This is a work of fiction based upon the manga/anime characters invented by Takahashi Rumiko -- she and the studio hold the copyrights to the Ranma 1/2 World. This story was written for entertainment purposes only and may be freely shared (that means not-for-profit) as long as the disclaimer and the author's name accompany it and none of the contents are altered. There are author notes at the end of this fic, which hopefully will clear up any questions raised. Two important ones before reading, however, are: * Timeline: Fairly early in anime, end of Season Two, before Season Three. (After Happi, before Ukyo.) * This story combines elements of both anime and manga. If you've only seen the anime and you read something where you're thinking 'It didn't happen like that...', chances are it happened that way in the manga. Some things in the manga I like better than the anime. Other times I prefer the anime. It just depends. :) NOTE: This fanfic contains Lemon scenes in it (that means 'adult' content). BTW: The story is a bit on the dark side The Prize completed as of: 03/15/99 by Larissa A. Williams vega8@att.net http://www.geocities.com/alatri/ It began as it always did. Akane did something, Ranma remarked on it, Akane yelled at Ranma, Ranma yelled at Akane. The shouting escalated. And the insults grew hurtful. Until finally it cumulated. "You aren't even a *man*!" The splash of cold water hit Ranma square in the face. Akane stood with her hands on her hips, "I'm a woman, and I want a real man, not you. Somebody who is good and kind, strong and handsome." Turning away, she tossed one more remark over her shoulder, "I think I'll go find Ryoga and ask him out on a date." She smiled dreamily, seemingly ignoring Ranma, "Strong and handsome..." A sigh parted her lips, and she licked them with her tongue, slowly, "Oh, yes... I think... that is *exactly* what I will do." She went upstairs. Ranma stared after her for a long moment, his beautiful girl's face darkening with anger and rage. "She dares..." Ranma turned on his feet and walked out of the room straight to the dojo. "She thinks she can use Ryoga against *me*??? I'll show her!" "Ranma, you ass!" Ryoga burst into the dojo, quivering in anger, "What have you done to Akane?!" His fists were tightly balled, "She's in her room *crying*, you bastard! What did you do?" Ranma calmly finished the kata before turning to Ryoga, "And just what were you doing in her room anyhow?" "Uhh..." Ryoga paused before advancing again, "Damn you!" "Funny how she thinks of you as a 'real man,'" Ranma mused, hands on his noticeable girl's hips, yet not a challenging stance, "Her beloved P-chan. Just a pet." "Ranma..." Ryoga growled, "I want an answer, damnit! What did you do?" "I?" Ranma cocked his head to one side as he regarded Ryoga, "I did nothing at all." His tone was mocking, with layers of other emotions that tangled, unidentifiable. He gestured with one hand at his body, "I can't do anything, after all... I'm not a man." "Uhh..." The situation had suddenly changed. Abruptly changed. Ryoga's fists uncurled. /Damnit, Akane... why do you have to let him get to you that much?/ It had been one of their insult matches. Ryoga always tried to stay out of those. This time it looked like he really should have. They'd hurt each other this time. Badly. /Ah, shit.../ Internally, he sighed -- if Ranma was this hurt and angry, it looked like Ryoga was going to get pounded. Minutely, he shrugged, resigned. He could take it. Nobody else could. And it got rid of Ranma's anger... Ranma continued to watch Ryoga, apparently relaxed and calm, standing lightly in the middle of the dojo. Only the darkness around the blue eyes betrayed the image of peace. He saw Ryoga's thoughts. And grinned. "Going to fight me, pig-boy?" Ryoga glared back at Ranma, "Damn you, Ranma -- can't you ever hold your tongue?" /You hurt her, and you hurt yourself, and it's just going to go around and around.../ Ryoga's battle-aura started to flare out around him as he worked himself into the fight, "Yes, I'll fight you, damnit!" "All right," Ranma sauntered out of his pose, "We'll fight. But Ryoga," he paused as he approached the Lost Boy. Ryoga stared down at him, his eyes dark, his anger poised, "What?" his voice was a growl. "We're not going to fight for Akane this time." "What?" Ryoga's voice was a surprised squawk. He tried to recover, "Damnit, Ranma! I'm not going to stand by and watch you hurt her! If I win, you're going to have to learn to control yourself!" "Humm..." Ranma cocked his head again as he regarded Ryoga. There were several seconds of silence. "Akane was going to ask you out." "What?" Ryoga nearly dropped to the ground, his eyes wide and hopeful. Then he closed up again, "Ranma, damnit! That isn't funny!!" "I didn't intend it to be," Ranma's voice was cold. "I had planned on suggesting that for your stakes of the fight, if you win, I'd lay off the date. I'd let you and her go out and not interfere once during it." Ryoga's mouth nearly hit the floor. His brown eyes started to sparkle and glisten, "Ranma..." he whispered, "You mean it? You'd really...? That means she is going to... Oh, happy day!" Ryoga turned and punched a hole in the wall in his joy. He didn't notice the dangerous look on Ranma's face. "Ryoga..." Ranma's voice was a low purr, "You haven't asked what my stakes are. If I win..." /Ah shit.../ The tone in Ranma's voice... Ryoga turned slowly back, "You..." he gulped, "I thought you weren't going to tell Akane about P-chan." "Akane again..." Ranma stared at Ryoga, his face still. Then he shook his head, "I don't plan on telling her." Ranma lowered his eyelids and let the pause go on for another moment, "And I'm not going to ask you to." /Oh thank the buddha.../ "You, Ryoga." "Huh?" A cold pit formed in the bottom of Ryoga's stomach. "You. You're the prize." Ranma gazed steadily at the other youth. "I'll fight you. And if you lose, you're mine." The silence stretched out. Ranma's mouth twitched up, "Again." /I thought.../Ryoga swallowed, "Ranma, we were younger then. I thought... you'd given that up." /You never showed for the last match.../ "Never," Ranma hissed, the word coming through his clenched teeth. He unlocked his jaw, "You are mine, Ryoga. I'm never going to give you up. Especially not to Akane. And you are damn well going to know it. And so is she!" His voice rose steadily until he was yelling the last words. Ryoga flinched. "Ranma, she didn't mean to hurt you. She didn't. You hurt her, she was just reacting. She's upstairs crying her eyes out right now, Ranma. If you just go up there... Please Ranma, please, just make up with her. She likes you. She really does. And I *know* you like her... Ranma, please, don't do this. Please. Akane..." He knew he was babbling, he couldn't help it. /So that's where this came from... Shit. Akane, that wasn't a good thing to threaten him with./ But Akane didn't know that. Only he and Ranma knew... The blue battle-aura was flaming around Ranma, "You only care about her!" Ryoga flinched again. "No..." Ryoga bit his lip so hard it bled, "Ranma, that's not true. Please, Ranma, calm down. Please." And the family thought that Ryoga's depressive states were scary. His were nothing compared to Ranma in a funk. A very determined Ranma. Ryoga could never stand up to Ranma when he was like this. Partly because he knew how much pain it took to drive Ranma to this point. "Fight me, Ryoga." Ranma's aura settled back into him. "Fight me and we'll find out who is the better man." He grinned wildly, "I promise, if you lose, you'll enjoy it." "Ranma..." Ryoga whispered his friend's name in anguish. And then he clenched his fists and drove a punch forward to start the fight. The only restriction they both held to was staying inside the dojo. And since Ryoga couldn't use his Breaking Point, Ranma didn't use the Chestnut Fists. The fight lasted a long time. The sun fell below the horizon and the crickets started to chirp. One by one, the lights in the main house went out until the dojo was the only one that showed signs of life. The building shook many times and individual boards broke, but somehow the dojo stayed intact through the fight. "Oooo..." Ranma rolled over, holding his head, then quickly moving his hands to his side where it hurt even worse. Slowly, he got to his knees, hissing at the pain. Every part of his body ached. His muscles were sore, his bones hurt. Bruises lined every inch of exposed flesh, but they were quickly disappearing as his healing took effect. "Now, that was a fight. Damn, that was a fight! Ryoga really wanted to win." Reminded, Ranma looked over to where Ryoga was crumpled on the dojo floor, unconscious. "He looks worse than I feel," Ranma grinned as he crawled over and rolled Ryoga's body into a more comfortable position, getting a small mat to place under his head. And then he waited for Ryoga to wake up. The first thing Ryoga became aware of was pain. He hurt. He really hurt. /Damnit, I lost again./ Only after that thought filtered through his mind did he become aware of the hands roving over his chest and the lips on his. Ryoga didn't open his eyes as he grabbed Ranma to him in a crushing embrace and he returned the kiss, his tongue forcing Ranma's mouth open as he swept through his mouth in a quick exploration before settling to passion. Ranma's exclamation of delight was lost in the kiss. A heat flared through Ryoga's body that he hadn't felt in a very long time and he rolled over, pinning Ranma beneath him as parts of his lower body stiffened in reaction to the heat. And then he paused. /Something is wrong.../ It took him a few seconds to realize what. And then he jumped back, scrambling until he came up against the wall, eyes wide and shocked. Ranma sat up and blinked, "What the hell, Ryoga? You lost, remember?" "You... you..." Ryoga sputtered. He gulped, "Ranma -- you're still in your girl form!" "Well, yeah," Ranma looked down at his chest, "I thought that was rather obvious." "But... but..." Ranma tilted his head... her head to one side, "You are*not* going to tell me you don't like girls, Ryoga! I know damn well you do." "But... Ranma -- you're a guy!" "Ryoga..." Ranma sighed, stood, and walked to where Ryoga was huddled against the wall. She knelt down before him and took his head in her hands, "I want to know what it means for a girl to want 'a real man.' I want to know you in this form. I want to feel your hands on my breasts and feel pleasure there instead of the pain... Ryoga, you moron -- I promised that you'd enjoy it, didn't I?" "Uh..." His eyes were still wide. "Ryoga, you are mine. You lost the match. You have to give me what I want. Now." Ranma stroked his cheek with a finger, trailing it over his lips. "You know damn well what I want." She brought her finger from his lips to hers, pausing there until Ryoga swayed to her, following the movement until his lips met hers. "Ummm," Ranma wrapped her arms around him again. At the next break, she whispered, "That's better. That's much better." Approval wrapped her voice in a purr. Ryoga could never refuse Ranma anything the determined youth wanted. He was Ranma's. He had lost and he was Ranma's... He'd been Ranma's for so very long... He kissed Ranma again, a little less tentatively. The demands his friend was making were the same. The body was different. But if Ranma wanted it, Ryoga could do not but respond. His hands roved Ranma's back. His mouth trailed down Ranma's neck as Ranma moaned in delight and need. "More, Ryoga -- I want more than that." And Ryoga knew exactly what Ranma wanted. He stroked a hand down to Ranma's waist... and didn't find the bulge under the pants he was expecting. "Urk..." Once again, Ryoga was pulled out of his assumptions rather abruptly. "Oh for pity's sake!" Ranma huffed, sitting back. "It's not *that* hard to figure out!" She tilted her head to one side and studied Ryoga. And then smiled gently, "Come, Ryoga... We'll take it a bit slower and figure this out together." She reached over and tugged Ryoga's shirt off and then undid the ties on hers and shrugged out of it, letting it fall around her waist, held there by the press of her belt. Ryoga stared for a very long time without moving before he shook himself, "Damnit, Ranma -- do you know how hard I worked to make it instinctive to think of you as a guy no matter which form you were in? To force my body not to react to the sight of you? You're a guy. You've always been a guy. You never wanted to be a girl..." "You can't...?" Ranma stared at him for a moment, her eyes wide. Then she swallowed, "I do now. I want to be a girl now," Ranma whispered in anguish, her face muscles screwing up tightly, eyes clenching shut. "Ryoga... You were my only hope. I can't go to anybody else. I can't. I won't. I want to experience this girl's body... You won't betray me. You're mine. I know you'll never betray me. You're safe. I can't trust anybody else. But if you can't..." Her battle-aura flared out, as she stood up, forming a cloud of pulsating dark navy blue energy around her, "DAMN YOU RYOGA!!!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. And then she collapsed, folding down, curled in a tight ball. "Shh, shh..." From the corner where he'd backed during her anger, Ryoga scooted forward and put his arms around her, stroking down her perfect back and sides, his breath warm on her ear and cheek as he whispered to her. "Ranma, don't cry. Please don't cry. Ranma, I can do it, really I can. I... I just have to get used to the idea. It's different, that's all. But if you want it, Ranma, you can trust me. I'm yours. I've always been yours. I'll give you anything you want. If you want my life, I'll give it to you. Oh, please don't cry." But Ranma wasn't crying. She was just curled in the ball, huddled, whimpering lowly. /Oh, damnit, Ranma... You've really done it this time./ The fight had knocked most of the anger out, and now the pain was left. So much pain... Ryoga realized just how deeply Ranma cared about Akane. It had been obvious to Ryoga that his friend *liked* Akane... but the incredible amount of pain it took for this reaction... "Ranma, why do you try so hard not to care? Oh Ranma..." And Ryoga sighed. And then stepped back and away from Ranma, watching her. After a minute or so, Ranma started to come out of the ball. "Ryoga? Ryoga? Why aren't you here? Ryoga, you promised. You promised... If you lost the match, you would be mine. I can't trust you unless you're mine. Get rid of the pain for me. I can't..." Her roving eyes finally found him, standing under the dojo altar, watching her. Silent. His eyes dark and his expression hooded. /Ryoga?/ Ranma shakily got up and walked to him, "Ryoga, what's wrong?" "What's wrong?" Ryoga repeated, his arms crossed over his chest, "What's wrong?" He shook his head, "Ranma -- you are in absolutely no mood or shape for sex right now. Look at you," he gestured, "You're trembling from head to toe. Your body is shaking. You don't need sex right now, you need a good cry." /What you really need to do is go make up to Akane./ But Ryoga knew better than to suggest that to Ranma right now. And he also knew damn well that Akane wasn't ready either. When he'd left her, she'd been crying her eyes out, and telling her P-chan how much she hated the Hentai... It was now the middle of the night. If Ranma came in at this time to apologize, she'd bash him with the mallet and then they'd be right back to square one. Ranma looked down at herself, noticing for the first time how her body shook. And her eyes met Ryoga's, pleading without hope, "But I can't cry, Ryoga. You know that. That's why I need you." Ryoga sighed. He did know that. That was how they'd gotten themselves into this damn situation in the first place, years ago. What do you do to comfort a friend who can't cry? And how do you get somebody to trust you who had never trusted before? Ryoga sighed. And then stepped forward, uncrossing his arms. He placed his hands on Ranma's neck and cheeks, holding her head. And then he leaned down and kissed her. The pleasure. The pleasure of having him with her. Feeling his tongue in her mouth, moving around and around in her... /Yes,/ Ranma's body gradually stopped its trembling as she leaned into Ryoga, relaxing under his attention. When the kiss finally disengaged, Ranma slowly blinked her eyes open and gazed languidly and contentedly at Ryoga, "Ryoga, you are mine." "Of course I am," Ryoga replied, his hands tracing her cheekbones and marveling at the difference. "I lost the match." He trailed his hands down her neck and over her shoulders. The difference was there, too. He caressed her shoulders. "To tell the truth, Ranma, I have no idea what I'd do if I ever won my freedom." He leaned down to kiss her neck, fascinated by the pulsating artery he felt there. He had been Ranma's for so long... He thought he'd been free at one point, but it wasn't so. In truth, he'd never been free. Ranma leaned back, placing herself into Ryoga's hands, "You silly. That's why your stakes are always different." Ryoga paused, lifting his head and staring at her in startlement. "They... Uhh..." He blinked as he thought back; Ranma was right, "Who the hell started *that*?" "*You* did, you idiot!" Ranma started laughing. "About the... sixth fight? Seventh? Somewhere around then. Years ago. I don't even remember what it was exactly that you said you wanted... but you said that you could always get your freedom later." "Oh yeah," Ryoga vaguely remembered that. He shrugged, "It didn't matter. You always win." He reached out to her again. /And then you usually give me what I want anyhow./ And Ranma stepped back, frowning, obviously struck by something he'd said. Then she shook her head and grinned, responding to her thought, "No. No, you never ever throw a fight deliberately. I've got the bruises to prove it. 'Sides, I only always win when you're the prize," She grinned, "No way am I going to lose with those stakes." "'Throw a fight???'" Ryoga repeated in horror, "'Throw a fight?' Goddamit, Ranma, you're going to get me angry again if you start making accusations like that." He carefully didn't respond outloud to the second half of that, but he thought it, /you also always win when Akane is the stake. I've never seen you lose when she's the prize./ "Oooo..." Ranma grinned, "Promise? I like it when you when you get tough." And Ryoga turned away. He suddenly remembered the last time. The last time Ranma had asked something like this of him. The time that he'd blocked out of his memory because he didn't want to think of it. The only time since Junior High... At that point, he had really, truly hated Ranma's guts and wanted to see him... if not dead, then suffering. Suffering badly. But Ranma had won the fight. And had then demanded that Ryoga prove his loyalty... And so Ryoga did. But he had so wanted to hurt Ranma instead... "Ranma, you baka," Ryoga trembled at the memory, "Do you have even the faintest idea how much I hated you? How close you came to death right then?" He clenched his hands, "One squeeze, just one extra hard squeeze around your neck would have been all it took... I was thinking that the entire time." /And I hated knowing that of myself. And I hated obeying Ranma. And I hated me... The shame. The shame of having bowed to Ranma again. The shame of thinking of hurting him after I'd admit ed defeat. The conflict... And I blocked the memory.../ Ryoga shuddered. /No wonder I've been so confused around Ranma these last few months. I'd totally wiped it from my memory. Until now./ Now, when Ranma needed him like he hadn't then. Then, Ranma had done it... for the mastery. To make sure he still had his prize intact. Hands slipped over his shoulders and a head rested against his back, "Of course I knew. That's why I liked it so." "What?" Ryoga stood still, his thoughts churning as he remembered... /His neck, one little snap and it would have been over. He didn't have his guard up./ "You didn't know. Otherwise you would have never let me get near you. I hated you. I hated you so much. You weren't worried at all." Then he thought of a different interpretation... /Ranma liked it because he was in danger???/ "Ranma. That's sick." The pause in thought could practically be felt as the person at Ryoga's back figured out the last sentence. "EWWWW! THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!!!!!" Ryoga flinched almost more from the sheer volume rather than the wave of disgust and irritation radiating from Ranma. His flinch was aborted as Ranma clenched her hands tightly into his shoulders. "Ryoga, that is a *disgusting* thought!" "You're the one who said it!" And Ranma was still. After a couple of moments, her slim hands unclenched and then moved on Ryoga's shoulders in an apology, smoothing out his tense and sore muscles. Ryoga felt the sigh of breath on his back where Ranma leaned into him again. When she spoke again, Ranma's voice was very serious, "Ryoga. If your trust hadn't been worth having, I... You followed me. You followed me all the way to China and were back in my life again. I hadn't ever planned on seeing you again. I... But you were back. So... I had to know. I had to know just how much I could trust you. What I liked... was finding out that I could. Despite your pain and anger... I could still trust you. You really were mine. If ever there was going to be a time you betrayed me -- that would have been it. But you didn't. I... You really were mine. Completely." Her arms wrapped around him, meeting at his chest and holding him tightly. Ryoga was stunned. "That... You..." /That was *deliberate*? You put yourself in that position.../ "Buddha in Heaven, Ranma! I could have killed you!" /And you would have let me? A test? That was a test???/ Ryoga turned to face Ranma, emotions whirling. Skin brushed on skin as Ranma kept her grip as Ryoga turned. And then Ranma was leaning against his front, her bare breasts pressed tightly into his bare chest... Ryoga gulped, the whirl of emotions suddenly finding a very solid fixation in the physical feelings. Looking down at the pressure on her stomach, Ranma grinned, "Oh, Ryoga! I *like* that reaction!!" Her hands felt down his waist, where his pants had suddenly gotten rather too tight. She sighed happily, "Oh, I *knew* you liked girls! I didn't even have to work you up to it! Now let's see..." She untied his belt and let his pants drop to the floor, then slipped her hands inside his shorts. Ryoga cried out, his body becoming as stiff as his member, his eyes unfocusing in his shock and pleasure as her hands fondled him. /So long... It's been so long.../ "Yes..." Ranma slipped her hands back out, grinning happily, "We can definitely do something with that." A gurgling sound emerged from Ryoga's throat as his breathing started again, "Ranma... Oh, geez, Ranma... don't do that again if you want me to be any good for you at all. You *know* damn well how easily you set me off. And it's been hell of a long time since I last got any release." Ranma giggled, not at all apologetic. "Then let's get started, shall we?" She pulled off her pants and shorts and sat down on the floor, looking up at him expectantly. Ryoga took a step forward... and tripped over his pants. He fell, cursing soundly at them and also at Ranma, who had collapsed in laughter. Sitting up, he undid the ties on the bottom of his pants, "Sometimes I think I should switch to your stretch pants." "Umm..." Ranma gazed at him, her eyes heavy-lidded. And Ryoga's heart beat fast. /Damn... I've never... wanted Ranma like this before. Before, it was... just the physical release. And the trust. But now.../ His body was ready. His body wanted it. He wanted it. This girl's body in front of him... Ryoga's eyes were wide as he reached out to her... And very tentatively touched one breast, "That doesn't hurt does it?" "You've *got* to be kidding..." Disbelief rang through Ranma's voice. And she sighed, "Ryoga, Ryoga, Ryoga... Your first time with a girl, right?" His face turning red, Ryoga glared at her. Ranma grabbed the hand that was at her breast and squeezed his hand, making him squeeze her, "Ryoga, you moron -- *this* is what you're supposed to do!" "Uhh..." Ryoga didn't know, Ranma didn't *look* like she was enjoying it. He tentatively tried a squeeze on his own. And Ranma grimaced, "Ow!" Ryoga let go immediately. And looked at her helplessly. Ranma pinched the bridge of her nose, "Only Ryoga... Only Ryoga... Great Goddess Kali... I should have stayed in my body. I should have. Okay, I admit I don't know that much either, but I can at least guess. I didn't think that even Ryoga..." "Enough already!" Ryoga yelled. The redness covered nearly his entire body as he flushed in his embarrassment. "Damnit Ranma -- I have to get used to the idea, that's all." "'Get used to the idea?' 'Get used to...'?" Ranma repeated in disbelief. "Ryoga, you ass! You're a guy! This is a girl's body! How bloody much 'getting used to the idea' do you need if sixteen years isn't enough???" "Oh! And you're one to talk, Mr. 'My first kiss was with a guy'!" It was Ranma's turn to flush red in shame. And then she scowled, "Well, it was -- and so was yours!" "Like hell!" Then Ryoga realized what she meant, "This doesn't count! It's never counted!" And Ranma had to grin. Because it was the absolute truth. When they were younger... they'd fought. And Ranma had won Ryoga. But for his loyalty, not for his love. It wasn't until later that they'd experimented with sex. And the sex... was never about passion. It was always only about care. Care and relief. They had experimented. And found pleasure. But it had never been 'real', the way it was supposed to be between a guy and a girl. The mystery. The feelings... That both of them had heard about but never experienced when they were young... Ranma suddenly thought of why Ryoga wasn't able to... And she grew angry over the pain. Her blue aura flared out around her and she clenched her fists, "I bet... I bet if this was *Akane's* body, you'd be able to please her! You'd be able to please *Akane*!!!" But not me... Surprised, Ryoga didn't move when the aura started flaming from Ranma. And then she spoke. /Oh, geez.../ Ryoga groaned and put his head on his knees as he swung them in front of him. "Ranma," he whispered, "That's not it." Actually, if Ranma had been Akane, Ryoga wouldn't even have been able to get this far. And he suddenly had a mental vision of Akane, naked, her breasts bare, her eyes inviting him... Ryoga sat up straight as he squawked in dismay at his thoughts and he tried to shut his eyes, but they were already shut and he was seeing everything and he couldn't stop and he had to but... The pressure built inside his head until he couldn't see anything at all. Ranma's battle-aura poofed out as she stared in surprise as Ryoga abruptly sat up, eyes vacant, blood gushing from his nose. A moment went by as he didn't move at all and then he fainted dead away. Ranma stared. "Okay. I was wrong. *That's* what you'd do if this was Akane's body. You've proved your point rather spectacularly." She shook her head and crawled over, straightening Ryoga's body for the second time that night and putting a mat under his head until he woke up. Obviously, they would have to work on Ryoga's problem before she could get what she wanted. "I should have stayed in the guy's body. We would've been *done* by now! I should've..." But somehow, Ranma didn't really feel that way. This... had been rather fun. Talking to Ryoga instead of the pleasure she'd planned... Ranma grinned as she looked at Ryoga's unconscious form, "So much for expectations." And her grin softened to a smile as she continued to watch her friend. This time, it was the vision that was the first to come back. Ryoga stared at the wooden slats on the ceiling as they whirled around and around... Gentle fingers closed his eyes and then rubbed his temples. Ryoga sighed in relief as the whirling motion stopped. It was another few minutes before he felt ready to move. In the meantime, his thoughts had started to become more confused than his vision. Reaching a hand up, he tentatively touched and then held Ranma's hand that was still gently stroking his hair. "Ranma... I'm sorry. I was the one who lost. I'm the one who is supposed to help you..." But Ranma was taking care of him. With a gentleness and a care that he'd never felt before. /I'm the one who is supposed to help. Not her. I need to help her. Ranma.../ "Ryoga," her voice was as soft as her hands, "It's okay. Just relax. Relax..." Her voice was a calming balm of care. She held his hand gently. Her other hand stroked his cheek. It would be so good just to relax... Ryoga groaned and sat up, pulling his hand out of Ranma's so he could reach up and feel his nose gingerly. "I washed all the blood off," Ranma remarked tartly, hurt by his rejection of her care. "Thanks..." Ryoga glanced over to her, uncertain. He apologized again, "I'm sorry. I know you want... I'll try to do better, I will." Ranma sighed. /He can't accept my care. I've never lost. He's mine. He's still thinking of me./ "Ryoga... what the heck is it with you?" Ranma had seen guys get nosebleeds before -- the thin air pressure in Japan combined with high blood pressure made teenagers in particular rather susceptible to them. Especially when sex was involved. Explicit locker room talks tended to get messy. But Ryoga's reactions... were rather extreme. "I'm sorry, it's just..." Ranma shook her head, "Stop apologizing already and just give me an answer -- Ryoga, why are you having so much trouble? It's a girl's body. You're a guy. You *like* girls..." Ranma gulped, not really wanting to bring it up..., "Why aren't you ever able to tell Akane how you like her? You talk to her all the time about other stuff. You hang out with her all day long as P-chan. But whenever you want to actually say anything -- you explode." Ryoga blushed as he hung his head. And then looked up again, "Hey -- you're the one always interfering!" "Yeah..." Ranma didn't want to get into that. "But what about you?" Ryoga started to snip a response, but then bit it back. And sighed. He glanced over at Ranma's bare form. The form of a girl. The round soft breasts with the darker nipples. The smooth stomach. The thin waist that emphasized the hipbones and made such a natural resting spot for hands... Ryoga gulped and hauled his eyes away before they went any lower. And then glanced back again. Her soft breasts... /His. Ranma is a guy. A guy. Ranma is a guy in a girl's body./ But with such soft breasts and delicate bones... Skin so creamy and smooth... So huggable... So desirable... He wanted to... "Oh Geez!" Ryoga felt himself being lowered backwards until he was laying on the floor again. Ryoga... Ranma shook her head as she stared in exasperation at Ryoga. Then Ranma smiled slightly, /at least that time he was thinking of me!/ The look in Ryoga's eyes... he'd been evaluating her as a female -- and admiring what he saw. "Sorry..." Eyes clenched tightly shut, Ryoga gasped out the word through the shallowness of his breath. "Ryoga, Ryoga... What am I going to do with you?" Ranma sighed. Ryoga levered himself up to a sitting position again and fixed his gaze on the wall. "It's just that... Well..." "Come on, Ryoga. It's me. Ranma. Just talk, man. I..." Ranma hesitated for a long moment and then finished her words softly, "I want to help." Ryoga blinked. And turned his startled eyes to her. "Ranma, you didn't lose. I did." Ranma bit her lip until it bled. /Don't make me say it, Ryoga. Don't.../ Seeing the haunted look in Ranma's eyes, Ryoga abruptly remembered the young boy that he'd befriended all those years ago. The pride and the pain. The darkness in the bright eyes that let no one in. Friendly face, friendly manner -- engaging and capricious. But so very unaffected by what went on around him. It had been harder than hell to get Ranma to trust him. In desperation, Ryoga had finally offered himself as the prize in their fight. If Ranma won the fight, Ryoga was his. Completely. To be bound by honor and life. If Ryoga had won... It would have gone the other way. Sometimes Ryoga wondered what would have happened if he'd won that first match. But he hadn't. And Ranma had finally trusted somebody. For the first time in his life. He'd let Ryoga help him. He'd let Ryoga care. Because Ryoga couldn't betray him. But Ranma could still betray Ryoga... Ryoga closed his eyes for the memory of the pain. Ryoga had sought after Ranma all through China, searching for his enemy. He'd be n determined to take his life back and make it his own. And then to kill the one who had hurt him so. Ranma had taken his trust and ripped it to shreds. But when Ryoga had finally caught up with him... he'd lost again. And was still Ranma's prize. /But it had been a test. A test. And now... That... that was 'care' in Ranma's voice. He's let out a bit of his pride... to help me./ It was unprecedented. By Ryoga's memory. Then again... <'Ryoga...'> <'It's busei for a defeated warrior to leave. We won't see him around anytime soon.'> Ryoga's hearing was better than Ranma thought. He just chose to ignore most of what he heard. Such as the wistful longing he'd heard in Ranma's voice back then. Ryoga hadn't intended to ever return. Never, ever again. But less than a day later he'd found himself back in front of the Tendo gates, and a beautiful lovely maiden scooping him up with such joy and delight... Ryoga sighed. "Ranma... Girls are... They're soft. They're gentle. Delicate. We're supposed to protect them. Care for them. Treat them gently with respect. Never ever ever to hurt them or make them cry. Girls are to be worshipped. To be looked up to for the qualities we can never have. They smile with such joy and delight. Happy. To see a girl in pain... is to tear my heart in two. It's unacceptable. Girls shouldn't ever have to feel pain or hunger or depression or... or anything bad. Girls should get flowers every day of their lives. Gifts to make them smile. Nothing to hurt them. Never to hurt. Don't ever hurt a girl. Don't ever fight one. Don't make them cry. Handle them gently, carefully. They can be so fragile. Protect them. Protect them from all the horrible things in life. And most especially protect them from yourself. Girls can be hurt so badly... Protect them as much as you can, as much as they let you, because they can't protect themselves." He bowed his head a the images kept sweeping through his head. All the girls he'd ever known. All the girls he'd ever seen. Their beautiful faces and lovely bodies. Their hearts of gold. The kindness and gentleness within them. So different than himself. So very different. /They are???/ Ranma's mouth was hanging open. /Is that what girls are?/ True, he'd had the same lesson from his dad. Sortof. His dad hadn't managed to convince him totally, but he'd at least gotten it beaten in to never fight them. Guys didn't fight girls. It wasn't right. He looked at Ryoga, at the earnest expression and the sincere voice as he talked about the gentle girls... /No wonder girls like Ryoga. He really believes all that. They're safe with him./ Then a different thought struck Ranma, "If you really believe all that... How the hell did you end up falling for a tomboy like Akane???" Ryoga's battle-aura flamed out around him, dark and menacing. Ranma scooted back as fast as she could, "Whoa! Whoa! I meant it! I wasn't insulting or anything!!!" The battle-aura went down and Ryoga's expression changed to shamed chagrin. He put a hand up to his head, scratching his hair, "Heh, sorry 'bout that..." Ranma shook her head and inched back, settling next to him again, "So?" Ryoga's face turned red as he mumbled something under his breath. With another prompting from Ranma, he said it louder, "She can protect herself." /?? Okay.../ Ranma just looked at her friend. "She..." Ryoga sighed, "She's a warrior. She isn't afraid of you. She stands up to you and fights with you... She's strong. In body and spirit. But she's also gentle and caring and sweet and nice and she treats me so kindly and makes me her friend... She's not afraid. Akane doesn't fear you. Or me." Ranma eventually put her mouth back in place. And took another look at the image of Akane. /Ryoga's right. And... that's why I like her too. But.../ "By your earlier definition, she's not a girl." "Of course she's a girl!" Ryoga yelled. Then blushed again. And held a hand up to his nose, pinching it tightly. "Oh geez... Not again. All that fainting can't be good for you." Ryoga put his hand down and glared at Ranma, "Oh shut up, already. I've got it under control this time." Ranma shook her head. "Okay. Girls are gentle creatures that need to be protected. Got it. So what the heck does that have to do with your reaction?" The redness went over Ryoga's nose, down his cheeks, and even tinged his body with a shade of pinkness. "It's... well... I don't want to see them hurt." "I said I got that," Ranma said impatiently, "But what--" Ranma stopped mid-word, her mouth hanging open as she stared at Ryoga. Eventually she closed it, swallowing, "Ryoga..." She blinked and tried again, "Ryoga, you moron -- you can't *possibly* be thinking that you'd hurt a girl!" From the expression on Ryoga's face, that was his thought. Ranma blinked again, "Ryoga... That's... that's..." she shook her head, "That's like a physical impossibility for you! You are the person *least* likely to *ever* hurt a girl!!!" A single tear tracked its way down Ryoga's cheek. Ranma watched it in fascination. /I don't believe this./ Ryoga reached a hand out to Ranma but stopped before he touched her breast. He drew his hand back and said lowly, "I hurt you." He turned away, "Damnit, Ranma. I'm stronger than anybody I know. I've always been like that. I have to be so very careful all the time around people, especially friends. Just... playing, I used to hurt my friends. I never meant to. But I would get excited and push harder than I meant to, or... I also used to lead them into danger. Things that never hurt me that did them. I learned a long time ago not to play with my friends if I didn't want to hurt them." He swallowed. "And girls..." His breath shuddered in his chest, "They're afraid of me. Rightfully so." Ryoga turned back to Ranma, who had been quiet while listening, "Ranma... Can you see me with a girl? Actually having sex with a girl?" The dark eyes were anguished, "I can. Girls... They're little porcelain dolls! I would break them in half without meaning to! Just a simple hug would break them. I c uldn't..." Ryoga bowed his head down, "I can't. I just can't. I don't ever want to hurt..." /Oh... Ryoga.../ Ranma bit her lip, watching him. In a lot of ways... Ryoga was right. /But what a depressing thing to always be thinking about./ "Is that why you like being P-chan? 'Cause then you can't hurt her." Ryoga flushed. And tried not to cry. "I can't hurt her as a pig... But I want to love her as a man. But I can't because than I might hurt her... I love her... I can't. Akane..." The words opened the wound the rest of the way and he did start crying. /Sorry.../ Ranma looked away from her friend. And then down at herself and her girl's body. /And I wanted him to.../ Ranma blinked. /Wait a second.../ One moment, Ryoga was bent over, the tears falling down his cheeks. The next, his head was jerked up by a hand grabbing his bandanna and he was being thoroughly kissed. /Uhhh.../ Whatever thoughts he'd had were short-circuited by the extreme difference. Eventually he was let go. "Have I got your attention?" Ryoga blinked. And focused his eyes, "Yes..." "Good." Ranma stood up. Then reached down and pulled Ryoga up until he was standing too. Ranma placed her hands on Ryoga's shoulders and looked in his eyes, "Ryoga. What am I?" Instinctively knowing what Ranma meant, Ryoga answered, "A guy..." "And what sort of a body is this?" "A girl's..." "And do you think you could hurt it?" "Uhh..." Ryoga flinched back slightly. Ranma shook her head and dropped her hands off his shoulders, "Ryoga. Moron. Less than a half-hour ago we finished battering each other senseless. Black and blue. Pounded each other into the ground. You can bet that I bloody well hurt then! Does it even remotely look like I'm hurt now? Like you're hurt? We're Martial Artists, Ryoga. We *can't* hurt each other. Specifically -- Ryoga, you *can't* hurt me. You can't. This might be a girl's body... but it's mine. And you can't hurt it." Ranma stopped as she could see the idea starting to filter through Ryoga's mind. /Ranma was in the girl's body the whole time.../ Ryoga stepped back. And looked at Ranma's body. Really looked. Evaluating it not from a guy's point of view, but from a Warrior's. Checking for strengths and weaknesses. Evaluating responses. Seeing injuries that the opponent might be hiding. Searching. Ranma stood still as Ryoga's eyes narrowed and he stared into her, checking out her claim. She knew he would find it true. Ryoga stepped closer and put a hand over her abdomen. Puzzled for a moment, Ranma suddenly remembered that blow. It would have been a lethal one to anybody not as trained as they were. But for Martial Artists of Ranma and Ryoga's skill, it was merely a weak spot. And Ryoga had nailed it good. Ranma had had to use every ounce of skill and self-control to roll away from his next blow and then had to summon up all her strategy to avoid him until she'd recovered enough to fight back. She grinned at Ryoga -- it didn't hurt a bit now. Ryoga moved his hand to her back, to a spot just over her kidneys. Ranma stood straight, not reacting. Ryoga walked around her and then came back to her front and rested his hand lightly on her neck, where a faint bruise showed against the pale skin. Ranma shrugged, "So some of them take a bit more time than others." That one had nearly knocked her from the match. And it, also, would have been an instantly lethal blow to any normal person. /But I can't have him thinking I'm not healing./ Ranma lifted her hand to touch Ryoga's diaphragm. He winced involuntarily, sucking in his breath at the pain. And then grinned at her. "Point taken," he said, lifting his eyes to hers. Then he looked down again at her neck. "It wouldn't have been that easy, would it?" /Huh? Oh./ "No," Ranma agreed, a dark grim smile playing at her lips, "It wouldn't have been that easy." Her voice was flat and unemotional. Just stating a fact. /It was a test. And if I had failed, it would have been me who had died, not Ranma. I underestimated him. Badly./ Ryoga shook his head from the memories and got back to the moment. There was another blow he'd given Ranma that for an untrained opponent would have instantly stopped a very important muscle. Ryoga slid his hand down from Ranma's neck to a spot just over the heart. And Ranma's eyes went wide and she gasped as she swayed involuntarily. "Ohhhh..." her eyes fluttered as she stared at Ryoga. "Huh???" Ryoga stepped back, prepared to catch her if she fell. That wasn't a normal reaction... "Ryoga..." Ranma's breath gasped out and she raised a hand to her chest, "Oh, Ryoga -- do that again!" "HUH?" And then Ryoga's eyes retraced his hand's path over her skin... He blushed scarlet. He'd gone right over her breast and hadn't noticed. And his thoughts paused, fascinated, "You liked that?" "Did I like that?? Did I like it?" Ranma blinked in astonishment at the question, her hand still on her chest. She moved her hand up to her breast and curiously traced it, still feeling the tingling from his hand brushing over it... "Yes, I liked it! Ryoga," she batted her eyes at him, falling into her 'girl' routine easily, "My big, strong man... Please do that again." Ryoga hesitated. Ready to blurt out more reassurances, Ranma, for the first time in her life, held her tongue. And was glad she did so as Ryoga lifted his hands to her again and gently caressed her. "Ooooo..." Ranma couldn't believe it. It was happening. It was really happening. For the first time since the fall into Jusenkyo. She breathed, "So *this* is what it feels like for a girl!" "What? What?" Ryoga wanted to know. He continued stroking her breasts, fascinated by them. He moved his hands around on them, feeling the squishy softness, trying not to put too much pressure on them. "Ranma, what does it feel like?" "It... ahh..." Ranma closed her eyes to focus her attention on his hands on her breasts. Moving around. Stroking, caressing... "Uh... it feels nice." "Ranma!" Ryoga growled at the inadequate answer. And his hands involuntarily clenched in reaction to his anger. "Oops! Sorry!" He yanked his hands back to his sides, biting his lip in consternation. "Oh!" Ranma tilted her head back slightly and tried to focus her breathing, "Oh, Ryoga! Do that again!" "You're kidding," Ryoga stated, "You can't have liked that! I squeezed!" Ranma opened her eyes and glared at him. She reached down and grabbed his hands, putting them back on her breasts, "Ryoga..." "Okay, already..." Grumbling slightly, but wide-eyed with astonishment, Ryoga complied. He wasn't hurting Ranma. Ranma said she liked it. Him holding her breasts. Breasts... Ryoga stared in fascination at them. At his hands moving over them. Petting them. He was putting the same sort of pressure that he would use on a cat -- and he wasn't going to tell Ranma that! He stared as Ranma's skin rolled through his hands. He stared at her breasts, allowing himself to, allowing himself to realize that he was really doing this. He stared... "Ranma -- your nipples have... turned sortof rigid. More pointy." They hadn't been like that before. They'd been soft like the rest of the tissue. Poking up, but not... erect like that. "Huh?" Ranma blinked herself out of her absorption in the wonder at her feelings and looked down. "Oh, how interesting! They do that in cold water sometimes, but I certainly don't feel cold now." Quite the reverse, actually. The dojo had become quite warm... Ryoga's hands over her breasts. She felt quite hot and flushed. And light-headed. Ryoga was curious... He drew a thumb across one of her rigid nipples. And Ranma's knees buckled out from under her as she gasped. "Whoa!" Ryoga caught her and held her up. "Ranma, you okay?" She couldn't catch her breath... Ranma leaned into Ryoga, letting him hold her. "I've got a comparison for you." "??" Ryoga was a bit dubious at Ranma's tone. "Oh my..." For the first time, Ranma found a use for the understated words Kasumi liked to use. And found they fit perfectly. "That was... good." "That's not a comparison," Ryoga put her back on her feet, "You okay now?" "Yeah... I was 'okay' before," Ranma grinned. And then put Ryoga's hands back on her breasts. "Keep that up and I'll show you the comparison." "Okay." Ryoga wasn't at all adverse to complying with her instructions. As soon as Ryoga's attention was fixed on her breasts again, Ranma reached down to his penis. It hadn't been erected, but neither was it limp. As soon as Ranma touched it, though, Ryoga got an almost instant hard-on. 'Eep' was the sound that Ryoga made as his eyes widened in surprise. His hands stopped moving. "'Eep???' I don't think I've ever heard *that* out of you before!" Ranma grinned. "I've heard a bunch of other odd sounds..." As she held him gently, she stroked his member with her other hand, caressing it all along the shaft. "Ooooo..." Ryoga's breath inhaled and he grew stiffer and harder and larger under her attention. "Ryoga," Ranma growled, "My breasts!" "Uh, sorry." In a daze, Ryoga started caressing her again, his movements on her breasts suspiciously close to those she was making on him. It was obvious where his attention really was. /Okay.../ Ranma clenched her hand on his shaft. Ryoga yipped -- the sudden shock on nerves that had been tuned to pleasure didn't so much hurt as rather sent a different thrill of delight straight to his spinal column. He clenched his hands in reaction to the shock. Ranma moaned in satisfaction as her breasts were squeezed with the same effects. "Here's your comparison, Ryoga," Ranma started stroking him again, carefully, lightly, with gentle firm pressure. And then she drew a fingernail over his very erect head. "Eiyi!" Ryoga's body stiffened as tightly as his member. And then he folded slightly down, maintaining his balance but with some difficulty. His eyes were wide as he asked her, "*That's* what your breasts feel like?" He started petting and stroking them with renewed vigor, eyes alight with wonder, watching her carefully. "Sortof..." Ranma was almost having difficulty breathing, enjoying the sensations so much. It was similar to what she was doing to Ryoga -- and *those* feelings she knew well -- but it was different. The fire in her breasts where Ryoga caressed them... was matched if not exceeded by a fire that flared in her groin where he'd never touched her at all. More or less centered in the spot where her penis used to be. But it was a different type of fire. In a way... "Ooo..." Ranma started to rub Ryoga's shaft harder and tighter, moving up and down in rapid motions, knowing that she wanted the same feelings... Ryoga moaned. And rubbed her breasts... And Ranma stopped and shook her head, "Ryoga -- that's not enough." "Huh?" Ryoga pulled himself out of the absorption with reluctance. He wanted more of Ranma's hands... But he was the one who had lost, after all. Ranma was the one to be pleased. Ryoga looked at her in frustration, "You said it was the same!" "I said it was similar!" "If you were in your guy form, I'd know exactly what to do." The same as Ranma was doing to him. The way they moved together to please each other and share... what they couldn't share any other time. Trust. "That would have missed the point," Ranma fully understood Ryoga's frustration -- it was the same as hers. If this was Ranma's normal body... /but/ "I wanted to know what a woman wants from a man." /What Akane wants from me... From Ryoga, she said. I want to know what she sees in Ryoga that made her turn to him. Akane.../ At the thought of why she'd started this, Ranma got angry again. /I'm not good enough for you, am I? But you won't have Ryoga. Ryoga is mine, Akane. Mine. You can't have him. And I won't let him go to you. I won't./ She roughly fondled the large piece of Ryoga's manhood that she held. Ryoga cried out, his hips bucking. A white spray erupted over them both. There were a couple of seconds of silence. "See what you made me do," Ryoga sounded annoyed, "That could have lasted longer." Ranma collapsed in giggles, falling onto the floor. "You did say," she gasped, "that it had been a long time for you." Ryoga smiled as he looked down at her, "Okay..." he admitted, "I probably wouldn't have lasted much longer." Their eyes locking, the two youths shared an amused grin of understanding, both knowing well how easy it was to be driven over the edge. "Well, hey -- that just means you can concentrate better on me!" Ranma grinned in delight, "Now that you've had yours..." "Not very much of mine!" Ranma rolled on the floor, laughing uncontrollably. And as Ryoga looked down at her, at her happiness and joy, her delight, her open smile... his heart twisted inside of him. It wasn't that he hadn't seen her happy before. Outwardly, Ranma was a very joyful creature, living for the moment and what the moment gave. But this joy... was different. Different because they shared it. Shared... something a bit more than the physical pleasure. A bit more even than the trust. Something similar to the care. Ryoga shook his head, unable to figure it out. He knelt down next to the still laughing girl. "Come here, and you'll see how well I can concentrate." He would make her happy. Ranma wanted this from him, and Ryoga was hers. He would obey to the best of his ability. Because he wanted her to be happy. Leaning over, Ryoga captured Ranma's lips with his own, sweeping his tongue through hers and probing her deeply in the way she liked best. "Ummm..." Ranma's hands wrapped around his head pulling him into her even though they were already together. The laughter was still in her soul even as she reached for the passion and her return kiss was gentler than she was known to give. Not disengaging his mouth, Ryoga's hands went to her chest again and found her breasts. Without fear and without reservation, he stroked and squeezed and rolled her flesh in his hands. He could tell that Ranma enjoyed what he was doing as her body squirmed on the ground, pressing to his, her mouth still wrapped around his and her hands clenching in his hair. Ranma's body pressing to his... Ryoga was astounded at the feelings his body was feeling despite his release. /I'm holding a girl who is pressing her body to me... I'm squeezing a woman's breasts.../ He rearranged his thoughts, /Ranma... I'm kissing Ranma who wants pleasure in this body./ He drew his tongue out of Ranma's mouth and swept it on the edges of her lips, causing her to softly moan. As she did, he moved his mouth down her neck to her breasts, kissing them lightly and marveling at the soft skin. /There's quite a bit for me to pleasure./ Ranma let her head fall backwards under his attention, the fire sweeping through her body, and oh, so different. So close yet so different... "Ryoga -- the breasts aren't enough. There's a emptiness at my groin that wants your touch and attention." Ryoga raised his head with a little bit of disappointment. /And here I thought she liked it.../ But he knew his duty. He sat up and scooted on the dojo floor until he was next to her waist and staring at the patch of curly hair... /Uhh.../ Ranma felt the drop of blood on her abdomen and sat rather quickly up. "Ryoga..." The glazed look was back in his eyes but it was also wondering. It rather reminded Ranma of the time she'd tossed P-chan into the girls' locker-room and he'd come out 'being a pig isn't half-bad...' Ranma giggled -- this time Ryoga's reaction was straight guy and not wuss. And she liked it. This body was something that girls envied. And that Ryoga obviously wanted. And she wanted Ryoga... The fire hadn't lost its burn. Ranma reached out to Ryoga's hand and drew it down to her waist, guiding him down to her groin. And Ranma's eyes widened at the feelings. /Oh gods.../ The pressure on that spot... Ranma pulled her hand and his tightly in, grabbing at her crotch. And then she did loose it. Her hand fell limply down and so did her upper body as her hips arched upwards to Ryoga's hand. A thin cry escaped her lips. /Ranma???/ Ryoga was torn between anxiety and wonder. Ranma had always been the quiet participant in their sharing -- the reason Ryoga got so much teasing over the noises he made. And that reaction... Ranma's hips were still pushing at his hand and Ryoga turned his attention back down. The nosebleed had remarkably stopped when Ranma took his hand for the exploration and Ryoga focused his attention on this rather remarkable wonder of a girl's lower body. The hair... Ryoga parted that with his fingers, looking for what it was that was driving Ranma crazy. With a twist of her body, Ranma assisted his efforts, bringing her body up so that his fingers were resting on a small fold of flesh between the hair, and a parting of the skin below the folds... Ryoga's careful exploration was driving Ranma crazy. When his fingers finally found the fire, Ranma's eyes closed tightly. /There! / Ranma bucked her hips up, driving his fingers partly into her and she whimpered loudly, "There, Ryoga! I need you, there." Ryoga's eyes left the area he was staring at to look in wonder at Ranma's face as she moaned and twisted, sweat glistening on her skin. /This is so intense... It's like she's never experienced the pleasure before./ Their first couple of times had been like that, as the boys experimented with their bodies and the astonishment of release. But this... /A girl's body.../ For a moment, Ryoga envied Ranma for it. And almost hated him. /He didn't want this curse, did he?/ And then Ryoga was ashamed of his thoughts, remembering what had driven Ranma to this point. /Ranma was so mad at Akane... Oh, Akane... do you know what Ranma feels? What I feel? How we both want you so.../ And when they couldn't have her, when Ranma's pain overwhelmed his sense... Ryoga bent his head quickly so Ranma wouldn't see the tears that sparkled there. Though there wasn't much chance of that. Ryoga hadn't stopped his attentions while he thought and Ranma was whimpering and gasping, twisting and pushing her hips up to Ryoga's hand as he pushed his fingers into her. Ryoga wasn't totally sure, but it was obvious Ranma was enjoying the sensations. /And here we always thought size mattered to a girl./ Obviously not that much if his fingers were enough for the pleasure. It wasn't enough. It wasn't enough. The pleasure was consuming her. Consuming the girl's body. But there needed to be more... Ranma's moans were of frustration. The pleasure was so intense. But there was no release. Just a desperate need for more. Her body was dripping as the fires drove the sweat out of her body. A guy's body never needed that much. The pleasure also had release and such a feeling of ecstasy... The girl body was getting the pleasure all right. But she needed more. "Ryoga!" Ranma called to her friend in her need, pleading for something she didn't know. /Uh.../ Ryoga heard the need in her voice. /I thought she was enjoying it -- what am I doing wrong?/ Ryoga redoubled his efforts, sliding his fingers in and out of her warm moist hole, studying her carefully for each reaction. He noticed her body tended to shudder when his fingers passed over those two folds of skin... Ryoga put more attention onto them. And was rewarded with a cry of pleasure from Ranma. /She is being a *lot* more vocal than normal! / He pushed and he rubbed... And found a spot a little ways inside of her that felt rougher than the skin around it. When he pressed against that spot, Ranma's body writhed around his hand and then she sank back, shudders rippling her skin, her lungs heaving for air. He took his hand out, "Was that it?" The pleasure had finally found release of a sort. And the shockwaves were rippling through her body. Ranma blinked open her eyes. /What sort of a question is that?/ She thought about it. "I think so..." It had definitely been a release. And it was definitely pleasure. Pleasure though her whole body, not just her groin. /This is different! I like this./ But there was still a need in her body... "What? Ranma, tell me about it!!" Ryoga moved up to her head and looked down. He grinned at the wondering look on her face -- and was rather shocked at her words: "Ryoga -- I want to try that again." She had to grin at the astonishment on his face. "You can?!" he blurted out, "You got the release and you can go again???" His penis was still limp from the earlier release and it would be awhile before he could do anything like that again, however much he wanted to. And here was Ranma, ready for more... He looked down at the girl's body in fascination. "I thought girls didn't need sex like guys." Ranma sat up, running her hands over her body and down to her groin. She lingered her touch there where Ryoga had been. And found that the tingly feelings were still there. Not quite as intense... /I need the build-up./ "I don't think they do. I've been in and out of this body for several months, and there have been only a few times that I've ever felt that heat." Ryoga eyebrow involuntarily went up in a surprised question. Feeling the thought, Ranma's face turned scarlet and she didn't say anything. "Kuno? Mikado? Those friends of yours at school?" Ryoga couldn't leave it alone, intensely curious. "Shut up, already!!" Ranma yelled, solid beet red. Ryoga obediently closed his mouth, but the eyebrow stayed up and a grin played at his lips. He lost the grin when Ranma spoke again. "You." "Huh???" "When I'm sparring with you in girl form... There have been a couple of times when at a break I'd step back and look at you... or be holding you in a lock... And the hot feeling washed over this body." "Is that why I got the crap beaten out of me those times?" Hearing the reasoning, Ryoga was more amused than anything. He recognized the feelings -- it had been so very hard for him to think of Ranma as a guy when she would do things like tackle him with her legs and press her body to his in a lock. A very female body... And it was in their spars that he and Ranma were the closest to total trust between them. "Oh shut up..." Ranma leaned over and kissed him again, letting herself be aware of his male body like she normally tried hard not to. Thinking of the pleasure from her body and the tingling feelings and the way Ryoga would do anything she asked of him... The heat rose in her body and flared. /Wow. This body definitely responds to thoughts!/ She pulled back slightly, "I want it again. Now. Yes, this body apparently is capable of more. And I want it." /I want you.../ She stamped down the hesitant cautions that had involuntarily sprung up in reaction to her thought, the cautions that were trying to remind Ranma that this body was a curse. /Ryoga is a man that girls want.../ A different heat of anger and challenge washed through her body as she filled in the gene