"Ow! Hey, watch it with that chopstick!" Akane yelled, holding her stinging right hand in her left. Cradling it to her body, she could see the various red streaks that ran along it. "Wife no learn. What did Shampoo say?" Shampoo asked gruffly. "Stop calling me that! I did what you said... oh, that. I just thought a little sugar would make it taste better," Akane said after seeing where Shampoo was pointing. "This is salty dish. The sugar is bad." Shampoo glared at Akane until she reluctantly backed down. Akane sighed and went on to preparing the soup for the ramen boiling in another pot. As much as she hated to admit it, the amazon was a good teacher in the kitchen. Kasumi lacked Shampoo's bluntness and style of punishment. As a result, Akane's cooking had drastically improved to the point where Ranma didn't have to excuse herself to go to the toilet while praising the food all in one breath. It made all the stuff she had to put up with from Shampoo worthwhile. "Ah, Wife is learning. Not too much salt now," Shampoo said pleased to see Akane taking a sip of the soup before adding the salt. While Shampoo didn't need to test the food they cooked every five minutes, as she was experienced with what worked and what didn't, she knew Akane was not nearly as practiced. By forcing the girl to test everything before anything and after anything was added, she had hoped that Akane's fast learning in the martial arts would translate over to the kitchen and so far it was working admirably. "Will you stop calling me that? I am _not_ your wife!" Akane turned and yelled at amazon. She noticed Shampoo pointing to the pot in front of her. She quickly swiveled her head just in time to catch the overflowing soup. She had to turn down the heat. She sighed, defeated, as she heard Shampoo's murmur of approval. *Why does this happen to me?* * * * * * "I hope Akane is okay in there," Kasumi winced as she heard another resounding smack. Shampoo seemed to be rather freehanded with the dishing out of punishment. "Shampoo's very skilled. She's good enough not to really hurt or leave a permanent mark on Akane," Ranma said, her worried voice not giving much credence to her vote of confidence. She did know Shampoo would not hurt Akane much, but the cries still made her cringe. "Besides, Akane is learning. Ordering takeout every time she cooks isn't cheap, you know," Nabiki said. She had been quite surprised the first time she tasted the new, improved cooking of her younger sister. "You were too easy on her, Kasumi." "Perhaps, you're right," Kasumi agreed. "I just couldn't find it in me to scold her when she had that look of dejection." *She does look cute with that sad puppy look,* Ranma thought, remembering the first time Akane offered to cook and the disappointment on her face afterwards. "Don't blame yourself, Kasumi. You're a wonderful teacher. My cooking has improved a lot since I came here because of you. Some people just learn differently." Nabiki frowned when her sister and Ranma shared a intimate look between them. Nabiki faked a cough, bringing both of their attentions on to her and her frown grew deeper at the their blushes. Something did pass between them. "So where's your pet? I haven't seen him since you let Azusa take care of him a week ago." "Azusa caught a cold a few days ago. I told her to keep P-Chan for company until she gets better. I hope she's alright," Ranma worried. * * * * * Ryoga looked up from the table at the sleeping face of the figure skater that was the cause of his misery. He should just leave right now. However, he didn't move from his spot on the nightstand. "Ranma... Charlotte...," Azusa mumbled in her sleep. Her body quivered as another cough came out of her lips. Ryoga looked on worriedly as Azusa's body was wracked with another coughing fit. In spite of his dislike for the girl, he felt a certain sense of duty to be by the girl. It was the right thing to do in his mind. Other than kidnap him, she hadn't really done anything bad to him. She gave him anything that he wanted to eat, spent almost her entire day talking to him, and tried her best to make him comfortable. She didn't even put him in a cage anymore when she noticed how he hated it. "Charlotte...." *Just this once,* Ryoga thought as he jumped on to the bed and walked over beside Azusa until his nose touched her arm. Azusa woke up drowsily as she felt something poking at her. She smiled as she saw that it was P-Chan. "Feeling lonely? Me too. Want to sleep beside me?" A flood of happiness welled up in her as she hugged the piglet gently to her side. * * * * * "Mmm, delicious, Akane," Ranma somehow managed to say while she shoveled down the food before her at her usual fast pace. "It's kind of bland, isn't it?" Akane asked as she took a bite out of the noodles. She was so sure she had added enough flavoring. Everyone around the table immediately disagreed with her. "No, is good. Shampoo think Wife think too much," Shampoo said after eating her own ramen. "Y-You mean it, Shampoo?" Akane took another bite of the ramen and this time savored it a bit in her mouth. It wasn't half bad. It was weird, but Akane found herself believing more of Shampoo's praise than that of her family. The amazon would never compliment her if it was not true. It was only after the whole family was done that Akane recalled that she forgot to contradict Shampoo assertion that they were married. By then, she felt it would be silly to say it after so much time had passed. Nabiki waited until her parents made their way to their usual spots for a game of shogi, before stretching her arms exaggeratingly. "Ah, a wonderful meal, Akane. I see you made dessert too." Akane was about to get up and clear the dishes when she heard Nabiki's praise. *Oh no, not again! Don't they ever get tired of this. I should leave. This is really childish,* thought, but like the other times this past weeks, she found herself quietly sitting there. *Oh my, not this again. Nabiki, this duel is pointless. Nobody is going to win. I should really put a stop to this.* Kasumi, however, like Akane did nothing. She looked over at Ranma. The poor girl's eyes were wide open with shock. *Ranma won't be able to last much longer if you two keep doing this.* Shampoo's eyes narrowed. It looked like Nabiki was going to initiate it this time. She waited patiently while planning her own counter attack. "Oooohhh, baby... that's the stuff. Mmmm!" Nabiki murmured closing her eyes. In her hand was a pastry which she slowly put to her mouth and took another bite from. She brought other hand to her chest and let out a deep breath. She let the hand lazily circle her chest, all the while moaning just enough so that she could be heard by her one intended audience. Shampoo did not like how Ranma's eyes were riveted to the area Nabiki's hands danced around. She reached over on the table and grabbed one pastry that she knew was cream filled. "Oh, Shampoo clumsy," she said loudly, over the mewling noises Nabiki made as she 'appreciated' her dessert. Ranma's attention was diverted for a moment to Shampoo before almost turning back to Nabiki. It only took a moment for Ranma to realize what Shampoo was doing before the gaze stayed permanently on the amazon. The memory of how the two of them hand obscenely rubbed their hands against the other was still fresh in her mind. Shampoo made a fist and then stretched out her index and middle finger out. "Shampoo very clumsy," she repeated, "drop cream _there_." Her tongue came out her of mouth and it began circling her lips, wetting them in the process. Bring her hand to her face, she began to lick the cream that had 'accidentally' landed between her fingers. Her tongue flicked at the cream there a few times before she buried her mouth there and sucked the spot noisily. *Two can play at that, game.* "Hmm, did you have shrimp in one of those dishes, Akane? You know how I'm allergic to them. I'm very itchy." Nabiki proceeded to demonstrate how itchy she was. She started by copying the way Shampoo had made the V sign on one of her hands. She then took a finger and started to scratch the area between the two fingers. "Aahh, that's much better. Hard and fast. I don't care if I rub it raw." Akane nearly spit her tea out at Nabiki's carefully chosen words. Since when had her sister been allergic to shrimp? *Copycat,* Shampoo thought angrily. *I can cheat if you do.* "Aiyah, Shampoo forget allergic to shrimp too," Shampoo exclaimed, not caring how stupid that sounded. By now, the middle Tendo sister had also given all pretext of pretending realistically. "Er, Shampoo," Kasumi said, embarrassed as she watched Shampoo reach for the buttons on her dress, apparently ready to scratch where it 'itched'. "Ranma's fainted already." "Oh," Nabiki and Shampoo said simultaneously as they both righted themselves up and finished the rest of their pastries in a peaceful fashion. Kasumi gently took Ranma's still form and placed her in a more comfortable position. "Ranma can't take much more of this teasing." "That the point. Shampoo need to sleep with Wife to make marriage official," Shampoo reminded them. "If not, no show face in village." "If Ranma is marrying anyone, he's marrying a Tendo. And no, Akane's marriage to you doesn't count. You're the one that's married to the both of them," Nabiki said. "Then Shampoo continue until Wife break down and fulfil duties," Shampoo replied simply. "Wait a moment, Shampoo. I remember you saying there was another way you could make this marriage official," Kasumi interrupted the argument to add in. "Yes. Joketsuzoku wedding ceremony," Shampoo replied, catching where Kasumi was leading up to, "but need elder present." "Yeah, right. You already act this way when your marriage isn't even official. Who knows how you'll act when you are," Namiki scoffed. "Shampoo only want to make it official so can go home and see family. They not see Shampoo for more than one month," she snarled at Nabiki. "Shampoo promise not force Ranma unless Wife ready when married." "Hey, what about me?" Akane asked suddenly. While the amazon had not made much of an effort to bed her like with Ranma, that did not mean Shampoo didn't cop a feel when the opportune times presented themselves. Akane was sure that is was more of an ego thing than any real desire for her body. "Akane join in of course. Unless Wife prefer other way. Shampoo no mind." *Other way?* Akane blanched at the suggestion. *Okay, maybe it's not only an ego thing,* Akane revised her thought as Shampoo leered at her. Nabiki mulled the idea that was being proposed. She didn't like the chances of Ranma holding out before she made a decision on which Tendo she would marry. Who knew how long that would take and by that time Shampoo could easily have seduced Ranma. With that in mind, Nabiki pulled Akane aside to talk it over. "Akane," Nabiki whispered, "let's do what she says. You can't really push her away like the guys at school. And one of these days, she might get tired of your 'hard to get' routine and really turn up the effort of luring you into the sack." "As if!" Akane shrieked, before realizing that Shampoo was still in the room. "As if," she quieted down, "you really think that I would... with _her_? I'd fight to my last breath." "You won't have a chance to. I've looked through some of the books Shampoo brought with her. She has loads of recipes for aphrodisiacs. The amazons don't see any problem in using artificial means to 'help' their spouses along. Do you really want to wake up one morning with her beside you?" *Might not be so ba....* "No!" Akane screeched out fearfully, trying hard not to wonder where her thoughts had been heading. "Okay, okay, I'll do it." "Don't worry, the only place this marriage is legal is in the village of the amazons," Nabiki said helpfully, misinterpreting what it was that Akane was so afraid of. Shampoo smiled as the two sisters broke the news to her of their decision. Kasumi did not look nearly as happy even though she had started the ball rolling with her question. "Shouldn't we ask Ranma first?" She blushed as three sets of half-lidded eyes looked back at her. The flat stares of disbelief made Kasumi feel foolish for asking such a silly question. *Oh right. The chances of Ranma saying no to marrying a girl like Shampoo were not very high in the least bit.* "Shampoo send letter to great-grandmother one week ago. Elder be here tomorrow." "But that was when you just declared me and Ranma as your wives," Akane said, her anger building up. "You can't mean that you were sure..." Shampoo waved her hand at the shocked looks Akane shared with her sisters. "Shampoo sure Ranma or Akane break down, so call early. Shampoo hot babe, no?" Shampoo asked, grinning so that her teeth showed as she watched Akane. "...No," Akane replied, her mouth feeling dry. Shampoo smirked at her second wife's hesitation, before adopting a sterner demeanor. "Wife talk out of place. Shampoo marry Akane, not Akane marry Shampoo. Big difference." "Huh, what did I miss?" Ranma asked as she woke up to a bickering Akane and Shampoo. "Congrats, Ranma. We're going to marry you off to Shampoo." <Wham> "Nabiki, really," Kasumi scolded as she went over to make sure Ranma hadn't hit her head when she fainted for the second time in one day. * * * * * "I'll kill her! She used some Chinese magic or something on you." "Kodachi, wait. She didn't do anything to me," Ranma said in a soothing voice, calming her friend down. "It was Nabiki who came up with the idea. Um, you see, I didn't tell you this before, but Shampoo has been trying to sneak into bed with me since she got here. It seems that even though she gave me the Kiss of Marriage, it's not exactly official and she can't ever go home and see her family until it is. The act of consummation would seal the deal." "That slut!" Kodachi shouted and jumped to her feet again, but her friend's hand was firm on her arm. Grudgingly, Kodachi sat back down on the chair. "A wedding ceremony would also work which is why I asked you to be my witness. It's sort of like a maid of honor from what they tell me. Amazon law prevents Kasumi and Nabiki, who are related to Akane who is also getting married, from being witnesses so we both decided to ask you." "Sorry for my outburst, Ranma. It's just that I don't like to see you being pushed into something. You're my friend and I don't want to see that." "Oh, Kodachi," Ranma sighed happily. She let go of her grip on her friend's arm while she gave Kodachi a hug and completely missed the fear in her eyes in the process. Ranma blushed as she didn't know how to tell the prim and proper Gymnast this. "I think you know by now that I like girls, Kodachi. I don't really mind, so you can stop trying to fix me up with Ran. Yes, I know what you've been planning. You weren't very subtle." "I-I just want you to be happy," Kodachi stuttered. She remained silent for a moment before her curiosity got the better of her. "I knew about your preference. Akane told me after you were kissed by that Mikado creep because I didn't know why you responded so violently at the time," Kodachi paused again, not sure how Ranma would take her question, but she had to know. "Did you become friends with me because you were attracted to me?" she asked, not sure what she wanted the answer to be. "Ah," Ranma scratched the back of her head while she stared at her feet. "No, yes, I don't know. I mean I'm always attracted to girls, but I don't go out of my way to make friends with all of the ones I meet on the street. There was something about you that made me act differently when I first met you, though." "But you found me attractive? You still do?" Kodachi asked, her voice oddly quiet. She could feel the barrier she had placed between herself and Ranma starting to break. *Sorry, Mother, but if Ranma feels the same way....* "Yes!" Ranma blurted out as she raised her head to look at Kodachi. She blushed and her eyes went back to looking at her feet. "But, the more I spent time with you, I found myself liking you for other reasons. Don't worry, I won't try anything that you're not comfortable with. I have enough problems with the girls at home. I'm willing to stay just being your friend if you'll have me." Kodachi did something she had never done before even though her acting out of character had become an all too common thing since she met Ranma. Kodachi ignored the voices of her mother in her head. The only thing present in her mind was the resounding idea of that Ranma liked her. The idea that her friend had wanted to get into her panties was an altogether unfamiliar concept. One that no matter how much the voice of her mother screamed at her, she didn't dislike. And now Ranma was offering to 'just be friends' while she went off and married that Chinese hussy. *I think not.* "Ohohoho! Ranma, what makes you think I won't be your friend because of something so trivial. I just wanted to know because I hope you like me more than just for my looks. Of course, I'll be your witness. I wouldn't dream of letting anyone else see you married off." *Fat chance. This farce of a wedding will not finish, if I have anything to say about it.* Ranma shivered pleasantly at the sound of her friend's laughter. Kodachi rarely laughed like this around her and when she did, Ranma found it to somehow fit more neatly with the girl she first met. She wondered sometimes if her presence had forced her friend to conform to her sensibilities too much so that Kodachi lost her own personality. "Thank-you, Kodachi." "No problem at all," Kodachi smirked. "Here, let me see you home. If I'm to be your witness, I might as well get more of a _feel_ for things at your home." "Okay," Ranma answered meekly as she felt a hand on her rump after Kodachi emphasized the word 'feel'. She thought it might have been her imagination, but the hand remained firmly planted on her round posterior as the two of them left the house. Kodachi, it seemed, intended to lead them the entire way home with her hand there. <Sigh> *Do whatever you want, Kodachi.* Kodachi blinked. *That you, Mother?* No answer came back. *Thank-you,* she thought reverently. She then turned and looked the cute red faced girl beside her. The old Kodachi was back and the prize this time was worth more to her than some rusty old gymnastics trophy. Her opponents better beware. * * * * * Nabiki looked at the mud pit Shampoo was single handedly building in their dojo. "What in the world are you doing?" Shampoo finished pouring another bucket of water into the large box of dirt, before turning to answer Nabiki, "Shampoo get ready for ceremony of course." Shampoo saw the blank look on Nabiki's face and reached into her clothes for the book of the standard Chinese Amazonian traditions. *Just how deep is that cleavage?* Nabiki wondered as Shampoo produced another item from under that tight dress of hers. She turned her attention to the book in front of her. After flipping through the pages she caught sight of the chapter on wedding ceremonies. "At dawn, the future-bride is to be cleansed by the purity of combat and in the embrace of our earthly mother in the form in which she first came into this world." The passage went on to describe what each of the participants would do. It took only a moment for Nabiki translate what the passage meant exactly. "In other words, we mud wrestle with Ranma in the nude?" "Not that simple!" Shampoo said, shocked at how plain Nabiki was making her ancestral customs to be. "Mean much more than Mercenary Girl say." "Whatever," Nabiki replied. *Hmm, this ceremony, might not be so bad after all.* "You mind if I borrow this book?" * * * * * "Are you sure, we should be doing this?" Kasumi asked, not feeling right that they were keeping secrets from Akane and Ranma. The two were currently out on a grocery shopping trip and wouldn't be back for some time. "Ranma won't object. Akane on the other hand is a prude," Kodachi said, agreeing with Nabiki. After finding out what entailed in this wedding ceremony and that the exact legal ramifications of the marriage were non-existent, Kodachi had decided maybe letting the ceremony run its course was not a bad thing. In fact, she was looking forward to it very much. "Besides, it'll be more fun for them to be in the dark. This is their wedding day, remember," Nabiki said, her grin very similar to Kodachi's own. "Oh my, does this amazon ceremonial battle dress look like what I think it looks like?" Kodachi looked at the picture and blinked. These amazons were more modern in their ideas, than she gave credit for. "Yes, I do believe that is indeed a bra and those, panties." "It looks like when we are not be in our birthday suits, that is what we wear for the other 'combat' activities. I don't like the sound of this. We're suppose to have an initiation test at the end." "The future-bride is to walk her way through a gauntlet composed of her peers. Each will take turns punishing the warrior and she will have a chance to do the same should she survive to the other side of the gauntlet," Kodachi read. That didn't sound pleasant. "Ah," Kasumi blushed as she read how the weapons for the gauntlet were to be prepared. Kasumi looked at the picture of the weapon that she had first taken to be a very fat club. "A pillow?" Nabiki turned to look at Shampoo where she sat with a frown. "We strip down to our bra and panties and have a pillow fight?" *Please give me strength,* Shampoo looked up and prayed. She hated how these Japanese were making light of centuries old customs. "This ancient ritual and ancestors know what they thinking. Want to preserve amazon heritage but not hurt wife since day of happiness. So come up with battle but no one get hurt." "Whatever," Kodachi muttered. Her reaction to the marriage might have been dulled by the pact she had learned between Shampoo and the Tendos, but she still didn't have to like it. "Ohohoho! Look at this page. The amazons certainly know how the plan a dinner." Nabiki studied Kodachi carefully as the gymnast conversed with an embarrassed Kasumi. *What is it about Kodachi that's different today? I can't put my finger on it. It's like she's two different people. She was never this forward before. And that laugh,* Nabiki thought, chilled to the bone, although strangely not unpleasantly so. *In fact, she's resembling the profile I gathered on her more and more and less like the misunderstood gymnast role she's shown to us. Could she have been restraining herself this entire time for Ranma? I think Ranma was probably the only the only one that didn't know how Kodachi felt. The wedding could have pushed Kodachi over the edge and she decided to step up her game plan.* Kodachi turned to look at Nabiki, amused at examination being conducted. *You should be wary, Nabiki. If everything goes right, I might just steal Ranma-chan from under your nose at this ceremony.* * * * * * "Akane, move out!" Ranma said, pushing the other girl away from her. Just in time so that they narrowly missed being hit from above from a long staff. Ranma blinked as the staff stayed upright. Moving closer to it, she noticed that there was something or rather someone hanging on it. "Eww, what is that thing... ouch, what'd you hit me for you old ghoul." "Good instincts, not bad. You'll make a fine addition to the tribe, daughter-in-law," the old woman cackled. "Daughter-in-law?" Akane asked, bewildered as Ranma was.. "Ah, you must be my other new daughter-in-law. My great- granddaughter was right; you are quite slow. I can see that you have some strength though. I can work with that." "Great-granddaughter? You're Shampoo's great-grandmother," Akane said, catching on. "She said you would be here today." "Brains, too, I like that. Nice big hips too. I can see that you'll be the child bearing one of the three," Cologne said as went around the flabbergasted girl to look at her behind. "Hey, stop that!" Ranma said, having had enough of the old woman's words. She was surprised as the woman suddenly disappeared. "Hehe, you're a hundred years too young to challenge me girl," Cologne said from atop Ranma's head. Cologne easily jumped over the girl's next attack and began racing away. "Why you! Come back here! Akane, you go home first," Ranma said quickly to her fiancée before racing after the woman. * * * * * "What took you so long?" Cologne blinked. Now that was unexpected. She turned around to see Ranma standing there looking confidently at her. "Better than not bad. It's no wonder you beat Shampoo so easily even if she was overconfident your fight, girl, or should I say boy?" "Y-You know?" Ranma asked, nearly slipping off of the roof top she stood on along with Cologne. "Of course, I know about Jusenkyo. I have lived in the area for over a hundred years. When Shampoo told me of her wife changing into a man, I pieced that together the fact that you were with the guide in the village, and figured it out." "Are you going to tell her?" Ranma asked, wondering what this woman might be up to. "Tell her what? Her wife doesn't turn into a man; her wife is a man that turns into a woman? I don't think she would mind, but I think I'll leave it up to you, boy. She does want children after all." "Thanks, but I'm a girl," Ranma said firmly, "and the children will have to be from someone else. "Oh, really? Shampoo does have an admirer from home. I don't think he would mind performing... ah, I see you do care," Cologne said mildly as Ranma scowled at her and formed a fist with one hand. "Also, I can see from the way you move that you aren't too sure of your gender yet, so a child from you and Shampoo may still be in the cards." "What's that supposed to mean?" "I think you'll find out soon enough," Cologne answered evasively. *Soon enough indeed. I think Mousse will be here soon. This should get interesting. We'll just see how much of a 'woman' you really are, Saotome Ranma.* * * * * * Ranma frowned as the group of girls giggled behind her. Every time she looked back at them they would giggle some more and the whispers would grow louder. Shampoo apparently _didn't_ mind that she was born a boy, but at Ranma's shocked look, said that her female form was preferable. She was suspicious if that were true or not. She had seen admiration of her male body in Shampoo's eyes when she had caught one of times that Ranma had taken a bath in hot water. "Don't mind them, Ranma. They are _little_ girls. Let them have their childish fun, while we adults do something more interesting," Kodachi purred into the redhead's ears quietly. Ranma blushed and quickly turned around her head. The giggling continued. *Good, they didn't hear. What's up with Kodachi? She been like a different person this past week.* "Kodachi-chan, it isn't proper," Kasumi said horrified at the outward display of affection Kodachi was giving to Ranma. *It's lucky that Nabiki and the other two are occupied with their gossip or there could be trouble.* *Damn, forgot about her,* Kodachi said as she straightened up, but still walking very close to Ranma. "You're welcome to join in, Kasumi. I did say us adults," Kodachi said, hoping to scare the old fashioned girl away. To her surprise, Kasumi actually took a step towards her before quickly taking two steps backwards and settled into a walk a little farther away from them. Cologne shook her head at the proceedings. *Was I ever that young?* "So, has everyone gotten everything for the ceremony, tomorrow?" "I could have done all the battle dresses up for all of us, myself," Kasumi said. She still couldn't believe what the bill came up to. "Maybe, but this way was faster and leaves us time to prepare for other things like the feast. Besides, you are all witnesses for my great-granddaughter. It is my duty to provide some of the items for the ceremony." "Ceremony? Don't make me laugh, you old ghoul. Shampoo is my fiancée! Saotome, prepare to meet your maker!" a voice declared out from above. Ranma jumped out of the way as a boy in a long white robe dropped down in front of her. However, he was facing the other direction. "Um, I'm right here." "I knew that," the man blustered as he turned around in the direction of the sound. He quickly put his glasses back on. It was a girl. "You are Saotome Ranma!?" "Yeah, what of it?" Ranma asked, annoyed at the shocked look the bespectacled boy was giving her. "I thought you were a boy. I mean, you are supposed to marry, Shampoo, right?" he asked confusedly. Shampoo who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn't believe her luck. *Why didn't I think of this before?* "Mousse, yes, Ranma, Shampoo wife. Do know why Shampoo ignore Mousse now? Like girls." "B-But...," Mousse stuttered. He had never seen any indication of Shampoo's preference before. There hadn't been anyone else, be it boy or girl, in the village though that Shampoo had shown any interest to. He had just assumed that Shampoo liked men. *She does like men! She has to. It must be the girl that has brainwashed her.* Ranma was suddenly blown backwards as the man in the robes took a swipe at her. *He's fast!* Mousse was shocked as the girl easily stopped his next attack. "What the..., so it seems you're quite fast as well." Ranma's anger flared as she looked at the training toilet in Mousse's hands that she had stopped from hitting her. The boy had been fast enough to move it quickly enough that it blurred from sight and she didn't notice it the first time around. "I'm good," Ranma said simply, keeping her eyes on the man before her. "Not good enough though. I challenge you to a battle for Shampoo," "Shampoo not for..." "It's a deal," Ranma said, biting her tongue. *Sorry, Shampoo. The Anything Goes School dictates that I must accept all challenges. Plus, this guy is starting to bug the hell out of me.* Shampoo stared incredulously as her wife met Mousse's oncoming rush. *What is Ranma thinking? Doesn't she care about what I feel? You and I are going to have a long talk when we get home, Ranma.* "The both of them are quite skilled," Kodachi said, her emotions conflicting with how she wanted the fight to end. She didn't care about Shampoo but she did care if Ranma got hurt or not. "But Ranma is going to lose," Akane said after analyzing the ongoing fight. *I didn't notice it before, but your style, Ranma... it's still that of a boy.* "Ranma isn't going to lose," Nabiki said confidently. "I've seen the way she acts. Even in sparring sessions against you or Kodachi, Ranma doesn't like to lose. Remember, the Martial Arts Figure Skating match?" Ranma was losing. It was a fact that she couldn't deny, as Mousse's fist slammed into her face. She tried counter punching and missed, falling short of the target by a few inches. Her arm was too short. Her mind might be that of a girl's but it had been trained to fight as a boy. *I hate to do this, but I do _not_ lose. Ever.* "Shampoo, what did you say? You like Mousse?" "Shampoo, you mean it?" Mousse asked, momentarily stopping his attack only to feel Ranma's fist plant him solidly on the jaw, causing his glasses to fall off in the process. He was now effectively blind. Not the conditions he wanted to be in if this fight were to continue. "You scoundrel! This isn't over between us, Saotome. I'll be back tomorrow to finish you off." * * * * * Ranma couldn't face her friends as she stared out into the expanse of the dojo, alone. The mud pit was the only other thing in the room and it stared back at him. *This is what Cologne meant before about me not sure of my gender. My body is acting as if I was still male, even when I'm a girl.* "Boy, what's this I hear about you almost losing today," Genma demanded to know as he entered the dojo. "Are you disgracing our art?" "Well, I didn't lose, did I? Almost doesn't count, is what you always told me," Ranma said, her cheeks flushing with anger. However, it was directed at Mousse and herself, rather than her pop. "It does when you have to fight the guy again tomorrow. Akane told me the reason you lost. You know should know what to do," Genma said gruffly. Hopefully, this would get rid of this 'girl' nonsense once and for all. "He challenged my girl form. You want everyone to know about my curse? This is going to be in a public place, you know," Ranma said for his benefit since he still had not accepted her decision about being a girl and not a boy. "Besides, aren't you the one always telling me to exploit weaknesses? What if something happens to me and I can't get to hot water, what then?" "Well, you can't help that girls are weaker than boys," Genma started to say, but then saw his son start to tense up. He tried a different tactic. "You could always retreat. Let this Mousse win this round. As long as you are still sound in mind and body, you can still fight and win another day." "I don't want to," Ranma said after giving the idea some thought. Besides, the fact that Shampoo would most likely get violent, Ranma hated to concede any victory. She hadn't done so since she was a child. "I am the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes. I'll win tomorrow." There were times when, Genma was proud of his creation. *That's more like the son I know, even if he's a girl at the moment.* "Well, then I guess you'll need training. You are not going to win by moping all day." Ranma perked up at this. Her pop, may no longer be the better fighter of the two of them, but he was still more experienced than her. "What kind of training?" "You may be weaker as a girl, but you are also faster. The fastest way to make you take advantage of this fact will be to beat out the instinct in you," Genma said after giving Ranma's question some thought. He then went over to the doors of the dojo and slid them open. The girls that had been listening in on their conversation piled in, falling flat on their faces. "If you girls have nothing better to do, than you can help me train Ranma. We only have a few hours before dawn." "That won't be necessary. I will fight him. Shampoo and Akane are not nearly strong enough to beat it out of him," Cologne said, hopping into the dojo on her staff over the sprawling bodies of the girls in the doorway. Genma pushed the glasses on the bridge of his nose up and closer his face. He noticed the pronoun, the old woman used for Ranma. *She could become a potential ally.* "Very well, I will instruct Ranma as he fights you." * * * * * "Again." Ranma struggled to her feet, aware of only his pop's voice. The wooden rod came at her again. She desperately sidestepped out of the way. Like the last time, it was getting surprisingly easier as the night progressed. She wasn't tagged by Cologne until a full minute later. "You're not thinking enough. I've told you that not all battles should be fought on instinct alone. Why were you able to dodge that first attack now and not before? Again." Cologne was having a new respect for Saotome Genma. Who would have thought the Anything Goes School could ever produce such a man. When she had first entered the house, she had dismissed him, but she should have known better. This man did train the person that had beaten the best student she had ever trained. *A very good instructor,* she thought as Ranma again got up to her feet at only the sound of his voice. Ranma didn't have much time to think as the Cologne began immediately. *What am I doing right?* she thought frantically. She grabbed the end of the staff as it was swung her way to buy herself some time. Her muscles strained against the old woman. She suddenly noticed something as she held off Cologne quite easily this time. *My base had changed, giving me more strength. It's my center of gravity. I haven't gotten used to it yet,* Ranma thought excitedly. While it was true that she did adjust her stance while she walked, she didn't apply the same reasoning to her battles. Her trained male mind had been overriding her normal female instincts in panic situations. *It's also the reason I fall down so much,* Ranma thought, remembering all the embarrassing situations she had gotten into with Akane and Kodachi when they trained or when she skated on the ice. Genma smiled as he saw a familiar smirk grace his daughter... son's face. *He understands.* *Maybe she is woman enough after all,* Cologne thought amusedly as the battle became more interesting now that Ranma was able to fight more effectively. * * * * * Mousse landed hard to the ground. *How did Saotome get so good, so fast? The last time we fought, she was slower and one hit would knock her down.* "Wife win Shampoo back!" Shampoo yelled out with delight and immediately glomped onto Ranma following the fight. "Mousse, now go home." "I'll be back. I will do anything for you, Shampoo," Mousse said from where he lay on the ground. A celebratory mood was in the air as Ranma's fiancées and friends piled up onto the arena platform to cheer for her. Ranma's mind however was not in on the celebration. *Where is he? I thought he would be here?* Ranma thought as she looked around for her pop. Only one person noticed as she silently slipping away from the joyous crowd. *We are not finished, yet, Ranma,* Cologne thought to herself. *Have you truly forsaken your manhood? We shall see.* * * * * * "I was _winning_ that game. I had Soun on the ropes!" Genma grumbled. "You could go back, if you want," Ranma said teasingly. "No," Genma sighed, "we've put this trip off too long. We've been here for over a month now. It's time we got a training trip in. Good to see that you're taking the initiative in your advancement for once." "Well, yeah, you know," Ranma said offhandedly, embarrassed to say the real reason she asked for this trip. She hadn't known how far apart she had grown from the only constant in her life until she had stood up there in the ring. Her pop had always been there watching her fights ever since her first one. It hadn't felt right to her when she didn't see his familiar face in the crowd. "I promise, I'll try to stay in male form. I've got some hot water in my thermos already." "You will not. That's how you got into this mess in the first place. You will practice in both forms. That means of course I'll double your training time so your male half doesn't slack off." "Fath... I mean pop, thank you." "For what?" Genma asked suspiciously, catching Ranma's slip of tongue and almost addressing him politely. *He'll never learn,* Genma thought, but feeling strangely contented. "Oh, nothing," Ranma smiled as the two of them continued on their journey. * * * * * "Shampoo kill Ranma when get back," Shampoo declared as she sat staring moodily at the mud pit. Now she would have to clean it out before it caked on her. *You better be back in a couple of days, Ranma.* * * * * * <Splash> *Why don't they ever listen?* The Guide wondered as he walked as fast as he could to the edge of the pool where yet another hapless visitor had fallen. *Actually, I think this one is different from the others. This man actually jumped in. But then why was he asking about Spring of Drown Girl, if he wanted to jump in to _this_ one.* "<Are, you alright, Mu Si?>" the Guide asked politely to the newly cursed form rising from the water. "<Mu Si... Mousse? Never realized how dumb that name was. I rather like Mi Su better. Call me that from now on!>" Mousse, now Misu, proclaimed. The Guide blushed as the woman with one motion of her hand threw off the white robe she wore after taking off her glasses, revealing boxer shorts and a damp tank top underneath. The spring had apparently cured the woman's normal form's weak eyesight. There were not many other changes other than hair color, which was now dark red in color. *Uh oh* The Guide took a step back as the woman brought out a whip from out of nowhere. *It can't be. Nobody has fallen into this spring in hundreds of years. A spring that that affects both the mind and body.* "<Now this is much more comfortable,>" Misu said, cracking her whip at the same time. She didn't know why she bothered with all those weapons before when this one was perfect for her. Well she might keep the chains. *You've been a naughty girl, Shampoo. Time to take your punishment,* she thought wickedly before leaving for Nerima. The Guide could only watch in horror at what was now unleashed into the world. There were many springs in the Jusenkyo that could bring terror like spring that the Pansuto boy was bathed in or the Ashura spring, and this was one of them. He could still remember his father's quivering voice telling him of this story. *Spring of Drown Dominatrix. Very tragic story of a dominatrix falling into spring one thousand and one hundred years ago.*
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