Long thin tendrils made their way stealthily
through the tent flap making its way to shine into the eyes of the two
people slumbering within.
"Mmmmm. . .daddy turn off that light…mmwanna
sleep s'more," Akane mummered as she tried to turn over to avoid
the bright light. Frowning in confusion, she tried again and found that
she couldn't move because there was an arm circled around her waist
and a leg was tangled within her own. Akane turned her head slowly to
the right and opened her eyes to see what was preventing her from moving.
Waiting a few minutes for her vision to adjust, she blinked the sleep
away and took a good look. It was a few seconds before it finally registered
in her brain. One. Ranma was sleeping in her bed. Two. He was currently
male. Three. All her wiggling had currently moved his hand from her
waist to cover her breast.
"RAAANNNNMAAAAAA! You Pervert!" The scream came from within
the tent followed by the sound of a fist meeting flesh. Crack! Then
not a second later a body went hurling through the air straight for
the stream.
"Akaaaneeee I caan expainnnn . . . .!" Ranma yelled as he
soared through the air to land with a huge splash. "Oww! Ya didn't
have to hit me so hard ya know! Its not my fault! I had no idea where
my hand was when I'm sleeping ya tomboy!" Ranma yelled in the direction
of his fuming fiancée as she/he tried to stand up in the slippery
mud of the stream.
"If you ever put your hand there again
YOU'LL BE A DEAD MAN!" Akane screamed as she came stomping towards
him.
"What is all that racket? Ranma, Akane
what is going on here?" Noduka said as she crawled out of the tent
and took in the scene. Ranma, son now daughter. Was backing away from
a fuming Akane as Akane waved a shani like a baseball pro. "What
seems to be the problem dear?" Noduka said as she placed a hand
on Akane's shoulder.
Taking a deep breath to try to calm down, Akane
tried to explain. "Well, when I woke up this morning I tried to
get up but found I couldn't move so I tried to get a look at what was
preventing me from getting up," Akane said, then in a whisper,
"That's when I felt it. Ranma had his hand on my breast, and when
I tried to move him off he um. . . sorta squeezed me a bit," she
said while blushing. "He shouldn't be doing that until we get married,"
Akane whispered a bit too low for Ranma to hear, but Noduka heard her.
Smiling in secret delight but feigning surprise.
Noduka tried to mediate the situation before Akane decided to permanently
damage Ranma's manhood. "Akane dear, I'm afraid that is my fault.
You see, I told Ranma to take you back to the tent when you fell asleep
at dinner time. I told him earlier today that in no uncertain terms
that he would not be permitted to change into a girl at night, staying
male during this training trip and to prove that he is manly."
"M. . . o. . .m! It wasn't my fault! Whatever
she's sayin wasn't my fault. I didn't mean to! Really I didn't! I mean...who
would want to do that with a tomboy like her!" Ranma yelled in
a panic when he saw the surprised expression on his mother’s face.
He was sure that his mother would call a priest as soon as they hit
town.
Turning towards her son Noduka frowned at him
and said in a disapproving tone, "Ranma go start the fire and change
back right now then go get your father and fix breakfast while I have
a talk with Akane. I'm sure your father would like to continue your
training."
"Yes mom," he said as his/her shoulders
slumped in dejection. Sighing. Ranma trudged back into camp to do as
his mother told him.
Then she turned back to Akane and said, "You
wouldn't mind if I spoke with you a bit would you Akane?" Noduka
asked.
"No Auntie, I don't mind. What is it you
would like to speak to me about?" Akane asked her.
"Follow me and I will explain. Oh and bring
your shani dear," Noduka said as she walked off deeper into the
forest with Akane trailing a little behind and close enough to hear
anything that Ranma's mother said.
"Oh my, how do I begin... Ah yes that will
do...,” Noduka muttered to her self while staring at the ground
and continued walking. "Akane . . . What do you think of the engagement?
What are your feelings on the matter?" Noduka asked as she trudged
along a well-worn path.
Akane started in surprise, blinking a few times
to clear her thoughts she replied in a slightly nervous tone. "Umm...I...I'm
not exactly against it now but, I’m not sure about how to continue.
One minute Ranma can be nice and the next he can be such a jerk. Plus
there's this mess with all of his other fiancée’s that just
drives me crazy!" Akane said while growling out the last word.
"Oh you poor dear, don't worry about my
son, he is young and will learn manners if he knows what's good for
him," Noduka said as she fingered the wrapped hilt of her Katana.
"And I know that you think that your father and Genma arranged
this marriage. . . isn't that right?"
"You mean it wasn't them?" Akane asked her as her eyes widened
in surprise. "If they didn't arrange the engagement then who did?"
"Well dear, when your mother was alive,
we were very close friends. When we both became pregnant, we decided
to unite our houses if either she had a girl child or I had a boy. Nine
months later I had Ranma and then a few months after that you were born.
We finalized the agreement two weeks after that and charged your father
and my husband with keeping the agreement.
Akane blinked a few times in surprise and tried
to say anything she could think of but the only sound that emerged was
a whispered “Mother…,” as her eyes tiered up and her
breathing became choppy. Akane’s memories of her mother were few
and far between because she had died when Akane was very young. However,
Akane remembered that she had promised her mother that she would keep
her families honor intact and obey her mother’s last wish. Her
mother didn’t tell her what it was except to complete a promise
to her mother’s friend when she grew up. Swallowing, she turned
her head away to try to regain her composure. She didn’t want Noduka
to see how sad it made her to speak about her mother. Akane’s emotional
wounds still hadn’t healed.
“I know Ranma can be rude and insensitive,
but he will have to learn and we will have to teach him." Noduka
said.
Now that they were back on the subject of Ranma,
Akane’s frustration and anger returned. "Oh he just makes
me so mad! He insults my cooking whenever I try to be a good fiancée
to him. Everything I do he either criticizes me or calls me names."
Noduka nodded her head in sympathy. "Mmmhmmm...
Go on dear," she said as they came into a clearing with a cave
just off to the left that was almost completely hidden in the underbrush.
Akane looked around the area as it seemed naggingly familiar to her,
mixed with vague feelings of danger. But, shrugging it off as just her
imagination she returned her attention to their origional topic.
Since Akane had the bull by the horns so to
speak she continued at full steam. "And he just has to rub it in
that I’m not a very good Marital Artist," Akane said as she
turned to face Noduka. "Oh Auntie!" she said. "I really
would like to be able to take care of myself in any situation. I seem
to have problems with hand to hand combat. But every time I have something
in my hands its like it becomes an extension of myself, do you understand?
Akane asked while looking into Noduka's eyes.
Nodding her head, Noduka smiled while placing
her hand on Akane's shoulder in a comforting gesture and said, "Yes
I do Akane. I know how it feels because someone I once knew used to
do the same thing with me. Only I knew how to use the Katana. Would
you like to learn . . .I know its not my place to teach you but you
seemed to be handling that shani like a pro. Have you had any serious
training with it?"
"Iie. I don't think so maybe I’m just
a natural with weapons. Ranma always asks me where I get that mallet
of mine but you know something?" Akane said.
"No. What?" Noduka asked.
"Don't tell Ranma this but. . . I have no idea where my mallet
comes from. Its just there when I need it the most. All I do is just
reach behind myself and make a grabbing motion with my hand," Akane
said while demonstrating the move. At the end of the motion she lifted
her hand to show a small mallet resting in her hand.
"Ah, I understand now. Akane you have a
gift that is very rare and there are only a few people able to perform
this. I myself cannot do it but my great grandmother could. She said
that if she thought about what type of weapon she wanted while reaching
for it, that it would appear in her hand ready to be used," Noduka
said with a raised eyebrow and a smile of delight on her face.
"Really! Oh please teach me. I would love
to learn it," Akane said while in her mind her thoughts ran along
the lines of “Oh boy! I can finally do something that Ranma can’t.”
"Alright here is what you need to do. First
think about the weapon that you want. Then, think about the feel of
it. And last, I want you to concentrate and reach for it. If you pull
out a Katana..... mind you that is the most difficult thing to pull.
I will train you in the use of it," Noduka said.
"Ok, Wait a second. . . let me give it
a try," Akane said, thinking hard about what she wanted, Akane
reached behind herself and pulled out a Katana.
"Well, it seems we have our work cut out for us now. The first
thing you must remember when handling any blade is to be careful with
it. You don't want to accidentally hurt anyone. And above all you must
control your temper. Any weapon in the wrong hands is a dangerous weapon!
Do you understand this Akane?" Noduka said with a serious expression
and tone of voice.
"Yes, Sensei," Akane said as she bowed
respectfully to her teacher. As she rose to a standing position, Akane
felt something attach itself to her chest.
*****************************************************
As Happosai made his way through the mountains
he decided to go see Akane first since Ranma would be elsewhere. "Oh
my little Akane, I have just the right present for you," he said
as he walked through the underbrush only to pause for a few minutes
to finger the brasserie hanging from his hand.
When he had been walking for about an hour and
it was about mid day he heard someone talking. She sounded familiar
to him somehow. Then it came to him. It was Noduka, Genma's wife. He
could barely make out what she was saying but the one name that caught
his attention was Akane's. Smiling in perverted delight Happosai made
his way in the direction of the voices, only to pause as a felling of
uneasiness overcame him. He scanned the area for any threat but couldn't
detect it so he just shrugged his shoulders and decided to ignore it.
"After all, he said to himself, there is a more important matter
than that. . . like giving Akane this beautiful present. "OH Akaneeeeeee,"
he whispered as he leaped out of the bushes and strait for his intended
target.
**********************************************************
"AAAIIIIEEEEEEE!" Akane screamed and dropped the katana. As
the weapon left her hand it suddenly disappeared. Akane was too busy
to notice its sudden disappearance because she was trying to remove
the said object off of her chest.
"Akane try this on for me!" Happosai
yelled as he squeezed her breast in lustful abandon while waving the
brasserie in the air like a bull rider.
Noduka stood there with her mouth hanging open
ready to protest such treatment of a young lady when she saw that Akane
was about to have a slight accident.
"AAAAAAAHHHH! Get off of me you pervert!"
Akane yelled as she tried to dislodge him, but she looses her balance
and her elbow accidentally penetrates the wards. There is a bright flash
of light and a rush of wind and smoke. When the smoke clears Akane and
Noduka are lying on the ground unconscious and Happosai is no where
in sight as a huge shadow slowly makes its way to fall over Akane.
"Ah, I am free! After all these years I
can finally get my revenge on you," the demon said while staring
down at Akane as she lay unconscious. "You will not remember anything
of what I do to you, but when my spell takes effect YOU will be mine
and totally under my control! And as your memory of self weakens, I
will become stronger!
"Even if I die, your soul mate will not
be able to change you back unless he admits some things to you and himself.
But he will never do that once he gets a good look at you. He will be
scared out of his mind! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The demon laughed evilly
then started to chant a spell in its demonic tongue. "Yshdl- ddieo
edskjkd jfdndk adkjdk pqewdnshissssss!"
When the spell was completed a pulsing light
appeared to sink into Akane's skin and disappear from sight. The demon
chuckled evilly and licked its fangs in anticipation of the coming meal.
It decided on its alternate plan, the one that would kill two birds
with a stone so to speak. Glancing down one more time at the figure
lying in the grass, the demon smirked and walked off towards a secluded
part of the forest to hunt and regain some of its strength before the
coming battle. For now it would and watch wait.
*****************************************************************
"AAAhhhhhhhh!"
Ranma hears the sound of someone screaming and
it was coming this way. He looked up scanning the sky for any UFMA’s
(Unidentified flying Martial artists). Only to see Happosai, flying
through the sky heading in his direction. "Hey its the old letch.
Whatcha doing flying through the air like that man. And how did you
get all those burns on you?" Ranma asked him as he peered closer
at the diminutive martial arts master who was currently lying on the
ground in severe pain.
"Oh, the pain. Ranma my boy you will help
your old master out wont you?" Happosai asked him as he weakly
tried to sit up.
"Master! What happened to you!" Genma
asked him as he walked up from behind his son.
"Hey Pop! I just asked him that!"
Ranma said as he hit his father on the head with is fist.
"Show some respect for you parents and
elders boy!" Genma replied as he kicked his son into the stream
again.
"Why you! Who are you to talk old man,"
Ranma-chan yelled as she ran up behind her father and used a judo throw
to send him into the stream. When he came back up to yell at his son
he Gwarf'd and held up a sign that said, "Insolent boy! Your mother
won’t be happy when I tell her you are being disrespectful!"
"Aww man! Pop ya kno. . . ." Ranma-chan
started to say but was interrupted by Happosai.
"As I was saying before I was so rudely
interrupted!" he said as he glared at Ranma and Genma. Then continued,
"Thank you," clearing his throat, "I was walking through
the forest when I heard the voices of your lovely wife and Akane, so
I decided to pay a visit. As I was giving Akane a nice present to try
on. There was a big blast and I was flung away. One thing I did see
was a large shape in the smoke but I couldn't quite make it out. I had
a very bad feeling about it though."
"What da ya mean ya letch! Trying to give Akane a present! Its
more like you were groping her instead of handing her a present,"
Ranma said as she started to crack her knuckles in anticipation of the
beating she was about to give the pervert for touching his fiancée.
Only to be brought up short by the sound of evil laughter ringing throughout
the forest.
"Akane!" Ranma yelled as she stopped
advancing in the master’s direction and took off in the direction
of the chilling laughter. Genma and Happosai are not far behind but
they are having a difficult time trying to keep up with Ranma. Genma
because of his new shape and short legs. And Happosai because he didn't
get to grope Ranma to get some of his chi to heal himself.
**************************************
When Ranma arrived at the spot where the noise
had come from. He found his mother and Akane lying on the ground out
cold.
"Mom!" Ranma yelled as he knelt down
to check on her. She groaned and started to sit up only to be stopped
short by Ranma's hand on her shoulder. "No mom you stay there and
rest. How are you feeling? Is anything broken?"
"No dear, I'm fine. I'm just a bit stunned
and I had the wind knocked out of me for a bit. Why don't you go and
check on Akane," Noduka suggested as she looked over Ranma's shoulder
to see Akane lying on the ground out cold.
Blinking, Ranma finally remembered his fiancée
and yelled, "Akane!" as she skidded to a stop kneeling next
to her fiancée. Akane looked pale and her lips were blue as if
she were cold. Ranma lifted a hand to feel her forehead. Her skin was
cold to the touch, and she didn't seem to be breathing. Ranma started
to panic and her breathing started to speed up. Moving her hand from
Akane's forehead to just under her nose. Ranma tried to detect any movement
of air. He waited a few seconds and finally felt it. It was barely there
but she was breathing on her own. Breathing a sigh in relief Ranma checked
her pulse. It was strong but was starting to slow down because of Akane's
body temperature.
He started to panic again. "I can't loose
her! Not again!" he muttered fiercely to himself. "I needed
to get her warm quickly." There was only one way he knew how to
do that. "Aww man! Mom is gonna be so happy and pop will be esthetic,
and so will Mr. Tendo. They'll arrange a wedding faster than I can do
a Katenshu Armaguriken. I hope Akane won't kill me for this," he
said as he picked her up and ran back to camp passing his father and
Happosai on the way. He saw that they had questioning looks on their
faces and yelled over his shoulder. "I'll tell ya later! Go Get
mom. I gotta take care of Akane!"
***************************************************