NO FAIR!
by Scott K. Jamison
(Takahashi disclaimer)
Kasumi made one of the more ironic statements of her life.
"Oh, I do hope he's older. Younger men bore me."
Nabiki asked, "Is he handsome?" At least she had the good taste
not to ask if he was rich.
Akane turned sulkily. "What's so great about going to China
anyways?"
Their father replied, "I don't know. I've never met Ranma."
That came as a bit of a shock to Kasumi. True, her father
sometimes seemed a little odd, but surely he wouldn't engage his
daughters to someone he'd never seen. Then she thought back on some of
his other decisions. Yes he would. Well, there were three daughters, so
she could probably dodge the bullet if this Ranma Saotome turned out to
be a dud. She was kind of hoping that dreamy Dr. Tofu was interested in
her.
Akane was still grousing about "stupid customs" when they heard a
high-pitched voice from the entry. "Put me down, dammit!"
Soun and Nabiki ran into the hall, and they came running back,
obviously panicked by the giant panda looming after them. Kasumi noted
with surprise it was easily walking upright, and it had something in its
forepaws. Something wiggling and shrieking.
"Put me down! Cancha see you're scaring them?"
The panda gently put down its burden. It was a small child, a
girl, with bright red hair in a long ponytail. She was wearing a sopping
wet and vastly oversized outfit, and had an embarrassed expression on her
face.
"Dad, do you know who this is?"
Soun shook his head.
Nabiki snapped, "Oh sure, this panda kidnapped a little girl and
just decided to wander in, huh?"
Kasumi knelt next to their strange visitor. "What's your name,
dear?"
She looked down at the floor. "I'm Ranma Saotome. Sorry 'bout
this."
Mr. Tendou fainted dead away.
* * *
Soun lay under a blanket, a damp cloth on his head. "But Saotome
said he had a son. He's been bragging about him in postcards for at
least ten years."
"You should have made sure, Dad! This girl can't be over five!"
Nabiki rapped their visitor on the head for emphasis.
"Hey! Whadja do that for?"
"Some fiancee! I feel so cheated!"
Kasumi noted that Ranma was close to tears. She took the little
girl on her lap, wondering why she was wearing that outsized boy's outfit
anyways. She was practically swimming in it.
"Don't worry, Ranma. Big sister Kasumi will make everything all
right." She hugged the girl and began rocking her. Since her own mother
had died, Kasumi had taken much of that role in the family. She knew
that she'd made some mistakes trying to raise her little sisters, but now
it looked like she had another chance. This time she would get mothering
right.
Ranma looked a little embarrassed, and mumbled something about
hot water.
"Oh my, you could use a good bath, couldn't you? It looks like
you've been on the road all day! And we'll need to get you in some
decent clothes."
"That's not really nec--"
"You're our guest! We'll take good care of you." Then Kasumi
thought of something. It was time to make supper, but she couldn't do
that and bathe Ranma at the same time. Neither Akane nor Nabiki had any
inclination for cooking, so she'd have to do it. So the decision was
made.
"Akane, you must be sweaty after your workout, so why don't you
take Ranma with you to the bathroom?"
"Okay. I could use a good warm soak."
"No!" said Ranma, "I don't wanna--"
"Believe me kid, you need a bath. I'm not going to hurt you."
promised Akane. She dragged the girl off.
* * *
"NO! Please don't!"
"Geez, Ranma, stop struggling! You're acting like a spoiled
brat!" That got the girl to calm down a bit. Akane opened the door to
the changing room and shoved her inside.
"I'm sorry, but I really have--"
"Let's get you out of those clothes then." Akane pulled the
vastly oversized shirt off, then started untying the cord belt holding up
Ranma's trousers. The girl turned beet red, but Akane didn't notice.
She tossed the damp garments into the laundry bin.
"Ranma, why are you covering yourself like that? Your mother
must have brought you up to be very modest."
"M-mommy..." Her face turned sad again.
"What's wrong, Ranma? Come to think of it, where are your
parents?" asked Akane as she stripped off her gi.
Ranma didn't answer. She was staring at Akane, seemingly
dumbstruck.
"Ranma?"
"I-I...you're pretty..."
It was Akane's turn to redden. She was used to compliments from
boys, though they didn't seem to be able to deliver them in a manner that
pleased her. Hearing it from a little girl told her that maybe she
really was pretty, after all.
She grabbed the soap and cold water and scrubbed down first Ranma
then herself. A nice cold rinse took away the sweat and dirt.
"And now that nice hot soak."
Ranma shook herself, as though awakening again. "NO! No hot
water, not now!"
"Oh come on, it's not that hot." Akane grabbed Ranma, who began
squirming and shrieking again.
"In. We. Go!" and Akane jumped into the tub with Ranma firmly
held in her arms.
Ranma kept struggling, and somehow she seemed to be twisting as
well, getting...bigger? And stronger, too. Akane couldn't hold on to
her anymore. She grabbed hold again, but the soft flesh she'd felt
before had turned to hard muscle, and the little girl had become...
A handsome young man. A naked handsome young man, sitting
entwined with her in the tub.
"I tried to warn you."
"EEEEEEKKK!!"
* * *
Ranma felt the strangest sense of deja vu. He knew he'd never
been to this Jyuusenkyo place before, yet it all seemed so familiar. He
looked at the pools with the bamboo poles sticking out of them, and could
not shake a sense of dread.
His father was leaping up on a pole and challenging him to
follow. Something inside him was screaming not to go, to listen to the
guide's warning, but his mouth said, "Yes sir!" and his body leapt up to
join the battle.
Their combat flowed like water, time seeming to slow down to a
crawl. Ranma saw his leg kicking out, sending Genma lazily into a pool
below. Then time sped up again as a panda sprung from the pool back on
to the poles.
The Guide was shouting something about a curse, and Ranma turned
to listen, but he'd left himself vulnerable, and now he too was falling.
Falling into the water and he screamed.
Now the water was in his lungs, burning, changing him somehow.
His clothes seemed to drag him down, wanting him to drown. At last he
broke the surface. The guide was shouting again.
"Oh, most unfortunate! Customer fall in Spring of Drowned Little
Girl! There legend, most tragic, of girl who drown in spring 800 years
ago, and now anyone who fall in pool take form of small child!"
Ranma took a look down at himself and saw that the male pronoun
no longer applied. A flood of emotion came over him.
"MMOOOOOMMMIIIEEE!!"
* * *
Ranma sat up, and realized he'd been dreaming again of the day
he'd been cursed. His head hurt; he suspected Akane had clobbered him
for being a guy.
Someone had gotten his trousers back on, for which he was deeply
grateful.
"Oh, you're awake." It was the older girl, um...Kasumi!
"Sorry about this, Kasumi."
"It's all right, Ranma. Your father explained about the curses.
Supper's ready, so put a shirt on and join us, please." Her warm smile
made him feel a little better.
The others were gathered around the table, Genma back in human
form. Ranma introduced himself again and apologized to Akane.
"I should have said it right away, but when I'm...that
way...the right words don't come so easy to me."
"It's...all right, Ranma." replied Akane, gritting her teeth. "I
should have tried harder to listen to what you were saying."
After a healthy meal, Soun said, "Well, son, I think your problem
can be overcome with a little work. Now, which of my daughters would you
like to marry?"
Ranma shuddered and looked at his father. Genma nodded. So they
still wanted him to go through with this crazy engagement thing? As if
he didn't have enough problems already.
He looked at each daughter in turn. Kasumi looked friendly, but
she was a bit older than him, and at their ages, three years was a lot of
difference. Nabiki had been cool to him at best, and from the little
she'd said in the dinner conversation was a bit more intellectual than he
wanted to deal with.
Akane...she was still angry. But she was the closest to him in
age and interests, and he knew she had a great bod. On the other hand,
did he want to marry such a violent girl.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Tendou, but I'll need more time. With this
curse, I'm not sure I should marry anyone at all."
"No kidding." said Nabiki. Akane seemed relieved too.
Kasumi smiled at him. "Why don't you stay for a while, get to
know us? You may find one of us is willing to be engaged after all."
Did that mean what Ranma thought it meant? He just wasn't sure.
But at least the decision could be put off for a while....
TO BE CONTINUED?
If it is: Next time, Whatever happened to?, and a side of Kasumi Ranma
isn't sure he wants to see...
SKJAM!
"Worse next week!"
Due to favorable comments and that I have a few ideas, I'll
continue...
NO FAIR!
by Scott K. Jamison
(Takahashi disclaimer)
Part Two
"School?"
"Since you haven't made a choice yet, we'll be here for a while,
won't we? Might as well get an education while you're here." Genma
handed Ranma a school bag.
"You'll be showing the ropes to Ranma at school, Akane," said
Kasumi.
"Why me!?"
"Because you're in the same grade as Ranma, and because Nabiki
left an hour ago. Here's lunches for you both."
Ranma leapt up on the fence as he followed Akane. In addition to
being great balance practice, it gave him a sense of height. Which was
something he really apprecitated these days.
"We're not getting married," said Akane by way of making
conversation.
"If you say so. I'm not too keen on marrying anyone right now.
Stupid promise."
Genma ran up out of seemingly nowhere and bopped Ranma on the
head. "You will marry one of the Tendou sisters and you will like it!
That's an order!"
"Beat it, old man!" Ranma kicked his father off the fence and
into the canal.
"Growf! Snnarl!" the now-panda protested.
"Is he always like that?"
"Mostly. `Tough love', he calls it."
"Bummer. Hey, could you come down from there for a while? I'm
getting a crick in my neck."
"Okay." Ranma made a running leap off the fence, intending to
land next to Akane. But in mid-air he was caught in a spray of water
(thrown by a little old lady cleaning her doorstep) and his
transformation kicked in. He'd never had in happen in mid-motion before,
and his balance was completely thrown off.
He landed badly, and scraped his elbow on the pavement. The pain
was overwhelming, and he screamed. Akane looked at him, shocked, and
that made him embarrassed as well, and he began to cry.
"Geez, Ranma, it's just a little scrape. What a crybaby." That
just deepened his depression and he wailed louder.
"Why me? Look, Ranma, the doctor's office is just down the
street. He can fix you up, okay? Maybe you can even get a lollipop."
Ranma didn't know which was scarier, that Akane thought the offer
of candy would work, or that it actually seemed to. He was already a lot
calmer. "Sorry, Akane. I didn't mean to--"
"Oh, just come on." She grabbed his arm and started dragging him
towards the clinic.
* * *
The kindly-looking young doctor bent down, picked Ranma up, and
set him on the examining table.
"Well, young lady, let's see what the problem is. Oh, that's a
nasty scrape."
Ranma wondered just why everyone he met in this form
automatically pegged him as a girl. Okay, the ponytail probably
influenced them, but at this age, there just wasn't that much difference
between boys and girls. It was as if the spring had left the word
"female" blazoned on his forehead or something.
Doctor Tofu's calm manner put Ranma at ease, and he soon had the
scrape cleaned and bandaged.
"There you go, Miss...?"
"Ranma, and I'm a guy!"
"Sure you are. Oh, Akane! Find that hot water you needed?"
"Um...yes, Doctor. Thanks for all your help."
"Haha! You know you're always welcome here."
* * *
Ranma filled out his clothes as Akane poured the teakettle's
contents over him. The lollipop tasted pretty good, actually.
"Honestly, Ranma, you're such a wimp."
"Hey! I just don't have much emotional control when I'm that
way, okay? When I'm normal, I can beat anybody! Aren't we going to be
late for school?" They started running.
"Thanks to you, yes! How the heck did you and your father
survive all the way back from China if that keeps happening to you?"
"Well, I ran into an old friend..."
* * *
Quite literally, actually. It had only been a day since the
curse was inflicted, and neither Ranma nor Genma had fully realized the
limitations of their new forms. Thus it was that they'd both been in
cursed form as Ranma chased his father, vowing to give him a severe
beating.
Ranma had jumped, meaning to use the man standing in front of him
as a springboard, but instead had slammed into him. The man hadn't even
been staggered.
"Outta my way! I gotta catch that panda!"
"Are you all right, little girl?"
"I'm not a girl! I--" Ranma had suddenly recognized the
muscular boy before him. "R-ryouga?"
"You know my name? I don't remember knowing any little
red-haired girls?"
"Ryouga you idiot! It's me! Ranma!"
"Ranma? But the only Ranma I know is the accursed Saotome!"
"That's me! Ranma Saotome! Remember, I useta get you home alla
time? You never showed up for our duel?"
"You were the one who wasn't there! I--gods, it is you, isn't
it? What happened to you?"
"A curse. Don't move, just turn your head to the left. The
left, dummy!" Ryouga had finally got the direction straight. "You see
those pools down in the valley? Anyone who falls in one of 'em gets a
curse. I ended up like this and Pops turned into a panda."
Ryouga had blanched. "Then I was just one step away from...that.
I wanted vengeance...but such a horrible fate..."
"It ain't quite as bad as it looks, but yeah."
"uhm...Could you help me find a safe way out of here?"
* * *
Kasumi finished the vacuuming, humming a Bach cantata. There,
the essential morning chores were done, and she could start on the
optional items.
She thought of Ranma. She really wasn't particularly interested
in marrying him; he was everything she didn't like about younger men.
Ranma was rude, self-centered, far too aggressive and had an extremely
limited set of interests. Not at all like the considerate and
well-informed Dr. Tofu.
But his other form... If Kasumi understood correctly, Ranma-chan
would age little if at all. She would always be a little girl, needing
someone to watch out for her, to care for her. And with cold water so
prevalent in the world, Ranma would be a girl much of the time. That
fascinated Kasumi. Someone to mother forever...
Kasumi decided to check in the attic. Surely they'd saved some
appropriate clothing...
* * *
Ranma pulled himself into the tree, a bit harder at his current
size.
"Musta been Nabiki," he grumbled. *Someone* had certainly put a
bug in that Kunou guy's ear about the engagement. Now everyone at school
thought he was Akane's fiancee. If only he'd been a little more careful
about where he was jumping...
Whoops, here came the bokken-swinging upperclassman now.
"Curse you, Saotome! Come out and fight like a man, not the
lily-livered coward you are!"
Cold fury exploded in Ranma's head, and he leapt down from hiding
without thinking.
"I am not a coward!" He took up an aggressive stance.
Kunou blinked. "Who on God's green earth are you? But I forget
my manners. I am--"
"Can the intro, bokken-brain. Let's rumble." With that, Ranma
leapt at Kunou, who dodged.
"Excuse me, little red-headed girl, but why are you attacking
me? Have you no care for your own safety?"
"You call me a coward, and expect me not to attack?"
"Come again?" as Kunou backed off some more. "I was referring to
Ranma Saotome, not yourself."
"I AM RANMA!!" He leapt up on Kunou's sword and kicked him in
the face. While this was quite impressive, the kendoist was used to
blows from Akane, and Ranma's current muscles just didn't have the oomph
for the job.
"Most impressive for one so young. Were you not a decade too
young, I would date with thee. But I must ask you to desist in your
assault upon my person. This takes time away from my search for--"
"Ranma!" This was from Akane, who'd just arrived, teakettle in
hand.
"Where?"
"Here, dummy!" Ranma kicked Kunou in the shin.
"Ranma, what do you think you're doing?"
"You mean, fair Akane Tendou, that this child is indeed named
Ranma? But the foul trespasser by you this morning gave his name as
Ranma."
"We're the same, you idiot!"
Kunou furrowed his brow. "Oh, at last it comes to me. Your
parents named both their children Ranma! Odd, but not unheard of."
Ranma fumed. Maybe he should just pour the water over himself
right here...
"Something like that," interrupted Akane. "Now, if you don't
mind, Ranma and I need to get going."
"Quite right. I will see thee on the morrow then, my sweet
angel." Kunou strolled off, and Ranma felt a depression falling on him.
"Akane, I wanna go home."
* * *
"I'm not your dolly! Leamme alone! I'm a man! WAAH!"
In retrospect, perhaps home had been a bad idea.
Kasumi had met them at the door, accidentally spilling lemonade
on Ranma and reversing the effect of the hot water. She'd insisted on
stripping off his now-badly soaked outfit, and told him all his others
were in the laundry. But as long as he was small...
The bunny panties had been bad enough, at least in theory no one
would be seeing them, but then had come the white tights, and now Kasumi
had him halfway into a pink little-girl dress with lace kitty patterns on
it. Pink *and* cats!?
"I don't wanna wear a dress! WAAAH!! I'm a man!"
"Ranma-chan...look in the mirror." Kasumi gently turned his
head. "Do you look like a man?"
"No, but--"
"Are you acting like a man?"
"No..."
"Well, then, why all the fuss? This is the only outfit I could
find that fits you. Tell you what, if you let me finish dressing you,
we'll go shopping for some other clothes, okay?"
Embarrassment warred with a desire to please Kasumi. "Go
out...like this?"
"Don't worry, Ranma-chan. You look fine."
He sullenly let her finish buttoning up the dress. Then she
untied the bit of twine that held together his ponytail, and produced a
pink ribbon she tied into a big bow.
"There. Isn't that nice? Let's see a smile now."
Ranma forced a small smile. He had to admit, the little girl in
the mirror was attractive. He just wished she wasn't him.
The black patent leather shoes Kasumi had found to complete the
outfit were a little tight, and Ranma wobbled a little as Kasumi led him
out the door by the hand.
* * *
Kasumi was gratified by the stares and exclamations of the
neighborhood women as she led Ranma-chan along the sidewalk.
"Oh, how cute!" "Kasumi, she's adorable!" "Such a sweet-looking
thing!" Ranma-chan seemed to be less thrilled with the attention, but
Kasumi was sure she'd get used to it.
The part about it being the only outfit that would fit was true,
actually. Akane had been quite an active child, and had worn out most of
her clothing (and the hand-me-downs from her older sisters) well before
she'd grown out of them. This dress had survived, ironically enough,
because Akane had always hated it.
Kasumi supposed, given her background, that Ranma-chan would be a
tomboy too. The trick would be getting her clothes that would stand up
to punishment, but look suitably feminine.
Part of Kasumi's mind suggested that humiliating Ranma in this
fashion would be destructive to his already battered psyche, but her
maternal instincts told Kasumi that the sooner Ranma-chan learned to
accept her new form and behave appropriately, the better. Perhaps if she
arranged for the water heater to be "broken" for a few days...
"Oh my, Ranma-chan, we're going to have such fun!"
TO BE CONTINUED....
Next time: another flashback, and Ranma makes a friend!
SKJAM!
"and she never gives up, she just changes her mind"
NO FAIR!
By Scott K. Jamison
(Takahashi disclaimer)
Chapter 3
As they approached "Togs 4 Tots", Ranma noticed a banner reading
[All Sanrio merchandise 25% off] and decided he'd better start trying to
exert some control.
"Kasumi?" She didn't appear to hear.
"Big Sister Kasumi?" Now she turned her head.
"Yes, Ranma-chan?"
"If you so much as suggest I even touch anything with `Hello
Kitty' on it, I'll scream."
* *
Two grueling hours later, Kasumi's attention was finally
distracted from what seemed like a single-minded mission to have Ranma
try on every girls' outfit in the store. For which Ranma was supremely
grateful.
Freed from the pressure, he had to admit it was nice wearing
clothes that fit, instead of flopping all over. As long as he didn't
think too hard about what he had on. Lemon-yellow overalls with a
duckling on the bib and Sailor Moon sneakers were not high on his list of
acceptable attire, but at least they were better than the pink dress.
Unfortunately, one of the disadvantages of his current form was a
small bladder. He quickly walked to the restroom--and was stopped.
"No, no, little lady, you want the girls' room. See? The sign
on the door has a skirt." Ranma considered pounding the man, but decided
he meant well.
After concluding his business with a maximum of embarrassment,
(he really missed just being able to whip it out), Ranma considered his
options.
"Should have asked Kasumi for some money." He looked around, but
couldn't find her through the crowd.
Distracted, Ranma didn't notice his danger until he was suddenly
tackled from behind.
"Francine!"
Ranma panicked and shrieked. He was spun about to see his
attacker was a girl only half again as tall as himself, clad in a dress
that made his earlier costume look masculine. She had a wealth of curly
brown hair, and extremely cutesy features.
"Francine! Don't be afraid of Azusa! I just want to take you
home and hug and cuddle you and--"
"Leggo! I don't wanna go with you!" Ranma struggled, but the
girl was remarkably strong for her size.
"Francine and Azusa will be so happy together!" She pulled Ranma
into a tight hug, bringing his face right into her
proportionately-impressive cleavage. Despite his current form, he still
had male lust, and the flood of it froze his mind.
Azusa started to drag him away, when a tall boy blocked their
path. He was quite handsome, with a sparkling smile. He had a Buckstars
Coffee megacup in one hand.
"Azusa, what do you think you're doing?"
"Francine is coming home with me!"
"My dear partner, that is not acceptable. It's bad enough when
you filch inanimate objects or small animals, I'm amazed they still let
us into this mall. But kidnapping small children is something the police
simply are not going to ignore." He reached out with his free hand.
"But Mikado, she's so cuuute! Can't widdle Azusa keep her?"
"Ranma-chan! Ranma-chan, where are you?" came Kasumi's voice.
"Over here!" Ranma called.
"You see, Azusa? Now let go of the child." He grabbed one of
Ranma's arms and tugged him away fromthe ultra-cute girl.
"There you are, Ranma-chan! I was so worried!" Kasumi was
loaded down with shopping bags and boxes.
"Ah, this sweet child belongs to you, then? But surely you are
too young and beautiful to be a mother already. Say instead that you are
perhaps an elder sister?"
Kasumi blushed. "Flatterer! But no, I'm just taking care of
Ranma-chan."
"Give back my Francine!" demanded Azusa, jumping up to hit Mikado
on the head. He ignored it.
"Taking care of children is a task not often enough rewarded.
Permit me to show you the appreciation of Mikado Sanzenin for your hard
work." He leaned in for a kiss. Unfortunately for Mikado,
simultaneously Azusa started using her shoe to make her opinion known,
and Ranma tripped him for calling him a "child".
Mikado overbalanced, and fell on top of Kasumi, while his
steaming cappuchino went flying straight at Ranma, who shrieked in fright
and jumped onto Azusa's head.
The passersby were scandalized. "Did you see that? That man
forcing himself on that poor girl in public! Say, isn't that Mikado
Sanzenin, the skating star? I heard he was a fast worker, but that's
ridiculous!" and comments of that ilk.
Mikado picked himself up while Ranma backflipped off (and well
away from) Azusa.
"I do most heartily apologize, Miss..."
"Tendou. Kasumi Tendou."
"Here are two complimentary tickets to the Golden Pair's next
performance. I insist you attend. Good day." He held out the slips as
though they were manna from heaven. "Azusa, it's time to go."
"But Francine--"
"You can name something else Francine. We're going *now*." The
tall boy dragged his reluctant partner off.
I think it's time we went home too," said Kasumi.
* *
"Ranma-chan, it was very naughty of you to run off like that."
"Kasumi...Big Sister Kasumi, let's get something straight.
Despite appearances, I'm a sixteen-year-old *boy*. I can take care of
myself, thank you."
"You didn't seem so confident against that coffee."
"That's because I would've reverted to normal if it'd hit me! At
best, I'd have shredded this outfit. At worst, well, I'd rather not
think about it."
"Oh my." Kasumi giggled inwardly at the picture of Ranma barely
covered in the remains of the overalls.
Now that she thought of it, it might be a good idea to have some
outfits that would fit Ranma in both forms. Right now she could have
used him to carry a lot more of the packages. It would make an
interesting sewing project.
Kasumi's thoughts drifted back to the encounter at the mall. The
Sanzenin boy certainly was forward, but it had been a while since anyone
had flirted with her, and it felt kind of nice.
"Ranma-chan, would you like to see the Golden Pair skate?"
The little girl seemed to think it over. "Um...okay, if I can go
in normal form. I don't want that crazy chick mistaking me for
`Francine' again.
"Oh, and I hope you get one of my outfits clean by tomorrow,
'cause I have an appointment at school I really need to be myself for."
* *
By suppertime, Ranma had almost forgotten what he had on, so his
father's reaction came almost as a physical shock.
"What's the matter with you, boy? You look like a sissy in that
outfit!"
"Kasumi was the one with the money, so we got what she wanted to
buy. You want me to dress like a man, Pops, you're gonna have to come up
with the cash for it!"
"I think you look fine, Ranma-chan," Kasumi soothed. "Now, don't
gobble your food."
Akane looked mildly disgusted by the scene, while Nabiki seemed
more interested than Ranma had seen her before. Souun pointedly ignored
the whole exchange.
After dinner, Ranma finally got to the bath. (After checking for
occupants, of course.) He figured that Mr. Tendou's old bathrobe would
do as sleepwear.
He was a little disturbed to find that Kasumi had moved some
dolls and other toys into his bedroom. Ranma had mixed feelings about
the eldest Tendou sister. She seemed only to see him as a little girl,
which was infuriating. But part of him really enjoyed how she fussed
over him and treated him like someone special.
Ranma hadn't had anyone do that since he was ten...he yanked his
thoughts away from why he'd needed to be coddled...and before that, not
since he'd left his mother.
His memories of her were hazy at best, but when he was in cursed
form, they came into sharper focus. Ranma remembered a scene from
shortly before they'd left. Mom and Pops were arguing about something,
and Pops made some kind of, boast, maybe? Then there was a piece of
paper Ranma put his handprints on. What had that been about?
Akane obviously thought of him as a weakling, an impression he'd
fix tomorrow for sure. Kunou would rue the day he'd called a Saotome
"coward." And Nabiki, who knew? He'd have to try talking to her
eventually.
Not that Ranma wanted to marry anyone, but he should give all
three girls a fair chance. If he was going on a date with Kasumi (you
could call that a date, right?) then he should find a way to date the
other two. Purely out of fairness, of course.
There was a presence outside his door.
"C'mon in." Akane entered.
"Oh, you're back to, um, normal."
"As normal as I get."
"Hey, that's my doll, Chiyoko! What is she doing in here?"
"Your sister's idea, I think. You can have it back. Not like I
want girly things cluttering up my room."
"Would you still say that if you were little? Just how much *do*
you change?"
"I'm not totally sure. I know I have a lot less emotional
control, it seems like even less than a real five-year-old. Some of my
feelings I know are mine, but others... Like when I was trying on shoes
this afternoon, Kasumi praised me for being able to tie my own laces, and
I actually felt *proud*. It worries me a little.
"But don't get the wrong idea. When I'm the real me, like now,
I'm all man!"
"It's hard for you, isn't it, Ranma? Being small, I mean."
"Yeah. Pops has been training me all this time to be strong,
independent, able to take on anyone. But one splash and it all goes
away."
"Tell you what, why don't you keep Chiyoko?"
"Huh?"
"She might grow on you." Akane held up the doll as if it were a
child itself. "Chiyoko, this is Ranma. He'll be living with us for a
while. Will you be his friend, like you've been mine?" Her hand made
the doll's head nod.
"Uh...sheesh...Thank you, Chiyoko. I would like to be friends
too."
Akane left the doll sitting on the futon. "Goodnight, Ranma."
"Goodnight, Akane....and thanks."
As soon as the girl left, Ranma put the doll back on the shelf.
But he smiled and patted it on the head.
"Goodnight, Chiyoko."
TO BE CONTINUED...
SKJAM!
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