Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Divide ❯ Explanations ( Chapter 6 )

Soul Divide

A Ranma One Half Fan Fiction

By Michael A. Ivins

 

Ranma, his family, friends, enemies and related characters are the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment and (hopefully) that of others. I have no money so please don't sue me.

 

This story takes place after the end of the Manga. The wedding has been tried and failed.

 

Parts of this story are LEMON (containing descriptions of sexual situations and actions, including incest). If this sort of thing offends you then stop reading

 

 

Chapter 6

Explanations

 

Ranma was waiting. He noticed the expressions of his mother and sister and asked, “What are you girls talking about?” He notice Ranko winced a little at being called one of the girls.

 

Ranko explained, “We were talking about Tendo sisters and how they stack up as marriage material. So far I told her about Akane and Nabiki.”

 

Ranma nodded. “Since you know my opinion as well as I do, I won't ask what you told her.”

 

As they walked out of the front door, Nodoka said, “That leaves just Kasumi. What do you think of her?”

 

Ranma considered that carefully. He looked at Ranko. She told him, “I'm being completely honest. Mom deserves it.”

 

The pigtailed martial artist nodded. “Well, Kasumi is one of the nicest people I know. She's pretty, she's a fantastic cook and from all those books she borrows from Dr. Tofu I get the feeling she's really smart. I used to think of her like she was a big sister. That made her off limits as a possible wife.”

 

With some humor Nodoka thought, “Oh, so a big sister is off limits but a twin isn't?” She didn't say that out loud.

 

Ranma blushed a little. “That was before you and Pops talked to us… I mean me about sex. I guess all guys just naturally will look at the girls they know and start to wonder what they would be like in bed.”

 

Nodoka somewhat guiltily thought, “Kasumi is wonderful in bed.” She remained silent on that as well.

 

Ranma shook his head. “If I had no choice other than to marry one of the Tendo girls, then I think Kasumi is the one I'd want. She'd never hit me, sell dates with me, embarrass me or do bad things to me. I'm sure she would be loyal and supportive. She's not a martial artist like Akane, but I don't care about that. The only problem with that is I have no idea how to approach someone as nice as she is. I'm not even sure if I deserve someone like her.”

 

Nodoka was shocked to hear this. “Ranma dear, why wouldn't you think you deserve to be married to someone nice.”

 

He looked down at the sidewalk for a moment before looking up to meet Ranko's eyes. His sister put her hand on his shoulder and gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile. Finally he said, “Well, look at me. Pops messed me up pretty good, I guess. Since I came to live with the Tendos and go to Furinkan, I found out that most people don't care about martial arts other than how cool it looks in movies and stuff. When it comes to basic school stuff like math, history and like that, I'm really bad.”

He continued, “With what I know I'm not really good for any kind of job other than running a dojo. Even then I don't know how good I'd do because I hardly have a clue about how to run a business and I know a dojo is a business. The other problem with that idea is that I know lots about how to fight, but I've never really tried teaching other than the little bit with Akane and she's difficult because she acts like she already knows everything and shouldn't need to be shown. Let's face it, I'm no prize.”

 

The auburn haired mother reached out to embrace her son. “Ranma, please don't say such things about yourself. We'll work on it. I'll help tutor you.”

 

In a sour tone of voice Ranko put in, “Since I'm the girl side and now a separate person, I suppose the best I can look for is to marry a saleryman. That possibility doesn't appeal much to me. I do know I don't want to marry anyone Pops might try to set me up with. Anyone he tries to put me together with is likely to be a loser.”

 

The conversation was getting depressing. Luckily by this time they reached the first store. This was a men's clothing store. The first thing they got was some new boxers and tank tops to fit Ranma's bulkier physique. They got some basic shirts in assorted colors and patterns and slacks as well as two pairs of jeans. None of the garments they got were silk. Nodoka explained that they needed to stretch their money. Ranma made sure he tried on all of the garment so he could test if he could move well enough to fight in them.

 

As they continued on they accumulated bags but Ranko refused to let Ranma play pack mule. She was just as strong as he was and she would carry her own bags. They tried to time their arrival at the Nekohanten to get there after the worse of the lunch rush was over.

 

Shampoo didn't look pleased to see them. She took their orders in a very precise way and didn't display the bubbly personality she usually showed. It was clear that she didn't know how to deal with the changes that had occurred.

 

After they finished their lunch, Cologne bounced over on her cane. She said, “Greeting, Ranma and Ranko and Saotome-San. It appears you have been getting clothes for your new bodies.”

 

There was a chorus of agreement. The Elder said, “I'm sorry to do this, Saotome-san but I must ask to speak to your children alone.”

 

“But, I'm their mother!”

 

The elder shook her head. “Yes Saotome-San, I am aware of that, but in this I would like you to treat me as if I were a doctor. I am acting in that capacity right now. They may be your children and you may feel they will always be your babies, but they are old enough to be given information in confidence. I will be telling them information that they may wish to keep to themselves. I'm sure that when we are done, they will be willing to share at least some of it with you. I just don't wish to face a situation where they come back to me later demanding to know, `Why did you tell her that?'”

 

The Saotome matriarch sighed and relented. “I understand.” She gestured for the twins to go.

 

Moments later they were seated in the cramped office in the back of the restaurant. She took a moment to probe with her ki senses. When she was satisfied that nobody was eavesdropping she placed a book on the desk and said, “I thought I had read something about the Soul Jewel before. I found it in this book. The first thing I found out is that what you have not the Soul Jewel it is a Soul Jewel.”

 

Ranko nodded, “There's more than one?”

 

The elder confirmed, “There are at least ten that the author of this book knew of. He reports on rumors of the existence of as many as ten more.”

 

Cologne sat back with an thoughtful expression. “This book confirms that the original purpose of the Jewels was to cure magical afflictions. Before I tell you what I believe happened to you, let me tell you the normal way the Jewels are supposed to function.”

 

“Normally there would be a circle of ki adepts who pass the Jewel from hand to hand. Each of the adepts will infuse some of their ki energy into the Jewel with much ceremony and a lot of chanting. The afflicted person (let's call him the curse victim) will be lying nearby. Also lying on a pallet nearby is a dead body. It was tradition that the dead body belonged to someone who specified in his or her will that their body would be used in this manner after their death.”

 

“After the jewel has been charged to the amount it needs the jewel is placed on a tray and carried to the curse victim. If the curse victim is able to do so he will take the jewel from the tray and hold it. If he can't move, the jewel will be placed on his chest. It is at that point that the magic goes to work.”

 

“The magic will use the dead body as raw materials to construct a new body modeled on the original body of the curse victim. The difference is that the new body is completely healthy and lacking in any adverse magic. The curse victim's soul along with as much of his life energy that is not tainted with hostile magic is transferred to the new body. If there is not enough life energy from the old body, the difference is made up from the energy infused into the stone by the circle. The new body is young, strong and healthy.”

 

“When that is done, the old body is burned up through spontaneous combustion.”

 

“There is one restriction on this, that being that no one person can go through the process more than once. There is a reason for this. If you could repeat it, someone could use the Soul Jewels to achieve a form of immortality.”

 

Ranma nodded. “I can see how that would be. If someone was really old he could get himself zapped with some magic ailment then use the Jewel to become young again. If he could repeat it he would likely use it to make himself young over and over again for hundreds or even thousands of years.”

 

The elder nodded. “Exactly right. One of the things this means to you is that it is not reversible. Unless some other magic works on you, the way you are now is the way you will stay other than normal aging. You will remain male for the rest of your life and you will remain female.” She pointed at each of them in turn. “It would be best for your own peace of mind if you accept that and plan on what you will do to get used to it”

 

“Now as to what happened to you. You might be surprised to know there is a form of magic ailment that resembles a Jusenkyo curse.”

 

Both teens gave the Elder inquisitive looks. She continued, “There have been recorded cases where one person was dying, usually someone important, and another person gives up his life force for him. In essence the two fuse. Their souls both reside in the body of the curse victim. The interesting thing about this is that they can still use both bodies. They can choose which is the active body and change back and forth.”

 

Ranma said, “Like Ultraman?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

He explained, “There was this TV show that was supposed to take place in the future. The hero of the story was a sort of hi-tech policeman who flew all over the world and fought monsters and other threats. He went to this once place to check out a possible problem and found the crashed ship of this giant alien. The policeman got injured and the alien gave his live force to save him.”

 

The elder nodded. “That does sound similar.”

 

He continued, “The way the story went, when there was a monster to fight the policeman would trigger this gadget that would switch them and the giant alien would fight monsters.”

 

Cologne said, “At first the two souls co-habit the body. They act as friends, helpers, advisors. Over time a peculiar things happens. The two souls will merge or fuse together until there is only one mind with the memories of both. Normally that one spirit will still be able to swap bodies. To the magic of the Soul Jewel your Jusenkyo curse would likely appear to be a similar situation.”

 

Both Ranma and Ranko nodded.

 

“Normally if someone with that problem was given the Soul Jewel cure and the souls had not merged yet, the Jewel would build a new body and transfer one of the souls into it and not destroy the old body. If the souls are too fully merged to separate, then the jewel will make a copy of the joined soul and transfer that into the new body which is modeled after one of the two.”

 

Both of the twins were getting a good idea of where this was going.

 

“Now we come to your specific situation. Obviously your cure didn't take place under ideal circumstances. What I am going to tell you is more of a speculation based on the information I have.”

 

“First, the dead body. In the ceremonies described, the body is always placed close, but apparently that is tradition and not a requirement. The jewel can use any one body within a radius of several kilometers. It can also use more than one body, but rarely does. It doesn't even have to be a human body, it could be an animal. The only real requirement is that it have the same kind of organic elements as a human body.”

 

“On the radio I heard a report of an incident that occurred at the local zoo. That arouse my curiosity enough that I got a copy of the local newspaper so I could read more details. At the moment your fight with Hibiki began a tiger died at the zoo. This was a magnificent old Bengal that weighed more than both of your current bodies combined. It is reported that the body of the dead animal disappeared. Official opinion is that the body was stolen, while witnesses on the scene report that the body glowed bright blue before simply vanishing. The time the body disappeared coincides exactly with the moment the lightning bolt struck the Soul Jewel.”

 

Ranma and Ranko exchanged a look. Ranko asked, “Does the blue glow mean something special?”

 

Cologne looked for a moment like she wanted to hit Ranko with her cane but though better of it. “I didn't realize. You were in the middle of it and probably unconscious for the process. When you were being split, you glowed with a blue light.”

 

In unison the twins said, “Oh, right, the Jewel glowed blue before I tried to throw it away.” Ranma said, “So the tiger was the body that was used for the raw materials to create our current bodies.”

 

“Exactly. It is at this point that we leave the area of established facts and move into the area of speculation. I believe the magic of the Jewel would have treated your Jusenkyo curse like the fused soul that I described before. It would have made one new body for your alternate form and left the original alone. However, it couldn't do that because your original body had problems other than the curse.”

 

Ranko asked, “Do you mean the cat-fist?”

 

“Partly. I have read your ki a number of times and I saw something there that I never mentioned to you before. The reason I never said anything was there was nothing that could be done. It appeared that some of your father's more… extreme training methods along with being hit with Miss Tendo's mallet may have caused you some brain damage. That is part of the reason why you were only interested in martial arts. I believe that if the damage hadn't occurred you would have intelligence at the genius level.”

 

Ranma frowned at that but just said, “Go on.”

 

“The magic wouldn't leave even a part of you in what it judged to be a damaged body. But in this case it was in a unique situation. It had more than enough raw materials for making two human bodies and more than enough energy to do the job. So the Jewel's magic created two bodies - one for each of your forms. But instead of just building a body for each of your forms it made those bodies taller, and more muscular. From reading your ki signature I can see that your ki reserves are much greater than they were with your original body. I don't know if that means your bodies were built with expanded ki reserves or if that would have been natural for you if your problems had been cured.”

 

After a pause for thought she added, "The greater height and musculature might be due to something else as well. I remember hearing that part of your training for speed was having to fight with your father for food. If you weren't fast enough you would go hungry. Likewise there were many times when all you had to eat was rice. While rice will fill your belly and quiet a rumbling stomach, it is does not supply all the nutrition a growing young body needs."

 

"No," she said. "I suspect that your current size and musculature are what you might have been like if you had grown up eating a nutritionally balance diet combined with the exercise and training in the martial arts you received."

 

Ranko nodded. “So you're saying the magic of the jewel took advantage of the situation to make two bodies instead of one. While doing that it didn't just build near copies of the original boy and girl forms but it improved on them. Then when it moved my soul it made a copy so both bodies would each have a soul of its own.”

Cologne nodded. “An excellent summation. I would expect that from someone of your brain power. I doubt that you have had much opportunity to use your ki or to think really hard since this happened. After all it has only been a little less than a day. You probably haven't noticed the difference.”

 

Ranma noted, “We have noticed one difference. I used to be a deep sleeper. Once I fell asleep it was really hard to wake me. Pops often threw me out a window or threw water on me in the morning.”

 

Cologne nodded. “I suspect that sleep pattern was a side effect of the brain damage I mentioned. Now that you have perfectly healthy bodies, your sleep patterns are closer to normal. What woke you up?”

 

Ranma replied, “My mom and Kasumi came into the room and were speaking. That woke us up.”`

 

Not wanting to say that she and Ranma had been having sex, Ranko tried to approach the subject in an indirect way. “When Nabiki was talking about us posing for her she said she would like to take some pictures of us together because we were a cute couple. Then later mom made a comment that really got me thinking.”

Ranma added, “Me too, when she told me about it.”

 

Ranko continued, “Kasumi said we looked like we were made for each other. Then mom said that maybe we were. She said that we were one soul in two bodies and that it only made sense if we were to fall in love with each other. Does that sound right to you?”

 

The Elder considered that. “I don't know that it would have that effect. Still it would make sense. The book that described people with merged souls who had been split said they became the best of friends. It was saying this about people who were the same sex. Maybe with people of the opposite sex, like you, love might come out of it. How do you feel about each other?”

 

The twins looked in each other eyes for a moment then they clasped hands. Ranma asked, “What do you think?”

 

Cologne signed. “I suspected as much. I suppose it's just as well that the marriage to Shampoo was ended. How will this affect your other engagements?”

 

Ranma told her, “I don't want to marry Akane. She doesn't need a husband; she needs a shrink. In fact, of the Tendos girls, the only one I'd be really interested in marrying would be Kasumi. I'm not too sure what my chances are on that. If I could marry her it would have to be with the understanding that I wouldn't be able to leave Ranko behind. If she'd be willing to share me with Ranko, I'd agree to that. I'm just not so sure she'd be willing to have me.”

 

Ranko suddenly broke in, “Bro, you're putting yourself down and I won't hear of it. You do remember that the main reason Kasumi gave for pushing you on Akane was the curse? Well you're cured now. I think she might be a little more interested now.”

 

He shrugged, “Well, we'll see. Ukyo is a friend. I never really saw her as a romantic prospect, but I don't think she sees it that way. I think I'll have to hurt her to break it off, but I don't know what else to do. Now if I was to tell Kodachi to get lost, she'd just say Ranko was casting some spell on me and keep chasing me.”

 

Ranko nodded. “The same goes for samurai wannabe Kuno Tatewaki. If I put an ad on TV to say that I hate him and don't want to marry him, before an hour had passed he'd be claiming that I had found a new way to declare my love for him. He lives in his own little delusional world and only hears and sees what he wants.”

 

“I see,” said Cologne. “A question comes to mind. If it were possible for you to marry each other, would you do it?”

 

In unison they said, “Yes.”

 

Ranma took it up, “The only problem is that I don't know how we could. I can't legally marry my sister.”

 

The elder seemed thoughtful. “I would guess you have requested Miss Tendo Nabiki to use her talents to create an identity for Ranko, correct?”

 

Ranma nodded.

 

Cologne asked, “I don't see that you need your identity be Saotome Ranko, sister to Saotome Ranma. I understand that for a time while you were attempting to `hide in plain sight,' you masqueraded as Tendo Ranko, cousin of the Tendo sisters to fool your mother. Is that not correct?”

 

Ranko peered at the Elder. “Are you suggesting that Nabiki makes the new identity for me as Tendo Ranko instead of Saotome Ranko?”

 

“Think about it,” suggested the Amazon. “If you are a Tendo there would be no legal barrier to your marriage to Ranma. I'm also wondering if the terms of the honor agreement between the Saotome and Tendo families could be interpreted that such a marriage would satisfy the agreement.”

 

The eyes of both twins went wide as they looked at each other. Finally Ranma said, “I think we need to talk to Nabiki. If she hasn't gone too far in setting up the new identity then maybe we can get it changed like she says.”

 

Ranko replied, “It might be wise to not tell her the real reason why. If Akane even suspected that we wanted to get married to each other she'd get out the mallet and probably try to kill both of us.”

 

Ranma explained for Cologne's benefit, “I've come to figure out that the way Akane looks at me is like a spoiled little kid with a toy. She may abuse and pound on the toy but if anyone tries to take it away from her, she'll shout `Mine' and fight those who would try to take her toy away.”

 

Cologne laughed. “I would never have expected so intelligent an observation from the old Ranma. I think that undamaged brain is starting to show its power. Yes, what you describe does sound very much like how she treats you.”

 

She thought some more. “I'm sure there must be a way to do as you wish. I would suggest a varied approach to the problem. The first thing is to not be in a hurry. Resign yourselves to the idea that you aren't going to get married tomorrow or even next week. It might take until after you graduate from high school or later. You might also work on ways to talk your father and Tendo Soun into seeing the advantages to such an arrangement. Perhaps you should try to convince your mother as well.”

 

The Elder cocked her head to the side for a moment. “Another approach you might consider would be playing matchmaker for Akane. Try to find someone who would be willing to date her and when you do, push them together. Of course it would be helpful if you could match her up with someone she respects. You might want to do something similar for Miss Nabiki. It seems likely that at such time the engagement to Akane is ended, it would get shifted.”

 

Ranma commented, “I'd say we'd have to work out a way that Akane is the one who ends the engagement, but I don't know how well that would work. At least once a month and sometimes more often, she'll say the engagement is off. After she calms down she acts like she never expected anyone to take her seriously. I figure the only way to get the family to take it seriously is if she says, `I don't want to marry Ranma, I want to marry this other guy instead.' They have to believe it and not just think it was some trick to make me jealous or something.”

 

Cologne smiled at the twins. “It sounds to me like the two have some plotting to attend to. I've taken enough of your time and your mother is likely getting impatient. I confess I have a feeling about her, unsupported by any hard evidence. I think you should confide in her about your feelings for each other. I think she might help you.”

 

Out in the restaurant they met with Nodoka and picked up their bags of clothes. As they left the Café, Nodoka asked, “What have you found out?”

 

Ranko told her, “Well, for one thing, it's permanent. The way we are now is the way we're going to stay. I'm going to have to get used to being a girl full time.”

 

Nodoka assured her, “I'll help you all I can.”

 

Ranma put in, “Hey I used to change into a girl a lot. I'm going to have to get used to not doing that any more. Cologne didn't mention it, but I hope this also means that we won't be getting splashed with water all the time.”

 

His mother said in a thoughtful tone, “Dear, I think you have the easier adjustment to make. If anything I would think that the times you spent as a girl would give you a better understanding of women. It should make you a more desirable prospect for a husband.”

 

Ranma and Ranko exchanged a look. Ranko took it up. “Before Cologne just suspected, now she's sure. We really are the same person, at least up to the moment we split. The magic made a complete copy of my soul or his and that's what we both have. I would have to say I really don't know which is the original and which is the copy. I guess if the copy is good enough, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.”

 

Musingly, Nodoka said, “So you really are one soul in two bodies, like Ms. Hinako said this morning.”

 

Ranma nodded and said, “Basically, Yeah. When the magic finished we were pretty much were the same person in two bodies. That will change as time goes on. As we each have our own experiences and our own memories we will become different people.”

 

The mother pursed her lips as she considered that. “There was something else Hinako said. She found the concept of one soul in two bodies as very romantic. How do the two of you feel about each other?”

 

The twins exchanged a look. Finally Ranko said, “Well, Cologne did advise us to confide in you.”

 

Ranma continued, “I feel complete when she's with me and when she's away, it's like a piece of me is missing. I love her. I can't say it any plainer than that.”

 

Nodoka had been expecting this. “Is that how you feel Ranko?”

 

“Yes Mom, it is. I used to think I loved Akane but that was nothing compared to what I feel for Ranma. It's like what I felt for Akane was a candle and what I feel for Ranma is the sun at noon.”

 

The auburn haired mother's eyes went wide as she looked back and forth between her children. “My goodness, daughter. I didn't know you could be so poetic.”

 

Ranko let out a snort. “Here's one more thing to blame on Pops. Cologne thinks that some of the crap he pulled on me in the name of training caused brain damage. It made it so we couldn't be interest in anything other than martial arts. I guess he was just lucky it didn't make me a mental vegetable. That's fixed now and both of us are supposed to be really smart.”

 

“That's wonderful dear, but you are getting off the subject. If you had freedom to act, what would you do about your feelings for each other?”

 

Speaking in unison the twins said, “I'd marry her/him.” They looked at each other and laughed.

 

Nodoka sighed. “I see. I trust you realize that will be difficult. I won't say impossible.”

 

They both nodded. Ranko told her, “Cologne had some suggestions and we had some ideas of our own. How hard would it be to get Mr. Tendo to adopt me?”

 

“Adopt you?” Nodoka wasn't sure she was following the reasoning. “Why would you ask that?”

 

Ranma took over, “Think about it. If Ranko is adopted as one of Mr. Tendo's daughters we could legally be married and satisfy the honor agreement between the Tendo and Saotome families. I guess to qualify as joining the schools Mr. Tendo would have to train Ranko in the Tendo branch of Anything Goes.”

 

Nodoka protested, “What about the fact that you are brother and sister?”

 

Ranko shook her head, “We aren't, not really. We say we're twins because we both remember having you and Pops as parents. But really I'm a magically created person that was modeled after Ranma's cursed form. I emphasize modeled as different from copied. Mentally and spiritually we are the same person and physically I don't think we'd even qualify as related. Much more important is that legally I don't exist. If Nabiki or the people she has working for her create papers that say I'm Tendo Ranko, then that's who I am.”

 

The Saotome matriarch walked along and gazed at Ranko. For a moment Ranko worried that she had gone too far and had managed to alienate her mother. After they walked along in silence for a while longer, Ranko timidly asked, “Mom?”

 

The twins were surprised when Nodoka stepped forward to envelope Ranko in a glomp that would put an Amazon to shame. “Oh, my dear, I didn't realize. You must feel so alone. Don't be afraid, dear. You have Ranma and you have me. You aren't alone.”

 

Ranko found herself fighting tears as she patted her mother on the back. The thought hadn't really sunk in but the fact she was a magically created being did mean that she didn't really have a mother. To have this woman accept her as her daughter was having a profound effect on her. Looking on, Ranma found himself fighting tears as well. They had decided not to tell anyone about their original body being destroyed, but in truth Ranma was in the same position as Ranko - a magically created being with no history or family.

 

When they two women disengaged Ranko planted a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you Mom.”

 

Nodoka looked at her children biting her lip. Her expression said she was trying to decide something. Finally she said, “I know you two have been physically intimate. After what you just told me of your feelings, I'd be surprised if you hadn't. I'm afraid I walked into your room and saw you together.”

 

Gently Ranma said, “We know, Mom.”

 

The mother's mouth hung open for a moment. “You know? But how?”

 

Ranko spoke up, “Kasumi told you that we… I mean I used to be a sound sleeper. Well that was true, but when the magic split us it didn't just cure the curse, it healed us of other stuff too. Cologne thinks it was a medical condition that made me so hard to wake up. It was probably a side effect of one of the injuries I got from Pop's weird training methods. Now that we're healed, we sleep more like normal people. When Kasumi said `Oh my' after she walked in on us, we both woke up. We just kept lying still, hoping you wouldn't notice we were awake.”

 

Ranma asked, “How did you figure out that we weren't just… I don't know, snuggling?”

 

Nodoka laughed at that. “Please. Snuggling? Naked? Do you take me for a fool? Besides that there were still drops of semen on Ranko's pubic hair. That didn't get there from just snuggling.”

 

The twins exchanged a look of dismay. Nodoka laughed again. “Don't worry children, I'm not angry with you. In future you might want to clean up better after or just lock the door. It would have been embarrassing if Kasumi had walked in earlier and interrupted you. Embarrassing for you and for Kasumi.”

 

Ranko blinked. “Wait a minute. `Lock the door?' Are you saying I don't have to move into Kasumi's room?”

 

Nodoka considered that. Having the girl in the room might considerably cramp her style when she was with Kasumi herself. Then again maybe she could get Ranko to join in. That might be fun. No! She was going to Kasumi so she wouldn't try to seduce her children.

 

Finally the mother said, “Maybe we could set up a futon for you in her room for the sake of appearance. Once everyone else is in bed you can go to Ranma's room and spend the night with him… with the door locked. I wouldn't want to break up such lovers as you two seem to be.”

 

Ranko grumbled, “I don't like sneaking around, but if it will keep Akane from going ballistic, then it's probably a good idea.”

 

Ranma nodded. “Mom, one of these days we're going to have to do something about Akane.” They resumed walking as they discussed some of the ideas that Cologne had suggested and they had thought of themselves.

 

They arrived just as Kasumi was getting home from her dinner shopping. Soun and Genma were playing another of their eternal round of Shogi games. They went into the kitchen.

 

Nodoka looked to make sure the men were not paying attention. She said, “Kasumi dear, I just today learned that Ranma and Ranko don't sleep as deeply as they used to. The circumstances that split them have changed that.”

 

“Oh, my,” Exclaimed Kasumi. “Then they know…”

 

Ranma nodded, “We know you saw us. Thanks for not making a big fuss about it.”

 

Kasumi blushed. “Well, you do look good together.”

 

Nodoka interrupted, “I have learned something else that rather changes things for the way things are going in this house. Ranma and Ranko have confessed that they are deeply in love with each other.

 

The eldest Tendo daughter nodded as if this was no surprise to her.

 

The older Saotome woman continued, “To avoid breaking up two people who feel that way, I was hoping you would participate in a deception.”

 

“What kind of deception?” Kasumi asked.

 

Nodoka explained, “What I was thinking was this. Ranko could put her clothing in your closet and the drawers you cleared as planned. However, after the rest of the family has gone to bed, Ranko will leave your room and go join her lover in his room. Since you are usually the first person in the house to get up, you can knock on their door to alert Ranko to get up and return to your room. Then when the rest of the household awakens they can see Ranko leaving your room for breakfast, training or whatever else she wants to do at that hour of the morning.”

 

Kasumi thought of how this would leave her free to spend more time with Nodoka. She smiled. The described arrangement sounded like multiple people would benefit. She said, “Of course I would be willing to help. I'm glad for the chance to nurture young love.”

 

Ranko wanted to know if Kasumi was bothered by the brother/sister thing, but decided not to push her luck.

 

Kasumi said, “I cleared space in my closet and emptied some drawers. So you would know which ones to use, I left the drawers open slightly. Why don't you and Ranma go up and put your new clothes away.”

 

After the twins left Kasumi asked Nodoka, “How serious are they about being in love?”

 

Nodoka shrugged. “They sounded pretty serious to me. They are trying to figure out a way they can get married legally.”

 

“Married? Incest is bad enough, but marriage of siblings?”

 

With a sigh, Nodoka told the eldest Tendo daughter, “They told me some things that make it clear that what they are doing isn't really incest. Physically Ranko is not a child of my body but of magic. Only the fact that her soul and mind are copied from Ranma's make her my daughter in a spiritual sense. Given what they have told me, I think I can agree with and support what they wish to do. However, there are some things that will need to be done to prepare for it.”

 

The eldest Sotome woman explained what she and the twins had discussed. “I'd like having Ranko as a sister. I know Ranma has treated me like a big sister for a long time.”

 

Nodoka's face lit up with an impish grin. “I think they may both have different thoughts about you now.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

The twin's mom explained, “They explained to me that Ranma doesn't want to marry Akane because of her anger and trust issues. Nabiki is not in the running because of the way she treats Ranma as a commodity. Of the Tendo sisters, you are the only one he'd consider now. Instead of looking at you as a big sister, I believe Ranma now sees you as a desirable woman, and a very sweet girl at that.”

 

Kasumi blushed.

 

“In a way I guess it is a good thing that Ranko will be sneaking out of your room to be with her lover. If she wasn't doing that she might be sneaking into your bed instead. After all her thoughts and opinions are the same as Ranma's.”

 

Kasumi's blush deepened. “Considering the feelings you have awakened in me, I think I must just welcome her into my bed.”

 

Nokoka smiled. “As much as I would love to share a bed with both you and Ranko, I swore I would resist the temptation to seduce my children. While I confess the temptation is strong, I must try to be stronger still.”

 

Thinking back to the scene in the guest room - those magnificent nude bodies, the impressive male organ, Kasumi had to agree that it was a temptation. Perhaps sharing a room with Ranko wasn't really a good idea. Still, she had promised. If Ranma and Ranko could get married, they would share a room together and the temptation would be removed.

 

Author's Note: Now we have an explanation for what happened to Ranma and Ranko. Does their love stand a chance? It is certain there will be problems. (It would be a boring story if there weren't.)