Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ China Girl ❯ Stumbling Into Town ( Chapter 1 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: SaotomeRanchan 
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Martial Arts | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.25.2001 | Updated On: 08.25.2001 | Pages: 6 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 1.6K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Martial Arts | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.25.2001 | Updated On: 08.25.2001 | Pages: 6 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 1.6K | Status: Work In Progress
China Girl
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by Saotome Ranchan
SaotomeRanchan@allaboutranma.com
http://www.allaboutra nma.com/fanfics/China_Girl/
Ranma 1/2 is a creation of Takahashi Rumiko. All rights
belong to Takahashi-san, Shogakukan, Kitty, Viz, and countless
other entities with the power to sue me for borrowing them
for a little while. Please don't -- I'm a starving, penniless otaku!
All original characters belong to me... if you'd like them to visit
your fanfics, just ask! Their travel rucksacks are always packed
and ready to go.
[Chinese ]
* italics *
--------------------------------------------
Book One: Learning to Accept
Chapter One: Stumbling Into Town
--------------------------------------------
Ranma trudged through the mud, following her father and the
Chinese guide through the Bayankala wilderness. She really hated
the mud, the way it squished between her toes, the way it hid
sharp stones and twigs, the way it was *everywhere*.
Considering that the groundwater levels in the area had to be high
to keep the springs at Jusenkyo going, Ranma understood that
there would be a lot of mud. She just wished it didn't have to be all
over her feet.
Not that her shoes would have helped her any. Right now, they
were about seven sizes too big, thanks to the Spring of Drowned
Girl. The dunking in Nyannichuan made all her gi too large, too, but
at least she could tighten the drawstrings on her pants and readjust
her jacket. She couldn't readjust her toes.
It had take a good day to get over the initial shock of her change.
Ranma had spent the first few hours raging against her father,
chasing him around the springs and across the surrounding
mountains. Genma had been the one to knock her into the cursed
pool, and it had been his idea to seek out the legendary training
grounds to begin with. After she had pounded the panda man into
pulp a few times, she turned her anger towards the Jusenkyo
guide. The overweight caretaker was not a martial artist, however,
and Ranma refused to fight the weak. And the man *had* tried to
warn them about the springs' too-too tragic tales. The Saotomes
had ignored him, though, eager to spar atop the bamboo poles
jutting from the hundreds of pools. No, Ranma could not remain
upset with the guide. Instead, she'd headed up to Mount Quanjing
to meditate and come to terms with her anger.
When she returned to the guide's cottage that evening, Ranma's
control was back in place. That didn't mean she had accepted her
curse, however. A haunted, pained look etched her face, and
shock and anger had given way to depression. The brash, cocky
youth had been replaced by a withdrawn, haggard young girl.
Even Ranma's infamous appetite was gone, which was just as
well, for the sweet-and-sour pork the guide had promised for
dinner never materialized. The little redhead simply sat on a stool
in a corner of the kitchen, every now and then looking down at her
transformed body in misery.
*****
Once his honored guests had turned in for the night -- both having
oddly refused his offer of hot water -- the guide sat up alone,
preoccupied. As he puffed on his pipe, he considered the curses
that had come into play that day. He was not worried about the
older man. For some reason, taking the shape of a giant panda
seemed almost ... natural for the elder Saotome. They shared
they same bulky physique, after all. The guide was certain that the
low-key, lazy ways of a panda would suit the low-key, lazy
Japanese man. No, he was not worried about Saotome Genma
at all.
The younger Saotome, that was a different story. It was evident
that Ranma's masculinity was central to his self-worth; it was the
cornerstone of his identity. Now that it had been stripped away,
the youth had lost his grip on who -- and what -- he was, and he
was sinking fast. If he wasn't helped soon, Ranma might very well
follow the path several other male Nyannichuan victims had taken
over the years: the path of suicide.
Tapping his pipe out, the guide reached for his telephone.
Although it was approaching midnight, he knew that the person he
was calling would still be up and would welcome the opportunity
to help the cursed boy. She was the only one who *could* help
him.
Several minutes later, the caretaker thanked his friend and hung up.
There would be help for Saotome Ranma tomorrow, thank the
spirits! Now, if he could only help that boy who'd been cursed to
turn into a piglet ...
*****
"Sirs, we are here."
Ranma heard the words, but their meaning evaded her until she
walked smack into the solid black and white wall ahead of her.
Losing her balance, she toppled backwards into the mud.
"Browr?" the wall asked, turning back to look at the fallen redhead.
Ranma sighed and ignored her father. Climbing back to her feet,
she looks at her mud-covered hands and slowly wiped them on
her gi pants. A week ago, she would never have considered
doing something like that; a gi was a symbol of the martial
arts, accorded the same respect as one's dojo. Today, it no longer
seemed to matter.
she thought bitterly to herself.
The Jusenkyo guide looked at the dirt-covered teen and the giant
panda. "Sirs, we are here," he repeated. "These lands belong to
Joketsukozu. Very strong, very ancient tribe of Amazon warriors.
This village ahead is Nyuuchiezu Genjudi. I have very good friend there
who waits to help you." He smiled encouragingly but noted no
reaction at all from Ranma. None from Genma, either, although his
current panda state *did* limit his ability to communicate. Shaking
his head sadly, the guide started walking towards the village,
checking back every few minutes to make sure his charges were
following him.
*****
Like other Amazon villages, Nyuuchiezu Genjudi was well laid out. The only
entrances -- from the east and from the west -- were guarded at all
times by a trio of armed warriors. The outermost buildings housed
the assorted markets and services found in any sizable town.
These also served as the village's first line of defense, where
invading forces were usually annihilated before they could
advance any further. Next came the shops belongs to the
weapons crafters, the herbalists, the weavers, and the tanners,
establishments far more crucial to the Amazon way of life and
much more difficult to replace than the post office or bakery. A
wide band of open space separated these structures from the
rows of tidy cottages the Joketsukozu called home. At the very
center of the village stretched a lush green park, landscaped with
flowering trees and ornamental grasses. While it had once been
the site of bloody battles in millennia past, the peaceful park now
served as a meeting place, where Amazons gathered for
festivals, dances, and other community events. The school,
hospital, and Council Hall nestled on the grounds testified
to the park's status as the heart of Genjudi, one any Amazon
would die to protect. Fortunately, that had not happened in
decades, due in part to the reputation of the Joketsukozu but also
because the village borders were patrolled 24 hours per day by
teams of warriors.
One of these teams intercepted the Jusenkyo trio as they
approached the village. Recognizing the rotund guide, they
escorted the three travelers to the guards at the eastern entrance.
Keeping watch with the guards was an older woman with waist-
length hair the color of an afternoon sky. Her silver robes set off her
lively grey eyes and draped elegantly over her slim, athletic figure.
She smiled upon seeing the caretaker and bowed in welcome, her
hair ornaments tinkling musically with her movements.
[Your journey was quick, old friend,] she said as the Jusenkyo
guide bowed respectfully in return.
[Honored elder, the time passes swiftly when one's companions
don't have much to say,] he replied ruefully.
The woman looked past the guide and nodded in agreement. [I
can see that the panda might not have spoken much, but what
about the child?]
The guide gave her a sad look. [He is worse.]
[Then there is no time to waste, my friend. Introduce me to your
companions and we shall get started at once.] Stepping past the
portly man, the woman went up to the Saotomes and bowed.
"This Pao Da, respected elder of Genjudi," the guide
explained to his two charges. "She very very knowledgeable
lady, help many with Jusenkyo curse."
Ranma's eyes suddenly sparked to life. "You can cure me?" she
asked almost desperately.
Pao Da shook her head sadly. "No, child, I cannot cure you," she
replied in perfect Japanese, "but I *can* help you." And before
Ranma could cry out, the Amazon elder gently touched the cursed
boy's neck. Ranma crumpled limply into her arms, unconscious.
Carefully removing Ranma's rucksack, Pao Da turned to the elder
Saotome. "You'll need to carry her from here," she instructed the
panda. "Please follow me." With a nod to the warriors on duty, the
Joketsukozu woman bowed to the guide and headed into the
village, leaving Genma struggling with Ranma's dead weight and
his almost equally heavy pack.
*****
Jab. Cross. Roundhouse kick. Spin side kick. Jump inside
crescent kick. Side kick.
Ranma repeated the simple drill over and over, starting slowly but
building rapidly to an almost blinding speed. After several
minutes, he added a series of leaps, flips, and mid-air kicks to the
exercise, hovering effortlessly above the ground as he executed
each move. Next, he launched himself into his most difficult kata, a
grueling combination of strikes, blocks, and stances that displayed
his strength and agility, his precision and grace. Ranma finished his
morning workout with a succession of brick and log breaks, each
chop cleanly splitting the objects in half.
With a grin, Ranma mopped the sweat off his face, noting idly that
the back and underarms of his gi were drenched. Untying his belt,
he started to strip off the uniform top ... and froze when he saw his
chest. Gone were the broad, well-defined pectorals. Instead, two
large, perky, and unquestionably female breasts jutted out from
his ribs.
Ranma screamed.
"You're awake," a soft contralto voice came somewhere from his
right. Opening his eyes, Ranma realized he'd been dreaming.
Sighing with relief, he sat up ... only to see the breasts from his
nightmare as the blankets fell away.
Ranma screamed again.
"Child, another shriek like that and you'll rouse the dead," the voice
told her, amused. Ranma turned and saw the woman from the
village gate seated in a carved wooden chair to the right of her
bed.
"How'd I get here?" she asked, mystified. She looked at
her surroundings. She seemed to be in a small, sparsely furnished
bedroom. Her pack leaned against the far wall, beneath an open
window. Sunlight streamed in through the glass, giving the room a
warm, golden glow.
"I had your father bring you here, child. You were ... overwhelmed
by your recent experience and needed to rest quite badly," she
replied, smiling at the disoriented youth.
Ranma considered this. She did feel much better, and guessed
the nap had helped. she sullenly thought to herself. "Is this your place?"
she asked the Amazon.
"Yes, child. I did not feel it would be appropriate to house you
with the men in your current ... condition."
Ranma nodded, although she really didn't understand. She'd
stayed with Pop and the Jusenkyo guide the previous night, and it
wasn't like either of them were going to try anything. The thought
turned her stomach. "So where's my old man now?"
Pao Da steepled her fingers together. "I cannot say for certain
where he is, but at this hour yesterday he and some of he village
men were in the outer park playing mah jhongg. It is possible he is
doing so again today."
Ranma looked out the window. The sunlight and
sky color suggested it was early in the morning ... but when they
had arrived it was almost dusk. "H-how long have I been asleep?"
she asked the older woman.
"About two days."
"TWO DAYS?!!" Ranma screeched. "H-h-how?"
Pao Da pulled her chair up next to the redhead. "Child, it was
necessary. Your body and your mind were both still in shock from
the traumatic nature of your change. Your reasoning was eroding
fast, leaving you susceptible to any impulsive notion. This is why
the guardian brought you here, before you consciously or
subconsciously harmed yourself."
The cursed youth mulled this over and decided the Amazon was
right. Although Ranma would never back away from a challenge,
the fact that she was now a girl could have sent her over the edge.
After all, Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of
Anything Goes Martial Arts, had been raised to be a man among
men. The concept of having to wear frilly pastel clothes, sigh over
idol singers, and giggle over ice cream tore her soul. She
suppressed a shudder.
Pao Da noticed, however. Taking Ranma's hand in hers, she
looked straight into the girl's eyes. "You have spent the last 10
years away from any constant female presence, child, and as such
have undoubtedly developed ... interesting notions about
females and femininity, notions you find you must apply to
yourself, correct?"
Ranma nodded reluctantly.
"Child, I am going to help you see past these views," Pao Da
explained gently. "My task is to help you accept, if not embrace,
your curse. More than that ... I am going to help you see beyond
this female shell, to show you that no matter what you see on the
outside, inside you remain unchanged. You remain Saotome
Ranma."
"Why would you want to help *me*?" Ranma asked morosely.
Pao Da smiled and, keeping hold of the teen's hand, guided her to
a mirror mounted on the back of the bedroom door. "Tell me what
you see," she instructed.
Ranma looked at her reflection. "I see a short, chesty redhead in a
pair of boxer shorts."
"You see nothing else?" Pao Da asked.
Ranma peered at herself a little longer. "Waist's a lot smaller," she
noted. "Hips are wider. Face is fuller."
"Is that all?"
Ranma squinted at the mirror. "Eyelashes are different," she
murmured. "Eyebrows, too."
The Joketsukozu sighed. "Do you know what I see?"
The redhead shook her head, perplexed. "What?"
"I see Saotome Ranma."
The Amazon elder faced the cursed teen. "I see *you*. But all you
saw were body parts. All you gave me was a description of what
the mirror reflected."
Before Ranma could reply, Pao Da produced a small stoneware
flask from within her voluminous robes. Unstoppering it, she
dumped the contents over Ranma's head. The change was
instantaneous -- the mirror now reflected a tall, broad-shouldered,
and definitely male martial artist with glossy black hair.
Ranma gaped. He immediately started patting down his chest, his
eyes widening in disbelief as he felt lean, strong muscles ... and
nothing else. Tentatively, he pulled out the elastic waistband of his
boxers, letting out a whoop when he saw what was there.
"I'm me! I'M ME! WOOOHOOOOOO!" He began dancing
around in joy, abruptly stopping when he came face to face with
Pao Da. "Waita minute ... I thought you said you couldn't cure me,"
he said accusingly.
The elder shook her head. "Child, didn't the guardian offer you hot
water during your stay at Jusenkyo?"
Ranma scratched the back of his neck. "Well, yeah ... but I wasn't in
the mood for tea, so I didn't take him up on it. Why?"
Pao Da managed not to roll her eyes. "The curse of Jusenkyo is
reversed by hot water, child. That is why the guardian offered it to
you."
"Then ... that's it?" Ranma asked excitedly. "You poured that hot
water on me and the curse was reversed?" When the elder
nodded, Ranma sweeped her up into his arms and swung her
around the room. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
The Amazon tolerated the boy's antics for a while, then had him
set her down. Collecting the shreds of her dignity, she led the
overjoyed youth back to the mirror. "Child, tell me what you see
now," she said.
"I see me! One hundred percent guy! Completely, totally,
absolutely ..." SPLASH!!
" ... male," she finished lamely. Wiping the water out of her eyes,
Ranma looked at her reflection dejectedly. "I don't understand,"
she finally said.
Pao Da moved to stand behind the dripping girl. "Hot water only
reverses the curse of Jusenkyo, child. It does not cure it. When
cold water douses you, the curse comes forward once again."
"Then there really is no cure," Ranma said, her hopes dashed.
The elder turned Ranma to face her. "Child, cure or no cure, you
are still you, no matter what shell of flesh encases your soul."
Anger clouded the redhead's features. "But I'm a GUY!! No way
am I ever gonna be a girl by choice!" She looked around the
bedroom. "Where can I get more hot water?"
Pao Da cupped Ranma's chin in her hand, forcing the martial artist
to look her in the eye. "I will provide you with hot water, child. But!"
She pulled Ranma back as the girl began heading to the door.
"But ... I must ask you to consider this. Will you always have a
source of hot water nearby? What happens should you be
splashed in a marketplace? In a schoolyard? In the middle of a
battle?"
"I ... well, I'd ... uh ... hmmmmm." Ranma hadn't given those
possibilities any thought at all. I'd be stuck as a girl," she finally
conceded.
Pao Da smiled gently. "No, child. You would still be *you* -- but in
a different aspect, one that with time you will hopefully accept as
your own."
Ranma scowled. "What good is accepting THIS gonna do me? I
can't fight, I can't do anything! And I'm sure as hell not gonna put on
a frilly apron and start bakin' cookies!"
The Amazon laughed, her hair ornaments jingling in harmony.
"Child, do I look the type to wear 'frilly aprons' and 'bake
cookies'?" Suddenly, a hard glint came to her eyes and her
softness was replaced by steel.
Ranma blinked. "N-no," she stammered.
Pao Da smiled, and the warrior vanished as quickly as she had
appeared. "Good. You know, I don't think I have ever baked a
cookie in my life," she noted wryly. "No matter. Let me get
you some clothing, and we'll get under way."
"Under way?" Ranma asked.
The woman reached for the door. "Yes, under way. I'm going to
help you get in touch with your ... feminine side."
--------------------------------------------
Thanks to Gary Kleppe for his insightful C&C -- it is most appreciated!
Chapter Two coming soon!
C&C welcome at saotomeranchan@allaboutranma.com. No
flames, please ... I'm as sensitive as Tendo Soun!
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by Saotome Ranchan
SaotomeRanchan@allaboutranma.com
http://www.allaboutra nma.com/fanfics/China_Girl/
Ranma 1/2 is a creation of Takahashi Rumiko. All rights
belong to Takahashi-san, Shogakukan, Kitty, Viz, and countless
other entities with the power to sue me for borrowing them
for a little while. Please don't -- I'm a starving, penniless otaku!
All original characters belong to me... if you'd like them to visit
your fanfics, just ask! Their travel rucksacks are always packed
and ready to go.
[Chinese ]
* italics *
--------------------------------------------
Book One: Learning to Accept
Chapter One: Stumbling Into Town
--------------------------------------------
Ranma trudged through the mud, following her father and the
Chinese guide through the Bayankala wilderness. She really hated
the mud, the way it squished between her toes, the way it hid
sharp stones and twigs, the way it was *everywhere*.
Considering that the groundwater levels in the area had to be high
to keep the springs at Jusenkyo going, Ranma understood that
there would be a lot of mud. She just wished it didn't have to be all
over her feet.
Not that her shoes would have helped her any. Right now, they
were about seven sizes too big, thanks to the Spring of Drowned
Girl. The dunking in Nyannichuan made all her gi too large, too, but
at least she could tighten the drawstrings on her pants and readjust
her jacket. She couldn't readjust her toes.
It had take a good day to get over the initial shock of her change.
Ranma had spent the first few hours raging against her father,
chasing him around the springs and across the surrounding
mountains. Genma had been the one to knock her into the cursed
pool, and it had been his idea to seek out the legendary training
grounds to begin with. After she had pounded the panda man into
pulp a few times, she turned her anger towards the Jusenkyo
guide. The overweight caretaker was not a martial artist, however,
and Ranma refused to fight the weak. And the man *had* tried to
warn them about the springs' too-too tragic tales. The Saotomes
had ignored him, though, eager to spar atop the bamboo poles
jutting from the hundreds of pools. No, Ranma could not remain
upset with the guide. Instead, she'd headed up to Mount Quanjing
to meditate and come to terms with her anger.
When she returned to the guide's cottage that evening, Ranma's
control was back in place. That didn't mean she had accepted her
curse, however. A haunted, pained look etched her face, and
shock and anger had given way to depression. The brash, cocky
youth had been replaced by a withdrawn, haggard young girl.
Even Ranma's infamous appetite was gone, which was just as
well, for the sweet-and-sour pork the guide had promised for
dinner never materialized. The little redhead simply sat on a stool
in a corner of the kitchen, every now and then looking down at her
transformed body in misery.
*****
Once his honored guests had turned in for the night -- both having
oddly refused his offer of hot water -- the guide sat up alone,
preoccupied. As he puffed on his pipe, he considered the curses
that had come into play that day. He was not worried about the
older man. For some reason, taking the shape of a giant panda
seemed almost ... natural for the elder Saotome. They shared
they same bulky physique, after all. The guide was certain that the
low-key, lazy ways of a panda would suit the low-key, lazy
Japanese man. No, he was not worried about Saotome Genma
at all.
The younger Saotome, that was a different story. It was evident
that Ranma's masculinity was central to his self-worth; it was the
cornerstone of his identity. Now that it had been stripped away,
the youth had lost his grip on who -- and what -- he was, and he
was sinking fast. If he wasn't helped soon, Ranma might very well
follow the path several other male Nyannichuan victims had taken
over the years: the path of suicide.
Tapping his pipe out, the guide reached for his telephone.
Although it was approaching midnight, he knew that the person he
was calling would still be up and would welcome the opportunity
to help the cursed boy. She was the only one who *could* help
him.
Several minutes later, the caretaker thanked his friend and hung up.
There would be help for Saotome Ranma tomorrow, thank the
spirits! Now, if he could only help that boy who'd been cursed to
turn into a piglet ...
*****
"Sirs, we are here."
Ranma heard the words, but their meaning evaded her until she
walked smack into the solid black and white wall ahead of her.
Losing her balance, she toppled backwards into the mud.
"Browr?" the wall asked, turning back to look at the fallen redhead.
Ranma sighed and ignored her father. Climbing back to her feet,
she looks at her mud-covered hands and slowly wiped them on
her gi pants. A week ago, she would never have considered
doing something like that; a gi was a symbol of the martial
arts, accorded the same respect as one's dojo. Today, it no longer
seemed to matter.
she thought bitterly to herself.
The Jusenkyo guide looked at the dirt-covered teen and the giant
panda. "Sirs, we are here," he repeated. "These lands belong to
Joketsukozu. Very strong, very ancient tribe of Amazon warriors.
This village ahead is Nyuuchiezu Genjudi. I have very good friend there
who waits to help you." He smiled encouragingly but noted no
reaction at all from Ranma. None from Genma, either, although his
current panda state *did* limit his ability to communicate. Shaking
his head sadly, the guide started walking towards the village,
checking back every few minutes to make sure his charges were
following him.
*****
Like other Amazon villages, Nyuuchiezu Genjudi was well laid out. The only
entrances -- from the east and from the west -- were guarded at all
times by a trio of armed warriors. The outermost buildings housed
the assorted markets and services found in any sizable town.
These also served as the village's first line of defense, where
invading forces were usually annihilated before they could
advance any further. Next came the shops belongs to the
weapons crafters, the herbalists, the weavers, and the tanners,
establishments far more crucial to the Amazon way of life and
much more difficult to replace than the post office or bakery. A
wide band of open space separated these structures from the
rows of tidy cottages the Joketsukozu called home. At the very
center of the village stretched a lush green park, landscaped with
flowering trees and ornamental grasses. While it had once been
the site of bloody battles in millennia past, the peaceful park now
served as a meeting place, where Amazons gathered for
festivals, dances, and other community events. The school,
hospital, and Council Hall nestled on the grounds testified
to the park's status as the heart of Genjudi, one any Amazon
would die to protect. Fortunately, that had not happened in
decades, due in part to the reputation of the Joketsukozu but also
because the village borders were patrolled 24 hours per day by
teams of warriors.
One of these teams intercepted the Jusenkyo trio as they
approached the village. Recognizing the rotund guide, they
escorted the three travelers to the guards at the eastern entrance.
Keeping watch with the guards was an older woman with waist-
length hair the color of an afternoon sky. Her silver robes set off her
lively grey eyes and draped elegantly over her slim, athletic figure.
She smiled upon seeing the caretaker and bowed in welcome, her
hair ornaments tinkling musically with her movements.
[Your journey was quick, old friend,] she said as the Jusenkyo
guide bowed respectfully in return.
[Honored elder, the time passes swiftly when one's companions
don't have much to say,] he replied ruefully.
The woman looked past the guide and nodded in agreement. [I
can see that the panda might not have spoken much, but what
about the child?]
The guide gave her a sad look. [He is worse.]
[Then there is no time to waste, my friend. Introduce me to your
companions and we shall get started at once.] Stepping past the
portly man, the woman went up to the Saotomes and bowed.
"This Pao Da, respected elder of Genjudi," the guide
explained to his two charges. "She very very knowledgeable
lady, help many with Jusenkyo curse."
Ranma's eyes suddenly sparked to life. "You can cure me?" she
asked almost desperately.
Pao Da shook her head sadly. "No, child, I cannot cure you," she
replied in perfect Japanese, "but I *can* help you." And before
Ranma could cry out, the Amazon elder gently touched the cursed
boy's neck. Ranma crumpled limply into her arms, unconscious.
Carefully removing Ranma's rucksack, Pao Da turned to the elder
Saotome. "You'll need to carry her from here," she instructed the
panda. "Please follow me." With a nod to the warriors on duty, the
Joketsukozu woman bowed to the guide and headed into the
village, leaving Genma struggling with Ranma's dead weight and
his almost equally heavy pack.
*****
Jab. Cross. Roundhouse kick. Spin side kick. Jump inside
crescent kick. Side kick.
Ranma repeated the simple drill over and over, starting slowly but
building rapidly to an almost blinding speed. After several
minutes, he added a series of leaps, flips, and mid-air kicks to the
exercise, hovering effortlessly above the ground as he executed
each move. Next, he launched himself into his most difficult kata, a
grueling combination of strikes, blocks, and stances that displayed
his strength and agility, his precision and grace. Ranma finished his
morning workout with a succession of brick and log breaks, each
chop cleanly splitting the objects in half.
With a grin, Ranma mopped the sweat off his face, noting idly that
the back and underarms of his gi were drenched. Untying his belt,
he started to strip off the uniform top ... and froze when he saw his
chest. Gone were the broad, well-defined pectorals. Instead, two
large, perky, and unquestionably female breasts jutted out from
his ribs.
Ranma screamed.
"You're awake," a soft contralto voice came somewhere from his
right. Opening his eyes, Ranma realized he'd been dreaming.
Sighing with relief, he sat up ... only to see the breasts from his
nightmare as the blankets fell away.
Ranma screamed again.
"Child, another shriek like that and you'll rouse the dead," the voice
told her, amused. Ranma turned and saw the woman from the
village gate seated in a carved wooden chair to the right of her
bed.
"How'd I get here?" she asked, mystified. She looked at
her surroundings. She seemed to be in a small, sparsely furnished
bedroom. Her pack leaned against the far wall, beneath an open
window. Sunlight streamed in through the glass, giving the room a
warm, golden glow.
"I had your father bring you here, child. You were ... overwhelmed
by your recent experience and needed to rest quite badly," she
replied, smiling at the disoriented youth.
Ranma considered this. She did feel much better, and guessed
the nap had helped. she sullenly thought to herself. "Is this your place?"
she asked the Amazon.
"Yes, child. I did not feel it would be appropriate to house you
with the men in your current ... condition."
Ranma nodded, although she really didn't understand. She'd
stayed with Pop and the Jusenkyo guide the previous night, and it
wasn't like either of them were going to try anything. The thought
turned her stomach. "So where's my old man now?"
Pao Da steepled her fingers together. "I cannot say for certain
where he is, but at this hour yesterday he and some of he village
men were in the outer park playing mah jhongg. It is possible he is
doing so again today."
Ranma looked out the window. The sunlight and
sky color suggested it was early in the morning ... but when they
had arrived it was almost dusk. "H-how long have I been asleep?"
she asked the older woman.
"About two days."
"TWO DAYS?!!" Ranma screeched. "H-h-how?"
Pao Da pulled her chair up next to the redhead. "Child, it was
necessary. Your body and your mind were both still in shock from
the traumatic nature of your change. Your reasoning was eroding
fast, leaving you susceptible to any impulsive notion. This is why
the guardian brought you here, before you consciously or
subconsciously harmed yourself."
The cursed youth mulled this over and decided the Amazon was
right. Although Ranma would never back away from a challenge,
the fact that she was now a girl could have sent her over the edge.
After all, Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of
Anything Goes Martial Arts, had been raised to be a man among
men. The concept of having to wear frilly pastel clothes, sigh over
idol singers, and giggle over ice cream tore her soul. She
suppressed a shudder.
Pao Da noticed, however. Taking Ranma's hand in hers, she
looked straight into the girl's eyes. "You have spent the last 10
years away from any constant female presence, child, and as such
have undoubtedly developed ... interesting notions about
females and femininity, notions you find you must apply to
yourself, correct?"
Ranma nodded reluctantly.
"Child, I am going to help you see past these views," Pao Da
explained gently. "My task is to help you accept, if not embrace,
your curse. More than that ... I am going to help you see beyond
this female shell, to show you that no matter what you see on the
outside, inside you remain unchanged. You remain Saotome
Ranma."
"Why would you want to help *me*?" Ranma asked morosely.
Pao Da smiled and, keeping hold of the teen's hand, guided her to
a mirror mounted on the back of the bedroom door. "Tell me what
you see," she instructed.
Ranma looked at her reflection. "I see a short, chesty redhead in a
pair of boxer shorts."
"You see nothing else?" Pao Da asked.
Ranma peered at herself a little longer. "Waist's a lot smaller," she
noted. "Hips are wider. Face is fuller."
"Is that all?"
Ranma squinted at the mirror. "Eyelashes are different," she
murmured. "Eyebrows, too."
The Joketsukozu sighed. "Do you know what I see?"
The redhead shook her head, perplexed. "What?"
"I see Saotome Ranma."
The Amazon elder faced the cursed teen. "I see *you*. But all you
saw were body parts. All you gave me was a description of what
the mirror reflected."
Before Ranma could reply, Pao Da produced a small stoneware
flask from within her voluminous robes. Unstoppering it, she
dumped the contents over Ranma's head. The change was
instantaneous -- the mirror now reflected a tall, broad-shouldered,
and definitely male martial artist with glossy black hair.
Ranma gaped. He immediately started patting down his chest, his
eyes widening in disbelief as he felt lean, strong muscles ... and
nothing else. Tentatively, he pulled out the elastic waistband of his
boxers, letting out a whoop when he saw what was there.
"I'm me! I'M ME! WOOOHOOOOOO!" He began dancing
around in joy, abruptly stopping when he came face to face with
Pao Da. "Waita minute ... I thought you said you couldn't cure me,"
he said accusingly.
The elder shook her head. "Child, didn't the guardian offer you hot
water during your stay at Jusenkyo?"
Ranma scratched the back of his neck. "Well, yeah ... but I wasn't in
the mood for tea, so I didn't take him up on it. Why?"
Pao Da managed not to roll her eyes. "The curse of Jusenkyo is
reversed by hot water, child. That is why the guardian offered it to
you."
"Then ... that's it?" Ranma asked excitedly. "You poured that hot
water on me and the curse was reversed?" When the elder
nodded, Ranma sweeped her up into his arms and swung her
around the room. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
The Amazon tolerated the boy's antics for a while, then had him
set her down. Collecting the shreds of her dignity, she led the
overjoyed youth back to the mirror. "Child, tell me what you see
now," she said.
"I see me! One hundred percent guy! Completely, totally,
absolutely ..." SPLASH!!
" ... male," she finished lamely. Wiping the water out of her eyes,
Ranma looked at her reflection dejectedly. "I don't understand,"
she finally said.
Pao Da moved to stand behind the dripping girl. "Hot water only
reverses the curse of Jusenkyo, child. It does not cure it. When
cold water douses you, the curse comes forward once again."
"Then there really is no cure," Ranma said, her hopes dashed.
The elder turned Ranma to face her. "Child, cure or no cure, you
are still you, no matter what shell of flesh encases your soul."
Anger clouded the redhead's features. "But I'm a GUY!! No way
am I ever gonna be a girl by choice!" She looked around the
bedroom. "Where can I get more hot water?"
Pao Da cupped Ranma's chin in her hand, forcing the martial artist
to look her in the eye. "I will provide you with hot water, child. But!"
She pulled Ranma back as the girl began heading to the door.
"But ... I must ask you to consider this. Will you always have a
source of hot water nearby? What happens should you be
splashed in a marketplace? In a schoolyard? In the middle of a
battle?"
"I ... well, I'd ... uh ... hmmmmm." Ranma hadn't given those
possibilities any thought at all. I'd be stuck as a girl," she finally
conceded.
Pao Da smiled gently. "No, child. You would still be *you* -- but in
a different aspect, one that with time you will hopefully accept as
your own."
Ranma scowled. "What good is accepting THIS gonna do me? I
can't fight, I can't do anything! And I'm sure as hell not gonna put on
a frilly apron and start bakin' cookies!"
The Amazon laughed, her hair ornaments jingling in harmony.
"Child, do I look the type to wear 'frilly aprons' and 'bake
cookies'?" Suddenly, a hard glint came to her eyes and her
softness was replaced by steel.
Ranma blinked. "N-no," she stammered.
Pao Da smiled, and the warrior vanished as quickly as she had
appeared. "Good. You know, I don't think I have ever baked a
cookie in my life," she noted wryly. "No matter. Let me get
you some clothing, and we'll get under way."
"Under way?" Ranma asked.
The woman reached for the door. "Yes, under way. I'm going to
help you get in touch with your ... feminine side."
--------------------------------------------
Thanks to Gary Kleppe for his insightful C&C -- it is most appreciated!
Chapter Two coming soon!
C&C welcome at saotomeranchan@allaboutranma.com. No
flames, please ... I'm as sensitive as Tendo Soun!