Muyami Academy
What if they ALL went to the same school?
Chapter three!!! More alternative history Ranma with multiple crossovers and lame, filky songfics that have nothing to do with the story! Hey, are we ever going to get to this stupid school, or what?
Much thanks to my prereaders T.H. Tiger and Bombadil Goh for helping to improve my tale.
DISCLAIMER: Ranma 1/2 characters and stuff, and Inu Yasha characters and stuff, copyright 1999 Rumiko Takehashi. Tenchi Muyou characters and stuff, copyright 1999 Pioneer & AIC. Mamono Hunter Yohko characters and stuff copyright 1999 AD Vision, NCS, Toho Company, LTD, Mad House, and I don't know whom else. Macbeth copyright... um, nobody I guess... and only appears in the disclaimer and that nifty quote just below the title.
Chapter Three
Awakenings and Revelations
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes:
Open, locks, whoever knocks!
(Macbeth -- Shakespeare)
Say your prayers, little one,
Don't forget, my son,
Or you may be undone.
Sword of right, wings of light,
Use with all your might,
When the demon, she comes
Sleep with one eye open,
Gripping your namesake tight.
Exit light, Enter night,
Take my hand -- We're off to Tenchi Muyou land
(to tune of: Enter Sandman, Metallica)
The rusted hinges of the gate gave a loud shriek as Tenchi shoved his way in. Akane jumped, and Ranma gripped her makeshift club all the more tightly.
"Won't you get in trouble for this?" Akane asked.
"Maybe," Tenchi said, and headed in. Akane sighed, and she and Ranma followed.
The corridor descended into the cool dark, past lichen-covered walls. Water dripped from tiny stalactites in the ceiling and pooled on the floor. After only a short hike, they encountered a massive stalactite hanging from the ceiling, nearly blocking the path. It was covered with strange, half-familiar runes, and had spirit wards tied to it with rotting ropes.
They carefully made their way around it, only to find the end of the corridor: a small room, with no apparent exits.
They peered into the gloom. "You didn't bring a flashlight, did you?" Ranma asked.
"No," Tenchi said. "We're not that far in. Our eyes should adjust."
It was true: the longer they stood there, the more they could see. After several moments, Tenchi stepped forward. "Hey, check it out," he said.
Stepping carefully, the other two followed him to one side of the room, where a small wooden shrine, like a doll's house, sat on a rock at about waist height. Nearby was a round rock of about two feet high, like a gravestone marker, with more runic writing on the sides, and a rectangular spirit ward pasted to it.
The only other things visible in the cavern were some old vines lying on the floor.
Tenchi opened the door to the small shrine and peered inside. "Ah," he said. "There's a sword inside. THE sword, I guess."
"We should probably leave it alone," Akane said.
Tenchi laughed. "Well, it is my ancestor's sword," he said. "But it can't really hurt to look...." He reached in and began to pull. After several moments, the sword -- scabbard and all -- came free.
Tenchi laughed and held it up. "Check it out!" he said. "The sword of Yosho, just like grandpa said!"
He grasped the scabbard and tried to pull the blade free. After a determined struggle, the sword came loose, and he held it up to the dim light.
The sword was brown and corroded. Tenchi frowned. "Ah, it's just a rusty old piece of junk," he said. "Give me a break! The sword that cuts through a rock?"
As if to demonstrate, he brought the sword down on the two-foot "grave marker" rock, shattering the rusty relic.
Moments later, the rock split cleanly down the middle, and fell into two halves.
There was a rumble like an earthquake, and the ground shook. The large rock in the ceiling descended to the floor like a steel door in a vault. Vines began to slither across the walls with a soft rustle and hiss.
"What's happening?" Tenchi asked, fear and confusion in his voice.
"I got no idea," Ranma replied.
"What do I do now?" Tenchi asked. "What do I do?" He paused a moment, but the room had grown quiet again.
"We should probably get out of here," Akane said.
"Man," Ranma said, "I sure wish Yohko were here."
"Who's Yohko?" Akane asked.
"One of my friends," Ranma said. "She's... well, a demon hunter."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm?" Tenchi said. "Hey, look! A passageway!"
The two girls saw that there was, in fact, a narrow opening in one of the walls where there'd been solid stone before. A faint light seeped from the passage.
"Where's the light coming from?" Ranma asked. Tenchi shrugged, and immediately tried to squeeze through the narrow opening.
"Tenchi," Akane said, "I don't think you should...."
"Ow that's cold," Tenchi said. He squeezed through to the other side. "Ow, my head... aaaaaaaigh!"
The two girls heard someone or something sliding down a slope. "Tenchi!" Ranma and Akane leapt to opening. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Tenchi called out, sounding as if he were about thirty feet away. From the dim light coming from where ever the passage led to, the girls could just make out the smooth walls of the sloped corridor Tenchi had slid down. The floor was carved with deep channels in a maze-like pattern.
"There's a slope just past the opening," Tenchi said.
"Yeah, we see it," Ranma replied. "Can you climb back up?"
"I think so," Tenchi said. "It's wet. Give me just a... oh, the sword... aaaaaaigh!"
They heard Tenchi sliding again. After a moment, from a long distance away, they could hear an "Ow!"
"Tenchi?" Ranma called out.
"We'd better go back for help," Akane said.
"Nah," Ranma said. "Grab those vines on the floor and find something to tie them to. I'm going down."
"I'm okay!" Tenchi's faint voice called out. "Wow, you guys should see what's down here!"
Ranma tossed a vine to Akane, who began to tie it around a rock outcropping.
"There's like a maze pattern on the floor... and water, and a glowing pool in the center. A giant glowing light!"
"That idiot," Ranma muttered. "Hurry, Akane!"
"I am hurrying!"
"Hey!" Tenchi called out, "there really is a demon down here!"
"You cousin's an idiot, you know that?" Ranma asked.
"This, coming from someone who chose to visit a cursed training ground?"
"Hey!"
Akane tied off the vine. "Okay, Ranma, go!"
Gripping the vine tightly, Ranma squeezed through the opening, ripping her dress in the process. She half-climbed, half-slid down the slope on the far side. A few moments later she was at the bottom, which opened into a round room.
The floor was smooth and carved with maze-like channels as the passageway had been. Dark purple rock ringed the room on all sides. In the center was a pool of water, with glowing light emanating from it. There were also small balls of light, like will-o-wisps, floating about the chamber.
Tenchi was at the edge of the pool. A withered, bony demon had him by the wrist, and was placing its other hand on the boy's face. For a moment, Ranma stared in shock
It wore a blood-red mask that covered its face, with a strange character written on the forehead. Long while hair flowed down over shoulders that were little more than gray skin stretched over bone. It's ribs were quite visible, as were all it's bones, for it was barely more than a skeleton. But they eyes behind the mask glowed a dark red.
"Let him go, you demon freak!" Ranma yelled. She ran forward and jumped, delivering a flying kick to the demon's upper torso that separated it from Tenchi.
At the same moment, there was a brilliant flash of light, temporarily blinding them, and both Ranma and Tenchi were knocked back, away from the pool. Ranma's whole body was left tingling from the energy discharge. She thought it had come from the sword hilt in Tenchi's hand, and half expected something like Yohko's soulsword to appear, but the sword was inert.
The demon stumbled back several steps, then moved forward again, seeming to float rather than walk. Ranma jumped up and swung her wooden club, connecting solidly with the demon's skull. It staggered. It's movements were slow, but whether that was normal or just the effects of having only just awakened, Ranma didn't know, nor did she wait to find out. She delivering a roundhouse kick to the demon's head and another kick to the chest, and it fell back into the pool.
"Come on!" Tenchi yelled, grabbing Ranma's arm. "Let's get out of here!"
The two scrambled up the strange, sloped passageway as quickly as they could. But as they fled, Ranma was almost certain she heard the demon yelling something.
It sounded like: "Hey! That hurt! Now I'm really mad!"
They reached the top of the passageway and squeezed through to the shrine room.
"What is it?" Akane yelled. "What's down there?"
"A demon!" Tenchi said. "What'll we do? What'll we do?"
"How'm I supposed to know?" Akane replied.
"The rock!" Ranma said. "It had a seal on it! Everything started to happen when you cut it in two!"
"Right!" Tenchi said. "Help me put it back together!"
"What good will that do?" Akane asked, as they lined up the two sides. Tenchi began wrapping the dark green vines around the stone marker.
"I have no idea!" he said. "Have you got a better suggestion?"
As he tied off the vines, there was a low rumble, and the passageway slid shut. The large rock with the spirit wards moved up into the ceiling again.
Tenchi leaned against the wall with a sigh.
"Mom's gonna kill me," Ranma said. "My new dress is ruined…."
"I'm giving those keys back to grandpa and doing all the chores he asks!" Tenchi exclaimed. He looked up again at the pale faces of the two girls. "Thanks, Ranma, Akane. Um... don't tell anybody we've been here, okay?"
The other two nodded solemnly.
"Still," Ranma said, "that... thing... it didn't seem like a real demon...."
"Oh, and I suppose you've met real demons before?" Akane asked.
"Whatever it was," Tenchi said, "it sure wasn't human! I know I'm going to be having nightmares... by the way, Ranma, thanks. You kind of saved me down there... that was really brave."
Ranma shrugged, and said, "You would've been fine without me...."
***
The trio sneaked into Tenchi's room without being seen. Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, that was an adventure," he said. "Dinner will be ready in an hour or so. I could use a bath, how about you two?"
Akane and Ranma grinned. "Man," Ranma said, "you don't know how long I've been looking forward to a hot bath. I think my back can finally take it, too."
"Something wrong?" Tenchi asked.
"Just a sunburn," Ranma said. "A really bad one, actually, but it stopped peeling days ago and it's almost done healing."
Ranma paused, and glanced back down at her ruined dress. "Man, if only the dress would heal itself too. Mom's gonna kill me."
"I can wash that," Tenchi said. "Maybe we could sew up the tears... oh, who am I kidding? Look, we'll just say we were out hiking and you fell down a hill, okay?"
"Sounds good," Ranma said.
"Okay then," Tenchi said, "why don't you two take your bath first, and I'll wait 'til you're done."
Ranma looked from Akane to Tenchi and back again.
"I'm not so sure..." Ranma began.
"Oh," Tenchi said. "I forgot about your, um, curse...." He scratched his head nervously. "Oh well, we can each take our baths separately, but we'll have to hurry."
"Oh, for the love of..." Akane began, then sighed and stood. "Ranma," she said, her voice betraying a hint of anger, "even if I believe your story, you're still a girl now, right? There's nothing wrong with two girls bathing together; you have to accept that. When you're at school, you won't be able to avoid dressing and undressing with other girls."
"Well..." Ranma said, and trailed off. "If it's okay with you... I mean, I've gone swimming with Kagome and Yohko, but they don't know about me...."
"It's fine, Ranma. Really."
***
Akane stripped, without a second glance at Ranma. She sat on a stool and began to wash. It was clear that she did not believe that Ranma was different from any other girl her age.
Looking away, Ranma got undressed.
"So, Tenchi's okay for a guy, huh?" Ranma asked. "Seems a bit reckless to me."
"Did you really see a demon?" Akane asked, "or are you two just trying to scare me?"
Ranma paused, still facing away from Akane. "Come on, Akane," she said. "I wouldn't lie to you."
"Well," Akane said thoughtfully, "you two were white as ghosts." Then, with a smirk, she added, "And I don't think you're that good an actor."
"Thanks a lot."
"Still," Akane said, rinsing off, "I've never believed in the existence of demons. It's like believing in a fairy tale."
"Or curses, either?" Ranma asked. As she sat down to wash, she caught Akane's blush from the corner of her eye.
"Ranma," Akane said, "I... I want to believe you, but really...."
"Trust me," Ranma said, "demons really exist. I've fought one. Remember that my friend Yohko's a demon hunter. She's fought a lot of demons, I guess."
Akane nodded. "It's just... I mean, the thought of demons scares me, but... I've never seen one. Even today." She got up and slipped into the bath. Steam was rising from the water, clouding the room. Ranma finished rinsing off, and stood.
"That water looks awfully hot," she said.
"Yeah," Akane said, "but it feels wonderful! Don't wait for it to cool."
"Okay."
As Ranma approached the tub, Akane looked at her.
"Ranma," Akane said, "whether you're really cursed or not, you have to face reality. Admit it: you're a girl. I certainly wouldn't share my bath with you if I thought you were anything else."
"Yeah," Ranma said, stepping into the bath, "I... I guess you're right...."
***
"Ah, here we go," Katsuhito Masaki said. He was sitting in his study, with Nodoka and Soun seated on the other side of the desk, cups of tea cradled in their hands. He had a stack of books before him, with a very large one opened in his lap.
"Let's see...," he said, adjusting his glasses. "No mention of an actual cure, but... here's something, at least. Cold water triggers the curse, but hot water reverses it." He glanced up with a smile. "That seems simple enough," he said.
"Hot water?" Nodoka replied, stunned.
"That's what it says. Do you mean to say that, in nearly a month, neither Ranma nor your husband has touched hot water?"
"Well, I..." Nodoka began.
A blood-curdling scream shook the house, piercing everyone's ears. It seemed to have come from the bathroom.
"What the..." Soun began, when the scream was followed by a high-decibel shout.
"You... you... get out!"
"Akane?" Soun asked. There was a loud smack, and the sound of something slamming into one of the walls.
The elder Masaki smiled. "It sounds like Ranma is in hot water," he said, "in more ways than one. Shall we investigate?"
***
Everyone gathered in the Masaki family room. Ranma sat in the center of the couch, with a bruise on his head, wearing some clothing borrowed from Tenchi. Everyone was staring at him. His mother sat near him, while Ranma stared at the floor in embarrassment.
"My, my," Nabiki said. "Who would have thought?"
"Wow," Tenchi said, "so you really are a guy."
"Of course I am!" Ranma replied. He was, wasn't he? Doubt crept into his mind.
Akane was on the far side of the room, concerned yet still upset. What did she have to be angry about? She'd seemed like such a nice girl at first, and then... suddenly, she was more violent than ten John Woo films.
"I'm surprised that you didn't discover this sooner," grandfather Masaki said. "It's really quite a simple trigger...."
He tossed a glass of water at Ranma.
"Hey!" Ranma yelled, "what didja do that for?"
The grandfather looked at the still-male Ranma. "Hmm," he said, "it would seem that more than a little water is required." He lifted a pitcher of water from the table and poured it over Ranma's head.
"You're ruining the couch, you know," Tenchi's father said. "I paid good money for that."
"Hey!" Ranma exclaimed again. "What's the big idea...."
Ranma paused, and glanced down at herself, confirming the obvious: she was a girl again.
"Ah," the elder Masaki said, rubbing his chin. "That did the trick. It's just as the legends say: cold water triggers the curse, while hot water reverses it."
Kasumi handed him a kettle of steaming water, which he upended on Ranma's head. Everyone watched the red-haired girl transform back into the black-haired boy.
"So all it takes is hot water?" Ranma asked.
The elder Masaki nodded. "Steaming water seems best," he said. "Lukewarm water may not trigger the change. It also clearly takes more than a little water, so simply getting splashed, or getting your hands wet, would not be enough."
"Oh, my son!" Nodoka said, wrapping him in a tight embrace. "I'm so glad to finally have you back!"
"Mom," Ranma protested, "I've been here for a week."
Nodoka pulled back and looked Ranma in the eyes. "You know what I mean, son," she said. "You came back, but you weren't quite yourself. I have not seen my son until this very moment." She hugged him tightly again, and said, "I'm so happy for you, Ranma, that the curse is not permanent...."
Ranma was confused, and was getting very mixed signals from his mother. She sounded so relieved, and yet... did Ranma hear what he thought he heard? Did he hear, in his mother's voice, just a little regret?
Would things change, now that Ranma was once again his father's son, rather than her mother's daughter?
Ranma didn't have long to wait for an answer. A large hand clamped down on Ranma's shoulder, and Ranma turned to see Mr. Tendo towering over him. Tears of joy were streaming down the man's face.
"Oh, son, I'm so happy for you!" Soun said. "Your problem is so much simpler now, Ranma!"
"I... guess," Ranma managed.
Grabbing the other shoulder, Soun turned Ranma to face his three daughters. "You know Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi by now, Ranma," he said, "so the choice should be easy. Which one do you want?"
"Which... do I want?" Ranma asked, clearly confused.
"Yes," Soun said. "Choose one, and she shall be the one you marry."
"M-m-marry?" Ranma squeaked out. "What are you talking about, Tendo-san?"
Nodoka took Ranma's hand. "Son," she said, "it was decided years ago that our two households would be united by marriage. I didn't mention it before because we thought you would have to remain a girl, but now, with the secret of the curse revealed... well, your father would have told you about this sooner than later. Best to deal with it now."
"Marriage?" Ranma said. "But I don't want...."
"It's a matter of honor, Ranma," Nodoka said severely. "Do not argue with me on this." She glanced up to Soun and said, "Tendo-san, perhaps now is not the best time...."
"Nonsense!" Soun Tendo exclaimed. "I've waited years for this moment, Nodoka-san; I will not wait a moment longer!"
"This is pathetic," Ranma said. "I can't be worrying about a fiancée now!" He glanced over at Tenchi. "Let Tenchi marry one of them. He seems like a nice guy...."
"Ranma," Soun growled. "This is an agreement between your father and I...."
"And? Don't I get a say in this?"
"Of course you do," Soun replied with a smile. "You get to choose. Now."
Frowning, Ranma turned back to face the three girls.
"Dad, you can't be serious," Akane said. "Ranma's a... Ranma's not a...."
While Akane sputtered, Kasumi came to a quick decision. "Akane would seem the best choice," she said with a smile.
Nabiki, never slow on the uptake, chimed in, "I couldn't agree more."
"Now wait a second!" Akane growled. "Why would I be...?"
"Because you hate boys, remember?" Kasumi said. "Well, you're in luck. Ranma is half girl."
"I don't want to marry a... a girl!"
"Girl?" Ranma said. "Do I look like a girl to you?"
Akane turned to glare at Ranma. "You told me you were a girl, in the bathroom! Can't you make up your mind?"
"But I...."
"No way!" Akane jumped up, and her eyes swept the room. "I can't believe all of you! Ranma was wearing a dress not an hour ago! She had a body better... a body as feminine as mine! Now you want me to marry her, just because she's a boy part of the time? What kind of sick father would do that to his daughter? Don't I have enough problems at school, or do you really want to make them worse? Well, you can forget it -- I'm having none of it, and that's final!"
Akane stormed out of the room. Soun looked frantically at his two remaining daughters. "Kasumi? Nabiki?"
"I'm sure Akane didn't mean that, father," Kasumi said.
Nabiki crossed her arms. "I already said no, daddy, and I meant it. It's Akane, or nothing."
Soun burst into tears. Ranma took one look, and said, "Oh, man, I'm outta here!" He swung over the back of the couch and disappeared out the door.
"Oh, dear," Kasumi said. "I hope they come back. Dinner's almost ready...."
Nodoka glared at Soun. "Next time, Tendo-san," she said icily, "perhaps, when I make a suggestion, you will listen."
***
Kasumi closed the door behind her. Tenchi was waiting in the hallway outside of the room, a worried look on his face.
"Is Akane all right?" he asked, although he could see the answer in Kasumi's face, and hear it in the soft sounds of sobbing coming from the room.
Kasumi looked as sad as Tenchi had ever seen her.
"Father won't change his mind," she said. "Not in this. Akane is as stubborn as the ocean is deep, and father has always backed down before, but this is different. Father wants so much for a male student of the school to inherit the dojo, and Genma is his closest friend. He'll die before changing his mind."
She stared out the nearby window.
"I'm... I'm sure Akane will accept this... eventually," she said.
"Would you?" Tenchi asked.
Kasumi smiled ruefully. "That's not a hypothetical question, Tenchi. If Akane can't go through with the engagement, then I will have to. It means the future of the dojo, and the school of Anything Goes martial arts, so I won't have a choice."
"It just doesn't seem right," Tenchi said. "To force them together when... I mean, Akane's right. Ranma says he's a guy, but he wasn't a guy when he showed up here. He... she... seemed like a girl to me. I mean, even when I knew... I though of her as a girl, and now...." His voice trailed off, and he scratched the back of his head. "I guess that sounds funny, since I've only known her -- him -- a few hours."
Kasumi placed a hand on Tenchi's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Tenchi," she said, "I know how confusing it is. Akane's just as confused as you are, if not moreso. Ranma must be the most confused of all. Nodoka-san is right; it's not wise to rush the engagement. They both need time to adjust, but I'm afraid they won't get it.
"As for Ranma... I'm sure he's still the same person inside, Tenchi, regardless of what body he has. Don't abandon him. Ranma's had few friends, and he can't afford to lose any."
"Don't worry, Kasumi, I won't," Tenchi said. "I don't have that many friends, either."
***
That evening, Ranma found his mom in one of the guest rooms of the Masaki house, where she was to spend the night. She was sitting on the bed, in the dark, with just the moonlight from the window behind her to illuminate anything.
In her lap she held the dress Ranma had worn earlier that day. For a moment, Ranma expected a lecture on that -- the dress was brand new, and practically ruined. Then he realized that it really didn't matter now, anyway.
Nodoka was slowly stroking the dress with her hand. Her face was hidden in shadow. Ranma stood in the doorway, not quite sure of what to say.
After the moment had stretched into several minutes, Ranma said, hoarsely, "Mom?"
"Yes, son?"
"When... when you were carrying me... did you want a son, or a daughter?"
There was a long pause before Nodoka spoke.
"I was very happy to have a son," she said. "It's what your father always wanted."
Ranma did not miss the phrasing of her answer. Bound by tradition, Nodoka recognized what was, and what her husband desired, and would never admit to desiring something different. Ranma felt the weight of tradition and honor upon his own shoulders as well, and yet....
"I was thinking," he said, cautiously, "if we don't find a true cure, then... I mean, I'm your son, of course, but sometimes... if you like... I could also be your daughter...."
Nodoka looked up. Her face was still shadowed, expression unreadable.
"Ranma, don't be ridiculous. You are my son, not my daughter." She looked back down, at the dress in her lap. "It was different when we thought that the transformation was permanent, but now... it would not be proper to have my son dressing and acting like a girl, nor would it be fair to you. You can't become a man if you're acting like a woman part of the time. I want your life to be as normal as possible, Ranma, and there's your engagement to consider. Akane deserves a husband who is as much of a man as possible, given the circumstances."
Nodoka's words were firm, but Ranma thought he saw a subtle slump in her shoulders. As she sat there, still unconsciously stroking the stained and tattered dress, Ranma sensed great sorrow and loss. Was she crying? If so, the shadows hid it well.
His mother had been so happy the last two weeks. When she gazed upon her daughter, when she talked of what it meant to be a woman, there had been a love and a bonding unlike anything Ranma had ever experienced. Now that he was her son, would he ever be as close to her again?
Ranma had thought it through. He was sure that, if he'd been born a girl, none of his current problems would exist. There would have been no extended "training missions", no ten-year gap in which Ranma lived without a mother, without a home, and without real friends. There would be no forced union with a girl he barely knew. Most of all, there would be no weird curses.
He was glad he wasn't a girl, he told himself. But why was being a guy so much more difficult? And his mother....
"I think," Ranma said quietly, "that you would have been happier with a daughter...."
"Ranma!" his mother said harshly, "I'll hear no more of this foolish talk! Is that understood?"
Ranma stood for a moment in silence, then left without another word.
***
Tenchi slipped past the door and down the hall. Akane was no longer crying, that he could hear, but all the same he descended to the family room as silently as possible.
Everyone was on edge this evening. Even grandfather had retreated to his shrine on the hill, something he always did when there was trouble at the house.
Downstairs, Tenchi heard another sound -- a familiar sound, coming from the back yard. Briefly he wondered who was out there, but he knew it wasn't grandfather or Akane, so that meant....
He slipped out the back door and padded across the lawn. Near the back of the yard, where the lawn bordered on the forest, there stood a post, about four feet high. His grandfather had set it up a couple of years ago, to help him train. The top was tightly wrapped with rope -- not because it hurt less than punching wood, but because the coarse fibers of the rope built up callouses more quickly.
Tenchi didn't use it much, as his training focused much more on swordplay. But someone, of about Tenchi's size, was pounding on it, hard. The sound of each punch took Tenchi back to his first days training with his grandfather.
"Ranma?" Tenchi asked. In the darkness, he really couldn't see the other's features, but it didn't take a genius to know who it was. "Are you feeling okay?"
Ranma continued to punch at the post, viscously. "Nothing you'd understand," he said tersely, between punches.
Tenchi stood silently as the boy landed blow after blow. Each time, the post shook. After several minutes, Tenchi's own hands began to ache, just from watching and listening.
*Geez,* Tenchi thought, *how long can he do that before his hands fall off?*
"You're a pretty good fighter, aren't you?" Tenchi said. "I noticed that in the cave."
"I damned well ought to be," Ranma growled, "after all the damn things my damn father has put me through!"
Tenchi's eyes widened slightly, and he fell silent. Ranma continued to punch the post, seemingly oblivious to pain. Finally, after several minutes, he stopped, and wiped his brow.
"Does your grandfather love you, Tenchi?" Ranma asked.
"Sure," the boy replied. "Why wouldn't he?"
"Because," Ranma said, as he began punching the post again. "Maybe, he looks at you, and he doesn't see his son. Maybe all he sees is a thing to be shaped, molded, and controlled. He sees the martial artist that he never quite managed to become. He sees a thing that will cement his relationship with his friend. He sees something that he can point to and say, 'Look, this is what I've created! I was the one who trained him! Am I not a great martial artist? He would have been nothing without me!'
"Maybe he looks at you, and the first thing -- the only thing -- he sees, is a legacy."
Ranma paused again, and peered through the gloom at Tenchi.
"I don't mean for that to sound the way it does," Ranma said. "I mean, I know that my parents care for me, but... other things get in the way. Family honor. Personal honor. The way of the martial artist. I think those are important things, too, but... oh, I don't even know what I'm saying!
"I think... I think your grandfather sees you as a person first, and as his student second. For a moment, I thought it could be that way for me and my mother, at least. But I was wrong."
"So," Tenchi said, "if you were still a girl, then...."
Ranma shook his head.
"I!" Ranma growled, and punched the post with all his might. "AM!" He pounded it again, harder. "NOT!" (PUNCH) "A!" (PUNCH) "GIRL!" (THUD!)
With the last punch, the top of the post snapped off, and bounced across the lawn, into the darkness. Tenchi stared at the broken post in shock.
Ranma stared down at his fists, as if finally sensing a little pain.
"This whole thing's got me messed up," he said. "I just want things to be different, that's all. But it just doesn't work that way, does it?"
***
Hot water cascaded over the panda's head and ran down his fur. Moments later, the change began. In less time than you could say it, Ranma's father and Nodoka's husband, Genma Saotome, stood before them.
It was the afternoon of the next day, and Ranma and Nodoka had arrived home from their visit to the Masaki Shrine. Along the way they'd stopped to buy yet more clothing for Ranma -- clothing appropriate for a boy, this time.
Genma blinked. He looked down at himself, and held his hands out before him. He flexed his arms and clenched his fists.
"Is this a dream?" he asked. "Am I really a man again? I'm no longer an animal?"
"The curse," Ranma said, "isn't gone, but it is reversible. Cold water triggers the curse, but hot water reverses it -- however temporarily."
"Then that's why you're a man again," Genma said. Ranma only nodded.
Genma felt the weight of his wife's gaze, and turned back to face her. She did not look happy.
"Don't worry, dear," he said, "I can explain everything! You see, we were travelling in the Bayankala Range, in the Qinghau Province of western China, when....
"Ranma has told me all about it, dear," Nodoka said, "and without your particular spin on things."
"It's not like he says, I'm sure!"
Nodoka glared at her husband. He paled, then suddenly turned back to Ranma.
"Ranma! Now that we're back in Tokyo, there's something that I must tell you! It concerns my good friend, Soun Tendo...."
"Ranma was engaged to Akane Tendo last evening," Nodoka said, icily. "It will be as you and Tendo-san wished."
"Indeed?" Genma looked pleased. "Well, that's wonderful news! Has a wedding date been set?"
"That is for the children to decide," Nodoka said firmly. "I will not let you and Tendo-san rush them unduly."
"Yes, but..." Genma began, but one look from Nodoka silenced him. "Well, then... the only thing to do is visit the Tendo's and celebrate! I haven't seen my friend Soun Tendo in years...."
"All in good time," Nodoka said. "First things first." She held out a clean, white gi, complete with handkerchief, glasses, and underwear.
"A proper husband does not expose himself to his neighbors," Nodoka said.
"Ah," Genma said. "Yes, of course...."
As Genma dressed, Nodoka took Ranma aside.
"Son," she said, "if you could leave the two of us alone for a while, I'd greatly appreciate it. It's been a while since I was with your father, and the two of us have much to discuss."
"Sure, mother," Ranma said.
Nodoka smiled. "Thank you, dear," she said. She glanced at her husband, who, having dressed quickly, was adjusting his glasses. "Genma," she said, "come inside. Now."
***
It was a lovely afternoon, Ranma thought, just like the day, over a week ago, when he'd arrived here. He wandered down the street, thinking about his first encounter with Kagome, and wondered if she were back home yet. It had only been two days, but....
He walked through the gateway to Kagome's house and knocked on the door. After a short wait, an old man answered.
"Good afternoon!" Ranma said, bowing. "Is Kagome home?"
"Oh, I'm afraid not," the old man said. "She... she contracted a serious case of the flesh-eating virus, and...."
"She's still stuck in the past with Inu-Yasha then?"
The man looked surprised, and Ranma belatedly remembered that Kagome's grandfather had never met him as a guy.
"Oh my, you know about that?" the old man said. "Well, I'm afraid she hasn't come back just yet. Maybe in a few more days...."
"Thank you, grandfather," Ranma said. "I'm glad to see you're out of the hospital and doing better, by the way."
"Oh, I'm just fine," the old man said. He peered at Ranma more closely, obviously trying to remember which of Kagome's friends Ranma was. "If you like, young man, you could come in, and I could read your fortune. Or, we have some lovely shrine tokens for sale...."
"Thanks, but not today," Ranma said, bowing. "But it was a pleasure speaking with you!"
***
Ranma walked the two blocks to Yohko's house. It was a short walk, and by the time he'd arrived, he still hadn't figured out how to tell her that he was a guy.
"Well," Ranma said, "I guess I'd better try the direct approach." He turned into the gate of the Mano residence...
...and was soaked by a stream of water from a garden hose.
"Oh, Ranma!" Yohko called out. "I didn't see you coming! Gomen nasai! Please forgive me!"
Ranma looked down at herself. Her best silk Chinese outfit, only recently washed, was soaking wet, and she was, once again, a girl.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Yohko said. She turned off the hose and grabbed Ranma's arm. "I was trying to water the rose bushes! I didn't mean to get you, too! Here, come inside, and we'll dry you out. You can wear something of mine while your clothes dry."
"I don't think that's necessary," Ranma said.
"Nonsense!" Yohko replied. "It's the least I can do for one of my friends. Now, come on!"
***
Ranma sat on the couch in the Mano living room. She wore a top and shorts borrowed from Yohko, not to mention underwear, and was silently telling herself that now was probably not the best time to reveal that she was a guy.
All around her, boxes were stacked and labeled. She had yet to find out why. In the meantime, Yohko's mother had produced tea, sandwiches, and miso soup, and Ranma sat with Yohko, who provided enough conversation topics for the both of them.
"Your mother's a little odd, isn't she?" Yohko asked.
Ranma raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"
"I mean, I called your house only ten minutes ago, and she tried to tell me you were a guy."
Ranma stiffened slightly. "S-she did?"
"Yeah. Does she do that a lot?"
"Well, yeah, I suppose you could say that," Ranma said.
"I just played along with it," Yohko said. "I mean, what does she expect me to do? I've seen you naked, after all, and my clothes fit you pretty well. Some guy you make!"
"Yeah," Ranma said, making a mental note that now was definitely, without question, the wrong time to reveal her curse.
"Anyway," Yohko continued, "I'm really glad you came by. I wanted to say goodbye before grandmother and I left!"
"Goodbye?" Ranma repeated, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Images flashed through her mind of Yohko and her grandmother trekking through China, searching for obscure training grounds. "I didn't know you were going anywhere."
"Don't worry, Yohko said, "it's only for a few days! You're going to Muyami Academy, right? Well, grandmother is renting an apartment near the school so that she can continue my training! Mother and I are helping her move in, and then I'll just stay with her until the dorms open up, and school starts... oh, let me get you the address! When you arrive, you can drop by, and we can all go out to dinner, okay?"
As Yohko ran out of the room, her grandmother, Madoka Mano, walked in. Seeing Ranma, she smiled and came to a stop.
"Yohko tells me you're a pretty good fighter," she said.
"Well," Ranma replied, "I've been training most of my life, with my father."
"I see." The woman sat down on the couch and looked Ranma over. "You know, one of the reasons we chose Muyami Academy as a school for Yohko is that they have an exceptional martial arts club there."
"Oh?" Ranma replied, attempting to be polite. In her experience, you didn't learn real martial arts in a school club.
"Indeed," the grandmother said. "They've just hired an instructor for the new year -- a woman from China. I met her two weeks ago, and I was very impressed. She might be the best martial artist I've ever encountered. Yohko's still got a lot to learn before she's a first-class devil hunter, and I'm certain this woman will be a good influence on her."
"Really?" Ranma asked, now intrigued. "To be honest, I've never joined any school martial arts clubs. There didn't seem to be any point to it. I mean, the last time I found someone who was a real challenge, he wasn't part of the school club, either."
There was a twinkle in Madoka Mano's eye. "My, my! It sounds like you think you're a match for my granddaughter!"
Ranma shifted uncomfortably. "No disrespect, ma'am... Yohko's very good, and she knows some techniques that I've never heard of... but I haven't fought her yet."
"And you haven't been beaten by anyone in quite a while," the grandmother said.
"Well... no, not really."
Grandmother Mano laughed. "Oh, you're a good one, girl, I can see it in your eyes! Tell me, are you still a virgin?"
"Excuse me?" Ranma asked.
"Grandmother!" Yohko yelled, as she walked into the room, "how many times do I have to ask you to please stop asking such embarrassing questions of my friends?"
"Embarrassing?" the grandmother said. "I don't see what's so embarrassing about it. It's just a simple question...."
"Come on, Ranma," Yohko said, grabbing Ranma's wrist. "If you're going to hang out here, then come to my room and help me pack!"
Ranma spent the next two hours helping Yohko, her mother, and her grandmother pack for their trip. Then they piled into a beat-up, rented truck, and, after waving goodbye and promising to meet at the school, they were gone.
Ranma walked back home, through streets grown thick with shadows. One by one, she could feel her new friends slipping away, leaving her with an empty, hollow feeling inside. Yohko was Ranma-chan's friend, but would she be a friend of Ranma-kun? Ranma had not been brave enough to find out, but she couldn't pretend to be a girl forever. In a few days, she'd be attending the same school, as a boy. Yohko would definitely find out by then.
She should have said something. Delaying it was only going to make things worse.
As for Akane... the girl confused Ranma. She seemed to enjoy being around girl-Ranma, until the engagement was mentioned. She seemed to despise boys in general, but the biggest barrier between them was that Ranma wasn't a boy all of the time. Ranma didn't begin to understand any of it.
As for Tenchi... Ranma didn't know him too well. He seemed like a nice guy, but he'd been moody after that whole engagement thing. Ranma could tell that Tenchi was somewhat protective of his second cousin, Akane. But, perhaps, they could become friends.
Ranma reached her own house and sighed. Well, she'd been alone before. If her friendship with Yohko and Kagome disappeared, then maybe she could make other friends at the school. After all, she'd have a roommate who might make a good friend, and if what Yohko's grandmother had said about the martial arts club was true, there might be some guys there who she could relate to.
Ranma looked down at her clothing and cursed. She was still wearing the clothes borrowed from Yohko -- her favorite Chinese outfit was still back at the Mano household, which was now locked until Yohko's mother returned. In the rush to get the Mano family packed and on the road, she'd forgotten all about it.
"Wonderful," Ranma said. "Now I've got clothing borrowed from Kagome, Tenchi, and Yohko. I might as well start a collection, or something. I mean, I've already got two full wardrobes, his 'n' hers."
Swearing under her breath, she walked around to the side of the house, and jumped to the window of her room. After all, it wouldn't do for either mother or father to see her like this....
***
Next: Chapter Four:
Okay, okay. Ranma has met hot water. Are y'all happy now? ^_^ Now, if you're just generally annoyed because you don't like Ranma-chan, I can't help you! ^_^
Next: Ranma and Akane finally make it to Muyami Academy! Who are their roommates? Who else is attending there? Why is Ranma so upset? Can the author really throw so many anime characters together and still tell a coherent story? And the big question: will the Sailor Scouts appear? Well, quite frankly, no, nope, no-way Jose, nullus, nihil, nunca, iie, nein, nyet, non, ei (that's Finnish, that is), never never never, unless, of course, I change my mind. And while we're on the subject, I'd just like to say that Operative 9 will never appear in this story, either, unless it's to die in some particularly horrible fashion. Unless I change my mind. So there. ^_^
Chapter Four
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