Gasaraki Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Project Mile Two ❯ "So that's what happened to Ucchan" ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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Project Mile Two
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Chapter 8
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"So that's what happened to Ucchan"
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By Lord Raa
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Nabiki walked towards Furinken High, calculating just how long it was before she was forced to start manipulating her sister's fiancé just to keep everyone at the dojo fed. 'Let's see, Ryoga admittedly eats less than Ranma, but I can't sell the cheesecake photos of him to Kuno and the other perverts around here. However, him giving Kuno that concussion was unexpected, I think we may have to have a bet on how badly Kuno-baby gets injured in the fights.'
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"Hey, Nabiki!" Ukyo called out.
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"Oh, hey Ucchan. Did you manage to sort out everything with your family?"
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"Yeah, that's why I'm here in this hideous dress. At least it's only for the next few days, anyway."
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"You're leaving Nerima, eh? Where you off to?"
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Moving closer to Nabiki, she continued as if it were some secret. "I'm moving away to Gowa city."
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"Oh, still after Ranma? What about his mother, what does she have to say about you chasing after her manly son," Nabiki managed to sound just like Nodoka.
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This caused Ukyo to giggle. "It's hard to let 10 years go to waste, y'know. I talked with him and his mom and we think that with his new job and the move, he's gonna need his best friend."
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"New job?" Nabiki wondered out loud.
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"Yeah," Ukyo confirmed absently. Or that is what it seemed to the witnesses. "He's working with his family at Gowa Instruments, he couldn't go into details, but I think he might be working with the Robots that were in the news a while back."
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Nabiki filed that little bit of information away for later as she made her way into the main building.
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"Besides, I seem to remember you mentioning that if your chance with Ranma came up, you'd take it," Ukyo teased. "So, are you gonna tell Ranchan that you like him?"
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"I-I don't know," Nabiki admitted. "I don't see him anymore, I guess I'll have to make the trip to his mother's."
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"If you don't tell him, he'll never know he you feel. Do you have feelings for Ranchan?"
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Nabiki was left to ponder that as they parted ways at the school.
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Ranma exited the TA simulator drenched in sweat with a look on his face that said "I feel like I've just been 10 rounds with the old freak and Taro's cursed form."
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"So Ranma, what do you think about what your cousin has in store for you?" Nodoka asked.
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"I..(Gasp) I think... (wheeze) I like it (Pant)," Ranma managed, much to his mother's consternation.
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"I think we'll wait for the doctor's report before we sign you up, son."
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"Yes, I have to agree with your mother, Ranma," said Kiyoharu.
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"Yes, well that aside, I think Ranma's a natural." Kiyotsugu spoke looking up from the computer screen. "Ranma, when you've had a chance to rest, we'll get the doctor look at you." He motioned for his lead researcher so speak with him.
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Ranma stood in an examination room as he waited for the doctor's report.
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"Ranma, aside from your diminished lung capacity and renal efficiency, I would say that you're in excellent health. When did you say you were operated on?"
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"'Bout a week ago, why?"
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"Because the healing of the scars in fantastic. Can I see this 'cursed form' of yours?"
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Ranma nodded. Walking of to the sink, he prepared a glass of cold water.
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"Get ready doc," he advised. Upending the container, he transformed in the busty red-haired girl that went by the name of Ranko.
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"Fascinating. Does it hurt at all?"
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"Not really, it kinda tingles. It's happened so often, sometimes I hardly notice when I change."
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At the same time Ranma was being examined.
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"So, what's your opinion on my cousin?"
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"I think he can greatly aid the project. You've got a certain look in your eye, what are you planning?"
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Kiyotsugu glanced around for eavesdroppers and leaned in to whisper something.
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The researcher had a look of shock on his face which was quickly replaced by a smile. "That's highly unlikely, but then so is his cold water condition. Are you going to tell him?"
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"Not yet, I want to run a few calculations through the computers first, but it could be as soon as tomorrow."
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The next day Kiyotsugu invited his cousin into his office, "Ranma, I have some good news and bad."
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"What's that?"
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"Bad news is we are going to experiment on you today. Good news is that, well, we might be able to help out with you lung and kidney situation."
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Ranma's face brightened, then he frowned. "Wait, you said 'might'?"
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"That's the bad news. To tell you the truth, I have no idea what's going to happen." Looking into his cousin's blue eyes, he asked, "Do you want to go through with this, Ranma. It may be that nothing happens, or you could die. I just want you to know what the risks are."
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"You can die crossin' the street. I'm in."
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Kiyotsugu smiled. "Right this way, Ranma. By the way, you can't tell your mother about this, it'll be our secret..."
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In the early evening, Ranma was napping at his mother's house after a long day of 'simulator trials and examinations'. Well that was what Kiyotsugu had told Nodoka.
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The truth of the matter was something quite different, and, if Nodoka had known about it, she would have had words with her cousin. Words like "does this hurt?" and "how about now?"
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Because Ranma's body had produced chemical compounds like the infamous compound 'D' and others that were similar in nature to the Kugai's core and the TA's artificial muscle structure, the research team had come to the conclusion that Ranma was an extremely powerful Kai. To test a theory, Kiyotsugu had injected material from the still regenerating Kugai into Ranma. Also he was curious to see what effect, if any, it would have on the Jusenkyo curse.
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But back to the scene at hand: Ranma, having been fed by his mother earlier, was napping when his best friend arrived with some pastries.
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"Hi, Auntie Nodoka. Is Ranchan in?" Ukyo had been visited Ranma a few times since his move away from Nerima. She still had hopes of being more then friends, but at least she could take it slowly now, rather then ram it down his throat for fear of him being dragged off elsewhere.
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"He's asleep at the moment, Ukyo-chan. But I suppose that my manly son could stand to have a pretty girl in his room right now. He's been oddly hungry today, so he might appreciate that gift in your hands." Nodoka smiled. 'I'm glad Ukyo was able to sort out her problem with her family.'
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Ukyo had also been able to dress as her true gender, having discussed the engagement debacle with her family. On this occasion, she was wearing snug fitting jeans with a tight red sweater. Not even the clueless Ranma could mistake her for being a boy today.
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Knocking on the door, she asked if he was awake. Not getting a response, she entered ready to avert her gaze, should Ranma had been dressing. Honest. Well that's what she told herself anyway.
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"Ranchan?"
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No response.
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"Ranchan?" A little louder this time.
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Still no response, so she moved in to get his attention, "Ranchan?"
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Finally getting a little fed up, Ucchan started to shake Ranma awake, when he rolled over with a smile mumbling "Ucchan."
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Ukyo beamed widely. Moving in to get a better idea what Ranma was mumbling about, she was taken aback by his sudden movement back onto his side. This caused her to get entangled up in his arms and held against his body.
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Nodoka took this opportunity to ask if anyone wanted refreshments when she noticed the teenagers' positions. Smiling to herself, she backed away apologizing.
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"No, it's not what it looks like!" Ukyo protested loudly.
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Ranma stirred. Opening his eyes he took in a pleasant, if highly surprising view of Ukyo in his arms. Looking around, he failed to see his mother observing the whole scene from the hallway.
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He blinked. 'Hey, it's Ucchan.' Ranma blinked again. 'She's in my bed. I'm touching her.' "Aagh!" he quickly separated from his friend. Backing away, he cowered to protect himself from the expected attack.
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He sat there for a minute. Then it occurred to him that he wasn't going to be punished.
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"What's wrong, Ranchan?"
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"Y-you're not gonna hit me for being a pervert?" Ranma eventually asked.
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Nodoka frowned from the sidelines.
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"Wha? When were you being perverted?"
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"You know, when I was touching you," Ranma filled in the details.
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Ukyo shook her head. "Ranchan, you weren't being perverted or anything. If anything, I was wrong to sneak up on you while you were sleeping."
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"Are you sure?"
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"Yes Ranchan. I am quite sure that you are not a pervert."
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A knock at the door distracted Nodoka long enough for Ranma to breathe a sigh of relief.
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"Hello auntie Nodoka. Is Ranma in?"
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Nodoka was taken aback by the appearance of Nabiki Tendo. Then something occurred to her. "Yes, do come in. I would like to talk with you and Ukyo."
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'Uh-oh, what has he done now?' Nabiki asked silently.
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In the living room, Nodoka looked at Ranma's friends intently. "Well?"
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"Well what, auntie Nodoka?"
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Nodoka frowned. "Why did Ranma expect a beating when he found Ukyo in his arms?"
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Nabiki raised a questioning eyebrow at Ukyo at this bit of information.
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"It's what normally happens. Whenever a girl gets near him, someone shows up screaming that he's being perverted or something." Nabiki replied honestly.
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Ukyo winced then nodded when Nodoka looked to her for conformation.
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"I'm afraid that all of us in Nerima had a part to play in that, auntie Nodoka," Nabiki was clearly ashamed.
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"What do you mean?"
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"Well, all of the suitors jumped to all sorts of conclusions. Since no-one argued Ranma's case, he must have assumed that it was his fault."
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Nodoka started to develop a twitch. "So my son is under the impression that if he gets close to a girl, he's being perverted and deserves to be attacked?"
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"Y-yes." Nabiki cowered.
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"And what are you going to do about it?" Nodoka asked in a disturbingly calm voice.
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Fortunately, Ranma came into the room looking for a cup of tea.
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"Hi Nabiki, what brings you to this neck of the woods?" Ranma asked cheerfully.
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"I just came to check up on a friend. What's this I hear about you hold Ucchan in your arms?"
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"Well I was sleepin' and she disturbed me, and I (sthnathrets)," Ranma mumbled, his face threatening to burst from the force if the blush.
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Ranma's mother correctly interpreted the rushed response as 'I started to have naughty thoughts about her'. "Those thoughts didn't include being hit did they son?" Nodoka was concerned her son was into S&M. Being dominated was not manly in her opinion.
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"WHAT? No mom, Ucchan was snuggling up to me." Ranma shouted defensively.
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As Ukyo smiled cutely, Nabiki looked envious. 'Damn, I'm going to have to work fast if I want Ranma.'
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"Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things, Nabiki."
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"Oh?"
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"First of all, just as I left Nerima, you said that you'd never lied to me before. But when we were engaged, you told me that you had been in love with me for some time. Correct?"
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Nabiki squirmed in her sitting position. "Yes, I said those things."
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"Right, now are you or have you ever been in love with me? 'Cause if you haven't then I can't believe what you said about lyin' to me."
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'When did Ranchan start thinking like that,' Ukyo looked puzzled. 'So there's a brain behind that pretty face of his.'
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"Er," Nabiki started to flounder. 'Ranma never analysed words or behaviour before.'
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"He's got you there, Nabiki-chan. Either you were in love with my son or he can't trust anything you say anymore because you lied about not lying to him." Nodoka smirked behind a cup of tea.
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"Yes," Nabiki was being deliberately vague.
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"Care to elaborate, Nabiki?" Ukyo asked.
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"Yes, you replied in the affirmative to one of the conditions, but did not specify which one," Nodoka pointed out.
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Ranma smiled at the discomfort Nabiki was so obviously in. "Not nice is it Nabiki? Well, I'm sorry for doing that to you, but I had to know. How're things at the dojo?" Ranma changed the subject.
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"F-fine, why?" Nabiki was puzzled by Ranma's switching of topics.
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"It's just that I had a weird feeling that something's going to happen at your place."
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Ranma blinked hard.
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"Ranma?"
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"Son?"
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"Ranchan?"
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Ranma started to sweat. Then he fell into Nabiki's lap, causing embarrassment, envy and concern.
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"I'll call for an ambulance."
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Inside their mansion, the Kuno siblings were being surprisingly pleasant to each other.
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"Brother, where is my dearest Ranma-sama? I have not seen him for some time," Kodachi pouted
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"Little sister, I have some news about the object of your misguided affection."
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"Oh, please tell."
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"He is no longer Ranma Saotome."
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"What, have those filthy harlots done to him to cause him to become Ronin?" Kodachi started to seethe. "Is it his father?"
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"That's not it, you really should stop experimenting with those poisons, they're destroying your mind. No he is actually of somewhat noble birth."
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"Oh, I knew he was special, but what do you mean by 'somewhat'?"
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"It would appear that he is related to the Gowa clan. At least on his mother's side."
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"Gowa, eh?" Kodachi smiled, her insistence that Ranma was a noble warrior was being proven right. "I'll just have to speak with his mother about our relationship."
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"You do that, sister."
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At the hospital Ranma was being fussed over some of the medical staff once it was clear he was in a stable condition.
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One was trying to get his shirt off while another brought in the ultra-sound scanner.
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"Now, now ladies, I need room to manoeuvre. Kindly step aside. Thank you." A doctor of stocky build entered the room to perform the scan.
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To describe his findings as a surprise would be a major understatement.
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He asked a pair of nurses to bring in another doctor and scanner just to be sure he wasn't hallucinating.
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A female doctor of around 30 confirmed the first doctor's findings.
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"Well doc? Am I gonna live?" Ranma asked worriedly. "Is there a problem with my chest?"
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"You could say that. But then again, if I wasn't familiar with your case, I'd say you were in perfect health."
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Ranma looked at the stocky doctor blankly.
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The lady doctor filled in the blanks for him. "You seem to have grown a lung and kidney. I want to do an endoscopic exam just to be sure."
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Kiyotsugu Gowa made his way to the hospital cursing himself for his experimentation on Ranma.
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He got there just as his endoscopy was finishing up, "so then what's wrong with my cousin?"
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"Nothing, other then he regenerated two new internal organs in the space of a few days."
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"Oh?" 'So it worked, eh?'
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Nodoka walked back in with a drink of water for her son. Ranma took the drink, but his co-ordination was still off so he ended up spilling it over himself.
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"Ranma!" Nodoka chided. She started to mop up the water, when something occurred to her.
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The chest was still male.
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"Ranma - you're still male!"
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"Hey, I am. I'm cured!"
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Ranma's triumphant shouting drew attention from most of the floor, and the ire of the staff.
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"Sorry," Ranma and his mother apologised sincerely.
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Ukyo and Nabiki rushed in upon hearing their friend's jubilant cries.
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"Ranchan, are you really cured?"
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"I dunno, Ucchan. Can someone get some hot and cold water please?"
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10 minutes and several dozen applications of hot and cold water later, it had been determined that Ranma's Jusenkyo curse was gone.
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Nodoka motioned for Ukyo and Nabiki to go somewhere private for a "word or two."
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"So, it seems that my son is cured and in excellent health," Nodoka's desire for grandchildren was temporarily put on hold. "I want him to stay that way, so I think it would be best to keep his status a secret."
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Ukyo nodded, Nabiki brought up Kuno and that pigtailed girl. "What shall we tell him? If we say she's now more then he'll do something rash."
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"I think that if you tell him that she's fled his clutches and decided to become a shrine maiden in Hokkaido, he'll bother somebody else," Ukyo answered.
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"That should work, he saves face by thinking that he's freed his love from the 'foul sorcerer' and he might leave Akane alone to chase after 'Ranko'," Nabiki agreed.
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"But how this development affect how you feel about my son?" Nodoka demanded.
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"I love Ranchan because of who he is, not what he is," Ukyo insisted.
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Two pairs of eyes turned to Nabiki.
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Nabiki looked slightly panicked.
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"Well?"
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"Ra nchan seems to think that you care about him. Do you?"
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"I guess that I do, but what do I do about it? He likes Ucchan better."
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Ukyo smiled at that. Nodoka smiled as a thought occurred to her. She was about to whisper her suggestion to Ukyo, when Ranma called out to them.
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"Yes Ranma?" Nabiki asked thankful that he'd saved her embarrassment for the time being. "What is it?"
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"I know what you're planning to tell Kuno, I just want you to know that I agree with you."
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"How did you ?" Ukyo asked trailing off.
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"I guessed that's what you were talking about. Please don't let any of them know that I'm 'better'. Nabiki, I er, please don't take this the wrong way, but you were in this strange dream I had."
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"Oh?" Nabiki teased.
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"It's not like that at all, I just wanted you to know that if you needed my help, you've got it."
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'My son was dreaming about two girls in the same day, how manly,' Nodoka was gushing praise to herself.
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"Ranchan, were you having naughty thoughts about Nabiki?" Ucchan teased.
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"No!" Ranma shouted. "At least I was doing anything naughty."
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Nabiki coloured slightly.
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"Oh? And what was I doing in this dream of yours?" Nabiki inquired.
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Ranma paused for a moment to think about his choice of words. "Nabiki needed a job to pay for something. It was big, something she couldn't do with the cash she could normally get together. She asked me for help and I agreed."
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Ranma noticed the looks Nabiki was getting and added a qualifier. "She was working for me. I think."
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"Yes, well I think that you should be getting some rest now son. We'll pick up you up in the morning.
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About a week later, Yushiro was being chauffeured to a hot spring with Miharu in silence. But the young couple was just the quiet type. Miharu was leaning against Yushiro, when something strange caught the eye of the driver.
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"What the hell is that thing?" he asked pointing up at the sky.
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It looked like a flying minotaur carrying an octopus on its back whilst it clutched a cask-like object in its arms.
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Unfortunately this proved to be too much of a distraction for the driver, who was normally very good. They never had a chance in a T-bone collision with the petrol tanker.
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This was one thing that seriously upset Ranma. He and Yushiro had only just met recently and were becoming friends, when they were cruelly and permanently separated.
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When Ucchan found out during one of her visits, she consoled her former fiancé, much to the approval of Nodoka.
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'Even in a time of family tragedy, he's being manly. If only he was returning her affections more.'
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In Nerima Happosai was doing his rounds when his danger sense flared.
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The roof-top he was bouncing across crumbled as a monster crash landed on to it.
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"So, Pantyhose, m'boy are you ready for more fun?"
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The monster growled and lunged at the aged pervert, who simply leapt away. Taro gave chase as Happosai lead him back to the Tendo dojo, planning on depositing his ill-gotten treasure and letting his students deal with the situation.
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Ryoga saw Taro approaching and prepared to deal with this monster, forgetting that neither him nor his fiancée were the targets.
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Taro landed in the Tendo yard, looking around for the residents, he gestured for some hot water.
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Moments later, Kasumi appeared with a kettle and a smile.
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Upon changing back to his human form, he stated his demand; that Happosai change his name.
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When Happosai refused, he mentioned his trump card.
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"If you don't then I'll just have to splash you with this water from the spring of drowned virtuous man."
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Happosai, naturally disliking that idea attempted to make his escape. However, Genma and Soun seeing a chance to be free of their master's perversions for at least some of the time, pulled out a photo of Ranma's cursed form to distract him.
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It did - for a moment, and it allowed Taro to grab hold of the shrunken troll.
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In the ensuing struggle, Happosai was splashed with the water leading to a good news bad news situation.
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The bad news was that is was water from a different spring than the one Taro thought. It was water from the spring of drowned twins. The good news was that only a bump on Happosai's head was doused and not the whole pervert.
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Seeing that his carefully thought out plan had failed, Taro splashed himself with his canteen and started his most therapeutic beating of the master of Anything Goes.
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Ryoga was standing next to Akane when his Jusenkyo curse was activated by the discarded canteen.
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Akane turned to her fiancé and saw P-chan surrounded by Ryoga's clothes. Then she saw the truth Ranma had been hinting at all this time.
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"Ryoga, you pervert!" she cried out and punted the black piglet into the air.
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Glowing red with rage she turned to her father and Mr Saotome. "Daddy, what was the big idea engaging me to that pervert? Why didn't you tell me Ryoga was P-chan?"
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"We thought you were ok with that, it was pretty obvious." Genma said with a tone of 'what are you, a complete dunce?'
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Akane turned her death-glare on her father's friend, who suddenly became just as spineless as her father.
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Splashing himself with a nearby bucket, he went into his "I'm just a cute li'l panda" act.
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"Daddy, I'm waiting for an explanation," Akane said in a calm voice, arms folded and foot tapping impatiently. "Why didn't you tell me that my fiancé was already sleeping in my bed?"
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"W-we thought that you knew and were ok with it. You held him to your chest as if nothing was wrong. Please don't hurt me," he finished cowering behind a certain panda.
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"Oh my," Kasumi exclaimed as Taro was thrown through a wall of the Tendo house and an adjacent dojo support.
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Nabiki, recently arriving downstairs, came to complain about the noise when she observed the damage. In an overly sweet voice that promised pain and suffering for the wrong answer asked, "Daddy, who's paying for these repairs? I can only do so much with what we have. Someone has to get a job to pay for the construction work."
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Soun started to panic.
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Genma played with an old tyre.
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Happosai fled, knowing that he was at least partly responsible for this incident.
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Akane looked at her sisters, "did either of you know that Ryoga was actually P-chan?"
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Kasumi shook her head while Nabiki mentioned that, "now it made sense why Ranma had a problem with your pet pig."
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The enormity of the revelations caused the youngest Tendo to fall to her knees sobbing. Kasumi went over to comfort her sister.
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Nabiki turned her eyes on Taro, who just snorted in a 'what are you looking at fashion.' "Go back to China. If I ever see you here again, I'll make sure your cursed form is studied at Tokyo University for the next decade."
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Taro shuddered involuntarily. Nodding his head in understanding, he flew off back home trying not to think of the nasty things that the researchers would do to him.
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"Right then daddy," Nabiki turned to the adults, "just WHO is going to pay for the damage? You know that Akane and I can't get a job with the school rules being what they are, and Kasumi has done more than enough for the household. That leaves you, Happosai or the panda. Who is it going to be?"
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"Nabiki, you should have more faith in your father," Soun's spine seemed to be forming itself again. "We'll just engage Akane to that nice Kuno boy."
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Akane looked at Soun, "I can't believe you are that stupid, daddy. I will never marry Kuno, he's even more perverted then Ryoga."
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Nabiki turned to Akane who looked to be on the verge of fresh tears. "Daddy, the least you and Saotome can do is help clean up this mess."
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"Saotome, Ranma knew about Ryoga's curse, right? So why didn't he tell anyone?" Soun asked his old friend ask they started the clean up operation.
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{The boy promised not to tell anyone.} Flip. {You know how he is about promises}.
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To be continued.
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I would like to thank Chi Vayne for his input on various ideas.
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Love it?
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Loathe it?
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Let me know in your usual fashion.
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