RanUkyoHentai2 LA BLUE UKYO (Shikima Okonomiyaki) by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi & Others) HENTAI LEMON ALERT! Portions of this story deal with sexually explicit material, And/or concepts relating to adult themes and racy language Which may (or may not) be suitable for the tender eyes of Immature readers. You have been given fair warning! "Stop it!" Akane protested as she found herself being stripped naked by the other girl, "Cut it out! What are you doing?" "What comes naturally for a Miroku Ninja, of course," Miko replied, tossing to one side the last of the other girl's garments, including both bra, panties and socks, which left the other girl cringing and helpless before her, "You challenge me to a fight remember? Well...this is how I do my best fighting." Miko had already shed her kimono and was as naked as her alleged "victim" when she pinned the other girl to the grass, using leverage and her own lush body to render Akane helpless while bringing her bare breasts to bear against the Tendo girl's much more modest endowments. Akane writhed helplessly as she felt hardened nipples mash against her own while her struggles to free her arms and legs from Miko's only served to cause her to writhe back in a way that was strangely exciting. The more she attempted to resist Miko's efforts the more helpless she became as Miko placed a thigh between Akane's legs and ever-so- insistently rubbed it, mashing Akane's pelvis with gentle-but-insistent pressure. When the knee was removed it was replaced by full contact of the other girl's smooth belly. "W-what are you doing?" Akane gasped, beginning to lose coherent thought as new sensations unlike anything before in her life subtly altered her protests to something more like soft, complacent moaning. "I'm using Sex-Craft on you," Miko replied, "It's the specialty of Miroku Ninja." "B-But we're both girls...?" Akane's confusion only increased when she found her loins were being ground against by the other girl's sex in a way that was wholly unexpected and caused her to tense and groan slightly. "You noticed that, eh?" Miko cooed, "Didn't you know girls could hump each other like guys, only we do it much better?" "But-but...I'm not...I'm not like that..." Akane protested, her eyes suddenly rotating in amazement as she felt SOMETHING run across her clitoris, triggering another unexpected but entirely positive reaction. "Not like what?" Miko teased, "Not like a human being? Don't be so hung up by gender stereotypes. You think I'm a Lesbian? I like boys as well as girls, you know, and besides...who are you to do any name calling?" "H-Huh?" Akane asked as she found Miko's beautiful face poised above her. "You're enjoying this as much as me," Miko replied, "I can tell...you have all the signs of a closet girl lover. You've wanted somebody to do this with you for a long time, haven't you?" "Th-That's not true..." Akane weakly protested, "I'm not...I'm not like that..." "And how would you know?" Miko asked, "You don't seem very experienced. Have you ever kissed a guy, or even another girl for that matter?" "Ah-hah?" Akane's eyelids fluttered, because there was that SOMETHING again that was now running up and down the length of her slit, causing her to lubricate and unfold while Miko's large breasts struck sparks against her own hardening nipples. "I didn't think so," Miko said with surprising gentleness, "Tell you what, I'll be your first, and I'll coach you through the rough points. Just relax and take it in...I'm about to show you one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Miroku Ninja. Are you ready for this?" "Ready for...what?" Akane blinked, for now that SOMETHING was sliding into her, moving past the unfolding petals of her love gate, a warm, pulsing SOMETHING that was sliding into her with gentle insistence, causing Akane's hips to move wider apart as she automatically sought to part her legs so as to permit far easier access. "You see?" Miko cooed, "You don't need a guy to give you the kind of attention that you need. Let me show you further...all the way in fact. Get ready for when I push all the way in, because this will hurt a little if you still have an intact hymen." "I...what?" Akane had no idea what the other girl was saying to her, but whatever she was doing DOWN THERE was causing her to feel an incredible surge of arousal. She forgot all about why she had been struggling in the first place and just concentrated on the feeling of something large that was entering her Vulva, giving her the sense that she was being filled to capacity by something, and the last thing she wanted to do was prevent this! "That's strange," Miko remarked in some surprise, gyrating her hips a little as her swollen clitoris entered Akane's body like a fully erect penis, one of the special talents she had mastered in her training that allowed her to mount a girl in a manner more like that of a guy or a Hermaphrodite, though most times her clitoris was entirely normal, "No resistance down there. Are you sure that I'm your first?" "Huh?" Akane was too distracted to understand what she was being asked, only aware that what was being done to her did not hurt in the least, certainly not like anything she had expected! "I guess maybe you must have broken it in training," Miko speculated to herself, "Or else..." a look of concern flashed through her crimson eyes, and suddenly she studied the transfixed expression of her newest conquest and came to an abrupt and uncomfortable conclusion. This thought caused her to swell with incredible anger, thinking that someone must have abused this girl in the past, probably some deeply repressed memory that had made her adverse to sexual contact. The thought of anyone taking advantage of Akane suddenly evoked a powerful protective instinct that flared Miko's blue blood with outrage, but she managed to retain enough control over her Shikima instincts to recall that Akane was in need of gentle, loving attention. Miko stared at the girl and silently pledged that she would do her utmost to give Akane a good sexual workout that would help diminish the pain of whatever trauma might be deeply buried. It was her duty as a Miroku Ninja to protect girls like this from those who would prey upon them as sport, so Miko began to move her hits again, gently humping the other girl into a slow but gradual state of full arousal. Akane was not certain why she had expected sex with another girl to be all that unpleasant, or at least as unpleasant as the mere thought of sex with a guy usually made her feel. What Miko was doing to her was incredible, and not just the humping either! Miko had started to play with her breasts and bent down to kiss Akane on the mouth in such a way that Akane responded, something she would never have believed herself capable until this moment! Miko was finding it very easy to make love to the other girl, and the more she went about it the stronger became her feelings that this was something right and proper. Akane was not Miroku trained, was shy and hesitant about her sex and totally inexperienced, yet she was learning rapidly how much fun it could be to surrender herself to another woman's embraces. Her body was hard and muscular but had a softness in all of the right places, and despite her breasts being somewhat smaller than usual her nipples were incredibly sensitive, so that all Miko would have to do was to flick them between thumb and forefinger and it would set Akane off to moaning like crazy! It wasn't frenzied or animalistic in the least, but slow and gentle, playful and affectionate, loving and tender with Miko claiming the other girl in such a way that a primate might stake out its claim to another female. She was marking her territory on Akane's body, and no longer was the girl offering her the least resistance, which freed Miko up to use her hands and legs to further the sex-play. Before too long she had the youngest Tendo sister howling like crazy, at which point Miko felt herself nearing the point of a very powerful orgasm! Unfortunately it was about that time that her instincts flashed a warning to her that they were not alone any longer, and that something dark and dangerous was about to make itself felt like any unwanted intrusion. Miko noted this without losing her focus, then decided to give Akane at least one moment of fulfillment before things began to get distinctly unpleasant. She was rather of the opinion that the girl would need the buffering to survive the next few moments, so when she brought Akane off to her first orgasm it was as much for her own protection as to fulfill the unspoken promise between them. Akane bucked like crazy as she felt something warm splash against the inner recesses of her sex, that hard, swelling thing Miko was sticking her with going off like a firehose, which sent Akane reeling over the edge of a powerful and convulsive quake that shook her entire body. Akane's eyes went wide with amazement as she felt every nerve ending tingle as if a crashing wave of surf had washed over her on the shoreline, and then came the follow-up surge of warm and tender sensations, so unbelievably pleasurable that she nearly passed out from the sheer impact of such enjoyment! Unfortunately Miko choose to pull out of her following this, which caused Akane to weakly protest the sudden absence that had just given her the first moment of true fulfillment! Miko was climbing off of her, which also brought a moan of protest, as that contact had become the momentary focus of her world. It was only belatedly that she realized that Miko was standing over her in a wary position, and being a trained martial artist, Akane naturally recognized it as a position of battle-readiness, implying that some manner of conflict was suddenly in the offing. Akane lifted her head and attempted to sit upright when she saw something out of the corner of her eye that made her blanch with genuine fear. The things that were leering at her and Miko were neither human nor animal and seemed to radiate an intense air of menace that suggested that things were about to become rather unpleasant. "W-Who...what..?" Akane gasped. "Shikima," Miko replied, "Lay still. I'll try to defend you." That remark sounded so much like Ranma attempting to protect her while implying that she was weak and helpless that Akane naturally sought to get to her feet, coming to stand beside Miko as she made her usual declaration, "I can handle myself...I'm a trained martial artist." "Not against these guys you can't," Miko said, "Trust me on this, I'm better equipped to handle these buggers." Akane perceived that as a slight to her femininity, but there was no time to voice protest as the things began to encircle them, forcing Akane and Miko to stand back-to-back as they waited for the impending attack that inevitably was about to happen. And-further off-the two watching Miroku Ninja had become aware of the impending threat even before the demons manifested, Yaku sniffing the air before she murmured to Miyu, "Shikima." "Huh? Here?" Miyu reacted, going to her feet at once before reaching for one of her concealed weapons, a traditional Ninja-to, "What are Shikima doing stalking us? I thought King Shikima had called a moratorium on attacks against his daughter." "These guys must be out-casts," Yaku said as she, too, drew a weapon--a kusari- gama, "No specific clan, which means they haven't got the word just yet. They must have been cruising the neighborhood looking for human meat when they were drawn here by our scent, or maybe the smell of sex between Miko and that other girl." "Yeah," Miyu noted, not adding that she was privately miffed that her adopted younger sister was getting some without thinking of sharing with her "Big-Sis" or cousin, though she consoled herself with the thought that Miko was probably intending to do so later. At the moment they had something of an emergency to deal with before anyone could settle down to some wholesome sisterly "sharing." "Which way are they coming?" Miyu asked aloud, trusting Yaku's werewolf instincts to be sharp enough to fix a particular direction. "Two waves...over there and there," Yaku pointed, "They're sneaking up on both Ukyo and Miko's position." "So...which ones do we help?" Miyu asked, "We've got civilians to watch out for, so how do we keep them from getting into the action?" "Perhaps we should split up," Yaku noted, "I'll back up Uk-chan, you go help Miko." "Sounds like a plan to me," Miyu noted, "Too bad Miko left that talisman thing back at the restaurant, it would sure come in handy now." "The signet might warn these guys to back off, or they may not care," Yaku started to tense when she sniffed the air again and said, "I just picked up a third group...right behind us!" "Wha--?" Miyu started to say when tentacles suddenly wrapped themselves about her and Yaku, catching both Miroku Ninja by surprise and immobilizing them as they were forced to drop their weapons... And meanwhile Ukyo and Ranma were facing their own shadowy nightmares. Ukyo had not noticed until then that the sun was setting on the horizon and that she had been talking with Ranma a good deal longer than she had realized. These Shikima were obviously Ronin types out cruising for a hot date and they had mistaken Ukyo for an easy prey. Of course the fact that she had Ranma to consider only made Ukyo feel more nervous than she usually would feel when going into battle. "What are those things?" Ranma was asking with understandable nervousness, "They sure are ugly..." "Hey!" one of the Shikima called out, "Who are you to be calling anyone names, flat-face? As if you're any kind of ravishing beauty like she is." "Ranma," Ukyo urged, "On my signal start running." "No way!" Ranma protested, "I'm not leaving you behind! I'm staying." ""Don't argue with me, you Jackass!" Ukyo snapped, "These Shikima mean business..." "I don't care," Ranma said stubbornly, "I'm staying with you and that's final." Ukyo was caught between surprise and irritation, finding herself oddly pleased by the thought that Ranma wanted to protect her, but at the same time resentful that he would presume that he could better handle things than she could. Even Miko never presumed that when Ukyo declared her intention to play guardian Ninja for her friend and "Princess," and Miko knew how formidable Ukyo could be in this sort of conflict. "Listen to me, Ranchan," Ukyo said carefully, "These things are called Shikima, and they're a type of demon that I've been trained to fight..." "Demons?" Ranma asked nervously, "Yeah, right...so...how do you fight them?" "YOU don't," Ukyo replied, "They'll kill anything male that they can get their tentacles on, but they like to play with girls like me, so I have more of a fighting chance than you have." "Tentacles?" Ranma blinked, "Play with...NO WAY! I'm not letting them do that to you!" Ukyo was about to berate him again when movement out of the corner of her eye caused her to react on instinct, dodging and slashing out with a hand that intercepted and deflected several tentacle strikes, angling her body to the side to dodge several more as the first attack had been a feint, and then whirled out of the trap they were attempting to set for her, all the while wishing she had thought to bring her bakers peel for this occasion, but like a baka she had left it in the restaurant, trusting to her own means in order to deal with Ranma, which would have been enough for dealing with a cute guy but not for dealing with an attack by a roving gang of Shikima. She was about to call warning to her companion when she froze in start, finding Ranma was no longer to be found at ground level. The trained reflexes of a Ninja caused her to look up-which most normal people would not remember to do- and sure enough there was Ranma soaring high overhead, airborne in the peculiar manner of the Saotome Ryu, and as he started to arc downward a strangely intense expression crossed his handsome features, and he shouted out the words, "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!" at which point his hand became a blur and he batted away and deflected those tentacles that oriented on his position. "HEY!" one of the Shikima cried out in obvious pain, several octaves higher than normal, "That hurt, you bastard!" "Ranchan?" Ukyo exclaimed in surprise, only to start as tentacles found their way around one wrist and her waist, partially immobilizing her so that she was too slow to avoid the tentacles that snagged her other wrist and left ankle. "Ucchan!" Ranma cried, seeing her predicament and at once breaking off his attack against the Shikima to hurl himself her way, even as Ukyo struggled to gain leverage and retain her balance. Ranma started to attack the tentacles binding her, but before she could warn him other tentacles wrapped themselves around his waist and hauled him off of his feet where he was helpless to avoid being ensnared by several others. In quick order Ranma was suspended over the ground with all four limbs being pulled apart at very painful angles. "You hurt my brother!" one of the Shikima cried in an unusual display of filial devotion, "How about we pay you back, break your spine like a matchstick? Hey, S'Hrucuyous, wanna make a wish?" "Sounds good to me," another Shikima called back as the two of them began to exert pressure upon Ranma, causing him great pain as he fought against being pulled apart like so much taffy. Ukyo had only a split second in which to act, her mind judging variable factors and coming up with the inescapable conclusion that Ranma in male form would never be able to survive an all-out onslaught by the Shikima. His martial skills were unquestionably superb, but against Shikima his lack of experience would be costly. In his other form, however, he stood a chance of surviving the next few minutes. She had one free leg that had not yet been ensnared by a tentacle, and a clear shot to the tumbler of tea that she had set to one side on the picnic blanket, so with the flawless aim of long training her bare foot shot out and kicked the tumbler at Ranma, splashing him with the contents and instantly triggering his transformation. That was all the time she had before more tentacles were wrapped around her, and then her silk kimono was ripped free from her body as she was lifted into the air while more tentacles went to work playing over her body and immobilizing her completely. Ranma-chan began to slip free from her tentacles until the Shikima thought to tighten them again, only to pause in the act of re-applying pressure on the now smaller form within their grasp. The Shikima sniffed the air and then one of them said, "What the hell...he's changed into a woman!" "A female?" another Shikima asked, "What kind of magic is this?" "It smells like a curse of some sort," a third added, "A curse that turns a man into a woman...who would have believed it?" "Who cares how it happened?" a forth asked in glee, "She's got the right sort of openings now, so what are we waiting for?" "Good point," the first said with evident glee, "Dig in!" Meanwhile Akane was not faring too well as tentacles were wrapping themselves around her body while Miko fought to keep others at bay with the sword she had brought with her, careful to threaten the Shikima without actually getting them angry. "Back off creeps!" she called out at them, making complex sword motions that discouraged the two facing her from immediately attacking, "Let go of my friend or I'll report you to King Shikima." "Who cares what the old fart has to say?" one of the Shikima challenged back, "We don't work for him any more! We're outcasts!" "She knows the King," another Shikima said, "You think maybe she's one of his special play things? Something about her smells nice, not like your usual human bitches." "Maybe she might be worth holding for ransom," a third noted, "After we've had some fun with the both of them!" "Do your worst," Miko taunted, "I was just giving you guys fair warning, just so you can't say I didn't." "What arrogance," one of the Shikima snorted, "I'm gonna enjoy ripping you a new asshole, Cunt!" "That's it," Miko glowered, "You guys have really had it!" Then, to everyone's complete surprise, she dropped her sword, whirled around and touched Akane on a place behind her neck. That was all the time she had before the other Shikima wrapped her in tentacles and lifted her off the ground while Miko called out, "Go limp, Akane-chan! Don't fight them! Let go and don't struggle-MMMPH!" Miko was unable to say anything more as one tentacle wrapped itself around her neck, and then the bulbous head snaked around and entered her gasping mouth, cutting off any further talk. Akane had been fighting against the tentacles that were wrapping themselves around her, filled with a growing panic at her sudden helplessness, the clammy feeling of the Shikima squeezing her body while probing her most intimate surface areas. The horror of what was happening had all but frozen her mind with the paralysis of denial, but the moment Miko had touched her neck something very odd happened and she ceased to feel the rage and helplessness overwhelm her. Miko's words penetrated the red haze of her fear and automatically her body started to relax as she ceased to offer resistance, going along with the purple haired girl's "suggestions." The lack of resistance and pressure caused the Shikima holding her to feel disappointment overtake them, but having command over her body, and certain that she was still aware enough to enjoy what they were about, they took advantage of her helplessness to fill each of her opening with tentacles as she was lifted into the air and suspended beside the writhing, helpless form of Miko. "What the Hell did she do?" one of the Shikima asked, "My toy's like a rubber sex doll, as limp as a dickless wonder!" "She's still conscious, so maybe she paralyzed her," another Shikima suggested, "Body's still warm to the touch, and she's lubricating nicely." "We can still have fun, then," a third agreed, "So quit your whining and have fun!" Ukyo was giving token resistance to her assailants, letting them have their way with her while slowly building herself up to the moment of retaliation. She was not concerned about her own condition as she felt the familiar coil of tentacles plying against her body, filling all her openings and squeezing her breasts before latching their suction-cup heads against her nipples and clitoris. The Shikima were very practiced and thorough in exploring every avenue of her body, stroking the palms of her hands and the bottoms of her feet, even teasing the spaces between her toes while writhing up and down her belly and back in such a way as to stimulate the pleasurable nerves spread throughout her body. The familiar tingle of electricity up and down her spine caused her body to writhe in involuntary pleasure, but the sense of violation that would have overwhelmed the consciousness of an ordinary woman was wasted on a trained Miroku Ninja, and Ukyo had been in this position many times before against Shikima far more intimidating than this lot, including King Shikima himself, who had spared her life out of recognition of her loyalty to his daughter. The Shikima were like hungry beasts chewing raw meat between their tentacles, but Ukyo was not concerned for herself, rather she was far more worried about Ranma, who was not accustomed to these rough games and so could not possibly be prepared physically and psychologically for the overwhelming terror and helplessness that the Shikima could inspire within mortal females. She knew that Ranma would have a much rougher time of it than even she had the first time she had encountered a Shikima, nor could he-or she rather-possibly have the resources and endurance to hang on for very long, so Ukyo was determined to free herself as soon as the power within her had achieved the critical boundary level. Once freed she would rescue her Ranchan, for no one-Shikima or otherwise-could do this to her friend and iinazuke and hope to survive Ukyo's vengeance! Little did she know that Ranma-chan was indeed experiencing the early stages of trauma from the hideous sense of ravishment and violation being visited upon her person. From the moment the first tentacle had wrapped itself over her flesh and ripped the clothing from her body she had started to undergo a slow and gradual transformation of her own, but more internal than external and less obvious than the switching of her genders. Ranma-chan's small frame was reacting very differently from Ukyo at the steady and increasing stimulation that was heightening her awareness of her body, for in Ranma's mind the horror of what she was enduring was calling forth the memories of another horror from an earlier place and time. The glowing eyes of the Shikima in the fading twilight was taking on an even more sinister cast as Ranma saw the hungry gleam of something other than sex-crazed, perverted demons, recalling instead a different form of hungry beast that once had surrounded her with the same sense of helpless urgency, and by gradual stages Ranma began to lose herself to the edges of another Ranma, one lacking the human characteristics so favored by Shikima. Akane felt a curious detachment from herself, as if what was happening to her body was happening to some other person and she was merely the witness, seeing things happen to her flesh as though from a distance and not present. It was an odd thing watching and sensing her body reacting to the stimulation with no conscious thought on her part, and thus no real emotional attachment. There was a sense that she should be reacting more violently to the experience, as if the actions she was witnessing had a resonant association in her mind that would normally have sent her into overdrive, but the signals were not connecting in her brain that would permit her to feel those emotions, and so she merely floated in a curious haze while the demons played with her body, poking and probing her moistening depths while her body reacted as though on automatic pilot. Miko, like Ukyo, only gave token resistance to the demons, not wanting to permit them to suspect the degree of her hidden potential while she sat back and enjoyed a good screwing, so accustomed to being ravaged in this manner that she was even able to rate these Shikima in her mind on a scale of one to ten as potential lovers. She noted which ones showed the best finesse in bringing her body to a state of heightened arousal and which ones were merely clumsy, groping octopus-like "date-rape" troglodytes. She decided before too long that Demon "A" (as she chose to nick-name them by English letters rather than Japanese Kanji) was about an "7" on this scale she had established, while Demons "B" and "C" merely rated at "6" and "4" by the same standard. It was easy to see why these fellows had been banished from her father's court, for with such poor techniques a real Demon Beast Master would grossly outclass them. Such poor technique would be an embarrassment to the Shikima, and it was fortunate for the lot of them that they had not simply been killed outright for the sake of the gene pool. The demons had no such conscious thoughts of their intended victims, rating them instead by terms of their desirability and performance. Miko was clearly a favorite for these monsters, for her body was lush and pliable to their caresses. Akane was harder and gave them more resistance when they squeezed and stroked her tender flesh, but her openings were large enough to afford easy access, and so they tended to enjoy her a lot, even if she wasn't radiating the emotions of fear and loathing that they delighted in tasting. They still obtained great sport simply possessing such healthy and sturdy females who were able to stand more stress than was common for their species. A "normal" woman might break too easy or her mind might snap before it was over, but these females were taking it all in and then some, so the Shikima lost themselves in the moment and simply relished the thrill of power that came with knowing they held these females at their mercy. Miyu and Yaku were not faring any better than their sister Miroku, but once again the Shikima were puzzled by the curious lack of fear and disgust that they were accustomed to when they had such full-bodied females writhing at their mercy. Miyu's long, supple form was an enormously tasty thing to sample with their probing up and down her long, smooth limbs and supple thighs, well-curved ankles and feet that arched so nicely. Miyu even appeared to them to be enjoying the ride far more than was common in a human female, and it was only then that the Shikima began to suspect that they were not dealing with an ordinary woman. Miyu was making encouraging noises like a hungry, sex-crazed wanton and taking it all in with considerable delight, and no matter how hard the Shikima tried to make her squirm or react in terror she moved in concert with their efforts, clearly enjoying everything they tried without the least sense of doubt or hesitation. Yaku, by contrast, was writhing like an animal, struggling with her bonds as those rope-like, snake-like things coiled over and around her, squeezing her large breasts and meaty thighs, tickling her ribs and coiling about her legs as she kicked and bucked with frenzied gyrations, not reacting in either fear or panic but with a state of heightened arousal that was threatening to tear her loose from her captors. The closer she came to an orgasm the more frenzied she became, moving in opposition to the snaky things that were driving her steadily to distraction, even enjoying the sense of opposition as the Shikima tried to dominate her, only to discover too late that she was the one doing the dominating! Ukyo was going with the flow as the Shikima squeezed and fondled her breasts while humping her loins and rump with steady, rhythmic motions. Rather than fight her ravishment she was instead using the currents of pleasure to create a wellspring of sexual energy whose intensity flared like a spark igniting a bonfire. She was feeling every inch of her being ravished and played with by her captors, but this only served to fuel her determination to break free, for her sake and that of Ranma. She was just nearing the point where her body was beginning to build up sufficient charge to free herself when she began to become aware that Ranma was making odd sounds after becoming momentarily silent. No more were there groans and gasps emanating from her angle, but instead a flaring up of her aura as something exploded from within her, and all at once she erupted into a frenzy of motion. Almost simultaneously Miko began to glow as the power of sex filled her body and awakened her Shikima blood so that the Shikima binding her felt a sudden wrenching power suck them into her frail-seeming body. The three Shikima holding her cried out as one and fell to the ground as their energies were literally sucked out of their bodies and into Miko. A moment later the power achieved critical mass within her and Miko erupted with soul energy that fairly transfixed her body, tearing apart the Shikima that held both her and Akane helpless while sparing the helpless Tendo girl, who fell like a limp dish rag to the grass while Miko gracefully set foot on the ground and surveyed the smoldering forms of a half-dozen Shikima. "I warned you," she smiled, feeling energized and refreshed, if somewhat slimy all over. She ignored the dead Shikima as their bodies began to smoke and slowly convert to ash, turning her attention back to Akane as she gently pressed a set of nerves to reverse what had been done before, then touched a "sleep- spot" to spare the girl the trauma of awakening to her state of recent horror. The Shikima binding Miyu and Yaku reacted with a start to the psychic wave that Miko had released and for a moment made the fatal error of taking their attention away from their two lovely and alleged "victims." Fatal because Miyu's body suddenly began to shift and alter form, transforming into something indescribable that ripped free from the tentacles and tore into the astonished Shikima before they even knew what happened. Yaku's body also underwent a dramatic transformation, only her form increased in size, power and mass while becoming hairy all over, fur sprouting from nearly every inch of skin while limbs altered shape and hands became clawed with fearsome talons. Her face took on a bestial cast as she tore free of her Shikima with such ridiculous ease that their limbs might as well have been made of taffy. With a savagery that was as swift as it was unmerciful she ripped apart the demons within claws reach, sinking her fangs into one of them before tearing a huge chunk of demonic flesh from its body, not even minding the foul taste of its blue blood as Yaku howled at the rising moon, striding over its victims with a bestial roar of unmistakable triumph! "Nice work," Miyu commented to her friend as her own body returned to normalcy, and the Werewolf just looked down at her with a smug expression, amused intelligence in Yaku's eyes that belied the savagery she had just displayed, as if the two were indulging in an old jest that they had shared on many a previous occasion. The next instant, though, the air was torn by a sound that caused both of their heads to whip about in dismay. Miyu was first to say, "What was that???" "Ukyo...!" Yaku gasped, already rushing forward with her companion close behind her, having paused just long enough to snatch up her discarded weapon. Ukyo barely managed to turn her head in time to see Ranma-chan rip loose from her captors before turning into a blur of frenzied motion. In dismay and amazement she saw Ranma rip apart a Shikima with the strength of a berserker, heedlessly tearing to shreds any part that came within reach of her, tentacles flying with bits and chunks of blue-blooded Shikima before she launched herself at the next one with hands shredding like claws the tough hide of another demon. "What the Hell--?" a third Shikima started to say when it found itself confronted by a facefull of angry redhead, and in quick order it joined its companions in a smoking heap upon the ground while Ranma turned to confront yet another victim. Ukyo was suddenly released from the tentacles as the Shikima that had been holding her sought to escape the fate that had just befallen three of their comrades. They were not quick enough to withdraw in time, for Ranma-chan was upon them in a blinding flash, snarling like a human buzz-saw as she tore into their ranks, sending the demons fleeing in terror, never having reckoned a human female could have ever been so terrifying. Ukyo picked herself up off the ground and coughed, spitting out saliva (and other fluids best not contiplated. She brushed her hair out of her face in time to see Ranma finish the last of their assailants and then poise in a hunched position on all fours, snarling like some wild beast locked in human shape. She turned towards Ukyo and her eyes glistened with the hint of animalistic madness. "Ranchan?" she gasped. "Ukyo!" a voice distracted her and she turned to see Miyu and Yaku (in werewolf form no less) were rushing up to join them, both naked as jay-birds as though they, too, had suffered a brush with renegade Shikima. "You guys..." Ukyo started to say, intending to chide them as she suspected that they had been eavesdropping on her "date" with Ranma, when she sensed a shift in Ranma's position, then a hostile growl as her attention focused upon the "newcomer's" direction. "Ranchan-no!" Ukyo cried, too late to prevent the infuriated redhead from charging forward. Miyu saw the redhead heading straight at them and brought her sword up to a ready position, but the fast-moving redhead ignored her and went straight for Yaku, who barely raised her hairy arms in time to intercept her attacker as the impact knocked her off her clawed feet and she went tumbling backwards with a snarling Ranma-chan clawing at her face. Fortunately her arms proved longer than Ranma's and so she was able to hold her at bay, but just barely. "Ranchan!" Ukyo started to run forward when she heard Miko's voice call you, "Don't get near to her! She's under a powerful compulsion! I can see from here that she's possessed by a furious spirit of anger!" "But Miko-chan..." Ukyo started to protest when she saw what Miko held in her arms, the girl named Akane. "Ukyo," Miko said, "You have to snap her out of this. You alone have the power, and she is your iinazuke. You must awaken her from the grip of the spirit compulsion she is under before she hurts Yaku-chan. Please hurry!" "Hai," Ukyo turned and said, "Miyu, back away! I'll protect Yaku-chan, I promise." Miyu nodded her understanding and withdrew from where she had been about to defend Yaku. She gave Ukyo wide berth as their nominal sister closed her eyes and drew upon the power that was already swelling within her, so near to climax that it took little effort to tap into the build up and manifest her own unique talent. All at once Ukyo's form began to glow with radiant energy, and a silvery outline manifested around her, assuming the shape of a creature with bright ruby eyes and white fur, her brown hair becoming silvery as her skin took on a lustrous shine and her face was revealed with inhuman beauty. From her rear end sprouted a tail, first one than many, all blending together into a single shower of interwoven members. The Fox-Woman that was Ukyo stood tall in the night as the glow reached out to dispel a portion of the darkness. The light attracted Ranma-chan's attention and held it, turning her attention away from the werewolf she had been attempting to maul as the sex-changed berserker lost the edge of her anger, her eyes fixed upon Ukyo, who extended a hand towards her as if in unvoiced petition. Ranma-chan got off of Yaku and cautiously crept forward, drawn to the fading light as the silvery apparition before her continued to beckon. The redhead eased closer, moving cautiously on all fours, approaching Ukyo with a hesitant expression before closing the distance to within arms length, then sniffing at Ukyo's scent, but curious and perplexed at the mixture of both human and inhuman qualities, though at last she decided favorably to nuzzle up against Ukyo and rubbed her head tentatively against Ukyo's legs. "Fascinating," Miko remarked to one side, "She behaving like a cat..." "You mean she's been possessed by a cat spirit?" Miyu asked, turning to Yaku and saying, "No wonder she freaked when she saw you." "Guess that means I'd better change back," Yaku noted, and at once her fur dissolved as her body shrank down to more normal proportions and her limbs assumed the proper shape, and a moment later Yaku was herself again, somewhat disheveled and bleeding from numerous claw-marks, but with her body rapidly healing from its injuries as they started to close, her skin becoming as smooth and perfect as always. "Good Ranchan," Ukyo urged, her voice oddly melodic and no longer entirely human as her hand patted Ranma-chan on the head and she knelt down to permit the redheaded girl to nuzzle her nude body before Ranma-chan started to purr and make pleasing sounds, much as a cat would. "Let's hope she snaps out of it when she wakes up," Yaku remarked, "She's a pretty tough cookie when she gets her dandruff up." "I think we'd all better return to the restaurant before anyone sees us," Miko glanced down at the girl in her arms and noted, "It might get awkward having to explain what we're all doing here like this, and with our clothes ripped to shreds, except for me and Akane-chan here." "Akane-chan?" Miyu asked archly with a smile, "Don't tell me you're thinking of adopting a pet for yourself, little sister?" "Don't start with me," Miko sniffed, turning to Yaku and adding, "Could you hold her for a bit? My arms are starting to get tired, and she's surprisingly heavy." "No problem," Yaku said as she took the sleeping Tendo girl into her arms, then noticed that Ukyo had returned to her normal human appearance, "How about you, Uk-chan? Will your boyfriend be all right?" "I think I can handle her," Ukyo said as she easily hefted the small body of the redheaded girl in her arms, "Poor Ranchan...whatever that thing was that took him over, it must take a lot of energy to manifest, he's totally exhausted." "But cute," Miko noted with a smile, "Must be nice having a boyfriend who's also your girlfriend. That way you get the best of both worlds." "Maybe," Ukyo said somewhat reluctantly, looking down with genuine fondness at the girl in her arms before adding, "Miyu, would you fetch the pendant from where I left it? I don't think a thing like that should be left lying around with the rest of this mess." "Sure thing," Miyu nodded, "I'll clean up for you guys and meet you back at the restaurant. Miko-chan, I think you know where to find your new pet's clothing, seeing as you're the one who removed it and not the Shikima." "Would you stop it with the Pet-talk already?" Miko snorted, but nonetheless did as her adoptive older sister bade, seeing no sense to be found in leaving a trail behind to mark what had happened... Mimir's Well, Asgard: "What the hell?" Toltir frowned, "What was a party of Shikima doing in that clearing? Mighty coincidental, don't you think?" "I didn't arrange that," Cupid frowned, "It was almost like someone was deliberately trying to ruin a romantic scene by steering those renegades into that area, where they could smell the sex going down, not to mention sneak up on those Miroku girls..." he whirled around and suddenly cried out, "ARES!!!" "Uh-oh," the God of War said from where he and his sister, Eris, were hiding in concealment, "Looks like the Jigs up. Too bad, it was actually getting fun for a while there." "Better luck next time, eh dear brother?" Eris remarked as the two of them vanished in a wave of malevolent fire. Cupid continued to glare at the concealed spot that his fellow Olympians had been occupying a moment before then murmured under his breath, "Just for that I'm fashioning a special arrow for Uncle Ares, and you can bet I'll make sure the thing he falls in love with won't be anything too pleasant!" "At least things seem to have settled down," Toltir remarked, "Let's tune in and see what this little shindig may have done to the overall chemistry of your timeline." "Sure thing," Cupid replied, then he softly whistled and said, "Well, well...maybe it was worth it after all..." "W-Where am I?" Ranma-kun asked in confusion, "W-What happened...?" "Take it easy, Ranchan," Ukyo urged as he tried to sit up in bed, only to be gently pushed back down by his old friend, who was once more dressed in her okonomiyaki chef's outfit, "Don't try and hurry your recovery. Just let yourself heal natural..." "Heal?" Ranma refused to lie still and started to get up, only to make a disturbing discovery that caused him to yelp and throw the sheets back over him, crying, "What happened to my clothes???" "Oh, ah...that," Ukyo smirked, "Sorry, I wasn't able to save much. That's why you should take things easy for a bit, at least until we have time to get you a spare outfit, unless you'd rather go home in your female half wearing a kimono." "No way..." Ranma looked at his surroundings, seeing an unfamiliar room that was sparsely furnished, "Where is this place...?" "You're in my home," Ukyo replied, "Or at least the room I've staked out as my own. This is my Okonomiyaki shop, the one I told you about before?" "Uh..." Ranma flushed crimson and glanced down, "Ah...um...Ucchan? How did I get here?" "I carried you here after the fight," Ukyo explained, "You were pretty beat up, but I'm glad to see you heal almost as fast as Yaku..." "Fight?" Ranma blinked, "You mean...it wasn't...? Thank the Kami!" "Huh?" Ukyo blinked her eyes, "Excuse me?" "Never mind," he hastily said, then frowned again before asking, "Who were we fighting? I...I can't seem to remember..." "Probably for the best," Ukyo inclined her head, "You got pretty wild at the end there, and you almost hurt Yaku. Care to tell me what that was?" It was Ranma's turn to blink, "Wild? You mean I...oh no! I didn't hurt anybody else, did I?" "Only the bad guys," Ukyo said, "So...what really happened to you, Ranchan? What was that you turned into?" "It was...the Nekoken," Ranma swallowed. "Nekoken?" Ukyo repeated. "Yeah," Ranma said reluctantly, "I have this...problem with Cats...and when I get surrounded by them...I sometimes turn into a cat myself..." and he proceeded to explain the details to Ukyo, who looked on and was suitably appalled when he had finished. "That's...that's...unbelievable!" Ukyo shook her head, "Even for your father..." "I know," Ranma sighed, "The stupid old man was always pulling stuff like that in the old days. Now do you see why I don't wanna be burden by any of his idiot promises, Ucchan?" "I guess," Ukyo conceded, "So...you're saying you don't remember anything about the fight?" He shook his head and replied, "I never remember stuff when I'm like that. It's like I become a totally different person, like a...like..." he swallowed before adding, "You know." Ukyo nodded her understanding then said, "Well, for what it's worth, your Nekoken did come in handy. Not that I wouldn't have taken those Shikima out by myself of course..." "Shikima?" Ranma frowned, "Who are they?" "Not a who," Ukyo said, "More like a what...a type of demon that craves sexual intercourse with human females. It's something I've had a lot of experience in dealing with in the past. You don't need to worry though, those guys won't be back to bother us, and the rest of the Shikima wouldn't dare attack us on account of Miko..." "The purple haired chick?" Ranma asked. "She's my adopted sister, Ranchan," Ukyo explained, "But she's also the half- human daughter of the King of the Shikima by a mortal woman. She's also my Princess, to whom I've sworn an oath of loyalty, so be careful what you say about her having blue blood and not being fully human, got that?" "Uh...okay," Ranma said slowly, "So...what happened to my clothes during the fight?" "Just something you get used to when you've fought as many Shikima as I have," Ukyo shrugged, "They're not exactly big on bedside manners." "Oh," Ranma did not know what that meant but he was rather certain that he did not want to know either. Instead what he asked was, "So...how long to I gotta wait to get some clothes back on?" "You could try wearing some of mine," Ukyo smiled, "They might even fit you...if you squeeze into them a bit. The same goes for Akane..." "Akane?" Ranma gasped in alarm, "She's here too?" "Miko is with her right now," Ukyo replied, "She got caught up in the struggle, but she's all right, merely resting." "I've gotta see her," Ranma pushed back the covers, suddenly remembered that he wasn't wearing anything under them and hastily covered himself back over. "I told you to wait until we could get you something to wear," Ukyo said crossly, her eyes momentarily flashing ruby, though whether from anger or amusement was uncertain, "Do I have to get rough with you to make you stay where you are? I can, you know, because I'm more used to this sort of thing, and at the moment that means I could kick your ass without any problem." Ranma blinked as he studied the quiet determination in Ukyo's face, and for a moment he had an odd mental image of her having long, flowing white hair and a pale, inhuman visage. Very hesitantly he asked, "Ucchan...what happened to you? What ARE you? You're so different from what I remember..." "A lot of things have happened to me since we were little, Ranchan," Ukyo's expression softened, "After you and your Old Man abandoned me and left me along the side of the road I felt so humiliated that I was ready to give up on being a woman, and I started pretending to be a boy instead. Then the Miroku came along and took me in, offered me a place, and started training me to better understand what being a woman really means. I came to appreciate that being female didn't always mean being weak, helpless and dependent on a guy, that I could be strong and feminine and learn to use that femininity as a weapon against those who slight me. For ten years now I've thought mainly of getting revenge against you and your father for the stain against my honor, but I've had a different cause to keep me training to be my best, and that's to protect my Miroku sisters, and my Princess." Ranma nodded, feeling slightly awkward about the way she mentioned her dishonor. It wasn't often that he apologized, but even he could see that much of Ukyo's life had been taken up in seeking retribution for something his father had done, so he bowed his head and said, "I'm sorry, Ucchan. I didn't know nothing about any agreement, but Pop shouldn't have done what he did to you. It was wrong and I'm sorry if it hurt you..." She stopped him with a hand, forcing him to look up at her smiling expression as Ukyo softly replied, "I know, Ranchan, and I've already forgiven you...not that it lets your Old Man off the hook, and the next time I see him..." her expression and tone grew hard as flint, "...It ain't gonna be pretty." Ranma nodded wordlessly to this, but after a moment he quirked an odd smile and asked, "Can I watch?" Ukyo softly chuckled at that, glad to see he still retained his sense of humor in the face of all that had happened. She sobered again before going on, looking down at her feet as she got to the difficult part of her explanation, "There's...something else you ought to know about me, Sugar. I know you're wondering about what the deal is with my eyes turning red and all that, and...well...a couple years ago, while I was still in the intermediate levels of my training, I had an encounter with a Fox Spirit...you ever hear the legends about those? They're kinda rare but very dangerous, and they're like Succubi in that they have sex with mortals for the purpose of draining their life energy. Well...this one targeted me because it sensed my power as a Miroku Ninja, and it tried to drain me of my energy, only...I kinda turned the tables on it and drained its energy into my body. We...merged together, so that I'm now part Fox Woman, and the other half of me is a gal named Sakura." "Say what?" Ranma blinked. "It's kinda like you and the redhead you turn into," Ukyo said in an attempt to simplify, "Only I'm the dominant half of a melding of two beings, two souls. I'm human on the outside, but inside I'm part Fox, which means I can drain energies through sexual intercourse...not automatically, of course, and only when I want to..." Ranma blinked his eyes, shook his head and said, "Weird." "Tell me about it," Ukyo sniffed, "My personality's pretty much a composite of both halves of my nature, but me and Sakura...we've kind of worked things out so we each get something out of the arrangement. It's not all bad, and I'm pretty kick-ass in a fight, and when it comes to those Shikima we fought back there...well, only Miko's more powerful than me, which I guess is why I'm only her body guard and she's my Princess, go figure." "Telling him your life story?" the voice of Miyu asked, drawing both Ranma and Ukyo to see the brown haired girl standing in the doorframe leading to the hallway, "Glad to see Nature Boy over there is back to semi-normal. You planning on screwing him yet, and can I have a crack at him after you're done?" "Yes to one and no to the other, Mi-chan," Ukyo sniffed, "Do your own poaching on your own time, me'n Ranchan still have a lot of catching up to do, so if you don't mind..." "Actually I do," Miyu leaned against one side of the doorframe and folded her arms under her chest, reminding Ranma uncomfortably of Nabiki the way the girl was poised in a pair of short-shorts and tank-top, having the same smug, confident expression on her face as she leered, "You've never been this stingy with your conquests in the past. Don't tell me you're thinking of staking him out and claiming this one as your exclusive property? That wouldn't be sporting." In spite of a slight edge of annoyance in her voice, Ukyo was clearly amused by her adopted sister's antics, "I'm not staking anything out, and Ranchan's free to make his own decisions, so it'll be up to him to decide if he can handle a man-eater like you or not. Of course it's only fair to warn him that you tend to chew little boys up and spit them out a lot more casually than I would. I don't think Ranchan wants to be another notch in anyone's belt, do you, Sugar?" "Huh?" Ranma blinked his eyes, turning from one gorgeous sister to the next, then swallowing as he made a point of covering his already concealed privates with more of the bedsheet. "Ah, that's too bad," Miyu grinned as she held up a hand, from which dangled a pair of boxer briefs, "And I was going to ask if he wanted one of these to wear around the house when he's not in girl form. Such a pity..." "Huh?" Ranma almost jumped out of the bed before he thought better of it, "No, wait! I'll take them! Ah...got any pants and a shirt to go with 'em?" "Just this for now," she flipped the boxers over to him with a flick of a finger, "You'll have to wait until the stores open before we can go shopping for replacement wardrobe. Besides, you wouldn't want to deprive a girl of a good look at that manly physique of yours, would you?" "Miyu!" Ukyo said in clear annoyance. "Hey, it's only fair, he got a good look at us, didn't he?" her adopted sister reasoned. "Ah..." Ranma said as he fumbled beneath the sheets to slip the boxers on without showing anything too private to the two interested females, "I don't really remember what I saw...I never can remember much when I'm...like that..." "Really?" Miyu mused, ogling his bared chest with exaggerated interest before reaching down to the bottom of her halter, "How inconvenient. Well, if it's a good look you're after, I wouldn't mind showing..." "Miyu!" Ukyo deliberately placed herself between Ranma and her adopted sister with a very cross expression. "Hey, I'm proud of my looks, and so are you," Miyu reasoned, "I've got nothing against showing them off, especially to a handsome stud who might just be my brother-in-law before too long..." "MIYU!" Ukyo flushed crimson, now plainly embarrassed by the flirtatious behavior of her fellow Miroku. "Okay, I was just asking," Miyu made appeasing gestures and left her top right where it was, nonetheless giving a coy look past Ukyo's shoulder that Ranma caught in passing, "Don't let her monopolize you, Sport, she's a tease but really quite a lay when you get her into the sack. Both a gusher and a screamer..." She darted back as Ukyo balled a fist and took a swing in her direction, which Miyu flawlessly parried, though it was plain the gesture was entirely playful on their part. Miyu again made deflecting motions with her hands, chuckling to herself while Ukyo silently fumed at her behavior. Before taking her leave she said, "By the way, Miko said that you two should report back downstairs as soon as you're able. She's doing something with that Akane girl and I think you ought to see this." "Akane?" Ranma mentally kicked himself for forgetting about his iinazuke and started to rise up out of the bed when he saw Ukyo's cross expression, "Please, I gotta see if she's all right." Ukyo continued to glare for another moment, but finally she relented, "All right, Ranchan, but if you start to lose it I'm hauling you back to bed, and no arguments out of you, you got it?" "Got it," Ranma paused, glancing at the now-absent doorway before adding, "Um...no offense, but your sister is kinda...um..." "Tell me about it," Ukyo sniffed, "But she means well enough, and I love her as though she really were my family." "Ah..." Ranma stood where he was in his borrowed shorts and shuffled a foot before saying, "You...um...her...I mean..." "Yeah," Ukyo said softly, "I love her the other way too. Is that a problem?" He looked up at her in surprise, but after thinking on this for a moment he came up with a surprising answer...surprising to him, that is, "No...I don't think it's a problem." "Good," she smirked, "Because if you don't behave yourself, then I really will turn you over to her, and I meant what I said about her being a man-eater, so just watch it." "Uh...okay," Ranma agreed, wondering just what he had walked into the middle of, and whether or not a humble student of the Martial Arts was all that equipped to handle four such odd women. Then a second after he thought this he squared his shoulders again and resumed a look of his old defiance. He was Saotome Ranma! He could handle anything, no matter how strange, and Ukyo was definitely a friend, so at the very least he would try and get along with the girls she called her "sisters," even if there was something about the four of them was on some fundamental level was scaring him spitless... Ukyo led Ranma a short way down a corridor leading into another, larger room where they found a naked Akane surrounded by the other three Miroku women. Miko, clad once more in a kimono, was facing a somewhat numb-looking Akane with concern in her tone and expression while Yaku stood supportively beside the Tendo girl and Miyu held off a short distance, looking no less worried. Ranma had no idea what conversation might have preceded their entrance, but as they came in he caught a snatch of the dark purple-haired girl's soothing voice as she asked Akane, "...And then what happened?" "I-I was all alone by myself..." Akane's voice was almost toneless but for a raw element of hesitation as she continued, "...My father and sisters were all upset about Mom, like I was, but...they forgot about me, so I went looking for them, only I got lost..." "And what did you do then?" Miko asked with a hint of worry creeping into her expression. "I...I remembered Mommy always said to stay put whenever you got lost, but I couldn't find the lobby. I started to cry and tried to ask someone in the hospital for directions, only this...guy came and found me, said he could help..." "Can you describe him?" Miko asked as gently as she was able. "Kinda tall...only...there was something about his face...he had on a white coat, so I thought he might be a doctor...I remember thick glasses...but I don't remember anything else about him..." "Did he have hair?" Ukyo asked, only to receive a reproving glare from Miko, to which she said, "Sorry." "I-I think so...yes...he definitely had hair," Akane continued, "Only...the light was gleaming off of his glasses in a funny way. I...I was scared of him for some reason...but he told me to relax, that everything was all right, and he asked me if I was lost, then he offered to help me...only he took me to this place...I thought it was a sanctuary or shine or one of those Christian temples...only...only it didn't feel right somehow...I got scared again, but he told me not to be frightened...and then...and then he..." "You don't have to remember what happened," Miko quickly reassured her, "Just tell us what happened after the bad thing was done with you." "He-he took me back to the hospital, made me forget about what happened...I was so scared, but then I found my Daddy and my sisters and I went to them and hugged them and tried not to remember anything and..." "It's all right," Miko said soothingly, "You're safe now, it's all in the past. You're fine, no one is going to hurt you now, I promise." Akane's eyes welled up with tears but she seemed to relax somewhat. It was only then that Ranma recognized the pendant that she was wearing was the same one he had briefly worn at Ukyo's direction. Realizing that it was somehow causing Akane's unusually distressed state he started forward saying, "What are you...?" Ukyo's arm blocked his way, "It's all right, Ranchan, you can trust Miko. She won't do anything to harm her, I promise." "R-Ranma?" Akane's expression had a distant quality about it, but she seemed aware that he was in the room with her and turned her head slightly in his direction. "Ranma is here with us, Akane," Miko assured her, "Do you want him to comfort you..." "N-No!" Akane shook her head away, "I don't want him to see me like this! I don't want him to pity me, or to think I'm weak and helpless. He treats me like I'm some kind of a burden to him, and he never takes me seriously as a person..." "Akane?" Ranma's eyes widened significantly at that point. "Besides, he's a guy," Akane all but spat the word out, "Boys are...they never treat me like a human being! They're always ganging up on me at school and trying to make me...to make me...but I won't let them!" her tone became harsher, more fierce, "I never want to be weak or helpless again! I want to be strong! I want to make them all respect me! I'll make them treat me like an equal, or...!" "Easy there," Miko hastily reassured, "There's no reason to get upset or angry, Akane-chan. Just take deep breaths and relax. No one's calling you weak and you're surrounded by friends who care about you, so please stay calm and tell us again what you think about your iinazuke." "He's NOT my iinazuke," Akane said sullenly, but then she became more at ease as she said, "I just want him to be my friend and to treat me nice and stop insulting me and putting down my cooking and calling me an uncute Tomboy and making fun of my martial arts..." "Ranchan?" Ukyo glanced his way, "Do you know what she's talking about? Do you call her all those things?" "Ah..." Ranma glanced down at the floor and did not immediately answer. "You see?" Akane continued, "He won't even admit it, like when he chases after all those other girls and says they're really after him, and he makes me look bad in front of all my friends at High School..." "Hey, wait a minute here!" Ranma protested, "I never chase after them! They're the ones who are always glomping onto me and trying to drug me make me do what they want! Well...Kodachi anyway, not so much Shampoo..." "Yeah, like you really expect me to believe that you've got to be forced to pay her any attention!" Akane said in a huff, "You never treat me half as nice as you do Shampoo...because you know I'm not half the woman she is...she's so damned perfect, and she can cook, and she's pretty...and...and I wish I could be more like her..." "You envy her, don't you?" Miko asked, "This...Shampoo character. Do you like her?" "I didn't like her...at least not at first..." Akane hesitated, "She makes me feel so weak and clumsy, and she's a better fighter than me...and she's...she's got such a nice body, I might as well be wearing a burlap sack..." "But do you like her?" Miko repeated. "I...I do like her..." Akane blinked her eyes at this, "...But she's never nice to me...because she sees me as some kind of obstacle, and she thinks Ranma is her boyfriend...and I...I just wish she'd like me...even a little..." "Nani?" Ranma replied, not in the least ways having expected this answer. "You like girls, that's the truth isn't it?" Miko continued, "You're jealous of Ranma because he can attract more girls than you do, but you don't feel comfortable admitting that. Tell me truthfully, Akane-chan...do you like Ranma better as a boy or a girl?" "A girl," Akane said without hesitation, but then she hastily added, "I-I'm not like that...I'm not perverted...I'm not a Hentai..." "What's Hentai about liking girls?" Miyu asked before receiving a warning look from Miko, "Well hey, it's not like she has to do it one way or the other! If she's Bi, like me, it just means she can get more dates on Saturday night." "Must you always think with your pelvis, Cousin?" Yaku sniffed, though she said it in a teasing voice and a very amused expression. "You're not Hentai, Akane-chan," Miyu said, "There's no shame in liking girls. You like me, don't you?" "Yes," Akane lifted her eyes and stared at Miko with unusual focus, "I do like you...very much." "And what about boys?" Miko continued, raising a hand to forestall Ranma's attempted protest, "What do you think about them?" "I hate them!" Akane said with venom and loathing, "They make me remember what it's like to feel weak and...and I don't want anything to do with them! Men are dirty, they make me feel...ecchi..." "But that's not true!" Ranma blurted out this time, "You liked Doctor Tofu! You even wanted to marry him when I first knew you..." "Tofu-Sensei..." Akane's tone became wistful and melancholy, "He...he isn't like other men...not around me...he's nice...he never does or says anything that can hurt me...and he's got such good manners...he reminds me of Daddy." "And do you love your father?" Miko asked. "Of course I love my father," Akane said with more gentleness, "When he's not doing things to drive me up the wall, like insist I marry this...pervert!" "And what of the rest of your family?" Miko asked, "Your older sisters?" "Of course I love Kasumi," Akane replied with obvious fondness, "She's never done anything to hurt anyone, and she's always so nice. Nabiki...she can be a real pain sometimes, but I love her too, and she's so damned smart! I wish I was even half as smart as she is..." "So generally there's nothing in your life that could make you feel as upset as you are about being engaged to Saotome Ranma?" Miko concluded. "Nothing...except that stupid Kuno and his stupid pledge to date me if he can beat me in a fight...as if...!" Akane snorted in derision. Ukyo turned to Ranma and asked, "Who's this Kuno she's talking about?" "You don't want to know," Ranma said tonelessly, still trying to take in some of the things that he was hearing from his iinazuke. "So," Miko looked at Akane pointedly and asked, "Why are you so angry now? Is it just because Ranma's here?" "That...and I'm worried about what my father would say...if he knew the truth about me..." Akane looked down, "I don't want to hurt him, and he thinks this engagement is important to both of our families, only I didn't ask for it and I sure don't need all the trouble that comes from being the baka's fiancée..." "And what would happen if you were no longer engaged to him?" Miko asked, "Would you want that?" "Maybe..." Akane hesitated, "I don't know. Sometimes Ranma can be pretty nice...when he's not being a baka or chasing other women..." "I never chase-MMPH!" Ranma started to say when Ukyo clamped a hand over his mouth. "Save it for later, Ranchan," Ukyo urged, "This ain't the time to demand clarification." "Which would your rather be engaged to?" Miko asked Akane, "The boy...or the cute redhead he turns into?" "The redhead..." Akane said without hesitation, then paused before adding, "When I first met her she looked so cute, I asked her to spar with me and she beat me pretty easy..." "You didn't mind losing to another girl?" Miko asked. "No," Akane's expression was happy, even eager, "I was very impressed with her fighting skills, and I thought maybe we could be friends and train together...only...only she turned out not to be a girl..." her tone grew hard and angry, "I found out the hard way when I saw HIM stepping out of the furo all naked and a BOY!" her disgust was as palpable as her anger. "Ranchan?" Ukyo asked him with a questioning look. "She walked in on me when I was just getting out of the furo," Ranma confirmed, "Only she got all mad at me and started screaming and threatening to hit me with a table..." "Of course she started screaming," Yaku noted in sage amusement, "She was expecting to share a bath with a cute redhead. Who wouldn't be screaming about that?" "Yaku-chan," Miko said in mild exasperation, then with a sigh she added, "You can relax now, Akane-chan. You're safe and among friends who care about your welfare. You don't have to remember the bad things, you just have to know that you were in a fight and some guys got a bit rough, so we brought you here to help you recover while we find a replacement for your school uniform. We'll call your family and let you know that you're all right, but you'll be staying the night with us, so when I count to three you can remove the pendant and feel refreshed, like you just woke up from a long nap. One, two, three..." Akane's head fell forward, and then she automatically raised it again, her hands moving to remove the pendant before handing it to Miko, then she blinked her eyes, looked around and asked, "Where am I?" "In Ukyo's Okonomiyaki restaurant, Akane-chan," Miko replied, "How are you feeling?" "Ah...fine...at least I think so?" Akane glanced down, then yelped and hastily put her hands around her chest, "EEK! I'm naked!" "Here," Yaku draped a silk kimono around her shoulders, "You should feel more comfortable wearing this. Your uniform got pretty trashed in the fight, but you seem to have come through it well enough for a first-timer." "Fight?" Akane blinked, "I...I remember some guys...but I can't seem to remember what they look like..." "It's not important," Miko assured her, "The important thing is you're all right, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist you stay with us for the night since it's too late for you to go home, and in your condition. I did what I could to heal your physical wounds, but it will take time to mend the hurts that really matter, so you'll be sharing a room with me tonight...alone," she glared meaningfully at her Miroku sisters, seeing their instant disappointment. "A-All right, if you think it's for the best," Akane looked up at Miko with a curious expression, "I...I don't know why, but I feel like I can trust you..." Miko touched the other girl's shoulder and smiled reassuringly at them, but then she glanced at Ranma and said, "If you'll excuse me, I want to have some words with your fiancée. In the meantime, why don't you go downstairs and let Yaku and Miyu take care of you. You must be very hungry after your ordeal. And sisters...just feed her, okay? Save the other stuff for later." "Later?" Miyu looked expectantly eager. "Whatever you say, Cousin," Yaku agreed with equal enthusiasm. Miko took Ukyo and Ranma by the arm and led them back out into the hallway, not stopping until they were back in Ukyo's room with the door firmly closed behind them. Once their privacy was assured, Miko gave Ranma a firm look and said, "Saotome-san...we have a little problem." "Yeah?" he asked neutrally, "What was that all about...?" "Just some probing of her psyche, nothing that can bring as much long-term harm to her as was obviously already done by another," Miko paused a moment before giving the boy her most probing stare, then she asked, "I have to know...what sort of man is your father?' "Huh?" Ranma asked, "What kind of question is that?" "I'll tell you what kind of a guy he is," Ukyo's expression darkened, "He's the kind of guy who could wrap his son in fish sausages and toss him into a pit of hungry cats just to teach him a new martial art maneuver! He's the kind of guy who breaks a promise and steals my Dad's cart while leaving six-year-old me along the side of the road! He's a louse and a cheat and..." "Is he the sort of man, do you think, who might abuse a child in a sexual manner?" Miko asked delicately. "Huh?" Ranma's face was blank, "What d'yo...no way! Pop may be a lot of things, but he ain't like that! I'd know if he was! He's a rotten, stinking father, but he's too much of a gutless wimp to even think of doing that with a woman!" "I guess you're in a better position to know him than I am," Miko stroked her chin, "And you're right...I sensed repressed sexuality in Akane, but there was no hint of it being directed towards you or your father. I suppose I would have to meet this Saotome Genma to know for certain, but I suspect the real culprit was either a Shikima or some other form of sex-demon." "You're saying Akane was molested by a Shikima?" Ukyo asked her, "And he let her live?" "Some demons put their mark in human young so that they may find them later when they reach adulthood," Miko replied, "This would seem to be one of those instances, and indeed, I sensed a touch of darkness in her soul, unmistakably the handiwork of something dark, like a Shikima." "You mean...Akane...no way!" Ranma paled, his look one of horrified denial. "The facts do not lie here," Miko insisted, "She was definitely suffering from latent depression...only it might not have been one of my father's people who did this. Shikima attacks tend to leave a lingering desire for more sexuality, and Akane was avoiding her own sexuality, rather violently in fact. Tell me, what is her usual response when someone slights her femininity or makes a play for her in a sexual manner?" "Ah..." Ranma felt along his chin as though the trace of many bruises could be found there, "She...uh...hits things...me most of the time..." "I thought as much," Miko sighed, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but it looks like your engagement to her will have to be annulled. There is no way that the two of you could ever have a truly fulfilling, even 'normal' life together. To attempt this would be to court genuine disaster." "What are you talking about?" Ranma asked with a scowl, "What disaster?" "You're not very comfortable with your own sexuality, are you?" Miko asked, "Well, Akane is even worse than you in that department. The two of you together only compounds the problem as this is not the sort of thing that goes away on its own. If you were to go on seeing her or-the Gods forbid-even to marry-it might be a continual reminder to her of all the pain she carries around deep inside. There is no telling what effect that might have on her on a long-term basis, but I suspect that nothing good would ever come of it. Akane clearly resents you and finds your male half intimidating. She wants to make it with your female side but is afraid of admitting this for fear that it would label her a Hentai." "Are you saying that Akane's...?" Ranma hesitated, searching for a word, then stubbornly frowning as he insisted, "No way! She's not like that! You guys are twisting everything around..." "And why would I do this?" Miko asked him, "I didn't put those ideas into her head, she is the one who told us what had happened to her...enough that we can figure out the rest of the details. Akane equates boys with what happened to her, and helplessness with sex. Her affections are turned towards her own gender because there is less threat to her there, and she is clearly enamored of both of her older sisters. I suspect her affections towards this Tofu-Sensei may be a more socially acceptable version of her interest. Tell me, Saotome- san...would you classify this Tofu-Sensei as a rugged, manly sort, or a more androgynous specimen of the male gender?" "Huh?" Ranma blinked his eyes, then thought about it before reply, "Kinda...more the latter, I guess..." "Well, there you have it," Miko smiled, "You are obviously representative of the former rather than the latter, so you're not really her type at all. There is a basic incompatibility factor that separates you, though I suppose that it could be overcome with time as the both of you become more accustomed to one another. Of course the fact that you have other women interested in you doesn't help matters very much...in fact it complicates an already complicated picture. That's why I think it would be best for you both to cool it with the engagement thing and try working on becoming more friends than romantic partners." "You don't gotta convince me of that," Ranma said sullenly, "It's our stupid fathers who keep insisting it's gotta happen." "Leave that to me," Miko said, "I know how to talk sense into a man, and if they know what's good for the both of them, then they're going to listen to me...or else." "Ah..." Ranma was very dubious about that statement, but some instinct for self- preservation caused him to slowly nod, "Yeah...whatever." "In the meantime," Miko's smile returned, "You can trust Akane to me...within reasonable limits. I'll see to it she gets a good nights sleep and is all refreshed and ready for tomorrow. In the meantime you and Ukyo have some catching-up to do. I trust you both to work out your own sleeping arrangements." With that the odd purple-haired girl turned around and took her leave of the bedroom. "Hah?" Ranma asked, turning slowly to look at Ukyo, who was smiling back at him in a way that made him suddenly quite uneasy. "She means she wants me to find out more about you, Ranchan," Ukyo replied, "She's right about you having some kind of problem about sex. You're so uptight just saying the word...I'd almost think that you were the abuse victim." "Hah?" Ranma said again, when he saw Ukyo go to the door and lock it, then turn around to smile at him as she undid the sash around her waist, "Hey-what are you...?" The words died on his lips as the kimono went sliding to the floor, revealing Ukyo in all her naked glory as she casually reached up and removed the blue ribbon from her hair, allowing it to fall freely about her shoulders. Ranma was mesmerized by the sight of her, unable to speak, move or even breathe as he slowly took in her full beauty. He had secretly thought Ukyo was cute before, but to gaze on her now he was very much aware of the fact that she was one hundred percent and unmistakably female! "I'm going to help you get over your problem, Ranchan," she murmured soothingly, then added, "WE are going to help you..." and suddenly her body shimmered as her hair turned silver once again and her skin grew pale as her features took on a more unearthly kind of beauty, the kind that left Ranma stupefied, unable to look away or even flee into the night, which would have normally been his first gut-level reaction. Ukyo took a step forward and Ranma felt oddly both cornered and magnetically drawn to the glory that was his Ucchan...HIS Ucchan, he realized with an electrical jolt that went from his brain to his pelvis and automatically caused a full-fledged erection in his manhood... "Oh my," said Cupid as the pool briefly began to shimmer. "Hey!" Toltir protested, "What are you doing? It was just starting to get interesting! I wanna watch the rest!" "Sorry," Cupid stretched his arms, cracked his knuckles then smiled, "Just needed to take a break for a few nanoseconds. I put the picture in freeze-frame mode. I'll start it up again in another instant." "You'd better not do that again," the cat-god growled levelly, "I wanna watch every detail of what goes on next, like what do those Miroku girls have planned for the Tomboy?" "Have a look for yourself," Cupid gestured, causing a split-screen effect to take effect, and being Gods, of course, they were able to focus simultaneously on both picture. Toltir smiled as he saw what he had hoped would happen begin to take place, and in an eager tone of voice he purred, "Oh my...this is worth selling tickets! I hope you're recording this..." "I promised Hermes and Athena that I'd cut them in for a deal and a share of the profits," Cupid replied, summoning up a huge bucket-sized tub of popcorn, "Care to have some?" "Don't mind if I do," Toltir replied, and the two of them settled down to watch the fun begin, only dimly aware of the numerous other gods from rival pantheons who were crowding around their own sets with a direct satellite-feed to the main action... Continued. Comments/Criticism/Orgiastic Okonomiyaki: shadowmane@ridgenet.net And what kind of fun is about to happen? The good stuff you've been hoping for! I'm just taking a break myself to get back to other projects, but count on it getting hot and heavy when I return to cover the third installment of La Blue Ukyo, after which Miko and company have a few "words" with the Tendos, and expect matters there to get down and dirty in a nice way! Be there! X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: http://angcobra.webjump.com/jimbader.html or it's mirror site at: http://home.earthlink.net/~billang/jimbader.html All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.