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𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐦𝐚 𝐏𝐎𝐕
It was an ordinary morning at the Tendo Dojo. Or at least, it was supposed to be.
My name’s Ranma Saotome, martial artist extraordinaire. Or at least, that’s what people would say if they didn’t know about my little curse—thanks to the cursed springs of Jusenkyo, I change into a girl whenever I get splashed with cold water. Not exactly ideal for my rep, especially when my old man still insists on calling me "son" in front of everyone.
But, of course, that’s just one of my many problems.
See, I’ve got three fiancées. Three. And no, none of them seem to care much about the fact that I might not exactly want to marry any of them. Akane Tendo, the fiery martial artist with a temper sharper than a katana, is probably the most... reasonable—though that’s not saying much. Then there’s Shampoo, the relentless Amazon warrior who’s convinced I’m her “true love” and won’t let me forget it. And Ukyo Kuonji, the okonomiyaki chef who can kill you with a spatula and is way too cute for comfort.
Oh, and don’t forget about Ryoga. My perpetual rival, who’s perpetually lost. And Mousse, the Amazon warrior whose love for Shampoo could fill a hundred romantic novels.
Yep, just another day in my wonderfully messed-up life.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The usual breakfast routine at the dojo was in full swing, and once again, I found myself in the middle of a “discussion” with Akane.
“You really think I can’t cook?” Akane snapped, her cheeks puffing up in irritation.
“Not that you can’t cook, just that you shouldn’t cook,” I retorted, eyeing the rice that looked suspiciously... crunchy.
“You’re impossible!” Akane’s voice was a dangerous growl.
“Violent tomboy!” I shot back.
“Enough, you two,” Nabiki said from the table, not even looking up from her tea. “If you’re going to argue, can you at least do it after breakfast? I’ve got something to say.”
That caught everyone’s attention. When Nabiki “had something to say,” it usually meant we were about to get roped into something we didn’t want to do.
"There’s a Halloween carnival tonight,” Nabiki began, setting down her cup. “I figured it’d be a fun thing for all of us. I already invited Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, and Ryoga.”
𝐀kane’s frown deepened. “Wait, all of us? You mean... everyone?”
“Of course,” Nabiki said, flashing that annoying smirk. “It wouldn’t be the same without you, Akane. And Ranma,” she added, her eyes narrowing just slightly, “you’re going to take Akane, as a proper fiancé should.”
"What?!” Both Akane and I shouted in unison.
“That’s a wonderful idea!” Mr. Tendo chimed in, wiping his tears. “This could bring you two closer together!”
I groaned. “I don’t get a say in this, do I?”
Akane hesitated. “I don’t know... Halloween stuff’s not really my thing.”
“Oh, come on, sis,” Nabiki teased. “Unless you're too scared?”
That did it. Akane straightened, her fists clenched. “I’m not scared! Fine, I’ll go.”
𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
When Akane walked out in that witch costume, I nearly lost my breath. The black dress clung to her figure just enough to make my heart beat a little faster, and the pointed hat gave her this cute yet mischievous look.
“Hey, you look...” I coughed, trying to keep my cool. “You look fine.”
Akane shot me a suspicious look. “Fine? That’s it?”
“Yeah. Fine,” I said quickly, hoping she wouldn’t notice the red tint on my cheeks. “Let’s go.”
“Uh-huh,” Nabiki muttered from behind us, adjusting her cat ears, “you’re blushing, Ranma.”
“I am not!”
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
We met up with the others at the carnival entrance. Ukyo was a samurai, her hair neatly tied back with a sword at her side. Shampoo, of course, was dressed as a nurse—though the outfit left little to the imagination. Mousse wore his usual robes, and Ryoga, for reasons I’d never understand, was a pirate.
As soon as Shampoo spotted me, she rushed over, latching onto my arm. “Ranma! You think Shampoo look good?”
I tried to shake her off. “Uh... sure,” I muttered, but Shampoo wasn’t having any of it.
“Ranchan!” Ukyo interrupted, stepping between us, her arms crossed. “I’m the one who looks better, right?”
I groaned. This was going to be a long night.
“Alright, break it up,” Nabiki said, stepping in with that trademark smirk. “We’re splitting up for the haunted house. And I’m deciding the pairs.”
Shampoo pouted dramatically. “Shampoo go with Ranma!”
“Nope,” Nabiki said, clearly enjoying herself. “You’re with Mousse. After all, Amazon warriors don’t get scared of anything.”
Shampoo glared but didn’t argue further. “Fine, Mousse.”
“Ryoga and Ukyo,” Nabiki continued, “you two are together. Ukyo, try to keep him from getting lost.”
Ukyo sighed. “Great. Babysitting.”
"And that leaves Ranma and Akane,” Nabiki said with a wicked grin.
Akane blinked, confused. “Wait, what about you?”
“I’ll be at the food stalls,” Nabiki said, waving her hand dismissively. “Enjoy yourself, lovebirds.”
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The haunted house was way worse than I’d imagined. The lights were dim, the walls creaked, and creepy sounds echoed through the halls. Akane stuck close to me, her hand brushing mine more than once.
“You good?” I asked, glancing at her.
“I’m fine,” she muttered, though I could see her gripping her broomstick tighter.
A scream rang out from the walls, and Akane yelped, grabbing my arm. “Okay, maybe not fine,” she admitted, looking a little shaky.
"Relax. It’s all fake,” I said, trying to sound confident.
But then, a skeleton jumped out of the wall on a spring, and Akane shrieked—right before wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face in my back.
I froze. Her warmth seeped through my shirt, and I couldn’t help but feel... I don’t know... kind of protective? My heart was beating fast for a completely different reason now.
“It’s fine,” I stammered, trying to sound reassuring. “It’s just an actor.”
She peeked up at me, her face flushed. “Sorry,” she mumbled, pulling back but not completely letting go of me.
“It’s fine,” I repeated, though I didn’t exactly mind.
We kept moving, and that’s when we hit the demon section. Shadows moved on their own, and distorted faces appeared in mirrors. When an actor dressed as a demon lunged out at us, Akane let out another shriek, but this time she didn’t just grab my arm—she wrapped both her arms around my waist, pressing her face into my chest.
“Akane, it’s just—” I began, but she didn’t seem to hear me.
“I know,” she whispered, her voice muffled. “But it’s still scary.”
I hesitated. “Don’t worry. I’m here,” I said softly, my hand brushing against her shoulder. Her head tilted up to look at me, eyes wide, vulnerable... and something else, too.
She nodded, looking up at me like she was trusting me with something important, and for a moment, I felt this strange, strong pull.
Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned down and kissed her—softly, quickly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
She froze, her eyes wide, and I almost pulled back, but then she wrapped her arms around my neck, and her lips parted in response, kissing me back. Slowly, at first. Then with more urgency, her fingers threading into my hair as she deepened the kiss.
I felt my heart pounding in my chest, but I couldn’t stop. I kissed her again, and again, and each time, she kissed me back more fiercely, as if she were trying to catch her breath.
Finally, she pulled away, gasping for air. “Ranma...” she breathed, her face flushed.
I couldn’t help myself. I leaned in again, pressing soft kisses to her face, her forehead, her cheek, trailing down to her lips as she tried to catch her breath.
She smiled, still breathless, as if she didn’t quite know what to make of all this, but there was something new in her eyes—something soft, something that made my chest tighten in a way I didn’t expect.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
When we finally made it out of the haunted house, we realized we were still holding hands. I blinked, confused, and before I could even pull away, Shampoo stormed over.
“Ranma! You hold violent girl hand?!”
I froze, looking at Akane, who was still holding onto my hand. She looked just as surprised as I was, but her cheeks were a little pink.
And then, just as quickly as the moment started, we were swept back into the chaos of the carnival. But for once, it didn’t feel like I was just trying to escape from it all.
Maybe Halloween wasn’t so bad, after all.