Some major changes to this section, including a couple of new scenes with 
Bell-chan.

************************************************************************

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 characters property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, 
Kitty, and Viz Video.  Sailor Moon characters property of Takeuchi Naoko, 
Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC.  Ah! My Goddess property of 
Fujishima Kosuke, Kodansha, TBS and KSS films; AnimEigo, Studio Proteus, and 
Dark Horse Comics.  Other characters who may cameo are property of 
respective owners.  All are used without permission.  I did not write this 
for profit, but for practice.  Will be removed at request of original 
creators or authorized rep.

Zhu Shu (who shoo), Tao-Ching, Xi'an Chi (zy-an chee), and Clans' Dragon and 
Skorpion are mine, and may be used so long as I am asked beforehand.

And thanks to DB Sommer for allowing me to use Ai Konjou and the Furinkan 
Combat Cheerleaders.

************************************************************************

Book One: The Mandarin

Chapter Nine: Hearts on the Line.

There was definitely something different.

Ranma couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something different.

Oh, Akane still got mad at him, still called him a Baka when he did 
something dumb; still walked in on him nude in the bath ... She was still 
the Akane he knew....

But different.

He had watched her for the four days to the match, trying to figure out what 
exactly was different. Bit by bit, it came to him.

She was acting more like Zhu Shu.

He couldn't deny it by the fourth day. She was still getting angry with him 
when he said something badly, but she'd been much calmer and more controlled 
about it.  And when she had walked in on him, she had been more... 
deliberate.  And in other subtle ways, she had been... affectionate.  A 
small hand touch here, brushing back his bangs there.  And she had lost the 
faint awkwardness of her movements, the feeling that she was bludgeoning her 
way through invisible walls, and all traces of tomboyishness from her form, 
if not from her attitude. True, she had seemed a trifle preoccupied and 
distracted, but she moved with the same liquid, thoughtless grace that made 
Zhu Shu so mesmerizing. He found himself being fascinated with just watching 
her walk.

He finally had to admit, if only to himself, that she was ... cute.

No, he corrected himself, she went way past cute ... gorgeous wasn't even 
close ... she was, quite simply...

Beautiful...

As they entered the main hallway of St. Hebereki's School for Girls, he had 
to tear his eyes away from the sway of her hips ... the lithe way she ....

Fortunately, Kodachi interrupted his wandering thoughts.

"Well ... I see the clumsy cow has arrived. Are you ready to free my Ranma 
from your vile clutches?"

Akane's eyes narrowed.  "No.  I'm here to use you as a floor mop."

Kodachi laughed in a stilted manner and gazed over Akane's shoulder to Zhu 
Shu and a currently female, due to a small accident with a little old lady 
with a water scoop, Ranma.  "And these two?"

"My coach and my second."  Akane growled.  Ranma could see that Kodachi was 
already making Akane seethe.
"Ah."  Kodachi started to dismiss them, then she took a closer look at 
Ranma.  "You! The pigtailed girl!  So ... we meet again."  She smiled 
viciously.  "I still owe you for the other day.  Perhaps I'll cripple her so 
I can show you a proper thanks."

"Anytime."  Ranma replied.

Kodachi laughed at the ice in her voice.  "I suppose we should be sporting." 
  She stuck out her hand.  "May the best girl win!"

Akane started to reach for it, then grabbed Kodachi's wrist and turned it to 
show her palm.

Kodachi feigned horror.  "Oh, however did these tacks get between my 
fingers?" she said unapologetically.  "Well, I must be off to my dressing 
room ... I am so looking forward to this match."  With another dose of her 
maniacal laughter, she skipped away.

"She has a very black aura."  Zhu Shu murmured, her voice soft and still 
accent free.

Akane nodded.

"That's the color of sickness ... the color of despair.  She's not as 
confident as she acts."

Akane turned to raise a quizzical eyebrow.

"And she's not quite sane."  Zhu Shu added.

Akane humphed.  "I don't know about her sanity, but she's defiantly 
twisted."  She hefted her bag and began walking towards their dressing room. 
  "But what I don't understand is why you are spending so much energy 
showing me peoples auras."  She waved a vague hand.  "I mean, you've been 
glowing for days.  Isn't it tiring?"

Ranma raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not, Akane." Zhu Shu protested.  "Somehow, you've gained my ability to 
see auras."

Akane stopped.  "What?"

"You're seeing auras.  You have been ever since we blended chi."

"Say what!"  Ranma blurted in shock.

Zhu Shu turned to Ranma.  "When I was teaching her the Dance, something got 
out of control. I don't know how, but we blended chi ... entirely."

"Th- that's not supposed to happen, except ... except ..." the redhead 
blanched as he looked at them.  "To lovers...." he finished in a whisper.  
He closed his eyes as it felt like something inside of him was dying and 
taking him with it.  He sighed.  "Oh, well. I suppose it was inevitable."

He wasn't looking at them, or he might have seen the pain his words caused 
in Zhu Shu's eyes ... or the sheer rage that burned in Akane's.  Then he was 
picked up and bodily slammed six inches into the wall and had to meet 
Akane's infuriated gaze.

"Ranma Saotome.  You ... you ... BAKA!!!  I'll have you know nothing of the 
sort happened!"  The fire in her eyes was hotter than Ranma had ever seen.  
"I don't care how little you think of me ..." she snarled, "But I will not 
stand here and let you insult Zhu Shu's honor that way!"

Ranma tried to say something, but Akane slammed him back into the wall.  "I 
asked. I even tried seducing her!  But she wouldn't.  She thought she would 
betray you if she did, and she realized I was angry and jealous ... over 
you."  She turned and threw Ranma against the opposite wall.  "And you 
accuse her!  If I weren't engaged to you Ranma ... I _would_ go to her"  She 
stood over the smaller girl, slumped to the floor staring in shock at her.  
"But I told you something the other night, and I told you not to forget it!  
But I can see you can't even do that!"

Ranma met her eyes and whispered, "You said you love me...."

Akane's hands opened and closed in fury as she started to say something 
several times, then finally just screamed "MEN!" and stormed into her 
dressing room, leaving a speechless Ranma behind looking at Zhu Shu's 
tapping foot.  Down the hallway on either side, small crowds of girls looked 
on excitedly.

Ranma looked at Zhu Shu's tapping foot.  "I- I suppose that could have gone 
better."

Zhu Shu's foot continued it's slow deliberate tapping.

"You're mad at me too, aren't you."

The tap continued for a few more beats, then stopped.  "Do you really think 
so little of me?"

Ranma closed his eyes at the ice in her voice.  "No ... I think the world of 
you Zhu Shu."

"But you casually assumed that I seduced Akane behind your back?"

Ranma curled his knees up against his chest as he sat against the wall.  
"What was I supposed to think?   I mean-"

"You were jealous."

Ranma shrugged.  "So what.  It's obvious she wants you more than me anyway."

" Not true.  I told you that night on the roof when Kodachi nearly kissed 
you, Akane was only mad because she got jealous.  She started thinking why 
would you want her when Kodachi was rich and pretty and sexy and not clumsy. 
  Things she felt because of the way you treated her in the Dojo while she 
was trying to train, and the way you call her sexless, and a tomboy.  I know 
your first impulse in a stress situation is to lash out, but because you do 
that, you made Akane feel like you didn't want her.  And why would you want 
her when there was Kodachi?"

"But I don't want Kodachi.  I- I wanted Akane."

"But have you ever said so to Akane?  No.  Even the next morning when 
Kodachi was chasing you, You used Akane as an excuse, not as a reason for 
why you didn't want to date Kodachi.  Great way to make Akane feel really 
wanted.  Is it any wonder she felt hurt?  Or jealous?  With every insult 
you've given her on her sexuality, you given her a need to feel wanted, and 
when she saw me feeling sad, she thought she could cheer me up, and maybe 
feel like _someone_ really cared about her.  She wanted me to make love to 
her, to make her feel loved, to hurt you the way she felt you had hurt her.  
She wasn't thinking about how badly she could hurt anyone else, how badly 
she could hurt both of us.  She wasn't thinking about how it could destroy 
our friendship, because I wouldn't have been able to let her go if I had 
allowed her to go so far.  I _love_ her, Ranma, and the only reason I 
stopped her is because you're my friend and she's your fianc�e."  She made 
the sullen girl look into her eyes.  "If she were free, I would give up my 
family, my honor, everything I am to be what you are!  If I could have her 
by my side forever.... But I will not betray a friend!  Akane knows this.  
There wasn't anything you could have said to have hurt her more...."

Ranma looked away, not saying anything for a long moment.  "Why didn't you 
tell me?" he asked finally.

"Because nothing happened.  Ranma, she needed to feel loved.  In so many 
ways she was just as confused about how she felt as you are, but she needed 
some sign that someone cared, that the doubts and fears she had weren't 
real.  She wasn't trying to hurt you."

Ranma put his head between his hands.  "That doesn't mean that it doesn't 
hurt!"

Zhu Shu sighed and knelt down in front of the red-head.  "No.  Anymore than 
it doesn't hurt me that I said no.  Ranma...  I know the fact that she even 
tried hurts, but look at it from her side too, please.  You can't even bring 
yourself to ask her on a date, even though you said you were going to.  
She's felt you flash hot and cold, between resenting her because she's your 
fiancee, and actually caring about the fact that she's your fiancee.  She's 
spent years trying to hide the pain she's felt from losing her mother, to 
keep everyone at arms length and not let them get close enough to cause her 
that kind of pain again, but you _got_ in... and that's what scared her so 
badly.  The fear of losing you... made her a little crazy."

"But you heard her!  The only reason she's with me is because of this stupid 
fiancee thing our dads arranged!"

Zhu Shu reached out and lifted the red-head's tear-streaked face and made 
her meet her gaze.  "If you truly take her words at face value, Ranma, you 
are a bigger fool than Kuno."

Ranma sniffed and turned away.  "I don't know what to think, Zhu Shu."

Zhu Shu sighed.  "Then let me ask one last thing.  Do you love her?"

Ranma's blue eyes locked on the floor.  "I- I don't know."

"Then why are you crying?  She's handed you the keys to her heart, given you 
her soul for safe keeping.  Which is more important, Ranma?  Your pride... 
or Akane?"

Ranma pushed himself upright.  "I- I-... Tell Akane I'm sorry.  I've got to 
go think."

Zhu Shu closed her eyes.  "Very well.  Just... before you do anything, 
please, if you still trust anything I say, then believe that Akane loves 
you."

There was the sound of Ranma's footsteps walking away... then getting faster 
and faster untill he was running.    An explosion of conversation started up 
at the end of the hall, but Zhu Shu ignored it.  She stood and looked after 
the departed red-head, trying to quell the storm of emotions  roiling in her 
breast.  For a long moment she stood and watched the entrance before wiping 
her eye and turning to the dressing room.

* * * * *

Akane stood by the window, staring blankly while idly playing with her braid 
and humming a sing song tune.  At her feet lay a bouquet of black roses 
surrounded by a faint haze of white powder.

Zhu Shu stopped at seeing her.  "Akane?"

Akane giggled.  "Zhu-sa-ma-I-was-thin-king-of-you." she sing-songed as she 
turned and moved towards the other girl, snagging her foot on her bag and 
tripping.  She did a handstand and flipped, her legs catching Zhu Shu on 
either shoulder as she bore her over and down.  Akane landed sitting on Zhu 
Shu's chest and looked around.  "Zhu-sa-ma, where-are-you?"

She lifted her skirt at the muffled reply and looked down at the Chinese 
girl's face between her legs, giggling again.  "Silly Zhu Shu.  You're not 
supposed to be there.  Ranma is!I'm mad at him!"  She giggled madly, nearly 
tumbling over.

"Are you ok?" Zhu Shu asked, worried.

"I'm Fiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnneeeeee..." Akane giggled again and reached down to 
pull her panties aside to reveal her bare pubic area.  "See!  I shaved so 
I'd be just like you.  Just for Ranma."  She placed a finger on Zhu Shu's 
nose.  "And then he had to make me mad at him."  She trailed her finger down 
Zhu Shu's face and up her pubis.  "So... none for him!"  She let her panties 
go with a snap as she giggled and this time did fall over.

Zhu Shu untangled herself from Akane's legs and rose to her knees.  She 
examined the madly giggling girl and looked around to see the roses.  She 
dusted her finger and looked at it.  "Poppy." she muttered disgustedly.  
"With several other ingredients I suspect."

She sat the still giggling girl up.  Akane looked at her and smiled. 
"Zhu-sa-ma! You were between my legs!  Naughty girl!"  Zhu Shu grimaced.

"Definitely more than just poppy."  She reached behind her back and pulled 
out her herb case, opening it to withdraw a small vial.  "It's not a real 
antidote, but the effects will offset the worst of this.  But there are 
going to be some side effects, especially with what you're already on." she 
said as she looked at Akane.  "It will make you capable of fighting, but..." 
noted the wide eyed look Akane was giving the bottle.  "Well... I suppose it 
really couldn't make you _less_ inhibited."

Akane snatched the vial out of Zhu Shu's hand.  "Sake!"

Zhu Shu looked on in astonishment as she drained the vial.  She blinked a 
few times and stole a quote from Kasumi. "Oh, my.  You weren't supposed to 
drink the whole bottle!"

Akane sat with her head tilted and blinked a few times as her pupils 
un-dilated, then looked around the room as if she'd never seen it before.  
Her gaze came to rest on Zhu Shu and strange look came to her eyes.  She 
stretched, cat-like, then stalked over to the Chinese girl on all fours and 
meowed.  Then she batted the confused girl over and crawled up her until 
they were nose to nose.

"Akane?" Zhu Shu asked nervously, staring at the purring girl in shock.

"You. Are. Purrrrrrrrr-fectly. Sexy." Akane said as she nuzzled Zhu Shu's 
face, then her eyes fell upon her bag and the black roses laying by it and 
her eyes lit up.  "Oh!  Playtime!"  She giggled and leaped upwards.

Zhu Shu caught only a glimpse of the blur that hit the door as a rain of 
Akane's clothes began to fall....

* * * * *

Ranma wandered along a canal, and kicked a rock despondantly.  What was he 
to do?

Akane said she love him... but she had asked Zhu Shu to sleep with her!  And 
somehow... they had merged chi.

He sat on the edge of a bridge and stared into the water.  What was he going 
to do?

"You look troubled, young lady.  May I possibly of some assistance?"

Ranma started at the quiet and kindly voice and turned to see a woman giving 
her a freindly smile.  She was fairly tall, and an obvious foreigner, with 
long grey hair and pale skin.  She was verry pretty, the tattos on her 
cheeks and forehead seeming to She was dressed like a college student, and a 
book bag with the words Nekomi Tech hung from her shoulder.  Something about 
her smile made him feel like the world was suddenly a much better place to 
be.  Shyly, he smiled back.

"I'm okay, I guess.  Just trying to think things out."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.  Would you like to talk?  Sometimes, all you 
need is a different viewpoint."

Ranma shrugged, somehow instinctively knowing he could trust the other girl. 
  "I guess.  I mean, if you really want to hear about the mess I call my 
life."

"Surely it can't be so bad as that?  Would you like to go over to that 
ice-cream parlor?  My treat."

Ranma smiled.  "I never turn down ice cream."

* * * * *

Zhu Shu caught up to Akane at the ring, where she prowled like a playful 
tigress.  She had changed into the black and orange striped tights she'd 
brought somewhere during her blur and twin ribbons lashed behind her like 
tails.  Then she caught sight of Zhu Shu and waved before bouncing over to 
plant a kiss on her nose before giggling and bouncing into the ring again. 
Zhu Shu sighed.  She was still as high as a kite... but at least the 
lethargy the poppy would have induced seemed to have been fully countered.

A commotion arose at the door as they opened and the audience started to 
filter in, along with Genma and the other two Tendo girls.  They took seats 
at the front, the audience choosing not to argue with a giant panda.  Kasumi 
looked at Akane and asked, "Is she ok?"

Zhu Shu shook her head. "She had a really bad fight with Ranma, then Kodachi 
hit her with some kind of weird drug that started to put her to sleep.  I 
gave her something to keep her awake.  Now, I am not really sure what she is 
going to do."

"Oh, my." Kasumi looked worried.

Akane meanwhile had lashed her ribbons to the overhead beams and was using 
them as a swing.  She swung back and forth in lazy arcs, staring off into 
space dreamily.  The crowd buzzed with whispers as the seats filled with 
students from both schools commenting on her odd behavior.

Finally Kodachi entered, a small frown crossing her face when she saw Akane 
had made it to the ring.  She greeted Kuno as she proceeded to the ring 
where she threw off her robe to reveal a skintight black leotard of black 
with a stylized rose design.  She stepped into the ring, a black rose 
between her teeth.  Akane looked at her curiously and dropped to the mat, 
ribbons once again lashing like a cat's tail.

The Referee looked at her nervously before proceeding with her opening. "And 
now the Champions of the Schools!  In this corner ... From St. Hebereki's 
School for Girls ... Kodachiiiiii Kuuuuuuuunnnnoooo!"

Kodachi waved to the cheering crowd and threw her rose into the audience. 
The announcer turned to Akane.  "And in this corner ... umm... what's your 
name?" she finished in a stage whisper.

Akane stared at Kodachi intently as she murmured her name.

The Referee stepped back and continued.  "And representing Furinkan High ... 
Akaneeee Tennnndoooo!"

The Furinkan students broke into cheers as Kuno threw roses at the stage.

"Champions to the center!"  The Announcer called. Akane looked at Kodachi 
with her head tilted to one side as she tucked her ribbons behind her back.

Zhu Shu blinked.

The two girls approached each other and the Referee made them shake hands.  
Kodachi had to get another dig in.  "Well cow, are you ready to lose your 
claim to my Ranma?"

Akane gave her a curious look.  "Over your dead body."  She tilted her head 
the other way and reached out and snagged Kodachi's leotard by the V between 
her breasts and pulled her close.  "Or maybe not, cute and psychotic."

Kodachi sprang back as Akane turned and giggled all the way back to her 
corner. Kodachi stared at her retreating form. "Y-y-you dare!"

"You betcha!" Akane answered. She leaned over the ropes and whispered 
conspiratorially at Zhu Shu. "I don't know why'd she want him though. He's a 
bitch! Thinks nothing or ripping out hearts. Maybe I should let her have 
him." She looked at the stricken Chinese girl and winked. "Or maybe I'll go 
to her. I'm already a slut, right! He said so. Wanna bet I can get her out 
of that outfit before the end of the fight?" She giggled and leered at Zhu 
Shu. "Hot girl girl action, doncha know."

"Akane, please! Don't be like that." she pleaded. "You aren't yourself right 
now! It's what Kodachi drugged you with!"

"I can't hear yooou!" Akane sang as she rolled to look at Zhu Shu upside 
down. "My head is full of fluff and my ears are ringing!"

"That's the bell! Look out!"

"Whups!" Akane giggled as she dodged Kodachi's club attack. She flipped to 
the top of a corner pole and shook her finger. "Naughty, naughty! Attacking 
while I'm talking about Ranma. Bad girl! Mommy spank!" She jumped over 
another blow.

Kodachi steamed. "How dare you mock the Black Rose!" She screamed as she 
launched the club straight at Akane's head.

At the top of her leap, Akane's ribbons reappeared and intercepted the club, 
knocking it flying before they quested downwards after Kodachi.

Kodachi laughed and knocked them away with her rope, the cord standing as 
stiffly as a sword.

"Just what we've come to expect from the Flower of Martial Gymnastics, 
Kodachi Kuno! She handles the rope as if it's a rod!" the Announcer called.

Akane landed while dodging another blow, and one of her ribbons caught her 
leg momentarily, making her stumble. Kodachi took advantage of her misstep 
to clobber her with her stiff rope, revealing it wasn't a rope at all.

"Wait a minute, the Announcer cried. "It is a rod!! A rod disguised as a 
rope!"

"Akane!" Zhu Shu yelled as Akane stumbled away from Kodachi, dazed by the 
blow. She yelled at the Referee "Kodachi's cheating!"

The Referee looked at her. "So long as it's not a bare handed blow."

Kodachi laughed and twirled her clubs, then jabbed at Akane, who just barely 
dodged as she was recovering. Then she dived against the ropes as with a 
pong, spikes sprang from the club and clipped her ear.

"She's using spiked clubs!" Zhu Shu yelled at the Referee. She turned to 
look, but as she did, the spikes snapped back into the club. "I don't see 
any spikes." The Referee called back.

"I do all this so that I may date Ranma!" Kodachi cried to the crowd. "Oh 
how inspiring the lengths to which I'll go!!"

Akane had regained her balance and giggled. "Dream on cutie!" she cried as a 
ribbon shot out to snare Kodachi and drag the girl into the ring. "He's 
mine! Lock, stock and cute little curly red pubic hairs!" She pulled her 
ribbon and sent Kodachi spinning like a top to careen into the ropes.

"An ingenious attack from the crazy girl from Furinkan High!" Is a second a 
valid weapon?" The Announcer asked.

The judges waved their flags. "Valid!"

Kodachi meanwhile had spun into the corner and caught her leotard top on the 
turnbuckle.  As she straightened there was a loud rip, and Kodachi's entire 
left sleeve tore free.

Kodachi looked down at her torn leotard and screamed. "You wretched girl! 
Look what you have done!" She grabbed her clubs and swung repeatedly as 
Akane jumped and dodged. As Akane jumped over her, a pair of ribbons wrapped 
around Kodachi's waist and spun her to face Akane. "Now, now. Temper will 
get you no-where with me.  But for being really cute when you're angry- " 
she leaned forward and the entire crowd ceased all noise as she kissed 
Kodachi on the lips.

Kodachi stumbled backwards as sounds of disbelief, and the occasional cheer, 
echoed through the crowd.

"This match has... has taken a truly unexpected turn!! Can a kiss be 
considered a bare handed blow? It certainly has set our Champion reeling!"

The judges consulted in a flurry of voices before their flags came up. 
"Valid! No hands or feet involved!"

Kodachi wiped the back of her hand across her lips, a lost look in her eyes, 
then Akane giggled again and Kodachi's eyes flared. "So! Now you would toy 
with my Heart! Such insult cannot be allowed! You dreadful girl!"

She launched a furious assault on Akane, but Akane's ribbons kept 
intercepting them.  Akane skipped backwards as she sing-songed "Dachi and 
Akane sitting in a tree-whups!" The rings ropes blocked her as Kodachi 
grabbed a hoop from her second and screamed "I shall punish you!"

The ring flew at Akane's throat, but she dodged the hoop, the ring 
continuing untill it sliced through the top of the corner pole she'd been 
next to. She stared at the cleanly sliced pole and mumbled "Whoa...Burma 
shave." as Kodachi's ribbon reached out to snag the hoop and draw it towards 
Akane's back.

"Watch out!" Kasumi and Zhu Shu screamed in unison as the crowd drew a 
breath in horror.

Akane sensed the ring at the last second,  and did a mid-air cartwheel as 
she flipped to balance on the rope on one foot.

Nabiki blinked. "Since when is she _that_ good?"

Kodachi angled her hoop at Akane again. Akane frowned and lashed out with 
her ribbons. Gold fire flickered along their length as they slashed 
Kodachi's hoop into pieces.

"And Akane razors Kodachi's hoop!" The Announcer screamed as Zhu Shu did a 
double-blink. That wasn't part of Shiva's Dance.

Akane giggled. "That's not playing nice! I'll teach you to play with sharp 
things!" She giggled again as her ribbon blurred into a flicker of golden 
light that played around Kodachi's waist and spun the girl around. She 
staggered after she stopped spinning and small wisps of thread fell from the 
halter top and g-string Akane had left of her leotard. Shreds of black cloth 
littered the ring, and only her right sleeve remained intact. Murmurs of 
appreciation arose from the male students in the crowd at the sight of how 
little Akane had left of Kodachi's outfit. Akane sat down and bounced on the 
ropes as Kodachi took stock and catcalled "Now play nice or I'll take the 
rest."

Kodachi's fists clenched as she howled "You BITCH!" She grabbed her clubs. 
"I will pay you back for this a hundred fold! Now! Witness the secret 
technique of the Black Rose! The Blow of a Thousand Hands at full frenzy!"

Akane laughed as she dodged the massive volley of blows. Air pressure from 
the misses shattered the first two rows of bleachers and sent spectators 
flying. Screams of panic went up from the crowd.

"My God!" yelled the Announcer. "It looks like she's using twenty clubs! 
There's no doubt about it! The madwoman from Furinkan has definitely raised 
Kodachi's ire as well as her hemlines!"

Zhu Shu threw a ball up to Akane from the sidelines, and she idly batted it 
at Kodachi's still futile attempts to hit her. The ball smashed down through 
the volley of clubs and popped loudly against the mat as clubs rained down 
around Kodachi.

"And the truth is revealed!" The Announcer called, still clutching her mike 
amid the wreckage Kodachi had made of her table. "She was using twenty 
clubs!"

Kodachi looked down in disbelief at the clubs surrounding her, then over to 
where Akane was casually strolling along the rope singing a nursery rhyme. 
Her eyes hardened. "This is only the beginning!" she cried as she pulled her 
ribbons from somewhere. "The true essence of Martial Gymnastics is control 
of an endless array of weapons!" The ribbon reached out to snag a bell from 
the wreckage around the ring and hurled it at Akane.

Akane intercepted the bell with her ribbons and it fell to the mat in four 
pieces as she laughed. "Oho! Trying to ring my bell and we haven't even been 
on a first date!" Her ribbon slithered around in a spiral to smack Kodachi 
on the rear with a loud crack. Kodachi jumped and a blush spread across her 
cheeks at the yelp she had let out. Akane stood on a corner pole and looked 
at her with her head cocked. "Whadda ya know, I think she liked that!"

Kodachi eeped and grabbed a chair to throw at Akane, but as she turned, she 
found Akane right in front of her. The chair clattered to the floor as her 
momentum carried her against the other girl and she stared into the strange 
expression in Akane's eyes. Only she heard the words Akane spoke. "Yep. You 
need a good fucking." But the tone made her stagger backwards a half dozen 
steps in shock.

She stared at Akane as her heart hammered. Akane stood there like a 
hyper-eager airline hostess. Her feet were together and her hands were 
behind her back as she leaned slightly forward while her ribbons danced 
behind her back like tails. On her face was a friendly smile....

Wind whistled through the silent auditorium.

Like a trapped animal, Kodachi looked around wildly, finally spying her 
brother looking at her coldly. In almost terror, she snagged him and hurled 
him at Akane.

Whatever spell had existed for that frozen moment broke as Kuno yelled and 
swung his boken. Akane moved aside and used her ribbons to hurl Kuno into 
the crowd.

"Use of brother valid!" The judges called as Kodachi began to hurl 
everything she could at Akane.

"It's a battle for the ages!" the Announcer called. "The Black Rose is in 
rare form today, but her opponent isn't giving an inch! What will happen 
next! And all our male fans are wondering, I'm sure, will Kodachi lose any 
more of her outfit? It's still anyone's match!"

Zhu Shu was still watching slack jawed when the panda, seemingly 
uninterested in the match tapped her on the shoulder and offered her a cup 
of tea.

"Mister Saotome! This is no time to be relaxing! Akane's higher than a kite! 
She could be killed!"

The panda gave the ring an eye, then shrugged unconcernedly as he sat down 
with his kettle and tea cup.

Kodachi was still desperately attacking an Akane who seemed to be having 
more and more fun blocking her attacks and snipping more of Kodachi's 
outfit. The right sleeve was now gone and only a thin band covered her 
breasts. She'd also lost the right side of her bottom and only a single 
strand kept the cloth covering between her legs. She was despairing because 
Akane still only seemed to be half paying attention and hadn't stopped 
giggling. As the rebuff to one last attack severed the cloth between her 
breasts, her eyes fell on the kettle next to the panda. Heedless of the loss 
of her top and the whistles of appreciation from the crowd, she snagged the 
kettle and held it triumphantly.

"Hah! Even a cockroach will surrender in the face of the Attack of the 
Boiling Water!" She leaped to pour steaming water on Akane but was 
unsuccessful.

"And Akane retreats!" the Announcer yelled. "But then that water does look 
hot!"

Akane leaped high to avoid the splashes, but Kodachi anticipated her. As she 
descended, the kettle was slashed apart right in front of her and as a cloud 
of steam covered her a nonsense yell came from her mouth.

Nonsense to everyone but Zhu Shu. It was Mandarin Chinese for Dragon's Egg 
Shield. The same technique she used to shield herself. But that would mean 
Akane was using the Song School of Sword Dance's secret techniques....

A golden globe of light dropped from the bottom of the cloud of steam, 
revealing a completely dry and unharmed Akane. She dropped into a perfect 
stance atop a corner pole as the globe faded. "That was mean!" Akane called 
as her ribbon flashed out to wrap the nearly nude Kodachi and hurl her 
through the air, the last piece of her leotard fluttering to the mat.

"Is this it." The Announcer called. "Has Akane stripped Kodachi of not only 
her clothing, but victory as well?"

A shrill whistle came from the airborne Kodachi and the ring shuddered into 
motion towards her.  It crossed the wreckage to intercept her and as she 
landed smugly, she struck a pose and cried "Out is an impossibility for me!" 
She laughed maniacally. "And the loss of my clothes means nothing! I shall 
prevail! I shall win my Ranma from you! I refuse to be beaten by a perverted 
girl like you!"

Akane looked at Kodachi's dramatic pose and giggled. "Ya know, you're really 
cute when you're _naked_ and angry." Her ribbon lashed across Kodachi's 
nipples, electing a gasp of involuntary pleasure from the girl. "But Ran-ma 
sa-ma is mi-ine! No-ot your-ors!" She frowned. "Even if he does think his 
best friend slept with me!"

A shocked hush crossed the auditorium. In the silence a shocked "Oh, my!" 
came from Kasumi, and the thud of Nabiki's soda hitting the floor was like a 
rock fall.

Akane's eyes hardened as she looked at the still stunned Kodachi. "And you! 
It's all your fault! If you hadn't tried to kiss him!" Her ribbon lashed 
across Kodachi's nipples again and made her arch her back. "Then you tried 
to steal him!" The ribbon lashed between Kodachi's legs. "Then you had to 
come to my school-" flick "and attack me!" flick "Then chase him!" Akane's 
blows came more and more frequently and Kodachi's eyes were glazing. "And 
then you had to be Kuno's sister! And cute! And rich!" with every 
exclamation, Akane's ribbon struck again. Kodachi stood frozen, her ribbon 
falling from nerveless fingers as her breath came in short gasps.

"Then you had the nerve-" Akane yelled, raw fury in her eyes now. "To try 
and take him from ME! Take that! And that! And that! And that!" Akane 
punctuated each statement with another blow. "Why! Can't! You! Under! Stand! 
That! I! Love! Him!"

As the last blow landed between her legs, Kodachi could take no more. She 
screamed as her body convulsed in a massive orgasm and she fell to her 
knees. Adoring eyes fell on Akane's tear streaked face and she whispered 
"I'm sorry mistress..."

Then she fainted.

Akane collapsed into tears as the shaky Referee stepped up to her and raised 
Akane's hand. "And the winner is..." The Announcer spoke in a quiet voice. 
"Is Akane Tendo."

Zhu Shu rushed forward to shelter Akane as the crowd erupted in wild 
cheers....

* * * * *

"So ya see, I don't know what to think!" Ranma said as he finished the last 
of his ice cream and sighed.  He couldn't believe he had poured all of this 
out on this nice girl,  Belldandy, but somehow, it really had made him feel 
better to have it all off his chest.

Belldandy had been daintily nibbling at her ice cream as the red-head had 
told her about  his problems, listening and commenting only as needed to 
help Ranma carry on, but as he finished she laid down her spoon and pushed 
her remaining ice cream over to the distraught girl.  She had come by to 
check on how her spell had been working, but had decided upon seeing Ranma 
that the poor boy needed a shoulder to cry on... so to speak.  After hearing 
about the fight he had just had, she felt a least partially responsible for 
Ranma's despair, since it had been her spell that blended Akane's chi and 
psyche with Zhu Shu.  It was seeming to have the desired result in Akane, 
but some of the things Keiichi had said combined with Ranma's story made her 
a little worried about the Chinese girl.  She was going to have to look into 
that, but first, she felt compelled to help Ranma.

"I do hope you won't think this is intrusive of me, but everyone makes 
mistakes.  I think that this Akane must really love you to be so affected by 
what you say."

Ranma looked up from the new bowl.  "Ya really think so?  So why'd she want 
to sleep with Zhu-chan?"

"Well... humans have a very deep need to feel loved and to love.  It's one 
of the most wonderful things about them.  But those needs sometimes can 
cause people to do things in a kind of desperation.  When they have too much 
of a need to feel love, they may try to find it where ever they can.  They 
may not even realize that it's what they're looking for, but sometimes the 
need is so great that no price seems too great, no action too extreme."

Ranma looked at her curiously.  "Really?  I mean I've seen stuff like that 
on tv and stuff, but real life ain't like that."

Belldandy smile.  "Whether you believe it or not, it is.  Humans will do 
anything for love.  Beyond hope, beyond fate, beyond even survival, love is 
the motivator that will make a man or woman overcome any hardship, any 
danger.  Love has changed the fate of the world more times than anyone will 
ever know, Ranma.  It has changed the course of more worlds than you could 
ever even concieve.  You never know, in some worlds, perhaps even you have 
dared to challenge the gods for love."

Ranma chuckled.  "You really believe in love, huh?"

Belldandy smiled.  "Absolutely.  My Keiichi is the most wonderful person in 
the world, and I'd do anything for him, and I think he'd do anything for me. 
  But love's course isn't always smooth.  We've had many trials and 
setbacks, but love makes it all worthwhile, and allows us to forgive the 
mistakes we make and concentrate on the successes."

"So maybe I'm overreacting, huh?"  Ranma licked the spoon thoughtfully.

Belldandy gave him a gentle smile.  "That's for you to decide.  To err is 
human, after all.  How many times have you forgiven your father for what 
he's done?  Has Akane truly done anything worse?"

Ranma put down the spoon in the empty bowl as he put his head on his hand.   
His long red braid fell over his shoulder and he caught it and played with 
it as he said, "Love conquers all and all that, huh."  He looked at his hair 
and recalled why he had grown it out.  "I just wish I really knew if I loved 
her."

Belldandy smiled.  "Your heart will tell you... everyday.  You just have to 
learn how to interprete it."

Ranma looked at his hair and blinked, then looked down at himself.  "Oh man, 
I forgot.  You must be kinda freaked out hearing a girl go on like this 
about another girl."

"Hearts don't have genders, Ranma.  And love knows no boundries.  It doesn't 
matter who the one you love is, or how many loved ones you have, love is 
absolute.  "

Ranma looked at her, a thoughtful expression on his face.  "Well, thank you. 
  You've been really kind and you've really given me a lot to think about; 
maybe even a solution."

"Think nothing of it, Ranma.  Helping is what I do."

He rose and held out his hand to help Belldandy to her feet.  "I hope I see 
you again sometime."

Belldandy's eyes sparkled.  "Maybe."

Ranma gave her a smile.  "I gotta get back to the Dojo.  I think maybe I owe 
Akane a real apology... for more than just today."

"Best wishes." Belldandy said as Ranma turned to go.

Ranma gave her a smile from the ice cream parlor's door.  "Somehow, when you 
say that, I believe it just might come true."

Belldandy watched him walk down the street with a smile.  It always felt 
good to help.  As the red-head jumped to a rooftop, she reached out to the 
mirror beside the table, and in a sparkle of light, she was gone.

* * * * *

The nurse looked over Akane and sighed. "She'll be ok, but damned if I've 
ever seen this combination before. Kodachi's potions usually result in 
sleep, paralysis, or some other type of incapacitation in one way or 
another. I'd suspect she was on some kind of speed, but that's not something 
Kodachi uses."

"She took a ginseng potion to counter the sleepiness." Zhu Shu said, a 
worried look on her face.

The nurse nodded. "Strong potion that. She's exhausted. I'd say the potion 
burned the other drug out of her faster then it would have gone normally, 
but it drained her in the process. She'll likely sleep till tomorrow. Still, 
it explains some of the strange behavior she was exhibiting, but not all of 
it.

Zhu Shu blushed.  "It was a nuptial potion.  I was only going to give her a 
small dose, but she took the whole bottle."

"An aphrodesiac?  Well, that explains that."  The Nurse smiled.  "She'll 
probably not remember much of anything she did.  Kind of a pity really.  
Kodachi has needed a come down for awhile.  It's amusing that she had a hand 
in her own downfall.  Still, I'd tell her to be careful.  Kodachi's the type 
to hold very long grudges and she was utterly humiliated.�"

* * * * *

The subject of the Nurse's comments sat in the locker room staring off into 
space. She was still nude, the marks of the lashing she had received a 
bright red against her skin. The other girls of the gymnastics team cowered 
around the room fearing her reaction when she finally moved. She had never 
been a kind mistress, and every girl there had felt her ribbon in a manner 
similar to what she had received at Akane's hands. They all feared her 
wraith.

But Kodachi had not reacted yet. She was still contemplating the fight....

Finally, she moved. She stood and moved over to the full length mirror and 
stared at herself. For almost half an hour she stood there, the team barely 
daring to breathe lest they spark her wraith, yet she never moved.

At the last, she turned and walked to her locker, apparently not seeing the 
team.  She slowly dressed, her motions almost robotic, then she turned, her 
eyes raising to look at the most senior girl of the team.

"I am unworthy to lead you. You must be the captain."

To stunned silence, she turned and vanished out the door.

* * * * *

A strange procession traipsed home from St Hebereki's towards the Tendo 
Dojo.  Kusumi led, with a depressed Zhu Shu at her side, followed by the 
panda carrying the unconscious Akane.  Nabiki followed behind, carrying 
Akane's pack and listening to the conversation her sister was having with 
the Chinese girl.

"So the Nurse said she'd be ok?" Kasumi asked Zhu Shu again. "That all the 
effects would be gone when she awoke?

"All the effects of the drugs Kodachi gave her. I'm not sure about other 
things." She gave the unconscious girl a look and sighed.  "I'm worried 
about how Ranma took off."

"Oh, I'm sure we can work that out." Kasumi said. "Once he's had a cnach to 
think, I'll talk to him.  I'm just glad the match is over with.  Your 
teaching Akane really helped.  I had no idea that you had taught her so much 
when you taught her the Dance!  She could never do half the stuff she did in 
the ring before. I had no idea there was so much to it."

"There is more to it than Akane used, but not everything she was using were 
techniques from the Dance.  Somehow, she absorbed the knowledge of the Song 
school as well."

Kasumi stared. "But- but how could she ... I mean ... she was never that 
good at ki before.  If you didn't teach her-" Kasumi blinked in wonder.

Zhu Shu lowered her head. "I suspect we shared a lot more than just a few 
memories and feelings when our chi merged." She looked at Akane and the 
heartbreak in her eyes was plain. "A lot more. I can't separate my feelings 
from Akane's feelings...."

Kasumi stopped. "You shared her feelings?" She turned to Zhu Shu, 
realization dawning in her eyes.

"No." Zhu Shu said. "I have her feelings."

"Oh, my. Then that must mean you-" She broke off.

Zhu Shu nodded. "I'm in love with Ranma too."

It was a long silent walk home.

* * * * *

Ranma had arrived home just minutes prior to find no-one home but the voodoo 
preist and Soun.  He had taken one look at them playing Go and gone back 
outside to pace.

As he wore out the ground in front of the gate, his braid lashing like a 
whip at every turn, he went over and over what Belldandy had told him, 
trying to think of what he was going to say to Akane.  It was so confusing 
how he felt.

He hadn't wanted to be engaged to Akane, yet somehow, he'd come to think of 
her as _his_ fiancee.  He wasn't really upset that she'd asked Zhu Shu to 
bed, but he was upset at both of them for not telling him about it.  He'd 
realized that the threat Zhu Shu had delivered the night she'd kissed Kasumi 
had been just a bluff, and that Zhu Shu really was trying to help him with 
Akane, but keeping this from him had been wrong.

Hells, he wouldn't even have cared if Akane had succeeding in seducing Zhu 
Shu, it wasn't that big a deal, especially with the idea he'd gotten while 
speaking to Belldandy, but the fact they had hid it from him showed they 
didn't trust him when it came to stuff like this, and that really hurt, 
since they had trusted him in so much else.  It made it feel like he'd 
failed somehow, and in a worse way than normal.

Okay, so he didn't know much about any of that stuff, and the thought of 
trying any of the things Hiroshi and Daisuke suggested scared him silly 
because it sounded so ridiculous, and he was positive if he tried any of it, 
Akane would pound him into the ground, but he wanted to get it right... 
to... to...

_Gods!  At least admit it to yourself, you Baka!_  he thought.  _You want to 
be her lover.  You can't get how nice her body looks out of your mind and 
you dream about her every night!  Stop being a fool and tell her!_

He looked down the street to see if she was coming yet, and he felt his 
heart stop beating.

He only saw one face.  Akane's.  And she looked so lifeless.  The color 
drained out of his face as the returning group drew closer.  Dread froze him 
in place, the blood in his veins turing to ice.  Zhu Shu was so somber...

A thousand screaming demons howled every insult he had said to her in his 
ears.  A thousand whips flayed his soul with barbs of ice.  He should have 
been there.  Should have protected her.  Should have shielded her with his 
body from all harm.

A hand on his arm startled him and he looked over into Zhu Shu's shadowed 
eyes.  "She'll be all right.  Kodachi tried to win by drugging her.  I had 
to give her something to counteract it.  She's okay.  Kodachi barely laid a 
finger on her before Akane defeated her.  She just fainted afterwards."

The words sounded like they were coming from a great distance, but they 
broke the hold the ice had over his soul.  With a shudder, he took a breath, 
his knees going weak.  "Thank the gods."

"I don't know when she's going to wake up, but likely it'll be in the next 
eighteen hours."

Ranma shook his head in relief.  "You say she won?"

"Yes."

Ranma hung his head.  "I'm sorry I wasn't there to see it.  I- I'm sorry I 
ran."

Zhu Shu's hand on his arm squeezed him reassuringly.  "She told the whole 
school today that she loves you.  Even Kuno could not have misunderstood."

"Yeah... I have it on tape too."  Nabiki said.  "I figure 50,000 yen a copy 
is about right."

"I'll - I'll look at it later."  He stepped in front of Genma and took Akane 
into his arms.  "I'll take her to her room.  I want to be there when she 
wakes."

Zhu Shu started to say something, then shook her head in agreement.  Ranma 
sighed

"I'm not mad at either of you for what happened... I just wish you had 
trusted me enough to tell me."

The small red head disappered into the building, leaving a stricken looking 
Zhu Shu staring after him.  Kasumi put a hand on the smaller girls shoulder. 
  "It'll be all right Zhu-chan."

The Chinese girl shook her head.  "I'll be okay Kasumi.  Thank you."  She 
sighed heavily.  "It's just, ever since I picked up Akane's emotions I feel 
like I'm caught in a whirlwind.  I- I think I just want to go and 
mediatate."

Kasumi noted the pleading look in Zhu Shu's eyes and gave her a reassuring 
smile.  "Of course.  I'll bring you dinner in the garden."

Zhu Shu attempted a grateful smile.  "Thank you."

As the rest of the group re-entered the house and Zhu Shu walked around to 
the Koi pond, a silent form observed them from atop a phone pole.  Cloaked 
in the gathering twilight, it seemed to fade into the background as it 
watched the Chinese girl sit on her favorite rock and begin a mediatation 
trance.  A soft sigh escaped from the figure.  Zhu Shu had done well.  It 
looked like Ranma might finally have realized he cared for the Tendo girl, 
and that boded well for the morrow.

With a last long look at the figure in the garden, Ke Lun turned to go.

* * * * *

Time passed slowly... day crawling into night, night crawling into dawn, 
dawn crawling into....

Akane awoke to a bright morning. She had a few faint traces of a headache, 
but other than that, she felt wonderful. Still sleep fogged, she lazed with 
her eyes closed and cleared her chakras and cleansed her ki, letting it flow 
through her body and wipe the lethargy of sleep from her mind.

It came to her then exactly what she was doing, and in the calm clear state 
of mind she found herself in she realized it seemed she had always known how 
to do it, yet she could also clearly remember never having done so before.

Curious, she searched through the rest of her mind, astonished by what was 
there. A vast store of skills lay dormant in her mind, poised on the verge 
of her consciousness, and as she acknowledged them, it seemed as if a signal 
had been given. With an almost audible click, they settled into her mind and 
body as if they were her own....

And with them came memories....

She knew they were Zhu Shu's, but the feelings they evoked were her own. 
They flowed through her consciousness and settled into their places in her 
mind, bringing with them Zhu Shu's past.

She understood now, so much that had puzzled her about the Chinese girl and 
understanding nearly broke her heart. Zhu Shu had spent her life training 
for a role she could never fulfill.  There would never be an Emperor to 
serve, but the need to serve had been driven so far into her that it 
consumed her life.  Her friends had become her only release for that need.  
Zhu Shu could no more not serve than she could give up breathing, but she 
was caught between the need to serve and her own desires.

The fullness of that realization nearly made her cry. She could see the 
memories Zhu Shu had of Ying Ying and her feelings for her, the attraction 
that had grown over years... and the actions her aunt had taken when those 
feelings had been revealed... She could feel the hollowness Zhu Shu felt 
when she looked at men... the utter lack of a response on any level beyond 
friendship...

Zhu Shu might have learned to like men, Akane realized, but her aunt had 
ground it out of her with her lessons on how to please them. Zhu Shu knew a 
thousand ways to arouse men, to seduce men, to please men, some of which had 
long ago become unconscious actions, but men would never be to her more than 
a rote set of  reflexes.  No matter how ground into her the role of 
seductress had been, she would never willingly consumate the role with a 
man.

Men simply were not appealing to her, if not so strongly as to be an actual 
dislike. She had no more response to them sexually than she did to a rock.  
Even Ranma, much as she liked to look at him when he was female, evoked no 
interest. Zhu Shu had toyed with the idea when she had first met him, but 
interest had died as he had proven that even as a girl, he was forever male. 
  Zhu Shu had become convinced she was doomed to a loveless marriage and 
what amounted to giving her consent to being raped.  She wanted to see her 
friends happy because she was convinced she never would be.  Duty wouldn't 
allow it.

Akane mourned for her. She herself had always liked men, and had never even 
thought about women until Zhu Shu had arrived. The thought of liking them 
sexually had been alien to her, yet Ranma had awoken strange feelings in her 
that Zhu Shu had helped her define. She liked men. Ranma had been right 
about her taking a long look that first day, and as frightened as she was, 
she had also been incredibly aroused. He'd been so good looking. Then, the 
whole Fianc�e thing had gotten her riled, and she'd hated him for being 
forced on her. What she had hated the most about Kuno and his idiotic 
challenge had been the forced attentions she'd had to fight off. If Kuno had 
just _asked_ for a date, she might have gone out with him.

It wasn't until that day she had listened in on the conversation in the 
gargen that she'd found out Ranma was just as unhappy with being forced, and 
that he had been taking it out on her as badly as she had been taking it out 
on him. It had robbed her anger over the whole thing of any justification.  
She had tried to find every reason for not liking Ranma before then, and 
yet, she _had_admired him for the way he had stood up to Kuno. As hard as 
she had tried to deny it, the attraction had been there for Zhu Shu to see.

Zhu Shu had complicated her life enormously, but Akane had to admit she had 
simplified it in some way as well, ways which had confused her immensely . 
She would have bungled her relationship with Ranma, she was sure, and taken 
who knows how long to recognize or even admit to herself that she loved him, 
let alone that she loved him in either form. How long would she have fought 
herself over that? Over admitting that his female side fascinated her?  How 
long would she have tried to convince herself it was perverted had she not 
admired Zhu Shu for being strong enough to admit she preferred girls?

Kodachi had brought it all to the fore. She'd liked Zhu Shu, and had been 
fascinated with her preferences, but until her jealousy had prompted her to 
try and seduce Zhu Shu, she had still seen her as a much loved friend, too 
focused on Ranma to realize what she had come to feel for Zhu Shu as well.

And Zhu Shu's refusal to betray Ranma by allowing Akane to succeed in her 
seduction had shaken her, had shown her a meanness in herself she would have 
rather not admitted to; a selfishness that was willing to hurt even her 
friends for a pointless revenge over something that had existed only in her 
own mind....

But Zhu Shu had forgiven her ... Had sent Kasumi to reassure her. She 
couldn't show Akane her love directly, but indirectly, she'd done all she 
could to make sure Akane knew she cared. She'd given Akane all she could and 
still be honorable.

Then ... had come the Dance.

Whether she had intended to or not, Zhu Shu had given Akane the greatest 
gift she had ever received. Direct knowledge of what it was like to be in 
love. The traces of her memories of Ying Ying had shown her what she was 
feeling in a way she couldn't deny.

Had the accident not happened, she probably would have spent several more 
months of being terribly flirtatious before she'd dare admit to her love, 
even to herself. The mishap had changed that, it had changed a lot of things 
... She'd grown up a lot that night. She had realized she loved him ... was 
in love with him.

And with Zhu Shu as well.  That love had grown unnoticed, but it was there, 
and it was as real as her love for Ranma.

What she had gained from Zhu Shu had enabled her to see how much she had 
hurt her,  and how close she had driven her to committing what was for her 
the ultimate sin ... Betraying a friend.

In Zhu Shu's mind, betraying a friend was as bad as betraying her Emperor 
... and there was only one sentence for treason.

Akane had spent that first night following the accident trying to avoid 
thinking, wanting only to bask in the wonderful feeling she had gotten from 
admiting to Ranma she loved him. There had been too much to assimilate, so 
she had pushed most of it aside, but the shame of what her selfishness had 
nearly caused had refused to go. She had hated what life had done to her ... 
had hated it's unfairness in taking her mother ... in forcing her to be 
engaged to Ranma ... in having Kuno set all the boys at Furinkan on her. But 
her shame had burned it all out ... all the anger she had over life's 
unfairness. Yes, she had dealt with a lot of disappointments, but her 
self-justifications had died with the old rage.

Then shock had set in over all the alien memories and she had forgotten all 
but the strongest impressions. Her mind had simply refused to deal 
consciously with everything else she had gained, and she had wandered 
through the week distracted, but functional. Only the lingering guilt had 
remained as her subconscious processed the alien memories....

That was what had sparked the rage at Ranma ... the guilt that she nearly 
had done exactly what he thought she had ... guilt and the need to defend 
Zhu Shu ... the one who deserved the accusation least...

She couldn't remember too clearly what had happened after that, just vague 
memories... she knew that somehow, her current hyper-aware state was an 
aftereffect of whatever she had been hit with, and it was slowly fading. 
Still, it had enabled her to absorb all the knowledge she had gained from 
Zhu Shu. It was like she had lived with her all her life and knew her like 
she knew her sisters, but the memories weren't _hers_ anymore. They had 
faded to the background as her mind had re-sorted her self from them. Only 
the skills had remained as hers, the skills and a strange new sensation at 
the back of her head....

She felt along the strange new sense, finally realizing it was a link... a 
connection between her and Zhu Shu... like they were...

Twins... that's the only thing she could think of that matched what she was 
sensing, the description of the connections between twins....

That link let her know that Zhu Shu fighting her own rampaging emotions as 
well.

She wished there was something she could do to help ... She knew she hadn't 
been all that easy to get along with, and compared to Zhu Shu's, her 
thoughts and emotions raged like a wildfire. Calm, contemplative Zhu Shu 
must be fighting a battle with what she had gained from her.

One thought came wending way to the forefront out of nowhere and made her 
giggle ... Zhu Shu was probably having the hardest time trying to forget 
Akane's skills at cooking.

Gods, she had been bad at that; her new skills cringed when they 
contemplated what she had used to call cooking. She was glad she'd never had 
a chance to cook for Ranma.  He probably would have thought she was trying 
to poison him.

The thought prompted her to really take stock of what she had processed and 
what she found shocked her. She had trained with her father and knew a good 
deal of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, but she'd never driven 
herself as hard as Ranma had ... she had never been a master.

Now.

She could recall the lessons with Zhu Shu's grandfather teaching her the 
Song School of Sword Dancing ... the years of training ... learning how to 
focus her ki, channel it, use it ... learning how to use the twin 
broadswords, learning first to dance with the swords, then extending her 
control to longer and longer ribbons... how to make them an extension of her 
body, alive with her ki...

And years of learning to cook, to sew, to do all the duties of an imperial 
servant, from lowest maid to Chamberlain ... and the fun of using her 
martial arts training to make the other work easier ... the joys gained by 
doing things better and quicker than her aunt expected.  The dissapointments 
of discovering that no matter how she excelled she could never gain 
approval....

And the whirlwind night where Zhu Shu had learned the Dance of Shiva, the 
massive set of skills passed on in the same way she had passed them to 
Akane.

But Sarhia had only given Zhu Shu the skills ... not her memories or 
feelings or anything else beyond the Dance. Why had it been so different 
with Akane?

She had no answers and the clarity was fading ... normal thought was 
returning and with it, the sensations of her body...

She was laying in bed, and from the feelings, she was in her pajamas.  She 
smiled.  It had probably been Kasumi; she always thought of those things. 
She took a long languorous stretch and purred at the sensations of the cloth 
on her nipples. Whatever she had taken had left her very sensitive and...

She opened her eyes and slowly scanned the room, seeing an exhausted 
red-head passed out in a chair next to her bed.  Akane smiled, her gaze 
slowly wandering over Ranma's body, coming at last to rest on where her 
shirt had fallen aside to reveal one rosy pink nipple. Akane slipped the 
sheets back noiselessly and tip-toed across the room. She knelt, a canary 
grin on her face, and gently began to lick at the proffered treat.

Ranma moaned softly as her nipple hardened, then her eyes fluttered open 
sleepily as a small gasp escaped her lips. "Wh- what are you doing?" She 
whispered.

Akane laid a finger against her lips as her teeth gently nipped and held the 
nipple and flicked her tongue across it faster. Ranma's eyes glazed and 
another gasp escaped her lips, followed by a moan as Akane's hand trailed 
down her body and slid inside Ranma's shorts. Ranma bit her lips to stifle 
her moans as Akane brought her to a climax, her body arching as her breathe 
came in hard gasps, then she slowly relaxed with a soft moan. Her eyes 
opened to see Akane licking her fingers. She stared, questions huge in her 
eyes.

Akane giggled.

"Oh no... you're still high as a kite!" Ranma muttered.

"Nope." Akane propped herself on the arm of the chair next to Ranma's legs 
and looked up at her. "I'm fine. I'm just a little... well a lot... horny. I 
guess in a way, this is to apologize.  You aren't perfect Ranma Saotome, but 
then neither am I.  We're both going to have to learn a lot  to make this 
relationship work.  You tend to be thoughtless, and I, well, I do have a 
temper... but at least you're trying.  I love you, Ranma.  I know that for a 
fact."

She laid her head down on Ranma's breast as her arm went around his waist.  
"Even if our fathers all of a sudden called off our engagement, I'd still 
want you to be my husband.  We will make this work somehow."  She hugged him 
tightly then lifted her head again, a impish smile on her face.

"This- " her head dropped again and Ranma felt her lips close around his 
nipple again for a few seconds before Akane released it. "- Is a promissory 
note.  When we work out our difficulties, and we finally get married ... on 
that day, and not before, I will take you to my bed as a man, and have you 
be with me as a man should.   Until then ... well ... there _may_ be 
occasions where I will want you to be with me like this.   I've come to 
realize I like you as both a man and a woman, Ranma.  I _want_ to _be_ with 
you, but I won't risk being pregnant.  I will not dishonor our families that 
way.  But I want you to know I want this to work... I want _us_ to work."

"Oh, Akane... I am so very sorry for assuming you..."  Ranma's voice 
trembled. "I-I want us to work too. I'm sorry I can be a... a... a jerk." 
She lowered her eyes. " I-I just want you to know... that..." She stopped as 
Akane laid a finger against her lips.

"Before you go and give me permission to go and bury my head between Zhu 
Shu's legs- "Akane told the blushing redhead. "-I will tell you why that 
will never happen. Zhu Shu loves me, Ranma, but she loved you first, as a 
friend. She could not betray you Ranma, anymore than she could betray her 
emperor, because in her heart, they are one and the same thing, with the 
same consequences. Even with your permission it would still be a betrayal 
because she knows she would have to give me up to you eventually, and she 
wouldn't be able to if we were lovers. She has my love and I have hers, but 
we will never be anything more than sisters, because if we become anything 
else it could destroy us. She could not bear to give me up and would destroy 
herself in guilt, and I... I would not be able to live with her suicide..."

Ranma stared in dismay at Akane's words.

"She was wise enough to know this ... and despite her desires, she resisted 
me.  I nearly broke her, Ranma ... My jealous fit over Kodachi made me do 
something I regret now.  I would undo the hurt I did to her if I could. But 
I can't.  I'm just glad she's forgiven me."  Her eyes came up to look into 
Ranma's. "And I have to ask you to forgive me too ... I'm sorry.  I love you 
and I regret what I tried to do with Zhu Shu.  I ... I was jealous ... I'm 
sorry."

"Is that what you meant when you said I didn't realize what kind of friend 
she was to me?" Ranma asked.

Akane nodded. "In part ... whether you realize it of not, she's taught you a 
lot about how to love as well."

"I-I just wish you both had trusted me enough to tell me."

Akane gave him a sad smile.  "I wish I had too.  I'm sorry.  I-I"  She gave 
the red head a rueful grin.  "Would you accept that I was stark raving 
insane as a defense?"

Ranma smiled.  "Only if you can accept my being a blind idotic jerk for ever 
calling you a sexless tomboy."

Akane smiled and licked his still hard nipple.  "Still think I'm sexless?"

Ranma shuddered "No." he pulled his shirt back over his breast.  "I must say 
that sexless was probably the stupidist name I ever called you.  Though I 
had no idea you'd ever do any thing like this."

"Get over it.  Nabiki was being mean when she said your being half girl was 
perfect for me, but she was absolutely correct.  I _like_ you being both.  I 
can't do anything with you as a boy until we get married, but damn it Ranma, 
I want you!  And as a girl, I can have you, without the fear of pregnancy or 
anything else.  Get used to the thought, Ranma.  I won't say I won't get 
mad, or even that we may do anything like this very often, but the 
possibility of this happening again is there.  I also plan to try and teach 
you a lot more about being female, because I think the better you understand 
women, the fewer mistakes you'll make."  She gave her a near smirk. "And 
it'll make you a better lover too.  As well as give me an excuse for stuff 
like this..." Ranma didn't react in time to stop Akane from swiping her 
shorts.

"Hey!"  He stopped when Akane captured first one leg, then the other. He 
stared down at Akane's face over a tangle of red curls. Akane was grinning 
evilly. "What are you doing? This is embarrassing. You have me displayed 
like an oyster! And why are you grinning like that?"

Akane looked her over carefully. "Humm... an oyster? You really don't look 
anything like one, but now that you mentioned it; well, what does one do to 
oysters?"

"Well, you-" Ranma couldn't finish the thought, and had to grab a pillow to 
smother the moans....

* * * * *

"That was mean..." Ranma said when Akane got back from the bathroom. "I had 
no idea girls could come that hard. I mean I've certainly never been able to 
make myself orgasm like that." She was still curled up in a ball and 
shivering.

Akane smiled. "Obviously, you have no real idea how to make yourself climax 
as a girl."

"First time I tried I started bleeding everywhere. I've only tried a few 
times since..." She whimpered as Akane sat down by her legs again. "Please 
not again... I couldn't take that again... not right now."

"Relax, silly. I'm going to clean up the blood and apply some salve. You 
probably haven't noticed the tear yet with the nerve overload."

"You tore me? D-does t-that mean-"

"You're not in danger of being hauled off for a virgin sacrifice? Yes."

Ranma blushed crimson down to her toes. She watched Akane in silence for a 
few moments before she spoke again. "I don't get you. You've called me a 
pervert and slapped me silly for even looking at you cross eyed, and now you 
do this..."

Akane laughed. "Don't get used to it. I suspect that whatever Kodachi gave 
me put me in this playful mood.  It had some weird effects."

"I'll say. You cut off Kodachi's leotard and whipped her to an orgasm while 
yelling at her about trying to steal me. She passed out."  She gave a 
sheepish smile at Akane's raised eyebrow.  "Nabiki made a tape."

"Humm... really... I'll have to ask Nabiki for a copy. I don't remember much 
past entering the dressing room."

A light knock on the door announced Kasumi's arrival. She looked at the two 
girls and gave an "Oh, my!" before slipping in quickly and shutting the 
door. "Zhu Shu said she thought the drugs would have worn off by now and 
that you'd be waking soon. She was apparently a little off."

Ranma had frantically tried to cover herself until Akane had smacked her on 
the rump. She gave Kasumi a sheepish grin. "Ah ... Umm ... You're probably 
wondering what I'm doing to your sister." she said lamely.

"Oh, my, no.  I'd say rather it's what she's doing to you.  And to that, 
I'll say I'm relieved that if she's finally decided to play with you, at 
least she's playing with you as a girl."

"Kasumi!" Akane rolled her eyes.

"Well it is sensible, Akane. It would cause ever so many complications if 
you got yourself pregnant." Kasumi chided.

"I know that!  No boy-girl stuff until I'm married.  Right, Ranma?"

Ranma looked from one to girl to the other, wide eyed in shock. "Uh... I 
guess so." was all she could say.

Kasumi laughed. "Poor Ranma. Yes, I am the real Kasumi. I'm sorry if I 
embarrassed you, but I happen to agree with Zhu Shu about treating you as 
just another girl when you're female. So you're like another little sister. 
I've got quite a collection now, you know." She went to sit on Akane's bed 
in a swirl of skirts. "And you're going to be my sister by marriage too, So 
get used to me being a big sister. And like I told Akane a few days ago, big 
sisters are supposed to guide younger sisters in all kinds of things... sex 
among them. I don't mean to be embarrassing, but I'm not shocked by any of 
this either.  You're both engaged, and hopefully mature enough to make your 
own decisions about this."

"I hope so.  Took _me_ by surprise though." Ranma muttered.

"And besides..." Kasumi continued. "It wouldn't hurt you try and treat me 
like a big sister. I know you've been raised by your father to be tough and 
strong, but you're not alone anymore. And ... well ... until you find a 
cure, you are going to be my _sister_ half the time."  She took in the look 
that passed between Ranma and Akane at her mention of a cure. "That is ... 
If you still want one."

Ranma looked at Akane's face, the gentle smile she had, and thought about 
what had passed in the last half hour and about what Belldandy had said 
about love.  She had fought this curse tooth and nail, but really, what 
could she truly say was different about her?  She was still Ranma, in either 
form.  Zhu Shu had told her that there were times to accept what couldn't be 
changed, to save your strength for fights that can be won.  If he was truly 
to believe Akane, this was a fight he might be better off not fighting at 
all.

Was it truly so bad to be a girl half the time?  A sudden thought occurred 
to her that made her smile softly back at Akane.  Akane's happiness seemed 
to matter more than the curse.  Was that what Belldandy had meant by her 
heart telling her what she really felt?

"I'm starting to think it might not be so bad a curse after all." she said 
quietly.

Akane's eyes met hers and for once, no words were needed. Akane's eyes said 
volumes. Ranma smiled as Akane finished applying the salve and patted her 
legs as she sat back. Ranma made no further move to cover herself or uncurl, 
her eyes never leaving Akane's. "I'm actually starting to think that being a 
girl part time might be a good thing..." Akane smiled shyly. "In fact... it 
probably wouldn't hurt if I maybe learned a little about being female, since 
I'm going to be spending at least half my life as one."

Some people just have a longwinded way of saying three little words...

* * * * *

Zhu Shu sat on her rock in the garden, her legs crossed into the lotus 
posistion and her hands resting on her knees.  She hadn't moved since she'd 
finished her katas that morning, even when she had sensed Akane had woken a 
few hours ago.  Listening, she had heard when Kasumi had finished the 
breakfast dishes and had gone to check on Akane, and when she had come back 
downstairs twenty minutes later humming merrily.  She'd been pleased about 
something.  Zhu Shu suspected she knew what.  She had sensed Akane was very 
pleased about something too.

She had to fight the wave of jealousy that that realization had brought, 
something she thought she'd never feel, but Akane's emotions had made her 
own hard to control. In fact, Akane's emotions made everything hard to 
control. She had had to struggle for the last five days against the tidal 
surges of Akane's emotional roller coaster.  All of her years of mental 
discipline had barely kept her functional admist the choas her heart had 
become.

It hadn't been easy ... and ... Ranma was going to be the hardest part of it 
all.  She could tell he had come to terms with what had happened, had been 
waiting for them to come home.  Only Akane's condition had kept him from 
confronting her yesterday.  And if what she was feeling through her chi link 
with Akane was what she thought it was, then he would be coming soon.  Akane 
was radiating a rather contented feeling that Zhu Shu had learned to 
recognize from Sarhia and Ying Ying.

So ... she sat and she waited, praying to the Dragon for strength, knowing 
that sooner or later, Ranma was going to think he had found the perfect 
solution, hoping that he'd realize it's impossiblity and spare her, but 
knowing it was inevitable.

Ranma sat down in front of her, copying her meditation pose.

Zhu Shu opened her eyes, and the sight she saw made her smile. Ranma sat 
across from her in nothing but one of Akane's oversized sweaters, and from 
where she was sitting....

Ranma followed her gaze and blushed.  "The heart was Akane's idea ... she 
insisted it looked 'cute'."

"It does." Zhu Shu replied.  She closed her eyes again. "Something 
significant has happened between you two. Your aura has changed."  She 
strained to keep the jealously from ripping free, danced across a razor's 
edge to maintain her calm and be happy for the two of them.

Ranma blushed. "Umm..."

Zhu Shu gave him a half lidded gaze. "Akane seduced the right person this 
time."

"Huh? How'd ya know that?"

Zhu Shu sighed and repressed the urge to strangle him.  "Your aura has 
changed, you are wounded, Akane has trimmed your hair to suit her whim, your 
skin is still slightly flushed, your chi is jittery, your chakras are 
disarrayed, you smell of sex... and perhaps most important... you seem to 
have an air of peace with being female at the moment... You finally seem 
comfortable in your body."  _Because you have been together, in each others 
embraces, and I envy you_ she admitted to herself.  Ice seemed to creep 
across her soul.

"I keep forgetting you don't miss much." Ranma said ruefully. "Yeah, Akane 
had her way with me while I was too shocked to do more than enjoy it. We- we 
had a long talk too. She said a few things that made me rethink some 
things."

"Like your curse."

"Yeah. I think maybe... well... I think I can live with it. It just doesn't 
seem so bad anymore." She shrugged. "Maybe I should learn a little more 
about how to be a female."

"You have picked up a fair amount from observation, though you should learn 
to flirt less obviously."  _Because it makes me  want to show you all the 
reasons I can for why I wish you would never change back_ her mind added.  
Savagely, she repressed the images her wayward heart fed her.

"Uh...yeah" Ranma blushed brightly and put her hands into the sweater, 
pushing it down to cover her curly red heart. "Anyway, I- I came down here 
to apologize... for a lot of stuff..."

"I have already forgiven you Ran-chan. There is no need for further 
apology." she said quietly, dread quieting her rampaging emotions

"Yes, there is. I need to apologize for being a jerk and for being afraid 
you were after Akane ... and ... well ... for not realizing how much you 
love me ..."  She stood silently for several long moments as if summoning 
her courage to speak. "And ... I wanted to ask you ... to ... marry me. I 
mean if you marry me, you can fulfill your quest and you can be free to have 
Akane and ..."

And there it was.  A tornado tore at her soul as ice wormed it way through 
her body.  So much worse than it had been when Ke Lun had offered the same 
solution ... Her heart and Akane's emotions screamed out their acceptance, 
but she knew what her answer had to be.  In agony, she gave it.

"No."

Ranma stopped ... and a tear rolled down her cheek. "But- but why?" she 
whispered.

Zhu Shu sighed. Now that the answer had been given, her inner turmoil 
stilled, leaving her as frozen and alone as a statue on a mountaintop, 
despair all that she could feel..  She stood and held out her hand to Ranma. 
They stood eye to eye for a second before Zhu Shu stepped forward to embrace 
Ranma and to lay her head on her shoulder, Ranma's warmth not even touching 
the ice within her.

"Were you a woman who had fallen into the spring of drowned man, I would be 
the happiest woman in the world. But you are Ranma Saotome ... and you are 
who you are, and all my wishing will not change that. You could fulfill my 
quest, for I cannot fight you, and I have all the proof of your love I need, 
but always, in the back of my mind, you will always be Ranma Saotome, the 
man. Even were you to never come to me as a man save for those times needed 
to fulfill my duties and produce an heir, it would still prey on me. I 
cannot make you pay for a failure within myself. My destiny is unhappiness, 
Ranma, I cannot bring that despair on you... Because I love you too much." 
She sobbed until Ranma's shoulder was soaked. "I love you ... and I hate 
myself for my weakness ... for my failure ... Part of me wants to say yes, 
to let you take me and love me and do with me as you will; to give myself to 
you and Akane and surrender for all time my honor, my duties, my hopeless 
destiny. Let love conquer all ... let passion rule ... But my training and 
my wisdom reveal the hollowness of the lie and the misery it will bring ... 
Yet even so, were you to ask me again ... I could not deny you twice..." Her 
voice broke. "You could take me and have your way with me as male or female 
and I would not be able to resist you ... So much of me wants you to do just 
that..." she whispered.

They stood there for a long eternity while Ranma stroked her hair and she 
cried. Zhu Shu clung to Ranma like a drowning victim as she shook with sobs. 
Ranma held her till the tears were out, and finally spoke.

"I'm sorry Zhu Shu. I- I came to apologize and to try and make you happy, 
because... because I finally realized how much you mean to me... and now all 
I've done is caused you further pain. I'm sorry." She stroked Zhu Shu's hair 
again. "I- I'd like to argue with you, tell you you're wrong, that we could 
find a way to work it out, but you've never been wrong in these things. You 
see so much more than anyone I've ever known ... How could I tell you you're 
wrong this time? I trust you too much to doubt you no matter how much I want 
to..."

"I am sorry, Ranma-sama ... I am a failure as a woman...." Zhu Shu whispered

"How can you say that? You are not! Not to me, not to anyone who knows you. 
You are the nicest woman I know, and none of it's artistry!"

"Yet I am a failure in the most basic thing a woman can be..."

"Oh, Zhu Shu. You're not... Akane told me about what happened in the Dojo, 
and I know that your emotions are all confused. Akane is acting like you, 
you're acting like Akane... Zhu Shu... You are not a failure in anything! 
You are one of the most wonderful people I have ever known..."

Guilt mixed with the despair and cut through her soul.  "Don't say that! You 
don't know the truth! You don't know what I've kept from you!"

"No. And I don't need to know to know that you care for me and would do 
nothing to hurt me or Akane."

She tried to run from Ranma then, but blinded by tears, she stumbled and 
fell. Ranma knelt and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Zhu Shu, what ever it 
is, it can't be as bad as all that." Ranma said encouragingly.

Zhu Shu shook her head and whispered "Shan Pu..."

Ranma started, and took a deep breath. "What about Shampoo?  Did she hurt 
you when we left the Amazon village?"

Zhu Shu couldn't look at Ranma. "She knows you're not a girl..." She 
whispered.

Ranma stared. "I don't get it, if she knows I'm a guy, why'd she chase me 
all over China trying to kill me? I thought the law only applied to 
females?"

Zhu Shu whispered something Ranma couldn't hear. Ranma took her in her arms 
and lifted her face to see her eyes. "Whatever it is Zhu Shu... I'll 
understand."

"What my great-granddaughter is trying to tell you, Son-in-law, is that she 
led Shan Pu on that chase, so that Shan Pu could wed you as the Law 
requires."

Ranma looked up in shock at the new voice, and scrambled backwards in 
surprise. An old, old woman with long white hair stood before them on the 
path. Beside her stood the only girl Ranma had ever feared, but beside 
her...

Ranma blinked at the woman who stood beside Shampoo carrying a long clothed 
bundle.  She was staring at him with utter wonder on her face, and a broad 
smile.  She hoped it wasn't in anticipation of her emminant death.

Zhu Shu collapsed into renewed tears as Shan Pu looked at Ranma with 
narrowed eyes. "Ranma should not make sister cry!"

Ranma paled further. "S-s-sister?!!!" She looked in horror from Shan Pu to 
Zhu Shu.

"Yes, son." the woman with the bundle said quietly.  "The young lady who has 
just so ardently refused to marry you, despite her obvious love for you, is 
the Blood-Sister of Shan Pu, your second Fianc�e..."

Ranma blinked.  "Son?"

"Yes.  You may not remember me Ranma, but I'm Nodoka Saotome.  Your 
mother..."

Ranma's knees gave way... and she fainted...




*******************************************
The most preposterous motion that H. sapiens has ever dreamed up it that the 
Lord God of Creation, Shaper and Ruler of all the Universes, wants the 
saccharine adoration of His creatures, can be swayed by prayers, and becomes 
petulant if He does not receive this flattery. Yet this absurd fantasy, 
without a shred of evidence to bolster it, pays all the expenses of the 
oldest, largest and least productive industry in all history.
-- Lazarus Long --


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