by

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PART B

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Later, on the way to school, Ukyou walked along beside Akane thinking back on what had happened. She could not believe she had let Akane spank her. Her ass still felt bruised and tender under her tights, but she knew if it came up again, she'd eagerly lay over his lap. The pleasure she'd felt, more than compensated for the pain.

"That was very strange." She said to Akane. "I've never dreamed of doing something like that." She shook her head ruefully.

"But it was fun wasn't it?" Akane asked.

"Oh yes. It was definitely fun, both you and Ranma were great." She grinned up at Akane. "I'm starting to think that having you a boy all the time would not be that bad a thing. I'm glad you and Ranma talked me out of using the powder."

"Oh, I don't know," Akane said in a wistful voice. "I know when I'm like this I'd never want you to be a guy. But when I'm a girl, it would be nice if there was a boy for me. Not that I want you to do it!" Akane hastily added. "But it would be nice if Ranma got her body back."

"No arguments on that from me, sugar," Ukyou said. She looked ahead to where Ranma was doing cartwheels down the fence, ignoring the fact that she was exposing rather more than she should be of what was under her school dress. Her hair was back in its old familiar pigtail, and the sight of her filled Ukyou with feelings she had thought buried. For just a second she imagined the red hair black, and gave a wistful sigh. "It would be nice, but I'm glad Ranma's at least back to full strength in her girl form. She wasn't saying anything, but I knew it bothered her."

Ukyou looked up at Akane suddenly, a worried look on her face. "Sugar, are you sure you want to do this. I mean everyone knows about Ranma. It's not going to make much difference her going to school like this. They'll just figure it's another example of her curse acting up, but are you sure you want to let everyone know that you're really Akane. We could always say that you're still Akira."

Akane shook her head. "No, I thought about it last night. I only went along with this in the first place, because we figured I'd only be stuck like this for a little while. Now we now the condition is permanent. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life lying to my friends. It's going to be hard enough facing them after just one day. Some of them got pretty forward yesterday, and I don't think they are going to take well to the idea that I was playing a joke on them. I hate to think how they'd take it if I tried to keep it up, and they found out several weeks from now. At least if I tell them myself, it should help things go better. At least I won't have a lot of girls swarming around me." Akane looked a little shamefaced. "I hate to say it, but I was sort of enjoying it. I'll be glad the temptation is gone."

"I wouldn't bet on that, sugar. There are lots of guys at the school with the hots for Ranma-chan, even knowing she's a guy. I'm betting that you find there are more than a few girls that won't care that you're a girl under all that muscle. Besides, both you and I know that you're more of a guy than Ranma was a girl back last week."

"Yeah, thanks to getting this curse from instant rather than regular Nanniichuan."

Ukyou looked at Akane curiously. "What's it like? Turning into a guy? I mean, really turning into guy. Your mind as well as your body."

Akane looked thought full. "It's really strange. I find some things are exactly the same, while other things are completely different. Take Ryouga for instance. When I'm like this I want to pound him flat. Not for raping Ranma, she says he had no control, and I believe it. It's the mere thought of him touching either one of you. He's a good-looking guy, and he's already had sex with Ranma. Just the thought of him being anywhere near either of you makes me mad."

Yousee poked her head out from inside Ukyou's tunic. She had found she could nestle quite comfortable in Ukyou's cleavage, and had refused to be left behind. Now she looked at Akane and said. "Territorial. Most Shikima that can, have a harem, and they do not take kindly to the thought of anyone touching what they regard as theirs."

"Oh, so Ranma-honey and I are harem girls now?" Ukyou said. "What happened to being happily married?"

"I didn't say you were harem girls. I just said that to explain why Akane's male side feels this way."

Ukyou laughed. "I got news for you, sweety. Human boys can be just as bad, and human girls as well. Akane was jealous as a girl. I don't see any need to look for fancy explanations as to why he's jealous of Ryouga." Ukyou turned back to Akane, who looked like he wanted to object to the jealousy tag, but considering what he had just been saying, did not see how he could. Instead, he went on with his explanation.

"Ah, well, you may be right Ukyou. Anyway, that's the way I feel when I'm like this, but when I'm female, it all changes." Akane suddenly blushed, a rather cute sight on someone who looked like he'd be more comfortable fighting monsters to the death. "You ah, remember what happened with Coach Mitaka." The look Ukyou directed his way caused Akane to stumble slightly. "Yeah, I can see you do. Well, if it had been Ryouga, you and Ranma might not have been in time to keep me from going all the way with him. Lets just say I get a whole different burning feeling toward him when I'm female."

Ukyou looked at Akane thoughtfully. "You know, sugar, I just realized. I don't think I've ever heard you talk so frankly about your feelings. You and Ranma were both pretty shy about saying what you felt. Now you make me blush sometimes with the things you say."

Akane looked down the street, his face creased in thought. "I never really thought about it, but maybe it's just that it would be silly not to talk freely after all we've done since last night." She turned and grinned at Ukyou. "Besides, I like to make you blush." Ukyou obliged her by getting a little red across the nose. She looked down at the ground, and rather shyly reached out for Akane's hand. When he took it she looked up at him.

"I sort of like it when you make me blush too, hon."

However, Akane's attention was no longer on Ukyou, instead she was glaring down the lane.

"Ranma, you stop that this instant. Don't you have any sense at all you baka."

Ukyou followed Akane's glare, and stifled a laugh. Overcome with happiness at the full return of her agility and strength, Ranma had been bouncing all over the neighborhood on the way to school. Currently she was walking down the top of the fence, on her hands. Her school skirt was hanging around her upper body, and the only thing preserving her modesty was a rather skimpy pair of panties. Ranma looked over at Akane, a puzzled look on her face.

"What's the matter. I'm just trying to get back into shape, it's been nearly week since I could really exercise and train."

"Then, wait until you have some gym shorts or something on. You know what your mother said. She wants you to behave in a feminine manner while you're out in public. You're not to disgrace your family by acting like a tramp."

"Aw, come on Akane, I've seen lots of girls who don't care if they flash their panties."

Ukyou arched an eyebrow. "Oh really Ranma. Are you trolling for another boyfriend then. Or maybe you're just trying to get the attention of the one you already have." Ukyou looked over at Akane.

"Why would I want to get that hentai's attention. I don't have time to be dragged into an alley. We'll be late if we don't hurry. You two are so slow."

Akane fired up, but before he could say anything, Ukyou looked at Ranma with suspicion. "Since when have you been eager to get to school, Ranchan."

Ranma suddenly looked nervous. She vaulted off the fence and landed on her feet. "Hey, maybe I want to make something of myself, you ever thought of that. I'm tired of waiting for you two, I'm going ahead." With that Ranma took off down the lane, heading for school.

Ukyou frowned and looked at Akane. "Do you believe that?"

"Not for an instant. She's up to something. But what?" Akane's brow furrowed in thought, then his eyes widened, and he looked at Ukyou is shock. "Kuno."

"Kuno, what about Kuno?" Ukyou asked. She was speaking to empty air. Akane had followed Ranma's lead, and was pelting down the lane toward school. Ukyou shrugged and took off after both her mates. She did not bother to keep to the surface streets, however, she took to the rooftops and arrived at the school gates only seconds after Ranma, and a little ahead of Akane, who came puffing up beside them as Ranma scanned the school yard, looking for something, or someone.

Ranma stiffened as a familiar figure came into sight. Beside her Akane stiffened as well, and a low growl came from his throat. Ukyou looked at him in surprise. Akane had always found Kuno a pain, but Ukyou could never remember him actually hating Kuno, but that sounded very much like hate. Ranma also reacted to Akane's growl. She turned fierce eyes on Akane.

"You stay out of this. This if my fight. Let me handle it."

Akane directed a gaze just as fierce at Ranma's at the little red head.

"No way. I'm going to smash that baka for what he did yesterday."

Ukyou was sure Ranma was going to argue, but instead she looked up at Akane with her eyes wide, and an expression on her face that threatened to give Ukyou a saccharin overdose. "Please, Akane, it would mean ever so much to me." Ukyou waited for Akane to laugh in Ranma's face, but instead the stern expression on his face melted, and he sighed in resignation.

"Fine, but the first sign of trouble, and I'm nailing Kuno."

"Trouble? With Kuno? Give me a break. I'll clean his clock in five seconds."

"Right, just like yesterday." Akane said.

"Hey! I wasn't at full strength then. I'm recovered now. He doesn't stand a chance." Ranma turned and began to march toward Kuno. Determination in every stride she took. Akane shook his head in exasperation, and started to move closer so he could intervene quickly if he needed to.

Akane noticed Ukyou staring at him, and snapped out.

"What?"

"Oh nothing, sugar. It's just that if I had any doubt about you turning into a real boy, that piece of manipulation settled it. I can't believe you fell for Ranchan's cute girl act."

"What? I never did, it's just... well, if it meant so much to her that she'd stoop that low, then I had to let her try. That's all, it's not like I bought the act."

Stoop that low? Meant so much? Ukyou thought to herself. She had seen Ranchan use that same act to get an extra scoop of ice cream. She loved the little redhead dearly, but sometimes she showed a little too much of her father's influence for Ukyou's liking. She wisely kept from mentioning it to Akane, the last thing they needed right now was Akane proving he was not giving into Ranma.

From the way Akane and Ranma were talking, Ukyou had a feeling Ranma had lost a fight to Kuno yesterday, and that was something her Ranchan could never stand for. She needed a chance to kick his ass.

*

Ranma marched toward Kuno grim determination in ever line of her body. She mentally went over every blow she planned on landing. She'd teach him to manhandle her. How dare he fondle her. How dare he force her over his lap. How dare he spank her. And most importantly, how dare he rub himself up against her?

As her memory of the day before played through her mind, Ranma slowed her approach toward Kuno, moving slower and slower until she came to a complete stop. She was now close enough to Kuno that she had to look up to see his face. He was so tall, so powerfully built. Yesterday he had handled her like a child.

Suddenly doubts filled her mind. She was at full strength today, but she had been very close to it yesterday. Yet Kuno had not even worked up a sweat. Had he been training? Had he found another magic sword? Another magic potion? Had he rediscovered the confidence that Happosai's phony magic had instilled in him? Kuno had very nearly beaten Ranma in her male form that day. Only the fact that he had become ill from eating the dirt from under Happosai's fingernails had saved Ranma, and that had all been from Kuno's own belief he was unbeatable. He had already beaten her once. Maybe that would give him the confidence to do it again.

Fear was not an emotion Ranma was in general acquainted with. At least not fear of physical harm to herself. But what Kuno threatened was not physical harm, at least not the sort of harm Ranma was use to facing. Her breath was suddenly coming in labored gasps. She looked up, way up into Kuno's aloof face. Something in her quailed at the sight. He did not appear to be his usual buffoonish self. She felt doubt. What if he beat her here in front of everyone, what if he turned her over his knee and spanked her in front of the whole school.

A ball of nausea formed in her stomach, and even more frightening, she became very aware of her overly sensitive nipples pressing against the firm surface of her sports bra, while the nausea in her belly was joined by another sensation she did not even want to think about. Why, oh why, hadn't she let Akane handle this? Well, it was too late to do anything about it now. She was committed. She drew a deep breath and fell into a defensive pose.

"All right Kuno! Let's do it!"

*

Kuno fought to keep his joy from showing on his face. All night he had suffered the torments of the damned, wondering if he had erred in judgment the day before. He had tossed and turned in his sleep wondering if he had irrevocably, and forever, driven his pig-tailed goddess from his side by his crude actions. When she had entered the gates of this purgatory some called a school, his fears had fled.

Like a crown of fire, her flaming tresses had been restored to their former glory. Gone was the dull dead hair that Saotome had inflicted on her gentle head. His heart had leaped as he had witnessed her march toward him. With every step closer he could see the struggle on her face as she fought Saotome's spell. How he had longed to rush to her, to sweep her up into his tender embrace, to shower her with the love she deserved. It had taken all the willpower he possessed to prevent himself from doing so. To truly break Saotome's spell, he was forced to treat her as nothing. If he were to do as he wished, and run forward to take her into his arms, he would sentence the poor gentle creature to the fate of enduring Saotome's vile embraces for all time.

His anger burned and scorched his soul. He had to give it an outlet. Fortunately he had one. He lifted his bokken and pointed it at the foul fiend. "Saotome, thy vile shape-shifting cur. I Tatewaki Kuno do challenge you. Will you face me? Or will you continue to hide your vile nature in that fair form."

*

Ranma stared in shock. She couldn't believe it. After all this time. Kuno had finally gotten a clue. All around her the murmurs of the various students agreed with that assessment. Many of the students, who had been shocked to see Ranma dressed in Ranko's clothing, now rushed into the school. Once inside they indulged in a massive search through their lockers for their picks in, the-when-is-Kuno-going-to-figure-it-out pool. Someone was going to be a very rich person before the day was over.

Ranma ignored the sudden departure of the student body. Instead a flush of crimson washed up her face. If Kuno knew the truth, then that meant he knew who he had spanked the day before.

"Nooooooo!!" Ranma screamed. She rushed blindly at Kuno, intent on wiping him from the face of the earth. Kuno merely sidestepped as he had before. Ranma's side kick took him in the ribs and drove him sprawling, several yards away. Ranma reset herself, her breath coming in great gasps as she waited for Kuno to turn and face her. He didn't. Instead, not paying the least attention to her, he got to his feet and once again leveled his bokken. At Akane.

"So, you vile cur. You would hide behind the frail form of the one you hold in bondage." Akane looked at him blank faced, a large sweat drop on the back of his head.

"You needn't look so surprised, vile wretch. Did you truly think you could fool I, Tatewaki Kuno, The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. I would have thought you would know better when you learned I had penetrated the disguise you had inflicted on the unfortunate pigtail-girl."

"Hey!" Ranma yelled. Kuno ignored her.

"It took me but an instant to realize that you too must have disguised yourself." Kuno gestured at Ukyou. "As the presence of the fair Kuonji Ukyou shows, such is your lust, you can not bear to be parted from those pure maidens you have coerced and ensnared. By your own vices you have betrayed yourself. Have at you, vile fiend!"

With the last word, Kuno charged across the yard toward the stunned Akane. Reflexes took over, but Akane was working on conditioned reflexes, which proved his downfall. Akane struck out at a person intending to grope, but that was not Kuno's aim. His bokken lashed out, and took Akane under his upraised arm. The arm that should have delivered an uppercut that would have sent Kuno rocketing over the school. Instead it was Akane who was struck. He staggered to the side with a gasp of pain. A hand clutched at his side. Red tinged Ranma's vision. Red tinged Ukyou's vision. Just like the blood she imagined under Akane's hand.

Kuno threw back his head and laughed. "Fall, you vile miscreant. At last your sorcery fails you. Fall at the hands and sword of the Blu--- Urk"

{various scenes of wanton and cruel violence cut in the name of good taste}

***

Akane managed to drag Ranma and Ukyou off of Kuno before they did any permanent damage. He held each of them under one arm as they screamed and cursed at the battered remains of the Blue Blunder. It took them several minutes to calm down, Ukyou first, when she realized what their struggles must be doing to Akane's wound.

"Akane, are you alright? Let us down. We have to get you to the nurse's station."

Hearing Ukyou's words, Ranma stopped her struggling as well, and said. "Akane, let me down. I have to check you out."

Akane let both of them down, and over his protest, they checked his torn jacket. They looked closely, and then, looked at each other. "I don't understand. I saw the strike, it should have cut you." Ranma said in a puzzled tone.

Ukyou nodded her head. "Me too. You have a stain on your jacket, but no wound... Wait, here's something... No that can't be it, this one is a least three days old. And why is the scab blueish? Did you spill some ink on yourself?"

"What? Let me see." Ranma said. She looked closely at the wound. "That can't be right, I'd have seen that last night if it had been there. So would you have for that matter, Ukyou. What gives, Akane?"

Akane held up her hand and showed the blood on his fingers. Only it was not blood, but a blue liquid. They all stared at it in puzzlement. Then, Yousee hissed at them from her position tucked into Ukyou's cleavage. "Don't you people listen? I told Akane last night his healing factor had increased, and I know he told you this morning. The blue stuff is what her blood looks like now." She directed an accusing look at Ukyou. "How do you expect to be a demon hunter if you can never remember even the simple things?"

"Shush." Ukyou said. "Do you want everyone to see you? Get out of sight. I have some serious flattening to do." With that Ukyou un-slung her battle spatula and turned to face Kuno's battered form.

"Hold it!" Akane said, grabbing Ukyou arm, then quickly doing the same for Ranma as she started toward Kuno as well.

Ranma turned angry eyes on him. "Do you think we're going to let him get away with that. He didn't know you'd heal that fast. He could have hurt you."

"Remember what you said about Ryouga not being responsible Ranma."

"Yeah, but that was because the potion had driven him crazy..."

"Whereas Kuno has always been crazy." Ukyou finished.

"Exactly," Akane said. "Kuno thought I was you, and that's why he attacked the way he did. It was my own fault. I reacted to him like he was coming after my girl side. I anticipated his movements, and blew it. I got hit because of my mistake, not Kuno's."

"Uh oh." Ranma said in a worried tone.

Akane followed her gaze and big sweated as well. Nabiki was marching toward them, and she did not look happy.

"What the hell is going on here!?" Nabiki demanded angrily as she reached them. "Do you know how much I forked over to get Ranma's hair dyed? Now the whole school knows that Tendo Ranko is Saotome Ranma. Dim as they are, it's not going to take them long to put two and two together and figure out who you likely are..."

Nabiki trailed off, most of her attention had been on Ranma's vivid red hair, but when she had finally looked her 'little brother' in the face, she noticed some new additions. For a second Nabiki looked at a loss for words, but then, she said. "Pick Kuno baby up. We need to talk somewhere private, and the nurse's station should do the trick." By this time Akane had noticed the marks on Nabiki's forehead and cheeks, and was eager to talk to his sister in private as well.

****

They all gathered in the nurse's station. Nabiki gave Ukyou an uncertain look. "It might be best if you went to class and covered for Ranma and Akane," she said.

"No way!" Yousee shouted out. "If you think I'm going to let you demons conspire without some supervision, you have another think coming!"

Nabiki looked at the small duplicate of Ukyou who had just stuck her head out from inside Ukyou's school jacket.

"Oh...kay," she said. "Off hand it would seem you already know what these marks mean." Nabiki said, pointing at her own forehead markings. She then turned her finger in Yousee's direction. "So would someone please tell me what the hell that is?"

Ukyou answered as Yousee climbed out of her hiding spot and perched on her shoulder. "This is Yousee. She's a spirit from the Kami plain. She's here to help me become a demon hunter."

Once again Nabiki was caught be surprise. "Perhaps I was too hasty. You do know what these new decorations on Akane and my faces mean don't you?"

"They mean that the demon heritage in our blood line was activated by the instant Jusenkyo curse." Akane said.

"You know that for a fact?"

"Well, Yousee is pretty sure that's the reason."

"Hmm, Cologne thought that was the case as well, but she was only taking her best guess. It's nice to get it confirmed from an outside source." Nabiki looked at Yousee and Ukyou. "I assume there is a reason you are not trying to do my 'brother' and me any harm?"

"We're married." Akane said, and then, clasped a hand over his mouth.

Ranma rolled her eyes in disgust. "Smooth move, Akane."

For the third time in as many minutes Nabiki was nonplused. It was not a situation she liked. "Married!" She said in a shocked voice. "But you're both girls... Ah, well, I guess that argument doesn't really hold any water does it. Still, it is rather sudden isn't it? I mean you've hardly had time to get a license..." Nabiki voiced suddenly dragged to a halt. She brought a hand up and rested it on her forehead. Without looking at the others she said in a weary voice. "Let me guess, you two are soul bonded."

"Us three." Ranma broke in. She rather enjoyed seeing Nabiki surprised.

"All three of you!?" Nabiki shook her head. "Suddenly I'm very glad I'll be spending the next few days at the Nekohatten."

"The Nekohatten?" Akane asked in surprise. Then, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you doing at the Nekohatten?" He demanded.

"Why 'brother' dear, where else would I go. Surely you can't expect me to not stay with Shampoo, after all, we've only been married for a day or so." Nabiki quite enjoyed the reaction to that little bombshell. She did so love getting her own back.

****

Over at the Nekohatten, Cologne was cleaning up after the breakfast rush. She had been more than slightly annoyed to discover that Nabiki had deprived her of her chief waitress without notice. She had several part-time girls who could fill in, but the earliest that one of them could start was the lunch hour. It was not that she needed the money. She could have left the cafe closed, but she took pride in her operation, and would only close it for the most extreme reasons. After all, she'd moved the whole thing on more than one occasion to allow Shampoo to pursue Ranma without having to shut down.

As a result, when the door banged open, and Mousse staggered in, she was even less sympathetic than she normally was. WHACK!

"The very idea, wondering in here at this hour. Where were you?" Mouse staggered from the blow to his head for a second, then rallied and cried out. "Sh... Shampoo, we have to save Shampoo! She's been captured by a demon who's possessed Tendo Nabiki's body!"

"Nonsense. Nabiki is not possessed."

"You old ghoul!" WHACK! Mousse rubbed his head and glared at a decorative good luck statue, made as ugly as possible in order to drive away evil spirits, "A lot you know! I encountered the creature myself! If you value Shampoo at all, you must help me free her!"

"I said nonsense, and I meant nonsense. Tendo Nabiki is not possessed, she is a demon. Or at least she has demon blood in her ancestry. I suppose some people would consider that makes her a demon, but I've always maintained that it was..."

"What!!! How can you prattle on like this!? Who knows what foulness that creature is inflicting on my poor Shampoo."

"At the moment none, but I'm sure that will change. After all, that's why she bought Shampoo."

"Bought!? What do you mean bought!? What have you done? You're joking, not even you would do something like that!"

"I had little choice in the matter. Shampoo was in possession of Suzuka Slave Potion. You know what the law is in regards to that."

Mousse reeled back in shock. "No! I don't believe it. You lie. It had to have been planted on her! One of the foolish girls who have fallen for Saotome's lies must have discovered the law. Maybe even Nabiki herself."

"I'm afraid you're wrong. Shampoo confessed to me herself. She made it here in this very kitchen."

"Sh...she did?" Mousse said rather weakly, the light beginning to dawn.

Cologne lit her pipe and blew a ring of smoke in Mousse's direction. "Yes. She was under the impression that it was a cure for her Jusenkyo curse. Of course she did not try to use that as an excuse, she was very insistent on obeying the law. She has always been a good girl that way. Of course Nabiki being a descendant of a Shikima demon, was very conveniently at hand to provide the necessary purchaser."

"Shi... Shi... Shikima!? You didn't! You couldn't have!"

"Oh yes I did. We were able to work out a very good price. It was too bad really, but what was I to do. I would have to do the same to any Amazon I found with that potion in their possession."

Mousse, who had been about to scream in anger at Cologne suddenly paled. "You would!?"

"Oh yes, I could hardly do less after selling my own granddaughter to a Shikima demon. Why don't you go upstairs and clean off? You look like you've had a hard night."

*

Cologne watched the dazed form of Mousse as he stumbled up the stairs. He was numb with shock at the moment, but her actions would have the desired result. He would destroy or otherwise dispose of his share of the potion. She narrowed her eyes in concentration. Of course once the shock wore off, he would be out for Nabiki's blood. However, before that happened, she'd have a little talk with him.

The Amazon's had taken into consideration that a friend or lover might try to save or rescue the accused, by killing their purchaser. If they did, then the convicted Amazon would be resold, and so would the would-be rescuer. In the case of a male they would be dipped in the Nyanniichuan first. It was not that there were no buyers for comely boys and men, but the Amazon's wanted the law breaker to face what the captive Amazon females had faced.

Cologne would remind Mousse of that, and maybe take him on a rooftop tour of some of the alternative purchasers of young female flesh. This was supposed to be a civilized country, but Cologne was too old, and had seen too much to believe there was no market for young girls somewhere in this country. It was merely a matter of contacting a source who would know for sure. Once he was thoroughly cowed, she would dangle a carrot, the fact that she intended to petition the Elders for clemency on Shampoo's behalf. If he did nothing, then it would be only a matter of time until Shampoo was once again a full Amazon. On the other hand, if he interfered, maybe even harmed Nabiki, then the penalty would be permanent, with no hope of eventual parole.

She nodded in satisfaction. That would do the trick. Mousse might not like it, but she would plant the idea that Nabiki was not truly Shampoo's owner. After all, the Tendo girl was not even a martial artist. So what if she had demon blood. She was still no match for Shampoo. Yes, she would drive home the point that Nabiki was only supplying a service to Shampoo, for a price. She was even staying here so Cologne could keep an eye on her. Cologne saw no need to mention what sort of servicing Nabiki was providing Shampoo, or the fact that the two of them were soul bonded.

***

Mousse stared into the mirror through his newest pair of glasses. They were a quarter of an inch thicker than the last pair, and still the face in the mirror was slightly blurred. Soon he would truly be blind, and with no hope of ever winning his love. He gazed at his reflection, looking at a face that was suddenly ancient, old before its time. The eyes behind those glasses were like pools of darkness that reflected the pain and anguish of his soul. His Shampoo, in the hands of a fiend from the nether regions, and he, helpless to do anything about it. With a hand that shook, he held up a small vial of potion to the light. Such a small thing, and yet it had meant so much. Freedom from his curse, a chance to at last be with the one it was his destiny to have. Now... now, the dream was ashes in his mouth.

He did not question what he had to do. The story of the loss of the Amazon empire, the fate of the captive females, and the law that had resulted, was too deeply ingrained in him for that. He tilted the bottle in his hand so the light would shin through the golden contents. Suzuka Slave Potion, who would have thought such a vile substance could look so beautiful. Mousse pulled the top from the bottle, and held it out over the sink. Drawing a deep breath, he tipped the bottle, brought it to his lips, and pouring the entire contents down his throat with one gulp.

The taste brought him out of his daze, he choked and sputtered, as he gazed at the now empty bottle in his hand in shock. Then, the first convulsion rocked his body, and he fell to the floor, a twitching heap, in too much pain to even scream as his very soul was ripped from his body.

***

Urgant exulted, at last, at very long last, he had done it. He had wrestled control for just long enough to force Mousse to pour the foul concoction down his throat. Now, even as more raw magic than he had ever witnessed flowed out of the collapsing Jusenkyo curse, he activated the spells that he had spent the evening laying out. He had to use the magic now, without delay, he could not for one instant try to contain it. He had to direct and channel it, not dam it up. He felt the spells he had carefully constructed pulse and bulge with energy. The energy matrix that was his present form was drawn down into Mousse's convulsing body, and the spells ripped Mousse's soul free and implanted Urgant's in its place.

Sensation flooded through him, and with it came the realization that he had succeeded. He had a body, his long years of study and thought had paid off. He had a human body in the mortal realm. More importantly, he had a demon's mind in a human body that was capable of becoming a magic user. A mind loaded with the accumulated knowledge of a thousand, thousand years of existence.

Even as he exulted, he controlled himself. The spells were not done yet. He had reached his goal, but the magic to do that was a fraction of the total surging through his new body. Even now it threatened to destroy the basic matrix of his being, he had to use it before it slipped out of his fragile control. Well, he had planned for that. What better use for Jusenkyo magic, than the creation of a new form for the poor dispossessed Mousse. Coils of magic cradled Mousse's sundered soul, containing it while a raw torrent of magic built a body around it. Urgant watched with hot eyes as the magic followed the template he had laid down in the patterns of his spells. It did more than just create a physical form, however, he watched in glee as it implanted the controls and drives he had created into the new body's mind.

He very much looked forward to savoring Mousse's horror when the fool discovered the surprises lurking in her new mind and body. It was so easy. The fool already had the inclinations, all he had to do was reinforce them, make them too powerful to be controlled. Oh yes, she was going to be a truly wondrous toy.

At last the magic exhausted itself, but not before it finished every spell Urgant had prepared beforehand. He looked down at the form on the floor in front of him with something very near affection. Mousse was a fool, but his blundering and poor sense had enabled Urgant to realize his dream. As he looked at the exquisite feminine form in front of him, he decided that maybe he wouldn't be quite as hard on her as he had planned. After all, thanks to the implanted controls, she couldn't really fight back. He bent over her, intent on satisfying a lust that had been simmering for two thousand years.

CRACK!

Urgant reared back in pain as something struck him across the top of the head. A voice cried out in anger behind him.

"You fool Mousse, what have you done?" Urgant turned and saw the withered figure of Cologne perched on top of her staff, no doubt the object that had just struck him across the top of his head.

Urgant had given some though on how he was going to pass himself off as Mousse while getting himself settled in this modern world. Prime in those plans, had been keeping a low profile around Cologne, in whom he sensed a great deal of power. All that careful planning went out the window. The pain in his head, coupled with his natural instinct to lash out at an insult to his status, caused him to forget caution, and to act in anger.

"Fool!!" he roared. "How dare you assault me!" He flung his arms up and chains shot forth from inside his sleeves. They curved and writhed through the air as if alive.

Cologne was caught by surprise, but she hoped backward to gain some distance, and spun her staff in a whirling circle. The chains struck that blurred disk, and links showered the room as they were shredded. Urgant let out a high pitched scream as this happened, and the remainders of the chains snapped back into his sleeves like wounded animals seeking their den.

"That is the problem with investing your weapons with too much of your chi." Cologne said, showing little sympathy for the pain struck youth. Then, she narrowed her eyes and stared at him intently. "What are you up to? Who is that girl?" Cologne snapped out, more to gauge his reaction than in any hope of an answer.

"That is for me to know, crone. As for the girl, she is mine. I will take my property and leave this dreary place."

"I think not!" Cologne said, placing herself between Mousse, and the comatose girl on the floor.

"You would challenge me!?" Urgant said as menacingly as he could manage in the circumstances. His body was wracked by pain from his abortive attack on Cologne.

"I would deny you. I do not consider you a challenge. Do you wish to attempt to change my mind?"

Urgant snarled in baffled fury. Almost it seemed he would take her up on her offer, but then, he whirled and a hook-tipped chain shot from his sleeve and out the window. It found something on the other side to latch on to, and Urgant let it pull him out of the room, leaving Cologne and the girl behind.

Cologne watched the window for a little while, waiting to see if he would attempt to return. At last, satisfied that he was not coming back, she turned to the girl on the floor. As she had noted when entering the room, she was quite naked, her only covering being the heavy mane of white hair that flowed from her head, and in her present position, covered most of her body. Cologne nudged the girl with her staff, causing her to roll over on her side with a small moan.

Cologne came as near as she ever had to falling off her perch. The girl on the floor was, with the exception of her white hair, a perfect replica of Shampoo.

"What have you done indeed, you fool?" Cologne murmured to herself.

****

Back at Furinkan, classes were starting, and Hiroshi and Daisuke were questioning Ranma out of the sides of their mouths, while they waited for Miss Hinako to show up.

"So Ranma, what is it this time?"

"Yeah Ranma, what's with the disguise? Do you have any idea of how much money I blew on Nabiki's information sheet?"

Ranma smirked. "Serves you right, you should know better than to let her sell you anything."

"Yeah, maybe, but what's with you? How come you're dressed like that?"

"Are you trying to run some sort of a scam on that Akira guy?"

Daisuke directed a sour look over at where numerous girls were crowding around Akane. Most specifically, he looked at a one particular brown-haired girl. "If you are, then count me in. I'd almost convinced Yuki to go out with me, then he showed up."

"Ha, you don't have to worry about him stealing any girls from you." Ranma said with a smirk. There was no way either Ukyou or her were going to share Akane with another girl.

"What do you mean by that?" Hiroshi asked

"Say, what's with you and him anyway? Is he really Akane's cousin? And how come you start dressing like a girl when he shows up?"

Ranma big sweated. Oops, what was she going to do now? It wasn't like she could come out and say Akane was Akane. He'd kill her. Akane intended to confess the truth, but in his own time. Suddenly a grin spread across her face, which she quickly suppressed. Turning her now disgruntled face toward her two friends, she said in a disgusted tone of voice. "It's all Oyaji"s fault," she said.

Both Hiroshi and Daisuke nodded at this. It generally was Ranma's father's fault, at least to hear Ranma tell it.

"What's he done now?" Daisuke asked.

"Got me engaged to a guy."

"NANI??" Both boys cried out in shock, then quickly lowered their voices, looking around in panic less Hinako-sensei was anywhere about.

"You're engaged to a guy!?" Daisuke said in a horrified whisper.

Ranma was unable to keep a twinkle of mischief out of her eyes. Fortunately, neither Daisuke of Hiroshi were looking her in the eyes, even after a revelation like that. She schooled her voice to sound as depressed as she could manage and said, "Yeah, and it really sucks. He's always trying to hold my hand, and snuggle up closer to me. Worst off all, he's so strong, that he doesn't even notice when I punch him. So I can't get him to back off."

Hiroshi looked puzzled. "I don't get it. Why are you going around in your cursed form acting like a girl? I would have thought that would be the last thing you'd want to do."

Ranma directed a puzzled look at him, then her face cleared. "Didn't I tell you? He's gay."

Both of the other boys face-faulted. "Ga...gay!?" They finally managed to sputter out.

"Yeah, it's a real pain. I'm going to have to try and get him a boyfriend so I can go back to normal." She cast a speculative look at her two friends. "Say, you two are always saying you'll do anything to help me out..." She trailed off, giving them time to register what she was suggesting.

Before they could react, however, the door opened, and Hinako-sensei came into the room. That would normally be enough to still all the chatter in the class, and it was true that all the girls hurried to their seats while the boys sat up straighter and looked attentive. However, this time it was not just her presence that accounted for the sudden silence. All eyes were focused on Hinako-sensei in surprise.

Over the last few months they had gotten use to a homeroom teacher who looked like she was twelve years old. She no longer did so. Hinako's juvenile form had always hovered on the edge of puberty, and it was a continuing topic of conversation among the students, on what it must be like for her to go through puberty every time she drained a battle aura. Whatever it had been like, she would never experience it again. Her formally flat immature chest now displayed a small pair of mounds that indicated clearly Hinako's juvenile form had at last crossed over the fence from childhood, to girlhood.

They were in no way as impressive as her adult chest, but their very presence emphasized the changes in their teacher. She was four inches taller. Her face had trimmed down slightly, losing some baby fat, and highlighting her new mature looks. Of course, only in Furinkan, would a fourteen-year-old teacher be considered mature.

*

Hinako scowled at the students, as they stared in surprise at her. She could not accuse them of inattention this morning. Every one of them was staring raptly at her. So she flipped open her student record book and began to take attendance. When she reached Tendo Ranko, she scowled at Ranma.

"Do you have an explanation for this, Mr. Saotome. I do not like nasty people making fun of me, you delinquent. All the teachers put up with your bad behavior, and the way you show up in different bodies. We even allow you to wear non-regulation clothing to accommodate your condition. It's nasty of you to play a trick like this. I don't want to see you dressed like that again. Do you understand!"

Hiroshi, and Daisuke exchanged sympathetic looks, and glanced across at Akira. "Poor guy. Now he's in for it for sure." Hiroshi whispered to Daisuke, from behind the cover of a hand he lifted to his mouth.

Ranma's expression was strained as she rose to her feet to face the angry teacher. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I won't be able to do that, not for a little while."

"And why is that?" Hinako asked, reaching into her change pocket, with a scowl on her face. "Are you going to be a delinquent again, you naughty boy?"

"No, no. That's not it!" Ranma said hastily. "My mother insists I dress like this." She turned up the cuteness voltage in her blue eyes, and looked at Hinako with as Kawai an expression as she could manage. "You wouldn't want me to disobey my mother, would you?"

Hinako was unmoved by Ranma's expression, which was more than could be said for several boys who were sitting between them, in the firing zone as it were, they looked slightly shell shocked.

"Why would your mother demand such a thing?" Hinako said with a scowl. "Is she a pervert?"

"NO!!" Ranma shot out, her expression suddenly as angry as Hinako's. "I'm trapped like this. Mom doesn't want me bringing dishonor on our family by behaving wrong for this body in public."

"Trapped?" Hinako asked with a lifted eyebrow. "For how long?"

"I don't know, there's a technique I have to master to change back, and I don't know how long that is going to take."

Hinako continued to look skeptical, but then, she snorted, and said. "Very well, but I will be watching, and if I see any delinquent actions, I'll take steps." Giving Ranma one final glare of warning, she went back to taking attendance. Reading the next name on the list, Hinako's entire demeanor changed. "Tendo Akira." If most of the class had not been busy looking at Ranma with various expressions, ranging from shock and disgust, to barely restrained glee, they might have noticed something peculiar about their teacher's behavior.

"Here," Akane answered, and for a second it looked like he was going to continue, but then, he lowered his head, and directed a guilty look across at Ranma, who returned the look with one that seemed to say, 'so, it's-not-so-easy-is-it?' Akane scowled and lunged to his feet, sending his chair clattering to the floor. He blushed in embarrassment as all eyes focused on him.

Ranma hung her head, and shook it. Here we go, she thought to herself, the vampire is going to nail him good now.

Much to everyone surprise, rather than scowling angrily at Akira's delinquent behavior, Hinako looked at him with a funny expression on her face and said, "Yes, Mr Tendo, what is it?"

"Ah," Akane looked around at all the eyes focused on him, and blushed a little harder. "I, ah, I have... anannouncementtomake!" He finished in a rush, then realizing how he sounded, he qualified his statement. "I've been lying, and want to get matters straight before they go too far." Akane gave Ranma a look that said, 'see-it's-not-that-hard-you-just-have-to-be-honest.'

"And what would that be, Mr. Tendo?" Hinako asked, still speaking in a tone of voice quite unlike her usual.

Akane looked suddenly a lot less sure of himself. Ukyou held up a thermos. "Here, sugar, maybe this will help."

All the girls in class, including Miss Hinako, glared at Ukyou for using such a familiar term.

Akane ignored their reaction, and took the thermos with a grateful look at Ukyou. Unscrewing the top, he took a firm grip on the waistband of his pants, and poured a small amount of hot water over his--now her--head.

Everyone, with the exception of Ranma and Ukyou, face faulted. Ukyou quickly produced another container, this one with cold water. She was not going to take any chances leaving an Akane, who could barely keep herself decently covered with her now oversized clothes, female in a room loaded with hormone crazed teenage boys. Akane, now male again, gave her a smile of understanding. He looked at the members of their homeroom, who had recovered partially, and were all staring at her with rather glazed expressions on their faces.

"You see, I've picked up a variant of Ranma's curse, at first we thought it was only going to be temporary, and that's why I tried to keep it a secret. We found out last night that it's going to be more or less permanent, and so there is no reason to hide it anymore. I decided to keep coming as a guy, because of what would happen if I was splashed with cold water. The difference in size is so great, that I'd burst out of any clothing that comes close to fitting my female body." Several boys in the room pricked up their ears, looking very interested in this fact. "I'm sorry for fooling everyone, and hope you can forgive me."

Akane had spent most of his speech staring at the ground, while everyone else in the class had been mesmerized by Akane's demonstration and speech. Therefore, it came as a complete surprise to everyone when, with a load wail, Hinako rushed from the room.

"Was...was she crying??" Ranma murmured softly to herself, before noting that Hiroshi and Daisuke were inching away from her.

"What's with you guys?" She asked in surprise. The last thing the two lechers ever did was try to avoid her while she was in girl form.

"You never told us the curses were catching!" Daisuke said accusingly, while Hiroshi nodded in agreement. Ranma stared at their fearful faces, a large sweat drop forming on the back of her head.

"You're kidding, right?"

****

The clatter of the front door caused Cologne to shout in irritation, "Can't you read!? We're closed till further notice, go away."

She looked up when a voice drawled sardonically, "My, what a lovely welcome. Makes me feel right at home."

Cologne looked up from where she was leaning over a tattered old book. "Oh, it's you, son-in-law. What are you doing home so early?"

Nabiki lifted an eyebrow at the son-in-law comment, but let it pass. Truth be told, she rather liked the sound of it. Instead, she said, "I found it advisable to vacate the school for a little while."

"Ah," Cologne said, "well, I did warn you to avoid boys." Nabiki very nearly blushed. After realizing Akane and Ranma were going to drop the deception, Nabiki had figured the reactions of the students to the knowledge that she had scammed them, yet again, would be fairly strong. Any other person would have decided at that point to make themselves scarce. That was not the reason Nabiki had decided to call it a day. She'd faced down outraged customers before. She rather enjoyed doing it, their faces turned such lovely shades.

It was not until she caught herself fantasizing about letting one of the larger group of boys that would be looking for her, catch her, preferable in an isolated spot where they would not be interrupted for some time, that she had elected to make an early day of it. The urge was still very strong, but she hated to admit she was so out of control. Instead she changed the subject.

Looking around at all the tables that were liberally covered with dirty dishes, she said, "I see you had a busy morning."

Cologne snorted, and lifted her gaze from the musty old book she was reading, and glared at Nabiki. "What I had was a disaster. Someone it seems, has ordered my waitress to remain a cat for a week." Cologne looked back down at the book, but continued to talk. "That being the case, why don't you take the apron from behind the kitchen door and start clearing the tables. I'd like to get this place clean before the lunch crowd gets here."

"Me?" Nabiki said in an incredulous voice. "You want me to do dishes?" Cologne lifted her head once again and looked at Nabiki, she did not say a word, but Nabiki backed up a step. "Right then. You said the apron was behind the door?" Cologne said, nothing, just went back to reading. "Right then, I'll just get started then."

Nabiki gave a shiver, and started to clear dirty dishes. She was an order of magnitude more observant than Ranma, and what she had observed in Cologne's eyes very clearly said she should shut up and be very quiet while she washed the dishes.

****

"So Ranma, you're stuck like this are you?" Daisuke asked

"You're sure it's not catching?" A nervous Hiroshi added. At Ranma's disgusted look he held up his hands and said, "Ok, ok, I believe you, it's not catching."

They were taking advantage of Miss Hinako's absence to talk. The two boys in particular felt they owed Ranma for the scam she almost pulled on them, and were eager to even the score.

"I just want you to know that we'll be there for you, Ranma." Daisuke said, resting a hand on Ranma's shoulder. "If you ever need anyone to talk to, we'll be here."

"Yeah Ranma, we'll stand by you in this, and if you never change back, we'll still be your friends through thick and thin."

"That's right, you can count on us."

"That's really swell, guys. You know what would be even better?"

"What's that?" They both said at once.

Ranma swatted both of them up side the head. "If you jerks would stop drooling all over my tits while you're talking to me!! You Bakas!"

Hiroshi and Daisuke both held the side of their heads, but the grin they directed at Ranma was unrepentant.

"Aw, give us a break Ranma. You're just so darn cute."

"Yeah, we can't help ourselves."

Ranma sighed in exasperation, but she wasn't really all that mad. Unlike a lot of the boys, who tried to hide their appreciation of her body, while buying Nabiki's stock of pictures out on a regular basis, Daisuke and Hiroshi had always been up front concerning their good humored lust for her form. More than once splashing her to make it appear. Despite that, Ranma truly liked them, and considered them friends. They, like most of the boys in Ranma's class, had begged for introductions to the pig-tailed girl. Unlike the other boys, however, they had not withdrawn in disgust from Ranma when the truth was revealed. They had merely continued being her friends. Keeping her company at school as a boy, and leering with good humor at her girl side whenever it made an appearance.

Seeing as how Miss Hinako was gone, Ranma decided to engage in one of her favorite class room activity. "So, anyone up for a game of cards."

"Strip poker?" Hiroshi asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Baka?" Ranma said. "All I want from you is your lunch money. Looking at your pathetic bodies would just kill my appetite."

"Yeah right, in your dreams, Saotome."

****

"Is that really you, Akane?"

Unlike Ranma, most of Akane's friends were avoiding her. Only two, and Ukyou, were currently gathered around him. It had taken them a little longer to get up the nerve then Ranma's two cronies. However, their curiosity had finally overwhelmed them. If, unlike Daisuke and Hiroshi, they were taking Akane's status with less than glee, neither were they retreating from her in disgust, like the other girls in the class. If anyone had asked them, they might have said that they'd expected something like this to happen to Akane someday. Akane was closer to the weirdness that surrounded Ranma than anyone. It was bound to rub off on her eventually.

"Yes, it's all me." Akane answered Yuki, who was staring up at Akane, a rather forlorn look on her face.

"It must be so strange." She said.

"You have no idea. If it weren't for Ranma and Ukyou, I don't know if I'd be handling it as well as I am."

"Ukyou?" Kanomi said, "I thought you two were rivals?"

Kanomi was a new friend, she had arrived at school a few months ago, and had kept to herself, until Akane had dragged her into their group. She was a tall blonde with long wavy hair. She has some sort of a condition that kept her from attending gym, but despite that, she and Akane got along very well. Surprisingly, after her initial reaction, she seemed to be taking Akane's transformation in stride. She had been the first to come over to talk, and except for an initial, wow, effect, had not seemed bothered in the least by Akane's new form.

"That's old news sugar." Ukyou said. "I dropped my claim to Ranma-honey a few months ago. I have a new guy now."

Kanomi looked at her speculatively. "Anyone we know?"

Both Akane and Ukyou suddenly looked flustered. "No!" They both said at once. Yuki blinked at their vehemence, but Kanomi merely smiled, and looked speculatively between the two of them. Yuki seemed to be oblivious to their flustered condition.

Instead, she looked across at Ranma. "What about you and Ranma? She won't be chasing other girls all the time now, but it must make it pretty hard. Her being a girl and all."

Kanomi snorted with laughter. "I bet pretty hard is a good description of the situation. How about it, Akane," she said with a knowing look. "Are things 'hard' between you and Ranma?"

Akane looked even more flustered, but fortunately, an interruption occurred.

"Aloha, Keiki. It is I, the big Kahuna. Come to teach all you poor neglected bruddas and sistas while the little Wahine, she get control of herself."

A not-so-muffled groan echoed through the classroom. The only ones not upset were Akane and Ukyou, who welcomed even this insane interruption.

****

"Damn!" Cologne slammed the book in front of her shut with a bang, causing Nabiki, who was elbow deep in hot sudsy water, to jump in surprise. Turning she looked over at the elder, who for the last hour had been silently studying.

"Problems?" She asked.

Instead of answering her, Cologne asked a question of her own. "You mentioned that the Suzuka potion had some side effects. What were they?"

Nabiki thought for a minute, and then, said. "I would have to say that it appears to have affected their libidos. They lost control of their sexual urges. Ranma experienced uncontrolled orgasms, it was almost like she was having a seizure. Mousse, according to Shampoo, became much bolder and even more aggressive than usual. Which is saying a lot for him. I experienced that first hand. He forced himself on me when I tried to get him to leave Shampoo and I alone. I believe Shampoo filled you in on what happened then?"

"Indeed she did. What of Ryouga, how did this manifest in him?"

Nabiki frowned. Her face showing the debate she was having with herself over whether she should tell or not, finally she decided on the truth. "He raped Ranma." She said bluntly, and was rewarded by seeing Cologne start in shock, but she recovered quickly.

"I see. That then, is what you meant by Ranma having a greater skill in self-deception."

"That's right. Ranma is fully convinced that it was nothing more than another type of fight."

"And do you agree with that?"

"No! I watched her at school this morning when she faced Kuno. I've been watching Ranma for a very long time, and especially how she reacts in battle. She was scared of Kuno, and I can only think of one thing that would cause that. She's been affected more than she knows by what Ryouga did to her."

"Do you think it is likely to happen again?"

"That's hard to say. It was completely out of character for Ryouga, so I have to agree with Ranma that it was the potion. Ranma seems free of the side effects the potion caused in her, but then, she hasn't been taking it on a regular basis, just the one time. Also, she took a massive dose that one time, so she's maybe not a good control for evaluating the long term effect the potion. We have to assume that Ryouga is still taking it, he would have no reason to stop. Mousse has been taking it on a regular basis, and was still suffering side effects yesterday, if that's any indication."

"I notice you didn't mention what sort of side effect it had on Shampoo?"

Nabiki snorted, "The fact that we are having this conversation, and that I spent the night sleeping with a cat should be all that you need to know about what it did to Shampoo." Nabiki looked around, and asked. "Where is the little fur ball anyway?" Her tone of voice contradicted the words she used. It was softer and gentler than her normal speaking voice, and the sarcasm sounded good-humored, rather than bitter.

"She was sleeping on the seat of her new bike earlier, but we had an incident, and I put her upstairs as a guard."

"Guard? Guard against what? Or should I say who?"

"That is the problem. I don't know. Mousse seems to have gained some skill in magic, and has created something, or as you said, someone. His behavior was, as you described, very out of character, and quite arrogant. Have you noted any signs that Ranma might be demonstrating magical ability?"

Nabiki suddenly lost her rather laconic pose, and Cologne took note of the sudden intense look that crossed her face. "You did notice something then?"

"When Ranma and Akane became intimate for the first time, a golden glow surrounded them, it blew out several electronic devices in Akane's room. Even more importantly, ever since then, Akane seems to have a full- blown Jusenkyo curse, even though she was only exposed to the instant variety. I'm sure that it's a result of the energy Ranma emitted."

"That could be it then, but I'm at a loss as to how Mousse was able to focus it so well."

"Just what did duck boy do anyway?"

"You had better come upstairs. It will be easier to explain if you see for yourself. Not that I have any explanation to offer at the moment."

**

The first thing Nabiki noted upon entering Shampoo's room was Shampoo, in human form, sitting on a chair. As soon as Shampoo saw Nabiki and Cologne, she used a nearby glass of water to change form, and wriggled out of her clothes. Nabiki reflexively held out her arms as Shampoo dashed across the room and leaped at her. Cuddling the small cat, who looked worried, she whispered, "It's alright, kitten, I did say you could change in an emergency."

Nabiki did not say anything else, her attention was elsewhere, because the second thing she saw after entering the room was also Shampoo. This Shampoo was laying on the bed, and unlike the purple tresses of Nabiki's love, had pure white hair. Her nude condition served to show that her hair color was no die job. Or if it was, a very thorough one.

Nabiki turned to Cologne, an eyebrow arched in surprise.

"Mousse did this?" She asked.

"I assume so. I entered the room to find him looming over her. His intent was very clear. I stopped him. Something he did not take well to at all. He attacked me."

"Mousse?" Nabiki said in some surprise. "Are you sure he knew it was you?" She asked, knowing the blind boy's penchant for attacking everything but his real target.

"Oh yes, there can be no doubt as to that. He was perfectly aware of who I was. His behavior was a mystery, as was the means he used to attack me."

"Used a style you're not familiar with?"

"No. It was his style, but modified. He imbued his weapons with far more massive amounts of his chi, or ki as you would say, than is normal for him. It gave him greater than normal control over his weapons, but I can't believe he felt the side effects worth the extra little bit of control."

"How so, I would have thought the more control the better?"

"You would think so, but by placing so much of his life energy into them, he made them temporarily part of his body, which besides giving him more control, also let him feel pain when they were damaged."

A low moan from the girl on the bed broke into their conversation. They both turned as one, and three pairs of eyes watched as the girl on the bed brought her hand to her head, her face twisted in a grimace of pain. Her eyes opened, and she looked blearily around the room.

"What? ... Where? ...YOU!" The last was screamed out as her eyes focused on Nabiki. She stiffened in preparation of launching an attack, and Nabiki stepped back hastily. Shampoo hissed a warning in the direction of the stranger, causing her to notice the cat cradled in Nabiki's arm's for the first time.

"Shampoo! I'll save you my darling!" She lunged out of bed, and fell flat on her face, her feet tangled in the bedding. As she fought with the bedclothes, she continued to hurl threats at Nabiki, vowing to punish her for what she had done to her precious Shampoo.

The other three people in the room big sweated, and looked at each other.

"Well," Cologne said with a wry look, "now we know who she is."

Nabiki nodded, and added. "The question now is, who was it you chased out of this room earlier?"

"Ahhhhhhhh, what have you done to me!?" Three heads turned to focus on the white-haired girl, who was kneeling on the floor now. She was looking down at her large firm breasts, a look of utter shock on her face."

Nabiki chuckle. "Well Mousse, look at it this way. You always wanted Shampoo's body, now you have-OUCH!" Nabiki cried out in pain as a stabbing sensation drove through her left arm. She glared down at the cat in her arms, who looked back with an innocent, 'who-me', expression. Nabiki lifted the cat so they were face to face.

"That was foolish, understandable, but foolish. I hope you enjoy the consequences, because I know I'm going to." Shampoo looked defiant, but Nabiki was pleased to see a glimmer of uncertainty in the cat's eyes. The episode last night had shown Shampoo that Nabiki was quite capable of punishing her in ways that were anything but enjoyable.

Nabiki was suddenly knocked sprawling as she was tackled by the enraged former boy. Shampoo went flying from her arms, and Nabiki twisted her head to look at Cologne, expecting to see some help coming from that direction. To her surprise, Cologne merely perched on her staff, giving no indication that she was aware Nabiki was struggling to keep Mousse's hands away from her throat. Her surprise turned to shock as Cologne inserted her staff between Shampoo, who had been about to attack Mousse, and the struggling pair. Cologne's eyes met Nabiki's and the mercenary girl realized she was on her own.

Nabiki had time to wonder if this was Cologne's revenge, then she was too busy to think of anything else except protecting herself. The two girls rocked back and forth across the floor as Nabiki tried desperately to toss Mousse off of her body. Mousse declined to be thrown, and remained on top of her, all the time trying her damnedest to get her hands around Nabiki's throat.

At first Nabiki was too busy to think about the unlikelihood of her being able to last more then a second in a fight with Mousse. Then, she realized that the only reason Mousse was putting up any fight at all, was a result of her insane rage at Nabiki. Compared to Shampoo, the girl struggling with her had very little physical strength. As a matter of fact... Nabiki stopped trying to throw Mousse off of her body, instead she grasped the other girl's slim wrists, and concentrated on forcing Mousse's hands away from her throat.

Mousse's eyes widened in shock as Nabiki easily disengaged her hands, and started to force them up and away from her. A grim light lit Nabiki's eyes, and her mouth twisted into a scowl, as she forced Mousse's hands higher and higher. Neither one of the struggling girls noticed as Cologne gave a nod of satisfaction, as if some idea of hers had just been confirmed.

Nabiki gave a twist to the side, and this time managed to topple Mousse over on her back. Nabiki quickly pressed her advantage, and threw herself over so she was lying on top of the white-haired girl. Holding the other girl's hands well over Mousse's head, she pressed them tightly to the floor. Mousse writhed under her, but this time Nabiki had the upper hand, and she simply lay there and enjoyed the other girl's struggles. Finally, Mousse went limp and glared up at her.

"You haven't won, bitch. I don't know how you did it, but I'll stop you no matter what you try."

Nabiki stiffened at Mousse words, and her eyes narrowed. "There is just one thing wrong with that, my dear." Nabiki leaned down and very deliberately, licked one of Mousse's recently acquired female nipples. Shampoo wailed in shock, while Mousse was too flabbergasted to do more than gasp in surprise as strange sensations shot through her new body.

"You pervert!" Mousse finally gasped out. Nabiki lifted her face up from Mousse's breast, which glistened with her saliva.

"Exactly!" Nabiki said with an evil grin. At Mousse's shocked look she continued. "I'm not Ranma, Mousse. I have no intention of living the rest of my live wondering when you're going to stick a knife in my back." She turned to Cologne, and was pleased to see that the old woman was looking nonplused at her actions. That was good, Nabiki counted on doing the unexpected. Being predicable was a bad thing.

"How much?" She asked Cologne, who blinked in surprise.

"How much for what?" Cologne asked, then her eyes widened, and she gasped. "You don't mean...?"

"Oh yes I do mean. How much for this one? I have a yen for a matching pair, and don't expect me to pay anywhere near what I paid for Shampoo. This little mouse is nowhere near being in kitten's league."

"You can't do that!" Mousse yelled in shock, renewing her struggles against Nabiki's grip.

"I beg to differ, my little rodent." Nabiki said. "You most assuredly had possession of that slave potion, and under Amazon law Cologne has no choice. Isn't that right, Grandmother?" Nabiki asked. She looked over at Cologne, who cursed silently to herself.

Damn Shampoo, why couldn't she keep her mouth shut. Well, Cologne thought, as she looked down as Shampoo's shocked feline face, she's paying the price for her foolishness now. Cologne looked back at Nabiki.

"You are correct, I have no choice, the law is the law, as my Great Granddaughter pointed out not too long ago." She looked over at the shocked form of Mousse, running her eyes over her body, so like Shampoo's in many ways, but so different in others. Mousse's new body had nowhere near Shampoo's muscle tone. She had the body Shampoo might have had if she had been born into a life of luxury, never having to fight or strain a day in her life. Firm and shapely, but soft in the ways that counted to an Amazon. That was what Cologne had noticed earlier, and was why she had not interfered in the fight between the two girls.

"I will not argue with you that she is not equal to Shampoo, but still, she is attractive, I could get a good price for her on the docks."

Nabiki just looked back at her. "But you're not going to do that are you. You might threaten, but you would not really do that, not unless you have to. We both know that I'm the only real option."

Unlike with Shampoo, Nabiki felt no sexual pleasure at bargaining for Mousse's body, and had no intention of getting into an elaborate argument on the girl's worth. "I'll give you ten thousand yen for her, take it or leave it."

"And if I leave it?"

"Then, I'll go down to the docks with you, and we'll try and get a good price for her."

Implicit in Nabiki's remark was the fact that Mousse was not going to remain free to harass her. One way or the other, she intended to see the newborn girl removed as a threat to her. Mousse who had been lying in a numb stupor, came back to herself.

"You're a fool if you think I'll sit idly by and let you have your way in this."

Nabiki did not even look down at her. "I take it you have methods of insuring that she causes no problems for me."

Cologne was looking more and more reluctant, but she answered. "Yes, there are several methods. There is the Xi Fa Xiang Gao for instance. I could erase her memory. As far as she would know, she would have always been your slave. This is not a preferred option under the law, the elders of the time wanted the girl to be aware of just what she had lost, and what was happening to her. They would have hamstrung her, or disabled her by some other means, but in this case, I suppose it is an option."

"NO!!" You can't do that!" Mousse yelled, bucking under Nabiki, trying to throw her off her female body.

Cologne noticed the apparent ease with which Nabiki was holding her in place, despite Mousse using several advanced martial art moves in her attempt to escape. Nabiki seemed to be countering them without thought. Aided by Mousse's weaker body, she was having no difficulty retaining her dominant position. Another supposition clicked into place.

Nabiki leered down at the struggling girl. "Oh but she can, my little mouse, and she'll have to if I insist on it. Isn't that right, Grandmother?" When Cologne hesitated, Nabiki tried to project a more reasonable image. "Grandmother, I don't like operating in this manner, but Mousse leaves me little choice. This is the only way I can ensure I'm going to wake up every morning."

"I see, so you only wish to control her. You do not truly wish to possess her?"

Nabiki smiled, and it was not a nice smile. "As I may have mentioned before. I am not Ranma. I am not in the habit of not using my own property. I have every intention of possessing her in every meaning of the word." Nabiki felt a tremor pass through the girl under her, and she looked down at Mousse. For the first time fear was evident in that face, and Nabiki felt a rush of pleasure over the fact that she was responsible for it.

Nabiki's words seemed to drive a spike through Shampoo's heart, and the little cat felt the urge to curl up in a ball, and hide from the world. Tears trickled from her eyes, and dampened her whiskers.

"Shampoo?" Nabiki said in a soft voice.

Shampoo looked up at her owner, and was caught in the dark brown pools that were her eyes. They seemed to bore right into her soul. She gave a shiver, but did not drop her gaze.

"What's the matter, kitten? Do you think I love you any less?"

Shampoo started in surprise, and Nabiki sighed. "You really should start listening you know. I keep telling you. I'm not a very nice person, but kitten, one thing I am, is very much in love with you. It's not something I would have gone looking for, but it happened, and I have no intention of fighting it. However, that does not mean I'm going to let you dictate my behavior. Come here!"

Shampoo rocked back in surprise as Nabiki's calm voice suddenly became icy as she snapped out her order. Before she realized what she was doing, she was walking toward Nabiki and Mousse. As she did, Nabiki looked back up at Cologne, her eyes steely.

"Ten thousand Yen, take it or leave it. What's it going to be?"

Cologne's own eyes flashed back, but she looked at the figure of her Great Granddaughter, and remembered the evidence of the soul scanner. No matter what Nabiki said, there was no way she could truly emotionally hurt Shampoo, not without feeling that pain herself. If Shampoo was truly distressed by the situation, and remained that way, Nabiki would feel that pain as her own. Nabiki did not strike her as one who would live with pain if she did not have to, she would bow to Shampoo's suffering in the end, and stop this if that was what was needed. So, despite how galling she found it to give the impression of caving into the younger woman, she surrendered this particular fight.

"Very well, Ten thousand Yen." She turned and hopped toward the door, then she paused, and turned back. "You do have the money now don't you? I would hate for you to handle the merchandise, and then, decline to pay." Cologne smiled to herself as Mousse flinched under her words. It served the fool right. If she had not been so stupid, Cologne would not be in this position.

"In my school bag." Nabiki said, without looking at Cologne, she was drinking in the fear on Mousse's face, and could not pull her gaze away.

*

Mousse gazed up at the face of his captor, and felt an acid burning in her stomach. The look in Nabiki's eyes was something Mousse could have gone her whole life gladly without seeing. It seemed to pierce right to her center. She found herself unable to look away, and when Nabiki released her wrists, she continued to lie there, Nabiki's weight pressing her down into the floor. She could feel her bare back and ass grinding into the wooden surface, while Nabiki's breasts pressed against her own.

Her own breasts! Oh, kami, what had happened to her? How had this happen? She had drunk the whole bottle of slave potion. No! She hadn't! Something had taken control of her, and made her swallow it. Why was she still alive? That much potion should have completely destroyed her chi, should have left her a lifeless husk. Or would it have? Ryouga said Ranma had drained a whole bottle and survived. Was Ryouga's version of the potion degraded? False? Not as effective? Maybe, but why was she a girl? Nothing in the potion could have done that. Could it have warped her curse? That made no sense.

The thoughts raced through Mousse's mind as she tried to come to grip with the impossibility of her current situation. It was not until Nabiki rolled off her body, and stretched out alongside her, that she came back to the present situation. It was the hand cupping one of her new breasts that did it. Strange sensations rippled through her body, and she twisted her head around to stare in shock at the hand slowly rubbing her flesh.

"Ah, good, I see you're back with us." Nabiki purred, as she flicked one of Mousse's nipples with a long sharp fingernail. Mousse gave a small gasp as the sharp pain mixed with the unfamiliar sensations running through her body. A low growl sounded near her head, and she twisted once more, this time to look at Shampoo, scant inches away, and looking at her with death in her eyes. Mousse could swear she could see little flames danced in her pupils...

See! Mousse suddenly realized something that drove every other thought out of her head. "I can see!" She exclaimed in wonder. "I CAN SEE!!!" She tried to sit up, but Nabiki pressed her back down on her back, compressing the breast she was using as a handle as she did so. The sensation of having her breast mauled brought Mousse back to her senses, and her hands rose to try and pull Nabiki's hand away from her sensitive flesh. "Don't touch me!" She snarled.

Nabiki snarled in turn, how dare this little bitch try and tell her what do. Grasping one of Mousse's wrists, she wrenched the girl over onto her belly. Nabiki held the struggling girl with ease, and ordered Shampoo to bring her some of the scraps from the dress they had torn up the night before. For a second Shampoo looked like she was going to refuse, but then, with her head held low, and her tail dragging, she retrieved the items Nabiki requested. Using the scraps of cloth, Nabiki quickly bound Mousse's hands behind her back, and then, pulled her legs up one by one, and tied them to her wrists. When she was finished, Mousse-chan was hogtied, and quite, quite helpless.

Nabiki surveyed her handiwork with pleasure. She was practically dripping from passion. The thrill of overpowering Mousse with nothing but her own body and strength was incredibly stimulating. Nabiki noticed Shampoo sulking in the corner, and her expression grew grim.

"Shampoo!" She snapped out. When the cat looked up at her, she glared at her and said. "You have no one to blame but yourself. If you hadn't tried to scam me yesterday, it would be you I'd be playing with right now. I know how you feel about Mousse, and frankly, I don't give a damn. You can either spend this night, and every night for the rest of the week in the storage room, or you can help me test drive my new toy. I won't order you, and if you decide to not help, I won't hold it against you, but I'm not going to let you spoil my fun. Make up your mind. What is it going to be?"

Shampoo looked back and forth between her mistress and Mousse. She was burning up with jealousy at the thought of Nabiki with someone else, but she knew Nabiki was not going to be swayed from this course of action. For a second she was tempted to use some hot water to restore her normal form. She could kick Mousse's ass out the window, and take Nabiki to bed by force, no matter how much the other girl might fight.

She could do that, but if she did, she'd be miserable. She loved it when Nabiki used her body. Placing herself utterly in Nabiki's hands was the most exciting thing that she had ever done. Much as sharing Nabiki with Mousse disgusted her, not being with her mistress would be far, far worse.

Shampoo came to a decision. She straightened her drooping tail. Lifted her eyes, and looked Nabiki straight in the face. "Merp," She burbled. The stern look on Nabiki's face melted, and she dropped to her knees, gathering Shampoo into her arms.

"Oh, kitten, I'm so happy. It just wouldn't have been as much fun without you here." She turned to look at Mousse, who had quit struggling, and was looking at her once again with fear in her eyes. Nabiki glowed with pleasure at that look. She held Shampoo up to her face, and stage whispered in her ear. "Everything looks so good kitten. I don't know where to start. How about you? Do you have any ideas?" Mousse's eyes went, if anything, wider than they already were as Shampoo turned speculative cat eyes her way. She suddenly felt very much like the mouse Nabiki had named her.

With Shampoo in her arms, Nabiki walked around the bound form on the floor. Mousse found herself blushing under that intimate appraisal, and then, blushed even redder for showing weakness in front of an enemy, and Shampoo. Her train of thought was broken when Nabiki finally made her first move. To her shame she gave a muffled squeal, when Nabiki bent over and ran a sharp nail along the soul of her foot. In her old body, she had calluses on top of her calluses. She could walk over hot coals with impunity. This body had no such toughness. It was without blemish or scar, the skin as delicate and sensitive as a newborn.

Nabiki gave a low laugh of appreciation at Mousse's sensitivity. "Oh yes, this is going to be so much fun." Using her foot, she rolled Mousse over on her side. Nabiki then set Shampoo down beside Mousse, and reached out and tweaked one of Mousse's nipples. Mousse gave a little gasp, and the small bud became hard and rigid under Nabiki's fingers.

"Why don't you play with these for a while kitten." Nabiki suggested. "I want to freshen up."

Nabiki stood, leaving Shampoo on the floor, and walked over to the door. Just before she left, she turned and said to Shampoo. "Play nice, I'd be very annoyed to come back and find you've scratched my new toy before I've had a chance to really put it through its paces.

**

Nabiki shut the door behind her, and leaned against the wall with a sigh. She hated doing that to Shampoo, but she had to settle this situation, and this was the best way she could think of. Besides, she thought, thinking of the expression on Mousse's face, it promised to be great fun.

"I don't appreciate being handed ultimatums in my own home, son-in-law." Nabiki turned her head to look at Cologne, who was sitting on her staff in the middle of the hallway.

"I'm sorry, but I won't let anyone tell me how to run my personal life."

"And are you planning on making Mousse part of that personal life?"

Nabiki snorted. "Please, give me some credit. Shampoo would rip her throat out if I ever made full use of her." Nabiki was vehement in her denial about using Mousse fully, but there was a certain look in her eyes that suggested she wished it was otherwise. "I need to put the fear of me into Mousse, and I need to teach Shampoo some discipline. She could turn me into hamburger anytime she took the notion. I need to keep the whip on her. Neither one of us would be happy with her as the one in charge of our relationship. She wants someone to tell her what to do, and I've never been one to take orders well."

"You had better learn!" Cologne said grimly. Nabiki looked over at her with surprise, but before she could say anything, Cologne continued. "Didn't you find it at all surprising that you could handle Mousse so easily?"

"I assumed it was because her new body lacked muscle tone, and she was no stronger than me."

"That is part of the reason, but not all of it. As far as I can tell, and from what I observed, Mousse still possesses the knowledge of her old skill. It would do her little good against Ranma or Shampoo, but against you it should have been more than enough."

"Stop," Nabiki said in a mocking tone, "You'll give me a swelled head." Something flashed through the air between them, and thumped into Nabiki's hand. She stared in surprise at the throwing shuriken that was gripped between the index and forefinger of her right hand. She paled, if she had not caught that...!

"The linkage between you and Shampoo is more pronounced than I first thought. You are accessing her skill. Along with the physical attributes you gained when your demonic heritage kicked in, it makes you a reasonably formidable foe. At least for someone in Mousse's present condition. You cannot be permitted to go un-trained."

"Permitted? And what if I don't choose to be trained?" Nabiki drawled, then, eeked in shock as a veritable swarm of throwing shuriken flashed toward her. There were dozen thumps as they bit into the wooden wall on either side of her body, and one between her legs. Nabiki looked from side to side, and then down at the lethal hardware bracketing her.

"I don't really need your permission." Cologne said matter of factly. "But it would be much more pleasant for you if we had a regular training routine. At the moment you can only use your newfound talent instinctively, if you have time to think, you would trip over your own feet, trying to react in two very different ways."

A drop of sweat ran down Nabiki's forehead, and hung from her nose. She wiped it away with a finger. "I thought you said you couldn't train me?"

"That was in the sexual aspects of your condition. I can, and will train you in the normal physical mastery of your body."

Nabiki looked at Cologne in resignation. Damn, she hated sweating, at least the type of sweating one did in a dojo. She sighed and gave into the inevitable. "This is for giving you an ultimatum, isn't it?"

"Why son-in-law, how could you suggest such a thing? Do you really think I'm so petty as to extract satisfaction in such a manner?"

"In a word, yes."

Cologne chuckled. "I always liked you, girl. You might turn out to be almost as much fun as Ranma." She turned and hopped away.

For her part, Nabiki headed for the shower, cursing the fate that moved her from her preferred role of observer, into a more active role in the madness that was life in Nerima. Then, her mind conjured up an image of Shampoo, bound and waiting her pleasure, and she decided there was reasonable compensation for the inconvenience.

***

Back in the bedroom, Mousse and Shampoo stared at each other. Shampoo with slit-eyed dislike, and Mousse in painful realization. She had never seen that look in Shampoo's eyes before, not that if had never been there before she realized, but because she had never seen Shampoo's eyes so clearly before. For the first time in her life, she could see her beloved with crystal clarity, and the view was not by any stretch of the imagination living up to her dreams.

She bowed her head, and whispered. "Please, Shampoo, just free me. I'll take you away from the demon. I'll get you the help you need."

Mousse winced at the kitty snarl Shampoo generated in reaction to that statement. "I understand, I've been a fool. All I ask is that you let me do this for you, and I'll be out of your life forever. Mousse was lying through her teeth about getting out of Shampoo's life. She hated to do it, but if that was what was necessary, then so be it. She vowed she'd turn that fire in Shampoo's eyes, into one of passion.

Before that could happen, they had to escape from the demon, she put all the sincerity she could muster into her voice as she tried to reason with Shampoo. "I know you have some control left. You are not doing what the demon bitch ordered you to do to me. You still have control. Let me free you, please." Shampoo stiffened at Mousse's words, and for a minute Mousse thought she'd gotten through to her.

Shampoo glared at the girl lying in front of her. It was like looking into some sort of bizarre mirror. Except for the hair, they could have been twins. The words her 'twin' had uttered had bitten like a knife. She had made a vow to herself when she had gone to Nabiki that first night. She had vowed to make herself utterly Nabiki's. Mousse words drove home how badly she had betrayed that vow. Her mistress had given her an order, and she had let personal distaste prevent her from carrying it out. She stared in defiance at the girl in her body, and deliberately marched forward.

"That's it Shampoo, free me, and I'll take both of us away from here."

But it was not the ties binding Mousse that were Shampoo's target. Mousse arched her back in shock, as a sandpapery tongue lashed across one of her sensitive new nipples. Again the small pink tongue attacked, and Mousse gasped yet again as the little bud grew rock hard under Shampoo's attention. Mousse's mind screamed at her to roll away, to keep Shampoo from degrading herself in this matter, but her body had different ideas. She found herself pushing her new breasts toward Shampoo, and tears of pleasure started to run from her eyes as Shampoo lashed, first one, than the other nipple, with her active, and rough, little tongue. The small barbs on Shampoo's tongue created a sensation was like nothing Mousse had ever experienced before.

"Well, well, well, and isn't that a sight to warm the cockles of one heart. Whatever cockles are."

Shampoo looked up from her task to see Nabiki standing in the doorway. Her hair wet from the shower, and one of Shampoo short bathrobes tied loosely around her waist. It was open in the front, and framed Nabiki's proud breasts to perfection. Shampoo found herself drooling as she looked at those delectable orbs. She had an overwhelming urge to leap into the other girl's arms and to treat them just as she had been treating Mousse's.

Nabiki's eyes took in the panting form of Mousse, noticed the light sheen of sweat that coated that oh so familiar body, and felt a stirring in her own groin. "Very good, very good indeed kitten, you've done well."

Shampoo swelled with pride at Nabiki's words. Suddenly, she felt a wash of affection for Mousse, because of that fool, she had been able to please her mistress. She fought down the urge to run to Nabiki, and instead bent forward once more, and took one of Mousse's nipples delicately between her razor sharp teeth. She bit down lightly, while at the same time, she licked the tip of the trapped bud eagerly with her tongue. In her mind, it was darker nipple, on a slightly smaller breast, and she expended all the attention she longed to expend on Nabiki, on the fool on the floor.

Nabiki felt an intense love for Shampoo. The little cat was doing something she hated, merely because Nabiki had told her to do it. In no more profound way could she have demonstrated her love and commitment to Nabiki. She longed to fetch a cup of hot water so she could express the love she felt properly, but she was as bound by Shampoo's punishment as the Amazon was. She could not arbitrarily cancel it. That would defeat the whole purpose of the exercise. She consoled herself with the knowledge of how much fun it would be in a week when Shampoo's punishment was lifted. For now she would have to be happy with what she had, and that meant making sure Mousse would never dream of crossing her.

Nabiki had given some thought to the matter, and had concluded it was waste of her time to try to intimidate Mousse with purely physical pain. Her new body was sensitive enough, but a martial artist with any sort of talent soon learned to deal with pain. No, Nabiki intended to make Mousse deal with something she was not use to, raw, undiluted, unrestrained, pleasure.

From the moment she had walked in the bedroom door, Mousse's eyes had been focused on her. She was the first attractive girl Mousse had ever seen clearly in the nude, or near nude. Whatever the changes to her body, she still had her old drives and desires, and against her will, she found herself reacting powerfully to Nabiki's presence.

With a casual shrug of her shoulders, Nabiki let the robe slip completely from her body. She watched Mousse's eyes intently as she did so, and felt a rush of gratification when she spotted her pupils dilating. She smiled to herself. Whatever body Mousse might wear now, she still had a healthy appreciation of the female form. Nabiki had to wonder how, however. Considering he was as blind as a bat, or rather had been. Just how had he developed an image of a good looking woman to fill his fantasy? Braille? Maybe so, in which case, Mousse's would have very skillful fingers. Or maybe not. In any case, Nabiki knew it would be fun finding out.

Mousse watched the brown-haired girl with wide frightened eyes. She was so helpless, no matter how she struggled, she did not seem able to muster the strength to break her fragile bonds. Her problems were compounded by the fact that she was having a great deal of trouble reconciling herself to her current situation. She was a girl. She had breasts. Large heavy lumps that pressed against her chest, sending unfamiliar sensations to her mind. The sensations were escalated by the attention Shampoo-neko was lavishing on them. Every lick from that rough little tongue sent a flash of fire rushing through her.

As the strange feeling continued to come in from all over her new body, she felt wetness growing between her thighs. For an instant, her old reflexes caused her to wonder if she had embarrassed herself in front of the other two girls. Then, with a flash of insight, she realized what she was feeling was the final proof that she was now completely female, with not a single vestige of her masculinity left. The sensation of wet heat between her legs was her vagina.

Vagina! Tears trickled down her cheeks. She would never be able to show Shampoo her love in a proper fashion now. She would never sink her manhood into Shampoo body.

"Tears?" A soft voice asked.

Mousse blinked her eyes free of the moisture, and discovered Nabiki's face inches from her own. While Mousse had been lost in the feelings her new body was experiencing, Nabiki had lain down beside her, trapping Shampoo between their bodies. The little cat broke off its oral attention to Mousse's breasts, and gave Nabiki's a lick instead. Mousse saw the brown-haired girl's eyes slit with pleasure, but she reached down and moved Shampoo's head away from her own lovely brown breasts, and back to Mousse's pale, wild strawberry tipped mounds.

"Now, now kitten, don't neglect our quest. You and I will have lots of time to play later."

Mousse wanted to cry out, for Nabiki to leave him alone, to go away. Yes! To even go and play with Mousse's beloved Shampoo. Only leave her alone. She said none of these things. Instead she gasped as once again Shampoo turned her attention toward her new breasts. Guilt rose up in her, she should be fighting, not allowing this to happen. She couldn't help herself. She had dreamed for so long of making love to Shampoo, that even this pale substitute was heaven.

Mousse's eyes widened, as she felt a human hand cup one of her breasts, the one Shampoo was not licking. She stared at Nabiki, frozen in fear, as the brown haired girl manipulated the flesh of Mousse's new body part. She quivered in relief when Nabiki finally moved her hand away, but her relief was short lived. She gave a small squeak of shock as she felt Nabiki's hand slid down her belly, and felt fingers dancing all around her groin. She felt as if she had an erection that would split wood, but she knew the sensation was false. It was her brain's way of trying to translate nerve impulses it had never experienced before. So, it substituted one feeling of arousal, for another.

Mousse gave thanks to the Kami that at least in this body, she was not giving away how badly her body was handling Nabiki's ministrations. Then, Nabiki's fingers slipped lower, and for the first time in her life, Mousse felt her flesh part. She arched her back as best she could, what with the way she was tied, but all she served to do was to drive Nabiki's probing finger deeper into her body. Nabiki quickly withdrew her finger, but not before a sharp pain lanced between Mousse's legs.

"How sweet, our little girl is a virgin. Or is that was?"

Mousse's eyes crossed, as Nabiki held a finger up in front of her eyes. It was wet and slick with what Mousse knew must be her own juices, and there was a faint trace of blood. Her blood! Her virgin blood! She felt a tremor run through her body, the muscles in her upper thighs clenched, a burning sensation started in her groin and spread to her include her whole mid-section. Mousse's hips started to pump and a soft wail started to escape her mouth as all the muscles in her body suddenly went rigid. Wave after wave of pleasure unlike anything she had ever experienced before crashed over her awareness, drowning out all other stimuli.

Shampoo hastily backed off as Mousse began to thrash within the limits allowed by her bonds. Inarticulate sounds issued from her wide spread mouth, and her eyes were opened wide, and stared rigidly at nothing. Beside Shampoo, Nabiki was equally surprised. At first she had thought Mousse was once again fighting her captivity, but she soon realized the new girl was in the throes of her first orgasm. Why that should be, Nabiki had no idea. Neither Shampoo nor she had stimulated Mousse to the point where an explosion of this magnitude was likely.

As Mousse's gasps of pleasure went on and on, and her body continued to contort, Nabiki began to feel worried that she might be suffering from a similar condition to the one Ranma had experienced several days before. Nabiki cast a look at where Shampoo was watching Mousse. She grimaced, Shampoo would be one very unhappy kitty if Nabiki was forced to treat Mousse as Akane had treated Ranma. Somehow she had a feeling Shampoo would be a lot less willing to share her male form with Mousse. Then, just as she was beginning to fear she would have to find out the hard way, Mousse gave one last gasp, and collapsed on the floor. Nabiki leaned in over the panting girl, and tried to catch her eye. When at last she managed it, she was shocked by the expression she saw there.

Mousse looked up through eyes that were once again blurry, though this time with sweat rather then because of faulty vision. Nabiki's face hovered over her own, surrounded by a corona of light. All the hatred and despite she had felt for the other girl was gone.

This was a goddess, not a demon, she had given Mousse more pleasure then she had ever experienced before. A flash of insight ripped through Mousse's mind. She understood now. Shampoo was a lesbian. She had made love to her. All right, so maybe it was not the full scale thing, but it was more then Shampoo would ever have condescended to do to Mousse's old male body. Mousse was sure that no order of Nabiki's would have been sufficient to bring that about. It all made so much sense now. That was why Ranma had such a hold on her. That was why Nabiki was now Shampoo's new lover. This body was not a curse, it was a gift from the gods. With this body, she would finally be united with her love. At first it might take commands from Nabiki to bring them together, but once she grew to know the true her, Shampoo could not help but falling in love with her for real. It was all thanks to the goddess who was now hovering over her.

Another thought suddenly coursed through Mousse's mind. She was an Amazon now. A female Amazon, and she had been defeated in battle. It was her duty to seek to slay Nabiki, but there was another option, an option open to female Amazons of a certain persuasion. Mousse looked up into Nabiki's limpid brown eyes, and said the words she had always hoped to hear one day from Shampoo.

"Wode Airen, Wo ai ni."

****

Cologne was just lifting a cup of tea to her lips, when a loud commotion upstairs caused her to pause. The bedroom door slammed open, and a second later Shampoo came bounding down the stairs. She turned and sat on her haunches and looked back up the way she had come. A few seconds later, Nabiki appeared at the head of the stairs. She had her hand buried deep in the silver cloud that was Mousse's hair, and she was dragging the protesting girl down the stairs. Seeing as how both Nabiki and Mousse were naked, Cologne cast a quick glance at the windows to make sure all the curtains were drawn. Reassured on that point, she shifted her attention back to the two girls. To her surprise, she realized that Mousse was not fighting Nabiki, was even moving along willingly. The reason for Nabiki's manhandling of Mousse seemed to stem from some great agitation on her part, rather then from any reluctance on Mousse's part. She watched calmly as Nabiki forced Mousse into a seat across from Cologne, and then, slammed both her hands down on the tabletop.

"That soul gem thingy, I want you to use it on her!"

Cologne raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as she continued the motion she had been about to complete when the commotion had interrupted her. Raising the teacup to her lips, she took a long, and noisy, drink.

"Didn't you hear me. I asked you to get out the soul gem thingy. This is important."

Cologne seemed to consider for a moment, and then, said, "Fifteen thousand Yen."

For a second, all Nabiki could do was stare as the older woman sat there sipping her tea. "What!?" she finally demanded.

Cologne looked at her from over the rim of her cup. "The soul gem is a valuable Amazon artifact. I used it to satisfy my curiosity in regards to the situation between you and Shampoo, and to help me come to a decision in regards to what to do about it. If you wish to use it for your own private reasons, then you need to pay for the privilege." She took another sip of tea while Nabiki looked at her in anger.

"This is no time for petty revenge!" Nabiki hissed.

"I would hardly call fifteen thousand yen petty, but if you want, we could make it twenty."

Nabiki fumed for a second, then she drew herself up and took a deep cleansing breath. "Very well, fifteen. Now would you please fetch the soul gem?"

Cologne did not show any emotion, but she was a little disappointed. She had expected more of a fight out of her son-in-law. Obviously Nabiki was even more agitated then she seemed on the surface. That sparked her own curiosity.

***

Sometime later, Cologne leaned back from her inspection of the matrix the gem showed. She looked up at Nabiki and said, "as far as I can tell, there is no connection."

Both Nabiki and Shampoo slumped in relief. "Thank the Kami for that." Then, she gestured at Mousse. "So how do you explain her behavior?" Mousse was alternating her gaze between Shampoo and Nabiki, and there was no easily spotted difference between those looks. She looked at Nabiki with the same unconditional love she looked at Shampoo with.

Cologne shuddered slightly, and replied. "I would hazard a guess that somehow you triggered something that was placed there by who ever is wearing Mousse's body at the moment. When I surprised him, he was clearly bent on raping her. So, I would imagine that you are not talking about a trap here, but rather a condition imposed for the benefit of whoever that was."

Nabiki looked at Mousse with distaste. "Do you suppose it could wear off?"

"I doubt it. The nature of the conditioning seems designed to mesh with Mousse's existing character. Those are always the hardest spells to break."

At that point Shampoo gave an angry hiss, and lashed out at Mousse, who had reached forward to stroke her. A set of four shallow cuts appeared on the back of Mousse's hand, and welled blood. For a second, nothing happened, then Mousse seemed to stiffen in her chair, and a tremor ran through her body. Then, she slumped in her chair, and looked at a befuddled Shampoo with limpid eyes. "Thank you," she murmured in a dreamy voice.

Cologne noted idly that the cuts Shampoo had made on Mousse's hand were healing even as she watched. Soon, all that was left was the small amount of blood that had seeped from them. Nabiki did not note this; instead she stared at the dreamy state of Mousse's face for a second. Then, bending forward, she took one of Mousse's pale nipples between her thumb and forefinger, and pressed, flattening the sensitive nub. Mousse gave a gasp, and her hand flew up to her breast. Not to pull Nabiki's hand away, but to press them even firmer against her malleable flesh. Nabiki gave a disgusted snort, and after one final twist, which caused Mousse to shiver in bliss, she pulled her hand away.

"It would look like a love spell is not the only think they imposed on her."

"I would not say that." Cologne said. "Mousse has always been a masochist, I think they just intensified the inclination." Cologne gave Nabiki an evil grin. "Congratulations, I think you've made another conquest."

Nabiki slumped, her forehead resting on her palms. She turned her eyes up and looked at Shampoo. Over the last week Nabiki had grown to truly enjoy the love she would see shining in Shampoo's eyes, that light was seriously dimmed right now. The flat eared glare Shampoo was directing her way predicted stormy weather ahead on the relationship sea. Nabiki swiveled her eyes to look at Mousse. The look in her eyes was almost scary for the lack of rational thought it demonstrated. Pure, unfettered, brainless affection shone forth from those limpid eyes.

Nabiki gave a shudder, and said, "Why do I suddenly have the awful feeling I'm falling into Ranma's life?"

Behind the brainless expression she was projecting, Mousse smiled to herself. It was all going to work out just fine. Soon she would not only have Shampoo's true love, but Nabiki's as well.

End of Chapter 06

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