Videl opened her eyes at the sight of sunlight filtering in through the curtains of her window. She sat up and stretched smiling at the prospect of another beautiful day. Everything was looking bright until she saw the clock by her bed.
“OH MY GOD! I’M LATE!!!”
In a blur of motion she was out of her nightclothes and into her school clothes. I can’t believe I overslept! Of course I haven’t used an alarm since Ranma moved in. She fixed her hair and blazed out her door toward Ranma’s. He’s woken me up every morning before sunrise! What could have happened to him? Gruesome images started to run through her head as she picked up the pace.
She threw open her boyfriend’s door open. “RANMA!” She looked around the room frantically and found no sign of him. “Where is he?” She thought for a second. Her eyes went wide. “He didn’t.” She turned around and ran toward the gym where she left him last night.
She heard a steady sound as she got closer. Bzzt…Bzzt…Bzzt… Her face got a questioning look on it. She opened the door.
Inside was Ranma-Chan, still trapped in her cursed female body. The redhead’s face was resting on the keyboard. The lights were still blinking away while she dozed the morning away. The machine was still shocking him, but the main capacitors were blown long ago. The board was still sending shocks through the martial artist, but it lacked even enough power to wake sleepy beauty.
Videl shook her head and tsked. “Ranma, Ranma, Ranma.”
The redhead snorted in her sleep. “What, what what?” She spoke from beyond her dreams.
The black-haired girl smiled, reached over, and turned the machine off. “My poor Ranma.” She knelt down and brushed some hair out of Ranma-Chan’s eyes. “You sure are determined.”
The sleeping redhead breathed in and smiled. “Have to be the best.” She still had not awoken.
“I love you, you knuckle-head.”
“I love you too, Videl-Chan.”
Videl smiled. “Too bad you can’t be this forthcoming when you’re awake.”
“Sorry.”
She nudged the smaller girl. “Wake up, Ranma.”
“No.”
“WAKE UP!!!”
“GAAAAAAHHHH!!!”
The redhead swung her arms around as she fell backwards out of the chair with a loud thud. She rubbed the back of her head and sat up. “What time is it?”
“9:30.”
“GAAAAAHHHH!!! I’M LATE FOR WORK!” In a flash of red hair, Ranma-Chan was gone.
Videl leaned back against the speed machine and crossed her arms. “Good morning Ranma. How are you today? Fine? Oh that’s great. I’m doing well myself. Look at the time, you’ll be late for work.” She shook her head and grinned in amusement.
She walked out and headed toward the front door and waited be the door.
About thirty seconds later, Ranma-Chan came barreling down the hallway. Videl stepped out in front of the redhead and braced herself. The smaller girl hit and fell on her back. “What was that for?”
Videl helped the girl back to her feet. “Why were you asleep at the machine? Why didn’t you go to bed?”
Ranma-Chan scratched her head and yawned. “I gotta learn the technique.”
“You also need to get some sleep. You can’t keep pushing yourself like this. You’ll burn yourself out.”
“I don’t want to be a girl forever! If I learn this technique I’ll be fast enough to get the Phoenix pill!”
Videl straightened up Ranma-Chan’s hair. “I don’t want you to kill yourself. I’ll walk you to work. I’m already late for school as it is.”
“I’ll be fine.” Ranma-Chan grumbled as they walked together toward the Nekohanten.
“SAOTOME RANMA PREPARE TO DIE!!!”
Videl’s eyebrow shot up. “Who is it this time?” Her eyes went wide when she saw that toady’s attacker was coming right for her. She hopped aside and stuck the oncoming body in the back, imbedding him face first into the nearest wall. “What’s the big idea?!”
Ranma-Chan was seeing red as she pulled the man’s head out of the wall. “Yeah. What’s the big idea?” There was a distinct note of menace in her voice.
The boy was wearing white robes and had long black hair going down his back. He pulled himself out of the wall and swung around towards Videl. “You have stolen Shampoo away from me, you fiend.”
Videl rapped him on the head. “I’m not Ranma, you retard.”
Mousse reached into his robe and pulled out a pair of coke bottle glasses. “Well you looked like a boy.”
SMASH!!!
Mousse was re-implanted into the wall, courtesy of Videl knuckle express.
Ranma-Chan pulled the Chinese boy out of the wall by his hair. “I’m Ranma you blind idiot!”
The Chinese boy poked Ranma-Chan’s breasts. “You’re not a man. Ranma Saotome is a man.”
“And how, you PERVERT!” Ranma-Chan slapped Mousse and sent him back into his impression in the wall.
Videl put her hands on her hips and grinned at Ranma. “You certainly have a way of making friends, Ranma. So how did you make this one mad? Another bread feud, or something worse?”
Ranma-Chan shrugged. “I swear I didn’t do nothing to him! I ain’t never seen him before!”
The black-haired girl rolled her eyes. “You didn’t do ANYHING to him, and you HAVEN’T seen him before.”
“That’s what I said.”
Mousse pried himself from the wall again. “RANMA! Prepare to meet your maker!”
Ranma-Chan shrugged her shoulders. “At least you came up with an original line.”
“I’m serious!” He raised his arms and swords came out of his sleeves. “Prepare to die!” He swung the blades at Ranma-Chan’s head.
The redhead fell back and rolled backwards. She rolled to her feet. “Okay, so you got a couple swords.”
“That’s not all I got!” A large naginita appeared out of nowhere. He started swinging the Japanese halberd around trying to cleave the smaller redhead in twain.
Ranma weaved in and out through the slashes. “Careful with that thing! You could hurt someone!”
“THAT’S THE POINT!!!” He started swinging some more.
A bonbari came flying from the side and knocked the weapon from Mousse’s hands.
Ranma and Videl turned to see Shampoo sitting on her bike atop the wall that had the permanent Mousse imprint in it. “Stupid Mousse! Leave Airen alone!”
Mousse threw his arms wide. “SHAMPOO MY LOVE!!!” GLOMP!
Videl was not happy with the new growth on her chest. “Get…off…of…me.”
“We’ll never be apart again, Shampoo!”
Ranma-Chan slammed Mousse hard in the side, sending him flying into the wall again. “Get your hands off of her.” Her voice was cold and even, promising much bodily harm should he ever touch her girlfriend again.
Shampoo hopped off her bike and landed with her arms around Ranma-Chan. “Nihao! You marry Shampoo, yes? Then Ranma be real man again!”
SLAM!!!
Shampoo joined Mousse in his imprint on the wall, courtesy Videl’s shoulder ram. “I told you once before! Keep your hands off my man!”
“Shampoo!” Mousse wrapped his arms around the purple-haired Amazon.
“Aiyah!!!” The Amazon elbowed Mousse’s face back into the wall. She jumped out of the impression and brushed herself off. “Stupid Mousse! I no love you! I love Ranma!”
Videl put herself between Ranma-Chan and Shampoo. “Not my Ranma.”
Shampoo narrowed her eyes. “Is my Ranma.”
“Shampoo!” Mousse’s arms started to snake around the Amazon warrior.
“No touch Shampoo!” She slapped his hands away. “Only for Ranma!”
Mousse glared at Ranma. “Apparently I’ll need to rid myself of you before I can take Shampoo as my bride.”
“You want her gift wrapped?” Videl smiled evilly at Shampoo.
“Saotome I challenge you for the hand of Shampoo!”
Ranma-Chan’s eyes brightened up. Videl knew that look. “No, Ranma! Don’t take the challenge!”
The pigtailed martial artist gave her an imploring look. “But I gotta…it’s part of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. I have to answer any and all challenges!”
Videl shook her head and leaned into Ranma-Chan’s ear. “You could lose this one. It’ll get Shampoo off your back…”
The redhead’s eyebrows came up. “I’m listening.”
“All you have to do is lose.” Videl smiled as the look of understanding swept over Ranma-Chan’s face. “Get it?”
“Got it.”
“Good.”
Ranma-Chan stepped forward. “Okay. Let’s go!” She dropped into a loose stance.
Mousse smiled a cocky grin and put his hands into the loose sleeves of his white robes. “Then prepare yourself for my ultimate attack! FIST OF THE WHITE SWAN!!!” In a blur of motion a large object flew at Ranma-Chan’s head.
Her instincts kicked in automatically as she put up her hands to intercept it. She blinked when she saw what Mousse had swung at her. “A baby potty?!?!?!”
It was indeed a training potty shaped like a swan. Ranma-Chan was fuming.
Videl put an arm on her shoulder. “Remember, you’re supposed to lose.”
The redhead just shook her head. “Sorry. He’s too stupid for me to lose to!” She kicked the potty into the air, and, while Mousse watched it fly towards the heavens, Ranma-Chan planted a massive uppercut to his jaw, sending him right after the potty. “That’ll teach him.”
“Aiyah! Shampoo so happy!” The lavender haired Amazon started to launch into a flying glomp.
Once again Videl stepped between the other two girls. “Back off.”
“SAOTOME RANMA PREPARE TO DIE!!!”
Ranma-Chan looked around. “Again? Is he back already?” She turned around to see a Tanuki staring back at her. “Now what did I ever do to you?”
“Because of you I’ve seen hell!”
The redhead
shook her head. “You sound just like
Ryoga, Tanuki-Senin.”
The statue shot up as Ryoga stood to his feet. “I AM RYOGA, AND NOW YOU’LL DIE FOR THE HELL YOU’VE PUT ME THROUGH!” He threw a punch at Ranma-Chan that she easily evaded.
“You’ll have to do better than that.” She chided him.
The lost boy started chuckling maniacally. “Oh I’ll do much better then that. Now witness my newfound power and speed!” He threw the Tanuki statue aside. “Now you’ll meet your doom!” He threw a quick three-punch combo at Ranma-Chan.
The redhead just barely got away from all of them in time. Whoa! He did get much faster! She ducked more punches that started coming in even faster. Man, if it wasn’t for all the speed training I’ve been doing I wouldn’t be able to do this. She started to lose ground. Okay, time to take him out. She weaved through Ryoga’s punch pattern and landed a solid upper cut into his ribs.
Ryoga stopped and looked at her. “Was that supposed to hurt?”
Ranma-Chan’s eyes went wide. The lost boy took advantage of her surprise and punched her across her jaw and sent her flying into Mousse’s impression, leaving a new one with a pigtail. She pried herself free and felt something wet trickled down her chin. She dabbed a finger in it and brought it to her face. “Blood?” No one has made me bleed in ages. She turned a look of disbelief at Ryoga. Not only had he taken one of her most powerful punches, but he also managed to hurt her! This female body has GOT to go.
Ryoga was laughing. “What’s the matter little girl? Don’t you want to fight any more?”
Ranma-Chan wiped the excess blood from her chin and stood back up. “What did you call me?”
“Girl. A whiny, crying little girl. Why don’t you go find a nice dress?”
The redhead was furious. “All right you idiot! I’ve been going easy on you before ‘cause I felt sorry for you, but now you’re going to pay. I still haven’t forgiven you from what you did to Videl’s hair.” Videl smiled at the last part. “Now you’re going to PAY!!!”
She launched herself at Ryoga, leading with her left foot. The lost boy stepped aside and tried to hammerblow Ranma-Chan as she passed. She brought her extended leg around to kick the blow. She weathered the blow, but the concrete under her started to crack. Ryoga swung his right forward with the intention of kicking the smaller redhead in said tresses. She quickly rolled to her feet, narrowly avoiding the blow. She got to her feet and kicked Ryoga in the gut, again no reaction.
She dodged back as Ryoga threw a haymaker at her head. How did he get so much stronger and faster? There’s no way I got that sloppy. I should be tons faster and stronger after all the training I’ve been doing. She leapt over another blow and looked over to where Ryoga had discarded the Tanuki statue. The ground around it was sunk in under the weight and impact of the statue. He’s been training with that on his back? That’s even worse than his pack and umbrella. She narrowly avoided a two punch-kick combo. Guess there’s only one thing to do, but I was saving it for the old ghoul. “All right, Ryoga. No more Mr. Nice Guy.”
The fanged boy snorted. “Don’t you mean Ms. Nice Girl?”
Ranma-Chan grit her teeth. “Time to witness my new technique. Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!” She unleashed a barrage of blows into Ryoga’s mid-section.
Videl’s face lit up in pride as she saw him unleash the devastating Amazon attack. “He did it! He actually learned it!”
Shampoo had her hands clasped in front of her chest as she smiled from ear-to-ear. “Of course! Airen is too too clever! Shampoo knew he could learn!”
Ranma-Chan broke off her assault and took a step back. “So have you had enough?”
Ryoga, who was doubled over at the time, began to titter. Then he began to chuckle. Finally it evolved into full-fledged laughter. “You’re too weak! You can’t hope to harm me!!!”
The pigtailed martial artist was dumbfounded. The new technique didn’t work? How can a technique I spent all night getting down not work? She ducked as Ryoga renewed his assault. What can I do? Only one thing to do now. She leapt back and struck a dramatic pose. “Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts final attack!”
Everyone, except Videl, paused and waited for the completion of the move with baited breath.
“RUN AWAY!!!” Ranma turned and ran down the street. Videl followed close after her.
Ryoga smiled. “You may have been able to hide from me before, but now I can feel where you are.” He took off after the fleeing couple at a leisurely pace, completely confident in his ability to defeat the fiend Saotome.
Ranma-Chan ran until she was sure that she had put enough distance between her and the fanged one. She leaned against a wall in a back alley. “What am I going to do?”
“I was wondering the same thing.” Videl walked up beside her boyfriend.
The redhead shook her head. “I still can’t believe that new attack didn’t work! It was supposed to be feared by even the emperors of China!”
The other girl gave her a faint smile. “Maybe it didn’t take much to impress them.”
Ranma-Chan shook her head. “No. He’s been walking all over Kami’s Green Earth with that huge Tanuki on his back. He has to be close to twice his original speed and strength. The speed I can handle, it’s just all that brute strength. I can’t do anything about it!”
Videl frowned. “You’re not giving up are you?”
“Of course not. I’ve just got to think of some way to beat him.”
The black-haired girl gave the shorter redhead a peck on the cheek. “I know you’ll figure it out. Just think.”
Ranma-Chan blushed. “Would you not that when I’m a girl!”
“You’re still you, Ranma. Now concentrate.”
“All right. I’ll con…” Her eyes lit up. “That’s it!”
“What?”
“I’ve got to concentrate my strikes! Right now they’re way too wide a punch pattern. If I concentrate them all in one spot, then I can take him.”
“Are you sure?”
“You have any better ideas?”
“Not really.”
“Then I concentrate.” The redhead turned to leave the alley when one of the walls exploded.
Out of the dust cloud thrown up by the debris, Ryoga stepped. “There’s no running and hiding anymore, and don’t even think about using that poor girl your victimizing behind you as a shield.”
“I don’t need a shield.” The redhead snarled.
“Kiai!” Ryoga yelled as he launched another haymaker.
Ranma-Chan ducked under the blow and yelled her attack again. “Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!” This time she concentrated every blow to Ryoga’s chin, hitting it up and back into his skull. The lost boy roared in anger and made another wild swing. The pigtailed martial artist ducked that and the follow-up punches. She weaved and bobbed until she was once again in range. With another shout of the attack’s name, she launched another barrage at the same target.
This last round made Ryoga step back. He was stumbling a bit as the world started going blurry around him. “What have you done?”
Ranma-Chan blew some stray hairs out of her eyes. “Knocking you out! Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!”
She landed the last of the blows and Ryoga staggered backward and fought to stay conscious. One more round of chestnut fist and he was out.
Ranma-Chan laughed as Videl rushed over to support her. “I did it!”
Videl smiled at her. “Of course you did.”
“You did very well Son-In-Law.”
They both turned in surprise to see the Amazon elder Cologne and Shampoo standing in the entrance of the alleyway. “Most impressive.” The elder continued. “I see Shampoo made the right decision to marry you. You learned the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken and adapted is quickly. Now why don’t you be a nice boy and come back with us. You could have your manhood back and the tribe would be stronger with you at Shampoo’s side.”
Ranma-Chan stood up and set her jaw. “No way. I ain’t going!” Videl nodded her head in agreement. “I’ll get that pill from you if it’s the last thing I do.”
Cologne chuckled. “Very well. Why don’t you take the day off, and try again tomorrow?”
Ranma-Chan glanced around and saw a water line that Ryoga had broke when he had come through the wall. It had a slow trickle leaking out, but it wouldn’t take much to make the hole larger. “No. I think I’m going to take that pill right now.”
The elder’s eyes narrowed. “And how do you intend to do that? You’re exhausted and injured. You couldn’t possibly put up a decent fight right now.”
“I’m going to defeat you in combat with Shampoo’s help.”
“Really…”
Shampoo bounced up and down doing interesting things to her anatomy. “Shampoo happy to help airen!”
The pigtailed martial artist moved over toward the hole and the wall and motioned for Shampoo to follow. She bounced over to him eagerly, much to Videl’s dismay. “Just stand right here.” He put his hands on her shoulders and moved her in front of the water line. “Just like that.” He turned her slightly, not taking his hands off her. He threw a quick snap kick at the water line that sent it gushing, transforming Shampoo into her feline form.
“AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Ranma-Chan screamed in terror, but did not let loose of Shampoo, who was trying her best to get out of his hands.
Cologne and Videl just stood in dumbfounded shock with sweat drops hanging from their brows. The younger shook her head. This is your great plan? Are you trying to make Cologne laugh at you to death?
The redhead finally came to a stop and dropped to her knees.
The Amazon matriarch snorted. “Well that was anti-climatic.”
“Meeeeooooow.” Ranma-Chan slowly mewled. She got up like a cat on her hands and feet. She brought one paw up in a threatening gesture and then pounced!
Cologne dodged aside, barely missing having her head taken off. She dodged down the alley with the redhead in hot pursuit. With a wave of her staff she sent several trashcans flying toward Ranma-Chan. Her energy claws shred them all. Cologne found herself backed against the wall in the back alley. A slash from the redhead above her head told her that jumping away would not be the safest course to take.
Ranma-Chan reared back a claw and slashed across the Amazon’s chest, sending the locket with the phoenix pill flying. Videl rushed in and caught the locket. She looked inside and found the pill inside. “Ranma! We got it!”
The cat-human turned to face the black-haired girl. It started stalking forward.
Videl took an uneasy step backwards. “Easy boy! Nice kitty!” She shielded her face as the cat pounced! …and landed in her lap curled into a ball, purring. The stunned girl just scratched Ranma-Chan behind the ears. “Okay…”
Cologne had a strange smile on her face. “Well I’ll be. He did it. I never expected the Neko-ken. I thought that horrid art was long forgotten.”
Videl looked up and continued to scratch Ranma-Chan behind her ears. “Does this mean you’ll give up on him?” She asked hopefully.
“Heh. Not on your life. If anything, this makes him even more valuable. Come along Shampoo, we’ve lost today.” She hopped out of the alley, followed closely by the pink and lavender cat.
“Well this has been a long day, and it’s not even lunch time yet.” Videl looked down at her purring boyfriend. She suddenly got an idea. “Here kitty, want a treat?” She held out the phoenix pill, which Ranma-Chan ate eagerly. The cat then maneuvered around and kissed Videl on the lips. The girl smiled as enjoyed the contact. Maybe I should make him go cat more often. She joked to herself.
She looked into the hole in the wall and saw that it was a restroom that Ryoga had busted through. She picked up Ranma-Chan and carried her inside. She sat the redhead on the floor and turned on the hot water faucet. Neko-Ranma-Chan started walking around her legs on all fours rubbing up against her like a cat that was wanting attention. Once the water got hot enough, Videl cupped her hands and caught a fair amount and threw it on Ranma-Chan.
To Videl’s delight, Ranma changed back into his male form. He looked around like he was coming out of a daze. “Where am I?” He looked down at himself. “I DID IT!!! I’M ME AGAIN!!!” He grabbed Videl and started spinning her around. “I’m a man again! I’m a man again!” He repeated as he swirled her around.
She reached out and hugged him close. “I’m glad your back, Ranma.”
He settled down and put the girl down. “Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving!”
Videl felt around Ranma’s jaw. “What about your injuries?”
He waved his hand in dismissal. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll heal up easy from these scratches.”
She smiled and looped her arm around his. “Okay. We’ll go have a celebration lunch. My treat.”
“Thanks.”
“So Ranma today you managed to defeat two great fighters and the matriarch of the Amazon tribe. What are you going to do next?”
“I’m going to…take a hot bath.”
They both laughed and walked off, with Videl leaning her head on Ranma’s shoulder.
A couple hours later, Ryoga came to. His head was still swimming as he stood to his feet. “Still not strong enough. I’ve got to get even more powerful to defeat Ranma! I’ll have to go back to Gohan, and seeing Akane again wouldn’t be so bad either.” He turned and walked out of the alley, in exactly the opposite direction to go to Nerima.