Ranma's musings were cut short when Usagi walked over to him.
"Hi! I'm Usagi! Would you like to be friends?" she asked cheerfully.
Ranma was a surprised by her cheerfulness, and also couldn't help but think back to when Akane asked the same thing. Of course, this time he was in his male form when being asked that.
Hoping for the best, Ranma said, "Um, alright. I'm Ranma Saotome."
"Usagi Tsukino," Usagi said, since she hadn't included her family name the first time. "Pleased to meet you."
"Er, yeah."
Ranma wasn't sure what to say, but Usagi already had a topic in mind. "So, you said before that you have a curse?"
Ranma's face fell. It figured she would remember that. It looked like this friendship wouldn't last very long - few people could accept his curse, and most of those were fiancees. Still, it wasn't like he could hide it or even deny he'd said anything, so he reluctantly nodded.
"What sort of curse?" Usagi asked.
Rei turned away from the conversation she'd been having to scold her. "Usagi, don't be rude!"
"I was only curious! Why are you always so mean to me?" Usagi cried.
Ranma sweatdropped. "Uh, I don't mind. It probably would have came up anyway."
When Usagi had calmed down, Ranma continued (ignoring the fact that Rei, Ami, Minako, and Makoto were now paying attention to him as well), "When I'm splashed with cold water, I turn into a girl. Hot water reverses it."
There was a moment of surprised silence among the inner senshi. Then Usagi said, "Really? That's neat!"
Ranma blinked at this response.
Minako got a thoughtful look. "If I had a curse like that, I could date a hot yaoi guy!" Most of the other Inners sweatdropped at this.
Ami said, "That certainly is an unusual curse. I wish I had the time to study you - er, I mean 'it'." Ami blushed at her slip of the tongue.
Rei, Minako, and Makoto smirked and began teasing Ami.
Ignoring the others, Usagi asked Ranma in a voice devoid of judgment, "Is it really so bad changing genders that you had to go back in time to undo the curse?"
Put at ease by her tone, and wanting this girl who might still be his friend to understand, he explained, "Yes it is. Most people are so disgusted by my curse they don't want anything to do with me. It also makes me a water magnet - I end up transforming at the worst times. And most of all, I was raised to be a man - a 'Man Among Men'. Being a girl makes me feel all wrong."
"That's too bad," Usagi said sympathetically. "I was hoping you might get to have the best of both worlds. I'm sure being a guy is great, but there's lots of cool things about being a girl, too. For instance, some guys look cute, but a girl can dress and act cute too!"
Ranma blushed a bit, remembering all the times he had played "cute" while a girl. Since Usagi hadn't really challenged his masculinity, Ranma found himself in the odd position of thinking of the good parts of being a girl. He wasn't about to mention enjoying looking cute and sexy, but there was one thing he thought might be safe to mention. "Well, I will miss eating ice cream as a girl..."
Usagi's eyes glazed over. "Mmm... ice cream..."
"But even when I'm a girl, I'm really a guy. Being a girl is okay for someone who's supposed to be a girl, but I'm supposed to be a guy and I want to be a guy all the time."
Usagi had stopped daydreaming about ice cream in time to hear most of that declaration, and now nodded. "Alright then. Do you want me to try to cure you now?"
"Cure me...? But how?"
"Don't you remember Minako saying Sailor Moon could probably cure you? Well, I'm Sailor Moon!"
Ranma's eyes widened. "You are?"
Usagi nodded.
Rei sighed. "So much for our secret identities."
"Moon Eternal... MAKE UP!" Usagi opened her brooch and the star-shaped gem inside began to glow. Pink light and white feathers obscured her form, then faded away to reveal her floating, a pattern of light obscuring the details of her form except for her eyes and the huge white wings curled around her. The wings opened and she extended her arms, and from her outline one could tell that she was naked, before feathers obscured her again. When the feathers cleared once more she was wearing a white body-suit, and now the feathers swirled around the her body creating boots, gloves, a skirt, a tiara, earrings, and hair ornaments. The pattern of light covering her skin and hair faded away, and she spun around as the wings shrunk and became a stylized part of her costume. Finally, as Eternal Sailor Moon, she landed in a graceful pose on one foot.
Rei said in frustration, "It's bad enough you revealed your Senshi identity to him, but I can't believe you transformed in front of a guy! Don't you know you're naked during part of the transformation?!"
Eternal Sailor Moon argued, "Yeah, but you can't see any details."
Makoto said, "You know, that reminds me - I always have wondered why our transformations are so revealing."
Ranma said, "Well, you have to take one set of clothing off if you're going to put on another, right? Why would this be any different?"
Minako commented, "He has a point."
Rei said crossly, "It's magic! It shouldn't have to obey rules like that!"
Ranma shrugged. "It's not like you'd have anything I haven't seen, anyway." Several of the girls blushed or otherwise looked uncomfortable - either from the thought of him as a girl, or because of the other way his comment could have been taken.
Minako asked, "What about her wings?"
Makoto said, "Isn't that beside the point?"
Ranma said, "Actually, I have seen people with wings before - the Pheonix People of Jusendo."
The girls looked at each other. Minako asked, "The who?"
Ami shook her head, "I've never heard of them."
Moon turned back to Ranma. "Anyway, I'm going to attempt to heal you now, okay?"
Ranma nodded. "Alright."
Moon took out the latest incarnation of her Moon Scepter, and swung it around. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"
Haruka glanced over at the light-show. Having overheard the explanation of his curse, she commented, "Couldn't she have waited to heal him until we'd gotten a chance to see his girl form? I bet she was cute."
Micheru scowled at Haruka.
See other episodes by Chronos the Cat
(Posted Fri, 11 Jul 2008 05:12)
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