Chapter Text
"Well here we are, promised I'd get you here porkbreath" The group of teens now stood before the Hibiki estate, a fairly small abode with a fairly decent backyard that despite clearly not having anyone live there consistently was fairly well maintained.
Ryoga, ignoring the comment made by his rival, walked up to the front door before reaching down. He picked up one of the many spare keys hidden there, quickly unlocking the door before returning the key to where he found it.
Akane huffed, glaring at her fiance. "Ranma, Why do you always have to be rude to Ryoga?"
"Cus it's fun Akane." Ranma spouted with a grin, lending him an even more intense death stare. "Eh wha'ever, I've got somewhere to be, say hi to Shirokuro for me will ya Ryo?"
Wasting no time Ranma leapt over a nearby fence leaving the two remaining teens alone. Ryoga's face with a scowl on it, as he began fiddling with the edge of the door frame.
A click sounded moments later, Ryoga nodded, seemingly satisfied. He stepped through into the genkan before turning around waving her through. "Akane, welcome to my home, watch your step."
Ranma's speed let him easily slip back around into the background of the estate without the two at the front noticing, the backyard was just as maintained as the rest of the place, someone must have been coming by regularly to clean it up.
'Stupid pig breath as if I'm just gunna leave you alone with Akane, I've got just the surprise for you.'
He giggled as he poured a bottle of water over her head turning her hair pink and body much shorter. Sneaking into the Hibiki house was no easy feat, what with all the traps laying around. Well it would be for anyone other than Ranma Saotome. She'd spent months hanging around the Hibiki's learning the ins and outs of the house. After all she was the one who helped Ryoga get to school every morning, even if that time at school ended up being pointless - 'never could manage to learn anything from those shitty teachers and their crummy handwriting.'
Before she could enter the house a quiet rustling and what sounded like quiet giggling echoed through the lot. Ranma was sure she saw something shimmering in the corner of her eye but when she went to go look, there was nothing there. Shrugging she slipped the latch on the back door making sure to avoid the trap before slipping inside.
She dashed through the upstairs hallway making her way to the spare room she'd stayed in when her pops was busy with one of his schemes. It was just as she left it, though it appeared to have been given a new resident. There was a bright pink fox plush sitting on her pillow, likely a gift from Shiori Hibiki, a shame she couldn't say goodbye. She was the closest she'd had to a mother in all of her time travelling.
Ranma tiptoed over to the nearby dresser as she heard the front door open, inside was filled with various clothes, she'd left them there when she was last staying with the Hibiki's. Lucky for her, her new form seemed the perfect size. She pulled out a soft pink long sleeve character shirt with sailor moon on its front among other things she'd need for her disguise.
One quick change later she now stood in the center of the room, dressed in a romper, black thigh highs, her favourite shirt, and her pink hair split into a pair of twin braids. She tugged the bow at the back of her red bandanna finishing her look. The mirror showing exactly what she'd planned, a small innocent looking girl. She gave herself a spin, skirt or not, it was perfect.
She was quite proud of herself for this latest scheme. Pretending to be Ryoga's long lost little sister, it was the perfect way to get in between him and Akane. She could hear them talking downstairs, no doubt already stumbling onto Shirokuro and her puppies. She turned to make her way out the door to start her little scheme when she spotted something on the bedside table: A set of fake fangs. She thought her disguise was perfect already but this would seal the deal, no way she'd get found out with those on. In one swift motion she swiped the white inserts quickly attaching them to her canines before rushing out the door.
Ranma was beside herself with excitement there was no way this was going to fail, she just had to act all cutesy and adorable and mr faceblindness would fall right into her trap.
"Oh heya Ryo nii-chan, when did you get back?" Ryoga and Akane were sat down in the main room with Akane absolutely covered in the absolutely adorable beans that were Shirokuro's puppies"
"Uh, w…what, who are you?" And there goes Ryoga, there's the hook now for the bait.
"Oh come on don't tell me you forgot your only little sister? Yoiko? I know your memory's not the best, but to forget me?" She put on her best puppy dog eyes as she stared at Ryoga in disbelief, heck she actually managed to get some tears out. 'Heh extra points for Yoiko, I… I mean Ranma.'
"Ranma?" There she was, the big problem, Akane, she saw through most of her disguises with ease, she had to tread carefully here, thread the needle you got this Yokio.
"Eh? Who's Ranma? oh oh, big bro, who's your friend? Is she your girlfriend?" Easy mode, just feign stupidity and then redirect.
"No seriously what? What's going on?" Ah poor naive big brother, she barely hid back a giggle as she entered the room.
"Come on Ranma, stop it with your stupid games" Thankfully Akane was still stuck under the super duper adorable puppies, or else she'd be in trouble now for the final act.
"What are you talking about lady? I'm Yoiko Hibki don't you see the resemblance?" Ranma grabbed Ryoga, pulling him to her side, grinning as wide as she could, while pulling her 'brother's' mouth to the side revealing the matching pair of super sharp, amazing fangs that all Hibiki had.
Akane stared at the pair dumbfounded, she was sure this was one of Ranma's tricks, surely but… no this was definitely some trick she just had to play along until Ranma slipped up.
"Now who are you? I didn't catch yer name" Ryoga shook his head out of his stunlock, wiggling his way out of her grip.
"Er sorry about that Yoiko you know how my head gets. Uhh, this is Akane, a friend of mine. Figured i'd show her the puppies and all that" Ranma grinned with a wide smirk. Bingo, one dumbass pigboy caught in her trap.
Ranma smoothed off her romper before running over grabbing Akane's hand shaking it with wild abandon "Nice to meet you miss Akane, you best treat my big bro right, he's sensitive ya know?"
Before she could figure out how to break the handshake Ranma was barrelled over by a black and white blur. The pinkette found herself laying on her back, with a massive lump of fur on her chest. She almost thought she'd been attacked by the panda but the sudden feeling of wet slobber on her face quickly shook that thought. Somehow the dog of honour had managed to escape her pups and was now giving her a flurry of kisses.
Shirokuro, the doggy matriarch of the Hibiki household soon relented. Having gotten up, she now sat on her haunches, staring down the small girl. Ranma shivered at the look as the large dog let out an authoritative bark. Ranma couldn't speak dog but she could tell what that bark meant, the small girl's twin braids drooped.
"I'm sorry Shirokuro, I know I haven't been around much." Her head fell in shame. She felt like she was being scolded, it felt horrible disappointing her like this but what was she supposed to do, her Pops wouldn't have let her stay here for Ryoga's sake, let alone the family dog.
Before she could feel even more sorry for herself she felt her head being nudged up, The black and white dog lifting her head up with their snout giving a soft woof, before giving another slobber filled kiss.
"Okay okay, I… I promise I'll be around more, okay?" Shirokuro leaned in, settling her head on the pinkette's shoulder. Ranma returned the hug, feeling herself get lost in the fluff. The doggy Hibiki let out a happy bark as she nuzzled in closer to Ranma causing her to laugh.
"I know I know, I love you too Shiro-mama"
Akane stood there dumbfounded, what on earth just happened. One moment she was standing there clearly being played with as part of Ranma's latest hairbrained scheme, and the next she'd staggered back into Ryoga's arms as they watched what was supposed to be Ranma be treated like a misbehaving child by a dog. The way it all happened too, it was like Shirkuro was talking to her, hell Ranma even called her Shiro-mama, if not for Ryoga's hands holding her she'd surely have collapsed from whiplash. Akane released herself from the tall Hibiki's arms, She turned to face him before gesturing at the sight before him as if to say 'What the hell?'
Ryoga simply shrugged, clearly not realising what he'd just done. "Yeah Shirokuro's a bit much sometimes, don't worry she wouldn't hurt a fly" Judging by the look on Akane's face that wasn't enough.
"She's just really protective of Yoiko. Don't ask me why, she basically 'adopted' her out of the blue one day. Mum would constantly argue with Shirokuro about how to raise her, as strange as it sounds…" Akane clearly wasn't satisfied with that either, her face growing an even weirder look, he simply chuckled, it wasn't his fault she didn't get it.
Ryoga on the other hand was having a great time. After all, he got to spend time with Akane, and it turns out his sister was home too. Two Hibiki's in the same house? It was a cause for celebration, but even that didn't begin to top the absolute joy he was witnessing before him. It had been a while since he truly felt like he'd been home, sure he'd visited the house a couple times to feed shirokuro and make sure the traps had been set properly but the house was always empty, with just a couple messages from mum and dad left telling him how things were going in their adventures.
He was a little thrown back seeing Yoiko, he felt awful forgetting that she'd even existed but seeing her energetic had quickly shaken that, dislodging some memories that he'd lost. At least Shirokuro clearly hadn't forgotten her. They'd made their way back to the pups with Shirokuro showing Yoiko her the pups, it was adorable watching them all together like that, he'd missed this. Ryoga found himself a nice spot at the table where he could watch. Thankfully Akane shook herself out of whatever had gotten to her and decided to join not much later.
The group had thankfully managed to settle down, Shirokuro having returned to her bed nestled up to her pups and the pinkette finding herself a spot by the bed, she'd sat down, pillows behind her with a small black bean of a pup sat on her lap. Eventually 'Yoiko' decided to ask Ryoga what sort of places he'd managed to get to on his trip.
For what it was worth Ryoga was surprisingly easy to listen to, he had a lot to talk about for someone so stoic, his stories about his many journeys across the world had enthralled the youngest Tendo sister. She was certain that some of the locations couldn't have been correct but it was still fascinating that he'd traveled so far and met so many interesting people. 'Yoiko' on the other hand infuriated Akane, who did she think she was fooling, Ranma of course not wanting to be one upped by Ryoga had shared their own details of their trip. Akane knew she'd overheard a number of the events she shared being spouted by the old panda to her father.
She knew what was going on but the worst part was that she didn't have any proof, she'd been sitting there listening to the two recount their journeys and felt like she was about to snap. If not for Ryoga's calming voice she'd have gone off at the pinkette hours ago. At some point Ryoga had gotten up leaving Akane alone with the source of her frustration.
"I know your game ‘Yoiko’."
"Eh, what are you talking about Akane-nee?" That damn look on the small pinkette's face just made her more mad, Ranma that fake confusion on your face isn't fooling anyone.
"Don't act stupid with me, I'll get Ryoga to see through your lies," A soft bark interrupted her as Ryoga returned with a tray, holding a pot of tea, some cups and a plate of cookies. Before the tray could even touch the table the fake Hibiki had already snatched a bunch of them, shoving them down her throat.
"Hey! We have guests! I know you're no longer taking food off my plate anymore but you have to share with Akane."
"Oh relax big bro! I was only eating my share. It's not my fault you couldn't keep your bread safe during middle school~" What was that 'Yoiko', there's no way you're getting out of it this time, she could see Ranma tense up, realising what she'd said. No more escaping for you Saotome, that slip up was all the evidence she…
Ryoga ruffled the pinkette's hair "Well maybe if someone wasn't such a glutton that she ran off with my lunch every day I wouldn't have had to buy bread-" Okay what, no that's not right he's not supposed to cover for her. 'Yoiko' opened her mouth, probably trying to weasel her way out of the mess she put herself in, but before she could speak up Ryoga continued.
"Too bad that even after eating all of my food you're still shorter than me back when I was in middle school." A gasp escaped the short girl's mouth, fear changing to… something else…
"Well maybe if you had any friends you'd know what sharing food with them was like big bro!" A shit eating grin now plastered itself across the smaller girl's face as she shoved her elbow into Ryoga's side.
Akane barely had time to blink before Ryoga responded, the hair ruffling he was giving turning into a full blown noggie. That quickly escalated to the two of them on the floor, Akane was prepared to get up to separate the two of them before she heard giggling, The pinkette was now being pinned to the ground as Ryoga poked her in the sides, with 'Ranma' returning by flipping him onto his back as she pinched his arm.
"Meathead"
"Shorty"
They… namecalling? This wasn't their typical fighting style? It almost sounded like they… they were having fun? Thankfully Shirokuro decided that the two had enough as Akane just sat there stunned. The half and half dog let out a solid woof causing the both to stop their playfight, Ryoga and 'Yoiko' releasing their grip on the other's clothes. Another bark causing them to separate.
"Nii-chan started it"
"I did not, you damned gremlin"
Another much louder bark caused the two to straighten up.
"Sorry Shirokuro" "Sorry Shiro-mama" She seemed satisfied at their response, letting off a softer woof before returning to her spot with the pups.
What on earth was that from Ranma? Where did all that come from, sure he was energetic when he was fighting and all that but, this? This was some sort of magic going on, the short pinkette was giggling, giggling for kami's sake, Ranma never giggled, and on top of that the Shirokuro and Ryoga clearly remembered her. Either she was wrong or Ranma had some explaining to do.
"So Yoiko, I've been looking around, there's tons of photos of your family but none of you, what's up with that?" Akane needed proof, unquestionable proof so she could stop this farce, there's no way the pinkette had a solution to this one.
The pinkette who was reaching to put the black puppy she had early back stopped. She looked away with a sheepish look. But before she could say anything Ryoga interrupted.
"Ah, yeah Yoiko's always been the camera shy type, whenever mum brought out the camera she'd scatter" Dammit, She was expecting Ranma to fumble around, maybe mutter an excuse but then Ryoga had to answer for her. But wait, their mother, what about their family?
"Oh, hey, what's your mum like anyway?"
Yoiko perked up at that, answering almost immediately "She's really nice, when we got to see her, she always managed to get us ice cream, even if she had to be led back home to find us."
"So where is she?"
"Uh, well I haven't seen her since I got back from china, what about you Yoiko?"
"I haven't seen her much either, I was honestly surprised to see Ryoga here, but I guess that was your doing hey kane-nee chan?"
The words were different, but that was the sort of taunting she was used to from Ranma. Akane was furious she was certain Yoiko was Ranma, but she just couldn't pin anything on the short Hibiki girl, she had answers for all of her questions, either Yoiko was real or Ranma knew way too much about the Hibikis, well she had one last trick up her sleeve, Ryoga had poured tea for the 3 of them, and 'Yoiko' had barely touched hers. It was getting quite late, so her time to strike had to be soon.
"Hey Yoiko, I should be heading off soon, could I see your room before I head out?"
"Oh? Sure think miss akane, I'd love to" That was such a fake smile, gotcha, Yokio carefully put down the pup on her lap before getting up, letting off a big stretch with a trill that sounded just like Ranma's.
"Okay, big bro you okay to clean up?" Ryoga looked up from giving Shirokuro pats, giving a thumbs up. 'Yoiko' had him wrapped around his fingers but it would all be over soon. 'Yoiko' turned away making her way towards the stairs. With one swift motion Akane picked up the tea kettle that sat on the table and launched it and the young 'Hibiki' and with a satisfying splash covered her in the still hot water within.
"Ha got you! Told you Yoiko wasn't real?" Ranma could feel the hot water dripping down her back, she'd been splashed it was all over, so why… Why did it make her feel so scared?
She turned around, to see Akane, kettle in hand. "Hah, yeah Akane… you… you finally got me, ha ha, just… just a… p…prank" Something was wrong, rather than looking down like she was used to after turning back, she had to look up.
"Akane, why did you just throw the kettle at Yoiko? you could have hurt her!" Ryoga quickly got up rushing to his sister's side, She shuddered as he stood in front of her defensively. She felt so small and helpless.
"Cus she's Ranma, that's why… right, Ranma?"
The pinkette wasn't moving, she just stood there soaked to the bone staring at her hands. The prank was supposed to end, It was… just a prank. But pranks aren't supposed to go like that, it was too perfect, they're supposed to break, She was supposed to get called out, to be found. Ryoga should have been the one not Akane, the shock on his face would have been perfect. But she… She played too perfectly, answering Akane's questions was too easy, playing the little sister came too naturally. She didn't even try that hard, it… it felt too real, this… it was just a prank right?… right?
"Yoiko?" Ryoga quickly grabbed a nearby towel that had been left for Shirokuro, it was thankfully still clean. He held it out, Ranma didn't take it, she couldn't take it, she just stood there, eyes barely blinking… stunned.
"It was just a p…prank… Akane? Why am I still Yoiko?" The smaller girl was trembling now, she looked up at Akane, whose temper quickly washed away, there was no way she could stay mad at Ranma, definitely not with that look on her face, something serious had gone wrong, she rushed to the small pinkette hugging her as tight as she could.
"Ranma, I don't know, oh kami, are you okay?" Ranma shook her head, she could feel pinpricks of tears threatening to escape.
"No… W…why am I still her?" She was panicking, this wasn't how it was supposed to go, it was just supposed to be a harmless prank. Tears started flowing and they didn't stop, she couldn't hold them back anymore. Why was she even tearing up in the first place? It wasn’t like it was the first time one of her pranks went wrong… but even so she couldn’t stop it and she couldn’t understand why…
"What's going on, what do you mean Ranma, that's Yoiko right?" Ryoga wrapped the towel around the shivering girl's shoulders as she started to hiccup.
"N…No… no no… I'm sorry Ryoga … I… I just wanted to p… pull a prank on you, Akane was right I'm R…Ranma, I'm supposed to be Ranma, Why didn't I..I…I change back? Why didn't it end? no no no…" Ranma tried to brush the tears away but they kept coming. She needed to change back, she pulled at her hair letting them out of the braids, taking her bandanna out she shook her hair loose, before reaching into her mouth to take out the fangs…
Her fingers slipped, She tried again… they didn't move… again she tugged, nothing.
She could still feel them, sharp fangs that she'd put in there herself, they weren't budging.
"NO! No Kami, someone H..Help me… the f..fangs they… they wont come out!"
Akane looked at Ryoga whose mouth was wide open in shock and back at her sobbing fiancee no matter how hard she looked at those fangs, those sharp piercing fangs the more they looked real, she reached forward and tugged at one, nothing changed, the way they felt, those didn't feel like some plastic imitations…
"Ranma, I'm sorry I think… I think those are real" Akane didn't like where this was going, first Ranma was locked and now the fangs were real? What was going on…
"WHAT HOw… how can they… no, it..it was supposed to end. n. n.. Nooo…" Ranma's voice failed her as her eyes dimmed passing out.
Thankfully Akane was able to catch her before she hit the ground, the smaller girl, limp in her arms, tears staining her face, with her hair a mess felt light in her arms.
"Ryoga I…"
"Akane, don't, I don't know what's going on, just… ugh, get Ranma home I'll clean up…" His face was a mix of confusion and frustration, he just turned around to lead Shirokuro away. She'd gotten up clearly concerned about all the tears and yelling.
"Right. Okay, I'll be by tomorrow to let you know what happened" Akane grabbed Ranma, hoisting her onto her back, the small girl thankfully still breathing.
The trek home thankfully wasn't far, they were almost home when Ranma started to stir again.
"A..Akane I'm so sorry"
"It's okay Ranma, lets just get you home okay?"
The front light was on, it was late but thankfully not too late. She could smell Kasumi's cooking as she walked up to the entrance. As she opened the door Ranma slid down feeling the cold stone beneath her feet, she'd left her shoes at the Hibiki's, she looked up at Akane's back as they stepped through to the genkan. Was she always so tall?
The noise of them arriving had clearly alerted the house as Kasume was soon there to greet them.
"Sorry we're late Kasumi, Ranma had something happen to her" Akane slid off her shoes looking
"I'm sorry Akane, but who's Ranma?" Whatever fog was still covering Ranma's head vanished in an instant as her head snapped to the elder Tendo sister, Akane with her boot half untied stopped stunned.
"What did you say? You know, Ranma, my fiancé?" Stopped turning to face her sister, but before could say anything more a voice that shouldn't have been there joined the group, from the kitchen entered a woman who shouldn't exist.
"Oh, Akane, you found Yoiko."
Hana Tendo, Akane's mother, was somehow standing there, alive.
Ranma froze up, seeing a face she only ever seen on the shrine in the Tendos washitsu, while Akane just mimicked the pinkette's actions from earlier, collapsing to the floor narrowly avoiding hitting her head.