ROCK 'N ROLL 1/2 (Part Two)
                   A Ranma 1/2 fanfic by The Leaping Gnome
        (Full of lemony yellow, orangey orange, and lime-green
flavors)

DISCLAIMER: Ranma and co. are owned by Rumiko Takahashi and
whomever her corporate masters may be, and are used here without
any permission whatsoever.. but then, this is a fanfic, so why
are you surprised? Please don't sue, I have no money.

PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT LYRICS: This being a lemon fanfic,
it's just chock-full of naughty bits that only people over the
age of consent should be reading. Use your brain and don't show
this to kids. If you don't like lemons, or just plain don't like
sex, reading past this point absolves me of any responsibility
for you being offended. For those of you who *do* like this sort
of thing, be forewarned. This fic contains, in addition to some
good ol'fashioned vanilla sex, a certain amount of unpleasantness
involving obscure chinese weaponry. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've used the standard english spellings of the
character's names throughout the story, and will continue to do
so in subsequent chapters as well. I realize this may offend some
purists who prefer the japanese spellings, but, tough shit! You
wanna write 'em that way, write yer own damn lemon. There's a few japanese words in here, but they can easily be deciphered by context. As far as correct phonetic spelling, I've tried to be accurate, but my grasp of japanese isn't strong enough to avoid a fuckup or two. If you spot one, let me know (nicely) and i'll be sure to use the correct spelling in future stories. Additionally,here's a few scripting quirks. Words bracketed with asterisks (*)are meant to emphasized. Words surrounded by squared brackets [-]are thoughts, not spoken aloud. That's it. Read on.

CULTURAL NOTE: White Day is a japanese holiday celebrated one
month after Valentines Day, March 14th. On Valentines Day,
girls give their sweeties cards, gifts (and nookie if they've
been particularly nice.) On White Day, the menfolk are expected
to return the favor. Don't ask me why it's called White Day, I
have no idea.

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE: It's two days before White Day and what
everybody's asking is: Who will Ranma Saotome ask to Furinkan
High's White Day dance? He's got, like, half-a-dozen fiancees...
To make the pressure worse, the current number one pop group in
Japan, Nevada Ticket, has been hired to play the dance! All the
girls are big fans, but no one is a bigger fan than Akane, who
has decided that if Ranma doesn't take her, She'll have to kill
him.
     Ranma, in girl form, was caught by Miss Hinako, Furinkan's
aura-draining master disciplinarian, in an
apparently-compromising position with Ryoga (Who has, we learned,
worked as Nevada Ticket's driver. He got them lost on mainland
China, you see, and they ended up near a certain Cursed Training
Ground...) While Ryoga and Ranma were merely involved in some of
their standard scuffling, Hinako jumped to the wrong conclusion
and came down hard.
     Ranma escaped, but Ryoga was captured and was forced to
submit to Miss Hinako's disciplinary techniques. Confused by his
response to Hinako's sadomasochistic assault, Ryoga returned to
the Tendo Dojo to consider his feelings. We pick up the story
that night, around ten p.m.

AND NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO.... ROCK N' ROLL 1/2 PART TWO: 
"CAT SCRATCH FEVER"

     In the apartment she shared with her great-grandmother above
the Cat Cafe, Shampoo lay on her bed in her nightgown, going over
this month's receipts. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't
concentrate. She'd been having powerful urges for the past two
nights... Urges that made her want to climb up to the roof and
start to howl at the moon. She was also experiencing an
unpleasant tingling between her legs, a sort of itchy feeling
that she couldn't get rid of. She'd tried scratching, then
calamine lotion, but nothing worked.
     [Aiya! Shampoo hope she no pick something up off toilet seat
in Cat Cafe! American-style plumbing is mixed blessing!] She
absently scratched at herself as she worked.
     [This too-too irritating. Shampoo have great-grandmother
check her out. Maybe she have ointment...]
     Shampoo stood and did a full body stretch, arms over her
head. At the fullest point of her stretch, she felt something go
"Ping!" in her head, slide down her spine, and catch fire in her
groin. She screeched!
     "Eeek!"
     The strange burning sensation localized and grew. 
     [Shampoo know this feeling now! Is same as when she think of
Ranma-Airen and touch herself, only much, much stronger! Is not
good!]
     She tried to move over to the door, to call Cologne, but her
legs gave out halfway. She slid to the floor, her hips pulsing
and grinding of their own volition against the edge of the bed.
She tried to call for help, but when she opened her mouth, only
cat-like moans escaped her lips. Her hand shot down between her
legs as she inserted first one, then two, and finally a third
finger in a desperate attempt to quench the fire. The flames only
blazed higher, her body demanding more and more stimulation as
she writhed across the pallet. Tears streamed down her face as
she forced her other fingers and thumb into her grasping pussy.
Truly frightened now, she fell off the bed, reached blindly
around with her free hand, grasping at air until it closed around
the pole of one of her bonbori. She tried to throw the weapon,
hoping to break down the door and bring Cologne running, but her
hands seemed to have other ideas. Maddeningly, they moved the end
of the pole to the entrance of her pussy. 
     [No! No! No! Shampoo will not...]
     "Uuhg!" she grunted as she forced the bonbori shaft into
herself. The pitch of her arousal increased, her inner muscles
clenching and pulsing around the wooden pole, pulling it even
deeper. As the tip touched the sensitive ring of her cervix, her
whole body went into overdrive, completely out of her control.
     [Sh-Shampoo... No... Dishonor... Weapons... Is...Too great
disgrace... But...Feels *so* good...Ahh! Aah! Aah! Aah!]
     Her strong legs gripped the bonbori ball with her feet and
began slamming the weapon's hilt in and out of herself... Her
hands groped at her firm breasts, squeezing and kneading, far,
far more roughly than she had ever done before... there would be
bruises come the morning... Her fingers found her hard nipples,
pulling and stretching the sensitive flesh between her digits,
stimulating her beyond all endurance..
     With an almost painful jolt, her body convulsed in a mind
shattering orgasm. Her spasming leg and vaginal muscles clenched,
firing the bonbori across the room with enough force to crash
through the thick wall separating her room from the sitting room.
     Cologne appeared in the hole left by the dishonored
bonbori's passage.
     "Shampoo! What have I told you about combat training in the
house? Especially while I'm watching my stories! I... good
heavens, child, whatever is the matter?!" The wizened Amazon
glanced around the shambles of the room, saw the pained and
distressed look on her great-granddaughter's face. "What has
happened? Were you attacked?"
     "Oh, Great-grandmother...." Shampoo collapsed into tears.
     "My child..." Cologne rushed over, taking the distressed
girl into her arms. "Oh, my poor, poor child. Tell me what has
happened..."
     "Shampoo's body no listen to her... *sniff!*... she go
crazy, dishonor bonbori pole..." Her hands drifted off of
Cologne's shoulders, slid down between her legs, touching her
swollen outer lips. "Shampoo cannot stop... touching herself...
she want... s-she..." Her hands rubbed furiously at her labia, a
finger sliding between them. Cologne watched in horror as her
beloved granddaughter masturbated furiously, weeping. "Shampoo
cannot s-stop!! Oh great-grandmother, please!"
     Cologne touched a sensitive pressure point beneath Shampoo's
left shoulder blade, and the younger Amazon collapsed,
unconcious, a small smile of relief crossing her face before she
passed out, her features relaxing in slumber.
     "Oh, my poor granddaughter, do not blame yourself... It has
finally happened, just as I feared...

                                 *   *   *

     At the Tendo dojo, the human and panda inhabitants slept
soundly. Not a creature was stirring, except for a small black
pig...
     P-chan couldn't sleep, despite his fatigue. Even Akane's
arms couldn't bring him any comfort tonight, and he thought he
knew why. Miss Hinako. What she'd put him through he... he... he
didn't know *how* he felt. All he knew was that something had
changed within him, that he'd lost a piece of himself to the
teacher. He'd been doing some soul-searching, and had decided to
take a short stroll to the kitchen and snack on some of the
carrots that Akane had placed out for him in a bowl. P-chan being
P-chan, however, he'd found himself on the back porch overlooking
the garden and koi pond. Sigh. Perhaps he'd better just go back
to bed. He turned and entered the house, meaning to rejoin Akane
in her warm bed. He ended up in the bathroom.
     [Oh, well. A bath would feel pretty nice, anyway.] He went
over to the furo, tested the water with his front trotter. Still
warm, warm enough to cause the change...
     P-chan dove into the furo, and Ryoga surfaced.
     "Aaah... that feels good..." He looked down at his bruised
body, examined the welts.
     "Eeeyouch! Boy, that'll sting for a while... I don't think
Lil' P-chan'll ever be the same... Good thing I heal
quickly...Not as quickly as *Ranma* mind you.. Ranma..."
     He searched his soul for the searing frustration that
speaking that name usually brought on. Ranma, stealing his
lunch... Ranma, landing him in the Spring of Drowned Pig...
Ranma, winning *every* fight they ever had... Ranma, always
getting the girl... For some reason, his hatred wasn't quite as
intense... wasn't even really *hatred*, anymore... He realized at
that moment, he didn't *hate* Ranma! He envied him, sure... his
easy way with women, the fact that he was engaged to Akane and
umpteen other girls... Hmmm. Actually, Ranma's pretty miserable
most of the time, isn't he? I mean, what problems do *I* really
have? 
     He sunk further into the furo as he thought. Well, I have no
sense of direction, so I do a lot of travelling... That's kind of
nice... I turn into a pig when I'm hit with cold water... at
least it's a *male* pig. I don't have four fiancees competing for
my affections, but... there *is* that nice girl Akari... And
she's not always trying to beat me up... Hey! Wait just a minute!
     He stood up straight in the bath as a two-million volt
lightningbolt hit him right between the eyes...
     "My life doesn't suck! As a matter of fact, Ranma's so much
worse off than me, it's not even funny! Hah hah!"
     He felt like a great, oppressive weight had been lifted from
his shoulders! He was better off than Ranma! Hell, he'd even
gotten laid by a woman half of Nerima lusted after! He was a
stud! Experimentally, he thought of naked breasts, round and
soft, his face squeezed between them... He touched his nose... No
nosebleed! I'm cured!
     He leapt out of the bath and towelled himself dry, happy as
(you'll pardon the expression) a pig in shit. With a jaunty
bounce to his step, he reached behind the towel rack for his
stash of spare clothes... Gone. Peachy. Kasumi must've found
them, and now they're in the wash, or thrown out as trash... He
checked the clothes hamper. All he could find was a set of
Ranma's red and black kung fu togs. He sniffed the armpits before
donning them, convinced of their relative cleanliness. He strode
out of the bathroom confidently. [I feel so damn good, I think
I'll go wake Ranma up and laugh at him. Who cares if he pounds me
flat?! I am the *man*!] He practically danced down the hallway.
     Ryoga set off for the Saotomes' sleeping quarters, only to
find himself back out on the porch. [Sigh..I guess some things
never change...] He sprung up to the rooftop of the Dojo
outbuilding, and sat on the patch of shingling that the Tendos,
in a fit of the cutes after watching one too many dubbed "Winnie-
The-Pooh" videos, had christened "Ranma's Pondering Spot". 
     [I can see why he likes it up here,] Ryoga thought to
himself. [You can see all the way to the aquaduct...] He settled
in for some serious self- congratulations...
     Unbeknownst to the gloating martial artist, three mysterious
figures lurked in the shadows at the edge of the yard, just out
of sight.
     "Is that him? It's too dark out to tell..."
     "I *think* it is."
     "Fuck it. Grab the pissant and let's get outta here. It's
too fuckin' cold..." 

                                 *   *   *

     Shampoo came to in the living room of her apartment. She'd
been dressed in her red silk shirt and matching hotpants and was
sitting on her great-grandmother's T.V. watching pillow, her back
propped against the wall. She felt a curious numbness in the
region of her hips. Not uncomfortable, but simply a lack of
sensation. Cologne stood at her feet, gazing with concern at
Shampoo's face.     
     "How do you feel, granddaughter?"
     "Shampoo okay, feel a little fuzzy, though..." She blushed a
deep crimson as the memory of what she had done caught up with
her. The shame...! "Oh. great-grandmother...! What has Shampoo
done?!" The young Amazon broke down, the tears flooding down her
face. "Shampoo disgrace herself in front of honored elder! Is
too-too great shame..."
     "Don't worry, child. You needn't fear another laspe of
control for another hour or so. I have used a Shiatsu technique
that will keep your hormones under control for the next hour, but
we must come up with a solution by then..." Shampoo only cried
harder...
     Cologne encircled the younger Amazon in a hug (no mean feat
if you're only one foot tall) and rocked her gently, making
soothing noises as Shampoo cried.
     "There, there, granddaughter... It's not your fault... In
truth, I have been expecting this, or something *like* this for
some time now..."
     "Wha? What you mean?" Shampoo sniffled, rubbing her nose.
     "Forgive me for asking, child, but... when did your monthly
moon-blood stop flowing?"
     Shampoo blushed a deep crimson red.
     "Oh, come now! An Amazon is not ashamed of her body's
natural functions! She is proud of her femininity! You have been
amongst these weak-kneed Nihon-jin women for too long! Now, tell
me; when did the flow cease?"
     " Two-three day ago..."
     "And when did you feel the onset of these disturbing
symptoms?"
     "Two day ago... Oh! You think maybe is connected?"
     "Almost certainly... Tell me, child. How familiar have you
become with feline physiology?"
     "Too-too familiar..."
     "And are you aware of the differences in the reproductive
cycles of felines and humans?"
     "Oh, sure. Shampoo make sure to read up on kitties. Human
girl she ov-u-late?" Shampoo stumbled over the clinical japanese
word. "Yes, is right word. Ovulate each month. Kitties only
three-four times a year, when kitty go into... Aiya! Cannot be!"
     "No, my child, I'm afraid it's true... you've gone into
heat..."

                            *   *   *

     Kodachi Kuno was bored. Extremely bored. By virtue of that
fact, she was also angry. Extremely angry. And when Kodachi the
Black Rose is extremely bored and extremely angry, she becomes
extremely dangerous...
     She had already chased the family's servants into their
rooms due to her incessant complaining and furniture throwing,
Father was at the tanning salon, Sasuke had left to visit his
aging mother in Hokkaido, and her brother Tatewaki was in the
basement playing with his Pigtailed Girl and Akane Tendo
handpuppets. There was no one to hit, no one to order around...
Nothing to do!
     Whenever Kodachi was feeling especially dangerous, she liked
to go down to her trophy room and admire her accomplishments. Ah,
such laurels she had gathered... First Prize in the Nerima
All-Debutante Martial Arts Competition, the singlehanded victory
over the Kohlkoz High Rhythmic Gymnastics Team... The glorious
day she had first met her beloved Ranma-Darling... If only her
brother's damnable Pigtailed Girl had not defeated her... Ranma
would have been hers!
     Whenever Kodachi was feeling extremely bored, extremely
angry and extremely dangerous, and started to think about her
Ranma-Darling, she would inevitably become extremely horny. And
the only thing more dangerous than Kodachi when she was feeling
extremely bored and extremely angry was Kodachi when she was
extremely horny...
     She collected certain select items of gymnastic destruction
off of the wall, and set out, laughing manaically, for the Tendo
Dojo.
     "Ranma-Darling! Your dearest Kodachi is coming!!!"

                         *   *   *

     "B-but... No is possible, great-grandmother! Has been many
many months since Shampoo fall into Spring of Drowned Cat, and
this never happen before!"
     "Ah, but I fear that it will happen again, every month, from
now on... You see, your body has become adapted to its cursed
form, and the cat-half is beginning to influence the
girl-half..."
     "Why this happen to only Shampoo?!"
     "Ah, but it hasn't only happened to you. Witness the
evidence of the other victims of Jusenkyo's curse! The
Son-in-law, for instance, has become much more in touch with his
feminine side, even in the time I've known him. Have you not
realized how protective he has become towards all women?" Shampoo
nodded, lower lip quivering. "Further, look at Mousse! He was
never a terribly good swimmer as I recall, but now he has an
active interest in watersports! Even that dolt Genma Saotome
spends more time as a panda than he does as a man! It was only a
matter of time before some cat-characteristics began to manifest
themselves in you... Mind you, I was hoping it might have been
the feline's innate ferocity in battle, or at the worst, meowing
and purring and carrying on, but..."
     "Aiya! Is too-too terrible! Shampoo no want to do this every
month for ever and ever!"
     "I'm afraid it gets worse... A cat normally stays in heat
for one to two weeks... based on what happened tonight, I fear
you may hurt yourself or others if the heat is allowed to run
it's course. There is, unfortunately, only one way to end the
heat prematurely..."
     "And is? Shampoo will do it!"
     "To become pregnant..."
     "Little ones?! Shampoo no want children before she marry
Ranma-Airen! Is no other way?" Cologne shook her head sadly.
Tears welled up in Shampoo's eyes as she saw her dreams dry up
and blow away.
     "Oh, great-grandmother!!!!" Huge, racking sobs echoed
through the room as Shampoo held onto her great-grandmother like
a drowning man to a log. Cologne looked like she was about to
join her.
     "Oh, Shampoo, if there was any other way, I... Wait a
minute! Give me a moment!" The ancient Amazon dissappeared down
the stairs to the restaurant, reappearing a moment later with
some jars and a mortar and pestle. She began preparing a powder,
and, after adding starch and rolling it into pill-form, she
presented it to her granddaughter.
     "Take this, my child. It is your only hope."
     "Shampoo complied, eyeing the pellet suspiciously before
swallowing it.
     "The pill contains compounds that will fool your body into
thinking it has become pregnant, when in fact it will prevent
fertilization. But you must take care to remember to take it
every day..."
     Shampoo nodded gravely.
     "There is but one problem..."
     "Oh, no! Is *always* problem..."
     "Like the anti-venin serum for the cobra's poison must
contain a small dose of the poison itself, so too must a...
sample... be added to the compounds within this pill to insure
its effectiveness. You *must* have intercourse with at least
*one* male to create the immunity. I would suggest the
Son-in-law, or, barring that, I suppose Mousse would be
acceptable. He is, at least, of our tribe..."
     "No! Shampoo no want Mousse! Not ever!!! But Ranma-Airen...
Shampoo wanted to wait..." She began to cry once again.
     "I know my child, and that does you credit... but you may no
longer have that option..."
     "B-but...Ranma-Airen no sure he love Shampoo, not yet! Shampoo want only to do it with someone she love!!"
     "Then there is but one solution..." Cologne hopped over to
her cedar chest and began rummaging through the contents.
     "No, that's not it... Jade Monkey.... Aha!" She produced a
small crystal vial containing a blossom of a golden, four-petaled
flower. Shampoo stared.
     "This, my dear, is the Lover's Poppy. A mystical offshoot of
the common opium poppy, it blooms but once a century... One
draught of its scent has a powerfully hallucinogenic effect on
the human nervous system, causing the victim to believe he is
asleep and dreaming of his one true love. While under the
influence of the poppy, no man will resist you. If you must, take
a draught of its vapours yourself, so that you may at least take
pleasure in the act of love. Go and find yourself a stranger,
take the poppy, and you both shall only remember it as a sweet,
sweet dream..."
     "W-with stranger? Shampoo is now no better than common
whore!" 
The tears flowed freely, and this time, Cologne *did* join her.
     "Ah, my poor, poor Shampoo! Forgive me... If I had but known
what was to come, I would never have thrown you into the
Spring... I would gladly take up your burden myself if only I
could..."
     "Sh-shampoo know..." after several minutes, she collected
herself. Picking up the vial containing the Lover's Poppy, she
tucked it into her silk sash and prepared to leap out the window
into the night.
     "Be careful, child. Be swift and discreet. The Shiatsu
Frigidity Touch will last but thirty minutes more! You have but
that long to choose your lover, before your body chooses for
you..."
     "Shampoo understand..." She leapt out the window, tears
streaming, springing from rooftop to rooftop away from the cafe.
     Cologne lit her pipe and puffed on it, trying to find her
center. Within minutes, she gave up, too distraught to meditate.
     "When the child returns, I shall give her the Xi Fa Xiang
Gao and remove all memory of this unpleasantness from her mind...
would that I could do the same to myself...."

                          *   *   *

     Shampoo sprung across the rooftops of nighttime Nerima until
she spotted a Love Hotel near the train station Knowing it would
be well-tenanted this close to White Day, she found a room with a
window and leapt onto the balcony railing. she was beginning to
feel the Shiatsu Frigidity Point wear off... her knees could
barely support her and the undeniable urge began to ache once
more... she peered in the window, trying to see into the darkened
room.
     There, on the bed, was a young couple in the throes of
lovemaking. The way they touched one another betokened a long
familiarity and great tenderness as they moved together as one.
Shampoo became acutely aware of the feel of her tight silk shirt
against her nipples, hardened by the cold night air. A hand moved
slowly down to the gusset of her silk leggings, finding the warm
dampness spreading there.
     [Would be too-too easy to sneak in, touch woman's Shiatsu
Sleepy Spot and take her place. With help of poppy, man never
know difference...] She then noticed the glint of gold on their
hands.
     [Oh! Is married couple, too-too in love... But Shampoo want
him!Shampoo will just... No! Shampoo no steal another woman's
husband!]
     She hopped down from the window, fighting the overpowering
urge to take the man and make him her own.. 
     [Shampoo no can *do* this! Shampoo want only Ranma-Airen!]
     With her fading strength, she leapt off towards the familiar
rooftop of the Tendo Dojo...

                         *   *   *

     She found the Dojo easily, out of long habit going to the
front door. Stealthily, she snuck into the house and ensured that
she would not be disturbed by shiatsu-sleepy touching the three
Tendo sisters and their father. She then snuck into the Saotomes'
guest room, almost tripping over sleeping Genma's huge panda
belly before tagging his shiatsu sleepy-spot as well.
     [No one disturb Ranma-Airen and Shampoo tonight...] She
looked down on the form of her beloved, his chest rising and
falling slowly in slumber. [Oh, Airen... Shampoo wish she could
wait until our wedding night...] Her body protested, sending
waves of heat through Shampoo. She stifled a moan and knelt down
beside Ranma's sleeping pallet. Holding his nose closed with one
hand, she unstoppered the vial of Lovers' Poppy and held it close
to his lips. [Shampoo no need poppy... she *is* with her One True
Love...] As he breathed in, he inhaled a good sized dose of the
poppy's scent. His eyes shot open.
     "Huh, Wha...?" His eyes glazed over under the poppy's
influence. "Oh, it's you..." His face broke into a
heartbreakingly loving smile. Shampoo felt her own heart jump in
her chest. [Oh, Airen... Shampoo no need to be in heat when you
look at her like that... Who does Airen dream of? Shampoo so hope
it is her...]
     "What are you doing here... my pop.." she hushed him with a
finger to his lips.
     "Sshhh... Is only too-too wonderful dream, Airen..." She
leaned into him, kissing him with all the love and passion her
heart held. She felt the last vestiges of the Frigidity Touch
slip away as her body's need took over. She climbed under the
covers, straddling his hips. She looked lovingly into his eyes,
brushing back the hair from his forehead as he returned her look
with interest to spare.
     "Wo Ai Ni, Airen... Shampoo love you always..."
     "I love you, too..." He answered. Shampoo's heart leapt as
he reached out to her, pulling her down for a passionate, deep
kiss. The heat grew until they parted lips, gasping from the
strength of their feelings. Ranma nuzzled her ear, running his
teeth gently across her earlobe before kissing his way down her
neck. He ran his tongue along the valley of her collar bone,
punctuating each of Shampoo's gasping intakes of breath with a
gentle kiss. 
     Shampoo moved her hips forcefully, pressing down into the
growing hardness she flet beneath her. Ranma moaned, responding
to her movements with rolling thrusts of his own. Gasping she
pulled away, sitting up and arching he back to remove her top,
freeing her aching breasts. She looked down at him through her
long eyelashes and licked her lips, giggling at the expression of
dumbstruck awe and desire that flashed across Ranma's features.
The giggle became a hiss of desire as he grew even more rigid
beneath her. Grabbing him by the hair, she brought his mouth to
her breasts, urgently guiding him to her tingling nipples. He
complied eagerly, tongueing her aureola gently in a circular
motion before nuzzling the hard nipple itself, then running his
tongue down the smooth curve of her breast to the sensitive skin
underneath.
     "Oh, Airen... I never let you go..." She gave a quiet whine
of protest as he moved off of her breast, only to purr in
contentment as he moved to the other nipple. His hands were not
idle, fingers sliding through her long purple hair, tugging
gently then running down her spine and cupping her firm buttocks
through her silk leggings, Fondling and squeezing the soft flesh,
grinding her hips down into his own. He could feel her wetness
soaking through her gusset and through his boxers. 
     "Wait, Airen! Shampoo take off pants..." she shimmed out of
the tight silk, revealing her long, smooth legs and
neatly-groomed purple bush. Ranma's hand ventured there, running
his strong fingers through the silky, fur-like hair before
sliding between her swollen lips and deep into her heat. He
brought his hand, now soaked, to his mouth, tasting her juices.
He smiled. Overcome, she fell forward onto him, kissing him
deeply, tasting the faint musk of herself on his lips.
     She spun around, pushing off his boxers and reaching down to
weigh his sac in her hand, testing the warm fullness before
taking up his shaft in the other and gently pumping
experimentally until a bead of fluid appeared at the tip. She
darted her cat-like tongue forward, lapping at the head until she
heard Ranma hiss, then chuckle behind her before returning the
favor, quickly flicking the sensitive nubbin of her clitoris.
     "Ooh, Airen... " They lay together, pleasuring each other
orally for a time, each giving and receiving equal joy, their
intuitive knowledge of each other's preferences was almost
telepathic... Soon, their hunger outstripped their caresses and
Ranma sat up and brought her around to face him. His hand stroked
her cheek gently as he looked deep into her eyes.
     "D'you know, I fell in love with you the moment I saw you...
I knew that you hated me, but..."[Ranma-Airen *is* dreaming of
Shampoo! I so happy!]
     "Airen, Shampoo love you, has always loved you... Just hold
her and never let her go, is okay?"
     "I'll never let you go...." He punctuated his words with a
kiss, tears of joy in both their eyes. The kiss soon grew hotter
as their bodies responded to their feelings.
     Shampoo gently pushed him away and lay down on the pallet,
she spread her legs apart, gently stroking herself as she looked
Ranma in the eye.
     "Come to me, Airen... Shampoo need you..." With her free
hand, she reached out and guided him into her by hand, moaning
deeply as he slid easily into her receptive pussy. As he hit
bottom, the tip of his organ touching her cervix, her hips went
wild, going from an easy rippling motion to the rolling thunder
of breakers crashing on a barren shore. Her legs snaked up and
around Ranma's waist, guiding him, thrusting him deeper, harder,
faster...
     "Can't.. keep up..." Ranma panted... "Wait... Katsu Tenshin
Amakuriken!" Using the same speed of his Chestnut fist, he
plunged in and out of Shampoo. His hips were a blur...
     "Ahn! Ahn! Ahn! Ahn! AHN! AHN! AHN! AHN!! AHN!!! AAAHHNNN!
AAAAAAAAAHHHHNNNNNNNN!" Shampoo exploded, her climax ripping
through her like a tornado. Ranma was soon to follow, spending
himself as the aftershocks rippled through Shampoo's body.
     They lay for awhile, their bodies cooling as they murmured
endearments to one another. As Ranma fell asleep, a tearful
Shampoo extricated herself from his arms, dressed and fled into
the night. She was not crying because of what she had done. Far
from it... she would treasure the memory of this night for the
rest of her life. She was crying because of the last words she
and Ranma had exchanged before he fell back asleep. 
     She had kissed him once more, lovingly, wanting nothing more
than to stay in his warm embrace forever... but she knew that she
must go. It would not do to be found here, once her shiatsu
touches had worn off. She had looked one more time into Ranma's
sleepy eyes, eyes so full of love, kissed his eyelids, watched
him smile.
     "Shampoo love you Airen... love you forever..."   
     "I love you, too," yawning, he continued," Akane..."

                   *   *   *

 Ryoga listened, noticed the moaning coming from Ranma's room. 
[What the hell is going on in there? It sounded like... Shampoo? I can't believe I'm the only one hearing this.. Why haven't the Tendos woken up?]
 He scuttled over to the overhang above the Saotome's bedroom window, cocked an ear... the moaning continued. He was *sure* that that was Shampoo. Did he dare risk peeking in the window? 
 "What am I doing?! Why the hell should I care *what* that jerk Ranma does? Forget this..." He hopped back across to the Dojo roof, covered his ears, and waited.
 To his credit, he sat there a good forty-five minutes before his curiosity got the better of him and he broke. Rushing back over to the overhang, he was barely in time to hear Ranma say "I love you too, Akane..."
 He was in shock. Ranma and... Akane? How could he have been so wrong? He hopped over to the pondering spot, missing Shampoo's exit from the bedroom.
 "Well, Ryoga, that's it, then..." he said to himself. "She loves Ranma, she said it herself. Hell, they just had sex! You've lost to him again!" For some reason, the realization that he would never have Akane didn't hurt as much as he'd thought it would...
 "Huh. So much for my so-called heart of glass breaking into a thousand pieces... I guess i've gotten used to losing..."
 He stood, brushed himself off, and made ready to leave. [I guess i'll find somewhere else to sleep tonight. It wouldn't feel... right... to crawl back into Akane's bed after this..."
 As he made ready to leap away, he felt the impact of something very large and heavy on the back of his skull. He lost conciousness, crumpling to the shingles. Three shadowy figures surrounded him.
 "Awright! We got the son of a bitch!" The largest one rubbed his hands together gleefully.
 "Shh!" The smallest cautioned. "Tie him up and let's get outta here before the whole neighborhood wakes up."
 "Kewl." Finished the third.

                        *   *   *

 Kodachi arrived at the Tendo Dojo in time to see the chinese-clothed figure on the roof go down under the sneak attack. In the darkness, she mistook him for Ranma.
 "Never fear, Ranma-Darling! Your beloved shall rescue you from these ruffians!" She leapt into the fray, razor-edged ribbon striking like a bladed whirlwind, sending Ryoga's attackers flying.
 "What the hell?! Where did *she* come from?!"
 "I dunno, it's like grand central station here tonight!"
 "Fight back, you idiots! Hang on to the prisoner!"
 Caught unprepared, the attackers were no match for Kodachi's rage and skill. They held their own for but a moment, until Kodachi let loose with the Strike of a Thousand Clubs, sending them flying into the koi pond. She leapt down to finish them off, but there was no sign of bodies, alive or otherwise.
 "Hmmph. Once again, Ranma-Darling, the Black Rose is victorious... Ranma-Darling?"
 She rushed over to the fallen Ryoga, scooping him up in her arms. Just then, the back doors of the Dojo flew open, and Akane, followed closely by her sisters, charged out into the courtyard, giant mallet in hand.
 "What the heck is going *on* out here?!! I... Kodachi? What are you doing on our roof?"
 "Hahahahahahahahah! You're too late to help him, Akane Tendo! Ranma-Darling is mine!!!" She sprung off into the night, the unconcious Ryoga slung over her shoulder.
 "Huh? She's got Ranma! We'd better go after her! I-" Nabiki interrupted her.
 "Uh, Akane?"
 "Not now, Nabiki! Who knows what-"
 "Just look behind you, will ya?" Akane spun.
 Standing in the doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes, was none other than Ranma!
 "Whass goin' on? Why's everybody awake...?"
 "Ranma?! Then who..."

                     *   *   *

 After the girls had gone back to their rooms, Ranma lingered in the hallway, staring at the little wooden duck plaque on Akane's door, the events of his "dream" still fresh in his mind.
 [That was... incredible! I can't believe... Akane and I... I do love her! Aw, geez... what'm I gonna do? She was so... cute! And real sexy, too... What'm I sayin', this is Akane! That macho chick'd never... AAargh!! Maybe I should just tell her what I dreamt about, maybe she... Nah! she'd just hit me with her mallet and call me a pervert or jerk or somethin'...] He began to bang his head against the nearest convenient hard surface which, coincidentally, happened to be Akane's bedroom door. [Aaah. That's better. Very soothing. I could just do this all day...] The door opened, and he fell forward onto his face.
 "Ranma?" 
 "Huh, wha! Oh, it's you, Akane... Uh... Heheheh... What's up?"
 "Why don't you tell me. And make it good, you're the one banging on my door at two in the morning..." He saw her hand creep towards the handle of her big wooden mallet.
 "I...Oh! Nothin', I just, uh..."
 "Ran-maaaa...." The mallet was in hand, now...
 "I just needed to talk to you that's all... if you're gonna be that way, maybe I'll just go back to bed, then.." [What are you doing, you fool! Be *nice* to her!] But it seemed to be too late. Akane was already mad...
 "Fine!"
 "Fine!! I'll *do* that!"
 "Good!"
 Akane went to slam the door in his face, but he caught it easily.
 "Akane... wait... " Ranma forced himself to calm down, swallowing his pride with extreme effort.
 "What?!" Akane snapped.
 "I *really* need to talk to you... If you want, I'll come back in the morning..." Akane was surprised to see the sincerity on his face. He really wanted to talk! She sighed, put down the mallet, and sat down on the bed, motioning for him to join her.
 "What is it, Ranma? I need to get some sleep..."
 "Well, uh... I guess I want to apologize for not remembering that White Day's comin' up 'n stuff..." He looked at his feet as he spoke, abashed. [Man, I *hate* apologizin'! I hope she realizes that...]
 "Oh... I guess I forgive you... You *have* been pretty busy lately.." [He's actually apologizing to me! Without being forced]
 "Uh huh..." Akane looked away, suddenly very uncomfortable.
 "Then... I guess *I* should apologize for punting you through the roof, too..."
 "That'd be nice..." He said hopefully.
 "I'm sorry..."
 "S'alright..." [I'm kinda gettin' used to it,] he added mentally. He turned to look at her, her hair rumpled from the pillow, blushing slightly from the apology. [Man... she's so *cute*...] He swallowed hard. "That's, uh... not the only reason I wanted to... y'know, talk to you..." It was his turn to blush furiously.
 "Ranma..." She saw his embarassment, and placed her hand over his, giving it a quick squeeze before taking her hand away again.
 "I, uh... I'm only gonna tell you if you promise not to punt me into the stratosphere or call me a pervert, though..."
 "Um, I..."
 "Well, if you're gonna hit me or call me names, forget it..." He stood to leave. She stopped him, grabbing his hand.
 "I promise..." 
 He sat back down stiffly. [Aw, man! I know she's gonna hit me anyway! Why'm I doin' this? I don't wanna...] He took a deep breath, exhaled, and screwed up his courage.
 "Akane... I had a dream about you... about *us*..."
 Akane looked stunned. [What? He... I...]
 "Uhhh... What kind of dream?"
 "Y'know... *that* kind..." He hunched, awaiting the blow that was sure to come. He waited. And waited... 
 "Ranma..." He peered over his hunched shoulder at her, still expecting to be pummelled. "I... don't know what to say to that..."
 [Incredible! She hasn't hit me! Maybe I *can* tell her!]
 "Well, I, uhh... well, it, uh, made me realize a few things... about... y'know... how I feel about you... us..."
 Akane's heart skipped a beat. Eyes wide, she turned to face him. Was he actually going to say it? Mean it? [Oh, Ranma...]
 "Ranma, you don't have to..."
 "No, I want to, I...I... love..." She silenced him with a fingertip to his lips.
 "Shhh... Ranma... I know..." She looked into his nervously darting eyes, smiling softly at his flustered look as she moved closer, until their mouths were almost touching. "Me, too..."
 She leaned into the kiss as their lips met, tentatively at first, then with a depth and breadth of heat that surprised both of them as their lips opened to one another, their breath co-mingling. Their arms slid around each other, and the kiss became an embrace. They broke apart what seemed to be an eternity later, shaken and flushed, and looked into each other's eyes.
 "Wow..." They both whispered, simultaneously. Akane smiled.
 "So... Was it as good as your dream?"
 "Better..." He whispered, as they leaned into another long kiss.
 "R-ranma... we should..." Akane whispered when they surfaced for air, her breath coming rapidly.
 "Stop?" Ranma whispered, regretfully.
 "Yes... before things get..."
 "Outta control?"
 "Uh-huh..." Ranma stood slowly, concealing the bulge in his boxers with one hand. Akane walked him to the door, holding his other hand tightly. As he made to leave, he turned to her.
 "So, uh... do you want to go to the White Day dance with me? I'm not a very good dancer, y'know, so I can't promise I'll be any fun, and-" She cut him off with a hand over his lips.
 "I'd love to, Ranma..." He beamed under her hand as he backed out the door.
 "Ranma...?" She asked as he left.
 "Yeah?"
 "Dream of me, okay?"
 "I always do..."

                       *   *   *

 Cologne awoke to the sound of Shampoo sobbing quietly. Silently, she walked over to her granddaughter's bedroom, entering noiselessly. Her heart broke to see her strong, proud grandchild in such a state, and she joined her in crying. she went over and embraced the weeping girl.
 "My, poor, poor Shampoo... You went to the Son-in-Law, didn't you?"
 Shampoo nodded into her tear-stained pillow.
 "You gave him a dose of the poppy, but did not take one yourself..."
 "Oh, great-grandmother!! Airen no love Shampoo!!" She lunged into Cologne's arms, huge sobs racking her body. "He n-never love her..." 
 Cologne held her as the young Amazon cried out all the sorrow her broken heart held. They stayed that way until the sun began to creep over the horizon, Grandmother and Granddaughter united in their grief.
 "I am so very, very sorry, my child... I shall administer the Xi Fan Xiang Gao... This shall trouble you no longer..." Cologne produce the bottle of formula 411 shampoo.
 "No!!" Shampoo leapt out of Cologne's grasp.  "Shampoo no want to forget! Shampoo have one night of love with Ranma-Airen! Shampoo will *always* have that! Shampoo will fight you if you try take that away from her!"
 "Very well, child... It is your burden to bear if you so choose."
 "Shampoo *will* bear burden! But not here, so close to Airen!" She began packing her things, selecting her preferred weapons and dressing in her travelling clothes.
 "Shampoo, you *know* we cannot return to our village. If you are not to marry the Son-in-..." She coughed, correcting herself. "Ranma, then we are in exile..."
 "Then Shampoo no go to village! Shampoo go far, far away, so far she never have to see Airen again!" She leapt out the window with her baggage and weapons, springing away across the rooftops.
 Cologne watched her beloved granddaughter disappeared over the horizon.
 "Goodbye, my child... I hope that you find peace somewhere..."
Cologne returned to her bed, in the house that seemed so very, very empty... and cried herself to sleep. 
 
*********************************************************

Well, that's all for part two, a.k.a. Cat Scratch Fever. A heartfelt apology to Shampoo fans everywhere. I really put her through the emotional wringer in this one, violating her body and breaking her heart. I'll make it up to you all, I promise. Look for the first Rock 'N Roll 1/2 spin-off, "Kross-Kultural Kat-Grrl Korps" soon. It picks up Shampoo's story where this lets off. 
 Special thanks go out to Matty Higgins, pre-reader extraordinaire. Thanks also to his lovely wife Marsha, who's teaching me japanese so that I don't mangle anymore words like I mangled "Baksai Tenketsu" in part one. Thanks always to my original Cat-Girl (she knows who she is) for putting up with me during the creation of this episode.

As always, send bravos and brickbats to leapingnome@hotmail.com so I can get 'em read quick. Th                          ROCK N' ROLL 1/2 (Part three)
                 A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by the Leaping Gnome
        (Nine out of ten lemons never even see it coming...)

WARNING: Contains scenes of explicit sexuality that are
unsuitable for viewing by minors or adults with low sex drives.
If you fall into either category, or simply don't like lemons,
STOP READING NOW !!!

DISCLAIMER: Ranma and all associated characters are the property
of Rumiko Takahashi and whatever corporate masters she may
possess, and are used without permission, so don't tell her
lawyers, Okay?

CULTURAL NOTE: For those unfamiliar with Japanese holidays,
"White Day" is celebrated one month to the day after Valentine's
Day. Whereas on Valentine's Day japanese girls sent cards and
gifts to their sweeties, japanese boys are expected to return the
favor on White Day. Why is it called White Day? No idea...

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Words and phrases bracketed like this: [example]
are thoughts, not spoken aloud. Words bracketed by a pair of
asterisks like so: *example* are highlighted for emphasis.

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE: The two days before White Day have been
very hectic for Ranma and company. First off, the current no. 1
favorite band of teenage japanese girls, Nevada Ticket, has been
hired by the Big Kahuna (a.k.a. Headmaster Kuno) to play the
Furinkan High White Day dance, and every girl at Furinkan is
desperate to go, including Akane Tendo, and Akane's classmate
(and Ranma's childhood friend-cum-fiancee) Ukyo Kuonjii. After
fleeing the wrath of the girls, Ranma and Ryoga were caught by
Miss Hinako, the school's strictest disciplinarian, in the
apparent commision of an indecent act in the teachers' lounge.
While Ranma escaped unscathed, Ryoga was captured, and was forced
to submit to Miss Hinako's tender mercies. Apon escaping, Ryoga
came to the conclusion that he had indeed enjoyed what Miss
Hinako had done to him. He returned that night to the Tendo Dojo
in the guise of P-chan, Akane's beloved pet, to ponder his next
course of action.
     Meanwhile, Shampoo had discovered that her dip in the Spring
of Drowned Cat was having far greater effects than merely
changing into a cat when doused with cold water. He own
reproductive system was beginning to emulate that of a feline. In
other words, she was going into heat! Aided by Cologne, she used
a magical flower known as the Lover's Poppy to seduce Ranma,
causing him to believe that she was Akane. In the end, ashamed at
what she had done and what she had become, Shampoo made her
hapless victim believe that what they had just done was a dream,
nothing more. Her heart broken, she fled Nerima, perhaps never to
return.  Ryoga, meanwhile, was set apon by three men and knocked
unconcious. Before more permanent damage could be done, he was
saved by Kodachi Kuno, The Black Rose, who believed him to be her
darling Ranma. (Ryoga was wearing a borrowed set of Ranma's
chinese clothes at the time.) Kodachi carried him off, calling
him Ranma-Darling. Ryoga, still senseless, could neither protest
nor correct her... Later that night, after reviewing his "dream",
Ranma realized that he really *did* love Akane. In a late-night
rendezvous, he asked Akane to be his date to the White Day dance,
and she accepted. They shared a kiss, but returned to their
separate beds before things got to hot to handle. 
*****************************************************************
*****************
AND NOW, CHAPTER THREE OF ROCK N' ROLL 1/2,  "Infatuation"

     It was a bright, sunny Thursday morning in Nerima as Akane
and Ranma walked to school. Despite last might's "moment", Ranma
took his usual fencetop route while Akane walked along the
sidewalk beside him. They were quiet, stealing little smiling
glances at each other. Nabiki Tendo walked on ahead with a group
of other girls from her class. She looked back. [Oh Ho! Looks
like little sister's finally got her man...] In the time-honored 
manner of older siblings across the globe, she decided to razz
her kid sister.
     "Oh, gag me, you two." Nabiki called back. "I'm gonna get
diabetes watching you flirt!"
     "We were *NOT* flirting, Nabiki! God!" Akane yelled.
[Aww...isn't that *cute*, she's still shy about it ,] thought
Nabiki.  Ranma merely blushed and tried to look innocent.
     "Puh-leeze, Akane. Hearts and flowers are floating around
your heads! Give it a rest, or get a room!"  
     "Nabiki! It's not like it's a big deal! We've only been
engaged our whole lives!"
     "Yeah, but this is the first time i've ever seen you two be
so nice to each other. Cut it out!"
     "Why *should* we?!"
     "'Cause i'm afraid the sky's gonna fall or something! Isn't
Akane and Ranma getting along one of the seven signs of the
apocalypse?"
     "Oooh!! Na-Bi-Kii!!!!" Akane hefted a mailbox and started
chasing Nabiki, who was running away, laughing her head off.
     [So *that's* what it looks like from the outside,] thought
Ranma, laughing despite his better instincts.  [Man, look at 'em
go! I wonder if it was really this funny when Akane was
tear-assing after me...] He straightened, then called out to
them:
     "Hey! Guys! We're gonna be late for school if you two keep
this up!"
     "Go on without us, Ranma! I'll catch up once i've flattened
my annoying older sister!"
     "Okay, suit yourself!" Ranma kicked himself into gear,
speeding along the fence until he was at the gates of Furinkan
High. He glanced up at the clock tower with surprise. [I don't
believe it! I'm actually early for a change! I've got time to
head down to the cafeteria and grab a before school snack!] He
hopped off the gate and walked across the quad to the school's
main doors.  As he reached for the handle, he smelled
something... something wonderful! Sniffing, attempting to trail
the scent, he turned to see Ukyo Kuonjii standing behind him,
smiling. She had a takeout box from Ucchan's in her hand.
     "Hello, Ranma-Honey!" Ukyo was in a very good mood. She had
gotten up early to make a special okonomiyaki for Ranma, with his
favorite toppings: Four kinds of seafood, green onions and topped
with a pickled cucumber slice. She had taken special care with
the sauce, making a pretty picture of a Chibi Ranma and a Chibi
Ukyo holding hands surrounded by a big heart.
     "Hi, Ucchan! Makin' deliveries this early?" His mouth
watered at the savoury smell of Ukyo's reknowned cooking. Hers
was even better than Kasumi's...
     "No, silly! I made this one for you!"
     "Really? Oh, man, Ucchan! You're the *best*!" She handed him
the package, anticipating his appreciative response to the time
and care with which she had obviously lavished on the
okonomiyaki.
     Ranma swallowed it whole in two seconds, burped, said
thanks, and left.
     Ukyo's cheery smile slipped a little. She hurried to catch
up with him
     "Um, Ranchan? Ranchan...?" Huffing and puffing, she caught
up with him in the caferteria.
     "Oh, I'm sorry, Ucchan. What's up?" Ranma asked absently.
[Man, bein' at school early is great! Free food, no lines for
snacks, and that jerk Kuno ain't even here yet!]
     "Uhm, I was just about to ask if you'd decided to take
anyone to the dance tomorrow night..."
     "Huh? Oh, er, yeah... Akane an' me are goin'. Who are you
goin' with?"
     Ukyo's smile slipped further. [I was *hoping* to go with
you, you jerk!] "Oh, uh... nobody so far.."
     "Huh. That's too bad. Maybe I could fix you up with Daisuke
or one of the other guys in our class... They all say you're
cute..." Thick as a brick, Ranma was completely unaware of the
effect his words were having on Ukyo. Though she kept a smile
plastered to her face, inside she was screaming.
     [ I know that! I want *you* to say it! How could you pick
that skinny little bitch over me?! You've known me *way* longer, she can't cook, I'm a *way* better fighter than her, she masturbates in class to pictures in a... That's it!]
     "Ranma-Honey..." she cooed. "You'd better keep an eye on
Akane at that dance, you know..."
     "Yeah, I know, Ucchan. Kuno'll be chasing her. I can handle
that jerk."
     "Well, that too... but there's something else as well. You
know the band that's playing the dance?"
     "Uh, yeah... "Las Vegas Pass" or something. My english
ain't so good... Akane's a big fan of theirs. She listens to that
one song, "Samurai Girl" over an' over again." [ If you only knew
what *else* she did again and again,] Ukyo thought... 
     "Well, it's just that they have a reputation as being real
womanizers, you know? It's said they leave a trail of broken
hearts in every prefecture they tour in." [That caught his
attention!]
     "Uh huh. Go on." 
     "Well, they're a rock band, Ranchan. You know what *that*
means. They'll want to take home a few groupies." Ranma stared,
uncomprehending. "Female fans, you twit!" 
     "Oh."
     "And you said yourself, Akane's their *biggest* fan..." She
let the sentence trail off, watched his face. For a moment, she
could read his mind. He was weighing his pride against his common
sense, and for a second it looked like his pride would prevail as
usual... then the balance shifted, and she saw the anger drain
out of him. 
     "Nah, nothin' to worry about. Akane's used to fightin' off
perverts. An' if she can't handle 'em, I will."
     Ukyo steeled herself. [So it's come to this... I *really*
hate to do this, even to Akane, but... it's for Ranma-Honey...]
     "If you say so, but... well, you know I sit behind her in
study hall, right.....?"
     She told him the whole story, sparing no detail. As she
watched him get madder and madder, instead of being glad, she
began to feel very, very small...

                                                                 

      *  *  *

     Akane finally cornered Nabiki at the edge of the canal. As
she prepared to lob the mailbox at her sister, she realized that,
instead of being furious, she was actually smiling! Nabiki looked
up, spotted the bemused expression on her sister's face, and her
laughter redoubled. After a moment, Akane started in, too. In
seconds, the sisters were howling with laughter, the quarrel
forgotten, the mailbox put down. It took a good five minutes to
stop. Every time Akane tried to catch her breath, Nabiki would
lift her schoolbag threateningly over her head and make a
ridiculous face, and she would dissolve once more into giggling.
     "Hoo... Wow, Akane... you haven't flipped out on me like
that since we were little! I'd almost forgotten how much fun the
'bug Akane' game could be..."
     "Tsk." Akane smiled at her sister. "Well be careful, 'cause
next time I might just pitch the mailbox at you." Akane sighed
happily, leaning back on the fence.
     "So-o, dish, Akane... what brought this on?"
     "You teased me, so I chased you with the mailbox. You were
there, Nabiki."
     "No, dummy. I meant you and Ranma...  Daddy was weeping with
joy at the way you two were smiling at each other at breakfast.
What happened?"
     "We-ell... what kind of guarantee will you give me that you
won't spread this across the school?"
     "None whatsoever. But I *can* promise I won't sell the info
cheap. This is just *too* good. Speak, woman!"
     Akane giggled, then continued. "Last night, after we were
woken up by Kodachi on the roof, Ranma came to my room..."
     "Oh...My...God! You didn't!"
     "No! We might have though... if we didn't break off the
kiss...but we *are* going to the dance together."
     "This is *so* not like you, Akane! Letting a *boy* kiss
you?! Who are you, and what have you done to my sister?!"
     "Copycat Ken!" Akane answered, laughing. The two dissolved
back into giggle-fits as they got up and made their way towards
the school.
     "So, Nabiki..."
     "Hmm?"
     "Are you going with anyone to the dance?"
     "Pshaw! You think i'd go with any of the geeks that go to
our school?"
     "I always thought that you and Kuno would make a good
couple..."
     "Kuno-baby? Puh-leeze! Sure, he's got money, and he's not
half-bad looking, but there's no way I'm gonna date my kid
sister's hand-me-downs. Besides, he has an unhealthy fixation on
hand puppets. I'll be going with some girlfriends, and we'll have
our pick of desperate, horny boys."
     "Nabiki!"
     "Well, it's true! Not all of us have cute fiancees picked
out by Daddy you know..."
     "Tsk... Hey! I didn't know you thought Ranma was cute!"
     "Sure he's cute. He's in great shape, he's got nice long
hair, even though he keeps it tied back all the time... He's got
a nice ass..."
     "Nabiki!"
     "Well, he does!" the sisters giggled.
     "Plus, he turns into a girl sometimes. Think of the
possibilities, Akane!"
     "W-what? Oh, you're kidding again. Ha-ha, very funny."
     "Actually... no."
     Akane stared.
     "What?"
     "Y-you... like... girls?"
     "Not always, just sometimes."
      "Oh... "
     "Remember Kasumi's friend who went off to college?"
     "Uh, yes... Mariko Shiramazu, right? You mean...you and...
her?"
     "Sure."
     "Wow... Did Kasumi know?"
     "I think so, but she never said anything. I don't think she
really approved. You know our Kasumi. She's so old-fashioned..."
     Akane remained silent for a while as they walked. She'd
tried not to think about the fact that Ranma turned into a
girl... or at least, how it might someday affect their married
life. Despite her outward attitude, she'd never really had any
doubt that she and Ranma would get married eventually. She'd
never met any other boy that she would even consider *kissing* in
real life, let alone sleeping with them. Not even poor, sweet
Ryoga, who she knew carried a torch for her the size of the Tokyo
Tower. He was a good friend, but never a romantic possibility.
But still, she'd avoided thinking about girl-type Ranma. She'd
always hoped that Ranma would find a cure for his curse, but what
if he was stuck for life? She'd liked girl-Ranma from the first
time they'd met, before she knew about the curse. It was hard not
to think of them as two separate people, the boy she loved, and
her best girlfriend. Thinking about it, she realized that the
girl-side was the thing that really made Ranma the perfect match
for her. Without Ranma-she, Ranma-he would have been just another
boy, another jerk to be avoided.
     "Nabiki?"
     "Hmm?"
     "What's it like?"
     "What's what like?"
     "*You* know... doing it... with a girl.." Akane said,
blushing.
     "It's nice. Different from doing it with a guy, but still
nice."
     "Oh......." [Wait a minute...]
     "You've done it with a guy?!!! Nabiki!!!"
     Nabiki rolled her eyes heavenwards. "Good grief..."

                                                         *  *  *

     Deep in the bowels of the Kuno mansion, Ryoga was regaining
conciousness.
     "Uughh... Oh, no. Not again... This is the second time in as
many days!"  He looked around, rubbing the back of his head. The
room was some form of training gym. Along one mirrored wall were
various workout machines... a pneumatic bench press, a
stairclimber, a rowing machine and stationary bike. There was
something slightly...off... about the designs, though. A lack of
padding was one. The stationary bike was missing a seat, for
another. The center of the room was covered in crash mats and
suspended overhead were a pair of parallel rings and a... is that
a safety harness? Doesn't look very safe... 
     Against the far wall were a set of parallel bars and a rack
full of clubs of various sizes and designs. A second rack hung
from the wall, holding hoops and a set of variously colored
ribbons. The wall to his left held a trophy case, unlit right
now, but he could see the glint of gold medals and plaques
through the glass... The corners of the room were filled to
overflowing with potted black roses. Black roses?! 
     Oh, no...
     Ryoga ran over to the trophy case and peered inside. The
name inscribed on the awards bore his suspicions out.  [Kodachi
Kuno. Gymnastic bitch-queen of St Hebereke's school for wayward
young ladies, A.K.A. The Black Rose! What would she want with
him? They'd only met once or twice while he was in human form, at
the annual Martial Arts Obstacle Course Race and the Tendo Family
Christmas Party, but she'd made his life a living hell as a pig,
during her Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics match against Ranma
in girl-form. Ranma! That's it! In the dark, she must've mistaken
me for him!] He looked down at his borrowed clothes. [These
probably didn't help, either...]
     He had to get out of there! He ran over, tried the door.
Locked. Very well, then.
     "Baksai Tenketsu!!" He found the stone door's breaking point
and shattered it into powder. As the dust cleared,  he saw a
second door, made of some kind of metal, behind the ruins of the
first!
     "Well, this may take awhile, but..." He focused his battle
aura into the tip of his right index finger, visualized the
door's breaking point, and let loose.
     "Baksai Tenketsu !!" [What the heck...?]
     KZZZ-ZZAAAARKKK!!!
     The instant he touched the door's breaking point, a massive
surge of electricity voomed through his body, sending him flying
back across the room, smashing into the weight rack. A manaical
laugh echoed throught the room. [She's here! Hide!]
     Buried beneath the weights, Ryoga heard but couldn't see the
metal door slide open.
     "Oh, Ranma-Darling! I see you've discovered my special door!
It's made of memory metal! Once sealed, it can only be opened by
*my* hand.  Anyone else, i'm afraid, gets a rather strong
electric shock... I hope you weren't *too* badly hurt...?" He
heard Kodachi approach, her bare feet scuffing against the crash
pad. She leaned over him and began to pick off the weights.
     "Do come out, Ranma-Darling! The motion detector said you
were awake... Never fear, we have time for a brief tryst, I've
called in sick for school..."
     "Miss? I'm afraid there's been some kind of mistake..."
     "Call your beloved Kodachi by her name, Ranma-Darling. What
kind of mistake?"
     "Well, uh, you see..." He stood, and turned to face her.
"..I'm *not* Ranma..."
      
                                                                 

                *   *   *
     Ranma stood leaning against the gate of Furinkan High,
waiting for Akane. He'd tried pacing, but it only made the time
pass slower. So he tried calming down by practicing his katas,
but that only drew a crowd, which quickly dispersed at one loud
kiai. So he tried to stay still. It wasn't helping...
     
[Damnstupidtomboymachochicksickolittlepervertteaseasks*me*todream
ofherbutwho's*she*dreamin'ofanyway?'mgonnagonnadon't*know*whati'm
gonnadobuti'msuregonnado*some*thin'makin'mecrazyallthetimestupidt
omboymachochicklittlesickopervertdoin'thatinclassoversomestupidba
ndcan'tbelieveIlovestupidtomboymachochicklittlepervertteaseatleas
tIthinkof*her*wheni'mdoin'whereisshewhereisshewhereissheWhereIsSh
e?!!!!!!!!]
     Ranma isn't very coherent when he's really, *really* mad. He
was so mad his battle aura was flaring like a small sun,
completely visible to everyone. Where the hell was Akane ???!!!!!

                                                                 

            *  *  *

     Akane and Nabiki had decided to grab a sundae at the ice
cream stand across from the train station before heading to
class. They tried to find a quiet seat where they could continue
to talk, but the place was full of salarymen drinking coffee and
whistling at girls.
     "Yes, yes, I know i'm 'Kawaii'... jerks. Honestly! This is
why I don't like boys..."
     "With one salient exception, hmm?" Nabiki smiled.
     Akane smiled back, took a spoonful of chocolate. "Mmm...
well, he's just different, that's all."
     "Well, I for one am glad you to finally have your heads on
straight."
     "Thanks..."
     "Yeah... It'll double the demand for my 'Akane Unleashed'
photo spread now that you're officially out of circulation."
     "Geez, Nabiki! You're such a mercenary!"
     "Heh. It's really no big deal, Akane. It's not as if i'm
selling naked photos of you or anything."
     "I just wish you wouldn't, that's all."
     "Oh, pooh. They're harmless."
     "Yeah, but what the heck to those guys *do* with those
pictures, anyway?"
     "Trust me, Akane... you don't wanna know."
     "Eeww!" 
     "Like you can talk! You and your Nevada Ticket pictures!"
     "Hey! Shh!" Akane looked around nervously. "Besides, that's
none of your business!"
     "Heh heh heh...  you're so cute when you blush like that!"
     "Tsk... hurry up and finish your ice cream, we're gonna be
late for school."
     "Re-lax... I'll just write us a note and forge Daddy's
signature."
     "Nabiki!!  I can't believe you'd do that!"
     "Akane, you'd never believe *half* the things I do.."
     "Yeah, like that thing with Mariko..."
     "Oh good grief! Don't tell me you're still bothered by
that..."
     "Well, not *bothered*, exactly... I was just thinking... "
     "About what might happen with girl-type Ranma? If you and
she ever..."
     "Uh.. yeah..." Akane blushed.
     "Hmm.." Nabiki reached into her schoolbag and pulled out a
minicassette recorder. Pressing stop, she removed the tape and
handed it to a shocked Akane. "Here. You should destroy it... I
can't sell this, anyway. Even if it'd make me three million yen
per copy..." She sighed wistfully.
     "Nabiki! You were taping our conversation?! You... you
bitch!"
     "Yeah, well.. I gave you the tape, didn't I?" Akane looked
unmollified. "Aw, c'mon, Akane! You can't blame a girl for being
true to her nature, can you? Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly,
Nabiki gotta make money... "
     "Honestly! I can't believe i'm even related to you! How
could you do this to me?!"
     "Well, I didn't. That's the only copy." Akane stood up, 
made to leave... "Aw, c'mon, Akane! Sit down... I promise i'll
tell you all about Mariko and me if you do..." Akane paused,
curiosity at war with outrage. Slowly, she sat back down.
     "That's-a-girl... Now, it was a couple of years back... you
were just starting High School, and Kasumi was the same age I am
now... I was fifteen...

                                                                *

*  *

     The bell rang. Akane still wasn't there. Ranma went
inside, flattening Kuno (who, in typical Blue Thunder fashion, had decided to bid Ranma a fine good morning by challenging him to a duel) with a single punch...

                                                                *

*  *

     Kodachi stared at the stranger standing before her in
Ranma's clothes. He was handsome enough, and certainly looked
like he had a build as good as Ranma-Darling's... Her eyes
flashed. Who was he? He looked familiar... The Tendo Christmas
Party! He had attacked Ranma-Darling... Well, so had almost
everyone in town at one point or another...
     "Wh-who... are you?"
     "Ryoga Hibiki... sorry 'bout this... Can I go now?"
     "What have you done with my Ranma-Darling?!"
     "Nothing! You grabbed me by mistake! Please let me go now,
Okay?" He moved towards the the door.
     "Not so fast!" A silk ribbon swung out, entangling him. He
fell to the floor. "Now, Ryoga Hibiki... if that *is* your real
name... You *will* tell me what you've done with my love!!"
     "Listen, lady, like I told you... I..." He strained against
the ribbon. "Didn't..." It was starting to give.. "Do..." It
snapped. "Anything!!! Now..." He picked himself up, dusting
himself off. "I don't fight girls, but if you don't open that
door, I'll do what I have to to get out, understand?"
     Kodachi stared at Ryoga... [Such passion! Such fire in his
voice! And those darling little fangs...] Her eyes travelled down
his body, tracing the hard muscles with her stare... she reached
out, tentatively, with an open hand, touching his strong
shoulder, letting her hand slide down his chest appraisingly.
     "Huh?! Listen, lady! I don't know what you're thinking,
b-but..." [Was this girl *coming on* him?] He checked his memory
banks... Hmm. She *had* tried to beat him up... [Yep, she's
coming on to me... What am I gonna do?]
     Lil' P-chan had some ideas, and got Ryoga's attention the
only way Lil' P-chan knew how. Ryoga looked down. "Gulp..."
     "Oh!" Kodachi exclaimed. She started to step back, hand
covering her mouth. Ranma-Darling had *never* reacted so
intensely to her touch... Perhaps she could... explore... this
development a little further...
     "Uhh, I, I... I'm *so* sorry!" Ryoga protested, backing off,
giant droplets of sweat forming on his forehead.
     "Th-that's uhm... quite impressive.." She blushed demurely,
fanning her face.  
     "Huh? Really? You don't think i'm a-a pervert...?"
     Kodachi's eyes flashed.
     "Oh, I *do*... But... I think I *like*... perverts... " Kodachi
answered, eyes downcast, her cheeks reddening further.
     [Wha-at?! She *likes*...?] He took a good long look at her.
He'd never realized just exactly how... attractive Kodachi was.
She was tall, almost as tall as he was... When he looked closely,
he could see hints of the curves of her shapely athlete's body
through her formal black kimono. And those eyes, the slightly mad
gleam... how often had he looked in the mirror and seen that look
of barely-contained aggression? The Black Rose was... C-cute...!
More than that, she was...sexy!
     "I.. uh... I l-l-l-l-l-l-lik-k-k-k-k-ke you, t-too..." 
     "R-ryoga... I..." Kodachi had never felt this way before!
She'd only just met this boy, and yet... she sensed a kindred
spirit within him. "I... will you... kiss me?"
     "Uhh...Hahahaha... Uhm..." He leaned forward, gave her a
chaste peck on the lips.
     "Perhaps, something... more?" She said hopefully. 
     "I.., uh, that is, I... like, uh..what?"
     "Kiss me again, Ryoga-san... claim me for your own..."
     "I, uh... y-you mean I..." 
     Kodachi sighed. Sometimes, one *has* to make the first
move..
     "Oh, just shut up and come here!" She growled as she grabbed
him by the front of his borrowed shirt and pushed him roughly to
the crash matted floor, straddling him. She gave a sinister
chuckle as she pinned his shoulders to the mat, putting her face
mere inches from Ryoga's.
     "W-what are you- glmphff!!!" A deep kiss cut him off.
     "Mmm-waaah! Oooh! That was nice, Ryoga, I.. hel-lo..." She
reached between them. "What's this?"
     "Heheheheh... OoOoh! You're so... forward!"
     "Silly. When I see something I want, I take it, that's all.
And I..." She kissed him, then moved on to nibble on his ear.
"Want..." She breathed huskily into his ear, and tongued her way
down his neck. "You..."
     "Aah! Ah! Ah! Kodachi... I... We shouldn't be doing this..."
     "And why not?" she tore his shirt open and ran her nails
down his chest. "Don't tell me *you're* hung up on that vile
Akane Tendo too!"
     "I, uh.." He tried to think, but it was difficult to
concentrate when a beautiful girl was trying to eat you alive... 
     "I will *not* play second fiddle to that tomboy tramp,
Ryoga-Darling! Not again, not ever!" She slid down his body, slid
her hand into his pants. Finding him hard, she worked him up and
down, feeling him grow firmer in her hand. "Swear that you will
belong only to the Black Rose, or i'll sto-op..." She grinned up
at him evilly.
     "Akane Tendo is... is..." Kodachi squeezed him harder "...Is
nothing to me! I'll swear, I'll swear, just... don't stop..." He
finished plaintively.
     "Say it!!!"
     "I swear, I belong... ungh! O-only to Kodachi..."
     "That's better, Ryoga-Darling... Let me show you how much
your Queen appreciates your fealty, mmmmm...." She pulled Lil'
P-chan out of Ryoga's pants and took him deep into her mouth...
[Magnificent!] Kodachi thought. [He is completely in my power..
it's, it's exhilarating! I wonder what I can get him to do...]

                                 *   *   *

     Akane looked around uncomfortably, but the salarymen seemed
to have cleared out and gone to work. It was still too early for
the lunchtime crowd, and except for a pair of housewives having a
tea before going shopping, Akane and Nabiki were alone in the
shop.
     "Allright, Nabiki... you were saying...?"
     "I'm not saying *anything* more until I get another ice
cream sundae in me. This isn't easy stuff to talk about, y'know.
Especially with your kid sister..."
     [Amazing. Nabiki actually looks upset! You don't suppose
that she and Mariko were actually... in love?]    
     "Sure, Nabiki, my treat... It's not as if i'll be having
lunch after all these..." 
     The girls dug in. About halfway through, Nabiki opened up.
     "I met Mariko for the first time when Kasumi brought her
home to study for an english exam. Mariko had spent three years
in Vancouver, Canada when she was little; her father was a
kaisha-in with some multinational corporation, so they moved
around a lot. As a result, Mariko had a leg up over the rest of
the students in her class, and made some money on the side as a
kyoushi. I think that's what attracted me to her in the first
place, her keen business sense." Akane snorted.
     "Laugh if you want, but I think financial responsibility is
a very desirable characteristic in a person... Anyway, she was
very pretty, too, you remember... She was a real role model to
me; smart, business-savvy, self-confident... I owe a lot to her
influence."
     Akane remembered Mariko well. She was the first one of
Kasumi's friends who didn't tease or scold her for being more
interested in martial arts than boys. Tall, proud and
independent, Akane had admired her, too. She'd told her about
girls she had known in other countries, who didn't have to be so
rigid and proper, didn't have to be "good little girls" all the
time. That kind of talk had always made Father and Kasumi
uncomfortable. She could understand... Father is a man of his
generation, and Kasumi truly enjoys being a proper shufu. But
Akane had never wanted that for herself. That's why she'd
resisted Kasumi's "Bridal Training" attempts for so long... She
remembered Mariko saying that a woman could do or be anything she
wanted to. Those had been inspirational words for a confused
young girl...
     "Hey, Akane! I'm not dredging up painful memories from my
past for my *own* benefit. You could at least pay attention..."
     "Sorry, Nabiki. I was just remembering how nice Mariko was
to me, too."
     "Well, it's *my* story, so listen up! Anyway, after Mariko's
tutoring did so much to bring up Kasumi's grades, Father thought
that I could benefit from a little help as well. You got the
short end of the stick because you've always been such a
schoolgirl." Akane stuck out her tongue at the jab. "So Mariko
started giving me lessons every Thursday after school, and I looked forward to them the same way a starving man looks forward to a five course meal... She was amazing, and smart, and nice, and pretty... I realized I took a lot more notice of *that* than most other girls my age. The way she talked to me, like she really *cared* about my problems... well, growing up in our house, you know how things can be. Daddy loves all three of us dearly, but he's not a very good parent... I remember mom being the level-headed one. Heck, if I hadn't been cooking the books, the Dojo would've gone belly up two years ago. When was the last time you saw Daddy, Mr. Saotome, or even Ranma or Happosai  teach a class? I... Well, I'm getting off topic. Anyway, she was great.
 After a while, I started to realize that I had a crush on her and about the same time my grades started slipping ('cause I was paying more attention to her than the lessons) so Daddy scheduled Mariko for Wednesday nights as well. I was in heaven!"
 "I'll bet..." Akane commented, smiling. It was so nice to see her sister care about something other than money, even if it meant that she was... that way.."
 "Needless to say, my grades dropped even faster. Daddy made it known that unless my grades showed a marked improvement, he'd fire Mariko and bring in some gaijin kyoushi to teach me. So I buckled down and tried to get serious, but when I should have been memorizing verbs and phrases, I was busy memorizing the lines of Mariko's gorgeous face... the way her eyes crinkled at the edges when she smiled at me... You'd've loved watching me, Akane. I was a romantic drip!" Nabiki laughed at the memory, but Akane thought she detected a hint of pain behind the facade.
 "Anyway, things were looking grim. My teacher at school had warned me that he'd be calling Daddy tomorrow to inform him of my poor grade in English that semester, so I knew the jig was up. That night, I went over to Mariko's house and told her everything, that I thought I loved her, bawling like a little girl. She sat quietly, listening to my confession, then stood up and gave me a big hug. It was wonderful to be touching her at last, with everything out in the open, but all I could do was cry..."
 Nabiki's eyes moistened a little, and she sniffled. Regaining her trademark composure, she continued.
 "When I was all cried out, she took my face in her hands and kissed me... it was so gentle and nice. It was my first real kiss, not counting the quick peck I charged Kuno 1000 yen for behind the bleachers in middle school. When the kiss was over, we just sort of held each other for a while."
 Nabiki took two more bites of her sundae before continuing. Akane remained silent.
 "It happened that her parents were both out that night, so she took my hand and led me upstairs to the furo. I was a little frightened, but really happy, too. We took off our clothes and washed each other like sisters before we got into the furo itself, holding hands. Then, without speaking, but looking me straight in the eye the whole time, she took my hand and put in on her breast... I don't mind telling you, I almost fainted right then and there. I was doing it! I was... well, you can imaging how things went from there... We made love that night for the first and only time... She said that she liked me, and wanted to share this with me, but wasn't interested in girls... not for the long term, anyway... Heh. I tried to convince her, said we could move to Hawaii, get married. Never mind our families... god, I was crazy for her, I would have thrown everything away. But she talked me down, reminded me that she wanted to go to college, maybe start a family someday... Well, like I said, the first and *only* time we ever did it. After that, Daddy hired Masha-san and that was that, my grades improved, and Kasumi stopped bringing Mariko by... I think Miko (that's what I called her) told her what had happened, but i've never known for sure..." Nabiki let a few tears slip. Shaking her head she laughed uncomfortably.
 "Gosh, Nabiki..."
 "Yeah, I know... perverted, right?" She dabbed at her eyes with a napkin.
 "No, I... Nabiki..." Akane reached over, taking her sister's hand into her own. "I think it's great! Mariko... *Miko*... was a really nice person! I don't know how I would have reacted before I met Ranma, though..."
 "Yeah, well... now you know the "Ice Queen's" Big Secret, huh kiddo? And all it cost you was a chocolate sundae..." Nabiki broke down and wept. Akane moved over and held her sister close until the sobs eased.
 "C'mon, Nabiki... we'd better get going... if we stay much longer, we'll miss third period too."
 "Yeah... finish your chocolate, I'll take care of the note for the Big Kahuna.."
 They settled the bill and left, walking arm in arm. A block away from Furinkan, Nabiki stopped them, took a minute to fix her makeup and straighten her uniform. When she had finished, the old Nabiki was back.
 "A word to the wise, Akane. Tell *anybody*, even loverboy, and i'll have you killed."
 "Ha! There's the Nabiki I know and love! Always joking..."
 "I'm not kidding, Akane... I *know* people!"
 "Su-ure, sis... I love you too..."
 As they walked to the school office, Akane realized she was getting strange looks from all the students.
 "Hey Nabiki? Is there chocolate on my face or something? People are giving me the funniest looks..."
 "Beats me, Akane. Maybe Ranma blabbed about your "shared moment" last night..."
 "He'd better not have, that's nobody's business but ours... Hey, there's Daisuke, the guy who sits next to Ranma in class. Hey, Daisuke!"
 Daisuke gave her a startled look, pointing at himself, mouthing the word "Me?" When she nodded, he crossed the hallway to her.
 "Akane? You're actually speaking to me? I didn't think you even knew my name!"
 "Yes, well... What's going on? Did Ranma tell anyone anything?"
 "About what?"
 "I don't know, maybe I'm just paranoid, but everyone keeps giving me funny looks..."
 "Well, Ranma *was* screaming your name in the quad this morning before classes. I guess people are wondering what happened..."
 "S-screaming m-my name?" Akane was stunned.
 "Ooh, sis! Looks like you made a *big* impression..."
 "Quiet, Nabiki! Daisuke, what do you mean 'screaming my name'?"
 "Well he was pretty angry... in homeroom, Miss Hinako had to drain him three times before he calmed down enough to be sent to detention..."
 "Angry...? Why?"
 "I don't know, I couldn't get close enough to ask him. It was like the air around him was superheated or something."
 [That's not like Ranma at all..] Akane thought. [He usually keeps his Ki in tight rein, especially in Miss Hinako's class...]
 "Daisuke, where is he now?"
 "On the athletics field, tearing apart turf flatteners with his bare hands last time I saw him... Wow, I can't believe I'm talking to Akane Tendo! My social standing just went through the roof! Wait'll the guys find out!"
 "Uh.. sure, Daisuke. I'd better be going now..."
 "Oh, wow! This is too good to be true! Akane Tendo, talking to me, Daisuke Tanaka! This is incredible! I...."
 Daisuke's voice trailed off as Akane walked away, ignoring him.
 [Oh, Ranma! What happened? Now that I've finally really found you, I don't want to lose you again...]

**********************************************************************

Well, that's it for part three of "Rock 'n Roll 1/2, 'Infatuation'" I know this was a little more limey-y than lemon-y this time, but I needed time to recharge my batteries a little after part two. Plus, I had a few things to get off my chest. If Nabiki and Akane are so atypically "liberated" for japanese girls, who was responsible? Soun's a traditional man, Kasumi's a hausfrau, and the late Mrs. Tendo died while the girls were very young. Hence, the character of Mariko (Miko) Shiramazu. She also, not coincidentally, allowed me to do a lesbian scene using Nabiki. Also, I wanted to point out that Ryoga ain't got it so bad, thank you very much. The Kodachi thing? Well, two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to pair Ryoga up with someone other than Akane, Ukyo or Ranko to see if it would work. Secondly, let's face it. Ryoga's gotta be a masochist. Look at the way he's attracted to violent women and keeps going back for second helpings of whupass at the hands of Ranma. And who else in the world of Ranma 1/2 to play the dominatrix (other than Miss Hinako..."Punish the Delinquents!") but Kodachi?


 For those who give a damn about such things, you may have noticed the episode titles bear the names of various famous and infamous rock songs of the seventies and eighties. This indicates no particular fondness of mine for the music of that period. The titles were chosen to represent the themes of the episode, nothing more. In case anyone cares, here's the correct reading order, including the stories yet to be written and tentative titles.

Introduction: "Band on the Run" (Paul McCartney and Wings)
Episode One: "Hot for Teacher" (Van Halen)
Episode Two: "Cat Scratch Fever" (Ted Nugent)
Episode Three: "Infatuation" (Rod Stewart)
Episode Four(tentative): "Love Hurts"
Episode Five(tentative): "Combat Rock" (The Clash. Yeah, I *know* it's an album title, not a song title, but what the hell)

As always, send all comments, questions, criticism (and flames) to me at: leapinggnome@hotmail.com


"Ah finds that a good story helps me appreciate the fuckin'..."
                  -From Dusk 'till Dawn II     anks, everybody. See ya soon.