Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ One-Half a Wing and a Prayer ❯ Two Betrayals ( Chapter 17 )

Author’s Note: Ranma’s world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I’m just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn’t for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.
P.S.: still and always for Janice.


It was supposed to be a happy occasion. Ranma and Nabiki were just coming off a victory of the infamous Golden Pair of Martial Arts Figure Skating and the two were relaxing post match. They had spoken with an honesty of emotion that surprised them both, and admitted that the feelings they shared were more then intense friendship.

Then Ranma’s Amazon wife had appeared. Granted, she destroyed a wall to meet them, but in the joy of the moment most people would forgive Ranma for reacting with happiness. The redhead had bounced her way over to Shampoo, hoping that she and Nabiki would become close. After all she didn’t want to choose between the people that seemed to make life worth living.

That was when Shampoo swung her sword to take Ranma’s head off.


One Half a Wing and a Prayer
By Seth

Chapter 17
Two Betrayals


Sparks flew, and Nabiki reeled back in pain as Shampoo’s sword crashed into the telekinetic shield that the Tendo girl had used to block the strike. Nabiki felt stabbing pain in her head as she pushed what little energy she had left into the shield, protecting a stunned Ranma who was looking agape into Shampoo’s bloodthirsty eyes. With everything she had left the telepathic Tendo yanked the sword out of Shampoo’s grip, and it went flying to imbed itself in the wall as she fell over, completely spent. Shocked into action, Ranma vaulted back and took a defensive stance atop one of the locker room benches, heedless of the fact that she was still in the nude.

In a desperate voice Ranma called out, “What are you doing, Shampoo? I called for you, I sent a letter, and I waited. I missed you so much, and now you attack me? If this is about this girl here, I’m sorry, but I can explain.”

The blue haired Amazon cut her off and growled, “I is saving girl from False One. You is demon that come to destroy, and I sent to stop you.” Like the huntress that she was, Shampoo gracefully began another attack. Her mace spun a deadly pattern in front of her as she charged in, attempting to sweep the redhead’s legs out from under her.

Ranma jumped up and flipped over her wife, landing a short distance behind her, and ducking just in time to avoid a backswing that was aimed at her head. Flipping away again to gain distance, she surveyed the room and saw that Nabiki was awake but unable to move.

I have to stop this before someone, especially Shampoo or Nabiki, gets hurt, she thought. With one foot she grabbed her discarded leotard and flipped it up over one shoulder as she backed towards the hole Shampoo had made for an entryway. Jumping past the rubble she whipped the garment down and agilely put both legs through the appropriate holes in mid air. Landing outside she quickly closed the black rose clasp around her neck and backed away from the hole.

“Come on, Shampoo,” Ranma begged, “I don’t want to fight you.”

Shampoo stood in the opening and pointed her mace at Ranma, “Then you smarter than you look. I hunt and kill you, demon, I swear it.” She was about to attack again when Ranma whipped around, tears in her eyes, and jumped into the air. Her wings shot out through the open back of her outfit, and she soared into the sky. Unable to chase an airborne demon, Shampoo returned inside to retrieve her sword, and check on the native girl the demon seemed to be attacking.

Pulling the sword from the wall, she quietly asked, “Is you alright? It not get chance to hurt you?”

Nabiki looked confused with the girl’s question and answered, “Ranma would never hurt me, or you. Why are you trying to kill your husband, Shampoo?”

The Amazon answered, “Of course demon hurt us, it what demon do.” She paused and then took a closer look at the girl, “Shampoo no have husband. And how you know Shampoo’s name?”

“You do have a husband, and a wife. I know your name because I know them. I’ve felt you in them,” Nabiki answered, straightening up and pulling herself to her feet. “Please hear me out.”

The blue haired Amazon considered the native girl, and for a moment thought the girl was in shock. But her eyes were focused and her words were lucid. There was also a nagging familiarity to the girl with the pageboy hairstyle that was slowly working her way to the warrior girl.

“I go back to hunt soon,” Shampoo said, and slowly added, “but you is…I listen.”

Nabiki sat on a bench and looked up at the beautiful, but confused, Shampoo. She was decked out in Amazon battle garb, and it did little to hide her curvy form, add the cute face and innocent sounding accent, and Nabiki understood how Ranma, or any straight male, would be instantly drawn to her. Knowing that Shampoo was a wildcat in the sack only made Nabiki crave the girl more, and she wondered if Ranma was rubbing off on her.

Collecting herself, she began, “Ok, first thing you should know is that I have a few special abilities that make me different them most people.” To demonstrate, she pulled a pen from her duffle bag and showed it to Shampoo, then made it hover in mid air. “This is one of my talents, and because we just finished a big fight, it’s about all I can manage.”

The pen dropped back into Nabiki’s hand, and she saw that the Amazon was paying very close attention now, “My other talent is a little less physical.”

She continued with her mental voice, “I can also contact people’s minds.”

Shampoo jumped back, surprised at the voice in her head. She saw the other girl smiling and making a calming gesture, and she waited for the strange girl to finish.

“I used my power at one point to share memories with someone close to both of us,” Nabiki said wrapping up, “and that is how I know about you. I saw the village, your grandmother, even when you first met someone who loves you very much.”

Shampoo shook her head, “You is wrong. Shampoo have no grandmother. Shampoo have no mate. I alone because I guard village for Chosen One, and she send Shampoo here to kill False One. I sorry demon use you, but I go to kill and avenge you.” With that, the blue haired warrior gave the native girl a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder and bounded out her entry hole, “Bye bye.”

Nabiki frowned as Shampoo bounded away, resuming her hunt. There is something very wrong here, she thought, she’s forgotten what seems like half her life, or worse. I need to get home so Ranma and I can figure out a way to repair whatever damage she suffered.

Quickly she pulled a pair of pants and her shoes on, and started to make her way out of the building. As she exited the arena, she caught sight of Akane and Ryoga, jogging up to her.

“What’s going on?” asked Ryoga.

Akane added, “We saw Ranma fly out of here like she was on fire. Did something happen?”

“Ranma’s Amazon wife showed up,” Nabiki answered as she continued out on to the sidewalk, “and I think she’s been brainwashed.”

Akane fell into step with her as she jogged towards home, “Why do you think that?”

“She didn’t remember Ranma, and thought that she was some kind of threat to her village,” Nabiki answered, “Now she wants to kill Ranma.”

Akane was about to reply that Ranma seemed to have that affect on people, but one look at Nabiki told her that now was not the time. They continued on, finally entering the Tendo compound. Nabiki raced inside, following the faint sensation of Ranma’s presence upstairs.

Akane turned to ask Ryoga if he would stay and help, but somewhere along the way to the dojo he had fallen behind, and now was nowhere in sight. She thought that the young man simply did not want to involve himself anymore with Ranma, and had returned home.

In reality, Ryoga was working his way through the offices of an Internet Service Provider somewhere in Canada. He had just walked into a room were a strange man was sitting at a desk reading ‘Evil Geniuses for Dummies’ while a small hairball with feet was using his computer to play Quake.

Ryoga backed out of the room and asked under his breath, “Why are all the weirdo’s in Kyoto?”

Back in Nerima, Nabiki opened the door to her room to find Ranma curled up in the corner, softly crying. She quickly moved to the girl and wrapped her in a warm hug as Ranma leaned against her. After a few minutes, the redhead had calmed down somewhat and leaned back against the wall.

“She forgot about me,” Ranma whispered.

“No,” Nabiki countered, “I don’t think so. She doesn’t remember Cologne, or much else about the village, so I think something else is going on. She could have been brainwashed or something.”

Ranma looked at her with a slight smirk, “Brainwashed? Isn’t that a little far fetched?”

“Says the boy with the demon girl curse,” Nabiki responded, giving Ranma a quick kiss.

“Point taken,” the redhead admitted, flapping her wings slightly, “But what are we going to do about Shampoo? I know her, and once she sets out to do something, it’s damn hard to stop her.”

They spent an hour trying to plan out some way to lure Shampoo into a trap, but each plan could wind up backfiring and hurting Shampoo, or Ranma. They decided to consider it further while working on other things, to clear the head as it were. Ranma collected herself and retreated to the bathroom with a change of clothes. A few moments later he emerged as a male and joined Nabiki on her way down to dinner. The smell of take-out food drifted from the main room, and they both smiled at the thought of Kasumi trying to cook in her condition after having been drained by a succubus Ranma.

As they turned into the living room, they stopped in mid stride. Shampoo was sitting at the table, chatting lightly with Kasumi with a tied up panda resting in the corner. Slowly they began to back out of the room, sharing a silent, panicked moment. Before they could get all the way out however, Shampoo turned and faced them.

“Oh, is you,” she said, noticing Nabiki, “Is this you’re mate?”

“Um,” Nabiki said intelligently, “Something like that.”

Kasumi added, “That is her betrothed. His name is Ranma, and he is the one I was telling you about.”

“What have you been telling her,” Nabiki mentally asked her sister.

Kasumi responded slowly, still unsure of the method, “She came in, following Genma, and wanted to know where the demon was. I asked her why, and she explained that she was sent to kill it. I told her only that if she stayed, we may be able to help her. I get the feeling there is more going on here.”

“No kidding, Sis,” Nabiki responded, “That’s Ranma’s Amazon wife, Shampoo. And she’s been brainwashed or something because she wants to kill my favorite redhead.”

Speaking aloud, Nabiki asked, “Your village must be very proud of you to send you all this way alone. We would be honored to help you. Ranma here is an excellent warrior, and will be able to stand by you when the time comes.”

“What are you doing,” Ranma whispered out the corner of his mouth.

Nabiki replied in kind, “Hopefully saving both your asses.”

Shampoo considered the male for a moment and turned away, “Is just stupid male thing. No use to Amazon.”

Nabiki felt Ranma feel the sting of those words, and before she could stop him, he blurted out, “You never felt that way when we were back in the village. Granny said we’d have a rough time, but forgetting all about me? I thought we had a bond.”

Shampoo snarled at the upset young man, but Nabiki saw a hint of confusion in her eyes and went for another approach, “We are not sure how, Shampoo, but you have been used. Someone made you forget, and sent you here to do something that would haunt you for all time. We don’t want to see you hurt, ever.”

“Why strange girl care,” Shampoo asked.

Nabiki kneeled next to her, and took one of her hands, “Because Ranma cares.” With that she reached up and stroked the side of Shampoo’s head. I hope this works, she thought, and dove into the Amazon’s mind.

The first thing she noticed was how hard it was. Shampoo was not expecting the attack, but barriers were up all throughout her mind, impeding Nabiki’s way. She also noticed how quiet it was, as if she was walking through a graveyard. There was no jumble of memories, no flashes of other people, no strong emotional bonds at all. There was only an overpowering command, obey and destroy.

Nabiki suddenly realized that the barriers were blocking off all the noise she had been expecting. Every memory, every feeling, had been suppressed and hidden away somehow. She stopped probing deeper, and focused on the resistance from one block. It was strong, no doubt, but she felt a little give in the structure of the mental wall. As she felt her way along its edge, she found where it had the most leeway, and there she stopped.

What she found there almost made her retreat from Shampoo’s mind that instant. It was an image of what was to be, an image of Ranma dying by Shampoo’s hand. When the image came to pass, the block would dissolve and the Amazon’s feelings for the cursed demon would reemerge.

Nabiki scrambled around, trying desperately to figure out how to undo the barrier, change the trigger, or erase the command to kill Ranma, but her own distress and expended energy soon caused her to start slipping from Shampoo’s mind. With one last desperate mental thrust, she planted a single feeling of warmth and love in the manipulated girl’s mind.

Nabiki released Shampoo and began to fall backwards, but Ranma was there in an instant and gently caught her as she drifted off to sleep. Looking up into Shampoo’s eyes, he tried to find some hint, some spark that Nabiki’s last second attempt had succeeded. For a second, he saw a flash of recognition, and then a wall slammed over her features.

Quickly Shampoo stood, pulling out her weapons as she did and stared down at Ranma as he held Nabiki.

“What she do,” the Amazon asked angrily.

Ranma stood, holding the sleeping psychic and answered, “She was trying to help you. That’s all we want to do, not to stop you, or try and get in your way. We just want you to be alright.”

Shampoo backed away from him as conflicting sensations crashed over her. There was sincerity, and deep loss in his voice that almost broke her heart, but she also felt animosity towards him. It wasn’t the usual dislike of males that was drilled into her, but there was something deeper, as if she really did know him. It ate at her mind as she watched him check the girl in his arms, and there was a flash of jealousy for a moment. She continued a cautious retreat away from these strange people, and the feelings they produced, and Ranma took notice.

“Please,” he said, almost begging. Before he could continue, Shampoo had reached the opening to the back yard, and leapt through, disappearing into the night. As she faded away, she could almost hear Ranma whisper, “Airen.”

Running for all she was worth, Shampoo clutched the side of her head as a pain washed over her. Soon she had to stop, taking a respite in an abandoned lot several blocks away from the Tendo compound. She began to breathe heavily as a whirlwind of images fought to clear themselves in her mind. Dreams from the last week swarmed into her mind, images of companions that she could not make out and feelings of closeness that she longed to remember. As her mission and her memories fought for dominance, she was left crumpled in a heap in the middle of the lot. Suddenly her body quaked and she let out a soul tearing scream that echoed into the night.

That very instant, back at the Tendo house, Nabiki woke to echo Shampoo’s cry. She managed to grab onto Ranma’s arm as he held her tight and gasped out, “You have to go, and you have to stop her. She’s so messed up that it may kill her, even if she does kill you. You have to…” Nabiki passed out again, anguish in her features.

Ranma collected the spent girl, and looked up at Kasumi, “I’m going to put her in bed. Can you watch her for me?”

“Of course,” the eldest Tendo daughter answered and followed him upstairs. The brown haired girl was tucked carefully into bed, and Ranma kissed her lightly in her sleep. Standing straight, he turned and began to walk out of the room.

“Wait,” Kasumi asked, “Where are you going?”

Ranma pushed emotion from his face and said, “After Shampoo. I have to try and shake her out of this mind control, and I have to do it soon. If what Nabiki said is true, then she is being destroyed from the inside, and I won’t let that happen.” With that he sprinted down the hall and ducked into the bathroom. He stopped in front of the sink and filled a glass with cold water.

“Well buddy,” he said to his reflection in the mirror, “it’s put up or shut up time, and everything is at stake. Do you think you can pull this off?”

“What are you doing, boy,” a low growl came from behind him as Genma entered the room.

Ranma turned and answered, “Something you’ll never understand. I’m taking care of my problems. Now either get out of my way, or I’ll make you.” With that he dumped the water over his head, transforming to demon form and allowing her wings to unfold through the hidden slits in the back of her red vest.

Genma stood, blocking the door and barked, “That Chinese bimbo is no concern of yours. You are honor bound to marry Nabiki, and it seems that you are forgetting your honor in favor of cavorting with that foreign floozy.”

Ranma lunged for her father, but the fight with the Golden Pair and pursuit by Shampoo earlier in the day had taken their toll and her reflexes were a beat too slow as Genma whipped out a pair of prayer strips and slapped one onto Ranma’s forehead, and the other on her chest. Ranma froze, visibly struggling against the spiritual assault, but weakening by the moment. As the redhead collapsed, Genma scooped her up, tossing her over one shoulder and heading back down the hall.

As he started down the stairs, Kasumi poked her head out of Nabiki’s room and saw Ranma being carried away. Quickly she pulled her head back in and turned to Nabiki.

I can’t risk waking her in the condition she’s in; Kasumi thought to herself, I have to come up with something else if Genma is going to do something drastic.

Genma, meanwhile, had begun a short trek to a shrine not far from the Tendo compound. He was met at the gate by an old man who guided him to one of the interior rooms where he placed the restrained demon girl on a mat.

“It’s as I told you,” Genma began, “My son is possessed by a demonic force, and it is powerful enough to change his appearance. Cold water releases her, and thankfully hot water can temporarily restore my son.”

The old priest considered the girl before him, taking note of her very real wings, and said, “It is a difficult case you bring me, exorcism of the demon could be challenging to even the most skilled of spiritualists.” Genma reached into his gi and retrieved a small fold of money that was quietly handed over to the priest who smiled and nodded. “Fortunately, I am very skilled. Help me bind her.”

The two men went to work, tying Ranma down by binding her arms, legs, and wings to the floor. Prayer strips were placed at each of her vital points and around her to augment the two Genma had used and finally a chalk circle was drawn around the bound redhead.

As the old priest finished his work, he motioned Genma back and the elder Saotome retreated with a grim smile on his face, assured of victory over his son. Simple chanting began as candles were lit at the cardinal points of the circle, and as the last was set to flame Ranma jerked awake with a scream of pain.

The redhead felt painful fire course through her limbs as she fought against physical and spiritual bindings. As Ranma thrashed, she caught sight of her father’s satisfied smirk. Desperately she fought to summon some, any, hellfire to her hand and burn down Genma, but the drain was too great, and she felt her arms begin to go numb as life itself began to leave her.

I failed, she cried in her mind, Shampoo, Nabiki, I failed them. And now my own father is going to kill me. She felt a final darkness begin to descend, and she could almost recognize death come to claim her, but a rhythmic pounding drew her attention.

Behind Genma, the shrine wall burst in as Akane and Kodachi stormed in. Genma was moving to block the two girls, but Kodachi’s ribbon was already snapping tight around his neck as Akane leapt past. The gymnast pulled tight, almost drawing blood from the man’s neck, and as Genma gasped, she launched a cloud of black dust directly into his face as she released her hold. Genma reflexively inhaled as his airway opened and caught the full force of the potion, falling to the ground paralyzed.

Akane was not standing still as the martial artist fell, charging in, pulling her large mallet from a small backpack and revving it to full swing, catching the priest under the chin as he was pulling a small silver knife from his robe. The old man flew back into the wall and slumped down, unconscious. She spun around again and made sure that no other threats were present as Kodachi moved to check the struggling demon girl.

“Quickly, Tendo,” Kodachi said, “She seems to be in great pain.”

Akane moved up and knelt next to the redhead, “Kasumi sent us. She saw that rat drag you off and figured he was up to no good.” She quickly began to help the leotard clad Kodachi to undo the rope bindings holding the girl down, but this only increased the thrashing.

Ranma managed to hiss out, “Wards…hurting….”

Kodachi pulled the prayer strip off Ranma’s left wrist, and the bound demon let out another scream of pain as it was removed. Akane looked and had to turn away from the sight of burned flesh that was under the paper. With tears in their eyes at the agony Ranma was enduring, the two teens slowly managed to pull away each of the offending parchment strips, wincing as Ranma whimpered in pain with each removal.

“She never reacted like this before,” Akane said, remembering the times Genma had used similar strips to immobilize the cursed boy. Kodachi focused on her work, but caught herself lingering on Ranma’s wings.

Quietly she asked Akane, “Lady Ranma…she is not human, is she?”

“She’s a monster,” Akane told her, “but for some reason my sister wants the freak. After everything that’s happened, I can’t go against her anymore.”

Kodachi smiled weakly as she pulled away the last strip, “There is love between Lady Ranma and Nabiki, of that I have no doubt.”

“Whatever,” groused Akane as she began to undo the ropes holding Ranma down, “You, the perv and my sisters can have a wonderful time together, I just don’t want to let Kasumi down after everything she’s done for us.”

As the last of the bindings came off, the two girls began to check Ranma over. The redhead was barely breathing as they gently lifted her off the floor and onto one of the nearby benches that lined the hall.

“The damage is too great, but I am hesitant to take her to a hospital,” Kodachi mused, as she used the undone bindings to secure Genma as he lay paralyzed.

Akane nodded, feeling for Ranma’s faint pulse, “We can take her to Doctor Tofu. Kasumi said he knows about Ranma’s…condition…he may be able to help her.” The two rescuers quickly lifted Ranma up and out of the shrine and moved into the night towards the clinic.

When they arrived, they made Ranma as comfortable as they could on the waiting room couch and Akane ducked into the living area at the back of the building to rouse Tofu. The doctor took one look at Ranma, and gathered her up to place her in a bed, quickly swabbing the burnt skin with ointments and creams in silence.

Finally he asked, “What happened?”

“Genma had Ranma at some shrine, and they had her tied up for a ritual of some sort,” Akane told him, “We stopped it, but she was like this when we pulled the prayer strips off.”

“I think it was some sort of exorcism,” Kodachi added, “Will Lady Ranma be all right?”

Tofu stood and opened a large book that was resting on the counter, “I did a little research for Ranma when she first told me about her condition. As long as she has a source of energy, she should be able to heal herself easily. These wounds should have been gone by now…”

“She just came from two...or three fights, counting her father’s attack,” Akane told him.

The doctor nodded, “Normally a succubus would save enough energy to deal with things like that, but knowing Ranma she wouldn’t feed unless absolutely necessary. She has been deliberately starving herself to death for a while now I would guess, just to keep from harming anyone.”

“Better…then…becoming…monst er…”

They turned to see Ranma’s eyes flutter open and the girl shudder with pain.

“Perhaps,” Tofu told her, sitting down beside her, “but you are pushing your body past its limits. A demon doesn’t work like we do. You don’t sleep and eat the same way, you need the energy you draw to live.”

Ranma insisted, “Still…human….”

“Your soul is,” Tofu answered, “and anyone can see you are not a monster because of your strength and willpower. But no matter how strong your spirit is, your body has different limits. You are a very mortal demon my young friend.”

“What can be done for her,” Kodachi asked. She had held back, absorbing all that happened and coming to grips with the otherworldly nature of the girl she had been defeated by, and come to respect. She knew many legends about demons, both Eastern and Western thanks to her catholic school upbringing, but Ranma seemed not to fit the mold for the manipulative, soul eating monsters the nuns warned of.

Doctor Tofu coughed into his hand and said, “I think it would be best for Nabiki to handle Ranma’s needs right now.”

“She can’t,” said Akane, “Nabiki is out cold. Kasumi said it had to do with Ranma’s Amazon wife.”

Tofu nodded again, “Shampoo. Ranma told me about the Amazons when I first helped her. The way Ranma spoke, I didn’t think there was a problem with her.”

“Mind...control,” Ranma said from the bed, “Nabiki…tried to…break it.”

Tofu sighed, “A succubus demon is a creature of intimate pleasure. We need to wait for Nabiki to recover.”

Akane wandered over to the examination room’s small sink and asked, “Couldn’t we just turn Ranma back to normal, then he would heal like everyone else.” Kodachi wondered at this strange question, but the doctor spoke before she could ask about it.

“Absolutely not,” he answered Akane, “those burns are spiritually based right now, and the only thing keeping her alive is her paranormal nature. If we changed her, they would become very physical. Burns of this magnitude would send a normal person into shock and in Ranma’s weakened condition that could very well kill her.”

There is yet another secret that Lady Ranma has, thought Kodachi, but spoke aloud, “Then perhaps it is best if I tend to my lady.” She walked over to Ranma’s bedside and looked into the half-dead girl’s eyes, “Take what you need from me, I am willing.”

“I’ll leave then,” Tofu said, hiding a blush and heading out, “Be careful miss. Ranma has a strong will, but the demon in her is in need, and could kill you if you give too much.” Akane was about to follow him out with a disturbed look on her face, but Kodachi stopped her.

She held Akane’s arm and said, “We stand a better chance of saving your sister’s beloved if you help me, Akane Tendo.”

“What,” Akane blurted out, “You want me to have sex with that…that…THING?!”

Kodachi slapped the surprised girl and spoke low, “Keep your head about you, girl. We are talking about the life of Nabiki’s love, Lady Kasumi’s student, and the only girl to stick up for you when the rest of your team hid like cowards. She was not honor bound to take your place, but she did. As I understand it, she also risked her life on the ice for your pet, and you still feel no gratitude towards her? It is a small thing to give energy to one who needs it, the matter of it’s retrieval in this case is irrelevant.”

“But…she’s…”

“Is your difficulty that she is not human,” Kodachi asked, “or is it that she seeks not the company of men?”

“Boys are perverts,” Akane responded automatically then continued, “and girls don’t do that kind of thing.”

Kodachi smirked, “I do. Lady Ranma does. Even your sisters have shared their bed with women. Is it so abhorrent to share compassion and love for each other? Or is it that you have no love to give?”

“Stop it!!”

Both girls turned to see Ranma had managed to turn her head to look at them, and the redhead continued in a weak voice, “She…has her own…stuff to…work…out…Kodachi. You can’t...put all this…on her. She doesn’t…deserve to be…yelled at.”

Akane gaped at the redhead as she gasped for air. Even in the state she was in, Ranma was still trying to do the right thing, and Akane knew it. Between her counseling and the events of the last day, she was beginning to see what Ranma was doing, forcing her own nature down to protect those around him.

Just as he promised Kasumi on the day he showed up, she thought to herself.

“I am sorry Akane,” Kodachi said, “Ranma is right, and I should not have been berating you. I have just found myself becoming more concerned for those around me ever since I discovered what it meant to have people that care.”

Akane nodded, “I’m sorry as well. Nabiki has been telling me for weeks to grow up, and I guess that this is just another sign I should.” She stepped over to Ranma and said, “I’ll give a little energy if it will help.” The redhead gave a questioning look, and Akane nodded.

Ranma sighed and whispered, “Kiss me.”

Akane hesitantly leaned over the demon girl and puckered her lips. Slowly she lowered herself until she brushed Ranma’s. At first she felt little more then the presence of another set of lips on her own, but there was a slight tingle that was growing along her spine, pushing her to deepen the kiss. When she felt Ranma’s tongue brush the outside of lips, she felt almost obliged to open them slightly, sharing her mouth with the invading appendage.

A light, heady sensation washed over her as Ranma probed the inside of her mouth. The tingle began to spread across her body as warmth filled her in areas she had never really thought about before. Akane found herself returning the kiss with surprising enjoyment, and its sudden end drew a low moan from her as Ranma pulled away. Akane opened her eyes and saw that light had begun to return to Ranma’s own, and the dark burnt patches of skin were slowly turning pink.

“I won’t take any more form you today,” Ranma told Akane, “but I thank you for what you gave.” Akane nodded dumbly, unable to speak as she found her mouth uncomfortably empty. She stumbled back and sat in a nearby chair as her head began to spin from the intensity of feelings flowing through her. She glanced up along the wall and saw the clock, and did a double take as ten minutes had passed without her notice.

That was some kiss, she thought. Is that what it’s like for Nabiki?

Meanwhile, Ranma had turned to Kodachi, “You know what I’m asking. Are you really willing?”

“Yes, my Lady,” Kodachi breathed. The passion from Akane’s simple kiss had driven her to distraction, and her nipples were clearly visible through her spandex outfit as she took Akane’s place at Ranma’s side. The redhead reached up and undid the neck fastener, allowing the gymnast to shrug the leotard down to her waist and with another tug it was down her long legs and on the floor.

Ranma looked over the Kuno beauty. Though her bust line was smaller than Ranma’s, they were well formed, and their cleavage accentuated the gymnast’s delicate neck and slender face well. Her stomach was almost perfectly flat, but showed a hint of definition from the rigors of Kodachi’s combat style on her athletic frame. Her legs started at small feet and traveled smoothly, and for some distance, up to meet at a clean shaven juncture that glistened in anticipation.

Kodachi lowered herself into Ranma’s embrace, sharing a fast, but no less lustful, kiss with the now active succubus. Ranma’s hands wandered along Kodachi’s back as the smaller demon girl drew the kiss out for a time, and then with a light push got the gymnast to sit up. Slowly, Kodachi undid the wooden ties of Ranma’s vest, finally exposing the redhead’s top to the clinic’s cool air. The vest, and shortly Ranma’s pants joined Kodachi’s leotard on the floor, and Akane gulped as the two girls began to press their bodies together.

Kodachi’s nipples dragged around Ranma’s own sensitive buds as the teens shifted position. Kodachi gasped as she felt Ranma’s leg slide between her own, coming gently into contact with her sex. The nubile girl began to slide along the leg, dragging her clitoris up and down and leaving a trail of wet arousal in her wake as Ranma continued to draw the lust out of the heavily breathing girl.

Kodachi leaned back, sliding down Ranma’s leg and pulled the slowly recovering girl into a sitting position. Shifting their legs, they soon sat, mounds pressed together as slow convulsions of pleasure shook them. Soon they were lost as they ground against each other, sharing moisture and essence in a rhythmic dance that allowed Ranma’s scars to fade away.

Akane could hardly breathe as she watched the spectacle before her. As Kodachi and Ranma gave in to what seemed an animalistic frenzy, she felt the tightness under her shirt, and a warm pressure between her legs. Intellectually, she knew thanks to her therapist, that she was becoming aroused. But she didn’t truly understand the sensation, so all she could do was watch in amazement as her hands fidgeted on the armrests of her chair, almost kneading the padding.

Is it Ranma’s power, she asked herself, or do I like girls after all? Or could it just be this…perversion itself is turning me on. Akane sat there, trapped by doubt.

Kodachi had no doubt, however. Ranma’s skilled hands worked her small breasts into a lightning storm as their clits grazed each other, and the gymnast found herself once more in wonder at this small girl’s ability to madden her. She felt a spike of raw, sexual power drive into her mind, and knew that she could hold off no longer. Her head lolled back and she let out a long moan as the edge of orgasm approached, but at the moment of release, Ranma’s head shot forward and the redhead caught Kodachi in a searing kiss that only added to the white in her vision as she came.

Akane saw Kodachi stiffen, and Ranma give the girl another kiss that lingered on for what seemed like an eternity. For a second she thought she saw a light passing from the gymnast into Ranma, and guessed that it was the energy the demon needed. Soon the kiss ended, and Ranma shifted position to lower Kodachi onto the bed as she stood. Akane lost all moisture in her mouth as Ranma turned to her.

Ranma stood, whole once more, sweating from the coupling and dripping something that was not sweat from between her legs onto the floor. Her wings were spread wide, and eyes flickering between a bright blue and a deep red as the succubus seemed to calm somewhat. Akane shivered at her first true look at the demon, a pure expression of lust and passion, and the Tendo girl experienced her first, small orgasm as Ranma locked eyes with her.

“Are you going to be alright, Akane,” Ranma spoke softly. Her voice cut through the fog in Akane’s mind and allowed the girl to focus for a second. She reached down and retrieved her pack, weakly handing it to Ranma.

“Ka…Kasumi…um…said you may want this…if you were going to …continue your hunt,” she said in a small voice, forcing herself not to look at the nude, glistening sex idol in front of her.

Ranma took the pack, careful not to touch Akane in her current state and opened it slightly, seeing it was full of black leather. She smiled briefly and turned away from the quivering girl.

“I have to go after Shampoo,” she told Akane, “Nabiki said her life is also on the line, and you know I can’t turn away from that.” She pulled out her garments and began donning them, continuing, “I need you to stay here and make sure Kodachi is alright. I know you’re shook up, but we all have to help those in need.” She pulled her panties on and began doing up the corset over her sensitive chest.

Akane nodded behind her, still looking away, “It’s the duty of a martial artist to protect those who need help.”

Ranma nodded as well, and sat to pull on her long boots, “And I know you are a martial artist who is beginning to really understand that now.” Ranma stood again and pulled on her elbow length gloves, tugging them each to make sure they were secure. She turned to Akane and added the final piece, her leather choker that Kasumi had added a small rose colored stud to. Reaching into the bag once more, she pulled out Kasumi’s final addition to Ranma’s ensemble, a coiled leather whip that Ranma held loosely, getting a feel for its balance.

Akane looked up at the sight and shivered. Here was base animal lust, and behind it cold death for the demon’s enemies. Akane found herself frightened as the blue and red glows flashing in Ranma’s eyes settled into a steady, cold purple that held fire and ice.

Ranma coiled the whip up again, looping it firmly across her shoulder and chest as she turned to the room’s simple window and slid it open.

“Good luck,” Akane managed to say behind her.

“Thanks Akane,” Ranma said quietly, and with a jump, and a flap of her wings, the redhead disappeared into the cool night air. Outside, she gave her wings a mighty heave, and gained altitude as her eyes searched the surrounding area for any sign of her…prey.


To be continued.

Endnote: Important safety tip for all writers, don’t try to be creative with a head cold. I had to go back and rewrite half of this because it came out as gibberish the first time. On a happier note, Janice graduated from MHC and I got the privilege of attending. For anyone who knows how hard that school is, you understand that this is an accomplishment worth celebrating, and as her loving fiancé I’ve been crowing about it to everyone for days now. Next time, the battle everyone has been waiting for. Until then, May the Fuzzy Dice be with you.