Another terrible no good idea that's primarily a setup for jokes.
-------
“Ooh, he’s cute.†Nabiki exclaimed, standing at the front door with his older sister Kasumi, and her father Soun.
Just outside the door, a raven haired teenage boy with cool blue eyes was standing underneath an overly large umbrella to protect him completely from the pounding rain. Since he was wearing nice black silk clothing she could understand the need for rain protection. Strapped to his back was a tall traveling pack that was worn enough to imply a great deal of travel. And standing like a human next to him with a similar backpack slung over one shoulder, was a giant panda.
“But what’s up with the panda?†She asked almost as an afterthought to the visually prime boyfriend material. Though there was something off about him, like he shouldn’t really exist.
“Father, that’s a panda.†Kasumi added to herself just to confirm the reality of this situation.
“Growf!†Said panda barked at her and held up a wooden sign. #Tendo! It’s great to see you!#
“Saotome!†Her father joyfully greeted. “I’d know you anywhere! Is this your son, Ranma?â€
“I am.†The young man answered like it left a bad taste in his mouth.
“Come in, come in!†Soun yanked Ranma inside so hard that he let the umbrella go.
Nabiki gave the panda one last glance before following her father into the home, using the time to check out Ranma’s backside. ‘Certainly works out.’ She noted appreciately.
“So this is him?†Akane asked dismissively, standing in the way of her father with her hands planted firmly on her hips in defiance.
“Akane, don’t be annoying.†She rolled her eyes at her little sisters confrontational attitude before introducing herself to Ranma. “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Nabiki. Please ignore my weird sister.â€
“I’m not weird!†Akane protested vehemently.
“Please don’t fight, girls.†Soun half pleaded and half ordered, shooing Akane back towards the living room.
“My old man needs, some hot water, do you have any handy?†Ranma asked as he was pulled past the kitchen.
“I’ll get him some.†Kasumi hastily volunteered just to do something normal.
“Are you excited, son?†Soun asked Ranma and practically shoved him into a kneeling position next to their table.
“I’m not exactly sure what you think I should be excited about.†He admitted and slipped off his traveling pack. “When Pop is a panda it’s easy for him not to say much.â€
“I forgot that I had put a kettle on earlier.†Kasumi laughed lightly to herself as she brought in the item.
#Thanks# The panda held up another sign and delicately poured the steaming liquid over his head. Nabiki raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the water slowly soaked down through the white and black fur. Within five seconds there was a sudden and smooth change that overcame the panda into a middle aged man wearing a dingy white gi and bandana.
“You’re always getting into something, eh Saotome?†Her father laughed jovially and patted the former panda on the back.
“It’s become a tradition!†The man laughed loudly and joined in patting her father on the back as they hugged each other.
“He was a panda.†Kasumi remarked absently as she took back the kettle and then stared at it with a frown developing.
Ranma ignored the strange occurrence and grabbed his father by the front of his magically appearing gi to drag him away from her father. “Yes yes, terribly tragic story about a cursed training ground. But what’s going on, old man?â€
“Some fiance he’s supposed to be. Knows even less about it than us.†Akane snickered.
“That’s all?†Ranma blinked several times and shrugged in response before letting his father go. “Well you sort that out. I need to go make sure my umbrella doesn’t blow away.â€
Nabiki shared similar dubious looks with her sisters, watching the boy casually stroll back towards the front door.
“It’s true, Tendo. Our last destination turned out to be a cursed training ground and now we’re slaves to the temperature of water!â€
“So it wasn’t the kettle that changed you.†Kasumi concluded but still reached out to experimentally pour some of the still warm water on her youngest sister’s head.
“Ah! Kasumi!†Akane screeched in alarm.
“So what does Ranma turn into?†Nabiki asked, having picked up the inclusion of her possible fiance in the brief explanation.
“Old man, you didn’t pawn my heated blanket, did you? It’s cold.†A new voice with a distinctively female lilt asked along with a barely noticeable rasping of something dragging across the wood floor.
Appearing around the corner was a girl with similar features to Ranma, wearing the same shirt, and with hair that was a bright red with strands of gold mixed in. What really caught Nabiki’s eyes was the complete lack of pants, and the fact that this girl’s lower body was a scale covered tail that extended down back around the corner. The majority of her serpentine body was covered in vibrant hues of red forming a mix of stripes and oblong shapes while the bottom was a dull lighter shade. She held herself up high enough to negate the lack of legs and as she moved forward her hips undulated with excess movement that carried all the way down her tail.
All conversation stopped as Nabiki along with her family stared in shock at the mythological creature slithering her nearly five meter long body into their living room to start digging into Ranma’s travel pack.
“Boy.†Genma coughed into his hand.
“Huh?†The redhead looked up long enough to realize that she was the clear center of the attention. “Did you decide that quick? Stupid umbrella was up against your wall so I had to get wet to get it.â€
“This is my son’s cursed form. Hot water also turns him back.†Genma explained helpfully.
Ranma rolled her eyes as she pulled out a big blanket from the pack. “Now where’s an outlet?†She asked and slid over to the wall next to the television.
“Well-- I-- guess your curse isn’t so bad.†Soun hesitantly proclaimed.
“What curse?†Ranma turned to Soun, her upper body being held at what would be normally an awkward angle. “Being a little ectothermic isn’t a curse. Even though it feels like it sometimes.†She lamented and finally found a spot to plug the electric blanket into. Moving with surprising speed and coordination, the naga curled herself up into a tight ball beneath the blanket with a happy exclamation.
Nabiki’s eyes slowly traced over the now hidden form before locking onto her father. “Daddy-- these are your friends?â€
zx
Two Months Ago in China
Balancing on top of a bamboo pole, Genma smirked down at the pool below, satisfied that he had paid his son back for turning him into a panda. ‘Let’s see how you like it, boy!’
“Oh no! Young Mister Customer fall in-- uh-- I no remember. No one fall in that spring for too long time.†The portly guide who had greeted them scratched at his chin deep in thought.
As Genma jumped down to land near the Chinese man, struggling to keep his new bulk from throwing off his coordination. Ranma finally broke the surface and collapsed face down on the edge, coughing up an excessively large amount of water before laying still. ‘Hmm, smaller, red hair, and still human.’ His finely honed survival instincts started to scream at him that perhaps Ranma would have a poor reaction to this training mishap. His son was hung strung like that sometimes.
Warily tiptoeing up to be just outside of arms reach of his child, he stretched out and gently nudge Ranma with his foot. In response, the new redhead coughed another large amount of water before raising his head to focus on him. Ranma’s features had become softer and he now looked like a foreign girl.
‘Uh oh!’ Genma turned to flee the moment Ranma started to move but he found himself quickly roughly spun around repeatedly before being crushed from all sides by something thick and scaly. Genma struggled briefly to free himself before the thick red serpents tail tightened around him like a vice. Laying on his side on the ground, he looked up in growing dread at his son, who’s gi had come open to reveal sizeable breasts.
“Man, I feel kind of funny.†Ranma commented and stretched her arms up over her head. While she possessed a normal human upper body, it changed quickly below her waist to be a snakes tail.
Genma croaked out a growf before regretting it as Ranma squeezed him even further. ‘I’m dead! I’m dead! I’m dead!’
“Oh, Young Mister Customer, please no kill Old Mister Customer.†The Guide hurriedly begged.
“I guess.†Ranma shrugged noncommittally and Genma immediately felt the coils slacken enough to breath. “But I reserve the right to do it later. He’s my old man after all. If anyone is going to do it, it’s going to be me.†She boasted and completely unwrapped from around him to wrap her tail up in a big spiral underneath her.
Ranma blinked and looked down at her new body as though she finally realized what had happened. Gingerly she reached down to touch where the scales started to confirm their existence. “Ooh, that feels weird. Maybe I could get used to this.â€
Genma righted himself to sit on his backside. ‘At least the boy isn’t chasing me all over the valley.’
zx
Present day the next morning
Akane knocked loudly on the guest room door, grumbling underneath her breath at how annoying it was that she was volunteered to wake up their new houseguest. “Ranma! Breakfast! Time to get up!†She yelled into the wood and received no response.
Her frown grew and she threw the door open creating a loud smack as the wood hit the end of it’s rail in the wall. She stomped into the room before coming to an abrupt halt. Genma was already up sharing stories with her father downstairs. Ranma however was still covered by the electric blanket and had not taken the opportunity to change back when offered hot water. So Akane was left staring at the exoticly pretty red haired face sleeping peacefully, with a blanket covering a lumpy inhuman form.
“Um-- Ranma-- breakfast.†She knelt down next to the cursed teen’s head and gently nudged her. ‘She’s not poisonous, is she?’ Akane suddenly put a respectable distance between herself and the snake girl.
“Not hungry.†Ranma mumbled and rolled over to her other side, the blanket shifting oddly in response along with the soft rubbing of scales against each other before everything settled.
“LIsten you, you’re not going to insult my sister by letting the special breakfast she made for you and your panda father go cold by sleeping in!†Forgetting about the possibility of a venomous house guest, she ripped the heated blanket off of Ranma and threw it to the side. “Now get up, get changed back into a human, and ACK!â€
zx
Nabiki could certainly appreciate this moment and with her camera handy she could share this joy with others. ‘For a price of course.’ She verified to herself and patted her captive sister on the head. “How you doing, sis?†She asked rhetorically and received a glare of death in return for her pleasant question.
“If I move-- she squeezes.†Akane whispered as calmly as she could, most of her body wrapped up by the serpentine tail of Ranma’s cursed form. The redhead herself was happily hugging Akane’s shoulders like a she was giant teddy bear, while still dozing.
“Hmm?†Ranma moaned as her upper body languidly rose away from Akane as she stretched her arms. Rubbing away the sleep from her eyes, she finally noticed that Nabiki was in the room. “Morning.â€
“Morning.†Nabiki returned slowly.
“Let me go!†Akane squeaked in a small voice, still being squeezed tightly by Ranma’s snake tail.
“Aww! But you’re so warm.†Ranma complained while quickly complying with Akane’s demand. “Can we sleep together again?†The redhead excitedly asked as the youngest Tendo sister made her escape out the door.
“No! And change back into a human you perverted moron!†Akane yelled as she took off out of the room.
“She always this high strung?†Ranma asked Nabiki casually.
“Only with boys she likes.†Nabiki answered, hoping that Akane would get chosen for the engagement. Ranma was a clear money making opportunity and not husband material. Regardless of his real body being quite attractive. “Say Ranma, you wouldn’t be interested in posing for some photos, would you?â€
“Why would you want to take pictures of me?†The snake girl asked cluelessly.
“A pretty gaijin with your-- uh-- uniquely long lower body? You’re very photogenic.†She left out all the money she would make off pictures of a legitimate naga. ‘Or is she a lamia? Maybe a gorgon? Whatever she is, she’s money with scales.’
Ranma’s look of confusion was instantly replaced by a cold calculating stare that tugged on some deep instinctual part of Nabiki’s brain in a bad way. “Oh, you want to sell pictures of me.-- So long as I get eighty percent of the profit that’ll be alright.†She shrugged and switched to smiling goodnaturedly. The snake half didn’t wait for a response before slithering across the floor after Akane. “I better go find out what she was so upset about. Don’t want to be a bad house guest.â€
Nabiki quickly snapped a picture of Ranma’s exit, feeling a little put off that her purpose was so quickly found out, and that she was expected to agree to demands. ‘I’m sure we can work something out.’ She thought with a predatory smile.
zx
Casually strolling along the top of a chain-link fence, Ranma had a good feeling about the day. The day was warming up nicely and it seemed like his father had finally found a decent place to crash for once. Maybe he’d end up engaged to one of the three Tendo girls but he wasn’t overly concerned with the result of that.
“Don’t you dare talk to me at school.†Akane snapped, still looking at him like she wanted to rip his spine out through his mouth.
“If that’s what you want.†He sighed and hopped off of the fence to land a respectable distance away from the girl wearing a blue uniform. “I really am sorry that I wrapped you up like that. It’s-- ya know, instinctive. I’m usually much more gentle. I haven’t strangled my Pop, yet.â€
“Just-- shut up.†The girl growled with her eyes shut and fist shaking.
Ranma decided to focus past the girl’s attitude, chalking it up to Akane being a city girl who didn’t get out much, and needed time to adjust to anything new. So he spent the rest of the commute trying to memorize the neighborhood sights. He hadn’t been to school for nearly a year and he wasn’t really looking forward to being stuck in a room the entire day. But if his old man wanted to stay in the area for a while he would just have to put up with it. He had the patience of an ambush predator after all.
Reaching the gates flanking the school's main entrance, he paused while Akane stomped forward with increasing agitation. An older boy was blocking the path to the school halfway across the courtyard wearing a kendogi with hakama and holding a wooden practice sword. Forming a half circle audience behind him were a couple dozen boys.
Nabiki suddenly appeared from Ranma’s right from behind the gate. “Come on, Ranma. You don’t want to get tangled up in Akane’s morning ritual.â€
“Okay.†He paid little attention to Akane as she was challenge to a duel by the older boy. Akane wanted her space so he was happy to give it and it was certainly not his place to butt into her duel. After all, she was from the Anything Goes school of martial arts and should always be prepared for a challenge. “Say, can you point me to the office? My lazy old man didn’t fill out any paperwork.â€
“I don’t usually do this many favors in the same day, but I think I can make an exception.†The middle sister answered with a smirk.
zx
Akane slammed her bookbag down on her desk before slumping into her seat. Dealing with Kuno Tatewaki every morning was frustrating but at least the other morons who had followed him had given up. At the start of the year he had proclaimed that if anyone wanted to date her then they needed to defeat her in a fight. Which they had all taken to mean that she would automatically date whoever got lucky with a punch first. ‘As if I want anything to do with them.’
“Rough morning?†A recent transfer student named Kuonji Ukyo asked with his familiar and friendly tone.
“Rough everything.†She answered and straightened out her long hair to fall behind her properly.
He was the only boy that Akane ever felt comfortable to talk to. Probably because he was the only one who didn’t spend their entire lives dedicated to hitting on her. Actually, Ukyo never showed any romantic interest in her at all. Which was almost too bad, he was attractive in a very bishounen sort of way. Several of the other girls in the class had made an attempt to date the boy but he had politely declined all requests.
“Does it have something to do with that boy who was walking with you?†Yuka asked, taking her seat one desk up and to the left.
“It does, my dad’s letting him and his father stay with us.†She avoided mentioning the possibility of being engaged to that freak half snake girl-boy.
“What’s his name? He looked really familiar.†Ukyo asked, sounding intensely curious.
“Ranma.†She answered absently, trying not to clear her head so she could get through the school day.
“Saotome?†Ukyo finished with an odd mix of hopefulness and something with a harder edge. Akane leaned away as the boy loomed over her.
“You know him?†She asked.
“Oh yea-- I know him.†Ukyo didn’t add anymore before taking his seat across the room.
“What’s up with him?†Yuka wondered, hooking her bookbag to the side of her desk.
“I don’t know, not like Ukyo-kun has to live with him.†Akane answered and joined the rest of the class in quieting down when their homeroom teacher finally entered the class.
-------
“Ooh, he’s cute.†Nabiki exclaimed, standing at the front door with his older sister Kasumi, and her father Soun.
Just outside the door, a raven haired teenage boy with cool blue eyes was standing underneath an overly large umbrella to protect him completely from the pounding rain. Since he was wearing nice black silk clothing she could understand the need for rain protection. Strapped to his back was a tall traveling pack that was worn enough to imply a great deal of travel. And standing like a human next to him with a similar backpack slung over one shoulder, was a giant panda.
“But what’s up with the panda?†She asked almost as an afterthought to the visually prime boyfriend material. Though there was something off about him, like he shouldn’t really exist.
“Father, that’s a panda.†Kasumi added to herself just to confirm the reality of this situation.
“Growf!†Said panda barked at her and held up a wooden sign. #Tendo! It’s great to see you!#
“Saotome!†Her father joyfully greeted. “I’d know you anywhere! Is this your son, Ranma?â€
“I am.†The young man answered like it left a bad taste in his mouth.
“Come in, come in!†Soun yanked Ranma inside so hard that he let the umbrella go.
Nabiki gave the panda one last glance before following her father into the home, using the time to check out Ranma’s backside. ‘Certainly works out.’ She noted appreciately.
“So this is him?†Akane asked dismissively, standing in the way of her father with her hands planted firmly on her hips in defiance.
“Akane, don’t be annoying.†She rolled her eyes at her little sisters confrontational attitude before introducing herself to Ranma. “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Nabiki. Please ignore my weird sister.â€
“I’m not weird!†Akane protested vehemently.
“Please don’t fight, girls.†Soun half pleaded and half ordered, shooing Akane back towards the living room.
“My old man needs, some hot water, do you have any handy?†Ranma asked as he was pulled past the kitchen.
“I’ll get him some.†Kasumi hastily volunteered just to do something normal.
“Are you excited, son?†Soun asked Ranma and practically shoved him into a kneeling position next to their table.
“I’m not exactly sure what you think I should be excited about.†He admitted and slipped off his traveling pack. “When Pop is a panda it’s easy for him not to say much.â€
“I forgot that I had put a kettle on earlier.†Kasumi laughed lightly to herself as she brought in the item.
#Thanks# The panda held up another sign and delicately poured the steaming liquid over his head. Nabiki raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the water slowly soaked down through the white and black fur. Within five seconds there was a sudden and smooth change that overcame the panda into a middle aged man wearing a dingy white gi and bandana.
“You’re always getting into something, eh Saotome?†Her father laughed jovially and patted the former panda on the back.
“It’s become a tradition!†The man laughed loudly and joined in patting her father on the back as they hugged each other.
“He was a panda.†Kasumi remarked absently as she took back the kettle and then stared at it with a frown developing.
Ranma ignored the strange occurrence and grabbed his father by the front of his magically appearing gi to drag him away from her father. “Yes yes, terribly tragic story about a cursed training ground. But what’s going on, old man?â€
“Some fiance he’s supposed to be. Knows even less about it than us.†Akane snickered.
“That’s all?†Ranma blinked several times and shrugged in response before letting his father go. “Well you sort that out. I need to go make sure my umbrella doesn’t blow away.â€
Nabiki shared similar dubious looks with her sisters, watching the boy casually stroll back towards the front door.
“It’s true, Tendo. Our last destination turned out to be a cursed training ground and now we’re slaves to the temperature of water!â€
“So it wasn’t the kettle that changed you.†Kasumi concluded but still reached out to experimentally pour some of the still warm water on her youngest sister’s head.
“Ah! Kasumi!†Akane screeched in alarm.
“So what does Ranma turn into?†Nabiki asked, having picked up the inclusion of her possible fiance in the brief explanation.
“Old man, you didn’t pawn my heated blanket, did you? It’s cold.†A new voice with a distinctively female lilt asked along with a barely noticeable rasping of something dragging across the wood floor.
Appearing around the corner was a girl with similar features to Ranma, wearing the same shirt, and with hair that was a bright red with strands of gold mixed in. What really caught Nabiki’s eyes was the complete lack of pants, and the fact that this girl’s lower body was a scale covered tail that extended down back around the corner. The majority of her serpentine body was covered in vibrant hues of red forming a mix of stripes and oblong shapes while the bottom was a dull lighter shade. She held herself up high enough to negate the lack of legs and as she moved forward her hips undulated with excess movement that carried all the way down her tail.
All conversation stopped as Nabiki along with her family stared in shock at the mythological creature slithering her nearly five meter long body into their living room to start digging into Ranma’s travel pack.
“Boy.†Genma coughed into his hand.
“Huh?†The redhead looked up long enough to realize that she was the clear center of the attention. “Did you decide that quick? Stupid umbrella was up against your wall so I had to get wet to get it.â€
“This is my son’s cursed form. Hot water also turns him back.†Genma explained helpfully.
Ranma rolled her eyes as she pulled out a big blanket from the pack. “Now where’s an outlet?†She asked and slid over to the wall next to the television.
“Well-- I-- guess your curse isn’t so bad.†Soun hesitantly proclaimed.
“What curse?†Ranma turned to Soun, her upper body being held at what would be normally an awkward angle. “Being a little ectothermic isn’t a curse. Even though it feels like it sometimes.†She lamented and finally found a spot to plug the electric blanket into. Moving with surprising speed and coordination, the naga curled herself up into a tight ball beneath the blanket with a happy exclamation.
Nabiki’s eyes slowly traced over the now hidden form before locking onto her father. “Daddy-- these are your friends?â€
zx
Two Months Ago in China
Balancing on top of a bamboo pole, Genma smirked down at the pool below, satisfied that he had paid his son back for turning him into a panda. ‘Let’s see how you like it, boy!’
“Oh no! Young Mister Customer fall in-- uh-- I no remember. No one fall in that spring for too long time.†The portly guide who had greeted them scratched at his chin deep in thought.
As Genma jumped down to land near the Chinese man, struggling to keep his new bulk from throwing off his coordination. Ranma finally broke the surface and collapsed face down on the edge, coughing up an excessively large amount of water before laying still. ‘Hmm, smaller, red hair, and still human.’ His finely honed survival instincts started to scream at him that perhaps Ranma would have a poor reaction to this training mishap. His son was hung strung like that sometimes.
Warily tiptoeing up to be just outside of arms reach of his child, he stretched out and gently nudge Ranma with his foot. In response, the new redhead coughed another large amount of water before raising his head to focus on him. Ranma’s features had become softer and he now looked like a foreign girl.
‘Uh oh!’ Genma turned to flee the moment Ranma started to move but he found himself quickly roughly spun around repeatedly before being crushed from all sides by something thick and scaly. Genma struggled briefly to free himself before the thick red serpents tail tightened around him like a vice. Laying on his side on the ground, he looked up in growing dread at his son, who’s gi had come open to reveal sizeable breasts.
“Man, I feel kind of funny.†Ranma commented and stretched her arms up over her head. While she possessed a normal human upper body, it changed quickly below her waist to be a snakes tail.
Genma croaked out a growf before regretting it as Ranma squeezed him even further. ‘I’m dead! I’m dead! I’m dead!’
“Oh, Young Mister Customer, please no kill Old Mister Customer.†The Guide hurriedly begged.
“I guess.†Ranma shrugged noncommittally and Genma immediately felt the coils slacken enough to breath. “But I reserve the right to do it later. He’s my old man after all. If anyone is going to do it, it’s going to be me.†She boasted and completely unwrapped from around him to wrap her tail up in a big spiral underneath her.
Ranma blinked and looked down at her new body as though she finally realized what had happened. Gingerly she reached down to touch where the scales started to confirm their existence. “Ooh, that feels weird. Maybe I could get used to this.â€
Genma righted himself to sit on his backside. ‘At least the boy isn’t chasing me all over the valley.’
zx
Present day the next morning
Akane knocked loudly on the guest room door, grumbling underneath her breath at how annoying it was that she was volunteered to wake up their new houseguest. “Ranma! Breakfast! Time to get up!†She yelled into the wood and received no response.
Her frown grew and she threw the door open creating a loud smack as the wood hit the end of it’s rail in the wall. She stomped into the room before coming to an abrupt halt. Genma was already up sharing stories with her father downstairs. Ranma however was still covered by the electric blanket and had not taken the opportunity to change back when offered hot water. So Akane was left staring at the exoticly pretty red haired face sleeping peacefully, with a blanket covering a lumpy inhuman form.
“Um-- Ranma-- breakfast.†She knelt down next to the cursed teen’s head and gently nudged her. ‘She’s not poisonous, is she?’ Akane suddenly put a respectable distance between herself and the snake girl.
“Not hungry.†Ranma mumbled and rolled over to her other side, the blanket shifting oddly in response along with the soft rubbing of scales against each other before everything settled.
“LIsten you, you’re not going to insult my sister by letting the special breakfast she made for you and your panda father go cold by sleeping in!†Forgetting about the possibility of a venomous house guest, she ripped the heated blanket off of Ranma and threw it to the side. “Now get up, get changed back into a human, and ACK!â€
zx
Nabiki could certainly appreciate this moment and with her camera handy she could share this joy with others. ‘For a price of course.’ She verified to herself and patted her captive sister on the head. “How you doing, sis?†She asked rhetorically and received a glare of death in return for her pleasant question.
“If I move-- she squeezes.†Akane whispered as calmly as she could, most of her body wrapped up by the serpentine tail of Ranma’s cursed form. The redhead herself was happily hugging Akane’s shoulders like a she was giant teddy bear, while still dozing.
“Hmm?†Ranma moaned as her upper body languidly rose away from Akane as she stretched her arms. Rubbing away the sleep from her eyes, she finally noticed that Nabiki was in the room. “Morning.â€
“Morning.†Nabiki returned slowly.
“Let me go!†Akane squeaked in a small voice, still being squeezed tightly by Ranma’s snake tail.
“Aww! But you’re so warm.†Ranma complained while quickly complying with Akane’s demand. “Can we sleep together again?†The redhead excitedly asked as the youngest Tendo sister made her escape out the door.
“No! And change back into a human you perverted moron!†Akane yelled as she took off out of the room.
“She always this high strung?†Ranma asked Nabiki casually.
“Only with boys she likes.†Nabiki answered, hoping that Akane would get chosen for the engagement. Ranma was a clear money making opportunity and not husband material. Regardless of his real body being quite attractive. “Say Ranma, you wouldn’t be interested in posing for some photos, would you?â€
“Why would you want to take pictures of me?†The snake girl asked cluelessly.
“A pretty gaijin with your-- uh-- uniquely long lower body? You’re very photogenic.†She left out all the money she would make off pictures of a legitimate naga. ‘Or is she a lamia? Maybe a gorgon? Whatever she is, she’s money with scales.’
Ranma’s look of confusion was instantly replaced by a cold calculating stare that tugged on some deep instinctual part of Nabiki’s brain in a bad way. “Oh, you want to sell pictures of me.-- So long as I get eighty percent of the profit that’ll be alright.†She shrugged and switched to smiling goodnaturedly. The snake half didn’t wait for a response before slithering across the floor after Akane. “I better go find out what she was so upset about. Don’t want to be a bad house guest.â€
Nabiki quickly snapped a picture of Ranma’s exit, feeling a little put off that her purpose was so quickly found out, and that she was expected to agree to demands. ‘I’m sure we can work something out.’ She thought with a predatory smile.
zx
Casually strolling along the top of a chain-link fence, Ranma had a good feeling about the day. The day was warming up nicely and it seemed like his father had finally found a decent place to crash for once. Maybe he’d end up engaged to one of the three Tendo girls but he wasn’t overly concerned with the result of that.
“Don’t you dare talk to me at school.†Akane snapped, still looking at him like she wanted to rip his spine out through his mouth.
“If that’s what you want.†He sighed and hopped off of the fence to land a respectable distance away from the girl wearing a blue uniform. “I really am sorry that I wrapped you up like that. It’s-- ya know, instinctive. I’m usually much more gentle. I haven’t strangled my Pop, yet.â€
“Just-- shut up.†The girl growled with her eyes shut and fist shaking.
Ranma decided to focus past the girl’s attitude, chalking it up to Akane being a city girl who didn’t get out much, and needed time to adjust to anything new. So he spent the rest of the commute trying to memorize the neighborhood sights. He hadn’t been to school for nearly a year and he wasn’t really looking forward to being stuck in a room the entire day. But if his old man wanted to stay in the area for a while he would just have to put up with it. He had the patience of an ambush predator after all.
Reaching the gates flanking the school's main entrance, he paused while Akane stomped forward with increasing agitation. An older boy was blocking the path to the school halfway across the courtyard wearing a kendogi with hakama and holding a wooden practice sword. Forming a half circle audience behind him were a couple dozen boys.
Nabiki suddenly appeared from Ranma’s right from behind the gate. “Come on, Ranma. You don’t want to get tangled up in Akane’s morning ritual.â€
“Okay.†He paid little attention to Akane as she was challenge to a duel by the older boy. Akane wanted her space so he was happy to give it and it was certainly not his place to butt into her duel. After all, she was from the Anything Goes school of martial arts and should always be prepared for a challenge. “Say, can you point me to the office? My lazy old man didn’t fill out any paperwork.â€
“I don’t usually do this many favors in the same day, but I think I can make an exception.†The middle sister answered with a smirk.
zx
Akane slammed her bookbag down on her desk before slumping into her seat. Dealing with Kuno Tatewaki every morning was frustrating but at least the other morons who had followed him had given up. At the start of the year he had proclaimed that if anyone wanted to date her then they needed to defeat her in a fight. Which they had all taken to mean that she would automatically date whoever got lucky with a punch first. ‘As if I want anything to do with them.’
“Rough morning?†A recent transfer student named Kuonji Ukyo asked with his familiar and friendly tone.
“Rough everything.†She answered and straightened out her long hair to fall behind her properly.
He was the only boy that Akane ever felt comfortable to talk to. Probably because he was the only one who didn’t spend their entire lives dedicated to hitting on her. Actually, Ukyo never showed any romantic interest in her at all. Which was almost too bad, he was attractive in a very bishounen sort of way. Several of the other girls in the class had made an attempt to date the boy but he had politely declined all requests.
“Does it have something to do with that boy who was walking with you?†Yuka asked, taking her seat one desk up and to the left.
“It does, my dad’s letting him and his father stay with us.†She avoided mentioning the possibility of being engaged to that freak half snake girl-boy.
“What’s his name? He looked really familiar.†Ukyo asked, sounding intensely curious.
“Ranma.†She answered absently, trying not to clear her head so she could get through the school day.
“Saotome?†Ukyo finished with an odd mix of hopefulness and something with a harder edge. Akane leaned away as the boy loomed over her.
“You know him?†She asked.
“Oh yea-- I know him.†Ukyo didn’t add anymore before taking his seat across the room.
“What’s up with him?†Yuka wondered, hooking her bookbag to the side of her desk.
“I don’t know, not like Ukyo-kun has to live with him.†Akane answered and joined the rest of the class in quieting down when their homeroom teacher finally entered the class.