Chapter Text
Genma Saotome had some regrets.
“Ranma” was approaching him, trotting on all fours and meowing.
Scratch that, Genma Saotome had many regrets.
He led the cat-boy to a small bed of decomposing leaves, hoping the cat could fall asleep comfortably. Ideally as quickly as possible.
They had been heading to some specific springs in Tibet. Genma had pretended he couldn’t read any Mandarin as his cover, when really, he was fluent in the language.
So he knew exactly where he was taking Ranma.
As he was watching Ranma lay on the pile of dead leaves, contently purring in their sleep, Genma looked up at the afternoon sky and contemplated what his worst mistake was.
There were certainly a lot. Though, in most cases, it had to do with the family he had once promised to raise.
He thought that maybe his worst mistake was having a kid when the two of them weren’t ready. Maybe the worst mistake was deciding that he was to continue the family tradition of the husband taking on the dominating role. A close second was the nekoken. By the time he had realized what he was actually doing, it was far too late. The only reason it couldn’t possibly be the worst mistake he made was because of his revelations afterwards. Those revelations lead him here, where he could truly declare that his worst mistake was pushing masculinity onto Ranma.
It was his sworn promise, yes, but it was such a dumb promise, that it took not 4 years for him to realize how much of a fool he was.
It had become obvious after the nekoken incident that Ranma was not the man Genma promised to make out of him, and it took another half of a year for Genma to truly accept that he was ok with that.
Yet, at the time, he thought Ranma was just a homosexual. Genma decided that the best course of action would be to send him to an all-boys middle school.
That decision was perhaps number three-hundred thirteen on Genma’s list of worst mistakes.
It took only two months for Genma to realize he was wrong once more. Every day, Ranma would come home complaining about how the boys he dealt with were terrible, gross, and how he didn’t even feel like he belonged with them. Genma had been quite well read on the matter of gender ever since he heard of his buddy Tendou’s middle daughter. Though, unlike her, he knew of a more perfect way to make his child happy with themself. As a young boy, he had heard of cursed springs in southern Tibet, a region which his vile, disgusting master never took them. He began researching said cursed springs for six months for figuring out where to go, and what must be done. Unfortunately, mistake numbered three-hundred twelve was when he forced Ranma to leave without allowing them to finish their duel with one of their buddies, but he drew the line after a full week of waiting for that damned boy.
All of that had left Genma here, as he soon heard leaves ruffling and a large yawn, he knew his child had returned to grace the earth once more.
“Yo pops, where are we?” Ranma questioned groggily.
“Southern Xizang.”
“What bullshit maneuver am I learnin’ today?”
The two began a walk through the forests. “Well, likely none, but I would like to spar with you in a special spot.”
“What? The spot where you first met your baby mama who had me?”
“For the last time, me and your mother met in Japan,” Genma said sternly.
“Sheesh, no needta be-” Ranma suddenly was knocked straight forward by his father as soon as a clearing filled with springs came into view. Genma had hit Ranma with such force that they immediately fell into the spring dead ahead of them.
In google translated English to Mandarin it read “Nìshuǐ nǚhái hú.”
Which, when translated back to English reads “Drowned Girl Lake.”
In other words, Genma’s calculation had been correct, proven further by the redheaded girl who confusedly swam to the surface and began chasing Genma in the exact opposite direction.
“Seriously! I can’t believe you’d just-” Akane was cut off by the doorbell.
Then three knocks.
Then one knock that was really loud.
Soun quickly opened the door. “Genma! Old buddy! Great to see you again, and your son-” Ranma looked up at Soun, unimpressed that he didn’t realize that they had become a girl.
“Oh.” Soun collapsed back onto the ground.
“What, is he just that cu-” Nabiki quickly cut herself off after getting a look of who was supposed to be one of the sisters’ future husband.
“Is Tendou alright?” Genma asked.
Akane, watching from the other side of the room, watched as Ranma shuffled uncomfortably. Clearly there was some sort of problem, and she was going to figure it out.
Akane walked right up to the poor girl who just looked so nervous, and waved to grab her attention. Ranma looked her way, and Akane motioned her to come forward.
“Hi! I’m Akane, do you wanna be friends?”
Soun had recovered from his sudden fainting, and everyone in the house who weren’t Akane or Ranma were sitting around the dinner table.
“So… you’re telling me that your child is almost certainly not your son, but you can’t figure out how to get him to realize that fact about themself?” Soun asked.
“Yes, Tendou.”
Nabiki squinted at Genma before beginning the very idea that could lay the base for the future of both families.
“We also have a certain idiot in denial, and y’know, she could use some help realizing she’s a lesbian.”
Everyone at the table looked towards Nabiki, as if two of the three of them didn't know exactly who Nabiki was talking about.
“Akane!?”
“Perfect. Then they were made for each oth-”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA”
The whole table silenced as a masculine scream was heard from the bathroom.
“For gods’ sake, I meant to tell her not to use hot water,” Genma groaned.
“And I don’t even get a say in being engaged to this stupid boy!?” Akane yelled.
“Not like I wanna be married to an uncute tomboy like you!” Ranma yelled back.
Akane picked up the dinner table and crushed Ranma with it.
“They really are made for each other,” Nabiki remarked as she walked off.
“Oh! That reminds me,” Soun began, “We don’t have time to clean out the storage room tonight, so Ranma’s going to be sleeping with you tonight, Akane, and Genma’s going to be-” Soun’s words were cut off as he was hit in the head with a table, while Genma left to go grab a cup of cold water.
Akane was sitting cross-legged being scolded by Kasumi when Genma returned, pouring his glass of water onto Ranma.
“What the-!?” Ranma exclaimed in a feminine voice.
“I don’t want any funny business happening between the two of you while sharing the same room, so you’ll be a girl while you’re with her.” Genma picked his buddy up off the floor and crept off into the house.
Did he really have to do that? Ranma thought, And did I really have to be completely fine with it?
Genma had laid Soun down on his bed. Though, he did have to ask himself if he'd made yet another mistake by forcing the young couple in their room together.
It wasn't that he thought they'd be bad for each other, it was that he couldn't wake Ranma up with a jarring switch between male and female forms like he planned.
He'd figure something out.
Ranma and Akane tried to avoid each other the best they could that night, but they forgot one crucial thing.
All the futons were in Soun’s room.
Which he doesn’t let anyone enter while he’s asleep.
And he’s asleep.
While Ranma said they’d be fine sleeping on the hardwood floor, Akane felt bad for not letting him up onto her own bed…
Like, sure, it was her own bed, but Akane hated seeing people suffer while she didn’t, especially when it came to other girls…
“Get up here.”
“What? No way!”
Akane refused to take no from the petite redhead on the floor, as Akane effortlessly scooped Ranma up and placed Ranma on her bed.
“Hey! H-”
Akane shoved her pointer finger onto Ranma's lips. “Let's go to bed already.” Akane promptly hugged Ranma like they were a stuffed animal.
While Akane managed to go to bed quickly, Ranma was lying awake until 11 about their current position.
He wasn't supposed to feel this level of comfort! That made him weak! He wasn't supposed to like being in someone's arms! He- He-
They would continue this internal tirade until they ran out of energy, passing out instead of falling asleep.
Nabiki had awoken far before she normally did to look through her own closet.
Normally she would only do things for money… but clearly this was not a normal time.
Eventually she managed to dig past the things she'd hoarded over the years, and got to her school uniform from two years ago.
Sure, it may have been a little dusty, but Ranma could surely suck it up.
After all, if this lie wasn't done properly, she'd be at risk of people obtaining information about her that could ruin her life.
Best not to think of that , she told herself as she moved herself and that uniform downstairs.
It was still 4:30 AM, but she had coffee to make anyway.
An hour had passed, and as soon as Akane was awake and out of the door, Ranma was woken up to immediate battle with their own father.
He had even thrown her in the koi pond.
Fuckin' smart bastard.
Nabiki merely remained where she was sitting, making sure she looked presentable for school.
A yawn began descending down the stairs. “Good morning, Nabiki,” Kasumi stated plainly.
“Morning.”
“Coffee?”
“Already got some.”
Kasumi disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Nabiki bored, waiting for one of the engaged idiots to come back inside.
“Ha! I could beat ya any day, pops!” Ranma yelled as she walked through the back door.
“Ranma!” Nabiki yelled, “Get over here!”
Ranma had barely met Nabiki, but he already knew to be afraid of her. She just had a certain air to her that made Ranma think that nothing good was about to happen by her being in a room with you.
Ranma maneuvered himself into the living room, spotting Nabiki and an aqua blue dress with white trim.
“What’s up?”
“Soooooo, you’re going to be coming to our school, buuuut it’s not like the three of us have any spare male uniforms-”
“Ah! That’s um- too bad, guess I can’t go-”
“You can become a girl any time you want.”
“So what?”
The front door opened.
“So you’re going as a girl!”
“What!?” shouted a slightly worn-out, sweaty Akane.
“Jeez I don’t have time for this. Baby sister, make sure they get to school on time with the right uniform.”
“No! I’m not letting some guy go to-”
“Do it or else you-know-who is going to suddenly know our home address.”
Nabiki walked out the front door, the vague threat still hanging in the air of the living room.
“She didn’t even get breakfast!” Kausmi exclaimed from the kitchen.
Nabiki knew that this information being out could damage her little sister’s reputation. She knew that it could potentially piss the man she was giving the info to off and force Ranma back into her hidey hole of toxic masculinity.
But it may have been worth the risk, knowing how much money she could make off of it.
Nabiki scoured campus looking for Tatewaki Kuno, and she’d find him right outside the gates, waiting for Akane’s arrival.
“Kuno-baby! Just the man I wanted to see.”
“Oh silence yourself you vile hag! Just tell me the price.”
“My, my, if you’re gonna talk to me like that, I might just raise my prices.”
Tatewaki rolled his eyes.
“Thirty thousand for this piece of hot gossip about my baby sister.”
“THIRT- My god! Does thoust take me for thine court jester!?”
“Well, this is really juicy info… I couldn’t just give it to anyone.”
“Fine!” Kuno pulled out a wallet from somewhere, picked out three 10,000 yen bills and handed them to Nabiki.
“Thanks for your business!” Nabiki got up right next to Tatewaki’s ear, whispering about fiancée’s and likely trans women, two subjects the man cared deeply about.
After all! Who was the first person to ever proclaim a former man a woman of beauty!? Tatewaki Kuno, of course! No woman would be left feeling worthless, no matter their history!
Though it did dampen his mood knowing that his love’s own sister suspected that she was a lesbian…
Worry not, me! Tatewaki began thinking, Just because my former love is a lesbian, doesn’t mean that this new beauty isn’t! Just because the poor girl was forced to marry another as a husband didn’t mean that she too was a lesbian!
Once Nabiki left, Tatewaki immediately began formulating a plan with all the boys who usually fought Akane. The plan? Stop bothering her if she’s not interested in men.
Tatewaki thought that may be a wonderful idea, but he had to consider that there may be other girls compatible with his former love. His idea would be taken all the way to the PA club, and by that, he meant that he took over the PA system to make his announcement. By the time Akane was nearing the school grounds, he had amassed around twenty girls, all who hated his guts, but were too desperate not to try.
Tatewaki knew that today would surely be the day he won over a fine maiden’s heart.
“Why’dja listen to Nabiki anyways! I coulda just gone in my regular outfit, right?” Ranma asked, balancing on some fencing.
“Well, her threats are… reliable.”
“Still, what guy could be soooo bad that you couldn’t take ‘em?”
“It’s not that I can’t take him!” Akane snapped, “He’s just so… persistent.”
“Oh… You guys like rivals or somethin’, like the same girl or somethin’?”
Akane glared at Ranma like they were mortal enemies.
“What! It ain’t that far-fetched, happened ta’ my buddy before,” Ranma yelled back, trying to defend themself.
“Just! I’m not a lesbian.”
Ranma decided now was probably a good time to stop provoking Akane, and they looked forward to the sterile beige square they were about to enter.
“Ugh. Can you hold my bag for me real quick, Ranma? I have to deal with this thing every-”
“Akane Tendou!” Tatewaki yelled from atop a pillar, “I have seen my error! Thou art never going to love me back!”
Akane stared at Tatewaki like he had five hundred eyes.
“I understand that you are not attracted to men, but thou must unhand that pigtailed goddess this instant!”
Akane became beet red, head steaming as her anger reached a peak like Tatewaki had never seen before. She mumbled something about killing Nabiki, before yelling back at the Kuno, “You can take this little bitch! I don’t want her anyways!”
“Very well, but do not disrespect this beauty unprompted!”
Ranma stared on at the scene in front of them. For one, it was oddly nice being called a ‘beauty’ and a ‘goddess,’ but at the same time it was from some guy . She wasn’t into guy- Excuse me. He wasn’t into guys, for obvious reasons.
The flat-out rejection from Akane also left a hole in his heart, and he didn’t realize that he was beginning to shed tears.
“Akane, what the hell!?” Ranma put on their best puppy dog eyes and looked towards her.
“I cannot believe it! You vile woman! You have made thine own fiancée cry!”
“ShuT UP, KUNO!” Akane let out her strongest, most obvious, punch. It barely connected with Tatewaki’s right shoulder but still sent him flying off.
That’s when the gay horde quickly dispersed, leaving only Akane and Ranma at the scene.
Ranma was staring at the ground, eyes still a bit teary, and when Akane stomped over, she nearly crumpled in on herself.
“Ranma?”
Ranma quickly found HIS composure because HE was a MAN and MEN don’t CRY.
“Nothin’, ‘Kane.”
“You were-”
“I said it was nothin’!”
“I’m sorry, I- I mean- I-” Akane stared at her fiancé(e) for a little while, knowing what saying that she didn’t mean it would imply, she merely looked on and said nothing.
The bell for the five minute warning rang out.
The bell for lunch rang out, and before they could do anything, Ranma was approached by two girls.
“Yo, Ranma, right?” A girl with long brown hair asked, “I’m Yuka, wanna eat with Akane, Sayuri, and I on the roof?”
Ranma stared up at her. He wanted to say something about manhood or not being a girl, but given his current position, it was obvious that nobody would really believe him.
“Ok.”
“Great!” exclaimed the girl with black hair and a bun, who Ranma had to assume was Sayuri.
The four of them climbed the steps, finding two other people on the roof, a tall girl with short brown hair and a girl whose bangs nearly covered her eyes.
“Oh hey! New girl!” nearly blind girl yelled.
“Asami? I thought you said you were going to club this lunch period,” Sayuri stated.
“Myyyyy baaaaad! I just wanted to meet the new girl.”
Akane had sat down, beginning to eat her lunch while the girls around her continued their high energy escapades. The only reason she stuck around on her bad days was because the rest of her friends knew when it was a bad time to bother her.
Tall girl sat down next to Akane. She was the only one who would talk to her. Akane found the voice of Hiroko to be soothing, and she really was the only person who understood her better than Kasumi. “You ok?” she asked, voice soft as ever.
“Just a bad day,” Akane replied.
“Mh”
Despite being a bit away, Akane could still hear most of the other girls’ banter.
“You single cutie?” Asami asked loudly, Ranma’s face turning bright red.
“Asami!” Sayuri and Yuka scolded in unison.
“I- um- well- I uh- um-”
Akane didn’t like hearing Ranma stumble over words. She knew it was partly her fault for not explaining who Ranma actually was to her friends, so she felt just a little responsible…
Akane marched over to Ranma, grabbing their petite form’s shoulders. “They’re my fiancée,” she said, attempting to keep any form of composure.
“They’re what!?” Asami yelled back.
Shit, shit, shit, why did I say that! Why-
“It’s true,” Yuka began, “Ranma’s parents are forcing her to be a man so that-”
“Hold on a minute!” Ranma interjected, “Ya knew that the whole time!? And didn’t say anythin’!?”
“I mean, true or not, it’s not ok to out people like that, Yuka,” Sayuri lightly scolded.
“Well excuuuuuuuse me!”
“No I ain’t a real girl it’s-” Ranma tried to interject.
“You’re as much of a real girl as all of us, you know that right? We wouldn’t reject you over the past like that,” Asami said.
“No wai-”
“It’s true,” Yuka began, “You’re definitely a real girl to me! Anyone who says you’re not allowed to be is just plain wrong.”
Hiroko silently moved over to listen in on them.
“Hold on!” Akane yelled over the rest, “They aren’t lying, they aren’t like, y’know-”
“Are you talking about the curse?” Yuka asked.
“Where didja get alla this info!?” Ranma yelled.
“Naaaaaabiki~~”
Everyone else on the roof collectively groaned.
“So, you should know what happened, right! How I’m actually a guy and-”
“Your dad may force that upon you, but is that what you actually want? Do you want to be a guy?” Yuka condescended.
“Wha- Whu- I- buh- u-”
A soft voice came in to save Ranma, “Guys, leave her alone, she’s clearly not comfortable with this.”
“Ugggghhhhhh fiiiiiine,” Yuka groaned.
“...”
“There’s a new Café opening up on my block,” Asami began…
Nabiki had just received word from her most reliable source about her failure.
Neither Ranma nor Akane had been able to be forced into self-discovery yet, and she wasn’t able to get Hiroko on board either.
This was just not working out for her, was it?
If only Ranma had a friend who could hammer in the perks of her curse… Nabiki thought, shaving every hair off of her stomach for the third time that week.