Ranma 1/2 created by Rumiko Takahashi and owned by whoever she sold it to. NOTE: This is not the original Fanfic by Andy Wennersten. This is a 'clean' version of his original lemon fanfic. It has been edited public display. This is my first fanfic, lemon or otherwise, so be gentle. Not Ranma 1/2 vol 1 part 1 The Lost Sisters By Andy Wennersten It was just after noon when the bus pulled into the Nerima bus station. The first person to get off the bus was a girl with bright red hair tied in a pigtail. She was dressed in a red kung-fu style silk shirt and a pair of baggy black pants. She carried a large backpack at her side. "Red! Wait for me!" yelled a voice from inside the bus. The emergency exit at the back of the bus popped open and another girl hopped out. She had shoulder length brown hair held back by a yellow checkered bandanna. She was dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans and held an even larger and heavier backpack over her shoulder. "Honestly, Yoiko. Can't I take you anywhere?" the pigtailed girl asked. "Well, I couldn't find the door, okay?" Yoiko replied. The pigtailed girl sighed and added this incident to the long list of evidence that her friend was a ditz with no sense of direction. Her stomach growled and she realized that she missed breakfast this morning. "I'm hungry. Hey, Yoiko! Where do you want to eat?" She looked down the street and saw two restaurants facing each other on opposite sides of the road. "Let's see. We have The Cat Cafe Chinese restaurant or Ucchan's Okonomiyaki." "Oh! I love okonomiyaki!" Yoiko said with a big grin on her face, exposing a pair of extremely cute fangs. "Ucchan's it is, then." the pigtailed girl said as they started down the street. Just then she saw a certain purple hared Chinese girl park her bike and enter the Cat Cafe. "On second thought, I feel like ramen for lunch." "Oh, no. I know that look." Yoiko sounded rather irritated. "I'm not giving up my favorite so you can chase some cute waitress." "Well, do you think you can make it across the street by yourself?" "Of course. I'm not completely clueless, you know!" Yoiko yelled as she stormed across the street and entered the flower shop next to Ucchan's. The pigtailed girl waited five minutes for her to realize where she was and to find the right door. "She's hopeless." the pigtailed girl said to herself as she entered the Cat Cafe. "Wota airen!" Shampoo yelled as she glomped on to her beloved. The pigtailed girl was surprised but happy none the less. That is until her stomach growled again. "Um, as much as I like having beautiful girls throw themselves at me, I'm starving." the pigtailed girl said. "Can I get a bowl of ramen?" "O. K." Shampoo replied. "Shampoo get you ramen on house, yes?" Then she planted a kiss on the girl's lips and was surprised to find it returned. "That's great." the pigtailed girl said after the kiss ended. I'll have to remember this place, she thought. As Shampoo disappeared into the kitchen, Mousse appeared, burning with rage. "Saotome!" Mousse yelled, his anger just barely under control. The pigtailed girl wondered how this guy knew her name, then she saw that it was written on her backpack. "What?" she replied. "Why must you taunt me with such displays!" he said, his eyes aflame with hatred as he leaned in close to the girl. Uh, oh. Jealous boyfriend, she thought. Well, I guess any guy would be pissed if he saw his girl kissing another girl. "Oh! That." she said. "Sorry. I'll make it up to you." With that she leaned forward and kissed him. "How...DARE...you..." Mousse gasped. Okay, plan B, she thought and kissed him again, this time adding her tongue. Mousse froze. His mortal enemy was frenching him. After the girl pulled back, he got up and stumbled into the kitchen. Cologne said in Chinese. Mousse said, still in shock. Cologne yelled. Just then the pigtailed girl popped her head in the kitchen. She said in perfect Chinese. The still shocked Mousse handed her a bowl of ramen which she thanked him for in Chinese. An equally shocked Cologne yelled, "Wait! When did you learn Chinese?" "My education is none of your business." the girl said and took her food back to her table. "Shampoo, I think your betrothed has been a girl for too long." Cologne said. "Huh? Oh, O. K." Shampoo said. Luckily she wasn't paying attention because she was still giddy from the show of affection from her loved one. She grabbed a tea kettle and went to the front of the restaurant. The pigtailed girl was busy finishing her ramen, so she didn't notice the steaming kettle over her head until it was too late. She jumped up as the hot water touched her head. Shampoo found herself face to face with a very wet, very annoyed, and very female pigtailed girl. Her brain couldn't handle this, so she did the only thing she could. She screamed. The pigtailed girl found herself face to face with a screaming Chinese girl, so she did the only thing she could. She ran. At least it was free, she thought. Outside, the girl ran across the street to catch her breath. "That was weird." she said. When she saw the shadow cover her, she knew trouble was coming. She jumped out of the way as Ryoga landed, leaving a crack in the sidewalk. "I'll kill you!" Ryoga yelled. He never needed a reason to lash out in anger. He figured that his hellish existence justified it. The pigtailed girl looked at her attacker and recognized something. "Do I know you?" she asked. Ryoga stopped dead in his tracks. It was one thing for his childhood foe to forget him after a few years, but to forget him after this morning? "Of course you know me, stupid!" he yelled. "Just let me see if I remember you." the girl said, changing her voice slightly. "Um...okay." Ryoga replied. He couldn't help but obey. The girl's voice was calming and almost hypnotic. "Well, judging by the crack you made in the sidewalk, you have almost superhuman strength." "Yeah." "Let me ask you something." "What?" "If I were to ask you to go buy me a gallon of milk, how long would it take you. Be honest." "About a week." Ryoga blurted out, then looked embarrassed at being reminded of his major weakness. "Come closer." "Huh?" Ryoga leaned in closer to the girl. The girl reached behind his head and untied his bandanna. She recognized the pattern. She looked up to see Ryoga wearing another bandanna. She untied it and found another. And another. "You've got infinite bandannas." she said after the fifth one. "I guess." he replied. He never thought of it that way before. "Open your mouth." "Why?" "Just do it!" She grabbed his chin and started inspecting his teeth. "You've got fangs." she stated plainly. "Yeah, so?" This inspection was irritating him. "Okay, last test." the girl said. "Oh, goo-mphf..." His words were cut off by a pair of lips pressed against his own. He started getting angry again until he felt a tongue forcing its way into his mouth. Then he blacked out. The pigtailed girl felt Ryoga's body go limp, or at least most of his body go limp. She felt a drop of warm fluid run down her cheek. She pushed him back and saw that he passed out and his nose was bleeding. "You're definitely a Hibiki." she said and dropped him. After he made a satisfying thud on the cement, she walked into Ucchan's. Ukyo looked up from the grill when she heard the door open. She had been making the fifth okonomiyaki for a strange girl who, upon entering the restaurant, had extreme difficulty finding a table, even though there were several empty. Oh well, she thought. At least her appetite was worth the wait. When Ukyo saw who had just walked in, her eyes lit up. "Ran-chan!" she called. "Um...Ucchan?" the pigtailed girl replied, reading the name off the cook's apron. She made a mental note to remove her name from her backpack. It was causing too many strange moments. "Oh! Hi, Red!" Yoiko called after stuffing down the last okonomiyaki. "You know each other?" Ukyo asked Yoiko. "Yeah, we've been friends for years." Yoiko answered. "JUST FRIENDS, RIGHT?!" Ukyo asked, a threatening tone in her voice. "You mean, you think we're...HAHAHAHA..." Yoiko couldn't help but laugh. "Me...and Red!" Even I'm not that desperate." "Good." Ukyo replied coldly. "I'd hate to have to mop blood up off the floor." "..." Yoiko was at a loss for words. "Yoiko, wait for me out front." the pigtailed girl broke in. "Okay." Yoiko replied and walked past Ukyo and out the back door. The redhead smacked herself in the forehead. "Can I ask you a favor?" the girl asked Ukyo. "Anything for you." Ukyo replied, putting on her most loving expression. "Well, there's a guy passed out on the sidewalk. Can you make sure he gets to this address?" The girl wrote down an address and handed it to Ukyo. Ukyo looked at the address. "You don't have to give me the address. I know where the Tendo Dojo is." "Good. Oh!" The pigtailed girl remembered who she was trying to transport. "He gets lost easy, so call him a cab." She handed Ukyo 3000 yen. "This should cover it. Bye." Then the girl followed her friend out back. "Ran-chan...with money?" Ukyo asked herself, then went out to find Ryoga lying on the ground. "Well, at least you'll be happy to see Akane when you wake up. And I'll save Ran-chan's cash by taking you there personally." Then she heard screaming coming from the Cat Cafe and smiled. Music to my ears, she thought. Later, Yoiko and the pigtailed girl were walking down the street toward Furinkan High School. "Did you know that girl?" Yoiko asked. "Who? That Ucchan chick? Nope. Never seen her before." the pigtailed girl replied. "You sure? She seemed jealous because she thought we where...involved...with each other." Yoiko fought to control the laughter. "Well, you can't say I don't try." the girl replied with a mischievous grin. "Pervert!" "Me? A pervert?" The redhead tried to look shocked. "I just know how to have a good time, that's all." They stopped at the school gates and found a sign saying: [School closed for two weeks for repairs. Sports clubs will meet in back for practice.] "Damn!" the pigtailed girl said. "I was hoping to catch him at school. Well, Maybe he's in a sports club. C'mon Yoiko." They hopped the fence and went to the back of the school to find the kendo club finishing practice. The pigtailed girl decided for the direct approach. "Hey! Does anyone know..." "Pigtailed girl!" Kuno yelled as he leapt forward to embrace his love. "Ahh! What are you doing!" the girl yelled as she tried to break free of Kuno's grasp. "Showing my love for you, my goddess." Kuno answered, and squeezed her tighter. "While I appreciate someone acknowledging me as the goddess that I am, I think this is a bit much!" The pigtailed girl screamed. "Yoiko! Help!" "Do I have to?" Yoiko asked. "He's kind of cute." "Get him offa me!" "Okay." Yoiko said and raised her arms in a fighting position. "What's this?" Kuno said, releasing his grip on the girl. "Someone dares come between me and my love. No doubt you have been charmed by my handsome visage, but my heart is already taken." Kuno raised his boken in preparation for the fight. "Get to it, Yoiko!" the pigtailed girl cheered from the sidelines. "EARTHQUAKE STRIKE!!!" Yoiko yelled as she struck the ground in front of her. A crack in the earth appeared at her fist and raced to Kuno's feet. "Is that all you can do?" Kuno asked. Then the ground opened up and swallowed him up to his neck. "Oh no!" Yoiko yelled and ran to his head which was sticking out of the ground. "I'm sorry Mr...Mr..." "K...u...n...o..." he said with a pained expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kuno. Please forgive me." Yoiko cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I...forgive...you." Kuno said and passed out. "One cute guy and you fall to pieces." The pigtailed girl shook her head. "I don't know what to do about you, Yoiko." "Shut up, Red!" Yoiko yelled. "We've got to dig him out!" "Relax, lovergirl. While you were crying over stickboy there, I got one of the workmen at the school to dig him up. Let's go." As they walked away, Yoiko turned to look at Kuno. "He's even cute when he's asleep." she said and blushed. The pigtailed girl sighed. Oh great, now I have a love sick ditz on my hands, she thought. Then she felt a rain drop on her forehead. "Oh, great. Now it's raining." Yoiko said. She turned and saw her friend change. The red hared pigtailed girl was replaced by a black hared pigtailed boy. "Let's go before we get too wet." the boy said and ran in the direction of the Tendo Dojo. Meanwhile, at the Tendo Dojo, everyone was making a mad dash for the house. "Hey, Pop! What's the big idea, making me train all day? Now it's raining so I can't do anything!" a wet Ranma-chan yelled. [If you don't exercise, you'll get weak and flabby.] Panda signed. "If school's canceled, then I should be enjoying myself." Ranma said after planting her foot in Panda's face. *Ding-Dong* "I'll get it!" Akane yelled from the next room. Akane opened the door to find Ukyo with an umbrella in one hand and as unconscious Ryoga in the other. "Hi, Akane. Is Ranma here?" she asked after setting Ryoga down inside the door. "Uh...yeah. What happened to Ryoga?" Akane asked. "I don't know. Ranma found him outside my place and asked me to bring him here." "But, Ranma's been here all day." "Well, he must have slipped out sometime." Ukyo said then blushed. "Maybe he made a special trip just to see me." Akane looked annoyed, but decided she didn't want a fight...yet. "Hey, Ucchan." Ranma said when she saw Ukyo. Just then, Ryoga's eyes snapped open at the sound of his enemy's voice. "Ranma, you pervert!" he yelled and leapt at her. "Who you calling a pervert, P-chan?" Ranma asked as she stepped to one side, letting Ryoga slam into the wall. "Who's P-chan?!?" Ryoga yelled and leapt at Ranma again. "What you mad at me for all of a sudden?" Ranma asked as Ryoga collided with her fist. "You kissed me!!!" Ryoga yelled without thinking. "He WHAT!!!" both Akane and Ukyo yelled, glaring at Ranma. "I didn't do it! I got an alibi!" Ranma yelled. She was just glad Nabiki was out with her friends. Even if the rumor wasn't true, she would still blackmail her for it. "Yes, Ryoga. When did this happen?" Akane asked. "Um...a little before one, I think." Ryoga replied. "There! See! I was here at the dojo then. Right, Pop?" [Yep.] Panda signed, not bothering to look up from his shogi game with Soun. "But, if you were here, then how could you have asked me to bring Ryoga here?" Ukyo asked, looking confused. "I don't..." *Ding-Dong* "Now what?" Ranma asked, expecting more trouble. "I'll get it." Kasumi called from the kitchen. "I must speak with Son-In-Law." Cologne said as she hopped through the front door. "Oh! Hello, Cologne." Kasumi said. "Ranma is in the next room." "Son-In-Law!" Cologne yelled at Ranma when she saw her. "You should warn us if you get stuck in your cursed form!" "Wadaya mean 'stuck'? I ain't stuck." Ranma said, sounding confused. "Prove it." Cologne said coldly. Ranma-chan got up and walked into the kitchen, and a few minutes later Ranma-kun walked out. "There! You happy now, old ghoul!" he said. "Why did you think that Ranma couldn't change back to a guy?" Akane asked. "Because Shampoo tried to change him back earlier, but it didn't work." "But I've been here all day. Right, Pop?" Ranma asked. [You got it!] Panda signed. "There's one way to solve this." Cologne said, and grabbed Soun's iced tea. "Hey!" Soun yelled and was about to grab his drink back when Cologne gave him the evil eye. He sat back down. Cologne said. "Huh?" Ranma said. *Splash* "What did you do that for?!" a wet Ranma-chan yelled. "You don't speak Chinese." Cologne replied. "So what!" Ranma yelled. "The Ranma in my restaurant did." Cologne said. "She was also acting very strange." "Like how?" Akane asked. "Well, she said I should call her Daughter-In-Law, and she kissed Mousse." "Sounds like your girl, Ryoga." Ranma said. "Then that Ranma must be a real girl." Akane said. "But she kissed Shampoo, too." Cologne said. "Okay, a real twisted girl." Akane replied. "Ryoga, was there anything strange about the girl you saw?" Cologne asked. "She kissed me!" Ryoga yelled, his anger renewed. Cologne hit him over the head with her staff and asked, "Other than that?" "Well, she acted like she didn't know me, and her voice was a little different." Ryoga replied, rubbing his head. "Like how?" Cologne asked. "It was soothing and almost...seductive." Ryoga blushed. "What about your Ranma, Ukyo?" Cologne asked. "Well, for one thing, she was with another girl." Ukyo replied. "What!" Akane yelled and looked at Ranma. "Hey! It wasn't me, remember!" Ranma yelled. "Relax, Akane. The girl denied any involvement with Ran-chan other than friendship." Ukyo said. "Anything else?" Cologne asked. "Oh! She gave me the address of the dojo and 3000 yen to cover a taxi for Ryoga." Ukyo said and pulled out the note and money. "Let me see that." Akane said and grabbed the note. "Look. The note's initialed 'R. S.'" "It wasn't me!" Ranma yelled. "He's right." Ukyo said. "The other girl kept calling her 'Red'. For her hair, I guess." "Wait a minute." Ranma broke in. "If she had the address of the dojo, then that means..." "She's coming here." Cologne said. *Ding-Dong* "I hope that's Nabiki." Akane said with a hint of fear in her voice. "Just to be safe, I'll get it." Ranma said. "Not without me, you're not!" Ukyo yelled and pulled out her combat spatula. "Hey! I can defend my own house, you know!" Akane yelled and grabbed her mallet. "Akane! Wait!" Ryoga yelled. "I'll protect you!" "I guess someone will have to provide adult supervision." Cologne said and shot an evil look at Panda and Soun, who never left their shogi game. She followed everyone else to the front door. Ranma opened the door fully expecting to find a female version of herself. What she didn't expect was to find the male version of herself instead. She fainted. The pigtailed boy at the door didn't expect to find a female version of himself either. He fainted too. "Ranko!" Yoiko yelled as she saw her friend collapse. "Ran...KO?!?" Akane, Ukyo, and Ryoga yelled in unison. "I believe you have some explaining to do, young lady." Cologne told Yoiko. Later, after Ranma and Ranko were dragged into the next room, Yoiko tried to make some sense of the situation. "Um...who is that girl and why does she look like Ranko's female form?" she asked. "You tell us why he looks like Ranma's male form!" Akane yelled. "Where is Ranma, anyway?" Yoiko asked. "Right there!" Akane pointed to the unconscious Ranma-chan. "But...Ranma is supposed to be a boy!" Yoiko yelled. "He is a boy!" Akane yelled back. "Kasumi! Can we get some hot water in here?" "Oh my!" Kasumi said, almost dropping the kettle. "Two Ranmas?" "We're trying to figure that out." Akane said, grabbing the kettle. She poured some hot water on Ranma, transforming him and waking him up. "So you've been to Jusenkyo, too." Yoiko said to Ranma. "Too? You mean you've been cursed?" Ranma asked Yoiko. "Not me. But, Red has." Yoiko said, pointing to Ranko. "Red? You mean he's the girl you were with at the restaurant earlier?" Ukyo asked. "But, the girl at my restaurant wasn't affected by hot water." Cologne said. "Of course not. Watch." Yoiko grabbed the kettle and poured it over Ranko, changing her into a girl and waking her up. "So it really was a girl who kissed me." Ryoga said and blushed. "Of course." Ranko said. "But then why did you kiss Shampoo?" Cologne asked. "Oh. I'm into that, too." Ranko said offhandedly. "..." Cologne was speechless. Ranko ignored the stares and said, "Well, introductions are in order." She stood up. "I am Ranko Saotome, expert monster hunter and love goddess in training." She took a bow. "Saotome? Ranma, is she related to you?" Akane asked. "Ranma?" Ranko broke in. "You're Ranma?" "Um...Yeah." Ranma said. "Brother!" she yelled and embraced him. "Pop!" Ranma turned his head to face Panda. "I thought you said you didn't have any illegitimate children!" [I don't!] Panda signed, his attention finally torn from the shogi game. "Ranma, why did you call that panda 'Pop'?" Ranko asked. "Because," Genma said, using the kettle to change back. "I am his father, Genma Saotome." "Genma? Dad!" Ranko yelled, releasing Ranma and hugging Genma. "Listen, girl," Genma said. "I don't know who you are, but you are not my daughter." "Yes I am. I have proof." Ranko said as she dug through her backpack and pulled out an envelope. "Give me that." Akane grabbed the envelope. "It's a letter." she said. "It reads: 'Dear Ranko, I have instructed that this letter be given to your adopted parents so that they will one day give it to you. I regret giving you up for adoption, but I did so to save your life. Your father, Genma, planned on taking you and your twin brother, Ranma, on a training trip that would last years. He planned on teaching his children in the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. While I believe this will make Ranma a better man, I fear that you, as a girl, would never survive the voyage. Since Genma would insist on taking you with him, I was forced to give you up so he wouldn't find you. He was away on a trip with his friend, Soun, when you and your brother were born, so he will assume that Ranma is his only child. Be happy in your new life. Your mother, Nodoka Saotome.'" "So, Saotome. It looks like your family just grew by one." Soun said. "Not really, Tendo. Nodoka wrote that Ranko wouldn't get the letter untill she got adopted." Genma said. "Oh, I didn't get adopted. I stole that letter from my file when me and Yoiko ran away from the orphanage." Ranko said. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Yoiko asked. "Oh, sorry." Ranko looked embarrassed. "This is my assistant..." *Smack* "Ow! I mean partner, Yoiko Hibiki." "Yoiko...Hibiki?" Ryoga said. "Say, Ryoga. Isn't your last name Hibiki?" Ukyo asked. "Big Sister!" Ryoga yelled. "Little Brother!" Yoiko yelled. Ryoga and Yoiko gave each other a big hug, fanged smiles on both their faces. The pressure between them was enough to make diamonds out of coal, but they were too happy to notice. "Ryoga, you never told me you had a sister." Ranma said. "She disappeared when I was a baby. We thought she was dead." Ryoga answered. "I was only two. You can imagine what the Hibiki sense of direction was like at that age." Yoiko said. "I got lost, and by the time I found my way back, my parents had moved." "C'mon, Sis! Let's go for a walk to get reacquainted." Ryoga said, and they left through the kitchen window. "Do you really think we should let them leave together?" Ukyo asked. "Don't worry." Ranko said. "They'll be back in a few days, and besides, they're happy." "So, Ranko." Akane said. "Why didn't you go to Nodoka's first. After all, she would have been a lot easier to find than these two." Ranko exploded. "BECAUSE THAT B---H ABANDONED ME BECAUSE I WAS A GIRL!!! IF I EVER SEE HER, I'LL RIP HER F---ING HEAD OFF!!!" "Oh, my! Such language!" Kasumi said, shocked by the outburst. Ranko assumed a more innocent pose. "She isn't here, is she?" "Uh...Nope." Ranma answered. "Haven't seen her. Don't know where she is." He lied, fearing for his mother's life. "Good." Ranko said and smiled. "I'm home!" Suddenly Ranko found herself looking at the most beautiful person she had ever seen. I'm in love, she thought. She was across the room in a flash. "You don't know how happy it makes me to be in the presence of such loveliness." she said. "I hardly think Akane would appreciate you hitting on me, Ranma." Nabiki said. "Um...over here, Nabiki." Ranma said from across the room. "Huh?" Nabiki said as she looked back and forth between Ranma and Ranko. "Somebody explain this to me." Akane and Ukyo filled Nabiki in on the events of the evening. Then Ranko explained how she was hunting a monster in China when she fell into the Nanniichuan. "Then you know where it is?" Ranma asked with a hopeful look on his face. "Nope." Ranko answered. "Yoiko fished me out, and you know she wouldn't be able to find it again." "We need to find a way to tell you two apart so we don't have any more mishaps like earlier today." Cologne interrupted. "What do you mean?" Ranma asked. Without a word, Cologne grabbed him and tossed him outside and into the pond. "What you do that for!?" Ranma-chan yelled. "You two look identical when you're the same gender." Cologne said. "Oh. that's no problem." Kasumi said. "Ranko has green eyes and Ranma has blue eyes." "If Ranko would have marked the spring she fell in, then we wouldn't have to worry about that." Ranma said. "You sound bitter, Bro. Has your curse caused you problems?" Ranko asked. "Well..." "Ranko, baby, I think I should give you some background info on your brother." Nabiki said, and proceeded to tell her about all the fiancees and enemies and other problems Ranma got since he moved in, leaving out the part about Nodoka at Akane's suggestion. "I get the feeling I'm going to like living here." Ranko said. "Living here?" Ranma and Akane said. "Well, you aren't going to throw me out on the street, are you?" Ranko asked with a pleading look in her eyes. "I'm family, after all." "Well, of course you can stay." Soun said. "You're going to be Akane's sister-in-law one day." "Dad!" Akane yelled. "No arguments!" "It is time for me to leave." Cologne said. "Shampoo was frightened horribly by Ranko today, and I must explain today's events so she will stop screaming. Ukyo, will you assist me?" "Aww, do I have to?" Ukyo liked the idea of a terrified Shampoo. "Yes, you do." Cologne said. "Oh, all right. Bye, Ranma honey." Ukyo said and they left. "Kasumi, show Ranko to the guest room." Soun said. "Yes, Father." Kasumi said. "Come with me, Ranko." As Ranko left the room, she winked at Nabiki, who blushed in return. "Here's your room. Make yourself at home, and I'll call you when dinner is ready." Kasumi said as she opened the door opposite of the one marked 'Nabiki'. "Kasumi?" Ranko asked. "Yes, Ranko?" "Can we talk?" "Of course." Kasumi sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for Ranko to join her. "What do you want to talk about?" "Well, Nabiki said that Ranma could have gotten engaged to any of the Tendo girls. So why did you and Nabiki elect Akane?" "There were several reasons, but the main reason was that we thought that having a fiancee would help Akane get over her...unfavorable...attitude about boys." "So, does she like Ranma?" "Well, they do fight often, but I think they like each other." "That's nice." Ranko said with a smile. "You probably have a boyfriend, anyway, so you couldn't marry him." "Oh my, no. I don't have a boyfriend." Kasumi said. "Really? No one you like?" Ranko asked. "Well, there is someone." Kasumi blushed. "But he's never asked me out on a date or anything." "Why don't you ask him out?" "I couldn't." Kasumi looked positively flustered. "It wouldn't be proper." "If you say so." Ranko said, trying not to laugh at Kasumi's old fashioned attitude. "Besides, I don't think I could get up the courage to ask him." "Okay, let's change the subject." Ranko said. "What about Nabiki?" "What about Nabiki?" Kasumi said, not understanding the question. "Does she have a girl..." Ranko stopped herself. "I mean...boyfriend?" "I have seen her with a boy from her class." Kasumi said. Ranko lost her smile. "Really, who?" "Um...Tatewaki Kuno in his name, I think." Kasumi replied. "Kuno?" Ranko perked up a bit. "Tall guy. Into kendo. Speaks in poetry. Right?" "Yes, that's him." "I saw him earlier. He seemed to be interested in me, thinking I was Ranma." "Ranma?" Kasumi said, looking shocked. "I never knew. I always thought he was interested in Akane." "Akane, too?" Ranko's grin widened. "Well, it seems as if Nabiki is available." "Why, do you know someone?" Kasumi asked with an innocent smile. "Uh...maybe." Ranko replied, amazed that Kasumi hadn't figured out where the conversation was leading. "I'll have to look." "Well, tell me if you find someone." Kasumi got up. "Dinner should be ready in about an hour." she said and left. Ranko laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She knew that just because Nabiki didn't have a boyfriend didn't mean she was interested in girls. And even if she was, she might already have a girlfriend, in which case Ranko wouldn't interfere. But she had a chance, and a chance was all she wanted. Later at the dinner table, Ranko took a seat next to Nabiki and prepared to dig in. After all, the only food she had all day was the bowl of ramen at the Cat Cafe, and she only ate half of that before Shampoo forced her to flee. She took her chopsticks and reached to grab a piece of food, which was snatched up by Genma. "Hey!" she yelled. "If you want to be my daughter, you're going to have to be quicker than that." he replied. She made another grab, but was stopped by Ranma this time. "Hey!" "Sorry, Sis." he said. "If I leave you an opening, the old man will get it." Ranko frowned and placed her palms together, chanting under her breath. "Ranko, we aren't that formal here." Akane said. "You don't have to say a prayer before eating." Ranko gave no answer. Instead she took her hands and placed them on Ranma and Genma's foreheads. They froze like statues. She smiled and proceeded to fill her plate. "How did you do that?" Akane asked in shock. "Oh, that?" Ranko said as she started to grab the food off her father and brother's plates. "Just a little magic. I don't use it too often." "Where did you learn magic?" Akane asked. "Mostly from Urd, but I pick up a new spell every once in a while." "Who's Urd?" Akane asked, wondering who could teach such an amazing technique. "Urd's my patron goddess." Ranko replied. "Okay." Akane said, not believing what she just heard. Goddesses weren't real were they? "Ranko, could you fix them?" Kasumi asked politely. "I don't think that they would appreciate being frozen for very long." "Oh, sure thing." Ranko said and snapped her fingers. Genma and Ranma unfroze and started to fight over food that was no longer there. "Hey! What happened?" Ranma asked as his chopsticks grabbed at thin air. "That's what I'd like to know." Genma said as he stared at his empty plate. "It appears that your daughter is full of surprises, Saotome." Soun said and pointed to Ranko eating from a plate with enough food for three people. Ranma gave her a dirty look. "What?" Ranko said between bites. "Yoiko may be great with a campfire, but nothing beats a home cooked meal." Eventually, she took sympathy on her newly found family and sacrificed some of her mountain of food. After dinner, Ranko sat on the porch taking in the night air. The storm had passed and the sky was filled with stars." "Mind if I join you?" Ranko's heart skipped a beat when she realized who it was. "I can't think of a single person I'd like next to me more than you." Nabiki sat next to her. "You know, I don't think my father would like the way you've been coming on to me." "You don't seem the type to let other people dictate your life." Ranko replied with a grin. "Besides, if I'm going to be a love goddess, I need to keep in practice." "You really take this goddess business seriously." Nabiki said. "Akane thinks it's a load of crap." "She'll change her tune tomorrow, when I have one of the goddesses drop off some of my things." "One of the goddesses?" Nabiki said. "You mean there's more than one?" "Yeah. Urd and her two sisters live with a college student up by Nekomi Tech." "How does a family of goddesses end up living with a college student?" "Long story." Ranko said. "Hey, Nabiki. Can I ask you a question?" "Shoot." "Well, me and Kasumi were talking, and she mentioned that you were seeing a guy named Kuno..." "Jealous?" Nabiki asked, and received a blush from Ranko. "No. It's just that me and Yoiko ran into him earlier, and she seemed pretty fond of him." "Well, you can tell her not to worry about me. I consider Kuno a client and nothing more." "Client? In what business?" Ranko asked. "Information, mostly." "What kind of information?" "Akane and Ranma-chan." Nabiki's eyes lit up. "Although, it will probably be Akane and you, now." "If I stay." Ranko said. "Not planning on leaving so soon, are you?" Nabiki asked. "Why? Want me to stay?" Ranko asked back. "Sure. If today is any indication, things will be a lot more interesting with you around." Nabiki replied. "Thanks, Nabiki." Ranko said and rested her head on Nabiki's shoulder. "Uh, Ranko?" Nabiki asked with a nervous tone in her voice. "Yes?" Ranko replied. Damn, she thought. I moved too fast for her. "How much does being a goddess and monster hunter pay." Nabiki asked with a predatory look on her face. Ranko sighed. Later that night, Ranko laid awake in her bed. I didn't think things would go so smoothly, she thought. I expected them to be skeptical of my claims, but instead they welcomed me with open arms. Dad and Ranma treat me as if I'd been with them all my life. Soun accepts me as part of his family. Kasumi makes me feel what it must be like to have a mother. But I suppose anybody could do a better job than my real mother. Akane and I could grow to be good friends. And Nabiki... Ranko smiled. Well, she thought. I hope I can be more than just friends with Nabiki. *Knock-Knock* "Who is it?" Ranko asked, wondering who could be up this late. "It's Nabiki. Can I come in?" Ranko's heart jumped. "O-of course. Come right in." Nabiki entered, looked at Ranko, and giggled. "What?" Ranko asked, looking confused. "Well, I knew you and Ranma had the same taste in clothes. But I had no idea you wore boxers and a muscle-tee to bed." Nabiki answered and giggled some more. "Let's just say a girl in boxers looks better than a guy in panties." Nabiki broke out in laughter. "I see your point." she managed to get out. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit." Ranko asked. Nabiki became serious. "Kasumi told me that you wanted to know why she or I didn't choose to be engaged to Ranma. Well, I almost did." "Huh?" Ranko didn't like where this conversation was going. "He's one of the most handsome men I've ever seen." Nabiki answered. "So, you're saying you're attracted to him?" Ranko asked, afraid of the answer. "Yes. Him and her. He's also one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen." Nabiki answered. Ranko was crushed. "So why didn't you take him for yourself?" "Because his personality turns me off." she said. "Um, Nabiki?" Ranko asked. "Yes, Ranko?" "Are you a lesbian?" "You wait until NOW to ask that?" Nabiki said, faintly annoyed by the absurdity of the question. Nabiki leaned over and gave Ranko a loving kiss. They stared into each others eyes for what seemed like an eternity. "Well, do you like me better as a boy or a girl?" Ranko asked. "I think I'll have to do more in depth research before I answer that." Nabiki replied. "Not tonight, I hope. I'm exhausted." she said. "Me too." Nabiki said. "Ranko?" "Yes?" "I love you." "I love you, too, Nabiki." To be continued...