(Scene:  Scott's apartment.  Scott pecks away at the computer 
which Ranma and Akane play Magic: the Gathering.)

Akane:  And My Craw Wurm eats your stupid Leopard Warriors!

Ranma:  Dang!  At least I didn't lose any life.  Say, Scott, isn't it 
about time for another chapter of "Worse"?

Scott:  I suppose it is.  Why don't you clue new readers in on what 
happened previously?

Ranma:  Okay, well, severely provoked by my uncute fiancee--

Akane:  Hey! Just for that, I'm tapping a Mountain, and you can eat a 
Lightning Bolt!

Ranma:  3 Life.  Ouch.  Anyhow, I wished "I wasn't engaged to any 
girls!"  And darn if it didn't seem to come true.  I woke up as a girl 
since birth.

Akane:  Serves you right.

Ranma:  This brought on a whole host of changes, one of the biggest of 
which is that I now have a little brother named Hikaru, who has the same 
curse I used to.

Akane:  Don't forget the fiances.

Ranma:  Yeah, due to my new gender, I'm now engaged to *yech* guys!  In 
a twisted parody of my own experience in Joketsuzoku, my old man sold me 
to Mousse as a fiancee to pay for a stolen meal.  Mousse showed up trying 
to marry me, and Shampoo trying to kill me.  I managed to beat Shampoo, 
but convinced her that she hadn't lost the important battle: the one for 
Mousse's heart.  

Akane:  And that takes us up to now!


				WORSE
			by Scott K. Jamison
		     (Takahashi/CLAMP disclaimer)
  	Chapter Two:  In Which We Revisit Familiar Ground

	The next morning, Ranma was woken with a reminder that the family 
was going to visit the Tendou house today.  She informed her parents that 
Shampoo was gone, if not for good, at least for a while.  Again cursing 
the loss of his favorite outfits, she finally decided on jeans and a 
loose t-shirt, with a gi to change into later.
	Nodoka disagreed.  "You're not going out like that."
	"Like what?"
	"You know perfectly well what I mean.  What kind of mother will 
people think I am, if they see you parading around braless?"
	"Yes, Aun-Mom."  Ranma groaned inwardly.  In the rush of 
happiness at being reunited with Nodoka, she'd forgotten how irksome her 
mother's "proper young lady" routine could be.  And she didn't even hhave 
the refuge of "Ranko Tendou" to retreat to.
	At least Happosai isn't here to see this, thought Ranma as she 
strapped on the undergarment.  Unless that had changed too.  No, Mr. 
Tendou hadn't seemed at all apphrehensive as he would if the perverted 
master were loose.
	That was a thought.  The old bastard had the Nan-Ban Mirror in 
his possession.  If Ranma could somehow get it away from him and use its 
time travel capabilities to stop himself from making that wish...  No, 
too many "ifs" in that plan, and besides, his last experience with the 
mirror had been less than pleasant.  Ranma filed the idea away for a 
desperation move.
	After a hearty breakfast (though Ranma tried, just a little, to 
eat more like a lady, and Genma seemed subdued) they were off.  Ranma 
nearly choked when she saw a long cloth bundle under Nodoka's arm, but it 
was just an umbrella.
	It came in handy about halfway there when a shower started.  
Hikaru and Genma scrambled for its cover, and initially so did Ranma.  
Then she remembered that she didn't have anything to fear from 
precipitation any more.  The worst had already happened.
	Ranma began to skip in the downpour, and dance a bit, while 
humming "Singing in the Rain."
	"Don't tease your brother, dear."
	"It don't bother me none." rasped Hikaru.  He was already wearing 
his red and black martial arts outfit.
	At the Tendou's Ranma quickly changed and joined the others in 
the training hall.  Hikaru was showing off some kata.
	"Okay, little brother, let's see what you've got."
	"I don't fight girls."
	"Don't worry.  I'll go easy on you."  She meant it too.  After 
all, not only did Ranma have the same ten years of intensive training 
with Genma to draw on, but over a year's experience learning and 
countering some of the world's most esoteric martial arts techniques.
	"All right, Sis.  But you asked for it."  He tossed his head, 
making his long braid sway.
	As they studied each other, circling for advantage, Ranma's 
worries faded.  Combat was her element, the one place she was always 
prepared.  
	Hikaru started with a series of feints to test Ranma's defenses.  
She blocked easily, then set up a quick sideways move.  He countered.  
Ranma smiled.  Little brother wasn't so easily tricked.  She decided to 
press the attack.
	Hikaru was a good dodger.  Slippery as an eel, actually.  But 
Ranma was adjusting, and in a moment more--there was a tap on her 
shoulder.  The distraction cost her a moment's concentration, and Hikaru 
got in a clean shot.
	"Oof!"  Ranma backpedaled and looked for a good opening.  As she 
moved in again, Hikaru flicked his head, and his braid wrapped around her 
wrist, pulling Ranma off balance for another hit.
	"So that long braid isn't just for show."
	"Nope.  I saw it in an old kung fu movie and liked the idea so 
much I taught myself the trick."
	"Okay, since Hikaru knew a technique she didn't, it was time to 
move on to advanced Anything Goes style.  The battle rapidly became too 
involved to adequately describe on paper; suffice it to say that Hikaru's 
braid, striking and winding like a snake, almost but not quite made up 
for Ranma's greater experience.
	"Your son has a unique fighting style, Saotome." observed Soun.
	"Yes, well, let him enjoy his hair while he may."  Both fathers 
laughed. "And you seem to have done an excellent job training my 
daughter." 
	"Hrm.  Her recent progress is remarkable."
	"You're pulling your punches!" accused Hikaru.
	"So are you," replied Ranma.  "Ready to crank up the volume?"
	Both of them began to glow with ki.
	Soun clapped his hands.  "Well done!  An excellent 
demonstration.  But there are others waiting to spar." 
	"No fair!" cried Hikaru.  "I was winning!"
	"Sometimes that's the best place to stop, son.  While there's 
still a dojo."
	Hikaru opted not to watch Akane's practice with her father.  
"I've had all I can take of macho chicks for one day.  I'll just grab a 
quick bath." 
	Ranma did stay.  Akane looked to be a bit better than when he'd 
first met her in the real world.  She remembered seeing photos of Akane 
and "herself" at various tournaments on her bedroom wall.  Apparently, 
having someone close to compete with had sharpened the Tendou girl's 
skills.  
	After practice was done, Soun motioned Ranma over.
	"So, Miss Saotome, you've been holding out on me.  You certainly 
didn't learn some of those moves from this dojo."  Uh-oh.
	"I've been practicing new moves in secret.  I didn't think they 
were good enough to show you yet, Sensei."
	"I disagree, Ranma.  It's clear that your family had produced two 
superior martial artists.  Too bad you aren't a boy.  I'd marry you to 
one of my daughters like a shot!"
	"I'm...sure you would."  If you only knew!
	Some old habits die harder than others, and Ranma panicked and 
beat a hasty retreat when she found a very naked Akane in the bathroom.
	"Where are you going Ranma?  I need you to scrub my back!"
	It's okay, Ranma reminded herself.  This Akane doesn't think of 
me as a perverted weirdo.  She opened the door and walked back in.
	"You were really something out there today.  Oh, Hikaru must have 
smacked you a good one.  Your nose is bleeding."
	"Oh great, thought Ranma as she wiped her nose, *now* I get the 
hots for Akane.  Oh well, just keep your cool.  She stripped down, then 
began scrubbing the other girl's back.
	"A little less hard, Ranma.  Say, I never did get an answer from 
you yesterday."
	"About?"
	"These last three days, you've been acting pretty weird.  Asking 
questions you should already know the answers to, treating familiar 
people like you've just met them, and your martial arts... I mean, you've 
always been good, but you went from black belt to master level 
overnight.  What's going on?"
	Hoo boy.
	"That's a difficult question.  How shall I begin..."  Great, now 
I sound like Pops. 
	"Turn around so I can scrub your back, and we can talk it over in 
the tub."  Actually, it felt good to have Akane scrubbing her back, and 
Ranma was able to relax just a little.  What could she, no, what *should* 
she tell Akane?  The whole truth was just too monstrous, but how many 
times had he hurt Akane in the past by holding back explanations, when a 
little bit of truth would have made everything all right, if a little 
embarrassing?  She frowned in thought.
	"Get in, Ranma.  The water's not that hot."
	Right.  It would never be hot enough now.  Not ever again.  No cure,  
ever, because this female body was the real thing, not a curse.
	"So?"
	"Akane, this is going to be hard to believe, but you must promise 
that you will, and that you won't tell anyone.  When I woke up Friday 
morning, my memories were...mixed up."
	"'Mixed up?'  How?"
	"It's like I was living a completely different life up till now.  
I remember peoples' faces and names, but not what's happened with them, 
or how I should feel about them.  My own mother was practically a 
stranger to me."
	"Oh no, Ranma!"  Apparently enough truth was coming through in 
Ranma's words to convince Akane. 
	"And instead I've got memories of things that never happened.  
Suddenly I'm an expert on cursed springs, Chinese Amazons and esoteric 
martial arts.  It's weird, and I really don't know exactly who I am any 
more." 
	"You really don't remember anything about your real past?"
	"Hardly anything.  Like, how the heck did we *both* get engaged 
to Kunou?"
	"Well, it happened shortly after Hikaru was born.  Our fathers 
got into some sort of financial bind.  I don't know what exactly, Father 
refuses to talk about it, and Kasumi was too young to pick up anything 
other than that money was involved, but they needed a lot of money and 
fast.  So they borrowed it from the Kunou family, and as part of the 
collateral, Tatewaki gets to have one of us as his bride."
	"That sounds like the kind of agreement Pops would go for."
	"Upperclassman Kunou found out when he was fifteen and we were 
fourteen.  We didn't find out until the day he dropped by gym class to 
check us out.  He decided he liked us both so much he wouldn't give 
either of us up until he absolutely had to choose one.  So he declared 
that no one else was allowed to date us, or he'd beat them up.  And since 
we're the only two people at Furinkan who can take him in combat, it's 
been spinster city for me ever since.
	"You're relatively lucky.  Ryouga's such a moving target that 
he's never even met Kunou, and Tsubasa, well as near as I can tell, he 
enjoys pain.  But though I get lots of anonymous love letters, the only 
boy that dares even get near me is that geek with the camera fixation."
	"Gosunkugi?"
	"Yes, I think that's his name."
	Well, that was depressing.  Not much better than the gauntlet 
Akane had to go through in the real world.  Ranma wanted to put her arms 
around Akane to comfort her,, but bad memories held the former boy back.  
She knew girls were allowed to be more touchy-feely in these situations, 
but how far was too much?  Besides, she was stiull feeling embarrassed 
about them being nude together, so it wasn't a good time to experiment. 
	"How about--"
	"Lunch is ready, girls.  Hope you've soaked enough," came 
Kasumi's voice through the door.
	Lunch was nice. Both Ranma's families together and talking 
peacefully.  Okay, reasonably peacefully.  Hikaru's table manners were 
atrocious, and Akane's sharp tongue quickly raised his ire.  But Nodoka 
kept a firm hand on temper levels.  
	The talk soon turned to tales of the children growing up, and 
Ranma started listening more than she ate.  This was vital information 
about the past she hadn't lived through.
	She recognized some of the stories of the Tendou sisters from the 
real world, but with little differences, mostly dealing with her own part 
in affairs.  As far as Ranma could gather, she'd been quite the tomboy, 
only reluctantly following a more feminine path with her mother's 
insistence. 
	"You remember, Ranma, you wanted so badly to learn martial arts 
because Akane was?  You begged for days and days, so I fianlly agreed to 
let you try.  I was very surprised at how quickly you took to it."
	"Um."
	Hikaru had gotten bored and wandered off, and Nabiki had 
followed.  There was a tell-tale splash, and the next thing Ranma saw was 
her half-naked brother in girl form sprinting through the living room 
with Nabiki in hot pursuit.
	"I'm not your dolly and I don't wanna play dress-up!"
	"But you'd look so cuute in this," cooed Nabiki, holding out a 
frilly pink frock many girls would have been embarrassed to wear, let 
alone a boy.
	Ranma remembered this scene all too clearly from the real world.  
Nevertheless, she couldn't help bursting into laughter.  It was just so 
much funnier when it happened to someone else!  The others started 
laughing too.
	"Aw, c'mon, Sis, you're not gonna let her do this to me, are 
you?" 
	"Sorry, Hikaru, but maybe you should put it on.  You've got your 
*snicker* feminine modesty to think about."
	"Huh?"  Hikaru looked down and realized "she" was topless.  
"Ooops, forgot..." and edged out of the room, keeping well away from 
Nabiki. 
	Shirt safely back in place, it was time to go.

			To Be Continued...

	In our next chapter, Hikaru goes to school!

SKJAM!
"Love, love, Minky Momo"