Kanu was smiling wickedly from her position draped over Ranma's back. Not that Ranma could see it, or he'd have been running for the hills. Instead, he just was telling Kanu about the highlights of his life as he somehow managed to carry her, his pack, and her naginata down the sidewalk while trying not to think about her breasts that were pressing into his back or the feeling of the smooth skin of her legs where his arms passed under them, and especially not the way her warm breath caressed his ear when she spoke to him.
So it was that Kanu, being in full body contact with Ranma, was in a good position to feel the entire thing when the inevitable happened. A stream of water shot over the wall they were walking beside. Two kids were playing with a hose and of course, Ranma happened to be in the line of fire.
Kanu froze as she felt the body supporting her suddenly shrink and the head of black hair turn bright red.
"Damn," Ranma muttered and then winced as she felt a hand giving her breasts an exploratory squeeze. "I can explain."
Ranma sat Kanu down on a nearby bench and stepped back.
"W-what just happened?" Kanu asked in confusion.
"It's a curse," Ranma sighed. "Ya see, my old man took me to China on the training trip I was telling you about. He just had to go to this 'Legendary Training Ground' called Jusenkyo. It's a valley containing over a hundred cursed springs. If you fell in one, you get cursed to change into whatever drowned in them last. The old man knocked me into the Spring of Drown Girl. Now whenever I get hit with cold water, I turn into a girl. Hot water changes me back. Sorry about this."
"Why? It's not your fault," Kanu pointed out. "Sure, it's a surprise, but I'm not exactly unfamiliar with magic and the like."
She meaningfully patted her naginata. In fact, as far as she was concerned, Ranma just became more attractive to her on an order of magnitude. While she liked guys as much as the next girl, she was honest enough to admit, at least to herself, that her tastes ran both ways. Ranma's female form did it for her every bit as much as his male form did. It was like he was made just for her; a hunk in male form, a total hottie in female form and a powerful fighter.
"You don't mind?" Ranma blinked incredulously. "You don't think I'm some kind of freak, or a pervert or something?"
"Of course not," Kanu assured the petite redhead. "In fact, you intrigue me even more than before. I think you're gorgeous in both forms."
"R-really?" Ranma blushed.
"Yes," Kanu assured her. "Now tell me about the curse? Is it complete? Is it just physical or is it mental too? Do you like girls or guys or both?"
Ranma sat down on the bench and began to answer her questions. Kanu was surprised to learn that certain things like ice cream and chocolate tasted different to a guy than they did for a girl. She could certainly understand why Ranma thought of the change as a curse though when the redhead explained that she seemed to get changed at the most awkward possible moments.
"So how did your so-called fiancée's take the curse?" Kanu asked, Ranma having told her about the situation she left in Nerima.
"One hated it," Ranma sighed. "And she was jealous of the way my female form looked. One ignored it after the novelty of changing me back and forth wore off. As for the Amazon, she had her own curse. She changed into a c-c-cat. Plus, I don't think the Amazons were too hung up on same sex encounters. Still, I ain't got no desire to return to their village and be a homemaker."
"I take it you don't like cats," Kanu said, observing the effect the mere word had on Ranma.
"It was another of my old man's brilliant ideas," Ranma sighed. "And I really don't want to talk about it."
"So, the Sho Haou has a protector who can easily defeat the great Taishiji and fight the indomitable Kanu to a stand still," Totaku said melodically as he reclined back. "How interesting."
"What will we do, Totaku," the green-haired, provocatively-dressed Ryofuu asked the heavily bandaged boy as she knelt before him, running her tongue over the firm belly that was revealed by his open shirt.
"I want you to find out everything you can about the Sho Haou's protector, my dear Ryofuu," Totaku directed. "His arrival was unexpected and he could upset the game. We can't have anyone spoiling out fun, now can we?"
"It will be done," Ryofuu vowed from her position between Totaku's legs.
"Now, tell me, Ryofuu, how do you feel about defeating your old boyfriend?" Totaku asked with amusement.
"It feels wonderful," Ryofuu purred, her tone covering up the fact that she was lying through her teeth.
Standing, she straightened the maroon blazer she wore without the white blouse that should have been worn underneath it. Between the blazer's lapels was an indecent display of cleavage produced by her very large breasts. In spite of that, and her scandalously short, red tartan skirt, nobody who knew her would mistake her for the bit of promiscuous fluff she portrayed. She was promiscuous maybe, but Ryofuu Hosen was, in fact, among the top four Fighters among the seven schools. Only Ukitsu, Kanu, and Totaku himself stood a chance against her.
That this new guy defeated Taishiji as easily as reported and nearly defeated Kanu concerned her.
"Ma-chan! You're home!" Hakufu greeted as Ranma walked in.
"Welcome home, Son," Nodoka said pleasantly. "How was your first day at school? We were expecting you home some time ago."
"It was alright," Ranma shrugged. "They wanted to test my skill, so I had to beat up about thirty people before this girl named Kanu challenged me to a fight."
"You fought Kanu Unchou?" Kokin gasped.
"Yeah," Ranma smiled. "That was her name. She was pretty good too. She actually got in a pretty good strike on me. I ended up having to carry her home though."
"You won?" Kokin exclaimed in disbelief.
"Well, we called it a draw," Ranma chuckled. "She shattered a rock wall with my head and I took out her legs with a pressure point. She's pretty cool though. I like her."
"So when is the date?" Nodoka giggled.
"What date?" Ranma asked, confused.
"You didn't ask her out, Son?" Nodoka asked. "Was she not attractive enough?"
"Gah!" Ranma exclaimed, waving his arms in warding motions.
"I've heard Kanu Unchou is totally hot," Kokin interjected, smirking. This would serve Ranma right for stripping in front of him in female form the other day. "Surely your standards aren't that high, Cousin."
"It ain't that," Ranma protested while blushing heavily. "I mean, yeah, she's way cuter than any of the fiancées and could probably kick their asses too. It's just that I just got here and we hardly know each other and then there's the mess with the other girls chasing me..." Ranma realized he was rambling and stopped with a sigh. "Maybe if I met her before I got caught up in that mess. Besides, she probably ain't even interested in me."
Just then Ranma cell phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it open to look at the display. The blush that had appeared a minute ago returned in full force as Ranma chuckled nervously and scratched the base of his braid.
"Uh...'scuse me a minute," he said and stepped outside the shoji door to answer the phone.
Of course everyone rushed to put their ears to the thin door to hear what Ranma was saying.
"Uh, hi, Kanu-san," Ranma greeted. "Oh, cool. I told you it'd wear off and you'd be good as new..."
The audience listened for several more minutes as Ranma spoke with the girl on the other end of the line all the while stammering and laughing nervously at whatever she was saying.
"I think Ma-chan's in love," Hakufu giggled.
Kokin could not believe it. His cousin had not been here two days and already he had beaten up Taishiji Shigi, fought the legendary Kanu to a draw and now she was calling him to chat him up. What was going to happen next?
Goei and Nodoka shared a look and a giggle between them, and then began plotting. First they would have to get a hold of Ranma's cell phone so they could get the girl's number off it.
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(Posted Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:32)
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