By the time the following afternoon rolled around, the interested parties had once again gathered at the Tendo home to view the next tape of Ranma's adventure in the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Soun and Genma had attempted to sneak in late the night before after the last bar kicked them out, only to find three irate daughters and one positively nuclear wife laying in wait for them. After the tape had finished, the Tendo sisters, the Amazons, and Ukyo had filled Nodoka in on everything they knew about Ranma's life and the utter stupidity he was subjected to by his father. The Tendo sisters were still incensed that their father had allowed Akane's honor to be stained so. Consequently, while Nodoka was applying some much-belated corrections to her husband's attitude, Soun was being taken to task for his own shortcomings. Both men were currently bandaged, bruised, and in traction. They had been propped up against the back wall of the family room out of reach of the tea and snacks, and pretty much given the cold shoulder by everyone else in the room. A tear rolled unchecked down Genma's face as he gazed longingly at the tray of finger foods that Kasumi and Nodoka had prepared for this evening's showing. Soun, in contrast to both his normal self and Genma, merely sat impassively with a thousand-yard stare. Such was the result of his daughters venting years of frustration over their virtual abandonment followed by his attempts to suddenly tell them who they would marry as if their only value was to secure his future comfort. It hadn't been pretty. Even the gentle Kasumi had gotten in her licks. Yes, things were changing and Soun would not be the one in control when they finished. As for everyone else, they ignored the two men and discussed the focus of their gathering briefly before beginning the next tape. (oO\O/Oo) "Hey Asuka!" Ranma called out, rushing to catch up to the girl as they were leaving NERV. "Wait up." "What do you want, Third Child?" Asuka demanded snidely. "Aw, man, you're not still sore about the battle, are you?" Ranma asked, catching up to the other redhead. "Idioten, you had no right to take control of my Unit 02," Asuka said angrily. "I could have beaten that angel if you hadn't interfered." Ranma bit her tongue...hard, swallowing the ill-advised commentary that fought to make its way past her lips. "Look, all I can say is that I'm sorry," Ranma said evenly. "I may have been a little out of line..." "A little?" Asuka shrieked. "You may have been a LITTLE out of line? Mein Gott, that's like saying the surface of the sun is a little hot. That's how far out of line you were." "I said I was sorry, okay," Ranma said, her voice raising a bit as she struggled to control her own temper, loss of which would lead to her foot firmly planted in her mouth. "I've had more experience with fightin' than you have. I saw a way to take the angel out quickly and I took it. That's how I am okay? I see somethin' that needs to doin' and I just do it. It wasn't anything against you or a slight on your abilities. How can I make it up to you?" "Who says you can make it up?" Asuka spat. "So that's it then? You're gonna throw away a chance at friendship because you were deprived of a chance to show off?" Ranma asked glumly, looking at the hostility in Asuka's eyes for a long moment before turning away. "You're not the only one that lost her mother and whose father abandoned her, ya know. I just figured we could be good friends because we had a lot in common, and not just because we could be twins at the moment. We both had a crappy childhood. We both are driven to be the best. We're both Eva pilots. We both pretty much only have superficial friends because nobody can really understand what we've been through. Guess I fucked that up like I usually do. Sorry. We could have been really good friends, ya know." Ranma walked off feeling somewhat angry for failing to win Asuka over and sad because without someone to be there for her, Ranma would have to watch the girl slowly self-destruct. "Hey, wait!" Asuka yelled, catching up and walking beside Ranma. "I never said you couldn't make it up to me." "I ain't gonna kiss your ass or worship the ground you walk on or nothin'," Ranma said cautiously. "Ask Pop, I don't do boot-lickin'." "Well, what did you have in mind?" Asuka asked. "How about we start with me takin' you for ice cream?" Ranma suggested. "You're buying? Anything I want?" Asuka asked. "Whatever you want," Ranma nodded. "Okay," Asuka agreed. "That'll work for a start. You also have to agree to let me fight the next angel without interfering. And you have to teach me those techniques you use." "I can't guarantee about the angel," Ranma said. "That depends on what the Old Fart and Misato decide. If I have a say in it, then it's all yours. As for trainin', that I can do." "Fair enough," Asuka said with a grin and held out her hand. Ranma looked at the hand for a moment before she recognized it was one of those Western customs used to seal the deal. She reached out and shook Asuka's hand. "You know," Ranma mentioned as the two girls headed toward the ice cream shop, "we can still be rivals AND best friends too." Asuka blinked at her companion before she broke out in a wide grin. "I suppose you're right," Asuka agreed. "Nothing like a little friendly competition." "Yup," Ranma smirked. "By the way, you're invited over for dinner tomorrow. It'll be me, Rei, Misato, Dr. Akagi, and Kaji. We have some things to show and tell you and Kaji. Pretty unbelievable stuff." "Okay," Asuka said. "This has to do with the confusion over your gender?" "Pretty much," Ranma nodded. "You and Kaji will get the whole story then." "Okay," Asuka agreed. "I still don't believe you're a guy. I've seen the full-Monty after all." "Well, don't be expectin' to see it tomorrow night," Ranma laughed. (oO\O/Oo) Ranma sighed in relief as she settled into the furo and felt the change tingle through him for the first time in the last few days. It felt good to be a guy again. He relaxed into the hot water, intent on enjoying his guy-time since it was only temporary until tomorrow night when they explained things to Asuka and Kaji. That was the plan anyway. Unfortunately, like most plans involving Ranma, it was doomed from its inception. The harbinger of this plan's demise was currently opening the door to the furo and stepping in. Ranma looked around to see Rei, naked as a jaybird, entering the washroom. "GAH!" Ranma exclaimed. "Rei, I'm in here. Do ya mind?" "No, I do not mind, Ranma," Rei said dispassionately, completely missing Ranma's meaning as she sat on the stool and began washing herself. Meanwhile, Ranma was having a mental meltdown. There was a naked girl in the bathroom with him. In the bathroom, where he was, there was a naked girl. Ranma was in the bathroom where there was also a naked girl; a rather cute naked girl; and he was naked too. Naked girl in the bathroom plus an equally naked Ranma equals Ranma's time as a living entity was coming to an abrupt (and hideously painful) end. Ranma's rational mind imploded, downgrading his thought process to the instinctual fight or flight mode. Since there was nothing here to fight, his instincts determined that flight would be the appropriate response. Thus Ranma leaped from the water and burst from the bathroom into the hall, practically into Misato's arms. "Lookin' good, Ranma," Misato slurred drunkenly and giving him a lecherous grin as her eyes crawled all over his naked body. They came to rest on one particular area. "Is that for me? Why thank you," Misato said reaching out. Ranma screamed like a girl and fled to his room, slamming the door shut and pushing the dresser in front of it. Looking around wildly for mallet happy tomboys, he leaned against the dresser in relief. His rational mind managed a successful reboot at this point. 'If I didn't know Rei was incapable of being a pervert, I'd think I was living in a house full of them,' Ranma thought, picking himself up and beginning to get dressed. Back in the furoba, the blue-haired girl in question sat on her stool washing. Her lips had formed what could only be described as a mischievous smile as she considered the success of her plan. 'That,' she thought to herself, 'was...very nice.' Out in the hall, Misato just shrugged in disappointment and went about her business. (oO\O/Oo) "Ma'am, the naval cruiser Haruna reports pattern blue contact approaching in Tokyo Bay!" "Damn," Misato swore. "We still haven't finished repairs from the 5th angel. Get the transports ready. We'll have to meet it at the shoreline. I'll go get the kids and meet you at the airstrip." (oO\O/Oo) Two Evas stood on the beach having been air-dropped into position. The power cords were installed and they each had a progressive naginata in hand as they waited for the angel to appear. "Remember, Ranma, you promised this one is mine," Asuka declared from her crimson and yellow Eva. "Yeah, yeah," Ranma sighed from her midnight-blue and green Eva. "It's all yours, Asuka. I'm just here for back up." "Just keep out of my way," Asuka commanded. Suddenly, the water in front of them exploded upward into the air. When it fell back down, the pair saw the angel standing in the water before them. It looked like something out of a b-grade horror film with gray-skinned long arms arcing about its headless body. Set in its torso was a round structure that resembled a stone yin-yang symbol. "Watch my back, Third Child!" Asuka called. "CHARGE!" "Charge?" Ranma asked, putting her face in her hand at such a cliché battle cry. The crimson Eva leaped to attack, bouncing off of various partially submerged buildings before leaping high into the air with the naginata held high. Asuka descended on the angel with a mighty overhead strike that split the angel in two, top to bottom. "Heh, that's how a battle should be, simple and elegant," Asuka said haughtily. "Um...Asuka? You missed the core. It's not dead," Ranma pointed out. "What? Of course it's dead, Idioten," Asuka argued. "I split it in half." "Then why's it still moving?" Ranma asked in exasperation. "GAH!" Asuka exclaimed looking over her shoulder. "W-what? How?" The split angel reformed into two slightly smaller angels of the same shape, only now the reddish cores could be seen just below the yin-yang structure. Also different was that instead of gray, one was blue and the other red. "Can I help now that there's two of them?" Ranma asked. "Um, yeah, I suppose that would be okay," Asuka said, sweat-dropping. "Good, I'll take the blue one; the red one is yours," Ranma suggested. "Right," Asuka said. The Evas set themselves as the angels began their attack. Asuka immediately found herself on the defensive as the smaller angels proved to be insanely fast. Ranma was fairing a little better as she swung her naginata in the wide arcs practiced in her naginata kata while avoiding the energy beams the angel fired at her. Though the angel was fast, Ranma's training was proving to be a match for it. She closed with the angel, plunging her naginata into the yin-yang structure. Releasing the weapon she stepped in and unleashed a Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken on the red core with her Eva's fists. The core cracked and shattered and the angel stopped moving. Ranma pulled her naginata free and started to turn to assist Asuka. As she turned, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Looking back she saw the angel's core reform before she had to duck and roll as it fired its energy beam at her. "Um...Asuka, I think we're going to have to destroy the cores at the same time," Ranma called over the comm. "I just took mine out and it reformed." "Right," Asuka acknowledged. Unfortunately, this proved to be easier said than done. While both pilots managed to destroy the cores of their respective opponents several times, it had proven nearly impossible for them to line up the killing blows at the same time. The beginning of the end came when Asuka's angel leaped out of the way of a fierce overhead naginata swing and caused Asuka to sever Ranma's power cable. Twenty seconds after Ranma's Eva run out of power the angels double teamed Asuka and defeated her. (oO\O/Oo) Maya Ibuki narrated as a slide show of the battle was shown at the debriefing. When it got to the slide showing the defeated Eva's, Asuka couldn't contain herself. "This is all your fault!" she yelled at Ranma. "Huh?" Ranma blinked. "All my fault? Just how the hell do ya figure that?" "You just couldn't manage to beat your half at the same time as me," Asuka shouted jumping up. "Now just wait a damn minute," Ranma said, also jumping up and pointing to the slide. "You're the one that cut my power cord. Until you did that, it was only a matter of time before we managed to destroy them at the same time. Besides, I destroyed mine five times before you took me out. You only managed three times." "Why you..." Asuka snarled as the two redheads faced off growling at each other. The impending scuffle was interrupted by the continuation of the slide show. Maya continued the debriefing telling them that, after the Evas were defeated, control of the operation was turned over to the UN who dropped an N2 mine on the angels. The N2 mine managed to send the angels into a period of regeneration, which was calculated to last another six days. "Pathetic," Fuyutsuki said as he presided over the debriefing. "We have all been humiliated by you...children." "What?" Ranma and Asuka shrieked at the same time. Suddenly, Fuyutsuki was being held up by his lapels by Ranma, who was glowing with a furious blue battle aura. "Humiliated?" Ranma asked coldly. "You want humiliated? You're gonna be humiliated when this hundred-pound child beats your brown-nosin' ass down. I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I won't put up with this from the ole bastard, and I for sure won't put up with it from his boot-lickin' toady. You think you can do better, then get your crusty old ass out there and show us what'cha got. Otherwise, shut up and reattach your lips to Pop's ass." By this time, everyone else in the room was gaping and Fuyutsuki had a dark stain spreading on the front of his pants as Ranma fixed him with a sub-arctic glare. Glancing down at the wet spot on the former professor's pants, Ranma smirked evilly and dumped the man back in his chair. "Now that's pathetic," Ranma sneered in contempt. "Pissin' your pants in fear of a 14-year-old girl. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You're just the kind of spineless worm the Old Fart likes to surround himself with; someone that doesn't have the spine to stand up to him." "I..." Fuyutsuki's voice came out a couple octaves higher than normal so he started again. "I-I could have you arrested and detained for this." "Yeah, right," Ranma scoffed. "I double-dog dare ya to try it. If you do, then I walk out of here and none of you assholes will ever see me again. How's that fit into the Old Fart's plans, huh?" Ranma stood back and crossed her arms, waiting to see if the Sub-commander had the nerve to carry out his threat. When it became clear that the follow-through wasn't forthcoming, Ranma turned on her heel and stalked out of the room. "Whoa," Kaji said in awe. "She's got balls as big as church bells." Asuka and Maya just nodded, their minds completely blown. (oO\O/Oo) Misato sat at her desk looking at the huge stacks of complaints from the various civic organizations that were filed in the wake of the battle. "Wow," Ritsuko said as she came into Misato's office. "Looks like you're going to be busy." "Tell me about it," Misato groaned as Ritsuko started leafing through the various complaints. "Let's see, we have one from the Department of Commerce, one from the City Council, here's a bill from the UN..." "And they all say the same thing," Misato added. "'If you're going to fight, please don't do it here.'" "You'll be lucky if Sub-commander Fuyutsuki doesn't bust you back to Lieutenant," Ritsuko said. "It was just a bit of good luck in the bad that Commander Ikari wasn't here," Misato agreed. "Yup," Ritsuko agreed. "If Commander Ikari had been here you'd have been fired. However, if I were you I'd avoid Fuyutsuki for a while. He's liable to still fire you after what your charge did in the debriefing." Misato groaned. "What did Ranma do now?" Misato asked tiredly. "Well, it seems that the Sub-commander said that their performance was humiliating and Ranma took exception to that," Ritsuko smirked. "She started glowing with that battle aura thing she does and hoisted him up by the lapels and told him she wouldn't take that from her father and she for sure wouldn't take it from a, and I quote, 'boot-licking toady' like him. She then threatened to beat the snot out of him and made the Sub-commander piss himself right in front of everyone." "She didn't," Misato said, banging her head on the desk. "And that's not all," Ritsuko smirked. "Then she taunted him about pissing himself in fear of a 14-year-old girl. He threatened to have her arrested and she told him to go right ahead because if he did she was walking and we'd never see her again. She left when the Sub-commander backed down." "Well, shit," Misato commented. "What am I gonna do with her?" "I'd say ignore it," Ritsuko said. "Ranma is aware of what's at stake and she knows her value around here. As long as she's willing to do her job, then that's all we can ask." "But she's undermining the discipline," Misato protested. "What if the other children or staff start flouting the chain of command?" "So what do you suggest? Make an example of Ranma?" Ritsuko asked. "We have no hold on her, Misato. She could easily follow through on her threat and walk out of here and we wouldn't be able to do a thing to stop her, short of shooting her." "I guess," Misato sighed. "So please tell me you have a brilliant plan to deal with this angel and save my job." "You mean like this one?" Ritsuko smirked, casually waving a computer disk. "I just knew you would come through for me, my dear friend, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi," Misato said, brightening. "Well, as much as I'd like to claim the credit, it wasn't me that came up with this little gem to save your heiny," Ritsuko laughed lightly. "It came from your sweetie, Kaji." "From Kaji?" Misato asked, disgusted, but then her face took on a wistful look. (oO\O/Oo) "I'm home," Ranma called out as he came in the door. After leaving the briefing room he had changed back to a male and went for a walk to calm down. It had really jerked his chain that that ass-kissing toady had decided to play Monday morning quarterback and try to tell them they were an embarrassment. Ranma still had to laugh about the old geezer pissing himself. Entering the apartment, Ranma noted the boxes stacked everywhere and groaned. He had forgotten about this in his anger. He sighed and girded himself for the fun to begin. "Hey, who the hell are you and what are you doing in here?" the expected voice demanded. Turning, Ranma faced Asuka who had just come out of the bath in a pair of shorts, a tank top and a towel over her shoulders. "Well, I had really wanted to wait until this evening, but I guess it'll have to be now," Ranma said with resignation. "Hi, I'm Ranma. Sorry 'bout this." "Yeah, right, and I'm Kaji Ryoji," Asuka scoffed. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing but if you don't leave I'm calling the cops." "Look, I can prove it. Come with me," Ranma said, stepping by her into the bath and filling a bucket with cold water. Ranma proceeded to explain to Asuka about the curse, its triggers, and effects. He then proceeded to demonstrate by dumping the water on his head. Asuka gaped, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water as her mind refused to process what she had just seen. It went against just about everything in her world-view. It was, well, magic. Her firm grounding in science had left her ill-prepared for anything outside its bounds. Ranma dipped the bucket into the furo and poured some hot water on her head. Walking up to Asuka, he waved his hand in front of her face. There was no response as Asuka just stood there staring wide-eyed at Ranma. "Hey, you okay?" Ranma asked, snapping his fingers in her face. "Heh, the lights are on but no one's home." "Showed her the transformation, huh?" Misato asked, appearing in the doorway. "Yeah," Ranma confirmed. "I was male when I got home. Didn't expect her to be here. She came out and saw me so I had to explain. I think I broke her." "I'll handle this," Misato smirked. With the day she had, this was just what she needed. Picking up the bucket she filled it with cold water as Ranma stood back. Drawing back, Misato threw the contents of the bucket on the stricken girl's face. "What the hell did ya do that for?" Asuka sputtered angrily, becoming animate once more. Misato snickered. "You blew a mental circuit when Ranma showed you his transformation," Misato explained with a large grin. "I was just resetting the breaker to get your brain back online. You can thank me later. Right now we have some things to discuss. Come along children." Misato breezed out of the bathroom and headed for the dinning room with Ranma and Asuka following. "What'dja wanna tell us, Misato?" Ranma asked once they were seated. "Well, first off, I heard about your little performance in the debriefing, Ranma," Misato said. "Look, if you're thinkin' about givin' me another lecture on chain of command, save your breath," Ranma replied. "I wasn't interested then, and I ain't interested now. I'll just tell you the same thing I did then. You want someone that follows orders and kisses ass, then hire yourself a soldier. I ain't lettin' no brown-nosin' jag-off talk trash about me and Asuka when he couldn't find his own ass with both hands and a roadmap on the battlefield." "But don't you understand how you are undermining discipline with everyone else?" Misato tried reasoning with the recalcitrant pilot. "Like I give a damn," Ranma sniffed. "It ain't my problem. If people follow my example and give the old farts a hard time, well, that works for me. Anything that irritates Pop is a good thing in my book." "So there's nothing I can say that will change your attitude then?" Misato sighed. "Look, Misato, we've been through this before," Ranma said. "Respect is a two-way street. I respect your authority because you respect my opinion when I have a better idea. My pop and his toady don't respect anyone but Gendo Ikari and they can both kiss my ass." "They could have you shot, ya know," Misato said. "They could try," Ranma returned. "They'd find that a little more difficult than it sounds." "I suppose the big, bad martial artist is bulletproof too, huh?" Misato asked sarcastically. "Bullets aren't that hard to dodge when you know they're coming," Ranma smirked. "And it ain't like they could send someone to sneak up on me." Misato threw her hands up in exasperation. "Well, since I can't talk any sense into you about that, then let's move on," Misato sighed. "We have a plan to fight the angel when it becomes active again. We think Ranma's assessment that the cores have to be taken out at the same time is correct. In order to do that, the two of you will have to begin synchronization training so that you can move in time with each other." "How are we gonna do that?" Asuka demanded. Misato held up an SDAT. "You'll practice in time to this music and the music will be playing during the battle," Misato explained. "You're moves will be precisely choreographed so that you both land the finishing blow at the same moment. You have six days to train. During that time you will eat, drink, and live together." Asuka looked at Ranma, who was nodding in understanding. "Well, I expected to live with you anyway, so I guess it's not that big a deal," Asuka commented. "So you're not gonna start callin' me a freak or a pervert or nothin' are ya?" Ranma asked hesitantly. Asuka looked thoughtful. She had to admit to herself that it was her first impulse, but she knew Ranma wasn't a pervert. She...he...whatever, had made it a point to avoid being in sight of her while she had been dressing. In fact, Asuka had seen more of Ranma than vice versa. Also, there was the fact that his guy form was cute...REALLY cute. Sure, it was weird that he turned into her nearly identical twin when splashed with cold water, but that was sort of intriguing. Add to this that he was a friend and had always been straight with her, she found herself unwilling to belittle him for something he couldn't control and didn't ask for. "It's weird," Asuka admitted. "But I'm okay with it. That doesn't mean I won't tease you sometimes, but, no, I don't think you're a freak." Ranma blinked. He had really expected more trouble from Asuka. He had expected her to throw their budding friendship away like Akane did, accusing him of being a freak and a pervert with no evidence other than what was fabricated in her own mind. More and more, Ranma was coming to understand what an abusive hypocrite Akane was. Not only did she almost always falsely accuse him, she never trusted him. The fact that she always took the pig-boy's side when it was clear that Ryoga would attack him on sight with no provocation on Ranma's part had hurt a lot. Ranma had dealt with that, even cared for Akane, because he thought it was normal. Now he was in this strange world and he was beginning to see things in a different light. Rei, Misato, Dr. Akagi, Hikari, and, now, even Asuka treated him with acceptance and offered friendship instead of ridiculing him because of his curse. Ranma was deeply touched and it reflected in the smile he gave Asuka. Asuka blushed under the radiance of Ranma's warm, happy smile. 'Kaji who?' Asuka thought as she returned the breath-taking smile. It was then that Rei stepped into the room. "Oh, hi, Rei," Ranma said, turning the incandescent smile on the blue-haired girl. "Hello, Ranma," the dispassionate girl said, blushing slightly. "Asuka, this is my friend Rei Ayanami, the pilot of Unit 00," Ranma said cheerfully. "Rei, this is my newest friend, the pilot of Unit 02, Asuka Langley Sohryu." "I am pleased to meet you, Pilot Sohryu," Rei said emotionlessly. "Likewise," Asuka said, giving Rei a speculative look. "Do you also wish to be friends?" Rei asked evenly. "Ranma indicates that we would work together more efficiently if we were engaged in a friendship." "Um...riiiight," Asuka said, giving the blue-haired girl an odd look. "Sure, we can be friends." Ranma smiled proudly at Rei. While the girl was still a bit on the emotionally sterile side, she was coming along nicely. She would probably never outwardly be a very passionate person, but to Ranma, that was part of her charm. Meanwhile, Rei was looking at Asuka who was looking at Ranma with a speculative look. Perhaps she could enlist the girl's help in claiming Ranma. Given Ranma's obvious desirability as a mate, perhaps the new girl would like to be a part of the relationship as well. Ranma did say that he didn't like possessive girls and Rei had no problems with sharing. Misato stifled a giggle as she looked between the three. It was going to be amusing to see how Rei dealt with some competition. It was obvious to her that Asuka was also attracted to the pig-tailed pilot, and her observation of Rei since she had come to live with them had convinced her that she was pursuing the boy in her own odd way. Oh yes, home life was about to get very entertaining. "Okay, now that you girls have met," Misato smirked. "We need to discuss sleeping arrangements." "Huh?" Asuka asked. "Well, during your synchronization training, we will all be sleeping in the living room together," Misato explained. "Afterward, though, you and Rei will be sharing a bedroom." "WHAT?" Asuka demanded. "I must have my own room!" "Well, we could always have Rei move into Ranma's room and share with him," Misato grinned. "Erk!" Ranma choked. "That would be acceptable," Rei interjected, almost...eagerly. "No way!" Asuka protested. "That wouldn't be fair...I mean...right, for Rei to sleep in the same room as Ranma. I guess I'll just have to deal with having a roommate." "Well, if you're sure, Asuka?" Misato fought to hold back the laughter. "Is that okay with you, Rei?" "I feel that my relocation into Ranma's room would be the most satisfactory alternative," Rei pontificated. "However, I shall agree to whatever Ranma desires in this matter." A smile appeared on Rei's face and then disappeared so fast that Asuka wondered if she saw it. "I-I think," Ranma stammered, gulping uncomfortably as all three females were now looking at him expectantly, "that it'd be best if you shared with Asuka, Rei. Not that I wouldn't want ya to sleep with me or nothin', but it might cause problems." Misato was mentally rolling on the floor in hysterics. The boy had pretty much just waved the green flag in front of Rei's face judging by the broad smile and the blush that bloomed on the blue-haired girl's face. Misato couldn't help herself. She had to stir the pot a little. "Well, I don't know," Misato giggled. "You and Rei have been dating for a while now." "We have?" Ranma blinked. "Taking her out for ice cream, going on double dates with Toji and the Horaki girl, shopping together," Misato listed. Of course Misato knew that neither of the mentioned boys was thinking of their outings as dates, but it was also equally clear that the girls did. At least the Horaki girl did, but she was certain that it made little difference to Rei. Whether it was called a date or not, it was still spending time with a boy she was attracted to. Ranma gaped for a moment before his eyes rolled upward and he fell back in a dead faint. "S-so, h-he's your boyfriend?" Asuka stammered in disappointment. "I do not mind sharing, Pilot Sohryu," Rei said coolly. "If you wish to pursue Ranma yourself, perhaps we could work together." Asuka gaped at Rei. Misato gaped at Rei. Ranma twitched in his unconsciousness. Rei smiled a brief but mischievous smile. Pen Pen waddled through on his way to the freezer. (oO\O/Oo) "THAT PERVERT!" Akane shrieked. "As if he doesn't have enough girls, he's got to go out and get more!" "Um...Akane," Nabiki sweat-dropped as Nodoka danced by, singing about her son being so manly. "I don't think he's trying to get more girls. I think they are the ones trying to get him." "And the JERK called me an abusive hypocrite!" Akane ranted. "If he comes back, he's going to get such a beating!" Everyone sweat-dropped as Akane continued ranting.
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