"Akane," Dr. Tofu gently rebuked. "I only told you that because I know your...feelings. And so does, Futana, I promise you. You can come to me for counseling, but how you both deal with them will have to be between the two of you."
"Oink?"
"As for Ranma and the other Cursed of Jusenkyo, we must not raise their hopes too high... ." He looked around for unwanted ears, and pulled Akane (and the pig) further away from the house. "There is a distinct possibility that, if it does work, it will only act like a normal Jusenkyoan curse, changing its victims according to the temperature of the water. After all, it is derived from water that does produce those results." He sighed. "We think. We haven't found out exactly what the integuments of Instant Nanniichuan" are. It's a trade secret."
"Oh, I see. Then, nothing would change for them," Akane felt bad for Ranma and all of those she had gotten to know yearning for a cure. The pig felt bad, too.
"Perhaps not," he allowed the measured hope of a physician to enter his voice. "A method could be found to reverse the effects. The person could, then, change away from his or her normal form by the rarer hot water."
"They could be normal most of the time!" Akane (as well as the P-chan) was about to get her hopes up. The look from her Doctor warned her against that.
"All of which, the entirety, requires research. There are too many "if's". So many, in fact, that though Futana truly wishes to be a man, again, she hasn't dared to test the procedure on herself. "Instant" does not imply permanence. And neither does "one shot"." He looked sad for his "sister". "If she doesn't remain a male, she may never be able to become one again...no matter what other cure she may find, due to complications."
Akane gasped, feeling the two Ono-s shared pain. She understood deeply the importance of keeping the secret. And more: "I shall do whatever I can to help Futana accept being a girl." She then swallowed. "...or support her attempt at being a man, if, if that's what she wants."
"Oink!??"
"Can we come back, now?" Akane's dad asked, sticking his head out beyond the garden doorjamb.
"Oh, Father! I'm sure it's all right," Kasumi told him. "After all, I've brought refreshments!" It was a tray with tea and the random snack foods that had escaped the Saotome's voracious appetites.
"Just the sight of you is refreshing, Kasumi. I, ahem, mean, that will be fine. Shall we sit, knit, and be...no." Futana forced her fist to relax. "I must concentrate, on something else."
"How about concentrating on the cure? Huh? Huh?" Ranma grinned, squeezing the woman's tense shoulder muscles.
"Oh, Ranma, that's not how you do a proper massage. If you'd like me to rub your shoulders-"
"No! I'm fine that I'm not fine, finely fine: knife's edge fine." In a tempered panic, Futana moved away from her first love. "Well, I'm sorry I have to eat and run."
"But you haven't eaten. Oh, my, do you want something to eat? Well, Akane made dinner. Only it was ruined. She was going order dinner... . Well, even if she hasn't, we have leftovers. You and Dr. Tofu are welcome to stay, of course."
"I can whip you up something!" Ranma volunteered. "It'll be nothing fancy, but I'm pretty good, they tell me!"
"No, Kasumi's will be fine. More than fine."
" "Knife edge's fine"?" Kasumi smiled.
"Yes," Futana got moony eyed. "It's seems like ages since I've tasted your cooking."
"You have?"
"I will. It will be ahh...taste test." She then muttered to Buddha, "And may I pass this test."
(Posted Sun, 12 Nov 2006 21:22)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.