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(I)

It was a beautiful day in Nerima: the sky was blue, the birds were singing, and the soft glow from the morning sun gilded everything it touched. In many homes, families were eating breakfast on the balcony or porch, taking full advantage of the warm dry weather, and drinking in the beautiful morning. As they ate, many listened to the radio as the local weatherman announced that the unprecedented dry spell was going to last for yet another day, bringing the total number of days without rain to four. It was a testament to the fine morning that fully 15 percent of his listeners believed him.

Over at the Tendo dojo, the morning was off to a normal beginning. Soun was standing on the porch, brushing his teeth while he took in the beautiful morning. Savory smells issued from the kitchen, as Nodoka filled in for the absent Kasumi. Upstairs Nabiki was hiding in her bed, the pillow pulled over her head, as she roundly cursed all martial artists.

Over in the dojo the reason for her annoyance got ready to make even more noise.

"Ha, you call that a punch? I've seen better punches from a kid."

"Just wait Ranma, you'll get yours."

"Not if you keep swinging like that, I won't Akane. Whoops...not bad, that kick almost got me, or it would have if I was eighty years old and had arthritis."

"You Baka, quit jumping around like a demented frog, and fight. Or have you forgotten that you need to actually hit someone to win a fight?"

"I'm just tiring you out Akane. By the time you've dragged that pile of meat around for a few more minutes, I won't have to hit you. You'll fall over on your own."

"What's the matter Ranma, jealous because I'm better built as a guy then you ever were? And I do mean all over, I saw you in the tub that time don't forget."

"Yeah, you had a really good look. Then you had the nerve to call me a pervert. Anyway, who says you're better built? Just because you're bigger, don't make you better."

"I seem to remember a lot of times when you thought having bigger breasts made you a better looking girl than me."

"That's not the same thing. Breasts are different. They're just decorations. Muscles have to be used for something or their just excess meat, like yours."

"Decorations?! Boy are you ever in for a surprise."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing, I don't want to take away your mother's fun, I'm sure she's looking forward to telling you all about being a girl. Now how about getting a little closer so I can use some of this excess meat on you."

"No way, if you want me, come and get me, slow poke."

"Alright, I will. I've been wanting to get my hands on you all morning. I can't believe it, that bra actually makes you look even sexier. Ha! Got you."

Akane's punch hit Ranma in the left arm and drove it into her body, sending a shock up Akane's arm. Before Akane realized that Ranma was not going to roll with it, and tried to pull his punch, it was too late. Ranma was lifted off the floor by the force of Akane's punch, and was sent sailing nearly twenty feet to land on a pile of mats.

Akane was shocked at the sudden and violent end to their sparring session. He blurted out, "Ranma! What's wrong? Why didn't you dodge that? Are you alright?"

Ranma answered none of his questions. Instead she got painfully to her feet and without looking at Akane, stripped off her Gi top. Then she pulled the sports bra she had been wearing off over her head, wincing as she had to twist her left arm to get it off, and threw it with all her might across the room. Then she stomped out of the dojo, roughly pulling her Gi top back on over her bouncing breasts.

Akane watched her go, an expression of utter shock on his face. What on earth was that all about? Then his eyes fell on the limp sports bra where it lay crumpled on the floor. He slapped his forehead with the heel of his hand. "You baka! The bra!" You told her she was wearing a bra. Oh damn, now what am I going to do? Aunty will freak if she sees Ranma without it. Shaking his head, he headed for the bathroom to clean up and change. Maybe he could catch Ranma before her mother saw her.

***

Ranma's stomach growled as the smell of Nodoka's cooking teased her senses. She had spent only enough time in the bathroom to rinse the sweat off. Then she had changed into her old silk outfit, and gone down to the dining room. She was feeling miserable. How could Akane do that to her? Akane knew how much Ranma hated the thought of wearing a bra. How could Akane go along with Nabiki and trick her into thinking it was just an athletic support? And then to laugh at her about it!

"Still mad Ranma?" Akane asked, as she knelt down next to Ranma at the dining table.

Ranma snarled, and turned her back to Akane, her loose breasts swaying slightly under her red shirt.

"Baka! Ranma grow up! It's only a bra. You need to wear one now that you're no longer protected by the curse. If you don't, those big breasts you're so proud of will be hanging to your knees in a few years. And why are you wearing that outfit? Unless you want to blow your disguise, you had better wear the yellow dress we bought the other day. The instant anyone sees you in that outfit they'll know who you are, different hair color or not."

Ranma covered her ears with her hands, and started humming, drowning out Akane's voice. Akane struggled to hold in her temper, not wanting to hit her fiancée a second time that day. Then a new element entered the picture.

Akane looking over Ranma head, said "good morning Aunty, do you need help with breakfast this morning?"

Standing in the doorway of the kitchen Nodoka smiled at her daughter and Akane. Ignoring the frantic hand signals and mouthed pleas from Soun and Genma, she said "Yes Akane, I would be delighted if you'd help me. Ranma, would you like to help as well." Ranma just grunted in reply.

Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Nodoka eyed her new daughter, then noticed something was missing. My goodness, as Kasumi would say. Why isn't Ranma wearing a bra? I thought Akane and Nabiki had convinced her that she needed one.

She sighed. Making Ranma into a proper lady was not going to be easy. One problem was that she did not really have her heart in the job. She wanted her son back with all her heart, but as Ranma's mother, it was her duty to see that Ranma learned to live with, and adapt to, her new condition.

She went over in her mind the story Ranma had told her. One point that had stuck indelibly in her mind, was that Ryouga had told Ranma the amount of potion she had drank guaranteed her being trapped permanently as a girl. As a matter of fact, he had not only said Ranma was trapped, but that her female body was now her real one. She had no male body to return to, not unless she found some Nanniichuan water that would not be repelled like the water Nabiki and Akane had tried to splash her with. Ranma had at the time, claimed that Ryouga must have been mistaken, because she was regaining some of her Ki fueled abilities.

Nodoka was not convinced. It made sense that Ranma would leap at any possibility that she was not going to be permanently female, but Nodoka was afraid that hope would do more harm then good. If Ranma felt that she would regain her male body at any time, then she would make no effort to adapt to her new female nature. That could be very bad, Ranma needed to learn so much, needed to change so much. It was going to be hard enough as it was, without her thinking it was all for nothing.

If she was going to change back, it would happen long before any changes Nodoka might manage could set in and effect her character permanently. However if she was not going to change back, all that time would be wasted if Ranma had not been learning. If they left it up to Ranma, it might be years before she conceded the truth. No, they had to start teaching Ranma the proper way to behave, or else she risked dishonoring herself, and by association her family, because of her public behavior.

Nodoka had made it her mission in life to uphold the honor of the Saotome clan, and she intended to do just that. Lord knows her husband would not, despite his bluster on the subject.

"Ranma-chan, my daughter, remember what we spoke about last night."

Ranma seemed to pull her body into an even tighter space, but reluctantly she nodded her head, but did not look up at Nodoka.

Akane noticed that Ranma still had not looked at her Mother. Laying a hand gently on her shoulder, she said, "Ranma you're not being polite."

Startled by the sudden touch, almost panicked by the visions of women's underwear that had been running through her mind, Ranma shouted out at the top of her lungs, "I'm a man! I ain't going to wear no bra! I don't care if my breasts do hurt!" Ranma blushed deep red as she realized what she had just announced to the world, her mind finally catching up to her mouth. She sneaked a look at Akane, whose amused grin started to make her mad all over again.

Oops, Genma thought, time for the ultimate secret, anything-goes martial arts move. "Soun, my old friend, how about a game of Shogi in the yard, it's such a nice morning," Genma said quietly. Catching on Soun nodded his head, and both he and Genma beat a hasty retreat.

Ranma's anger vanished as she looked at her mother's face.

Nodoka was making no effort to hide her disapproval from her strong willed, freshly minted, daughter. With more than just a hint of her underlying anger in her voice, she said, "Ranma, no daughter of mine will go bobbing around like that! You will wear a bra! That is all I have to say on the subject! So, get used to the idea!" Nodoka hated taking this tact with Ranma, but she knew that if she softened, Ranma would suffer for it in the long run. She was going to have to play the stern mother to the hilt. Hopefully Ranma would forgive her for it in the end, but whether she did, or did not, Nodoka knew she was doing the right thing.

In a slightly lighter tone of voice Nodoka repeated her earlier statement. "I hope you remember what we talked about last night, daughter."

Ranma winced at her mom calling her daughter. "Errr, sure mom, you talked to me about being a girl. You showed me how to sit like a girl, how to eat like a girl, and hmmm, how to kneel proper like a girl. Shoot mom, I been trying all morning to do what you said. Heck, I even practiced on talking proper, ain't that right, Akane."

Both Akane and Nodoka looked at each other, then at Ranma. Akane sighed, and then addressed Nodoka, "Well Aunty, she did try. But to be honest, she has a lot yet to learn about being a lady."

"Hmm, well that is to be expected." Nodoka said with a smile. "Frankly I would be much more worried if she were to become a refined lady overnight. I would have to have a very serious talk with my husband if that were the case."

Ranma smiled at the thought that her father might suffer from her learning to be a girl quickly. Then her smile widened as she thought of the other implication in Nodoka's statement. Mom did not expect her to learn how to be a girl quickly. Maybe she could drag this out for as long as it took for the potion to wear off. Nodoka's next words quashed that hope.

"We can't let Ranma's manliness get in the way, however. We are going to have to be very firm with her. I hope I can count on your help Akane?"

"Yes, of course, I'll do whatever it takes."

"Good, Ranma must learn the proper behavior for a young lady. With your firm hand and my guidance I am sure she will improve."

Redirecting her gaze to Ranma she continued. "I am referring Ranma, to the shopping trip we are going on today." As Ranma turned pale, Nodoka calmly added, "Akane-chan I would be honored if you would join us. I have invited Nabiki as well. I think Ranma will need all the moral support she can get."

Akane grinned, happy to be invited. Then she started to think over what Nodoka had just said. Oh my gosh, did Nodoka just give me permission to help train Ranma. The thought of being in charge of Ranma's training was stimulating. She would have to spend lots of time with her making sure she was dressing properly, that she was wearing panties and not boxers.

Of course a physical inspection every day before school would be a must. Her mind dwelt for a minute on the happy image of Ranma standing in the middle of her bedroom, while Akane ran her hands up under her dress to check that she was wearing panties, and then cupping her breasts to see that they were properly contained. She was brought out of her daydream by Nodoka's directing some firm words toward Ranma.

In a calm voice that still hinted of steel covered in velvet, she said, "Ranma, go upstairs and change into that nice yellow dress, we have a lot of things to do today, besides the shopping."

With a poorly concealed smirk, Ranma said. "But mom, I can't, I accidentally ripped the zipper last night getting it off me."

"Well Ranma," drawled Nabiki as she came into the room, "it's a good thing we bought you two dresses. The sky blue one remember?"

Head down, suddenly very depressed, Ranma muttered, "Oh yeah, how could I forget." She started to walk slowly up to her room.

Nodoka sighed as she watched her daughter leave the room. Her heart went out to her, but she reminded herself, she had to be firm, for Ranma's sake. She turned to face Akane, and asked. "Akane would you mind terrible helping Ranma get dressed. Perhaps she will listen to you on how to be more feminine. After all, she sees you as another martial artist. At the very least you can prevent her from ripping her last dress."

"Yes Aunty," Akane agreed quickly, barely concealing her glee at the thought. "I would be happy to." Turning she headed for the stairs.

***

Akane was surprised when she caught up to Ranma. She was not even at the top of the stairs yet. Baka! Akane thought, Why is she moping, shopping is so much fun.

Reaching out, he placed her hand on Ranma's bottom and pushed. Ranma gave a startled squawk, and tried to move her rear away from Akane's hand. This caused her to ascend the stairs much more rapidly then she wished, and Akane kept the pressure on after they reached the top, forcing Ranma to hurry down the hall. Akane chuckled to herself at Ranma's efforts to escape her hands. She felt a little tingle as she continued to gently cup and pat Ranma's bottom. I can't get over how nice her bottom feels in my hands, so round, so soft and yet hard when she tenses it.

"Akane, stop that" Ranma whispered, as the feel of Akane's hand on her bottom started to generate little sparks of pleasure. "Stop that." She repeated when Akane only increased his touching.

Akane chuckled at the note of panic in Ranma's voice. She could tell by her flushed face, and wide eyes, what was happening between Ranma's legs, and that knowledge made her a little giddy. "Okay, if you don't like that, how's about this?" She said, and began to tickle Ranma's sides.

Half heartily batting Akane's hands away Ranma tried frantically to keep the laughter Akane's action were causing bottled up. As a result when it finally escaped it came out as a high pitched giggle that mortified Ranma. She tried to race ahead to her room only to be yanked to a stop as Akane grabbed the back of her shirt.

Akane said, "I think you should change in my room. I have a full-length mirror on my closet door. You'll be able to see how to dress yourself more easily there."

"Hey, I can dress myself just fine."

"Really? Then why did you rip the zipper in your new dress getting undressed?"

Ranma stood for a second, trying to think of some explanation other than the truth, that she had deliberately ripped the zipper. Akane did not give her a chance to think of one.

Taking the chance to fondle Ranma's bottom again, Akane steered the protesting girl to Ranma's bedroom door and opened it up, "In you go." In a minute Akane had found Ranma's blue dress and started back toward the red faced girl. Ranma did not give her another chance at her bottom. Turning she raced out of her room and down the hallway to Akane's.

Breathing hard, Ranma's face became crimson once again as she stripped in front of a grinning Akane. Quickly, trying not to think about what she was wearing, she put on her other sports bra. Then, with Akane offering advice and a helpful hand, she pulled on a simple light sky blue dress that Nabiki had picked out for her yesterday. Looking in the mirror she saw a beautiful girl looking back at her. She did not dwell on that girl for long. The other girl in the mirror captured her interest. She stared at Akane, who was visible over the shoulder of her mirror image.

Ranma could not help comparing her new body to Akane's female one. I may have bigger breasts, but Akane is drop dead beautiful, she thought.

Akane found herself blushing as she noticed Ranma staring at her. Twirling around she showed off the summer dress that she had slipped on while Ranma had been wrestling with the hated bra. She asked Ranma, "so, what do you think?"

Ranma, without thinking, blurted out. "You're beautiful Akane." As her brain caught up to her mouth, Ranma blushed as she realized what she had just said. Akane surprised her when she stepped up and gave her a hug. Trapping the smaller girl in her arms, Akane nuzzled Ranma's cheek, and whispered back, "so are you Ranma, so are you."

Akane could not get over how nice it felt to hold Ranma, and how much pleasure it gave her. The feel of Ranma's large breasts pressing against the bottom of her own breasts was indescribable.

"Girls, are you ready yet? Breakfast is ready." Nodoka's voice, calling from downstairs, caused them to break their embrace.

Quickly smoothing the front of their dresses, Akane called out, "yes Aunty, we'll be right down."

Licking her suddenly dry lips, Ranma lead the way down the stairs with Akane following close behind. As Ranma walked, she kept clenching her bottom, but Akane made no effort to fondle her. She was relieved, and yet under the relief she felt, there was a little disappointment.

In the dining room Ranma and Akane joined Nabiki and Nodoka who were quietly talking about the merits of certain stores. Soun and Genma, had returned from their outdoor Shogi game and were sitting quietly watching Nodoka, much in the way that a demolition expert might watch a bomb that had not exploded when expected. Their posture gave every indication of their readiness to beat a retreat if Nodoka's fuse started sputtering again.

Ranma immediately grasped her rice bowl and began to dig in.

"Ranma remember your lessons on table manners," Nodoka gently hinted to Ranma.

Sighing Ranma set the bowl down and watched the other girls eat. Silently vowing not to fail her mother Ranma, hesitantly at first, began to imitate Akane. Breakfast proved to be one long lesson for Ranma, with Nodoka and Akane constantly correcting her eating habits. She was not even allowed to spar with her father. With just a stare, and a clearing of her throat, Nodoka stopped Genma from stealing Ranma's food.

Akane was amazed that Ranma was sitting still and actually trying to correct her table manners. For the first time she began to hope that Ranma could actually learn to eat like a normal person, rather than a human garbage disposal.

After breakfast and the cleaning up of the dishes, which Ranma excelled in, though Nodoka chided her on the bad manners of juggling someone else's dishes, Nodoka announced, "Come on ladies, we have work to do. Soun, you and that worthless husband of mine will have to fend for yourself tonight, but don't worry, Akane made you both dinner. It's in the fridge."

Ranma smirked at Genma and Soun as she followed Akane outside. Ha, at least I won't be eating her cooking today. She thought, with no small amount of satisfaction. Just because she had admitted her love for Akane, did not mean she was crazy enough to voluntarily sample anything Akane had cooked, or ever would. The two men groaned in despair as the three ladies, and one transformed boy, left them to their fate.

***

With Nodoka and Nabiki walking ahead, Akane gave in to a perverted impulse she had been fighting all morning. She smiled to herself, and swung her hand down to swat Ranma on her rear.

"Akaneee, what was that for!" Ranma hissed in mingled anger and embarrassment, whirling to face Akane, surprised to find herself blushing.

"What was what for, little girl?"

"Grrr, I ain't a girl and besides I think you enjoyed that," accused Ranma. Ranma whirled back around to face her mom. Gods, why am I blushing so much, and why does Akane swatting my bottom make me so horny. What is wrong with me... I'm a guy damn it... Oh man, I hope mom didn't see that.

Outside the gate, Nodoka turned to Nabiki. "Now I want to thank you girls for taking the time the other day to buy some clothes for Ranma, so I want you to feel free to get a dress or two for yourselves today as well."

"Aunty, can you afford that" Akane asked, "I mean we used your credit card yesterday."

Smiling, Nodoka responded, "don't worry dear, money is one thing I seem to have no problems with. I've been saving for ten years to give Ranma a start in life, now the money just has to be used for something a little different then I intended is all. Besides, Nabiki gave me the receipts, she only charged Ranma's clothing to my account. Your clothing, she paid for out of your family's account. So this is my little treat. A way of saying thank you for all the help you gave Ranma in her time of need."

Akane blushed, and hoped Nodoka never found out all the ways she had helped Ranma deal with her needs the other day.

***

During the bus trip Ranma sat with Nabiki, while Nodoka and Akane whispered together in the seat behind them. Try as she could Ranma could not hear a word they were speaking. Irritated she asked, "what are they whispering about, Nabiki?"

Nabiki looked at Ranma, as the smaller girl scowled up at her. She is as cute as can be, even frowning she looks cute, she's going to make me a fortune, Nabiki thought. Smiling fondly at the smaller girl, who had just placed visions of yen in her head, Nabiki answered. "You really have no idea do you? No, don't answer that Ranma. I can't hear them, but I imagine that they are discussing what type of apparel to get you. To answer your unspoken questions, no I do not feel left out and neither should you. You know next to nothing about female clothing, so you could not contribute to the conversation at all. And if they didn't care for you they would not be talking at all." Grinning Nabiki added, "as for me, your mother and I spent most of the morning discussing you."

Ranma slumped back in her seat and stared out the window. She could not decide if she was mad or happy. Settling for depressed, she was silent for the rest of the bus trip.

***

Nodoka lead the three young ladies though the mall into one of several exclusively ladies, apparel shops. As she had hoped, the store was mostly empty at this time of the day. "Ok ladies, you know our mission. Ranma we are going to pick out several dresses for you. You will get to decide if a dress is right for you, but," she added holding up her finger, "you will have to model each one, and you will have to pick out at least five dresses tonight. And, if you can't choose, then we will. Also, we all have to agree on your choices. Okay ladies let's get to work."

An excited chorus of, "Hai," and a depressed, "Yes mom," sounded out as Akane took Ranma's hand and lead her into the shop. Not given a chance to protest, Ranma was hustled over to a rack of summer dresses that Akane had been eyeing. Nodoka decided to pick out skirts and blouses for Ranma, while Nabiki went up to discuss business with the saleslady.

Nabiki was pleasantly surprised to find the owner of the store, who she knew well, was working today. Smiling she approached the unsuspecting woman, moving through the racks of clothing like a shark through the ocean.

"Good morning, Natsumi, how did you make out on the income taxes this year? Would you like my help again next year?" Nabiki, in an amazingly short period of time managed to talk the proprietor into a 15% reduction on everything they bought, provided their order exceeded a minimum of 30,000 Yen, with 2% of the profits as a bonus, to be given to Nabiki, for every yen over 40,000 yen. Nabiki grinned as she walked back to Nodoka, she knew Nodoka had planned to spend at least 70,000 yen today. 600 yen might not be much, but it was the principal of the thing.

***

In a daze, Ranma tried her best to avoid touching anything in the store, closing her eyes and standing still, she began doing a Kata in her mind as a distraction. It did not work. Nervous sweat began breaking out on her forehead. When the others started coming up to her, holding garments up against her body, comparing her hair color and eye color to the various dresses, she started to feel faint.

Ranma watched, panic stricken, as they gathered an alarming amount of clothing for her to try on. Her expression growing more bleak with every item added to the pile. Suddenly Akane, grabbed her upper arm, and half guided and half pushed Ranma into the dressing rooms.

Once in the changing room, Akane glanced at her fiancée's pale face. She's scared to death. I am such a baka sometimes. Chewing her lip in concern, she placed the undergarments she was carrying on the small shelf provided, and thought hard on how to calm her fiancée. Taking a deep breath to calm herself first, and to work up her courage, she stepped up close to Ranma. Gently she reached out, and pulled the smaller girl towards her. Cupping her face with her hands, she tenderly kissed Ranma on her lips.

"What, Akane..." Ranma, startled, emerged from her blue funk, she blinked and stepped back from Akane into the corner of the small changing room.

"Shhh, Ranma, relax, look I know how hard this is on you."

Without thinking Ranma hotly replied, "No you don't. You don't change sexes you kawaiikune tomboy, how can...oh." Ranma stopped, realizing how foolish that statement was, Akane did know what it was like now. Ranma finished lamely, "well it's different for a guy, dammit."

Akane, feeling hurt and angry responded, "baka! I'm just trying to help you. Either you do what I say, or else."

"Or else what, you skinny tomboy," Ranma yelled back, immediately regretting her words as Akane lunged for her. Ranma tried desperately to dodge her attack, but the small room allowed no room for maneuverability. Akane was almost as surprised as Ranma, when she managed to grab the smaller girl left arm, but she wasted no time in using her unexpected advantage, twisting the arm painfully behind Ranma's back, she forced the smaller girl up on her toes.

"Ouch, alright already Akane, stop it."

"Only if you agree to stop acting like a spoiled little girl. We're trying to help, and you're putting no effort into this at all."

***

Nodoka was waking toward the changing room with three lovely dresses she felt appropriate for a young lady to wear. Just as she was about to open the door the two girls started yelling at each other. Hesitating, she listened and thought carefully before she opened the door to see Akane standing behind Ranma, holding Ranma's arm up behind the smaller girl's back.

Both girls froze as Nodoka stared at both of them with one eyebrow raised. They both blushed furiously, and Akane allowed Ranma's arm to drop to her side. Rubbing her elbow Ranma directed a small smile at her mother.

"Akane was just trying out a new move." She said, her explanation sounding lame even to her own ears.

Without raising her voice Nodoka sternly said "Akane, Ranma, there is a time and place for fighting, this is not one of them! Young ladies do not, I repeat, do not ever scream insults at someone trying to help them. Nodoka scowled at Ranma, until she lowered her head, and gave a brief nod of compliance. Nodoka then turned her attention toward Akane. "Akane, I know Ranma started it, but you need to work on that temper of yours."

The two girls blushed in mutual shame. Ranma could not help but remember her mother's words that no daughter of hers would bring shame to the name Saotome. Ranma really wanted to please her mother, she just wished she could do it was as a man.

Then without missing a beat, Nodoka's tone of voice change to a lighter, almost cheery, manner of speaking, as she added. "Now Ranma, here are two more dresses I want you to try on, but first you have to be wearing the right underwear, which Nabiki is getting for you. Akane, I am trusting you to make sure that she is wearing the right undergarments before she models the clothes.

Oh and Akane I picked this dress out for you." Nodoka then smiled at Ranma and said reassuringly, "Don't worry dear, it will be over soon enough. I know this is hard on you, but you will learn to love shopping eventually."

Ranma smiled at her mother, but as soon as Nodoka turned to hang up the dresses in her hand, the smile slipped. "Love shopping! Not in a million years." She muttered to herself.

"Aunt Nodoka, come see what a darling dress I found," Nabiki called.

"Great," Ranma muttered under her breath as her mother left the changing room. "Just what I need, another darling dress."

Nodoka's instruction to Akane to make sure that Ranma was wearing the proper undergarments had conjured up pleasant images in Akane's mind. She licked her lips as she visualized a naked Ranma, and felt her pulse start to beat a little faster. She was glad she was wearing a bra as she felt her nipples harden with arousal.

At least with this body she didn't signal to the whole world that she was aroused, Maybe she should look into an athletic supporter of some kind. She could ask Ranma to help her. She was sure that Ranma would like a chance to turn the tables on her.

Clearing her throat to ease her sudden sexual tension she said. "Ranma, I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just wanted to help. Please, take off that dress, and I'll try to make this as easy for you as I can. While you undress, I'm going to slip outside for a minute to check with Nabiki."

Ranma's next words caught her completely by surprise. "I'm sorry too Akane. I shouldn't have called you names. I guess I react too fast for my own good sometimes." Akane did not know what was more startling, Ranma apologizing, or the scope of the understatement she had just made.

Putting her hand on Ranma's shoulders and squeezing it gently Akane said, "that's ok Ranma. It's not like it was one sided you know. Now smile. I hate it when you're not happy." Before Ranma could respond Akane left the room, and found Nabiki just as she was starting to walk into the changing area.

Raising an eyebrow Nabiki smiled at her sister. "Where is she? The little girl I mean."

"In there. Err...Nabiki just how much did you hear?"

Walking into the small changing room, Nabiki ignored Ranma's startled, "Hey" and answered Akane. "Oh, just about everything, but so did everyone else in the store, which fortunately for you two, is just family." Smirking she added. "Ok Akane, here are the panties and bras I picked out for our little Ranma."

"Nabiki," Ranma gritted out between her teeth.

"What Ranma? Are you trying to thank me for helping you? There is no need. I'm just glad to be able to be of some help in your time of trouble." The perfectly ordinary way in which Nabiki said this only made the irony in her words that much more apparent. Add in the gleam in her eyes, and even the normally dense Ranma could tell how much Nabiki was enjoying her discomfort.

I will control myself, I will. Ranma trembled with anger for a second as she stared into Nabiki's eyes. "Aww forget it Nabiki," Ranma muttered.

"Ok Ranma, I accept your generous thanks. Well it's time for you to strip, have fun Akane. I almost envy you."

"Thanks Nabiki. Ok Ranma, time to change clothes."

"Umm, I can't Akane, I can't seem to get the damn zipper undone on this dress."

Hiding a smile Akane turned Ranma around and unzipped her dress. Blushing, as the sudden chill on her skin highlighted her near nakedness, Ranma stepped out of her dress and hung it on a peg. Keeping her back turned to Akane, she quickly pulled off her sports bra and boxers.

Akane took advantage of Ranma's position, and inattention to step up behind her, and reached around her upper body to gently caress and hold her large breasts. As she bent over and kissed Ranma on her neck, she gently flicked Ranma's erect nipples with her fore fingers.

Ranma moaned and tried to whisper, "Akane, please stop. Not until I'm a man again," but all that came out was "Akaneeee." Ranma found her body becoming strangely weak, her hands falling limply to her sides as pleasure exploded in her brain. The feel of Akane's hands on her breasts, her lips on her neck, and the feel of Akane's clothed body pressing up against her naked skin felt so good. She could feel the sparks of pleasure igniting a fire in her belly. Against her wishes, her bottom thrust itself back to grind against Akane's thighs.

Akane's left hand slowly stoked down Ranma's stomach, feeling the smaller girl's belly trembling like a leaf in a storm. Her fingers stopped their downwards movement to play briefly around Ranma's belly button with teasing strokes, while her tongue found and explored Ranma's ear. Moaning, Ranma felt herself melting, as the warmth in her belly grew into a fire, Akane's tongue dancing in and around her ear creating waves of pure pleasure.

Akane groaned and whispered into her lover's delicate ear. "We can't do this here. We must stop or we'll be caught." With a supreme effort of will she broke away from Ranma, breathing heavily, her own body trembling with barely suppressed desires and needs.

Dazed, and still very aroused, Ranma found herself unwilling to fight as her lover slipped panties and panty hose on her. She noticed that Akane was breathing almost as hard as she was.

For a brief moment she felt pride in being able to cause such a strong reaction in Akane. Blushing at her own thoughts, she reminded herself she was a guy, and that she had vowed that she was not going to have sex again until she was back in her proper body. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, her eyes focused on the mirror, she saw herself, topless, dressed in just panties and pantyhose.

Instinctively, horror clutched her throat, she screamed, jumped, and hit her head hard on a low ceiling beam. She fell back to the floor dazed.

"Baka! Stand still." Akane said, as she stood a dazed Ranma up, slipping a new white cotton bra on her while she was too dazed to object. "Ranma, I can't believe that you wear a D-cup. For a girl of your size that's huge. Not that I'm complaining mind you. I've always liked your large breasts."

Ranma head cleared at the same time as Akane managed to put her in a red dress printed with cute blue morning gold flowers, green leafs and golden brown stems. The neckline of the dress allowed an inch or so of cleavage to show. Blushing as red as her dress Ranma stood still as Akane zipped up the back.

Akane called, "she's coming out everybody. Now, Ranma just walk out there, turn slowly around and then stop. They'll tell you what to do next."

Ranma stood stock still, breathing heavy, shaking her head slowly back and forth and muttering in a faint voice, "no, no, no."

Akane lean closer to Ranma and hugged her briefly. "Look, I know you're scared. Think of this as a martial arts exercise and your showing off a new Kata. Now get out there before I have to carry you," she added with a grin. Ranma did not even register Akane saying she was afraid, she was too involved in her own personal nightmare to notice what at any other time would be a mortal insult to her pride.

Like a man walking to his doom, Ranma slowly stepped out into the showing area, struggling to not cry, or worse run away in shame. Closing her eyes she moved out in front of everybody and slowly turned around as if she were a wooden doll.

Nodoka eyed her daughter critically. The stress the young girl was feeling was very apparent. Nodoka decided to give her a reward for coming this far. Stepping up to her, she hugged Ranma fiercely, and said. "Ranma you do honor to the Saotome name, and I am both very proud and very happy to call you my daughter." Holding her at arm's length, she again eyed her daughter with a warm smile of love on her lips and an approving glow in her eyes.

Nabiki thought, She is beautiful! I have a feeling that she and Akane will be even more of a gold mine for me than they were before this week. Hmm, I wonder if I can get Ranma to pose for the camera if I use guilt as a lever. Lets see now, freeloader, lack of money, yes that should work. Out loud she said, "I like that dress, looks good on her. The blue in the flowers matches the blue in her eyes." Nabiki added, with the warmest smile Ranma had ever seen her give anyone.

Ranma's head was whirling with conflicting emotions. His mother had never seemed so proud of her before. Starved for affection for most of his/her short life Ranma felt overwhelmed by the wealth of warm emotions she was feeling from her Mother and her friends. Suddenly almost giddy. She smiled back at them all.

Nodoka said "What do you think Ranma, do you like that dress."

Without thinking, she replied. "Sure Mom."

"Good, then we will take this one. Go try on the rest. We have a lot to do yet, and I am sure that you are all hungry. I am going to treat all of you ladies to a nice dinner tonight." While Nodoka was talking, Natsumi was quickly taking in the dress with pins to adjust it to Ranma's slender waist. Ranma was so happy to have earned her mothers' approval that she did not fidget at all until Natsumi was done.

Ranma, smiling like a child, twirled around again, swirling the dress she wore out in a wide circle, and then walked, bouncing on her toes, back into the changing room. Over the next while she tried on over a dozen dresses and several skirt and blouse combinations. As Nodoka and Nabiki had expected Ranma agreed with everything they suggested, so with added input from Akane, Nodoka decided on six dresses, three skirts, and five blouses for Ranma.

Ranma was allowed to take a breather as Nodoka went over to talk with Nabiki. She could overhear parts of their conversation. "Find some nice feminine jump pants. Why so feminine? Have to make her feminine first before allowing her to dress less feminine." Ranma's mood shifted at this reminder that her mother was determined to make her over into a real girl. She watched as Nabiki left Nodoka, and went over to Akane. Ranma looked on with a distrustful look in her eyes, as Akane and Nabiki whispered, both shooting glances at her. Akane giggled and blushed as Nabiki suggested something. Nodding her head yes, Akane left Nabiki and walked over to Ranma.

"Come on Ranma, its time to get you changed again."

Worried about what Akane might be up to, Ranma tried to stall her. "Aw come on Akane, I'm getting tired of this and I'm hungry."

"Don't worry this will be the last one I promise. Besides you won't have to model this one. Now pay attention as I show you how to take off the hose without getting them snagged."

Puzzled at Akane's words, Ranma's curiosity overwhelmed her caution. "Huh, what's a water hose got to do with anything?" Akane merely giggled, and lead the way back to the dressing room. Snorting at her reaction Ranma followed Akane into the changing room, trying to figure out just what she was talking about.

Shaking her head Akane seemed to read her mind, gently she teased. "Baka, your underwear Ranma. Now hold still and watch what I do."

Ranma sighed and watched Akane's fingers, learning as Akane undressed her. She felt like she was two again, and learning to tie her shoes. Then the fact that she was not two was very clearly demonstrated, as a wash of pleasure swept through her body.

Ranma bit back a moan as her body began to react to the gentle caresses Akane was giving her as she stripped off Ranma's underwear. Goose bumps formed all over her body.

Akane was surprised at her lover's reactions. Gosh, I haven't even really touched her yet. Akane suddenly smiled in anticipation, and a look of determination joined the smile. I can't wait until Nabiki gets here, I need to touch her now!

Akane leaned toward Ranma and kissed her hard, her tongue parting Ranma's lips and teasing Ranma's teeth and tongue. With one hand she starting stroking Ranma hair and teasing her ear while the other hand gently cupped one breast.

Moaning in her lover's mouth, Ranma pressed herself hard against Akane. She had been fighting her own arousal all day. Part of her still wanted to resist, but it was overwhelmed by the intense pleasure she was feeling. Groaning, she could feel Akane's kiss tearing down the last barrier of her will to resist. Wild with desire Ranma kissed her lover with abandon, her tongue now intertwining with Akane's, hugging Akane to her with all of her might.

Akane was surprised and delighted at Ranma's more than positive response. Not breaking the long kiss, she reached down and cupped Ranma's bottom, alternately squeezing and rubbing the firm globes.

Ranma moaned again, feeling herself becoming wet with excitement.

Breaking the kiss, her breathing hard, Akane reached down between her lover's legs and slipped two fingers between her lower lips. As Akane began gently rubbing Ranma's clit she turned the other girl part way around so Ranma was facing the mirror, and could not help but watch herself respond to Akane's touch.

The fire in Ranma's belly was spreading thoughout her body, her nipples were rigid with desire, and a wash of red ran from her face down past her normally pale breasts and almost to her belly button.

"I love the feel of your soft skin Ranma, your smell, your taste, and I want you to know I love you. I've been fighting this urge all day."

Ranma closed her eyes, the pleasure she was feeling causing her to gasp for breath. The feeling of Akane's hand kneading her bottom triggered associations in her mind. Images of herself being spanked by Ryouga flashed through her mind, along with a memory of the intense feelings of pleasure generated by that spanking, and the events that followed it.

Ranma's first orgasm as a female had come about because of a spanking. As a result, her subconscious had linked the feeling of hands striking and squeezing her ass with pleasure, and to associate spankings with orgasms. She groaned, shivering as a small spasm of pleasure caused her muscles to tremble.

She knew that if Akane was a man right now, she would be trying to fight him, trying to avoid where this could lead, but Akane was girl now, a girl Ranma loved very much, and so she let herself go unreservedly.

"Yesss! I've been wanted to kiss you so badly the last two days." Akane said, as she kissed Ranma hard again.

Ranma moaned into Akane's mouth, intense feelings of pleasure exploding within her. Ranma gasped softly as a small orgasm stole her breath away. Akane started to kneel down in front of Ranma, the desire to please her lover almost overpowering. Ranma was moaning softly, out of control of her own body, no longer able to form intelligent thoughts.

"My, my, aren't we getting adventuresome. Public sex. Tsk, tsk, tsk, what will Aunty say."

Nabiki's soft tones were like liquid nitrogen spilled on the two lovers' overheated bodies. They broke apart and looked over at her face, where it was leering at them over the low door to the change room. Red faced, Ranma and Akane could only stare like deer caught in the headlights of a car. Nabiki chuckled, and eyed Ranma's naked form until Akane stood up and concealed Ranma with her own body.

Grinning Nabiki shoved a package in Akane's hands. "Here, it's what we discussed. Have her wear these. Now hurry up, we have to go. Oh, I'll take these for you." Nabiki reached down and gathered up all of Ranma's clothes, including her underwear, but leaving one of the new dresses that fit fine already and did not need alterations.

Ranma still breathing hard, her arousal still strong but now under control, watched with growing horror as Akane unfolded nylons, a garter belt, a lacy red silk bra, and thong underwear.

Breathing even harder Ranma backed up to the wall shaking her head. "No way am I going to wear th...Th... THAT!"

Akane smiled and said, "Ok by me, I like watching you when you're wearing next to nothing, but your mother may be a tad upset if you go out of here without any underwear on under this new dress."

"You would like that wouldn't you," Ranma muttered, already conceding defeat. The events of the day, not to mention the last few minutes, had stripped the fight right out of her.

Ranma's face turned bright red, as both she and Akane heard Nodoka ask Nabiki, "Was everything alright in there, Nabiki?"

Nabiki answered in a tone of voice that easily let Akane and Ranma visualize the smirk that must be on her face. "Oh yes, Akane was just having to explain to Ranma some things concerning her new body, and why it's a good idea to wear the proper clothing."

"Good, Ranma will need to be handled with a firm hand for a while."

"Oh, I think you can count on Akane to handle Ranma firmly, Aunty."

Akane, still tense with sexual frustration, giggled as Ranma, embarrassed, turned beet red from head to toe, she was also still obviously in a highly aroused state. Hugging Ranma to her, she whispered, "Ranma it's ok. We all love you and care for you. And hopefully, later tonight I will prove it to you." She gave her a wicked look, "maybe we can experiment with a fantasy of mine." Ranma felt a mixture of fear and excitement, she was not sure if she was ready for any more strangeness right now. Akane continued with what she was saying. "But that will have to wait till later, for now we have to get you dressed. Now hold still."

Hardly daring to breath Ranma struggled to hold herself still as Akane had her step into the thong panties. Desperate to distract herself from the things Akane was putting on her. Ranma blurted out "Err, Akane, what's your fantasy? I mean if you don't mind telling me."

Ranma immediately wondered if she had gone too far and said the wrong thing. Akane had blushed a deep red as soon as Ranma had asked.

In almost a whisper, so low that Ranma could barely hear, Akane said. "I sort of have this dream where I get tied up, and while I'm helpless, you make love to me.

Akane did not mention that she had started having this dream in reaction to the knowledge that she would have to sleep with Ranma-kun if she ever wanted to sleep with Ranma-chan. Akane really was a lesbian. She had not been able to see herself having sex with a male Ranma, but she very much had wanted to do so with the female one.

Then she had started to notice how Ranma reacted on those occasions when she had been tied up by one of his enemies. He stopped being a jerk and showed his true feelings. She started to think that maybe making love to Ranma would not be so bad, if only she could be sure he would act like that. Then one night, the connection had been made in her dreams, and from that night on, dreams of herself in bondage had become a regular occurrence. She had even started experimenting with self-bondage, but had found it unsatisfying, her dreams called for a captor, and she could not supply that in real life.

Over time, as her dreams grew more complex, she started dreaming of being tied by other men, and then Ranma-chan would burst in and rescue her, after defeating Kuno, or Mousse or whoever it might be. However, she would not free Akane, instead she would take advantage of Akane's accessibility, and while Akane could to nothing to prevent it, Ranma would make passionate love to her. The only exception to this was Ryouga, when Ryouga was the captor, sometimes Ranma did not arrive quite in time. Ranma would burst in, only to find Ryouga making passionate love to a bound Akane. She would then freeze, unable to move, and would have to stand there and watch while Ryouga used Akane's body for his and Akane's mutual pleasure. Then afterwards, she would get down on her knees and apologize to Akane, begging to be allowed to taste her juices. Akane was not sure which part of the dream was the bigger turn on, Ryouga making love to her bound body, or Ranma apologizing to her.

Those dreams tended to happen on those nights when she was particularly annoyed at Ranma for some reason or other, he had dated Shampoo, or skipped out on one of her meals to eat at Ukyou's. Curiously, they did not happen every time she was mad at Ranma. Which was just as well, as that particular dream left her washed out the next day. If she had that dream every time she was mad at Ranma, she would have spent most of the last six months walking around half asleep. The fact was that she only seemed to have those dreams on those rare occasions that P-chan was sleeping with her, and Ranma had pissed her off. She had never been able to figure out why.

A frown crossed Akane's face, she had been furious yesterday at the thought of Ryouga raping Ranma, but today, it seemed almost a turn on. She remembered that the other day she had been male. Maybe more than her sex changed when she was splashed with water. Maybe the way she thought changed as well.

While, Akane had been thinking, Ranma had slipped into a state of shock. Ranma's panic about being dressed in female underwear vanished, forgotten, as her mind struggled to come to terms with these new thoughts. She was not sure how she felt about Akane's fantasy, she was vaguely disturbed by the idea of Akane being tied up; it did not seem right somehow.

While she was distracted, Akane took advantage of her lack of attention, and soon had her dressed completely except for shoes. Akane led her out of the dressing room, and up to her mom.

Ranma did not notice, her mind was still a mile away, and full of images of Akane in the position she herself had been in two days before. Then Akane's elbow in her ribs brought her back to the present. Acting on Akane's not so subtle suggestion, Ranma hugged Nodoka.

"Thanks Mom, I know I don't seem grateful, but I am."

Nodoka smiled and hugged her daughter back. "You're most welcome my daughter." She handed Ranma her flats and as Ranma slipped them on her feet Nodoka said. "Well everybody, I think that its time for lunch."

As they left the store Nodoka said, "Ranma, I have good news. Nabiki was able to make a deal with the storeowner. The new dresses that needed alterations will be ready later today. After lunch we can pick up everything else you will need, more underwear, bras, a nice purse you can pick out, a small makeup kit that I think for now will do. At least until you become more skilled at the use of makeup that you can decide on your own. Now ladies, we are all hungry so lets go eat."

***

Ranma ended up laden with packages, as Nabiki lead the way, and Nodoka and Akane came up the rear. Nodoka was talking to Akane, "I hate to impose on you again, but it can't be helped. I have to leave tomorrow and take care of some minor business I cannot put off. I feel very guilty about leaving Ranma with you, but I don't really have a place for her right now. Hopefully in a little while our home will be repaired, and we will be able to move back to our own house. But, Ranma still needs to learn so many things. Could you please make sure she continues to learn and not backslide into old bad habits?"

Akane felt like somebody had just slugged her in the stomach, a fire of anxiety burned in her stomach at the thought of Ranma moving out. They had finally broken through the barrier that had been keeping them apart. She did not want to lose that closeness. If Ranma and her were separated, who was to say that they might not grow apart again. She knew Ranma was having trouble with her condition. Who knows what crazy thing she might do if Akane was not there to stop her. She blurted out "you can't do that." Then she blushed as she realized how rude she must sound.

"Pardon Akane, why can't I do what?" Nodoka asked.

Nabiki, who had fallen back as Nodoka had been talking, and had overheard everything, broke in on their conversation. She had already given this some thought. She had known that Nodoka would reach this decision eventually, and she had given some thoughts to counter arguments.

"Aunty, Akane and I will be happy to help Ranma continue to learn how to be a female. Akane was just upset to hear about you going. What Akane is trying to say Aunty, is that the only home that Ranma has know for more than ten years is our home. Granted she has only been there for slightly over a year, but he, I mean she, is going though a lot of emotional turmoil right now. Being with friends can only help and speed her growth. Also, since both Akane and Ranma, who are after all, engaged to be married, are both going though similar problems because of the curse, they will need each other to talk to. I believe that Dad and Uncle Genma are planning on cleaning up the old storage room and fixing it up into a nice bedroom for Ranma. That would give you and Uncle the room you're in now to yourselves. I suggest that you move in with us, after all the Dojo will go to Akane and Ranma after they are married."

"Do you really think that is going to happen now Nabiki?"

"Yes!!" Akane blurted out, then blushed when everyone looked at her. "I mean..." Akane stumbled over her words, then her face firmed, and she looked Nodoka straight in the eye. "I'm marrying Ranma! I don't care about her condition. I've been living with her curse for over a year now, and I have the same curse myself now. I'm marrying Ranma!"

Nodoka merely nodded, and smiled at Akane. "Good, I'm glad you feel that way. Ranma is going to need you more then ever in the days ahead." The smile left slid from her face as Akane left her and Nabiki and walked ahead to join Ranma, Akane took some of the packages that were weighing down Ranma, and the two of them started trading jibes.

Nodoka sighed. She had been so worried about Ranma that she had forgotten to take Akane into account. It was obvious that she was clinging to the same faint hope as Ranma. Eventually the curse Akane had would wear off, unlike Ranma's new status. Nodoka hoped the love the two girls had for each other would gradually turn to friendship. It would be so hard on them both when they were unable to express their love in a physical way. Nodoka knew only too well how hard a life that could be, and the bitterness it could lead to.

Nabiki spoke to her then, and Nodoka set aside the problem of Akane and Ranma for another day. She drifted as Nabiki presented further arguments as to why she should not leave the dojo. Nodoka smiled inside. Akane's declaration had already made up her mind. If she were to separate those two, they were liable to form a passionate and unrequited love, no it was better that they live together. That way they could help each other with their respective curses, and hopefully as Ranma condition showed no change, their love would change to pure friendship.

Nodoka held no hope that Ranma would ever make her a grandmother. That would be far too much to expect of her former son. But, Akane should not be prevented from finding and marrying a man she could love. Nodoka decided that she would make it her goal to not only try to make her former son happy, but to make the girl she loved happy as well.

Nodoka suddenly noticed that Nabiki had finished talking and was waiting for her reply.

"Hmmm, perhaps you are right. If we are not an imposition on your family then that may well be the best for Ranma. However I insist we help with the expenses. If we are to be family rather than guests, then we should help with the family's expenses.

"No problem, I'll work out the budget and let you know what your share will be," Nabiki said, smiling at Nodoka.

She thought to herself, Perfect, Ranma has no idea how much money Nodoka has, or how little we need the money. I should be able to have some fun with Ranma over this. Nabiki frowned as she thought of the family's finances. It was one of her great frustrations that she was unable to learn where the money that ended up in their mother's trust fund originated. All she knew was that every now and then, five million yen was deposited in that account. Well, things were busy now, but in a little while she would have the free time to start looking into that little puzzle again. For now, it was time to eat.

***

The restaurant proved to have excellent food at reasonable prices. Nodoka spent most of her time watching Ranma, correcting her table manners. Ranma, for her part was angry and tense. Her mother would not even let her enjoy eating food. Every bite had to be girl size, or dainty as her mom called it.

Just as she was about ready to explode, she lost all interest in food. A hand, Akane's hand, under the table, was suddenly resting high up on her thigh, gently rubbing her leg under her dress. Blushing, Ranma was at a loss as to what to do. Needing a distraction from the sensation Akane's hand was arousing. She began to eat small bits of food, focusing all her attention on cutting and lifting each precise serving to her mouth.

Nodoka was surprised. Why, she is actually trying, I was beginning to think that sterner measures were needed. Now if she would just stop squirming. Then Nodoka reconsidered. I should not be so harsh. This is her first time in panties. I can't really blame her if she is in a little discomfort. In time she will adapt to them. Nodoka went back to her own dinner.

Akane and Nabiki spent their time making a list of clothing and other items that Ranma would need for Nodoka's approval. Akane talking, and Nabiki writing down. After the meal Nabiki surprised everybody when she asked for the manager of the restaurant. As Nodoka paid a surprising small amount of money for the meal, Nabiki made her own deal. In a few minutes the others were surprised as a sweating manager offered to deliver all of the packages to the Dojo as they were the lucky 10,000th customer. Only Akane notices that the manager was staring fixedly at Nabiki the entire time he was talking. Nabiki however merely smiled her shark smile.

Nodoka lead the way to several stores after that, where to Ranma's eyes she bought a large number of boring stuff. Akane and Nabiki did not seem to share her opinion. They were completely involved in helping to pick the stuff out. Ranma was just happy that she did not have to try anything on, just carry the bags. Finally they came to a shoe store. There, Ranma was forced to try shoe after shoe until Nodoka, Akane and Nabiki were satisfied. Ranma hated the two-inch heels her mom forced her to model. Despite her protests that no martial artist would or could fight in high heels, one pair was bought, as well as pink and white running shoes, two pairs of black flats, and one pair of bunny slippers. Ranma privately vowed to die before ever wearing those bunny slippers. Even as they were packed away, she was thinking up accidents that could befall them.

***

It was toward the end of the day when the four tired women finally got home and were greeted with pathetic eagerness by two starving martial artists. Genma and Soun had not managed to work up the nerve to enter the kitchen to prepare themselves a meal. The knowledge that Akane's dinner was in there, waiting, was as effective a guard as a pit bull. More so. They might have braved the pit bull, gods knows, they had faced worse while training under Master Happosai. They had never, however, faced anything to match what might be lurking in that fridge. Nodoka sighed at the cowardice of males, and headed into the kitchen to prepare a meal to help them survive until morning. As she left the room, Ranma announced she wanted a hot bath, and headed for the bathing room.

=====

(II)

Ranma stood in the laundry room, scowling at the person denying her an immediate hot bath. Nabiki smirked at Ranma. "Sorry Ranma-chan, you'll have to wait your turn." Nabiki's smile took on a slightly lecherous look. "Unless, that is, you want to come scrub my back." She moved in closer to Ranma, who backed up against the drier as Nabiki pressed herself against the smaller girl. Nabiki slowly traced the outline of one of Ranma's exposed breasts with a long, sharp fingernail.

"After all," she purred, "we're both girls, aren't we? And, you did seem to be enjoying yourself with Akane this afternoon. No? Oh well, maybe another time then." Nabiki smirked as Ranma practically raced out of the laundry room. "Aa, nothing like a long solitary soak," she murmured to herself, happy to have nipped any thoughts Ranma might have had of communal bathing in the bud.

As she walked into the bathroom however, a brief frown crossed her face. She had only the most selfish of motives for propositioning Ranma. She dearly loved solitary soaking, but she had definitely felt something when she had pressed up against the smaller girl. What was wrong with her? Had her brief time as a male permanently warped her? She had been thinking salacious thoughts about Shampoo for three days now. Was she going to add Ranma-chan to her daydreams as well?

She shook off the thought. It was just the events of the day. Akane and Ranma had been radiating lust the whole afternoon, and she had been an eyewitness to much of their activity. No wonder she felt a little horny, what with all those hormones flying around. She closed the door behind herself, and decided a good bucket of cold water was all she needed.

***

Ranma stood in the hallway outside the bathroom, dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers, a towel, and a disgruntled look on her face. Darn that Nabiki, she had been looking forward to a long hot soak for more than two hours.

Over the last year she had grown accustomed to resorting to hot baths on a regular basis in order to at least relieve some of the weirdness in her life. Even if the bath would no longer restore her masculinity, at least it would relax her somewhat.

She walked down the hallway to the dining room, and sat at the dining table. She frowned as her father suddenly found an excuse to leave the room. He had been avoiding her a lot lately. He had not dragged her out of bed the last two mornings to train, and that was unusual for him. It couldn't be because she was trapped as a girl for the moment could it? That had never bothered him before. If anything he liked fighting her female form more than her male, it gave him a better chance to kick her ass. Not that he really had that much better of a chance, whatever she gave up in strength, she more than made up for in speed and agility. Or at least she had up till now...Could Pop be avoiding her because she was both female, and temporarily weak and slow as well?

God damn him, it was his fault this had happened. If he had not taken her on that trip to Jusenkyo, none of this could have happened. She would still be a guy, and maybe if Akane had not thought her a pervert from day one, they could have gotten intimate a lot sooner. It could have been her being the man in their relationship. Damn the old man, He had some nerve acting like it was Ranma who had let the family down.

She felt thankful that she had managed to keep the fact that she had been raped out of the story she had told her parents. The gods alone knew what the old fart would have done if he had found out about that.

Ranma suddenly noticed that Soun was staring at her with a rather glazed look in his eyes. Looking down she saw that her towel had slipped and both breasts were in clear view. Adjusting the cloth so that she was fully covered, she cleared her throat loudly, and then said.

"Hey!! You getting a good look!? Or, do you want me to get a little closer!?!?"

Soun blinked his eyes and slowly came back from wherever he had gone. "Eh? Oh, Ranma my boy, how nice to see you."

"You can't be 'seeing' me any too well if you're calling me a boy." Ranma said in a bitter tone of voice. Soun blushed slightly, and they both fell into a long silence.

Ranma finally broke it, having a question she wished to ask. "Mr. Tendo?"

"Eh? Yes my boy... Er girl, and please call me uncle. What can I do for you?"

"You knew my mom? I mean before pop and her got married?"

"Indeed I did. In fact, I was there when they met."

Ranma looked interested, "how did they meet anyway? I've always wondered what Mom saw in him."

Soun smiled blearily, and poured a dish of sake. Then, putting the partially empty bottle back on the table beside the many dead soldiers he and Genma had drained during the afternoon, trying to work up the courage to go into the kitchen, he began to talk.

***

Nodoka opened the fridge and confirmed that as she had suspected, the two men had not even bothered to check Akane's curry. She shook her head in annoyance. They were fortunate that Akane was preoccupied with Ranma and had not noticed their rejection of her meal. Otherwise, it could have gotten nasty.

Nodoka added yet another mental note to the many she had already made that day. I must really, really help Akane work on her temper. Then she went back to thinking about Akane's meal.

It was a shame the men had not seen fit to taste Akane's curry. Over the last two months Akane had, with Nodoka's help, gone through her mother's notebook a page at a time. The detailed instruction Kimiko-chan had put down for every thing from boiling water, to making a full course meal had proven very useful in teaching Akane.

She might never be a good cook, but she had at least reached the level of being able to prepare something edible. Her only real fault now was a reversal of her former habit of adding every conceivable ingredient she could think of to her dishes. She was now overly cautious, and as a result her curries tended to be a little bland. Well that was easily fixed.

Nodoka removed the casserole dish from the fridge and carried it to the stove. Placing it on the gas ring, she turned up the heat, and then went over to the cupboard for some seasonings.

As she added the selected spices to the curry, her mind wandered back over the events of the day. The problem of Akane and Ranma's romance was causing her some concern. The two of them had obviously not really stopped to think yet as to how the new situation might affect their relationship. They had both been drawn together by this crisis, finally admitting the love that had been obvious to everyone else.

Well to everyone else with the exception of the various young people who were infatuated with her son, or with Akane, or even that strange boy who seemed to be infatuated with both of them. Nodoka shuddered slightly. The thought of that individual was very disturbing, given Ranma's current condition. Who knows what it might do to her so...daughter, if he were to press his attentions as vigorously as the stories of him indicated he might. With an effort she shoved that disturbing image from her mind, and went back to thinking about Ranma and Akane.

The problem was, it might be too late for them. Nodoka truly feared that her son was gone forever. Ranma and Akane were not aware of it, being too close to the situation as it were, but Ranma's behavior was very different from her usual. There were subtle differences that only a mother would notice. Ranma was not her usual masculine self.

Oh, she was trying to deny it. Nodoka could see that both Ranma and Akane were being overly demonstrative in their affection for each other, a desperate denial of the situation obviously. Soon Akane would find that Ranma could not supply her with the physical affection she desired...just like her and Darling.

Nodoka's face grew sad as she contemplated her relationship with Genma. It had started out so well, like something out of a fairy tail.

Nodoka's mind drifted back to her first encounter with Genma. It had been shortly after her sixteenth birthday. She had been walking down the street alone. It had been late in the evening, and having escaped her mother's supervision she was eager to experience some fun on her own. Without any adults around to make her feel like a child. She remembered at the time how annoyed she had been feeling about her parents' over protective natures. Then she had discovered that their worries were not altogether unfounded. A group of young men had snatched her from the street, and dragged her into a dark alley. A hand over her mouth had kept her silent as they had ripped her kimono open, baring her breasts for all to see.

Then, just as she was sure she was to lose her virtue, he had appeared. Like a bolt of lightning thrown by an angry god, Genma has smashed into the midst of the young men, and had proceeded to thrash them within an inch of their lives.

***

Soun laughed out loud. "So here is Nodoka looking all starry eyed at your father, and he had not even seen her. He was so busy getting his revenge for those punks stealing our evening dinner, he had not even noticed her with them.

"Kimiko was there with me, and very pregnant with Nabiki, and little Kasumi was with us as well, so I was unable to help.

"Oh Ranma you would have been so proud of your father. He dismantled those thugs as neatly as I have ever seen it done. He was well motivated. The master had not let us eat for over a week, and that meal would have been the first food to cross your father's lips in all that time." Soun shook his head in fond remembrance, "it was a true pleasure to watch him, and of course your mother thought it was all for her. By that time Kimiko had gotten to her and was helping her to pin her Kimono back up. All the while Kimiko fussed over her, Nodoka could not take her eyes off of your father."

***

Nodoka tasted the curry and added a touch more spice. He had been so brave, and when it was over he had seemed startled to see her. "Don't I know you?" He had asked. Not a very original line, but in the circumstances more than acceptable.

***

"Kimiko had not gotten all of Nodoka's kimono's back in place, when your father finally noticed your mother for the first time. So, being a healthy and manly man he could not help but look at her bare breasts."

Soun laughed again. "I thought for sure he had blown it when he blurted out, 'Haven't I seen you before?' All the while, he was staring at her chest. Fortunately your mother had too many stars in her eyes to notice where Genma's were looking.

"Later on I asked your father. 'What on earth made you ask that question? In that way?' It took a lot of thought, but we finally placed the reason. Two days before we had accompanied the Master on one of his bath house raids. Genma had tripped as we were fleeing, and had ended up face first in the chest of an attractive young lady. Nodoka to be precise. He got a very close look at her breasts at the time, and later after the fight had recognized her breasts by the distinctive pattern of freckles on them. It was fortunate for him that he had been wearing a mask at the time, or things might have turned out much different."

***

Nodoka smiled as she recalled that had also been when she had met her first real friend. Kimiko had been such a dear, and little Kasumi had been so sweet. She had become good friends with Kimiko, and had spent many days visiting and keeping her company while Soun and Genma were off training with their master. That was where she first learned swordsmanship. Kimiko had turned out to be truly expert in the use of the blade. She would not say where she had trained, but wherever it was, she must have done her master proud.

She was too pregnant to spar, but she was an able instructor, and over the next year gave Nodoka the grounding in the basics that she had been expanding on ever since. While she was training Nodoka in the art of the sword, Kimiko had also taught her a little of the ways of men and women. Some of it was quite a shock. She had led a very sheltered life. For a while the thought of such intimacy was off-putting. She soon accepted the concept however, and even grew to anticipate her eventual initiation into womanhood.

Genma was the first and only man she ever loved. Her parents had kept such tight control over her. Even sending her to an all girls school where she had few friends. Then having to be home with her mother when not at school, and associating only with her mother's friends, of which there were not many.

But when she had brought Kimiko home to meet her parents they had been very impressed with her dignified and cultured air, and had thought her a very proper friend for their precious daughter. So they had no objection to Nodoka spending time at her house.

So with visiting Kimiko as a cover, she had set about making herself attractive to Genma. It took awhile, as Soun and he were more often away training then at home. As a result, when they were at home, she took advantage of every opportunity to demonstrate her skills as a properly raised girl. She would make him meals and mend his clothing, doing everything she could think of to make him comfortable, all so he would notice her.

For the longest time he avoided getting close to her, and she despaired, and thought herself the worst excuse for a female in the world. However, Kimiko had encouraged her to persevere. Finally after many months, her hard work seemed to pay off. Genma started to spend time with her voluntarily. Even going so far as to seek her out on occasion, rather then waiting for her to come to him.

***

"Of course your father was terrified that she would eventually remember him from the bathhouse, mask or no mask. But you know your father, she attacked him at his weak point, his stomach, and his hatred of any labor not involving training. Your mother is a wonderful cook, and even then she was very accomplished. On top of that, when she was visiting Kimiko, Genma never had to lift a finger. If he wanted a drink there it was. If his Gi was torn, it was fixed without him even having to mention it. In short, she spoiled him rotten.

"So eventually, after he became confident that she would not recognize him, he began to pay more attention to her. Then he found out about her family, and their wealth. Well that was the final item needed to catch his interest. He slowed things down with his old girl friend Otsco, and started to seriously court your mother." Soun emptied the bottle of sake he had been working on, and started in on another.

Ranma kept her mouth shut with difficulty. This might be the only chance she ever got to learn about her parents' courtship without a lot of glossing over of the details, not to mention outright lying on the part of her father. Soun was currently drunk enough not to have any inhibitions about telling the truth, but was not so drunk as to be unable to talk clearly. This was too precious an opportunity to waste on cursing her father's gluttony and selfishness.

***

Nodoka stirred the pot and lifted the spoon to her mouth. Almost there, she thought, reaching for a bottle of curry powder. As she shook a small amount into the pot, she once again turned her mind back to the past.

Once she attracted Genma's interest, things went quickly, or as quickly as they might when he was away three weeks out of every four. But eventually the conclusion she had striven for came to pass and Genma asked her to marry him.

***

"Of course Master Happosai insisted on celebrating the nuptials, and threw a party. There was just the three of us, and for once the master shared the sake. We got very drunk." Soun swayed a little in his seat. "That's one of the reasons I'm so careful about what I drink now-a-days. The master forced so much sake down my throat I passed out, and did not wake up till the day after the wedding."

Tears started to run down Soun's face. "My dearest, truest friend in the world, and I missed his wedding." Soun broke down completely, and started to cry drunkenly.

Ranma kept silent, hoping Soun would calm down and go on with the story before he passed out. It wasn't like she cared about the wedding after all, that was girl stuff. She wanted to know about her mother and father's life before Genma dragged Ranma off on that training trip.

***

For a while Nodoka had been afraid that Genma was not going to make it to the wedding. His master and Soun had thrown him a party the night before, and it had lasted into the day of the wedding. But just as she was giving up hope, Master Happosai had dragged Genma into the temple, and they had been wed.

Genma had been very drunk, but had managed to get through the ceremony with a little prompting from his Master. Nodoka had feared that her first night would be unpleasant, and indeed Genma had been very clumsy as they made their way to the bedchamber for their first night as man and wife. He had not even seemed to know where he was, or what they were doing.

But when their bodies had come together on the bed, all that changed. His uncertainty disappeared and his hands became gentle and sure on her body. Slowly he had caressed her, stimulating every nerve she possessed, bringing her to pleasures she had never imagined.

Even now, all these years later, thinking back on that night brought a feeling of heat to her face, and a dampness between her legs.

Then, when she thought she could stand no more he had moved over her and had slid his manhood deep into her cleft, and in a flash of sweet pain, had made her a woman. His body had moved over hers, and while his hands and lips wrung pleasures from her upper torso, his heavy manliness stroked in and out of her sex. Again and again that night their bodies came together, as Genma made sweet, passionate, gentle love to her, until finally late the next morning, they fell into an exhausted sleep.

When she had awakened that evening, he was gone. A note written in the Master's scratchy hand, explaining that he had taken Genma off on an important training mission.

***

Drying his eyes, Soun resumed his story. "The first thing I can remember after the party was finding myself walking down the road with your father and the Master. I tried to get some details of the wedding and the wedding night from your father, but he had no more recollection then me. He was also as badly hung over as I was, and was as grouchy as a bear to boot."

Here Soun broke down in drunken laughter, and to Ranma's disgust he insisted on repeating the grouchy bear line a half dozen times. Finally however he calmed down, and with only an occasional chuckle continued his story.

"I dropped the subject of the wedding night after he tripped me into the canal. Anyway, we were both soon to busy to think about weddings. The master had big plans for that trip. A resort town with lots of vacationing girls. He was sure the panty hunting would prove fruitful.

"That was the trip where we saw the Master use his Happo-fire-burst. You recall that story don't you, Ranma? That was the time the Master blew up a massive boulder that the villagers were trying to crush him with, using his secret Happo-fire-burst technique. Both Genma and I were badly charred by that explosion, and as you know we did not find out till just last year that the Master was just using large fireworks." Soun drew himself up straight and lectured. "Never forget boy. The life of a martial artist is fraught with peril."

Soun slumped, "of course your father and I had to cope with some rather unusual perils due to the Master's habits. Anyway, to our surprise the Master insisted on giving Genma a healing potion to cure the effects of the blast. He said he could not deprive such a lovely girl as Nodoka of her wifely pleasures."

Soun took a drink of sake and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, he looked carefully, if a bit unsteadily around the room before turning his attention back to Ranma. Raising a hand, he pointed at Ranma with a shaky finger.

"Promise me boy, on your word of honor mind you, that what I am about to tell you will go no further than this." As he talked, he swayed from side to side, and the finger he was pointing at Ranma wavered, pointing all over the room. Soun lifted the offending digit up to his face and peered at it, trying to figure out what was wrong with it.

Afraid that Soun was about to pass out Ranma hastily agreed in a penetrating voice, to not tell another soul about what Soun was about to say. Startled out of his reverie by Ranma's raised voice, Soun looked at her through glazed eyes for a minute then nodded to himself, his chin almost dropping low enough to hit his chest.

"Good, remember, you promised... Where was I?"

"You were talking about the healing potion the old freak gave Pop after he used the Happo-fire-burst."

"Healing potion...Ha!! It weren't no healing potion boy. It was a virility potion, the Master wanted Genma to be a good husband to your mother, and he figured this was the ideal opportunity to test this potion he had been carrying around for months. Only it didn't work, at least not in the way it was suppose to. In fact, it turned out to be a no-virility potion." Soun broke down in drunken tears, "Oh my old friend, has ever a man suffered such as you." Wiping his eyes he looked at Ranma, or he tried to. His gaze did not seem able to focus on any one object for more than a second. Finally holding his head steady with one hand he looked straight at the little girl across the table from him.

"That's why your father is so upset over your accident. He can't have another son you see, can't have any other children." Soun broke down again, "My poor friend."

Ranma was shocked, "You mean?"

"That's right... If it had not been for the wedding night, you would not be here today. Your father had such hope that you would carry on the line he no longer could, that's why we agreed to marry our children. But it's alright, Akane's a boy now... At least some of the time she is. Anyway, you can have lots of children despite not being...a man...anymore..." As if he was a doll who had just run down, Soun finally gave up the ghost and his head fell forward to thump on the table.

Ranma was too shocked to notice. Her pop was limp as a noddle! No wonder the old man had been so determined to make her a man among men. Then the last thing Soun said registered. "NANI!! ME have children, ARE YOU out of your fucking mind!!"

Nodoka's reproving voice came from the kitchen, "Ranma!! That is no way for a young lady to talk."

Ranma blushed, then wondered how much her mother had heard. Deciding that it had been only her scream of outrage that had penetrated to the kitchen, she got up and headed for the bath. If Nabiki was not done, then she could bloody well share. Ranma needed that hot bath even worse then before.

***

Nodoka listened for a minute, and when she did not hear any more vulgarity went back to her dinner preparation. No doubt Soun had brought up that ridiculous idea of Ranma marrying Akane again. This time he had obviously mentioned the possibility of children. She hoped he had not undone all of the effort she had expended today, but she feared he had. She was more than likely going to have to order Ranma into her school uniform tomorrow. Dratted man.

Her thoughts drifted back to her and Genma, and the problem of more children. When Genma had returned from his training trip, he was a changed man. An accident with a healing potion had left him impotent, and all his and Nodoka's efforts had proven useless in restoring his manhood to the vigor it had enjoyed on their wedding night.

A week later Genma had gone off on another training trip, fled Nodoka was sure, humiliated by his inability to function as a man, and had not returned for ten months. Nodoka was sure that only Kimiko finally getting word to Soun about Nodoka's pregnancy had brought him home that early. When he finally arrived, he had been ecstatic over his newborn son. This time he had stayed home for six weeks, then again his limp manhood had forced him to leave her bed. This time he said he would search for a cure, and not return till he was a man among men.

Three and a half years passed. Nodoka kept her sorrow bottled up and gave all the love she could not give to her husband, to her son.

Looking back, she realized that she had been as overprotective toward Ranma, as her own parents had been to her. Not letting Ranma out of her sight, not letting him play with other boys, not letting him do any of the things that were normal for a small boy. When Genma had returned, still not cured, he had been shocked at the sissy his son was turning into. This time he stuck it out for six months, and only when he was sure Ranma was well on his way to being a rough and tumble boy did he finally flee. By that time Nodoka was almost glad to see him go.

She loved dearest, but his defensive attitude about his lack of masculinity grated after a while. As well, while he was at home, so was the Master. Nodoka grew more than a little tired of having to retrieve her undergarments from the guestroom every morning. The only benefit was that they were always neatly cleaned and pressed.

With Genma once again gone, for who knew how long, Nodoka found herself coddling Ranma once again. The knowledge that he was likely to be her only child weighed on her mind, and she quickly slipped once again into the habit of trying to shield him from every potential danger, both real and imagined. When Genma arrived home two months before Ranma's sixth birthday, he found his son was once again acting in a disgustingly polite and gentlemanly manner. This time when he left, he insisted on taking Ranma with him.

That had been when Nodoka had finally started to see Genma as not a poor unfortunate, but as the selfish person he was. She still loved him, but she was no longer blind to his faults. They had their first real fight over Genma's taking of Ranma. Not even making him sign a promise to commit Sepuku if he failed to return as a man among men dissuaded him. In the end she had no choice, he was Ranma's father, he had the right to raise his son as he felt proper, and in all honesty Nodoka could not argue with the charge that she coddled the boy.

Later after they had left, Nodoka read the agreement and discovered that Genma had committed to turning Ranma into a man among men, not himself. She had broken a lot of plates that day, but in the end she had been bound by the agreement as firmly as Ranma and Genma were.

And so matters had stood for ten years, until Ranma and Genma had arrived at the Tendos. It had taken Nodoka a year to discover the secret they tried so hard to keep from her. The knowledge that her precious son was cursed to turn into a girl had been a shock, but not nearly as distressing as the fact that the son who had loved her so much before being taken away by his father, had lied to her. All those times she had visited, and Ranma had hidden behind her Ranko identity.

Fortunately, the veil she had worn over her eyes in regard to Genma, had long since been ripped away at that point, and that helped her to understand Ranma's position. So she took into account Ranma's upbringing, and the likely lies that Genma had fed him, and found a ridiculous reason to confirm that he was indeed a man.

Really, did Ranma think that Nodoka believed peeking at Akane in her bath, was a proof of manhood?

So there it was, she had one night of pleasure, and a son that had become a daughter, and what else. She had been married to Genma for 18 years, and in that time she had been together with him for only about a year in time. He was her husband, however, she had vowed to be his wife, and whatever the circumstances she would keep that vow.

As she spooned the dinner she had cooked into serving bowls her expression firmed. She would not inflict a relationship like that on either Ranma or Akane. They both would marry someone who could be a lover in all meanings of the word. Akane would need a nice boy, maybe that Ryouga fellow. Despite their fighting, she knew Ranma liked him, and Akane seemed fond of him as well. True it was only fondness, but that could ripen into love if Nodoka did her work right.

Ranma was a harder problem, but there was one possibility. Nodoka had led a sheltered life, but she had once heard from an acquaintance, that there were women who preferred the company of other women. Maybe she could find a girl like that for Ranma.

As she picked up the tray of food she paused, struck by a sudden thought. Akane and Ranma had a friend, Ukyou the girl's name was. Nodoka had not had much contact with her, and after the wedding fiasco had not really wanted to have any at all. Akane however had assured her that Ukyou was really a good friend who had just gone over the edge that one time. She had since apologized for it, and was once again a friend. She was also Nodoka recalled, thanks to her husband's greed and stupidity, engaged to Ranma.

This Ukyou dressed in a very masculine manner, and her speech was almost as rough as Ranma's. Maybe she was one of those girls that liked other girls. Nodoka resolved to investigate the possibility.

***

Ranma had been glad to find that Nabiki was finished with the bathroom. Despite her bravado when leaving the dinner table, she had not looked forward to confronting Nabiki. The older girl had always been able to fluster her, and Nabiki's blatant behavior earlier in the laundry room had disturbed her more than she cared to admit, even to herself.

Fortunately the need to go toe to toe with Nabiki for the privilege of an immediate hot bath never arose. The bathroom was vacant when she got there. So after a bracing cold scrub, Ranma settled in for a long hot soak.

She had been soaking for about five minutes when the sound of the bathroom door sliding open drew her attention. Relaxed by the hot water she did not start at the sound. Instead she languidly looked over to see who it was. Her casual air disappeared, and her body stiffened in surprise, as she saw Akane standing in the doorway.

Akane was naked. Nothing blocked Ranma's view but a small towel held in front of her middle. Ranma felt herself begin to grow warm. Akane pose was identical to the first time she had ever seen the male Ranma. That time she had fled screaming, but now it was not an expression of shock that suffused her face.

"Hello love, mind if I join you?" Akane said, her voice low and throaty, as if she were trying to mimic a vamp from a cheesy TV show. The joke was lost on the stunned Ranma.

"Ah...sure, I guess so, lots of room in here."

Akane dropped the towel on the floor, and in all her glory walked over and sat down on the stool in the scrubbing area.

Ranma watched her as she moved, her eyes taking in the smooth play of Akane's muscles as they shifted under the thin layer of baby fat that still softened her firm musculature. She held her breath as Akane's small breasts bounced ever so slightly with each step. Her eyes lowered to Akane's hips and a flush covered her face as she found herself staring at the mossy dell that covered Akane's sex.

Akane was very aware of Ranma's attention and she exaggerated every move she made. Slowly she lowered herself onto the washing stool, and facing the tub let her legs spread slightly, giving Ranma an unrestricted view of her most secret of places.

Then, with a very slight grin on her face, she filled a bucket of water from the tap. Never taking her eyes off Ranma, she poured the bucket of cold water over her head. Ranma gulped as Akane's female form shifted and disappeared, leaving her massive masculine form sitting in its place.

Again exaggerating every move, Akane picked up a bar of soap and started to work up a lather, rubbing his hands over every bulging muscle on his body, not neglecting the one between his legs. Unlike the first time this had happened, Akane no longer felt any distaste at handling his erection. The pleasure of his stroking hand was quite nice, and he had masturbated in male form several times already. He was now fully comfortable with his new attachment, and was eager to try it out some more, but not tonight, he had other plans. That didn't mean he couldn't tease Ranma a little however.

Ranma gulped, as she found herself unable to tear her gaze away from the erection thrusting upward from Akane's groin. When Akane wrapped a soapy hand around it and started to move his hand up and down, she swallowed to clear her mouth of the spit that had suddenly flooded it.

She had taken that inside her body? It did not seem possible. It was so big, and she was so small. Her mind raced back to the event of that night, and she recalled the feeling of that piece of meat thrusting into her defenseless little pussy, filling what felt like every available inch, and the more.

She swallowed another mouthful of spit, as Akane stood up and washed the soap off of his body with another bucket of water. He was so damn large. He loomed over Ranma like a mountain. Suddenly Ranma was very glad for the warm water she was sitting in. When Akane joined her, that very distracting body would disappear, and so, hopefully, would the perverted thoughts that were filling her head. Damn it! She was a guy! What the hell was she doing staring at some other guy's pecker?! Even if the said pecker belonged to the girl she loved. God this was confusing.

Akane smiled to himself as he took in Ranma's wide eyed stare, and more specifically, what Ranma was staring at. For a second he was tempted to forget about his plans. Almost, he gave into the temptation to lift the small girl out of the tub, and to bend her wet, supple, body over the rim of the furo. His cock twitched, as his mind conjured up an image of himself thrusting his recently acquired maleness into Ranma from behind as her breasts swayed and splashed in the water of the furo.

He shoved the thought aside. For almost a year, he had been wanting to get his hands, and other things on Ranma's female body, and those dreams had not included him being masculine when he did so. His first time with Ranma had been influenced by the circumstances. He had been given no choice as to how he made love to Ranma. Now he had that choice. There would be many opportunities to plunder Ranma's body with his new masculine attachment, but for now he wanted to make love to her as a female.

Walking slowly toward the tub his smile broadened as Ranma pulled herself as far into the tub as she could go without drowning. Her sigh of relief was quite loud as Akane stepped into the furo, and shifted back to her much less threatening female body.

Ranma's relief was short lived however. Akane wasted no time in sliding over to her and taking the smaller girl into her arms. Ranma squirmed in her grip, but just as in the store, her diminished strength was no match for Akane's. Her efforts to escape ceased as Akane's fingers slid down her body and stroked over her slit.

Ranma shuddered, and the arms that had been pressing against Akane suddenly wrapped around the bigger girl and pulled her tight against her body. Akane felt a tremor ripple through Ranma's body, felt Ranma's nipples harden and press against her breasts. Their wet, slippery forms, slid against each other as their mouths searched for, and found each other. Hungrily they devoured their partner's lips, their tongues dancing in and out of each other's mouth.

Greatly daring, Ranma slid her hand down Akane's body, and between her legs. Finding the opening she was looking for, she thrust a finger deep into Akane's sex. Akane stiffened and pulling her mouth away from Ranma's, she said in a hoarse voice.

"Easy, easy, not so fast dear, more like this."

Akane demonstrated with the finger that she had been stroking Ranma with. "You have to be gentle, slow and easy to start with."

Hesitantly Ranma tried to copy what Akane was doing. It was difficult to focus however. The flashes of pleasure that Akane's stroking elicited kept distracting her.

"Akaneeee," she panted, her face flushed with pleasure. She reached down and grasped Akane's wrist. "Please, it's too much! I can't concentrate with you doing that."

Akane smiled at her, "so would you rather I got some cold water? Then you wouldn't have to do anything. Just lie there and let me do all the work. I never thought you were that lazy."

"No way," Ranma gasped out, as Akane intensified her stroking, "next time a dick goes into a pussy, it's going to be mine into yours." She suddenly threw back her head and gasped as a small orgasm caused her muscles to contract her thighs around Akane's hand, trapping the digit that was thrust deeply into her body, for a minute she ground herself against Akane until the waves of pleasure subsided.

"You sure about that?" Akane said with a smirk, "you seem to enjoy being a girl a lot, and I have the better dick after all." Ranma could make no verbal argument, she was too busy gasping for breath, but she did lean forward and lightly nip one of Akane's engorged nipples in retaliation, causing Akane to shout in surprise and to withdraw her hand from between Ranma's legs.

Akane grappled with Ranma, and both girls slipped below the water. For a minute the water roiled as they carried out their fight hidden beneath its surface. Then they both burst from the water choking on the water they had swallowed and struggling for breath, their sputtering mixed with choked laughter. While under water Akane had managed to get behind Ranma, and now was holding Ranma's arm once again high up in the middle of her back.

With a grunt of effort Akane lifted Ranma partially into the air and shoved her half out of the furo, draping her over the lip and leaving her ass sticking high up in the air, both vulnerable and accessible. Standing up carefully in the slippery tub, she draped her body over Ranma's, grinding her hips into the redhead's up turned ass. Leaning forward, being sure to keep Ranma's arm shoved well up the middle of her back, Akane lightly nibbled on one of the Ranma's ears.

She whispered, "you feel so damn good! I've been holding back all day, and now you're mine!"

"Really? I don't think so!" With that Ranma shoved her feet against the bottom of the furo, and tumbled both herself and Akane out of the tub and onto the floor, Ranma ended up on top, her legs straddling Akane's body and facing toward her feet. Looking over her shoulder, she grinned at the surprised brunette.

"Ha, skill over muscle will win every time." Ranma faced forward again, and bending her head down she took a look at Akane's vagina. This was her first chance at a really good look at what a girl looked like down there. Sure she was a girl, but flexible as she was, she could not bend quite that well, at least not well enough to get a really close look.

Parting the outer lips of Akane's pussy with her fingers, she grinned as her actions were answered by a moan of passion from behind her. Ranma slid her hips back along Akane's upper body until her thighs pressed against Akane's breasts, she then lowered herself down onto the bigger girl, and started examining the delicate pink structure of Akane's sex. She pressed the outer and inner lips apart and stared in fascination at the small pulsing opening they had concealed. So small, she thought to herself. Was her own like that? How had Ryouga and Akane managed to force themselves into such a small opening? Intrigued she slid a finger along the slick flesh, picking up a heavy coating of honey as she did so. Sliding the now lubricated finger over the opening to Akane's sex, and keeping in mind Akane's earlier remarks, she gently inserted her questing digit into the small opening.

She grinned in delight as the soft flesh parted before her probing finger and almost sucked it inside. Akane's continual moans of passion spurred her on, and she moved her hand back and forth, moving her finger in and out of Akane's clutching opening. Akane hot flesh griped her finger tightly, and again she wondered how on earth the small opening could accommodate anything as large as her's had. Experimenting, she added a second finger to the first, and Akane's pulsing flesh allowed it to slid inside as easily as the first one had. Now working both fingers back and forth, Ranma watched as the tiny bud of Akane's clitoris emerged from under its protective hood. She lowered her head for a closer look.

Suddenly she felt Akane's hands on either side of her hips, and pressing her legs as tightly together as she could, she prepared to resist Akane's attempt to dislodge her.

However, dislodging her was the farthest thing from Akane's mind. Lifting the redhead's body just enough to clear her breasts, she pulled firmly backwards. Ranma felt her body slide several inches back along Akane's. The hand she had been using to prop herself up with, slipped on the floor and she belly flopped onto Akane's stomach. The next thing she felt was Akane's fingers, as they gently parted the folds of her sex. They were quickly followed by Akane's tongue as it lightly licked her moist flesh.

Ranma threw back her head and gasped as Akane's other pleasure muscle sought out, and stimulated, what felt like every nerve she possessed. She moaned in disappointment as Akane let her head fall back and removed her face from Ranma's crotch.

"Akaneeee, please, don't stop. I was so close."

Akane's voice floated up from behind her, "Well, you know what they say Ranma, you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours."

"What have backs got to do with...? O...Oooo!! You don't mean...?"

"You got it, so if you want to get more of the same, you'd better be prepared to get your licks in."

Ranma looked down at the pink flesh that was now glistening just a few inches below her chin. The smell of passion floated up from the thick juices that had coated Akane's sex and run down her legs. Tentatively Ranma bent forward, trying to muster up the courage to taste this new delicacy. After all, she thought to herself, it's not as if Akane cooked it or nothing, and she seemed to like mine fine.

Still not completely convinced, Ranma gingerly lowered her head, and let the tip of her tongue lightly brush Akane's inner thigh, licking up some of the juices that had run down from her honey pot. It was not bad. As a matter of fact it was almost good, a little salty, but not bad at all.

The little tremor that ran through Akane's body at the touch of her tongue, encouraged her to try a longer taste. Lowering her head again, this time she licked Akane's sex directly. Akane reacted with much more than a gentle tremble to this more intense stimulation. She drew up her legs, planting her feet flat on the floor, and closed her thighs tightly on either side of Ranma's head, pinning her in place.

As her legs insured that Ranma would not abandon her new task, Akane's arms circled Ranma's hips and hugged her tightly. Lifting her mouth to Ranma's flowing sex, she preceded to give Ranma a practical demonstration on the fine art of cunnilingus.

The excitement Akane felt at finally being able to let herself go showed up in other areas of her body. A small spurt of fluid shot from her fluttering pussy and dampened Ranma's face, another spurt followed it as a series of tremors, at least point nine, racked Akane's body. When the last spasm was done, Akane attacked Ranma's pussy with renewed vigor.

This time, even as she felt pleasure rocketing through her body, Ranma did not neglect Akane, her head was still trapped between Akane's powerful thighs, but she did not fight the grip, instead she started to eagerly lap at the juices flowing from Akane's pink wetness. The longer she did so, the better she liked the taste. I could learn to love this, she thought. I wonder if a person could live on this stuff. Then another wave of pleasure washed all thoughts from her mind and she lost herself in the pleasure of the moment.

***

Nabiki gently shut the door, and leaned against the washing machine, she withdrew the hand that she had earlier thrust down the front of her shorts and wiped the moisture on it off on her clothing.

Hooo...boy are those two hot. She held up the camera that she had been using one handed. I hope these come out alright. I'd hate for them to be all blurry after being lucky enough to catch those two unaware.

Nabiki, shuddered as a low moan came from the other side of the door. Easy, easy, don't get carried away, you've got a full load of film shot. Don't ruin it all by getting caught. Reluctantly Nabiki followed her own advice and left the laundry room. Behind her the moaning continued for some time.

***

Ranma was the first to give up. What had been an invigorating day of shopping for Akane, had been one of the hardest ordeals Ranma had ever endured. With a one last soft moan, she collapsed on top of Akane, and just lay there, twitching slightly every now and then, as Akane continued to lap at her flowing nectar. Finally Akane came out of her own pleasure fog, and realized that Ranma was a limp weight on top of her body.

Releasing the grip her thighs had maintained, she let her legs fall flat to the floor. Rolling the unresisting Ranma off her body, she sat up and looked down at the sated girl.

Ranma lay flat on her back, a glazed look in her eyes. Her legs were partly spread, revealing the puffy red lips of her over stimulated sex. Juices continued to run from her slightly open pussy, and a thin stream was running down one thigh and pooling on the floor under her.

Akane smiled in affection at this picture of a well-fucked girl. She felt very proud of bringing Ranma to this state. Her own pleasure had been considerable during their mutual 69, but the sight of Ranma's happy, if dazed expression caused a whole other type of pleasure.

After drinking in Ranma's contented expression for a few minutes, she groaned and rolled to her knees. Gathering up Ranma, who murmured in protest at being disturbed, she got to her feet and moved the few feet to the scrubbing area, and sat down on the stool, holding Ranma in her lap, she reached over and turned on the tap to fill up a bucket of water.

Ranma shuddered as Akane poured the cold water over them both, but she only snuggled closer to Akane, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was now sitting in the lap of a very large and masculine man.

Fortunately for Ranma's peace of mind, Akane's masculine form did not posses the sexual stamina of her female body. His penis hung limp and unresponsive between his legs as he soaped both Ranma and himself, removing all evidence of their recent activity. Giving both of them a final rinse. Akane carried Ranma over to the furo, and gently lowered her into it, before stepping into it himself. Cuddling up to Ranma, Akane sat back and let the heat soak into her body. Ranma's head flopped over and nestled on her shoulder, and she contentedly sat there stroking Ranma's head.

After a half an hour, she nudged Ranma, then when that did not work she got out of the furo, and lifted the dozing girl out after her. For a second she was tempted to stick Ranma under the cold shower, but she looked down at Ranma's face, relaxed, and so very cute in her sleep, and could not bring herself to do it. Instead she went to the effort of dressing Ranma in a bathrobe, and then setting Ranma against the laundry machine started to dress herself.

Ranma finally woke up as Akane was bending over to pick up her boxers. Disoriented for a minute, she just sat there and enjoyed the view. Then she noticed Akane's boxers, and moved by curiosity, asked, "Where did you get those? And how come they fit?"

Akane had just pulled the boxers up to her waist, and the legs hung past her knees. Turning she lifted an eyebrow at Ranma's half-asleep question. "You must have been really out of it during the shopping trip. I was wearing these when I changed in front of you, as a matter of fact, I had to take them off to try on most of those dresses. You mean you never noticed?"

At Ranma's head shake, she twisted the waistband of the boxers and turned it so Ranma could see it had been doubled over on top of itself.

"Your mother came up with the idea. We took one of the boxers Nabiki bought for my male form, and folded the waistband over on itself. Then we put a few stitches in to hold it in place, but few enough so that if I get splashed with cold water they'll break, and I'll still have a little covering.

"It's your fault actually that she came up with the idea. If you had not splashed me with hot water at the dinner table the other day, all my clothes would have stayed in place, but you did, and when dad splashed me with cold water... Well, if you recall, I flashed your mother. She decided I had better take precautions against something like that happening again..." Akane broke off as a snore floated up from the little girl sitting on the floor. For a second she was angry at Ranma's nodding off in the middle of her speech. Then her expression once again softened as she looked at Ranma lying there, so cute, so vulnerable, and trusting her enough to fall asleep in her presence.

Ranma had been through some traumatic events in the last couple of days, and Akane had not necessarily given her reason to trust her/him, but she clearly did.

Bending over, Akane picked up Ranma, and carried her off to bed. Ranma's own bed, tempting as it was to take her to her own room. Akane would not abuse Ranma's trust in her by carrying her off to ravage, tempting as the thought was.

Tucking Ranma in, Akane bent over and kissed her on the forehead. Ranma smiled in her sleep and murmured, "Akane."

Akane smiled in delight, and tiptoed out of the room. Shortly afterwards she was slipping into her own bed, and was wondering what the first day of school, her first day passing as a man, was going to be like. She drifted off to sleep, and a frown twisted her face as various images of her, as a man at school flitted across her mind. Then her dreams shifted from school, to a certain former redhead. A happy smile spread across her face, and her breathing smoothed out and became deep and even.

Night slipped over the Tendos, and all was silent and still. Until a small shadow flowed over the wall surrounding the compound and up the wall of house. With no hesitation it scampered along the roof eave until it came to a certain window. It slipped inside, and the night was once again still, for a little while.

END OF CHAPTER 03

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