Chapter One: They Just Knew Something Was Gonna Happen…

    It was a peaceful day in Nerima, Japan.

    The only noticeable effect that this had on its residents was to make them even *more* suspicious than usual, which created an air of tension so thick over the city that it would’ve required Ryouga’s Bakusai Tenketsu to break it. Unfortunately, the lost boy was nowhere to be found. A shame, since his appearance would have at least assured the poor residents of Nerima that there wasn’t something even freakier in the works.

    The people of Nerima were too intelligent for their own good.

    Most of them, anyway.

***

    “For the last time, I ain’t marryin’ Shampoo!” Ranma said it forcefully but not terribly so. It had never worked before no matter how earnest he tried to sound, so why waste the effort? Besides, he didn’t want to have to take too much time away from eating his ramen to create the proper effect.

    As a result, Cologne wasn’t impressed. Then again, she never was, but this time she was especially not impressed. In fact, she was rapidly approaching annoyed. She frowned. “Son-in-law, I was hoping to have your willing cooperation, but you leave me no choice. You will not dishonor my great-granddaughter.” She made a gesture with one tiny, wrinkled hand to the other Amazon, who leaped forward, readying a bucket of water. Ranma prepared to dodge.

    But the lavender-haired blur that Shampoo had become wasn’t aiming at him. Instead, she threw the contents of the bucket directly at the young, blue-haired girl who was eating her lunch with an angry expression on her face while she pointedly ignored the goings-on.

    Ranma cried out a warning that was half a shout of surprise, but it was too late. Akane froze as she felt herself become drenched with water, so the strange warmth and tingling sensation that didn’t immediately register to her. Anger, only barely hidden before and now raging fully, was visible in her eyes as she stood, turned, and started to yell, “Ranma!”

    She froze now for a different reason, namely shock, dismay, and horror – oh yes, lots and lots of horror. She – or more accurately now, he – stuttered and touched a hand to his chest. Flat. He stuttered some more, anger drowned out by shock.

    Ranma on the other hand, was now feeling plenty of anger. Utilizing his full strength the way he had only a few times before, he punched Shampoo. The Amazon had been prepared for an attack, but the sheer viciousness of this one was beyond her. She was knocked into a wall, unconscious. He then launched himself at Cologne, using every bit of amaguriken speed he could muster, but the old ghoul just dodged, laughing.

    “Foolish boy,” she mocked him, “You can’t beat me, much less stop me. You will marry Shampoo!”

    “Like hell!” he shouted. “Mouko Takabisha!”

    Cologne batted away the ball of energy with her staff, sending it flying upwards and blasting a hole in the roof. Her frown deepened, and she narrowed her eyes. She had expected the boy to be angry, but not /this/ angry. She ran through a list of options in her head and finally settled on one – a pressure point at the base of the skull that could have some very useful effects. She had no way of knowing that Ranma had discovered this spot already, entirely by accident.

    Ranma was ready for her to move, but was too slow and only managed to reach the matriarch after she had activated the point. As Cologne hopped away, Akane’s eyes rolled up into his head and with a loud groan of pain he slumped to the ground, unconscious. Ranma caught him carefully and checked his breathing and pulse. Once satisfied that Akane was alright, he glared venomously at the two Amazons. “If Akane doesn’t wake up soon, and perfectly healthy, so help me, I’ll… I’ll make you *pay*.”

    Shampoo shivered at the note of total seriousness in Ranma’s voice at that statement. She hadn’t been too keen on the plan, but her great-grandmother had assured her it would work. Who was she to doubt the matriarch?

***

    Ranma carefully laid Akane’s prone body out on his bed and covered him with a sheet. For a few minutes he simply stood there, arranging the covers over Akane’s body and brushing the now-unruly hair out of his eyes. One hand absently traced over the strong cheekbones as his eyes wandered, taking in the rest of the picture. He’s so… handsome… if only… He sighed heavily. It was too much to assume anything… Ranma had already resigned himself to eventually marrying Akane, despite total lack of romantic interest in her. She wasn’t too bad, really, for a girl… but now… If she can’t get rid of this curse, then… maybe… but nah, she’s way to prudish for anything like that. But I’ve gotta admit, it’ll be interesting if we do end up getting married, both cursed like this…

    A gentle tap on the shoulder made him turn to see Kasumi looking at him with a softly questioning look on her face. He hastily moved out of the way and let her tend to her sister-turned-brother.

***

~Mordain

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