Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Couch Trips ❯ Sessions ( Chapter 2 )

Couch Trips - Chapter 2

"Session 3"

Dr. Epstein was relaxing at his desk writing in his journal. Many years before he learned that it helped him to concentrate on a problem or to help make sense of his, sometimes confusing, life. He looked at the clock and closed his journal. Rising he walked into the small efficiency kitchen, took two thermos bottles from a cabinet, filled one with hot water and one with cold. He then started his automatic tea maker.

The tea was almost ready when there was a knock on the door. The doctor smiled as he walked to answer it. One of those problems was at the door. He opened the door. "Hello Ranma. You're right on time."

In a few minutes Ranma was firmly ensconced in his favorite seat, a big, brown, overstuffed chair, drinking a cup of tea, while the doctor was sitting across a small table from him in what Ranma privately called the shrink's seat; A modern looking black leather chair.

The doctor peered closely at his patient over the rim of his own cup. He could feel the tension the young man carried around with him. "Ranma?" began the doctor. "What is it like when you change sex. Does it hurt?"

"Nah." Replied Ranma. "It's kinda like there is this tingling like when you foot falls asleep. When the tingle is gone, the change is finished. It only takes a fraction of a second."

"Hmmm." Murmured the doctor. "And you always change back and forth with hot and cold water?"

. "Well, except for the few times I got stuck in my girl form." Muttered Ranma. The room seemed to suddenly get cooler.

Dr. Epstein looked up from his note pad. "Can you talk about it?" He asked.

"What's to talk about?" Growled Ranma angrily "I got stuck. I got unstuck. End of story." Ranma felt the anger wash over him. "Damn ghoul, damn Herb." The doctor waited. "I woulda lost everything." He fairly screamed.

"How so?" the doctor asked. "You would still be alive."

"Maybe." Muttered Ranma. He fought to remain calm. "Maybe not."

"Ranma?"

"When I was six, my mom and dad made a pact, before Pops and I went on out training trip." Ranma laughed sadly. "He promised to return with me being a `man among men'."

"What kind of pact?" asked the doctor desperately hoping the answer wasn't what he suspected?

"A death pact." Replied Ranma with false calm. "If my mom determined I wasn't manly enough, Pops and I were obligated to commit seppuku."

Dr. Epstein closed his eyes for a second. "And being female even part time wouldn't be exactly manly."

"You got it, Doc."

"How does your mother feel about you being female at least part of the time?"

"You know, that's a funny thing." Replied Ranma. "She doesn't seem to mind."

"That is surprising." Replied the doctor thoughtfully. "How do you know she doesn't mind? Has she said so?"

Ranma thought about it for a moment. "Not exactly." Ranma frowned. "Now that I think about it, there are times when Mom seems to like when I'm a girl."

"Oh really? When is that?"

Ranma thought about it some more. "Well I spent most of last Saturday as a girl. " Ranma smiled. "It was great. Mom and I spent the whole day together. I was helping mom make breakfast when I accidentally got splashed and changed into a girl. " Ranma chuckled. "I was about to go get some hot water but mom wanted to finish making breakfast first." Ranma's face grew thoughtful. "It wasn't until Mom and I were shopping did I remember I was a girl."

"But you had fun?"

"Yeah!" Ranma's smile grew wide. "We went to the market first. Then the clothing store, that's when I realized I was still a girl." Ranma smile changed to one of embarrassment. "Mom just shook her head when I told her I'd get some hot water. She told me not to bother."

"Did you try on any clothes?"

"Hey!"

"What are you upset about?"

"I'm a guy, remember?"

"Guys try on clothes."

"I was a girl at the time."

"And?"

"What do you mean? And?"

"What was the problem?"

"I. WAS.A.GIRL"

"I thought you were a guy?"

"I am a guy!" shouted Ranma. "I was in my girl form. If I tried on clothes in my girl form, they'd have to be girl clothes. See?"

"But you had a good time?" responded the doctor as if Ranma hadn't just shouted.

"Huh." Ranma blinked his eyes in confusion.

"You had a good time?" repeated the doctor.

Well yeah."

"Would you have had a good time if your mother had asked you to try on some clothes for your girl form?"

"Why would she do that?"

"Well you told me your mother took you to a clothing store."

"I told ya. I forgot that I was a girl."

"Your mother didn't."

Ranma's mouth dropped open in astonishment.

"Well since you didn't try on any clothes what happened next?"

Ranma shook his head in confusion from Dr. Epstein's words. "We just walked around looking in the windows of different stores." Ranma's mood brightened as he remembered. Still, Dr. Epstein's words continued to haunt him.

"You went window shopping with your mother." Stated the doctor.

"Yeah. I mean, no. I mean guys don't window shop." Stammered Ranma.

"I thought you were a girl at the time?"

"You're confusing me." Growled Ranma.

"I'm sorry Ranma, I don't mean to." Replied the doctor calmly. "What did you do next?"

"We had lunch in this little lunch room." Ranma smiled in remembrance. "Mom bought me ice cream."

"Oh. You like ice cream?"

Ranma laughed. "I love ice cream." Ranma smirked. "It was a good thing I was a girl at the time."

"Why is that?"

"Cuz then I could order a parfait. Guys can't eat parfaits."

"Who told you that?"

"Well no one told me exactly. But, well it's obvious."

"What did your mother say when you order the parfait?"

Ranma laughed. "She thought it was great and ordered one too." Ranma sighed. "Man that was a good day."

"Sounds pretty nice to me too." Agreed the doctor. "It also sounds like your mother has accepted you being a girl at least part time."

"You think so?"

"Think about it Ranma. You're mother could have reminded you that you were a girl at any time. But she didn't. Instead, not only did she not say anything but then she proceeded to take you clothes shopping." Dr. Epstein held up one hand to forestall any interruption from Ranma. "I think she intended to buy something for her `daughter'. Then she took you window shopping and bought you a parfait." Ranma's jaw had dropped open in shock as he absorbed the implications of what the doctor was saying. "Not a typical mother and son day, but a very typical mother and daughter day. "

The doctor nodded then he looked directly into Ranma's eyes. "Ranma? If your mother can accept you being a girl at least some of the time, why can't you?"

"But I'm a guy!" Protested Ranma. His voice became shrill. "I do guy things. I talk like a guy. I like what guys like."

"And you're afraid that if you accept being a girl, even partly, you'll start liking what girls like?"

"Yeah!"

"Like what?"

Ranma looked at the ground. He leaned forward in his chair. His hands were clasped tightly together between his legs. Finally he shook his head and remained silent. Doctor Epstein waited for a while before speaking.

"Ranma?" Nothing.

"Ranma?"

"Like guys." Shouted Ranma angrily. "There. I said it. Are you happy now?"

"My happiness has nothing to do with it." Replied the doctor calmly. "It's your happiness that we are talking about." Doctor Epstein tapped his pencil against his chin. "And have you?"

"Have I what?"

"Become attracted to men."

"No!" Shouted Ranma. He snapped his head up and stared angrily at the doctor. Doctor Epstein returned his gaze calmly and unflinchingly. Angry as he was, Ranma soon found himself unable to meet the doctors' steady gaze. His head bent down again. "Not really." He whispered.

"Explain." Said the doctor quietly.

"Did you ever think about how alike my fiancés are?" Ranma snorted. "No of course not. You haven't met them." Ranma smirked. "Shampoo comes from a village where women are in charge and act like men. Ukyo spent ten years of her life pretending to be a man and Akane." Ranma laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh. "Akane acts more like a guy then most guys."

"Ah." Murmured the doctor in sudden understanding. "And since you can turn into a girl, it wouldn't be hard to imagine them being able to turn into boys."

Ranma nodded. "Kho Lon has these packets that contain powders that are made from the cursed springs. If you mix it with water the person splashed with that water gets a curse that only lasts a day or two."

"You've thought about this haven't you?"

Ranma nodded without looking up.

"Any fiancé in particular?" Asked the doctor.

"Mostly Akane." Whispered Ranma. "Sometimes Ukyo."

The doctor made a note on his pad. "Did you ever talk to Akane or Ukyo about this?"

"Are you kidding?" Exclaimed Ranma. "Akane thinks I'm a pervert as it is. She'd kill me." Ranma squeezed his eyes shut. "Or worse."

"What could be worse?" Asked the doctor.

Tears began to leak from behind Ranma's tightly closed eyes. "She could leave me."

Dr. Epstein looked at his patient. Before he could say anything a chiming sounded. The doctor sighed. "We have to stop for today. I understand your concerns. I'd be lying if I told you; you have nothing to worry about. " Dr. Epstein paused. "But that is something to discuss another day."

End Chapter 2