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The Nightmare “Come back here, you old lech!” Ranma-chan screamed after Happosai. “I don’t think so. Try and catch me.” “Give me back my shirt!” Ranma raced down the street. Various onlookers weren’t surprised to see an well-endowed, topless girl chasing a small man down the street. After the two passed, Nerima returned to business as usual. After all, things like this happened all the time. Ranma made a flying leap to cut Happosai off. She succeeded in landing on him. “Give me back my shirt.” Ranma barely panted as the little man wiggled under her. “You have to do something for me.” Happosai said with a grin and a chuckle. “What?” “Acknowledge me as your master.” “Never.” Ranma said as she punched the ground beside Happosai’s head. “Don’t be so tough with me, my boy. I can make your worst nightmares come true.” Happosai tapped Ranma on the back of the hand with his ever-lit pipe. “Ow!” cried Ranma as she pulled her burned hand away. Happosai took the opportunity to wiggle away. “Acknowledge me or face your worst nightmare.” He warned. “Forget it.” Ranma muttered, babying her hand. “Fine. There are only two ways to live through this curse. Either beg my forgiveness or let the curse play out on it’s own.” “I think I’ll take my chances with the curse.” Ranma said, blowing on her hand. There was a strange symbol embossed on the skin. “Very well... goodbye, my boy. You are now a weak little girl. I’d be careful of horny men if I were you.” Happosai giggled as he bounded away. Ranma didn’t like the sound of that. She stood slowly and covered her nakedness with her good arm. “Little prick.” She muttered as she turned for home. There was a sharp echo of bare feet on concrete. Ranma was hit from behind and she stumbled, but strong arms caught her. “Oh, Pigtailed Girl... You don’t know how long I’ve desired you in my arms.” Kuno’s voice said. Ranma struggled to turn around but she found herself strangely weak. “Let go of me Kuno.” She screamed. “What’s that you say, my love? You wish to come home with me?” “That’s not what I said.” Ranma cried as she tried to hit Kuno in the head. Her blows had no effect on him. “Very well... We shall be off then.” Kuno said as he cradled the struggling Ranma in his arms and took off at a dizzying pace. Ranma was near tears. How could she be so weak against someone like Kuno? Then she remembered the old man’s words. “It’s true. I am a weak little girl.” “What’s that you said, my beloved?” Kuno asked. “Nothing.” Ranma muttered. “You want me to kiss you? Alright then.” Kuno stopped running and planted a kiss on Ranma’s lips. His tongue sought entrance to Ranma’s mouth, but she kept her lips tightly sealed. She tried to push Kuno’s head away but it was hopeless. Finally Kuno ended the kiss. “Oh Pigtailed Girl... We must hurry to my house where our passions may be quenched.” Kuno began to run again. Ranma noticed a mark on the back of Kuno’s hand. It looked a lot like the burn she received from the old man. She suddenly realized that Happosai had cursed Kuno. “The old lech set Kuno out after me.” She grumbled. Kuno reached his home and hastily opened the door to his room. He dropped Ranma onto his futon and proceeded to undress. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this, Pigtailed Girl.” “Stop, Kuno!” Ranma begged. “Please don’t do this to me.” Something caught her eye. There was a teapot sitting next to the futon on a little table. There was still a hint of steam rising from it. Ranma reached for the teapot and splashed herself with its contains. To her horror nothing happened. The tea was warm enough, but she didn’t change back into a boy. She suddenly realized the full implications of the old man’s curse. “I’m a weak little girl until...” She looked at a naked Kuno. His eyes held something she had never seen before in him. There was an animalistic quality to them. “Oh God.” Ranma moaned. Kuno reached for Ranma and crushed one of her breasts with his heavy hand. The other hand struggled with Ranma’s pants. Ranma began to kick him to keep her pants on. “My love... This will be wonderful.” Kuno breathed as he kissed Ranma’s lips. Ranma was caught by surprise so she felt Kuno’s tongue enter her mouth. Thinking quickly she bit it... hard. Kuno didn’t seem to notice. He pulled away from the kiss and blood dribbled down his chin. “I love you.” He moaned “Get off of her.” An angry voice said. Kuno turned to the intruder. “How dare you interrupt something so sacred between a man and a woman.” Ranma peeked over Kuno’s shoulder. “Ryoga? Help me!” Ryoga gave a little smile. “Anything for you, my dear Akane.” “Akane? It’s me, Ranma, you idiot.” Ryoga took Kuno by the shoulder and easily tossed him across the room. Kuno found himself embedded in the wall. “Akane... You don’t know how long I’ve wanted you.” Ryoga whispered. “Ryoga stop! It’s Ranma.” Ranma moaned as she tried to sit up. Ryoga straddled her legs and sat on them so she couldn’t move. “Shh! Akane... It’s my first time too.” Ryoga whispered as he caressed Ranma’s face. Ranma saw the same burn mark on Ryoga that she had seen on Kuno. “Oh no! No Ryoga... This is a curse. Snap out of it.” Ryoga dropped his head and began to cry. “I love you so much. Thank you for this honor.” He whispered. He leaned forward and kissed Ranma on the lips. Ranma was stunned into submission. She felt Ryoga’s hand gently touch her breast and move down her waist. His hand fumbled with Ranma’s pants. “Ryoga... no.” Whimpered Ranma. Ryoga pulled down Ranma’s pants and began to fumble with his own. “Are you sure you want this?” He asked the Akane in his head. “No... I don’t.” Ranma cried, hopelessly. “Alright. I’ll be gentle.” Ryoga readied himself between Ranma’s legs and pushed the tip of his penis into Ranma’s vagina. Something in Ranma broke. She hit the boy above her over and over with clenched fists. She kicked and tried to pull him out of her entrance but she knew it was hopeless. Ryoga had build up immunity to being stricken. In her weakened state, Ranma couldn’t do anything about what he was going to do to her. Ryoga gently pushed himself into Ranma. Ranma screamed. She felt a slight discomfort and a strange fullness and she didn’t like it one bit. “Stop Ryoga... Stop.” She cried over and over. Ryoga slowly withdrew himself before pushing back in a little harder. He continued like that over and over... faster and faster. Finally he pushed in hard and his eyes rolled up in his head. He gave a little squeal. Ranma lay for a long moment with a panting Ryoga above her. She felt sick. “Get off of me, you pig.” She screamed, disgusted. She shoved Ryoga and to her surprise he moved. Ranma could feel her own power return. The curse was broken. Ranma looked at her hand and found the mark gone. Ryoga’s hand was unblemished too. “What have you done to the Pigtailed Girl?” Kuno demanded as he peeled himself from the wall. He advanced on Ryoga. Ranma could see that his mark was gone too. “You have defiled her in my room? I shall kill you for that.” Ryoga pulled himself up. “What are you talking about?” He moaned as he looked up to see a naked Kuno pull a sword on him. “I didn’t touch Ranma.” He said. “You pig!” Ranma seethed. Ryoga looked to the naked Ranma. “I remember now... You seduced me.” He moaned. “I didn’t! You raped me!” Ranma screamed. Ryoga shrunk from her wrath for a moment before regaining his composure. “You seduced me and took my virginity!” He accused back. He raised his fist, ready to hit Ranma. Tears filled Ranma’s eyes. “How could you do that to me? How? Damn you. The whole time you moaned Akane’s name. She’s MY FIANCEE you asshole. If anyone should moan her name, it would be me. You had no right!” Ryoga was silent. He looked a little hollow. Kuno took the moment to attack him. Ryoga easily tossed him back into the wall. “You violated me and you coveted my fiancée... I thought you were a man of honor.” Ranma spit at Ryoga. A lone tear slid down Ryoga’s cheek. With some difficulty Ranma managed to stand. She took the teapot and splashed herself. Male Ranma felt a little safer in his male form... but there was still an ache in his heart and his groin. He threw on his pants and left Ryoga and Kuno to themselves. Upon reaching home Ranma took a long, hot bath. He felt dirty all over. He scrubbed at his skin until it became raw and pink. Afterwards he felt sick and immediately went to bed without dinner. * * * “He never skips a meal... I wonder if something happened to him today.” Kasumi said as she served the others. Ranma’s place at the table was vacant and left everyone with a strange feeling. “Don’t worry about Ranma. He’s just sulking.” Happosai said with a grin and a giggle. He gobbled his dinner and disappeared to go on a panty raid. “I think master did something to Ranma.” Soun said. “Maybe you should check on him, Akane.” “Why me?” “He’s your fiancé.” Soun said. Akane stood up and stormed away from the table mumbling, “Stupid, lousy jerk... Can’t come to the table and they send me to check on him...” She stood outside Ranma’s door and knocked loudly. “Ranma, are you alright in there?” “No.” Came a muffled voice. “Go away.” Akane opened the door and stepped inside. The lights were on and Ranma lay in a little ball on his futon. “They are worried about you.” Akane said. “Happosai said you were sulking... We figured he did something to you.” “If I ever see that little monster again, I’m going to kill him.” Ranma said with much venom. “Why? What did he do?” Akane kneeled down beside Ranma and tried to touch his shoulder. “Don’t touch me.” Ranma whimpered and buried his head in the pillow. “Ranma... What happened?” Akane demanded. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He sobbed into the pillow. “You have to talk about it sometime or it’s going to eat you alive.” “I can’t... Not now.” “Later then? I’m here if you need me.” “Please go... I don’t want you to see me like this.” Akane stood and made her way to the door. That night when the Genma came to bed Ranma felt anxiety. The thought of another man so close to his body bothered him. He wordlessly got up and wandered out of the room. “What’s wrong with you, boy?” “I can’t share a room with you anymore, Pop.” Ranma said quietly. “Why the hell not? We’ve shared space for over ten years.” Ranma shivered and shut the door behind him. “What did the Master do to my son?” Genma wondered. * * * Ranma entered the dojo. It was peaceful there. If he focused on his punches and kicks he couldn’t see Ryoga roll back his eyes. If he focused on his breathing he couldn’t hear Ryoga squeal. Over and over Ranma beat up Ryoga in his mind. Over and over Ranma killed Happosai. Finally Ranma collapsed in exhaustion. He awoke to Kasumi shaking him. “Your dad told me you wanted your own room. It’s ready.” She said. Ranma followed her meekly to his new room and collapsed on the floor. * * * Days passed and Ranma rarely left his room. He worked out in the dojo at night and took baths or slept during the day. He never came down to eat. Kasumi started leaving food for him at his door. He didn’t touch it. No one saw him for more than a few seconds. “Something is seriously wrong with Ranma.” Genma said. Everyone else sat around the table and nodded. “He can’t go much longer without food.” Kasumi said. “I wish the old goat would tell us what he did to him.” Akane said. Happosai was oblivious to the conversation. He was the only cheerful person in the whole household. * * * Akane crouched at Ranma’s door. “Ranma... Ranma please come out and talk about this. What are you hoping to accomplish by hiding in your room and wasting away? Please Ranma... I’m worried about you. Don’t shut me out.” Inside Ranma listened to Akane’s words and began to cry. * * * Late at night a lone figure crept down the hallway to a door. It slipped inside and closed the door. “Who’s there?” Akane called out into the darkness. “Me.” Ranma said from his place, sitting against Akane’s door. “Ranma?” Akane said as she turned on the light. Ranma squinted against the light. “Yeah... me.” He said. “You came out of your room.” Akane said as she moved to sit down in front of him. Ranma nodded. “Are you ready to talk?” Ranma shrugged. Akane noticed that he looked haggard. How long has he been without food? “Are you hungry?” Ranma shook his head. “Why are you doing this to yourself?” Ranma stared at her in silence. Finally he looked down to his hands. “Something terrible happened to me because of the lech.” “What did he do?” “He was mad at me because I wouldn’t acknowledge him as my master. He burned me with his pipe and I became a weak girl.” “But that’s happened to you before.” Ranma wiped his face with his hands. “He also burned Kuno and Ryoga to make them...” “What? Beat you up?” “No. I was a girl at the time and Kuno took me to his house. He thought I was consenting. I couldn’t get away...” “He thought you were consenting?” “He wasn’t listening to me... He was hearing something else in his head. Anyway, he tried to do something to me but Ryoga showed up.” “Go on.” “He didn’t know me. He thought I was someone else and he...” “What?” “He forced me to... I tried to get away but the burn made me weak.” Akane gently took his hands in hers. “What did he do to you?” Ranma began to cry. “I’m sorry Akane, I’m so sorry.” “It’s alright... Just tell me what happened. You can trust me.” Ranma wiped his tears away. “I was a virgin.” “He forced you to have sex with him?” Akane said with shock. “He thought I was someone else.” “Who?” Ranma shut his mouth and looked frightened. “Who did he think you were?” “You.” Ranma said. Akane looked stunned. Ranma bowed his head and waited for her to say something. “How do you know it was me he was thinking of?” “He kept calling me by your name.” “What did he do when he found it that it was really you?” “He cried and blamed me for deceiving him.” “Poor Ryoga.” “What?!” Ranma screamed. He clawed his way up the door to a standing position. “He violated me, Akane! He took something from me that I can never have back. He took pleasure in my body and I couldn’t stop him... I couldn’t stop him. His seed is still in me. I can feel it. I have been tainted.” He sank back down to the floor and began to cry. “Happosai cursed him too. He had no control over what he did to you.” Ranma looked at her in pure horror. “How can you say that?” “You said Ryoga was burned. You know what the old goat can do.” Ranma bowed his head. “I feel so dirty and sick. The thought of another man makes my stomach turn. I can’t eat.” “You should probably go to Dr. Tofu in the morning.” “Why?” “You need help. Besides... Um... Did Ryoga use a condom?” Ranma looked down and blushed. “No. But he was a virgin too.” “Well, you’re half girl. The girl half can probably get pregnant.” Ranma looked shocked. “Never thought of that.” The thought of a little Ranma running around made him feel funny inside. “What am I going to do?” Akane took his hand. He didn’t pull away... just looked at her hand in his. “We’ll get through this.” She said quietly. “What if I’m pregnant?” Ranma began. “Will you still be there for me?” Akane gave him a little smile. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. He tensed at her touch but then relaxed into her. “We’ll be OK.” * * * Ranma took his first timid walk outside. It had been days since he left his room. Akane led him by the hand to Dr. Tofu’s for an exam. They were both surprised to see Ryoga standing outside of the gate to the Tendo residence. “Ryoga... What are you doing here?” Akane asked, fearfully glancing at Ranma. Ranma looked pale. She could almost hear his heartbeat begin to race in his chest. “I need to say something to Ranma.” Ryoga said. He looked Ranma in the eyes for a moment, but couldn’t meet the pained gaze. “Ranma... I am sorry.” He said quietly. “I am sorry that I violated you. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me... I was dishonorable and I regret it.” “Remember what I said about him just being a helpless pawn in the old goat’s game?” Akane said. “And he’s supposed to be your friend and friends forgive.” “You are right, Akane, friends forgive.” Ranma said quietly. “But this pig is not my friend. A friend wouldn’t do what he did to another friend, especially if they had as much power as Ryoga does.” Ryoga paled. “Ranma... I’m... I’m sorry.” He stammered. “Now the pig must die.” Ranma said coldly. “Ranma... He made a mistake.” Akane said. “A mistake? A mistake?! I can forgive a mistake. But he did much more than that. I can’t forgive... I won’t.” “Ranma... I’m...” Ranma’s face turned cold and his battle aura began to blaze. “Ask him if it was a mistake that he fell into the cursed spring of the little black piglet. Ask him if it was a mistake that he let himself be your pet... Never revealing who he really was. Go ahead and ask him! Ask him if he enjoyed sleeping in your bed!” Ranma screamed. Akane went pale. “Ryoga... you?” “Ask him if he’s in love with you and that’s why he called out your name while he was killing me.” “Ranma stop.” Akane said as she buried her face in her hands. Ranma gathered his energy and prepared for an attack. Ryoga was strangely quiet. Akane watched Ranma prepare his attack. There was coldness in his eyes. She knew he would attack to kill if he weren’t stopped. She jumped between Ranma and his intended target. “The Ranma I know would never attack to kill.” She said firmly. “That Ranma is dead. Get out of the way, Akane.” The ball of energy grew in his hands, filled by all his pain and anger. “I won’t let you attack him. I won’t let you sink to his level.” Ranma stared at her icily. “You’re with him.” “No!” Akane said. “I just can’t let you kill the one I love.” “Ryoga!” Ranma cursed as his energy ball grew in size, focusing all his jealousy. “No, you idiot. I was talking about you. You are killing yourself. You are allowing your anger to kill everything I love about you... your smile... your warm heart... your sense of honor. You kill yourself if you kill him.” She pointed to the cowering man behind her. Ranma looked ready to crumble. His gathered energy became less focused as he began to wrestle his inner demons. “He violated me...” He whispered to Akane. “But it’s not your place to punish him. He’ll get what’s coming to him for the part he played... the old goat will too. You have to be the bigger man... the man with all the power and stop yourself before you kill the man I love inside of you.” Ranma closed his eyes. He refocused all his pain and anger to the small space between his hands. He could feel their cold flames of hatred licking at his fingers. He opened his eyes, found his target and threw the negative blast at it. Akane saw the motions and shielded her face, as she screamed, “No!” Ryoga stood and watched, but dared not blink as the energy bolt came at himself and Akane. There was an earsplitting blast. As the smoke and dust cleared Ranma stared at the smoking crater on the sidewalk and the two people standing beside it. Akane finally opened her eyes and was relieved to find that no one was dead. She looked up at her betrothed. “Ranma?” She whispered. Ranma looked at Akane. He felt his eyes begin to sting and rapidly began to blink back tears. “I almost killed her.” He thought. Akane saw the man she loved return to Ranma’s eyes. She advanced on him and threw her arms around him. “Oh Ranma... You’re alive.” She cried as she hugged him tightly. Her lips sought his and they kissed. It was their first with each other. Ranma broke off the kiss and buried his face into Akane’s shoulder. “Oh Akane... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He kissed her neck between sobs. “I love you... I do... so much.” He whispered. “We’ll get through this together. I promise.” Ryoga watched Akane and Ranma become complete in each other’s arms. The sight killed everything inside of him. He forced himself to watch; knowing this was part of his punishment for playing the part he did. Ryoga finally turned around and left the couple behind him. “I can’t expect you to forgive me right now and I know I can never forgive myself... But I can only hope that one day you’ll find it in your hearts to let me say I’m sorry.” He wandered away, truly the lost boy. * * * Female Ranma came back to herself in the street of Nerima. She was still sitting atop the old lech after he stole her shirt. She snatched it from him and hastily put it on. Her eyes began to sting and she blinked away tears. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and noticed the burn was quickly fading. “You survived my nightmare curse.” Happosai informed her. He sounded a little disappointed. Ranma looked down at him with complete hatred. “You made me live through that?” “It was your nightmare, my boy.” “I hate you.” She screamed and began to punch Happosai in the face. “Why the fuck did you do that to me?” “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” “I thought it was real, you bastard. I thought...” “Did you learn something from it?” “I don’t know.” “Not all experiences come from waking life, my boy. There are hidden truths inside of us. Dreams put us in situations and we find out what kind of people we really are or what we already know about others based on what happens in a dream. Now what did you learn? Who was there and how did they treat you? How did you treat them?” Ranma made a face and stood. She turned and quietly walked down the street, lost in thought.
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