-[departures and revelations]-

[2AM on a Sunday Ranma sits staring at his reflection in the pond what he 
sees displeases him because he only sees the reflection of his female half]

Ranma: [looking at his female reflection while thinking] something's going 
to happen today

Akane: Ranma??

Ranma: ...[not shifting his gaze] what are you doing up at this hour

Akane: ...[sitting down next to Ranma] I just woke up early

Ranma: [looking at his reflection which has now changed back to normal] ...

Akane: you ok

Ranma: no ... 

Akane: do you want to talk about it ... 

Ranma: .... Are we in love Akane ... is that why we fight so much ... why 
we're always calling each other names when both of us know we haven't 
really meant it for a very long time or ... why we constantly try to run 
away from each other and ourselves .................... after the wedding 
failed my mom released me from that stupid seppuku contract ... but I 
haven't really felt all that manly lately ... or even feminine ... I've 
just felt lost ...and I haven't been able to sleep for two days now

Akane: ...[sighs] I haven't slept for two days either Ranma .... I don't 
want to hurt them ... except for maybe shampoo ...

Ranma: what can we do Akane we love each other so much but there are still 
many things that have to be resolved the most severe of which are shampoo 
and Ukyou .... If I train you, you could beat shampoo and make her renounce 
her claim ... but Ukyou her family honor is at stake if our families aren't 
joined ... but the only way I can look at her is a sister

Akane: ...[sighs] I know ... even with all of her meddling I kind of look 
at her as a sister as well ... it's only been a few days since the failed 
wedding but I've already forgiven her

Ranma: ...[absentmindedly] I've always wanted a sister ... sometimes I 
really wish that Ukyou was that sister

[Ranma and Akane turn to face each other and smile hoping Ukyou will agree 
to their little plan]

Akane: [turning away from Ranma] ... I just wish I could beat shampoo if 
only I had something better than my stupid mallet

Ranma: [giggles] I've never told you this Akane but you're mallet isn't so 
stupid ... it's your Ki attack

Akane: what!

Ranma: tell you what how bout we go on a little training mission together 
and I'll teach you everything I know and I'll teach you how to use that 
mallet of yours for something else than hitting me into the upper 
stratosphere

Akane: but what will are parents think

Ranma: those bunch of perverts ... I'll give you 1 guess and it doesn't 
count

Akane: [sighs] I really do need the training don't I

Ranma: yeah ...

Akane: ...hum Ranma that letter you gave me from Ryouga

Ranma: go on

Akane: has he always been

Ranma: yeah

Akane: will I ever see him again

Ranma: knowing his sense of direction ... I'd say the odds are at least 50-
50

Akane: ... Ranma let's leave on that training mission right now ... we'll 
just pack our bags and vanish for a month or two

Ranma: and not even leave a note

Akane: no not even a note 

Ranma: I want to leave my wishes that Ukyou is to become my sister

Akane: fair enough

[the next morning the Tendo dojo awakens to find their loudest residents 
are missing leaving only one trace an official request from Ranma that 
Ukyou is to become his sister and a sealed letter to Ukyou from Ranma]

Nodoka: ....  Genma make the preparations for the ceremony

Genma: but

Nodoka: no buts ... I'm going over to Ukyou's place to deliver the news and 
the sealed letter

[a little later that morning Nodoka arrives at Ucchan's to find Ukyou 
scrubbing down the grill happily]

Nodoka: [knocking on the glass window of Ukyou's store/home] Ukyou!!

[Seeing Nodoka outside Ukyou quickly let's her in and they both sit down at 
the grill]

Ukyou: so what's up

Nodoka: [hands Ukyou the sealed letter] this

Ukyou: what is it

Nodoka: it's a sealed letter from Ranma meant only for you

Ukyou: [moistens her lips] ....[opens the letter and starts reading it 
aloud] Ukyou I'm sorry to say I have never loved you as someone that I 
would want to marry ...[Ukyou starts to sob] ... but I have always loved 
you and always will love you as a sister and will until I draw my dying 
breath ...[Ukyou starts to look confused] because I love you as a sister 
and do not want to soil your family honor I ask you to become my sister  
[Ukyou starts to look even more confused] the sister I never have but have 
always seen in you [Ukyou pauses as she sees the last words] ... please 
Ukyou become my sister

[Ukyou breaks down crying and Nodoka gently comforts her]

[about a week later in a mountainous forest were Ranma and Akane are 
training Ranma is awoken by Akane stepping into his tent]

Akane: Ranma it's kind of cold ... and I was wondering if I could [Akane 
starts turning red]

Ranma: come on over here before you freeze [smiles] you un-cute tomboy

Akane: [starts to get mad but sees Ranma's sincere smile] just don't do 
anything perverted

Ranma: [looking very serious] despite what everyone thinks of me I don't do 
that kind of thing without an engraved invitation ok

[needless to say Akane develops a very surprised look while Ranma's face 
takes on a very embarrassed look]

Akane: hum ok

[Akane lays down next to Ranma and Ranma as promised doesn't even try to 
wrap his arm around Akane]

Akane: ...[feeling very uncomfortable] ... [Akane grabs Ranma's arm and 
wraps it around herself and elbows Ranma a little bit] ...now behave ...

[a few seconds later Akane is feeling very hot because of Ranma's intense 
full body blush]

Akane: [snuggling closer] calm down Ranma

Ranma: [sounding very uncomfortable] hum

Akane: just calm down and don't be afraid to get comfortable

[after a few minutes Akane falls asleep while Ranma just tries to relax and 
gets to sleep]

[early the next morning Akane is awoken by Ranma talking in his sleep with 
what Akane can only guess is his own id and superego]

Ranma: no id-kun I'm not going to do it ....  What you want me to do it to 
id-chan!! ... I'm going to be sick.... at least superego-kun and chan are 
with me

[at this time Akane manages to figure out that something severely screwy is 
going on]

Akane: [thinking] id-kun, id-chan ... it's like he's talking to two 
different ids and superegos  ...[aloud] wake-up Ranma!!

[Ranma wakes up in a cold sweat]

Akane: you were just talking in your sleep Ranma

[Ranma goes white]

Akane: please tell me what's wrong

[Ranma just sighs and takes his diary and a scientific journal of some sort 
out of his backpack]

Ranma: read the journal

[Akane takes the journal which is entitled "the effects of the Jusenkyo 
curse of Nyannichuan and possibly Nannichuan on the human id and superego 
by Ranma Saotome"]

[Akane starts to read the highly technical journal explaining how the curse 
has affected him in cold technical scientific explanations and definitions 
but about halfway through the journal Akane finally realizes that the 
handwriting in the journal is that of Ranma]

Akane: you really did write this didn't you

Ranma: yeah

[Akane still to shocked by the contents of the journal which say that the 
curse at least for him has caused his id and superego to split into two 
halves one feminine and one masculine doesn't come back with the sarcastic 
remark about him been able to write a complex scientific paper which most 
of which she can't understand herself]

Akane: when did you start doing this

Ranma: ... I was poking around the library one day when you were looking at 
romance novels and I came across a book on basic psychology and it helped 
answer a lot of questions about why I suddenly had four voices in my head 
instead of two so I started keeping that journal so I could sort out what 
the curse did to me

[by this time Akane has managed to recover from the shock of Ranma being 
able to write a complex scientific paper that Dr. tofu would have trouble 
with]

Akane: but how did you write this I mean some of the stuff in here Dr. tofu 
would have trouble with

Ranma: [smiles weekly] I may be a blabbering idiot when it comes to talking 
about things but I can write with the best of them ...

Akane: [looking at Ranma's diary] can I

Ranma: [looking remorseful] yeah but a word of warning the Ranma Saotome 
that you'll read about in there is a very different person than the one you 
constantly mallet into the stratosphere ... so before you take the key and 
open that book make sure you want to know him

[Akane looks at the scientific journal in her hands a journal worthy of 
Sigmund Freud himself and ponders how much more there must be to Ranma if 
he could write something this complex]

Akane: [looking at the diary and then at Ranma who now has a gold key in 
his hand] ...ok

Ranma: another thing the Ranma in that diary has very strong feelings about 
sexists [Ranma hands the now confused Akane the key to his diary and then 
leaves the tent to prepare breakfast]

[later that morning Ranma is meditating while in the background a mixture 
of sadness, anger, and other emotions can be felt from the direction of his 
tent in which Akane is still reading his diary]

Ranma: [thinking] maybe giving her the diary wasn't the wisest thing to do 
but it's the only way I've got to show her who I really am under my 
protective "Ranma no baka" exterior ...hum... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... 0...

[suddenly a stifled scream is heard from Ranma's tent and a few seconds 
later Akane rushes out of the tent her face whiter than new fallen snow]

Ranma: [not even opening his eyes] I see you got to THAT DAY

Akane: [her voice very shaky] I'm so sorry I never

Ranma: [still not opening his eyes] that's right you never knew the only 
one that knows about that is Kasumi and that's because she's the one that 
found me on the bathroom floor after IT happened ... read on Akane there's 
more to that story you need to know

[as Akane begins to read more and more about THAT DAY and IT her face 
becomes whiter and whiter and then terns beat red for a second before 
becoming even paler than before]

Akane: [handing Ranma the open diary face down] I think I need to take a 
cold shower Ranma

[Akane walks off and Ranma flips over the diary to reveal a date that was 
approximately a month after he received his curse and in very poor and 
shaky handwriting the beginning of the diary entry reads "dear diary today 
I had my first period..."]

[meanwhile a few hundred meters away Akane is crying and crying hard about 
all the things she had ever done to Ranma while remembering how the diary 
had called her a female sexist and how that hurt her mainly because the 
diary gave a detailed definition of a sexist that fit her to the nines but 
also remembering the next entry was about IT happening to Ranma]

Akane: [thinking] the one thing I never thought or even dreamed could 
happen to poor Ranma has been happening all this time ... oh kami why have 
I've been such a ...[aloud] ... sexist!!!!!

[Back at the campsite Ranma hears the screen and a single tear rolls down 
his face as he stops meditating]

-[the return]-

[early morning at the Tendo dojo everyone is awoken by a divine smell 
coming from the kitchen]

[the upstairs hallway where Nodoka, Kasumi, Genma, Soun, and Nabiki have 
gathered]

Nodoka: if none of us are downstairs who's cooking breakfast

[at this time a half a sleep Ranma comes out of the bathroom and walks 
downstairs without missing a beat]

Nabiki: you don't think

Akane: [from downstairs] breakfast is ready!!!

[Everyone cautiously walks downstairs to find Ranma wolfing down his food 
as per usual while Akane is setting the rest of the table]

Akane: [looking up at everyone] bout time you sleepy heads woke up now sit 
down and eat some breakfast

[seeing that Ranma is actually eating everyone assumes that the meal was 
not prepared by Akane and all sit down in eat]

Ranma: [just finishing his meal] that was a good meal my uncute tomboy

[Without hesitating Ranma gets up and leaves for the training hall while 
Akane turns to see the reactions on everyone's faces which are predictably 
shocked]

Akane: well I guess I better go change into my training gi so me and Ranma 
can spar

[Akane leaves for her bedroom leaving the rest of those gathered at the 
dining room table in a state of shock which only increases when Akane walks 
by in a green gi and white pants on her way to the training hall]

Nabiki: I say we go watch them

[later in the training hall Ranma and Akane are sparing at Tenshin 
Amaguriken speed while firing off Chi bolts throwing mallets while Nodoka, 
Kasumi, Genma, Soun, and Nabiki are watching while eating a bowl of popcorn 
when Ranma lands a punch to Akane's abdominales sending her into the wall 
scaring everyone until Akane gets up and dusts her self off]

Akane: ok you win today but tomorrow my Ranma no baka you're the one that's 
going into the wall

[predictably Ranma sticks his tongue out at Akane and they both start to 
fight again all be it half heartly considering they are both laughing their 
heads off]

Akane: [still laughing] don't think this gets you off the hook tomorrow 
your going down

[Ranma just sticks of his tongue which Akane quickly grabs]

Akane: you were saying

Ranma: [trying to speak even know Akane still has his tongue] let go of my 
tongue

[Akane obliges Ranma's request and lets go of his tongue before both of 
them get up and leave]

[later back in the dining room where Nodoka is sitting alone when Ranma and 
Akane enter]

Nodoka: so where did you two go to the

Akane: we went on a training mission and that's all

Ranma: so did Ukyou accept

Nodoka: of course ... and you better go and visit her before she worries 
her self sick over you and Akane

[Ranma smiles at the idea of having a sister and then he and Akane leave 
for Ucchan's]

[meanwhile at Ucchan's Ukyou is getting ready to open when a certain black 
piglet jumps on top of her head]

Ukyou: so p-chan do you think my dear brother will return today

[said piglet just gives a low bwee]

Ukyou: you're right he's probably already eloped with Akane

[on that cue Ranma and Akane can be seen approaching Ucchan's]

Ryouga-P-chan: [using a small sign] I could be wrong however

[Ryouga-p-chan runs off just as Ranma and Akane enter]

Ukyou: [smiling] where have you two been for the past couple of months

Ranma: on a training mission ... isn't that right my uncute tomboy

[Akane elbows Ranma before sitting down]

Ukyou: well you two seem to be getting along better

[Ranma and Akane go into their usual act about each other but even a 
stranger would be able to tell that they are only playing which causes 
Ukyou to start laughing furiously]

Ukyou: so when's the wedding

[at this time Ranma and Akane go beat red just as Ryouga enters]

Ryouga: yeah bro when are you going to get off your ass and marry her

[predictably Ranma develops a look of complete shock on his face which only 
increases as he sees Ryouga pointing to a small gold ring on his right hand 
while Ukyou smiles as she fiddles with a similar gold ring on her left 
hand]

[Ranma can do nothing but flap his jaw in the wind while Akane 
congratulates the two and apologizes for not been at the wedding until 
Ukyou notices Ranma has gone into total neural shut down]

Ukyou: [doing a perfect Kasumi imitation] oh my I do believe his brain shut 
down

Akane: [materialize in a mallet out of nowhere] don't worry I know where 
the restart button is

[Akane smacks Ranma with her ki mallet which manages to restart Ranma's 
brain]

Ranma: [blinks] let me get this straight Ryouga you're now my brother-in-
law

Ryouga: yep

[at this time Ranma materializes a large mallet and starts beating himself 
over the head as he leaves]

Ukyou: when did you teach him how to do the mallet thing

Akane: about a month ago ... well I guess I better go find him [Akane gets 
up and walks over to the door before stopping] ... oh by the way Ryouga 
I'll be having a word with you later [that said Akane starts to glow before 
leaving]

Ukyou: you know what dear I believe you're in deep, deep trouble

Ryouga: [sweating visibly] maybe I should go on a training mission

Ukyou: [shakes her head] that would only delay the inevitable and you know 
it

Ryouga: I know but at least I can prepare for being malleted into pig 
pudding

Ukyou: you do have a point 






Plot hole  ...big plot hole








-[No longer a curse]-

[early morning in Ranma and Akane's room Ranma and Akane awaken in each 
other's arms]

Ranma: mhhh

Akane: so my Ranma no baka

Ranma: what my uncute tomboy

Akane: shall we go downstairs

Ranma: [remembering the Nannichuan water downstairs and Akane's decision 
last night] ok

{the previous night after the wedding after everyone had left the dojo 
Ranma and Akane are sitting in the dining room looking at a bottle of 
Nannichuan}

Ranma: [his face white] are you sure about this

Akane: yes Ranma I don't want you to use the Nannichuan 

Ranma: why

Akane: ...[sighs] you just wouldn't be my Ranma without it

Ranma: [looks at the bottle of Nannichuan] ...fine for you I will do 
anything ... or in this case nothing

Akane: [smiles] we'll decide what to do with the water later ... in the 
meantime ...[Akane develops a perverted little smile]

[back to the present where Akane who is wearing one of Ranma's usual 
outfits while sitting at the dining room table giving the bottle of 
Nannichuan a strangely perverted smile when Ranma enters with breakfast]

Ranma: breakfast is ready

Akane: mhh sounds good and I definitely worked up an appetite last night

[Ranma turns beat red]

Ranma: who've of thought you'd be such a nymfo

[Akane just smiles as she turns slightly red] 

[After a short breakfast Akane returns her gaze to the bottle of 
Nannichuan]

Akane: [thinking as she absentmindedly fingers the bottle] hum ... Ranma's 
right I never thought I would enjoy sex so much ... I love him deeply ... 
but I still really don't understand him ... do I really want a curse of my 
own ... it would make him happy but at the same time it would make him 
sad ... but for some strange reason I know it would make me happy ... maybe 
because I know I would be able to satisfy him ... but that's not the only 
reason ... I guess maybe I've been jealous of him ...[aloud] Ranma do you 
have any instant Nannichuan left

Ranma: hum why do you ask

[Akane just smiles at Ranma]

Ranma: [gulps] dumb question right

Akane: yeah ... [smiles]

Ranma: [looking at the bottle suspiciously] you aren't actually thinking 
about doing what I think you're thinking of

Akane: [shrugs her shoulders] yeah I guess I am ... [giggles] although I 
have no idea why ... [sighs]

Ranma: ... I have one packet left

[Akane just smiles devilishly and Ranma leaves to go get the packet]

Akane: [looking at the Nannichuan while smiling and thinking] oh Ranma I 
don't really care about the curse I care about you ... but why, why do I 
want to become more like you I don't understand I know I do but yet ... 
[sighs and continues to think] ... I know it's not for the sex ... 
[mentally smiles] although I won't deny it has something to do with that ... 
maybe it's just my way of showing you how much I love you [smiles] 

[Ranma reenters with a bucket of cold water and his last package of instant 
Nannichuan and puts them down on the table next to Akane and Akane checks 
the temperature of the water by splashing Ranma with a little while 
smiling]

Ranma-chan: why

Akane: [stairs at the bottle of Nannichuan] I don't really know I just know 
I want to do it

[Ranma-chan sighs deeply and starts to leave]

Akane: and where are you going 

Ranma-chan: hum

[Akane grabs the bucket and the packet of instant Nannichuan and walks off 
to her and Ranma's bedroom while motioning Ranma-chan to follow]

[later in Ranma and Akane's room Ranma-chan sits on the bad nervously 
looking out the window while Akane mixes the instant Nannichuan into the 
bucket of cold water]

Akane: [holding the bucket] anything I should know before hand

Ranma-chan: hum ... your balance will be completely off just after you 
transform [scratches the back of her head absentmindedly while 
thinking] ...oh kami I'm going to lose it I just know it

Akane: Ranma please watch

[as Ranma-chan turns to face Akane just as she pours the contents of the 
bucket over herself transforming into a man around the same height and 
build as Ranma in his male form while still looking very much like herself 
only masculine]

Akane-Kun: [turning to see himself in his closet mirror] ... is [Akane-Kun 
jumps at the sound of his own voice] ... that really me [Akane-Kun just 
keeps staring at the mirror] 

Ranma-chan: [thinking] oh kami-sama she's just as handsome ....

Akane-Kun: [turning to face Ranma-chan] are you ok Ranma you seem a little 
white

[Akane-Kun sees the expression on Ranma-Chan's face change to 1 he is all 
too familiar with]

Akane-Kun: [sitting down next to Ranma-chan] just let go and be a woman for 
once Ranma

Ranma-chan: ...[thinking] oh kami, kami, should I ... the feelings from 
this body are becoming unbearable their screaming to be satisfied I just 
can't ...be ...a ...man ... right now ......[Ranma-chan looks into Akane-
Kun's eyes] ... it still Akane ... and I'm still me ...

[Ranma-chan starts to kiss Akane-Kun passionately and nature takes its 
course]

[later that evening Ranma sits alone having a hot bath]

Ranma: [thinking] ... I don't want to be just a man anymore not after what 
happened today ... my female body is now mine just as much as my male body 
and I'm not going to run away from my feminine side anymore ...[smiles] I 
know mom will understand ... from now on I'm going to be both a man and a 
woman

[suddenly a large splash of water can be heard from downstairs]

Ranma: [smiles] my uncute tomboy has just gotten a lot more boyish

-[control?]-

[the dining room of the Tendo dojo where Akane has just pored a bottle of 
Nannichuan over her head becoming Akane-Kun]

Akane-Kun: [taking a deep breath] ahh

[suddenly Ranma can be heard screening from upstairs]

Akane-Kun: what the!!!

[5 seconds later Akane-kun barges into the bathroom to find Ranma 
frantically pouring water over himself]

Akane-Kun: what's wrong

Ranma: I'm not transforming!!

Akane-Kun: what!! ...well maybe it's just some kind of fluke

Ranma: [trying to compose himself] yeah maybe I just got some instant 
Nannichuan on myself and it'll where often a while ... why don't you go 
downstairs and make some tea Akane I'll be down their after I get dressed

[Akane-Kun leaves and a few minutes later down in the dining room Ranma-
chan enters to find Akane sipping some tea]

Akane: ahh I see you finely transformed

Ranma-chan: what [notices her own voice and then pats herself on the 
chest] ....

Akane: what's wrong

Ranma-chan: ... I wasn't in this form a second ago Akane ... quick the hot 
water

[Akane throws Ranma-chan the hot water kettle which she quickly pours over 
her head but does not transform]

Ranma-chan: [now balancing the kettle on top of her head] okay this is 
getting weird even for us

[Akane grabs a nearby glass of ice water which she pours on herself and 
instantly changes into Akane-Kun]

Akane-Kun: well at least my curse doesn't have a short circuit

[Ranma-chan roles her eyes at her wife/husband's comment]

Akane-kun: well what were you thinking of between here and the bathroom

Ranma-chan: mainly why I didn't transform

Akane-Kun: anything unusual ... even if it seems silly or trivial

Ranma-chan: ... well I was thinking it would be nice if I could control my 
curse better

Akane-Kun: how exactly

Ranma-chan: I would be able to snap my fingers and I would change forms 
just like that [snaps her fingers and transforms much to Akane-Kun's 
surprise]

Akane-Kun: [blinks] you just did

Ranma: what [again surprised by his own voice] ....ok this is getting too 
weird

Akane-Kun: try to do it again this time on purpose

Ranma: ok ...[snaps his fingers] ... well that didn't work

Akane-Kun: [tapping her fingers absentmindedly] don't try to do it just do 
it

Ranma: ....ok 

[Ranma snaps his fingers and this time transforms]

Ranma-chan: did ...[notices her voice] ... I guess I did ....hay you try it 
now

Akane-Kun: ...[snaps his fingers] ... [raising an eyebrow] ...

Ranma-chan: nothing

Akane-Kun: I guess I'm stuck with hot and cold water until we figure out 
what's changed about your curse

Ranma-chan: [smiling] go get some hot water for yourself and then will go 
to dinner with my sister ... and by the time we get back our family should 
be back

[later at Ucchan's Ranma-chan and Akane enter Akane sipping on some bottled 
water]

Ukyou: [looking at an okonomiyaki cookbook] ...

Akane: hi sis

Ukyou: ....[still looking at her cookbook] hi sis ... so where's ran-chan

Ranma-chan: put your cookbook down sis and maybe you would notice I'm right 
here

[Ukyou puts down her cookbook]

Ukyou: ...[blinks] ...but ...the ... Nannichuan

Akane: [smiles] ... me and Ranma decided to do something different with it 
[pores some of her bottled water on herself changing into Akane-Kun]

Ukyou: [beyond shocked] ... how ... why

Ranma-chan: [smiling] clam down Ucchan

Ukyou: why did you

Ranma-chan: we're not exactly sure ourselves ok Ucchan

Ukyou: ... you want any hot water

Akane-Kun: naa