won't look into often, but it is what I am mistress of."

"No, Ko-chan, don't go in there ... "

"I don't have to because I already know," she moved her hand to under his chin. "I know why you won't fully give yourself to me, even though we could do so in a round-about way right now. I know you plan not to marry me, even should I be released into your world with my own body."

"Ko-chan, *must* you say anything about it?"

"Yes. Akane will wonder someday, she's a bright girl. She knows you haven't been actively searching for a cure for our Curse the past few weeks."

Ranma sighed, closing his eyes, only feeling the cold mirror under his hands.

"I don't want to lose you," he whispered, feeling the tears sting his eyes, then spilled over, trailing down his cheeks. "How do you do that?"

"What, my love?"

"Bring everything out of me. I've never ... I've never wept before ... I've never been loved unconditionally. I've never needed to be held so much ... " he wiped his eyes. "The Old Man would kill me if he saw me like this. Then he'd commit seppuku so he can follow me in the afterlife and nag me there."

"But I'd be with you, and we can both run from him."

He smiled gently, touching her lips. "I'd rather spend an eternity running with you than spend the rest of my life here."

"We could," she replied, moving her mouth from under his fingers. "But you stay here for one reason."

"I could leave when I damn well please!"

"Then do it now ... " she pulled back, crossing her arms, her pretty lips pouting.

Ranma, turned his body, but his feet remained planted. He finally gave up and turned to face her again.

"I- I- I can't ... "

"And I know why -"

"Don't say it!"

"- you're in love with Akane!"

Ranma lowered his head, covering his face with his hands, slipping down to the floor. Ranko only gazed at him.

"She kills me every time she insults and accuses me! I can handle the abuse, but not the hatred!"

Ranko crouched down to his level, touching her hand to where his head was.

"Ranma-sama, she loves you." She let him snort in disbelief. "I understand the female mind and emotions better than you do, my love. All of her attacks on you are out of fear, jealousy, and control."

"Lack of control!" he snapped.

"Think about it, you silly goat. She has no control over her passions, so she responds by controlling you. She is jealous of all the other fiancees glomping on you because she wants to but her pride won't let her, and she is fearful that you'll succumb to this glomping and leave her for one of the others. It's a vicious cycle; she desires, but she can't express it."

Ranma looked up at her wide-eyed, truely in shock by this revelation.

"Are you *sure*?" he asked in an awed whisper.

She smiled gently. "I would never lie to you, not in these matters especially."

He leaned his cheek against hers on the mirror, "Why do you want me to be with her when you desire me?"

"Why do you desire her but wish to be with me?"

"You love me."

"And I love you, that is why I want you with her. We will never be happy together, my love, you know that."

"I *could* be happy with you - " he began. He had it planned out, too, in which they would run off to live alone and have their own little place and garden and maybe even a few kids running around ... no Amazons or chefs or Tendos or anything related to Nerima.

"Not fully, because your heart has belonged to Akane since your eyes met, before we had ever spoken. You knew she was the only woman who could ever fulfil you."

"It won't be her cooking that will."

Ranko giggled, caressing his face. "Meanwhile, it'd be odd for you to be married to an image in a mirror."

He sighed, "I still need you ... just to feel you love me, how you would hold me."

Ranko remained silent, debating within herself.

Since she became self-aware, she had always wanted Ranma, as friend, lover, even husband. But she knew him better than he knew himself, and he still had too much to learn. She was more woman than he could handle, to put it simply.

Besides, all Fates point toward Ranma and Akane reaching Perfect Union together. Her place in the equation set by the Gods was only to awaken them to that fact.

She thought about that. This urge was never part of her thoughts before. She admitted to wanting to steal Ranma away from Akane, if nothing more than to protect him from her. However, this desire to bring the two together felt *right*, and it felt natural like it was supposed to occur *now*. Yet, both were not cooperating - as usual!

She shrugged. Both were more stubborn than mustard stains on white clothing.

The alarm beeped and she sighed.

"Time to go home, Ranma-sama."

"No, I want to stay here with you ... home is the crazy Old Man, weird Tendos, and violent Akane."

"I don't think she'll be hurting you all that much tonight."

He raised his head. "Why not?"

"She's finally growing up, as you should be doing as well."

Ranma nodded, then puzzlement crossed his face, "Waddaya mean by that?"v

"Nothing - except you are rather immature, picking on girls!"

"Hey, they pick on me first!"

"Pick on and mallet and poison and hogtie and beat up and spatula slam and - "

"Okay, okay, I know the drill, Ko-chan ... I love you."

"I love you."

"God, I'll never hear that enough."

" ... "

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter Three

Ranma felt strangely empty as he walked home. Ranko's words bothered him, in ways he didn't want to think about.

As he idly hopped over Mousse's Training Potty of Death and dodged yet another group of drug-crazed spearmen from the Cult of the Holy Shoes, he considered the possibility that Ranko was right about Akane - that she lov- lo- had feelings for him.

Ranma acknowledged that his Ko-chan was brighter than he was (a legacy of the Old Man beating into him that intellectual pursuits were "unmanly"). She understood girl-stuff better than he did. She could make sense out of the silly rules and weird rituals called "politeness" and "civilized behavior" that everybody took for granted and no one else ever bothered to explain to him - except to say that he just violated them.

But this was just - it felt wrong, somehow. Akane was so - vicious, so cruel. The closest thing he knew of was a memory of his childhood, when he was attacked by a rabid dog. Akane often had that same look on her face. Love couldn't do that.

But then she would smile at him. And more than once she had actually helped him. When Happosai first showed up, and the Old Bastards had kicked him out for not bowing to the little creep, Akane came to him and helped him defeat the Old Fart.

Ranko could be right - perhaps Akane did care, and couldn't say it.

Ranko could be wrong - perhaps Akane hated him, and enjoyed his pain.

He didn't know which possibility frightened him more.

* * * * * * * * * *

Akane sat in lotus position, deep in thought.

Her usual practice of smashing bricks and timbers hadn't helped her regain her equilibrium. And when she went to the practice dummies - the ones with the red shirts and the pigtails - she started to cry.

Meditation had never been one of her strongest disciplines. But at least she could sit silently and think.

What could she do now?

Ranko said that Ranma lov- lo- had feelings for her. That he cared for her, was saving himself for *her*.

But she looked at herself and saw a flat-chested, chunky-thighed tomboy. "Feminine as a brick". "Strong as a gorilla". What was there to love?

That was what really hurt about Ranma's insults - the fact that they were echoes of her own heart. What she always knew about herself, despite all the boys trying to date her and proclaiming love.

But Ranko knew Ranma. He opened himself to her. She was *inside* him, where he couldn't hide anything. She said that Ranma loved her.

Ranko loved him ... and wanted Akane to love him.

Ranko loved him enough ... to give him up.

But Akane knew that hers was a small and petty love. Yes, Akane loved him; she could admit it here, alone. But she wanted him all to herself. She wanted to chase the world away and keep him away from anything that might make him leave her.

If she had to let him go, she would die. She had a heart of glass, and anything could shatter it, so she wrapped it in thick blankets of anger and rage and pride.

She was Akane Tendo. She was the Champion and Heir to the School. Nothing could reach her to hurt her.

Nothing could reach her to make the pain go away.

* * * * * * * * * *

P-Chan wandered the endless labyrinth that was the Paris sewer system, hoping to locate a manhole or a tour group or *something* to lead him out.

Turning that corner and finding Kasumi chopping vegetables was a shock. he thought. Then Ranma walked in and grunted a greeting before grabbing a soda from the refrigerator and going to his room.

Ryoga was relieved. He didn't know how he had ended up here, but he stopped asking how he got *anywhere* when he was very young. At last, he could be with his Akane.

Akane came in from the dojo, looking more depressed than Ryoga had ever seen her. He 'bwee'd loudly, hoping to attract her attention; her sweet pet pig P-Chan always cheered her up.

Akane glanced up at the sound, and saw P-Chan.

"Oh look, Akane. P-Chan's home! Isn't that nice?" Kasumi chirped.

Akane's frustrations and confusions had eaten at her for so long without release. She was unused to looking at her own heart, and couldn't take solace in her usual rage against Ranma.

Now she could focus.

Now she had a target.

Now she could *release*.

P-Chan looked on as Akane's battle aura snapped on, as the Mysterious Mallet of Doom came from somewhere and lifted high into the air. He briefly glanced around to see if Ranma was behind him ... but he wasn't. Then who was going to Get It?

"RYOGA NO HENTAI!!!"

The Mallet Descended.

* * * * * * * * * *

Japan is Earthquake Country. And anyone who's spent any significant amount of time in Earthquake Country knows the First Rule: when the ground moves *Get Out Of The House*!

When the Tendo home trembled, the windows disgorged various members of the household, all whom instinctively leapt out to safety.

"Wait a second!" Nabiki shouted. "That wasn't an earthquake!"

"Then what was it?" Soun asked. "An explosion?"

"MY KITCHEN!!!" Kasumi cried.

The Tendo's and Saotome's ran to the source of the scream - the kitchen.

Or, rather, what had been the kitchen, and was now a shattered ruin. In the devastation, along with a shocked-looking Kasumi, was a blankly-staring Akane, gazing at a hole in the floor where a column of smoke rose.

"Akane!" Ranma cried, pushing Soun out of the way. "What happened??"

"I hit Ryoga," she said in a flat tone. "He went boom."

Nabiki looked down in the smoking hole and saw, a couple of meters down, a small piglet with a bandana. He wasn't moving, except for his barely perceptible breathing.

"Akane? Are you all right?" Ranma asked.

"I don't know," Akane answered, still staring straight ahead. "Am I? I don't know ... "

"Why don't I take you to lie down?" he said calmly.

"Okay," she said woodenly.

Nabiki reached down into the hole to retrieve the piglet, while Kasumi telephoned Doctor Tofu.

Soun and Genma, in a true display of their skills as leaders and parents, went to the dining room to play shogi.

Nabiki gazed at the somewhat nerve-shattered piglet that she dragged from the hole, clicking her tongue and shaking her head.

"And how long did you think she was going to stay dumb?" she asked him.

P-Chan made no move. He was wondering how the Paris cab ran over him in the sewer.

* * * * * * * * * *

Ranma guided the stiff-limbed Akane up the staircase, one step at a time.

What ran through his mind was Akane calling P-Chan "Ryoga". Did she finally figure it out? Took her long enough. And she always wondered why he had kneed the baka in the head every chance he got.

Akane remained passively in shock, letting Ranma's strong hands guide her down the hall and to her room. His touch ... she paid attention to his touch for the first time, and realized how tender it was. There was no pushing or grumbling, just him placing her gently on her bed and pulling up the sheet over her.

And there they were, staring each other eye to eye for several long moments, each thinking their own thoughts.

Both wondered how Ranko was taking this.

Finally, curiosity forced Ranma's hand.

"Ahem. You knew about Ryoga being P-Chan?" he asked.

Akane nodded, whispering, "Yes."

"Since when?"

She thought about an explanation. Forget saying she overheard him and Ranko talking it over. Insight struck, and she was amazed she hadn't made the connection before.

"I finally noticed the bandanna."

"So, after all this time... "

"Ryoga no hentai," she stated darkly.

Ranma nodded, biting his lip and moving to get up. "Well, I'll leave you - "

Akane's hand shot out of the sheet, wrapping around his wrist, "Stay with me!"

"What's with you, Akane?" Ranma asked, taking his hand back from her. "You've been weirding out the last two days."

Could Ranko have been wrong? Was he even capable of loving her? The young Tendo girl looked up to him with her large eyes fixed to his.

He was going to be sick if it was. He felt the equivalent of a mental eraser thrown in his head, and he felt Ranko push him to listen.

Both were saved by the soft knock at the door, and Dr. Tofu entered, postponing any more soul searching.

Which suited each just fine. It was exhausting.

* * * * * * * * * *

The diagnosis: extreme emotional stress. Doctor Tofu recommended that Akane stay home the next few days, then perhaps a counselor or therapist should be consulted.

The Tendo's were too proud to admit that one of their own needed therapy (even though they all did to varying degrees), but they did allow that perhaps Akane needed some rest.

Ryoga (after changing back to his human state) was diagnosed with one massive contusion covering his entire body, cracked bones at various points, and a concussion. They allowed the doctor to take him to the clinic, and made a note that as soon as he recovered, they were going down as a family and beating him some more.

Nabiki went to her room and brooded.

* * * * * * * * * *

Ryoga awoke in a hospital bed, his ribs taped and his head bandaged. After a while, Doctor Tofu came in.

"Hello, Ryoga-kun. Do you know where you are?" he asked.

Ryoga looked at him blankly.

"Oh. Gomen. Forgot who I was talking to." Tofu shined a penlight in Ryoga's eyes, checking pupil reaction. "You're in my clinic in Nerima. Do you remember how you got here?"

"Well, I was in the Tendo kitchen... Akane came in... She saw me..." His eyes got as big as dinner plates. "OH GOD SHE KNOWS!"

"Yes, I would say so." Tofu said wryly. "You know, she *never* hit Ranma as hard as she hit you. I would dare say that if you didn't have the toughness from the Bakusai Tenketsu training, you would be dead now."

"Well, that's one good thing about being slammed into boulders for several days." Ryoga said bitterly. "How did she find out?" A thought popped into his head - "This is all Ranma's fault!"

(Actually, this thought had been there for several years, but Ryoga's mind was a rather small place, so he kept bumping into the same thoughts over and over.)

Tofu snorted quietly.

"Maybe if I explained -"

"That isn't possible, Ryoga."

Ryoga and Tofu turned to the door. Kasumi stood there, a sad look on her face.

Tofu's glasses fogged over

"K-k-kasumi! What an amazing coincidence to meet you here of all places!" he babbled, wringing his hands together. Of course, the fact that Ryoga's arm was there didn't stop him.

"OW!! OUCH!! AAAAA!!!!" Ryoga commented.

"Ryoga, I have come to inform you that you are no longer welcome in our home - in either form. For the distress you have caused poor Akane, you will not be easily forgiven."

"But -OW!!-it was all-YOW!!-Ranma's fault! WAH! He must have-EEE!!-told her - "

"No, he didn't." Kasumi said, visibly irritated. "Stop blaming Ranma-kun for your own inadequacies, you little pervert. Good day."

Tofu stopped deforming Ryoga, shocked. Kasumi was angry! Yes, this was her sister that was wronged, but still - she was *Kasumi*, after all!

"Well, Ryoga, you've made Kasumi angry - something I believed to be beyond even Ranma's talent for foolishness."

Ryoga smiled weakly. "I must be a bigger fool that anyone thought, ne?"

Tofu turned from the door where Kasumi had stood. "Now, Ryoga, you need a proper frame of mind for - how did you dislocate your arms?"

* * * * * * * * *

Akane woke up after midnight. She was exhausted and sweaty and had fading memories of unpleasant dreams.

Ignoring the time, she stumbled to the bathing room. The cold-water scrub and rinse helped her focus a bit, at least to think clearly.

Easing herself into the furo, she dwelled on the events of the past few days...

Her Ranma (yes, she admitted it now, now that it was too late) was in love with Ranko, a person who didn't even exist in her own flesh. A girl who gave him understanding and love and kindness and caring ... everything she denied him.

He was gone forever.

And Ryoga ...

She had thought Ryoga was different, that he was a nice guy. But now she saw everything differently. Ranma sneaking into her room - to protect her from Ryoga. Ranma fighting with Ryoga - because Ryoga kept abusing her trust. Ranma picking on P-Chan - and why not?

And Akane also saw herself, yelling "Ranma! Stop picking on poor Ryoga!" and "Ranma! Stop picking on poor P-Chan!". And she had even *dated* Ryoga, just to make Ranma jealous.

Something occured to Akane. That time she went over to Ryoga's house... he was trying to get her alone! With Akari! And if Ranma (could it have even been Ranko, too?) hadn't shown up there and fooled him with that lame disguise, he might have... with *both* of them! And she had beat Ranma up for that!

Akane couldn't help but sob in the chest-deep water.

"Mama's right. It's all my fault. Because I'm stupid and mean and fat and clumsy and ugly and - and - " Her renewed sobs choked off the rest of her words.

"And R-ranma - " Oh how she wanted to call him 'Ranma-sama' like Ranko did, or Kodachi. But the words wouldn't come.

The name echoed in her skull: Ranma.

Without thinking, she leapt out of the tub and dashed to his room.

* * * * * * * * * *

Ranma saw it again.

It had tortured him on nights like these, since he started talking to Ranko. It was as if she had left him on his own in the night, when he most needed her. Akane standing over him as he lay on his mat, her mallet held high. As the mallet swung down, it became a bear trap of steel teeth, landing on his chest. He felt the teeth ripping into his flesh, breaking his ribs apart, digging into him. Then it came out with his still beating heart clamped in its teeth. Akane's face was the rabid dog, saliva dripping off her teeth, lips pulled up in snarl.

"I need that!" he cried.

"No, you don't. It's all in your head, you dumb- as-a-bag-of-hammers idiot. Nobody loves you!"

"Ranko!"

"Needing a girl to protect you, how weak!" the Akane-dog snapped.

Ranma struggled, his body (what was left of it) struggling to right itself but to no avail. Akane- dog pulled the dripping heart from the mallet's jaws, picking it apart with her nails.

"Give that back!"

"Never! It's mine! You gave it to me, remember? Oh, how you looked, stepping out of the furo completely naked, and there was no doubt where you stood with me!"

She laughed hysterically, clawing at his heart. He groaned, still feeling it inside him.

"And you are such a narcissistic pervert! Falling in love with your female half!"

"She's not my female half," he replied weakly, his voice cracking through the tears. "She's her own person ... she's alive ... I love her because she's NOT ME!"

"Love is a weakness, there is no strength in it," the Akane-dog slapped his face with his heart. "It makes you weak and vulnerable, defenses are unguarded, leaves one open for hurt and abuse."

"What I get from you," he replied bitterly.

Ranko watched the movie play through his mind, feeling her own heart break. Ranma was too scared to face Akane, fearful that the monster he dreamed of is what really resided in his fiancee. Thus, he attacks her. She inwardly sighed, wondering if they were just too emotionally wrecked to be salvaged and set right to love again.

She felt something move outside, and she reached out to touch the aura ... Akane. Ranko wondered what the girl was doing in Ranma's room, but dropped the thought. She proceeded to kick Ranma awake, mostly to get him out of the nightmare.

He wouldn't budge.

She hated to do it, but it was the only way. She pulled up all her energy and ripped through the dream bubble in his sleep consciousness.

The Akane-dog looked up, dropping Ranma's heart. "Ranko, I presume? So, you are the one who has taken my Ranma's affections!"

"No, I think not," she pulled a katana from her bracelet. (The only real advantage to being in dreams, the neat tricks one can pull.)

"Ko-chan!" Ranma yelled.

Ranma remained silent, reaching for what was left of his heart.

Akane-dog made a run toward Ranko, who had made a leap straight up in the air. She landed delicately on the shoulders of the creature.

"Isn't nice to go around as my friend Akane-chan, monster."

"I AM Akane!" it bellowed, grabbing at the redhead's ankles. Ranko twisted her arms, sending the katana down into the neck of the creature.

"No, you aren't. The real Akane wouldn't hurt Ranma like this," the redhead took the moment of distraction to flip over, landing lightly on her feet. "The real Akane loves him, despite her childish temper."

The monster that pretended to be Akane Tendo writhed and howled in pain, trying to pull the katana out of its back, gushing blood into a puddle surrounding it.

She turned to her host, and picked up his heart, settling it back into his chest. He looked up at her, touching her cheek.

"That was Akane ... " he stated.

"No, it wasn't," Ranko replied softly, holding his hand to her face, wishing it were real. "That was not the real Akane-chan. That creature has completely died, it no longer exists. Now, my love, you must wake up, for she's sitting by your mat, wanting to talk with you, I believe."

"Why?" he asked, taking her face in his hands.

"I do not know, but you need to give her a chance, my love. Do not turn her away or act gruff. Be ... gentle with her."

"I don't know how to do that."

"Yes, you do. You found enough love to be so with me, now find enough love to be so with her. You do want to marry her someday, and both of you are too passionate to have a cool relationship."

He closed his eyes, fading from the dreamscape.

"I'll try, Ko-chan ... I'll try ... "

She watched him vanish and she whispered, "That's all I ask."

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter Four

Ranma stirred from his sleep, placing his hands over his eyes. Akane watched, holding her breath. She could have *sworn* she heard him murmur "Ko- chan" in his sleep.

"Ranma, wake up!" she whispered fiercely.

"*groan* 'Nother ten minutes ... "

"Wake *up*!" she hissed, whacking the center of his chest.

He gasped, sitting straight up, making sure the Akane-dog was gone. He stretched and yawned, asking, "What'cha doin' waking people out of sound sleep?"

Ranma groped for the lamp beside his mat, but his hand landed on something soft and wet. He sharply inhaled. So did Akane, for his hand was on her thigh.

"Akane ... " he gulped.

"I - I forgot to ... " she stuttered, wishing she could dig up a hole and pull it in after her. Yet, she couldn't deny the powerful feeling that filled up her body when he touched her. It was similar to excitement, but deeper, rounder, even fuller.

Ranma pulled his hand quickly away and pulled the sheet from around him to drape over her. Ranma was at a loss, since he never actually ... touched her ...

He blushed deeper than she did.

In the dim light, from the street lamp, Ranma tried to not watch her wrap the sheet around herself. The words came out before he could catch them.

"You look nice like that."

Akane stopped, and for a heartbeat, she savored the compliment. It was all she wanted to hear.

Then Akane Tendo, Heir of the Anything Goes Dojo interrupted, and retorted, "Fine thing to say to a girl who wants to just talk to you."

Ranma gulped and proceeding to pound his head with meaty thunks against the wall.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nabiki heard the pounding in her room. Pounding sound ... middle of the night ... Ranma's room. she thought. She snatched up her camera and headed in the direction of (what she was sure was) a quick profit. After all, Ranma caught in an ... intensely personal act would sell big to certain parties.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Stop that, you look stupid," Akane said. She placed her hand between the wall and Ranma's forehead, and he rested, feeling her cool palm against his blushed skin.

"I'm sorry," he finally blurted.

"Uh-huh," she nodded, then whispered, "Me, too."

He looked up at her in the dim light, her eyes trailing tears. He reached up and wiped them with his thumb, like he tried to so many times with Ranko. This time, he succeeded, and the saline clung to his own flesh.

"What do you mean?"

"Ranma, I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for hitting you, I'm sorry for beating you, I'm sorry for insulting you -"

"Are you really Akane?" he asked.

The tears were streaming harder now, and she placed her hands on his broad shoulders.

"I don't blame you for hating me. I'm mean and selfish and petty and fat and ugly and -" her sobs became louder " - and I'm not feminine enough for you!"

Ranma did the only thing that came to him - he grabbed Akane against him and held her tightly, rocking her gently.

He was even more surprised that he was holding her.

Akane cried into his shirt, sobbing out every doubt that had plagued her, every hurt that had seeded and grown in her breast. The blankets of pain, anger, pride being pulled away. She saw her own heart for the first time, naked in her rain of tears, and she knew she had to say it.

"Ranma, I - I - lov-"

Nabiki was expecting to catch Ranma doing something embarrassing, after hearing the pounding earlier. Even she was surprised by what she saw ...

Ranma and Akane on his sleep-mat, she only wearing a damp sheet and they were holding each other ...

"Not good," Nabiki said, raising her camera.

The sound of a voice woke Genma, who glanced over and saw Ranma and Akane.

Akane looked up at her sister, at Genma-baka, and she felt a familiar emotion ... rage.

She had finally found it in herself to open up, to finally tell Ranma what she felt, and someone barges in to *RUIN* it!!

Just like every other time!

NOT THIS TIME!!

Genma had gotten up and was dancing around with victory fans. "Oh joy! Oh happy day! I'll wake up Soun and we'll - ACK!!"

Akane dragged the idiot to her face by his throat. "No you won't. You won't do a thing. You won't say a thing. You'll shut your hole and go away and not wake anyone, because if you do I'll kill you. Got it?!?"

Genma, ever living up to the example of his spiritual totem, the Cowardly Lion, nodded meekly. The trip out the window allowed him to realize that the dojo might be a good place to sleep tonight.

Akane turned to Nabiki. "Go away. No photos. No comments. No interruptions. You will go away and forget everything. Understand?!?"

Nabiki looked nervous, but quickly recovered. "I'll need some sort of compensation-" (Ranma and Akane in theUltimate Compromising Situation! There was cash to be had!)

"Keep quiet and you'll stay out of the hospital," Akane snarled. Behind her, Ranma shuddered, reminded of the dog-thing in his dream.

"Eep!" Nabiki exclaimed. It was so amusing when that glare was on Ranma, but when it was on her, it was terrifying.

"Good," Akane said. She shoved her sister back and shut the door.

Akane breathed deeply, trying to get some sort of equilibrium. She had been on a roller-coaster of emotions recently, and she was still disoriented.

Ranma, meanwhile, couldn't help but notice that Akane had dropped her sheet, and she was upset. Even though he wasn't a good math student, the equation wrote itself:

Angry Akane + Ranma + Locked Room - Akane's Clothes = Closed-Casket Service.

Akane turned around, to find Ranma cringing in a corner, his arms over his head defensively, whimpering "I didn't look! I didn't look!" in tones of utter terror.

"Ranma no baka," she commented roughly, picking up the sheet from the floor and wrapping it around herself again. Her own sister and his father of all people, interrupting them! She looked down at his still cowering figure.

"Stand up, Ranma," she said in a softer tone, which passed off as still a little too rough.

He did so, keeping his eyes to the ground.

she realized. The thought ripped at her heart.

"P-please look at me... Ra-ranma-sama... "

He breathed sharply, and looked up at her.

"What did you call me?"

Akane looked into his face, meeting his blue eyes with her olive ones. "I called you 'Ranma-sama'." She looked frightened. "You don't mind, do you?"

Ranma remained silent. His suspicions had grown since that afternoon, when he lost those hours when Ranko walked around in his body. Her story didn't sit right with him, and he wondered off and on the entire evening. Perhaps Akane knows, perhaps Ranko told her something, perhaps she let something slip ...

"No, I don't mind."

Akane studied him, letting her eyes caress his round cheeks, down to his well-muscled arms and solid body. She found it actually calming to do so, and she let her anger drain from her, feeling her battle aura cool off.

"I'm sorry for everything. I was ... immature and frightened," she murmured, sniffing. "Gods, this is so hard to say."

He locked eyes with her at last, and he felt that odd tug in him again. His heart skipping two beats, telling him ... telling him what? He listened for Ranko's soul to guide him, begging for her help. She only chuckled.

Ranma smiled gently. "Forgiven as always, Akane. Thanks for apologizing. That's all I wanted."

"But I'm not making myself clear."

Akane softly stepped over to him, and stood him face to face. Her eyes were red and swollen with all her crying and her skin was mostly dry now. Her hair stuck out crazily about her head, a halo of blue-black that surrounded her exhausted face. He reached up to touch her cheek, and bit his lip, trembling in the flood of emotion pouring through him.

He loved Ranko ... as friend, sister, mother.

He loved Akane, as his fiancee ... and lover.

For the first time, he knew what that meant.

"Ranma-sama?" she reached up, holding his large hand against her cheek to quiet the trembling. She trembled, too, his touch making her stomach clench in excitement.

"Akane-chan... " he breathed, seeking her eyes for permission, finding her willing.

He leaned over and lightly touched his lips to hers.

Akane gasped, feeling his warm mouth against her lips, and she closed her eyes, relishing his kiss. She moved to wrap her arms around his neck, melting into his body, moaning softly.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nabiki punched at the pillow under her head, unable to sleep. Her sister had not come out of the Saotome's room yet and there was no sound of death and destruction. Perhaps Ranma was actually being reasonable, they were actually talking about everything. Maybe he was confessing about Ranko, and Akane was too depressed to fight about it.

Nabiki knew that if they married, it'd be hell on Earth. Akane loved Ranma, Ranma loved Ranko, Ranko loved Ranma, Ranma and Ranko cannot have each other. Ranko wants Ranma, even though Ranma can't have Ranko, and he is saving himself for marriage. So, he marries Akane, gives himself to her, but loves Ranko anyway.

She finally gave up trying to figure it out. She had the biggest chance imaginable to make a hefty sum of yen, and Akane spoiled it for her. Well, she *was* scary. Even Pantyhose on his worst day wasn't as scary.

"Ranma," she whispered into her pillow. "This is all your fault."

* * * * * * * * * *

Ranma woke the next morning, feeling Akane's body against his. They had talked all night, holding each other tightly. They talked about how they felt all that time, of how they loved each other in secret, of how they had let pride and persona dictate their lives to the point in which they almost believed the lies they told themselves and others.

They did not take advantage of the situation. The emotions from simply holding each other were heady enough, causing each to break into tears at times, the feelings more intense than they ever experienced in their lives. They wiped the other's tears, softly comforting the other.

To Ranma, it was pure heaven. He had needed it so long, all his life. Everything that he knew he should feel if Ranko could hold him, he felt by Akane's hands. Yet ... this was different. This was ... even more intense.

He wrapped his arm around his Akane-chan's waist, hugging her to him.

*His* Akane-chan! He admitted it, fully and completely. He loved her, he needed her, he'd die without her. All the other fiancees didn't matter, they could all be part of the Old Pervert's harem.

Only him and his Akane-chan ...

Akane-chan?

He thought about it. Last night, before he woke up. His nightmare, when Ranko came in ... 'Isn't nice to go around as my friend Akane-chan, monster.' she had said.

Friend? Akane-chan? Nani?!

"Akane-sama, wake up."

She giggled softly in her sleep, turning over and laying against his chest.

Ranma smiled gently, taken by this simple act. "Akane-chan, wake up ... darling."

She cracked her eyes open, trying to focus on him. She yawned and murmured, "I like waking up to your face ... pretty ... "

"I like waking up to your face, too," he suppressed the wiseass comment that would have normally followed by reflex. "It's beautiful. But I have to ask you something."

"Hmm? *yawn* What is it?" her eyes opened a little wider.

"What happened after I left when you turned me into my girl form?"

Akane remained silent, then hesitantly replied, "I went to ... the girls room and ... "

Ranma raised his eyebrow, "Funny. A red-headed girl told me you carried out your punishment."

He watched Akane's eyes grow a little wider, then she set her mouth. "And do you remember everything that happened after you asked me why I splashed you?"

"Complete honesty, Akane-chan, I don't know. By now you know Ko-chan only tells me as much as she thinks I should know."

Akane looked down, caught red-handed in conspiracy.

"She didn't want me to let you know ... "

"I know," he smiled nervously. "She's like an older sister - what I think an older sister is like, anyhow. Always protecting me from my own silliness."

"I thought you were actually in love with her ... she spoke of you so affectionately, and you weren't searching for a cure to the Curse ... "

He closed his eyes.

"I thought I was in love with her," he sighed. "I wanted someone to love me, and she did, so I loved her. Yet ... her love isn't what I want from my fiancee, the woman I'll marry," he picked her chin up with his finger, their eyes meeting. "*Your* love, Akane-chan, is what I want."

She smiled, hugging him. "That's good. I don't want to fight with her for your affections. I just want to take you away from the rest of the world, and no one will ever bother us. Just you and me, Ranma-sama."

"I like that," he chuckled. "I also like you saying 'Ranma-sama' better, much prettier."

She blushed, and finally realized she was still in the sheet and in Ranma's room. "Oh ... kuso! School, Nabiki, your father, the other fiancees ... "

Ranma laughed.

"Don't worry, Akane-chan. Things will work out."

"Why do you say that?"

"That's what Ranko always tells me."

He pulled her head to his and kissed her.

It was still magical, just like the first time, morning breath and all.

At last, their lips separated, and their eyes met.

"Ranma-sama, I love you."

His breath caught, and tears began streaming down his face. Akane wiped them away with her fingers, and he smiled.

"I love you, Akane-sama."

Her breath caught, and she felt her heart skip two beats.

"I'm afraid."

"So am I."

"What do we do now?"

"I don't know."

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter Five

Ranma and Akane were almost late for school, narrowly avoiding the accusing looks of Nabiki and Genma's shouts of promising to work the boy extra- hard that afternoon for missing the Sunrise Surprise Attack (being that it happens every morning, the 'surprise' part has lost its meaning, but that didn't faze Genma in the least).

They ran through the streets of Nerima, hand in hand, racing each other toward the school, giggling in their euphoria.

"Nani?!" Susuke exclaimed, nearly falling off the roof he occupied, spying for his master.

He picked himself up out of the rain barrel, spitting a frog out of his mouth that had been taking a morning swim. He watched as the obviously-in-love forms of the Saotome boy and Tendo girl run off in the distance.

"Oh, not good. The Master is going to not like this at all."

Susuke attempted to climb out, but the giant panda stood over him, barking ferociously at him. Finally, the panda whipped out a sign that said , then smashed the sign down on top of the ninja. said the next sign, which also smashed into Sasuke's head.

The panda left, and Susuke lay in the barrel in a daze with his head through the sign. The frog hopped back on him, staring him eye to eye.

"Ribbit," the frog commented.

* * * * * * * * * *

Akane and Ranma halted at the gates of Furnikan High, and she turned to him.

"What do we do now?" she asked. "Everyone will figure out we're ... we're in love, and then Kuno will -"

"'Make the vengeance of the Blue Thunder upon the head of the vile Saotome'," Ranma finished, brushing his fingers across her bangs. "The fiancees are going to find out as well, and your admirers won't like it either."

"And if anyone asks Nabiki, she'll ask for payment and then tell."

Ranma nodded, setting his jaw. "We'll just have to accept the fact that a lot of people won't like it." He hugged her to him quickly. "And if anyone hurts you, I swear, I'll kill them."

She smiled, kissing his cheek. "And I'll kill to protect you."

Ranko commented, unheard inside Ranma's head.

Ranma made a mental note to speak to Ko-chan some time today.

* * * * * * * * * *

The actions of the two lovers went unnoticed, as the classes were concentrating on the development of a typhoon in the Sea of Japan, reported on the classroom radio. The weather forecasters said it would possibly hit Tokyo in about thirty-six hours. Wind speeds up to fifteen meters per second, possibly even higher if the typhoon gained more strength before it hit Nerima.

The students were too busy worrying about typhoon preparation to notice Ranma and Akane passing notes in class. Hiroshi was the poor messenger between them, and he wondered how they could remain so calm during a silent argument. After all, this was Ranma and Akane - what else could be written on those scraps of paper?

Hiroshi would have been sick if he knew what those notes held.

* * * * * * * * * *

"It isn't fair, not really," he said.

She turned around at the sound of the man's voice. "Oh, my," she said, then bowed low. "Greetings, O- Kuni-Nushi-san. May I be of assistance?"

"I was thinking, Benzaiten-san, that I could be of help to you."

The Goddess of Happiness Caused By Love looked quizzically at the God of Medicine and Sorcery. "In what, if I may ask?"

"These," he said, gesturing at the hero Ranma and the girl-child Akane. These souls burnt with the golden fire of love, intensely enough that living things in their vicinity healed at an accelerated rate.

"You fulfilled your mission as set by Kami-Sama - to bring happiness to the world through love. These two know happiness, and can bring happiness to their families and friends."

"Thank you," she answered simply, blushing. She seldom got acknowledged for her works. Indeed, there were few shrines to her in the Mortal Realms, since most mortals only thought of her as one of the Seven Lucky Gods.

"But what of this one?" he said, pointing. "What of her pain?"

"Who?" the Goddess asked.

"Look."

Benzaiten looke

... and, hidden in the glare of Ranma Saotome's soul, was another soul of equal intensity.

Benzaiten gasped.

O-Kuni-Nushi nodded. "You had used this one to bring the other two together. What of her needs?"

Benzaiten gazed at the female soul, tinged with the deep blue of grief, streaked with the red of pain and loss. "I didn't know ... I thought she was a construct of Ranma's mind and curse ... "

"Instead, she is a real person, with a karma of her own," the God said. "A soul that is in pain. A pain that will taint and corrupt the love that has blossomed, turning it from a thing of beauty into something foul."

"Yes, you're right. But - how?"

"I have an idea," the God held out his hand. "With your help, perhaps?"

Benzaiten blushed and nodded. The Master of the Land and Patron of Heroes asking for *her* help!

"Now, this is what we need to do ..."

* * * * * * * * * *

Ranma had to do it.

He hated to. He didn't want to. Would she think that he betrayed her?

He kissed Akane good-bye that afternoon, telling her that he'd meet her in last period, that he had to talk to someone. She agreed, knowing that he had to talk with Ranko about this sudden development.

Ranma entered the tiny apartment, looking around at the simple furnishings. He created it as a place to get away from everyone, to have time to himself to think and ponder. This was where Ranko came to him, as he meditated on his image in the mirror in self-examination meditation. She appeared, sitting on her side of the mirror, announcing her presence by voice. She nearly scared him to death, thinking that she had come to battle him for dominance of the body they shared.

But, Ranko had only begged him to end her existance, which he couldn't find himself able to do. She knew him more than he knew himself, was able to love him for who he was, even gently tease about the implications of an intimate relationship between them. She was there to listen to his doubts, his fears, his needs. He loved her for being the most perfect woman on Earth.

He stood before the mirror, his image completely absent. He knew she was on her way by this. He smiled nervously as she appeared from the other "doorway" of the mirrored apartment.

"Well, Saotome," she smiled sweetly, her eyes red. "It looks like you've found true love at last."

He tried to wipe her eyes, seeing the tear trails down her pale cheeks. His fingertips only met the cold mirror. She wiped them herself with the back of her hand.

"I don't like seeing you crying," he replied softly. "It hurts me more than you think. You shouldn't be crying."

"Who said I was crying?" she asked, smiling sheepishly. "I didn't know it was so hard to let you go, ichunnohito."

"But you insisted I give Akane a chance," he swallowed the lump in his throat. "I did. I know I love her now." He blinked back the tears. "*We* know we love each other now."

"That's as it should be," she remarked, pressing her hands to the mirror in front of her, at his chest. "That is what the Gods, Higher Powers, what-have-you, have set. My work is done."

"Ko-chan, I still love you. I shouldn't, but I do."

"I love you as well. 'The more you love, the more you *can* love - and the more intensely you love.' Love is never limited, it is ever expanding. That is how you can love Akane-chan as your fiancee, how you can love me as your friend, and I can love you both enough to warrant your happiness before my own."

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I promised to find a way for you to get out, to always be with you. You're more than a friend, more than a sister, yet ... "

"I know, my Ranma-kun. I told you it would not work out, and we would not be happy."

Ranma leaned against the mirror, his cheek against her forehead. "It's not fair."

"Could be worse," she chuckled. "I could be the man-hunting Onna-Ranma and step out of the mirror to kidnap you."

"Ko-chan, given the chance, you would," he smiled gently.

"Hey!" she protested.

He chuckled back at her, and she smiled, releasing a small giggle.

"Yes, I probably would, but I'd return you to Akane once I got tired of you."

"How long would that be?" he took the bait.

"How long do you think you can last, Stamina-Boy? You'd be dead of exhaustion in a week - ten days, tops."

Both looked at each other for a silent moment, then erupted into a fit of laughter, leaning against their respective sides of the mirror, guffawing hysterically. They slid down, shoulder to shoulder, trying to control their laughter.

"Are you done yet?" Ranko demanded, trying to sound she were in control amid her own giggles.

"Nope," he replied, going off into a chortle.

They finally quieted down, sitting on the floor, their heads touching the other's through the glass.

"Well, a girl can still dream," she stated with perfect dignity.

Ranma chuckled to himself. "It'll take a hell of a man to deal with you, my Ko-chan."

She nodded.

He reached up to touch her cheek, tracing the outline he knew so well from his reflection, and from her own image.

"Will you be okay?"

She breathed deeply and nodded. "I am a Saotome - I'm so hard-headed, nothing can affect me."

"Liar."

"I know. Ranma, you do have my blessing to be with Akane. Your happiness together is all that matters. Give me time to let it sink in."

"I never wanted to hurt you, Ko-chan. You know that."

"Yes," she reached over to caress his cheek.

(Elsewhere, a God and Goddess nodded; all was ready. Now just a gentle nudge ... )

He closed his eyes, feeling the soft fingertips trace down his cheek and under his chin ...

"Nani?!" Ranko squealed, pulling her hand back.

Ranma snapped up, alert to the odd occurrence. He pressed his hands to the mirror, only feeling the glass.

"Ko-chan, what happened?"

Her jaw was still slack in disbelief. "I- I- I don't know!"

"Push your hand out," he said, standing up.

Ranko stood as well, hesitantly pressing her fingers to her side of the mirror. She gasped, feeling her fingertips slide through. The mirror felt like nothing more than a thick bubble of soap.

"I'll ... be ... damned!" Ranma stated in awe. He laced his fingers in hers, and pulled her toward him. Her hands were trembling.

"Ko-chan, walk through the mirror!"

She pushed her body forward, feeling the bubble- like shield move over her as she strained through, Ranma's strong hands pulling her ... birthing her into his world ...

With a final pull, she sprang out, landing on top of Ranma. He was giggling, shaking under her. She opened her eyes, looking into his blue eyes so much like her own.

"What the hell happened?" she asked, propping herself up.

"Who knows? Who cares?!" He sat up, hugging her. "Just once, the Gods or whatever decided to do something *for* us instead of dumping on us! This is wonderful!"

She hugged back, as she had longed to do for so long. He felt strong and warm and *alive*! "Now I'll be able to challenge Akane to single combat with you as the prize!"

Ranma jerked back and looked at her, wide-eyed.

"Joke! Kidding! A funny!" she added hastily.

Ranma exhaled. "Don't scare me like that!"

Ranko smiled, a brilliant and sunny smile.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Oh the happiness of brother and sister, finding each other!" Benzaiten sang. "Oh true love fulfilling itself! It is so perfect!"

She turned to the other deity. "O-Kuni-Nushi-san, if I may be so bold, why have we done this thing?"

"Liberating Ranko, you mean, instead of reincarnating her or just letting her Pass On?"

O-Kuni-Nushi looked away, toward another location ...

"Ranma is one of mine, in my role as Patron of Heroes. As is Ranko. And another one of those under my protection has need of Ranko."

"May one ask who?"

"You may. I won't tell you, but you may ask."

Benzaiten nodded. It was not the place of a Goddess so low in the hierarchy to question on so high-ranked a deity as O-Kuni-Nushi.

Instead, she watched with happiness as Ranma and Ranko laughed while dropping through the gymnasium ceiling and racing through the school, both anxious to share the news.

-End "Ranma's Secret"-

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