Disclaimer: Ranma ½ is a product of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz video. The purpose of this story is to entertain, free of charge.

Maintenance

By Michael Fetter

It was another beautiful day in Nerima. Akane waited in her room until after Ranma finished his morning sparring session with his father. It was the weekend so she could take the time to catch a few more hours of sleep. Now she was heading down the stairs in search of breakfast.

"Morning Akane." Kasumi smiled at her from table where she was setting down the silverware.

"Morning Kasumi." Akane smiled back then spotted a redhead sitting in the living room, surrounded by pill bottles and shaving equipment. "Ranma?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"Watchin TV. What’s it look like?" She snorted, then turned back to watch more Tenchi Muyo.

"I meant the pills you jerk. Are you sick?"

"You kiddin? This perfect body?" Ranma struck several poses, most promoting her chest while flexing her arms.

Akane scowled. "You’re a girl right now, moron."

"You know what I mean, tomboy. These are just to help me stay fit." She gestured to the various drugs laid out before her.

"Didn’t you work out with your father this morning already?" She couldn’t be dreaming about him turning into a girl again, could she?

Ranma nodded. "Oh yeah, I’m talkin about other stuff though."

"What kinds of stuff?" Akane asked.

Turning slightly red, "Oh, ya know . . . stuff."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, tapping her foot on the floor.

"Geez, Akane. Even a macho chick like you should be able to figure this out."

Tempers began to flare. "RAN-"

Sensing a disturbance in the morning’s tranquility, (or could it be stupid innocence?) "Ranma does this at least once every two weeks, Akane. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed." Kasumi commented, placing glasses filled with juice on the table.

"What-?"

"He’s very sharp. Always wanting to look his best even when he’s a girl." She smiled, obviously proud of Ranma for being so responsible.

". . ."

". . uhm, thanks Kasumi." Ranma coughed and tried to lose herself in the TV program once again.

"Okay, what are you up to, you pervert?"

Scowling, Ranma started packing up some of her pill bottles. "Nothin. It’s just like Kasumi says. I’m just doing some, uh, maintenance."

"So tell me what it is!" Akane demanded.

"Alright, geez, you ain’t gotta yell." Ranma cleaned out her ears for effect. "Uhm, well, I take one of each of these over here to make sure I get all the vitamins I need." She said, pointing to various bottles.

"All right. And the razor? You aren’t old enough to have hair on your face yet."

In an even quieter voice, "That’s for my girl side."

". . ."

"Hey, I may not like bein a girl, but I like lookin like a girl with hairy armpits even less." Ranma glared at the bigger girl, huffing and crossing her arms over her chest.

". . . you shave under your arms?"

"His legs too."

"Kasumi!"

". . ." Akane blinked.

"I’m sorry Ranma-chan. Was that private?"

"Not anymore." Ranma grumbled again. Noticing, Akane was still staring at her vacantly, "Quit that, will ya."

A bit more hesitantly, Akane continued her inspection of the items Ranma had laying out on the floor. "Hey, I’ve seen those before. Those are, uhm . . ."

"For cramps."

Akane blinked again. ". . . You don’t mean . . ."

"Yes! They’re birth control pills! They help when it’s that time of the month!" Ranma shouted, maybe just a little too loudly.

"Oh, that reminds me," Kasumi walked back into the room, wiping her hands on her apron, "are you still coming with me this afternoon Ranma-chan?"

"Yep."

"Where are you going?" Akane asked, though she was getting a feeling she shouldn’t. It had been a strange day already.

Smiling, Kasumi sat down at the table. "Ranma-chan made an appointment for a facial the same time I did so she wouldn’t be alone."

Akane stared at Ranma. Ranma stared back.

". . ."

". . . Gotta go!" In a blur of motion, redhead and her things disappeared out the front door.

"Oh my," Kasumi smoothed down her hair that had been caught in the sudden breeze. "I haven’t seen her leave a room that fast since the first time I took her to the gynecologist."

". . ." Suddenly feeling a need to lie down, Akane headed back upstairs for a few more hours of sleep.

Kasumi smiled, it wasn’t often she got a quiet morning to enjoy breakfast with.

End Maintenance

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Ja ne.