Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Genmas Daughter ❯ 06 ( Chapter 5 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Imported From: RAAC
From: Deborah Goldsmith <dgoldsmith@mac.com>
Subject: [Ranma][FanFic] Genma's Daughter, Chapter 6: Goodbye and Hello

As always, all rights to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi and
Shougakukan

Genma's Daughter
Chapter 6: Goodbye and Hello

By Deborah Goldsmith
Original concept and parts of Chapter 1 by Steve Pardue

Deborah Goldsmith <dgoldsmith@mac.com>
Steve Pardue <spardue@zebra.net>

http://www.zebra.net/~spardue/anime

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ranko looked out the window as the train she was on wound its way
through the familiar environs of Nerima Ward. They had been travelling
for several hours, and were almost home, after many transfers.

She had thought at the campfire last night that the time she had spent
at the beach with her friends had been like a visit to another world,
and she wasn't sure she wanted to come home. She knew that all the
problems in her life -- her father, her fellow students, her enemies,
and most of all, her dilemma -- were waiting for her here. How easy it
would be to run away, to go somewhere else where no one had ever heard
of Saotome Ranma. To run away from her old self and her troubles.

Just like her father would. She sighed.

The PA announced "Fuurinkan-cho, Fuurinkan-cho is next," and the train
started across the bridge she and Akane had sat under. She looked down,
but couldn't quite make out the place where they had been. How long ago
had that been, when this had all been set in motion? She had only been a
girl for two and a half weeks, but already it seemed like a lifetime.
And the summer break was just more than half over. She still had a week
or so to think about it, though the lock on her curse would expire any
day now. Had it really been nearly three weeks, already?

The train pulled into the station, and she and her friends gathered up
their luggage. A short while later, they were standing outside the
station gates, their luggage piled around them.

They all looked at each other. Sayuri spoke, "Ranko-chan, thank you for
inviting me. I... I had a lovely time. The beach was nice... and the
friends were wonderful." She looked Ranko in the eye with warmth,
conveying her thanks and her affection in a way words couldn't.

Yuka chimed in, "I... me too, Ranko-chan. I... I'm glad you're my
friend." Ranko smiled happily, and discovered her eyes were quite moist.

"I'm glad both of you are my friends, too," she replied simply.

Yuka looked at Sayuri, and turned back to Ranko. "We'll call you, OK?"

"I'd like that," said Ranko, who was sniffling a bit.

Sayuri and Yuka waved, said "bai bai!", and started walking home.

Ranko waved too, and called "bai bai!"

Ukyou regarded the redhead in front of her for a long moment, then
smiled. "Ranchan, I had a great time. Thanks." She made a face. "I guess
I'd better get back and see if the restaurant is still there." Ranko
laughed.

"Ja ne," called Ukyou, and walked away.

"Ja ne!" Ranko and Akane called back. They turned and started walking
towards Nodoka's home. Ranko looked at the hand she had waved with,
bemused. Did I really just say "bai bai"?, she wondered. Saotome Ranma
would never have said "bai bai". It wasn't manly. She giggled.

"What is it, Ranko?" asked Akane.

"Oh, nothing," she replied. "Just a funny thought."

Akane nodded. "Would you like to do something tomorrow?"

Ranko shook her head. "No, the vacation was nice, but... but I think I
want to stay home tomorrow, not run off somewhere else. Maybe the next
day."

Nodoka thought a moment. "You know, we promised Kasumi and Nabiki a
dinner invitation. Would you like to do that tomorrow?"

Ranko's face lit up. "Mother, that would be just perfect!" She would
love to see her older sisters again.

Nodoka had a sly look in her eye. "Would you like to make dinner?"

Ranko was a little shocked. "Me? By myself?" She thought. "I... I don't
think I'm ready to do that yet, Mother."

Nodoka smiled. "If you feel that way, then of course I'll help, dear."

Akane piped up. "I'd love to help too, Ranko! We can all do it together!"

Nodoka nodded. "You've been very patient, Akane-chan, and I'd love to
have you help."

Oh great, thought Ranko. I was looking forward to a nice quiet day
tomorrow, and what do I get? Armageddon.

*****

Nodoka was sleeping the sleep of exhaustion that night, when a quiet
knock came on her door and woke her. She sighed, and propped herself up.
"Yes?..."

The door slid open, and Ranko was there. "What is it, sweetheart?"

Ranko closed the door, walked over to the bed, and sat down. "Mother,
we... we have a serious problem."

Nodoka sat up more fully, alert. "We do? What is it, dear?"

Ranko looked up as she thought about how best to say this. "Mother, you
know how Akane offered to help cook dinner tomorrow night?"

Nodoka nodded. They had called the Tendou sisters on the phone, and they
had graciously accepted the invitation. Well, at least Kasumi had been
gracious. "Yes, dear, she seemed very enthusiastic. Won't it be fun!"

Ranko blanched. Fun wasn't the word. "Mother, Akane, she... her
cooking... it's... it's..." she cast about for words, and gave up; words
were inadequate. "really bad."

Nodoka frowned. "That's an unkind thing to say about your dearest
friend, Ranko. Besides, it's just a family dinner. It doesn't have to be
four-star cuisine. It's more important that everyone have a good time."

Ranko shook her head. "No, Mother, you don't understand. I would like
nothing better than for Akane to enjoy herself in the kitchen. But her
cooking... it's *really* *bad*. As in, not edible. Literally." She
paused, lost in memories. "In fact, sometimes, it's downright toxic.
I... I had to go to the emergency room several times."

Nodoka could see Ranko was serious. "That bad?" Her daughter nodded
vigorously. She leaned back against her pillow.

Ranko continued. "The worst part is, she loves to cook. She wants so
badly to prepare a good meal, and every time, she produces a disaster,
her feelings get hurt, and my stomach gets hurt worse. I... I don't know
what to do." She sighed, and fell backwards onto the bed, her arms
folded. She regarded the ceiling.

Nodoka pondered the situation. "How could her cooking be that bad?" she
wondered. "Her mother was gone, but still, Kasumi should have..."

Ranko put her hands behind her head and continued looking at the
ceiling. "Kasumi's tried. Akane... seems to be immune to instruction in
cooking."

Nodoka considered that. "Well dear, all I can say is, I'll try my best.
Maybe I will succeed where others have failed." Ranko fervently hoped
so. "But dear?"

Ranko turned over on her side to face her mother and propped up her head
with one hand as she lay on the bed. "Yes, Mother?"

"You must remember that no matter how bad it is, you musn't deride it.
I'm sure she is well aware of the reputation her cooking has. She
already feels bad, and we don't need to make her feel worse. Be as
positive as you can be. She will get the message anyway, but her
feelings will be spared somewhat."

Ranko wrinkled her nose. "Even if it's toxic pig swill?"

Nodoka nodded. "Even if it's toxic pig swill."

*****

Ranko sat dejectedly in the living room of the Saotome home, Nabiki her
only companion. Both her mother and Kasumi were in the kitchen with
Akane, as a desperate attempt at damage control. Given the small size of
Japanese kitchens, there was simply no room for Ranko to be in the
kitchen as well.

And so Ranko and Nabiki were waiting for the dinner preparations to be
complete, with all the enthusiasm of a condemned man on death row. The
atmosphere of doom in the living room was palpable. Occasionally, they
would exchange morose glances. Neither was a great conversationalist to
begin with.

Finally, Ranko attempted to break the ice, if only to distract them from
the impending meal. "So, Oneechan, how... how have you been? How has
life been at the Dojo with just you and Kasumi-neechan?"

Their heads both swung around towards the kitchen at the sound of raised
voices. They couldn't quite make out what was being said, but it didn't
sound pleasant. They turned back to their conversation, looking nervous.
This hadn't been the first time by far.

Nabiki was clearly distracted by the goings-on in the kitchen. "Uh,
well... fine... I... I guess." She found herself uncharacteristically at
a loss for words. "It... It's been quiet."

Ranko nodded slowly, not sure what to say next. Nabiki continued, "Akane
told us, on the phone... uh, you know, when she called to invite us to
dinner, she told us about your trip to Ibaraki, and the rest of your
summer. It... It sounds like it was a lot of fun." She managed a small
smile.

Ranko nodded and started to feel more cheerful. "Yes, I had a wonderful
time! Having Akane and Ucchan and Sayuri and Yuka along really made
it..."

There was a shout of "Akane-chan, no!" from the kitchen, followed by a
short silence. Then the heated voices returned. Nabiki and Ranko's
attention was once again riveted on the kitchen door.

When things in the kitchen had quieted down, they turned once more
towards each other. Ranko swallowed nervously, and continued. "Uh,
having them there made it really fun. And Ryouga showed up!" She
giggled. "I thought his brain was going to catch fire when he found out
about me!"

Nabiki snorted. "Just wait until you try to explain it to Kunou." They
both laughed.

The door to the kitchen opened, and the laughter died instantly. Kasumi
emerged, and her smile seemed a little forced. "Dinner is... ready,
everyone."

Ranko and Nabiki exchanged one last glance of despair, then headed for
the table. Kasumi went back into the kitchen, and then reemerged
carrying a dish, followed closely by Nodoka and Akane, both carrying
dishes and both looking somewhat grim. They returned for another trip to
bring the rest out.

Finally, they were all seated, and the meal began. Ranko examined the
dishes; they looked moderately normal, though with Akane that did not
imply safety. She and the others served themselves, and she lifted her
chopsticks to her mouth, took a deep breath, and ate. Akane watched
everyone intently, desperate hope written on her face.

Ranko stopped short. This... this was something new and wonderful in
Akane's cooking: it was bad. *Just* bad. The kind of food you'd find in
a hospital or a bad restaurant, not the kind of food you'd find at a
toxic waste site. For Akane's food to be merely bad was an amazing
accomplishment. Apparently, having two experienced cooks watching her
every move had prevented the most dangerous mistakes.

Ranko could actually eat this; she'd had worse on the road with her
father (well, maybe not...). She could see that Kasumi and Nabiki were
similarly amazed. Nabiki seemed to relax suddenly and slump into her
seat. A stay of execution. Everyone resumed eating, gratefully.

Ranko spoke up. "Akane... this is... this is... edible!"

Nodoka frowned. Last night she had told Ranko to be positive. Still,
maybe that remark qualified, considering the food...

Akane was confused. She wasn't quite sure whether this was an insult or
a compliment. She noticed that everyone was eating, if not exactly with
gusto. Since they were usually rolling around on the floor in
excruciating pain by now, she decided to take it as a compliment.
"Th-Thank you, Ranko. I'm glad you like it!"

Let's not get carried away, hon. "Umm, you're welcome."

Later that night, as Ranko was in her pajamas and getting ready for bed,
and enjoying the fact that she had actually eaten a meal made by Akane
without violent aftereffects, there was a knock on her door. She opened
it to find her mother.

"Ranko, dear, I would be very grateful if you could massage my shoulders
a bit. I... I seem to be a bit tense tonight."

Ranko's eyes widened. "I'll bet."

*****

A few days later, Ranko and Akane finished their morning workout, and
Ranko decided to soak a little bit rather than just wash off. She had
been wary when entering the bath for the last day or so, and this
morning was no exception. She knew the lock on her curse would wear off
any day now.

She slipped into the water, and waited a moment. Nothing happened, and
she sighed and sat down, enjoying the warmth of the water. She and Akane
had had quite a workout that morning, and her muscles were sore. She was
pleased; she knew she would never be as good as she had been when it was
her whole life, but it seemed that with a little bit of time every day,
she could still be pretty good, able to hold her own against all but the
most formidable opponents. Not that she wanted to fight anyone these
days, but sometimes she didn't have a choice, as Ryouga had shown.

She was enjoying the water when she felt a strange twinge in her body.
She sat bolt upright. She looked at herself, and saw she was changing,
but in the most peculiar way. It was happening in slow motion,
tentatively, almost as if the curse wasn't quite sure what to do to her.
It didn't hurt in the least, but it was most definitely not the normal
way her curse operated. As she... he got closer to his male form, the
transformation sped up, and the last little bit was quite rapid.

Ranko got out of the bath, and shook his head. That had been awfully
strange; he'd never changed like that before. He looked in the mirror,
and saw a black-haired boy looking back at him. He was disoriented; his
reflection looked so... so wrong. A thought flickered through his mind:
that isn't me...

He shook his head again. He... he had really gotten used to being Ranko.
Being in his boy form was making him really, really uncomfortable, far
beyond what he had felt before. He sighed, and put on a robe; he might
as well go out and tell Mother and Akane.

Akane had already finished breakfast and was sitting in the living room,
while Nodoka worked in the kitchen cleaning up. Ranko's breakfast still
sat on the dining table. Akane looked up, and dropped the book she was
reading; she felt like she had seen a ghost coming down the stairs. A
black-haired ghost. Somehow, she had not expected to see him again.

Ranko reached the bottom of the stairs, and looked sheepishly at Akane.
"Well, I... I guess it wore off." Nodoka heard the male voice and came
hurrying out. "Oh, dear."

Akane couldn't shake the strange feeling that there was something wrong
with the boy in front of her; he looked... wrong, somehow. Well, there
was the feminine hair style, but that wasn't it. When Ranko walked over
to the breakfast table, Akane understood: he was still walking and
acting like a girl; his body language was feminine and he was using
female speech. The boy she saw was not Ranma; he was... a cursed girl.

Ranko began to eat his breakfast, neatly and politely. His mother joined
him at the table, and Akane came over as well. "Dear, what are you going
to do now?"

Ranko stopped eating to speak. "Well, I... I don't know. I think I might
try spending the day this way and... and see how I feel." He paused;
already, he felt... uncomfortable. *Really* uncomfortable. He shrugged;
he really ought to try being a boy again, just to... to help him sort
out how he felt about being a girl. He spoke again. "I think it will
help me make up my mind."

Akane shook her head slightly; Ranko was sending out feminine vibes that
anyone would be able to pick up. If they ran into any of the people they
knew from Fuurinkan, it would be far worse than if Ranko were still
female.

Ranko took a few more bites, then cleared his throat. "Ummm, when I
changed back, it... it was a little strange. I changed really slowly,
not at all the way it normally works. I guess it must have been the lock
on the curse fading out."

Akane thought. "Maybe you're right, Ranko. But maybe we should go and
speak to Cologne later, or tomorrow." Ranko nodded in agreement.

After breakfast, he headed upstairs to dress. He had one of his old
Chinese outfits with him, as he had foreseen something like this might
happen. He had just put it on when there was a knock on his door. "Come
in," he said, and Akane entered.

She ran her eyes over Ranko as he checked himself out in the mirror,
adjusting the silk shirt and pants. "It's not very flattering, is it?"
he asked. Akane swallowed nervously, but she made a noncommittal reply.
Doesn't he realize he's still acting like Ranko?...

He did. Ranko sat down on the bed and sighed. "I'm not him, am I?
Wearing Ranma's clothes and being male doesn't make me Ranma." Akane
shook her head, sadly.

Ranko's head drooped. "I'm uncomfortable being a boy, and I... I hate
the way I look, but I'm still so scared about being a girl for the rest
of my life." He looked up at Akane, tears in his eyes. "I've been
thinking about how I would marry and have a family if I were a girl...
or rather, I've been trying *not* to think about it. I... it's so alien.
When I was a boy, I understood my life, I knew how it was going to go.
Now, everything is up in the air, and there are so many unknowns. I...
I've really enjoyed being a girl this summer, but... but can I be that
way for the rest of my life?"

Akane went over and sat next to Ranko on the bed; she took one of his
hands. "Ranko, none of us really know how our life is going to go. We
may think we do, but life has a way of being full of surprises. I... I
know the idea of... of having a relationship with a man scares you.
Do... do you want to have a relationship with a woman, instead? There's
nothing wrong with that, though I don't know how Auntie would feel."

Ranko shook his head. "I... that's always made me uncomfortable, too.
Maybe I won't be with anyone..." he trailed off, miserable.

Akane took his shoulders and shook him gently; it felt so odd doing that
to his massive male frame, rather than her slight female body. "It's
still early, Ranko. Don't rush yourself. Who you are attracted to
doesn't have to follow from who you are. You have to be who you are
comfortable being, and let your other feelings sort out over time. Don't
try to rush things."

Ranko nodded and smiled, tears still in his eyes. "You're right, Akane.
I... I've been pushing myself too hard. If... if I'm not comfortable
with myself, how can I have a relationship with anyone?" Akane nodded.

"So, what are you going to do now, about the curse?"

Ranko thought. "I think I still ought to try being this way today...
just to make sure..."

Akane took his hand again. "I'll be right here with you." Ranko smiled.
"Before we go out, though, let me put your hair back in a pigtail and
pin back your bangs, OK?"

Ranko paled. "Oops. I forgot about that..."

*****

Nodoka sat in the living room, trying to read her book and failing. Her
daughter had wanted to go out in her male form, and Akane had gone with
her. Nodoka knew that Ranko was not used to being a boy, and she also
knew that people tolerated masculine girls much more than they tolerated
feminine boys. She was worried about her daughter.

She had managed to read half a page, when the door opened suddenly. She
looked at her watch; it was not even lunchtime yet. Akane had her arm
around Ranko and was leading him in. Nodoka gasped; Ranko's eyes were
red. Akane looked grim.

She led him over to the sofa and sat him down, putting an arm around
him. Nodoka struggled to find her voice. "What... what happened?"

Akane spoke. "We... we were out on our way to visit Cologne at the
Nekohanten, when the worst possible thing happened. We ran into some
boys from Fuurinkan... some of the boys who played the rotten trick on
Ranko in the locker room. They've never liked Ranma, and they could tell
immediately that he was acting differently." She paused and took a
breath. "They started calling him all sorts of horrible names, and
Ranko, she... he just stood there and took it; he refused to be goaded
into fighting them. I was so proud of her. But it hurt, and she... he
started to cry, just a little. That only encouraged them, and they said
some... some really awful things." She shuddered. "Things I'd never even
heard before." Her expression turned steely. "I'm glad I was there. *I*
don't mind fighting jerks. Not one bit."

Ranko had his head in his hands, and was staring at the floor. "I... I
can't go back, can I?"

Akane felt like crying herself. She had had a hunch this was going to
happen. No, more than a hunch. And not just her: she, Ukyou, Yuka, and
Sayuri had all expressed the same feelings to each other, out of Ranko's
hearing. Ranko, however, was just coming to terms with it.

Nodoka asked, "What do you mean, dear?"

Ranko sat up. "I... I thought I could try being a girl for a while, and
then go back to being a boy. I thought I could switch back and forth."
His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "But I can't. I've changed too
much, and... and I can't change back. Now that I've been a girl for a
while, I... I just can't stand being a boy any more. I don't know why,
but I just can't." Tears started to gather in his eyes again. "Even
though I can still change physically, I... I really don't have a choice
any more. I have to be a girl."

Akane hugged him. "None of us do, Ranko, not really. We never get to
choose whether we are a boy or a girl. And being able to change
physically, like you, doesn't change who you are inside. You... you were
always a girl, inside, and once that girl escaped into the real world,
she couldn't go back to being locked up." Akane smiled. "She knows what
it's like to live, now. How can she settle for what she had before?"
Ranko nodded, deep in thought.

Suddenly, he got up. "I'm going to the bath. To... change." He
swallowed. "For good. Today I'm going to get more of that water from
Cologne. Maybe she has some that will last longer."

He still seemed overwhelmed, and Akane rose as well. "Ranko, would...
would you like me to come with you?" He nodded, grateful.

Once they were upstairs in the bath, Ranko proceeded to strip off his
male clothing. Akane would normally have pounded any boy who disrobed in
front of her, but... this wasn't a boy, despite appearances. She kept
her eyes above the waist for her own comfort. It was funny, for so long
she had thought of Ranma's female form as a disguise for his true male
self. Now, as she looked at that male body, it looked... wrong, hiding
the form of her dearest friend, her sister. She shuddered.

Ranko walked over to the mirror, Akane's eyes following him. He looked
at the boy he saw there, and saw the girl inside looking out from his
eyes. Akane came up behind him, and for a few moments, they both looked
at the black-haired boy in the mirror. Ranko turned, walked over, and
unceremoniously dumped a wash basin of cold water over his head.
Instantly, he felt the tingling, and in the blink of an eye she was her
female self again. Unexpectedly, relief washed over her, and she sagged
against the wall. She hadn't realized how hard being male again would
be. Already, she felt better.

Curiously, Akane found she had tears in her eyes; something about what
had just happened seemed... profound in a way. She wiped her tears away.
"Your... your curse seemed to be normal to me. I guess it was a one time
thing."

Ranko nodded. "I guess so."

Akane thought for a moment. "Maybe... maybe we should make sure. Do you
think you could stand to do it one more time?"

Ranko nodded, "I just spent the morning that way. I guess I can stand it
for five minutes."

Akane went over, and filled another basin with hot water from the tub.
She walked over to Ranko and handed it to her, and Ranko dumped it over
her head.

Nothing happened.

They stared at each other. Ranko whispered, "I... I don't understand. Am
I locked permanently now?" She had decided to stay a girl, but... this
was unsettling.

Akane was about to reply when she noticed Ranko slowly starting to
change. She gradually grew taller, and the shape of her body changed
ever so slowly. Her hair changed slowly from red to black. Several
times, the transformation paused and seemed to waver or reverse, then
resume. Finally, after a minute or two, it sped up, and finished rapidly.

They looked at each other in shock. "That... that's what happened this
morning," whispered Ranko, his eyes wide. "What's wrong with me?"

Akane picked up the discarded male clothes on the floor. "Ranko, if you
can stand it, I think 'Ranma' has to put in one more appearance -- at
the Nekohanten."

*****

Cologne looked up from the counter as the door signal rang, and nearly
dropped the change in her hand. Making their way through the early lunch
crowd were Akane and... Ranma. Not Ranko, Ranma. She looked over at
Shampoo, who was frozen and staring at the pair as they walked through
the crowd. Cologne looked back, and her eyes narrowed as she watched the
way he walked, the way he held himself. No... this wasn't Ranma, after
all. But why was Ranko coming in male form, in her old clothes?

They walked up to the counter, and Cologne could see the fear in their
eyes. Ranko leaned towards Cologne and whispered, "Cologne... my
curse... it... it's acting really strange." He bit his lip nervously and
looked down. "It's like it's going haywire or something, and I have no
idea what's going on." He looked up at her again. "To be honest... I'm
scared."

Cologne, in her mind's eye, could now easily see through the surface
appearance to the distressed girl inside. "Come with me," she said. She
turned to Mousse; "Mousse, take over. Ran... Ranko needs my help."

Akane and Ranko followed Cologne as she hopped into the back. Shampoo
followed and closed the door behind her. She was still staring at the
male Ranko.

Akane looked at the closed door. "Is Mousse going to be OK running the
whole place by himself?" she wondered aloud.

Cologne turned to order Shampoo back out, but stopped when she saw the
pleading in the girl's eyes. Clearly, she wanted to see what was
happening. Cologne sighed. "He will manage for a few minutes. Then
Shampoo will have to go back out and help." The girl in question nodded.

Cologne turned to Ranko. "What is the problem, child?"

Ranko thought. "I'd... I'd better demonstrate. I need hot and cold
water." Akane walked over to a sink, and brought the requested items
back. She handed the cold water to Ranko, who dumped it over his head.
Instantly, as always, she assumed her female form.

Cologne peered at her. "What's the problem, then? That looked normal to
me. The Chiisuiton water has merely worn off, is all."

Ranko shook her head. "Watch." She poured the hot water over her head.
Nothing happened.

Cologne stared in shock. She had never, ever seen this kind of thing
before. If the Chiisuiton had locked Ranko, she wouldn't have walked in
as a boy; she shouldn't be able to change back at all.

Her eyes widened further as she saw Ranko slowly, slowly start to
change. Shampoo gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. Cologne
watched in morbid fascination as the change progressed, hesitated,
reversed, then progressed again, finally accelerating until it was
complete, and Ranko was male again. She swallowed, and found her voice.
"Did... did that hurt, child?"

Ranko shook his head. "No, not at all. But the tingling I usually feel
feels... I don't know, different. Weaker, like it's fading." He turned
to Akane. "Could you get me some more cold water, please?" Akane nodded,
and moments later Ranko was a girl again. She looked at Cologne,
questioning. "Do... do you know what's wrong with me?"

Cologne hopped down off her stick and sat. "Let me think for a few
moments. I've never seen this before. I've never seen a normal Jusenkyou
curse act this way, even with the Chiisuiton involved." She thought
furiously. "I wonder... maybe that's it..." She hopped over to the
shelves where she kept her books, selected one, and started browsing
through it. The three teenage girls watched her, wondering what she
could possibly have thought of.

Cologne nodded, and closed the book. She hopped back over to where the
others were standing. "I think I understand what's happening. Let's go
sit in the office. This may take a while."

A minute or two later, they were seated in the restaurant office,
crowded around a small table. Cologne winced as she heard the sound of
crockery breaking out in the restaurant, but she couldn't leave Shampoo
hanging. She had better make this fast before Mousse got into more
trouble.

"Ranko, I think the key is what I said earlier. A normal Jusenkyou curse
doesn't act like this. But your curse isn't normal."

Everyone looked confused. "What Great-Grandmother mean?" asked Shampoo.

"Think, children. What happens when a normal girl falls in the
Nyanniichuan?"

Akane spoke first. "Nothing, right? That curse can't affect someone
who's already a girl."

Cologne nodded. "That's right. The curse needs a difference of some kind
to latch onto, a distinction from the cursed form. It's like food on a
non-stick fry pan: it can't stick, and falls off. If a girl falls in the
Nyanniichuan, the curse can't 'stick'. All the curses behave in the same
way."

She turned to Ranko. "You're a normal girl, Ranko. You only have a boy
form because of the spell Happousai cast on you. Normally, the
Nyanniichuan wouldn't affect you, but it was able to act on you due to
your previous enchantment. However, I believe from my reference books
that that is a less stable situation than a normal curse. The Jusenkyou
curse acted on the spell, which in turn acted on you. The Jusenkyou
curse effectively neutralized Happousai's spell when you were in your
female form. When you used hot water, Happousai's spell could take
effect again."

Ranko nodded. "So *I* was never really cursed directly; the curse was on
Happousai's spell."

Cologne smiled. "Very good, child! Yes, exactly." She thought for a
moment. "When I used the Chiisuiton water on you, I introduced yet
another kind of magic. I can't be sure, but based on my observation of
your abnormal change just now, I believe that locking you in female form
altered the relationship between the Jusenkyou curse and Happousai's
spell. Shampoo, fetch the spell jewel, please."

Shampoo nodded and left, returning moments later with a small jewel. It
was glowing brightly. She handed it to Cologne, and it promptly went out.

Cologne held the jewel up. "This jewel glows in the presence of magic.
If a person is cursed or enchanted, it will glow when held against
them." She held it close to Shampoo, and it glowed brightly again. Ranko
and Akane nodded.

Cologne moved her hand and held the jewel against Ranko. It glowed much
more dimly, and flickered occasionally.

Cologne had expected this, but it still shook her. She had never seen
anyone before who was affected by three different, mutually conflicting
shape-shifting spells; this was uncharted territory. She looked up at
Ranko. "As I suspected. The Jusenkyou curse and the Chiisuiton water
acted together to destabilize Happousai's spell. It's slowly decaying.
As it does, the Jusenkyou curse is losing its hold on you too, because
it has nothing to act on."

Cologne took a deep breath; she was responsible for this, by using the
Chiisuiton water. "Ranko, child, how do you feel about being a girl?"

Ranko and Akane looked at each other. Ranko said, "I... I've decided to
stay this way." She cast her eyes down. "I really don't have a choice. I
just can't stand being a boy any more." Shampoo nodded, sadly.

Cologne blew her breath out in relief. "I'm very glad to hear that, my
dear. Because I believe that within the week, you won't be able to
become a boy any more. Happousai's spell is falling apart, and once it
does, your Jusenkyou curse will dissolve. You will be a girl for the
rest of your life, unless you return to Jusenkyou and jump in the
Nanniichuan."

Ranko picked up the jewel again, from where it lay on the table. It
flickered dimly. From that day, she would always remember the shock and
surprise she experienced when feelings of elation and relief washed over
her.

*****

Nodoka once again sat and worried at her living room window. She was
happy, for her daughter had decided to stay a girl, but now her curse
was acting up. What if she turned into a boy, and couldn't change back?
She hoped the Amazon matriarch knew what was going on.

She nearly did a double take when she saw her daughter and Akane walking
up the street, holding hands and swinging them back and forth, and
laughing much like they had that day many weeks ago. Ranko looked
ridiculous in the overly-large boy's clothes, but there was no mistaking
the happy smile on her face. She waited anxiously as they came in the
front door.

"Tadaima!" they both called out cheerily.

"O-kaeri, dear. What happened?"

Ranko smiled, and reached into her pocket. She held out a jewel, which
Nodoka noticed was flickering in an intermittent way. Her curiosity was
piqued. "What is that, dear?"

Akane spoke up. "It's a special jewel which Cologne loaned to us. It
glows brightly in the presence of magic."

Nodoka was confused. "It's not glowing very brightly now. Is that
related to what's happening to you?"

Ranko nodded. "Cologne says that locking my curse three weeks ago caused
Happousai's original spell to become unstable. It's fading, and the
Jusenkyou curse is fading with it." She smiled a shaky smile. "It's a
good thing I decided to stay a girl permanently, because Cologne says
within a week I won't have a choice."

Nodoka's heart leapt. "You mean... you won't be cursed at all? You'll be
just a normal girl again?" Ranko and Akane nodded. "Oh, how wonderful,
sweetheart! I'm so happy for you!" She embraced her daughter and held
her tightly. "Oh, my poor baby, thank goodness this nightmare is almost
over for you." She finally released Ranko, and stepped back.

Ranko was beaming, but then she sobered. "I just hope Cologne is
right..."

*****

A few days later, Cologne looked up from the counter at the Nekohanten.
Once again, Ranko and Akane had walked in the door; this time, Ranko was
in a white knee-length skirt and floral top, rather than the boy's
clothes she had worn last time, and her hair was unbound once more. The
two girls walked up to the counter where Cologne stood.

Ranko spoke. "Cologne, I came to return something." She reached into her
purse and drew out the spell jewel, holding it out in her hand. It was
dark.

Cologne nodded, and took it from Ranko's hand. "I see. When was the last
time you changed, child?"

"Last night, in the bath. It took ten minutes, and a couple of times I
went almost all the way back to being a girl before I started changing
again. I could only see the glow of the jewel if I turned out the lights
in my room. This morning, when I took a bath after our workout, nothing
happened, and the jewel was dark. I even shut myself in the closet to
make sure it wasn't glowing..." She trailed off, a sober look on her
face.

Cologne scrutinized her carefully. "And how do you feel about this?"

Ranko pursed her lips. "I... I don't want to be that black-haired boy
ever again, but... but it's strange. It's strange that my boy side is
gone; that's the face I saw in the mirror for twelve years. It's strange
that I'm just an ordinary girl, when... when I didn't even know I was a
girl at all. And... it's scary. There's no turning back now. But..." She
paused, and a smile crept onto her face.

Cologne smiled. "But you're happy?"

Ranko nodded. "I... I wasn't sure until recently, but yes, I'm happy."
She giggled nervously. "Scared, but happy. I still don't know what the
rest of my life is going to be like as a girl, but... but I know that's
what I need to be. I need to be me." Akane smiled and gave her a quick
hug, and Ranko smiled back.

Cologne nodded. "Very well, child. I must inform you that you are free
from both the Kiss of Marriage and the Kiss of Death from Shampoo."

Ranko was shocked. "Re-really? I don't understand... why?"

Cologne shook her head. "That is not something I can discuss with
outsiders." She smiled. "I hope we can count you as friends of our
tribe, Saotome Ranko, Tendou Akane."

Ranko smiled and bowed formally. "It is an honor to be a friend of your
tribe, Elder Cologne of Joketsuzoku." Akane bowed as well.

Ranko seemed struck by a thought. "Does this mean you are returning to
China?" Ranko surprised herself; now that they were no longer pursuing
her, she would... miss the three Amazons, if they left.

"Eventually, but I am in no hurry. I think it might be wise to stay here
in Japan, so that Shampoo may better her education. I am thinking of
sending her to high school, and from there on to college. She will be
better able to serve our village as a leader that way. The 21st century
is upon us, the world is shrinking, and we will no longer be able to
hide from the outside. We must embrace it instead."

Ranko beamed. "I'm glad to hear that." She smiled sheepishly. "I have to
admit I would miss all of you."

Akane was startled, but had to agree. With the tension and rivalry gone,
she could... appreciate them, somewhat. They were good people to have on
your side.

She turned to Ranko and tugged on her arm. "We should be going, Ranko.
We need to get you ready for school."

Cologne noticed that Ranko took on a paler color at that. She waved her
hand at them. "Well, off you go, then. I'm sure we'll see you again."

Ranko nodded, and they moved to the door, where she stopped. "Goodbye...
Great-Grandmother." She smiled timorously, and they left.

Cologne smiled after them. She had longed to hear those words, though
admittedly under different circumstances. Fate moves in mysterious ways.
She shook her head.

*****

Nodoka held up her daughter's school uniform, and sighed. "Ranko, dear,
I have to be honest. This looks like you've been dragged through the mud
in it. Several times." She shook her head.

Ranko and Akane sat on Ranko's bed, watching as Ranko's mother sorted
through her school things. "Actually, Mother... ummm, that's probably
happened, once or twice." She winced.

Nodoka raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "In any case, dear, you need a
new uniform. There is no way I am letting my daughter go to school in
this old rag."

Ranko nodded. "Y-yes, Mother."

"You'll need a winter uniform, too; you only had the summer one. And I
want you to take proper care of your new uniforms. No fighting in it,
try to keep it as clean as possible, and take it off and hang it up
neatly after school. All right, dear?"

Ranko nodded. "I... I hope I don't have to fight in it."

Nodoka sighed in resignation, and turned her attention to the other
things. "Well, your gym clothes appear to be in decent shape." She
looked at the gym shoes. "Ranko, these are boy's shoes, aren't they?"

Ranko squirmed a bit. "Well, at the time... I didn't want to wear any
more girl's clothes than I had to... I got a small-sized pair of boy's
shoes, second hand." She grinned ruefully. "They're still too big."

"You'll need to get some girl's shoes for gym. These won't support your
feet properly. Now that I think of it, you don't have proper shoes to
wear with your uniform. We'll have to get some of those, too."

Twenty minutes later, Nodoka had finished her shopping list, which she
looked over one more time. "All right, I think I have everything you
need. We can go shopping for this over the weekend; we have something
more important to do today."

Ranko and Akane looked inquisitive. "What's that, Auntie?"

"We need to re-register Ranko. She needs to be registered in her proper
name and gender. I suspect working with the office is going to take some
time; we should head over there right after lunch."

Ranko swallowed nervously. This was the first step in revealing herself
at school. No matter how much happier she was now that she was a girl
again, she dreaded having to explain all this to her schoolmates, and
deal with their reactions. She thought about Hirota and his friends, and
shuddered. They'd have a field day.

A few hours later, Akane, Ranko, and her mother were walking through the
gates of Fuurinkan High School. Ranko looked around; the place was
deserted, except for the athletic fields. There, some of the male
students were engaged in a soccer game. Fortunately, they were too far
away to spot Ranko and her companions.

They walked through the empty halls, and reached the office. There was a
sense of order about the place that telegraphed clearly that Principal
Kunou was still absent. If he had been there, chaos would have been the
theme, possibly accompanied by coconuts. The Vice Principal was a
sensible man, and it was a wonder the Principal had not driven him into
madness as well.

They looked around. The staff were busy, getting ready for the next
term. Files were strewn everywhere, and two notebook computers were in
constant use. They walked around a filing cabinet and over to the
secretary's desk.

Nodoka spoke. "Excuse me, young lady. I would like to correct some
problems with my daughter's registration here. Have we come to the right
place?"

The secretary was new this term. She looked at the three of them and
smiled. "Of course. Kimura-sensei is our registrar. She will take care
of it." She motioned in the direction of another woman, whose desk was
piled high with papers. "What is your daughter's name?"

"Saotome Ranko."

Suddenly, there was complete and utter silence in the office. The
clicking of the keys on the computers, the whirring of the copy
machines, the rustle of papers, all ceased instantly. Ten pairs of eyes
were looking at the trio standing by the secretary.

Kimura-sensei got up and walked over to them. She looked at the petite
redhead who was accompanying Akane and an older woman. The girl was
wearing a white knee-length skirt and a floral t-shirt. She had neatly
styled hair, and was wearing clip-on earrings, a charm necklace, and a
hint of lipstick. "Ran... Ranma??" she whispered.

Ranko turned bright red and looked at the floor. "Kimura-sensei... ummm,
my name... isn't Ranma. It's Ranko..."

Kimura-sensei rolled her eyes heavenward. The term hadn't even started
yet, the students weren't even back, Principal Kunou wasn't even here,
and the lunacy was starting again. Why hadn't she taken that transfer
when she had had the chance?

"Saotome-kun, I don't know if this is your curse or something else, but
you can't just decide to register at school as a girl."

Nodoka drew herself up. "Sensei, I am Saotome Nodoka, Ranko's mother. I
can assure you that she is a girl; she is my only child, after all. She
only registered here as a boy due to the poor judgment of my husband."
She glared. "I am here to correct the situation. My daughter is *not*
going to attend school registered as a boy. She needs to attend the
proper gym class, among other things." Akane and Ranko watched the
opening salvos nervously.

Kimura-sensei's eyes darted back and forth between Ranko and her mother.
"I... I don't understand how this is possible. Registrations are
supposed to be cross-checked with birth records. If he... she was
female, there should have been no way to miss it." She frowned. "Come
with me."

They followed Kimura-sensei into a back office, with all eyes following
them. Inside, there were even more filing cabinets. She opened a drawer,
and leafed through the hanging folders there.

"Here it is." She took it over to a table and spread it out; it was
Ranma's folder. She flipped through the documents inside, then did a
double take. "Where are the birth records? They're missing!" She looked
through the folder some more. "We make an unofficial copy of the birth
records when a student registers; I can't find them anywhere." She
paused, perplexed, then held up some hairs. "What are these doing in
here?"

Ranko took a closer look, and sighed. "Panda fur." She knew it well
enough; it got into everything. Why couldn't her father stay human when
it was shedding season?

"It would appear that my husband has tampered with your files,
Kimura-sensei."

Kimura-sensei was perplexed. She couldn't believe that a fact of this
magnitude had been concealed in the records. "Saotome-san, do you have
any documentary evidence that... Ranko is a girl?" She looked at the
girl in question.

Nodoka withdrew some papers from a folder she was carrying, and handed
them to Kimura-sensei, who looked them over. "Birth certificate,
childhood innoculations... they all say female," she said in wonder. She
looked up. "Saotome-san, I'd like to check the central Education
Ministry records, using our computer. Would you come this way?"

Once again there was a procession back into the outer office.
Kimura-sensei went over to the computers. Everyone was still staring at
Ranko, and the man using one of the computers wordlessly got up to let
Kimura-sensei sit down. She logged into the Education Ministry database,
and searched for Saotome Ranma.

There were records, but only information on the schools he had attended,
the grades he had gotten. There was a note in the file that the birth
records could not be found.

She searched again, this time for Saotome Ranko. The screen came up with
the birth records, innoculations, and a registration. Saotome Ranko had
been registered for preschool... but had disappeared partway through her
first year. There was a note: "Child reported missing, presumed parental
abduction."

Kimura-sensei sat back in her chair. There it all was, in black and
white. She turned back and looked at Ranko, who was blushing furiously
from all the attention, and fidgeting. "My goodness. You really are... a
girl."

Ranko nodded. "Hai, Sensei."

"How long were you a boy, Saotome-kun?"

"Twelve years, Sensei."

She shook her head. "And you're becoming a girl again? Just like that?"

Ranko winced slightly, and shook her head. "No, Sensei. I... I didn't
like being a boy, not ever. I only did it because my father taught me
to, and it was all I knew. And... I only had a boy's body. Now, I *want*
to be a girl again." She continued to fidget nervously. "Besides, I
don't really have a choice any more."

Kimura-sensei raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The magic that was used to turn me into a boy, and my Jusenkyou curse,
are both gone. I'm just an ordinary, uncursed girl again. I *can't* turn
into a boy any more, even if I wanted to. And I don't want to." She
pursed her lips primly.

Akane looked around the room; a couple of the female teachers were
crying silently.

Kimura-sensei felt overwhelmed and near tears herself. This girl had
obviously been horribly abused by her own father. No wonder his... her
behavior had always been a little odd. She tried to gather her wits.

"Very well, Saotome-kun. I will correct all your records. You are aware
that being registered as a girl means that you must wear a girl's
uniform, and take the curriculum for girls?"

Ranko nodded, and Nodoka spoke. "Of course, Sensei. That is why we are
here."

Kimura-sensei nodded. "The teaching staff will be informed; half of them
are here in this room right now, anyway. There is still the matter of
informing your classmates. I think it would be best if you did so
yourself. I will arrange for you to speak to your homeroom class before
the day's instruction starts on Monday. I will be present, and your
mother may be present if you wish." She softened her businesslike tone.
"Ranko-chan, I know this will be hard on you. We'll try to help."

Ranko responded quickly. "I'd like my mother to be there. Thank you,
Sensei." She smiled tentatively.

Kimura-sensei smiled back, then looked serious. "One more thing,
Saotome-kun. I see from your preschool records that your mother's home
does not lie in our district. If you move back in with her, you can't
attend Fuurinkan." She sighed. "I will see if I can find a way around
this, but I can't promise anything; the Ministry is extremely strict
about this kind of thing. While I am researching this, you should
continue to live at the Tendou home, as you've been doing."

Nodoka's heart skipped a beat. She had been hoping Ranko would stay with
her, but it was more important that she not switch schools in the middle
of her junior year. She would have to move back in with the Tendous.

Ranko's eyes shimmered, but she nodded. "All... all right,
Kimura-sensei." Akane looked back and forth between mother and daughter,
and sighed sadly.

Nodoka shook herself out of her disappointment. "Kimura-sensei, thank
you so much for your kind help. I am grateful." She bowed, and
Kimura-sensei bowed back.

"Come along, girls. We still have some shopping to do." The two girls
bowed to the teachers, then followed Nodoka out.

The teachers in the office turned their attention back to their work;
there was still a lot to do to prepare for Monday. Several shook their
heads. Ranma had always been a source of chaos and unpredictability at
Fuurinkan, second only to the Principal himself. His life had seemed to
be one weird episode after another. There was no doubt that this topped
them all: Ranma had turned himself into another person.

*****

Ranko presented herself for her mother's inspection. Akane looked on,
wearing her own uniform. They both had their briefcases ready for
school. Nodoka looked her daughter up and down, checked her hair,
uniform, and shoes, and nodded. "Very good, dear. You look nice. Are you
ready?"

"No," replied Ranko miserably.

Nodoka smiled. "Akane and I will be there, sweetheart. Everyone has been
very nice to you so far. Don't expect the worst."

Ranko sighed. "You don't know some of the students at Fuurinkan." Akane
nodded.

Nodoka shook her head. "Have faith in yourself, darling." She gave Ranko
a hug, which was gratefully accepted. "Come along now, they said to be
early."

They set off from Nodoka's house; the weekend had been too busy for them
to move back to the Tendous. Between Ranko's new wardrobe, and Akane's
luggage, there was simply too much to carry. A delivery van was coming
by today to pick up their possessions, which were packed up and ready to
be taken to the Tendous. They would proceed directly there from school.

Akane had been sad; she had greatly enjoyed her time with Auntie, which
had helped her to develop her own sense of independence. She felt a bit
more like an adult after this summer. She was pleased with what she had
done to the Saotome's spare room: it was now warm and inviting, and she
regretted having to leave it. Well, she would be back to visit
frequently, she was sure. And in a way, it was her room now, too, as
much as the one back home.

Ranko's eyes darted nervously to and fro as they walked, but the early
hour insured that they didn't run into any other Fuurinkan students.
They walked through the gate, and Kunou wasn't there yet. That, at
least, was a relief.

Kimura-sensei met them, as promised. "Good morning, Saotome-kun. My, you
look nice today! Are you all ready for school?"

Ranko smiled nervously. "I... I sure hope so, Sensei..."

Kimura-sensei smiled. "You always seem to manage to persevere,
Saotome-kun. I'm sure you'll be fine." She turned, and they followed her
up to Ranko's home room, where Suzuki-sensei, their homeroom teacher,
greeted her as well. He favored her with a kind smile, and she replied
with an uncertain one.

Ranko, her mother, and Kimura-sensei stood at the front of the
classroom, and Akane went to her desk. A few minutes later, students
started coming in. Ukyou, Sayuri, and Yuka all knew what was happening,
but the rest had no idea. Sayuri had some kind of bulky package with
her, but Ranko wasn't paying attention.

As the students filed in, they looked at the red-headed girl standing at
the front of the classroom, with one of the more senior teachers and a
middle-aged woman. Was... was that *Ranma*? Was he trying to pass
himself off as a girl again? What was going on? A hubbub arose as the
students talked among themselves.

Ranko looked around the classroom, and felt a hard, cold lump of fear in
the pit of her stomach. Everyone was staring at her. Some looked
surprised, some looked confused, and some... She winced. Hirota and his
pals were snickering amongst themselves. Her friends looked back at her
with sympathy and affection, and her faltering spirits were bolstered a
bit. Sayuri and Yuka were at the back of the room, for some reason,
rather than at their desks.

She endured this for a few minutes more, mentally rehearsing the words
she had worked on so hard with Dr. Toufuu this weekend, until
Suzuki-sensei signaled the beginning of class.

Kimura-sensei addressed the class. "Good morning, students."

They responded politely, "Good morning, Sensei." She nodded.

"I am here this morning with one of our students and her mother, in
order to inform you of some important news. This student has been
attending school under another name due to circumstances in her personal
life which have not been under her control. This situation has been
corrected.

"I will hold the rest of my remarks until after she speaks, but I want
to emphasize that the school has verified the basic information through
her records. I will discuss this in more detail later." She turned to
Ranko. "Saotome-kun?" There were gasps from some of the students; they
had been unable to believe this girl was Ranma, despite knowing about
his curse.

Ranko faced her class, and blanched. She felt as if thirty pairs of
eyeballs were searing her, probing every inch of her body and her soul.
Had she known about the crowd in the hallway, drawn here through the
grapevine, she probably would have turned and run. She swallowed, and
tried to speak, but nothing came out. She started trembling, and looked
down.

Her mother came over, and put her hands on Ranko's shoulders. She
whispered, "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm right here."

Sayuri turned to Yuka, and whispered "Let's do it now. She needs it."

Ranko looked up, and tried to find her voice, when she saw a motion at
the back of the classroom. Yuka and Sayuri stood on two chairs, and
unfurled a homemade banner, which said "Ranko-chan, ganbatte kudasai!"
They looked back at her with affection, and she felt her spirits lift. A
smile came to her face.

Suzuki-sensei moved to discipline the two for being out of their seats,
but Kimura-sensei held his arm, and shook her head.

"E-everyone... I... this is really hard for me, so please be patient if
it takes me a while.

"Before the summer break, I was a member of this class. I was attending
under the name Saotome Ranma, and I was attending as a boy." She looked
around the class, and flinched; some of the students already were
looking at her in a contemptuous way. Her eyes sought out Akane's, as
they had planned, and she saw encouragement and affection there.

"I was attending as a boy because I thought I was a boy. I thought I was
a boy who had recently been cursed to turn into a girl when splashed
with cold water. But I met my mother again recently, for the first time
since I was little. It was just before summer break, and I found out
something from her: I... I'm not a boy. When I was born, I was a girl.
My name is not Saotome Ranma, it's Saotome Ranko. My mother showed me my
baby pictures, my birth records, even some home video. When I was a
small child, I was a girl, Tendou Akane's closest friend. The girl you
see now." She chanced a look at her classmates; the contempt had faded
to skepticism, and she had everyone's undivided attention. She turned
her gaze back to Akane, who was nodding and smiling.

She took a deep breath. "My father wanted a son. When I was four and a
half, he abducted me." There were gasps from several of the students.
"He took me to his master, Happousai, who used a magic spell to turn me
into a boy. He took me on the road with him, on a martial arts training
trip that lasted twelve years. I was so young, I soon forgot I was a
girl up here" -- she pointed at her head -- "but I never forgot in
here." She put her hands over her heart.

Ranko's throat was starting to hurt, and tears were starting to fall
from her eyes. "By the time I was cursed at Jusenkyou, I had been
brought up as a boy, and I tried hard to follow my upbringing. I fought
my own feelings in order to do what I thought was right, to follow my
sense of honor. I didn't know that the red-haired girl I turned into
with cold water was the real me."

She was crying freely now as she spoke. "Even... even when I met my
mother and learned the truth, I was too afraid of it to become a girl
again. I tried to fight the truth, because I was afraid. When I thought
I was a boy, I could fight my feelings, though I was very unhappy. But
once I learned I was really a girl, I couldn't fight them any more. Even
so, I was terribly frightened of becoming a girl again.

"My family doctor suggested I spend the summer as a girl, to see how I
felt about it, and I did. A... friend used some magic to help lock my
curse temporarily, and... and I had the most wonderful four weeks I can
remember in my entire life." She let her gaze wander from Akane again,
and she saw that several of the girls in the class were crying, too.

"When the summer was over, I thought I would try being a boy again, to
see how that felt, so I could decide what to do. But two things
happened. The magic that had been used to lock my curse had a side
effect: it caused the original spell that turned me into a boy to
dissolve, and the Jusenkyou curse with it. I'm now just a normal,
uncursed girl again, like I was as a child. I cannot turn into a boy any
more, and... and I don't want to. Because the other thing that happened
was that I learned that even if I could turn into a boy again, my heart
would not let me. I can't be a boy any more, physically or mentally. I
will be Saotome Ranko, a girl, for the rest of my life, though I'm still
not sure what that means. I... I hope all of you can accept me for who I
really am." She swallowed. "That's... that's all I have to say."

Ranko was shocked when one of the girls stood and started to clap her
hands. Other girls quickly joined in, and soon almost all of the girls
in the class were standing and applauding. Many of the boys joined in as
well, and Ranko's head was spinning as most of her classmates stood and
applauded her. She had been expecting any reaction but this. She sagged
in relief. Some of the students looked confused, and some looked upset,
but most seemed supportive. Her eyes found Hiroshi and Daisuke, and they
both looked to be in shock. She winced; she would have to talk to them
personally soon, and it wasn't going to be easy.

Akane looked around the classroom with tears in her eyes, as she
applauded with the others. Maybe... maybe Ranko would get the treatment
she deserved, rather than what she had received as Ranma. She locked
eyes with Ukyou, who was similarly teary, smiling and crying at the same
time.

Yuka and Sayuri, who were still holding up the banner, looked at each
other, and with their free hands, each flashed a peace sign to Ranko,
who giggled in spite of herself.

When the applause started to die down, Kimura-sensei stepped forward.
"Thank you, Saotome-kun, you did very well. I just want to reiterate to
all of you that the school has verified the particulars surrounding
Saotome-kun's birth. Her school records now reflect her gender and name
properly, and she will be attending as a girl, and following the girl's
curriculum. That includes using the girl's restroom and the girl's
locker room." Several boys groaned in disappointment, which earned
glares from the girls. "The school fully supports Saotome-kun, and I
expect each of you to do so as well. Is that understood?" The class
chorused "Hai!" respectfully.

Kimura-sensei nodded. "Now, if the cheering section would sit down,
perhaps class could proceed." She smiled, and Sayuri and Yuka turned
red. The students all craned their necks around to look behind them;
they hadn't been aware of the two standing in the back with their
banner. Sayuri and Yuka stepped off the chairs and rolled up the banner,
then sat down. Kimura-sensei turned to leave.

Nodoka hugged Ranko again and whispered in her ear, "You made me so
proud of you, darling. That was very brave. I'll see you tonight at the
Tendous', after school." She let go, and followed Kimura-sensei out the
door.

Ranko went to sit, and felt nervous as the eyes of her classmates
followed her. She sat next to Akane, as she always did. One of the girls
leaned over and whispered "That was so brave, Ranko-chan! Way to go!"
Ranko blushed and smiled.

Suzuki-sensei began calling the roll, and soon reached her name.
"Saotome Ranko?"

Her hand shot up. "Here!" she called, and beamed.

*****

End Chapter 6