“Aren’t you a pretty thing, miss! Here, yours is on the house.”

“Kyaaa~! Thank you sir!” an ecstatic Ranko replied, delicately taking her double scoop bubblegum-sprinkles and vanilla-cookie ice cream from the vendor’s hand.

“And it’ll be five hundred sixty yen for you, sir.”

Ryoga grumbled, paying up for his own chocolate and mint cone.

 

These past three days had been a blast for Ranma. Following Ryoga’s advice, he had started picking up his breathing exercises once again, and he had never felt as in tune with himself as now.

He wasn’t sure quite how to describe it? It’s like he had control over whether he wanted to have his fighting spirit around or not. He’d gotten to spend most of the past three days with no drive to train with his dad, nor bicker with Akane, nor playfully tease Ryoga… He got to do normal things instead, like heading into town with his best buddy and eating ice cream together.

“I can’t believe you get to do stuff like this and you still thought it was fair to call it a curse,” Ryoga accused.

“That’s true… If I was a boy right now, everybody would be judging me for eating something like this, hehe. But thankfully, I’m-a-girl-right-now~!” Ranma replied, emphasizing the last few words with a few happy hops, taking a gigantic lick from his icy treat.

“And you use that awesome power to get ice cream for free,” Ryoga stated.

“I didn’t choose not to pay, the kindly man just handed it to me,” Ranma replied before thinking for a bit. “I’ll have to go back and tell him thanks next time.” 

“You do know he was flirting with you, right?” Ryoga asked.

Ranma suddenly paused, a big lick of ice cream on his tongue. “Eh?”

Ryoga stared at Ranma for a second. “You... hadn’t noticed? Why did you think he gave it to you for free?”

“I thought he was just a nice boy, I… I’m a boy! I’m not gay!” Ranma frowned, dejected. “If anything I’m closer to being a lesbian than anything.”

“A lesbian trapped in a man’s body…” Ryoga nodded, before adding in a mutter, “but only half the time compared to me…”

Ranma snickered. “I missed you, Ryoga. You get me. I missed having a friend that already knows me.”

“Yeah, I’m guessing adapting to living with a bunch of strangers was a bit rough?” Ryoga asked, devouring his entire cone in one hungry bite.

“I mean, they’re Dad’s friends, and it’s not like I dislike any of them…” In Ranma’s opinion, Kasumi was very kindly and Akane was… Akane was Akane. That left only the middle sister. “Well, Nabiki scares me a little.”

Ryoga nodded in agreement, a shudder passing through him from head to toes. “I didn’t think someone could have this many questions about a curse like mine.”

Walking ahead, Ranma noticed a crowd of leotard-wearing girls of about his age lined up in front of a small aerobics gym where a stand seemed to have been set up. Two girls were sparring with gymnastic clubs as a demonstration, when an errant blow caused one of the clubs to fly up in the sky and direct itself straight towards Ranma. He dodged with a frontflip and even managed to grab the club just before it would’ve hit the ground behind him.

The two girls were impressed. “Oh my gosh! Where did you learn to move like that!?” the first one asked.

“Giiirl, you’d make a killing at the tournament!” the second one continued.

Ryoga and Ranma approached and handed the girls their weapon back. “Tournament?” Ranma said.

“Yeah, giiirl! Martial arts rhythmic gymnastics tournament! Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it before?” She grabbed Ranma’s hand and tugged him towards the stand, where a young girl waved at him and handed him a flyer.

 

If Akane hadn’t had the advert right in front of her eyes, she probably wouldn’t have believed the two boys’ tall tale. It said it right there - open martial arts rhythmic gymnastic tournament for teams of three, with a cash prize for the winner. “How does gymnastic martial arts even work?” she asked incredulously.

“It’s a very fine combat art that combines grace with power!” Ryoga announced, setting his foot on the table in a triumphant pose. “Only the most agile, most skilled combatants who know how to wield regular gymnastics apparatus as dangerous weapons can hope to triumph over their opponent! But it’s also an art of the spectacle, one where pushing the enemy team out of the ring isn’t enough - the audience needs to be entertained for the victory to truly count!”

“...So it’s basically wrestling,” Akane replied.

Ryoga flopped onto his face, his enthusiasm promptly dashed. “I mean if you want to make it sound boring…”

“I think it’s cute that you have a passion, Ryoga,” Ranma said with a simple smile.

 Akane was relieved that it was still that version of Ranma hanging out. She was almost to the point of dreading when the switch would happen, but was still able to count her blessings for now. “Why do you know so much about it anyways?” Akane asked.

“My hometown is famous for its numerous festivals. Our local gymnastic martial arts team always performs. I tried to join it when I was a kid, but…” Ryoga’s expression deflated. “…back then they only accepted girls.”

Akane took a second look at the flier. “This one seems to be mixed genders at least.” She turned her head towards Ranma. “Sounds perfect for you, doesn’t it?”

“Hey, that’s mean, Akane…” Ranma replied, pouting.

Akane buried her head in the flier. Gods, why did this Ranma have to be so… so… adorable!? She couldn’t even tease him without him turning it back on her and making her feel guilty! At least if there was one thing the other Ranma had over this one, it’s that he knew how to retort! …She refocused herself on the topic at hand. “So you want to participate?”

“I don’t know… It’s been so long, I’m probably rusty… and useless, and awful, and graceless, and…” Akane tuned Ryoga out as he lost himself in self-deprecation, and listened for Ranma’s side of the reply.

“I guess it’s less like a fight and more like sport? It sounds fun,” Ranma replied with a nod.

Akane was lukewarm on the idea. On the one hand, it was martial arts. On the other, it was gymnastics, and she couldn’t care less about that.

“My my, what have we here?” A voice came from behind Akane and the flier was snatched out of her hands. She turned around just in time to see Nabiki read over the advert and her pupils turn into yen symbols when she spotted the prize money for first place.

 

Ranma imagined the ebb and flow of a calm beach, his breaths synchronizing with the waves. He believed he would perform better with his will to fight around, and so focused himself on bringing it out. The waves roared into a tempest and he felt his flame light up again. Coincidentally, though, it seemed his feelings chose right this timing to make him woefully uninterested in a competition of grace. “Can ya believe we got suckered into this by Nabiki?”

“You seemed pretty enthusiastic about it yourself just a moment ago,” Akane replied, balancing a gymnastic club in her hand to get used to its weight.

“I know! I know I was, okay? Ain’t no rules forbiddin’ me from changin’ my mind!” he said, crossing his arms and huffing.

“...Bipolar disaster.”

“Uncute tomboy.”

They both stuck out their tongue at one another.

Akane went back to her club, training herself to throw it up in the air and catch it (to little success).

Ranma approached Ryoga, who seemed pensive. “Oi, Ryoga, ya doin’ alright there?”

“Yes, I’m just… reminiscing,” he replied, looking at the tools of the art. “I haven’t had a chance to practice gymnastics martial arts in so long, I… I missed it.” He grabbed a ribbon and started twirling it above his head. “Would you mind being my target for a second, Ranma?”

Ranma shrugged, a cocky smile on his face. “Sure? How much can it even hurt, ‘nyways?”

“Prepare yourself, Ranma! Iron Cloth Ribbon!” Ryoga pointed the ribbon’s twirl forwards and caught Ranma in the spiral. As it struck him over and over on his legs and arms, he discovered the answer was ‘very’.

“That’s amazing!” Akane exclaimed, observing the pig boy’s talent.

“Aah…” The lost boy trailed off as he blushed a little. “I’m not that good, it’s just an easy technique once you get the hang of it…”

Ranma went to sit the next technique exhibition out, having learned not to underestimate gymnastics martial arts. “Ryoga really has self esteem issues,” Akane whispered to Ranma.

 

Ryoga then proceeded to show off the few techniques they would be training themselves on for the following week, involving the clubs, ribbon, balls, circles and jump ropes typical of the less competitive version of the sport.

Akane was panting heavily, tangled in her own ribbon after a pitiful attempt at reproducing Ryoga’s moves. Ranma wasn’t having much success either; his style was much too energetic, preventing the grace-fueled techniques of gymnastics martial arts from activating to their fullest power.

The teens stopped there for the evening, then prepared themselves for bed.

 

Akane headed to school with Ranma in tow, who stifled a yawn. A girl in a different school’s uniform was waiting at the gate. With her dark hair and perfect makeup, she exuded an air of vain elegance. Akane had the feeling she had seen her somewhere before, but couldn’t quite place it.

As she expected to simply walk past her, the woman’s eyes narrowed as she spotted the two of them, and she began speaking. “Are you the sister of Tendo Nabiki?”

“Hmm?” Any friend of Nabiki was someone to be wary of, Akane thought. “If you’re looking for her, I think she headed to school before us.”

“Ah! Well, I must have missed her. No matter, my brother should bring her here soon, then.” The girl whipped her ponytail from one shoulder to the other. Her eyes narrowed once more as she looked away from Akane and Ranma. “...Isn’t this young man heading towards you?”

Ranma turned around, confused. “Wha? Ryoga! What are ya doin’ here!?”

“Ranma?” the pig boy replied, approaching. “Say, where’s the kitchen? I wanted to put a teapot on the stove just in case.”

“...Did ya just get lost tryin’ to find the kitchen back at the Tendo’s?” Ranma pinched the bridge of his nose, looking down in frustration.

“I thought that’s where you were heading, I just followed you!” Ryoga argued.

“Why would I be goin’ to the kitchen!?” Ranma shouted back.

“I don’t know! I… I zoned out,” Ryoga admitted, glancing away.

Ranma let out a sigh, calming down. “Okay. I’m bringin’ you back home ‘n’ then I’m headin’ straight back to school.” Ranma grabbed Ryoga’s hand and ran off towards the Tendo household. “Don’t wait for me, Akane!” he said, turning his head back towards the school one last time.

“I wasn’t planning to, idiot!” Akane replied, loud enough to make sure he’d heard her. “I swear, these two make a pair…”

“A-are these the two boys that were seen hugging in the middle of a spar?” The other girl, who had observed the scene in silence, finally spoke up. “And, if what my brother told me about this Ranma man, and his failed partnership with… Oh… Oh my…!” She blushed, bringing her hands to her face.

What kind of misunderstanding had she just invented for herself?

“Well… Once your friends are back, please… Could you tell them…” Her voice rose to a booming tone, grabbing the attention of all the students in the courtyard. “That they have the Black Rose of Furinkan’s -that is, my- greatest and utmost respect for their incredible boy-meets-boy romantic passion!? That they have my blessing for the blooming of their garden of love!!”

Akane’s eyes went wide as she connected the dots. “W-wait, are you--”

The woman exploded into a high pitched, rhythmic laugh. “I am the leader of the gymnastics martial arts club of St. Hebereke’s High School for Girls! The rising star of grace, I am… KODACHI KUNO!” She pulled off her school uniform in one swipe, revealing her gymnastic leotard underneath, as well as a gust of black petals. ”Remember my name, sister of Tendo Nabiki!” 

Of course she had to be Tatewaki’s sister. Akane threw her head into her palm, mortified. Looks like the school was going to be convinced Ranma was gay after all. …Well, it was fair payback for the time he had claimed he understood her pain of being incorrectly labelled a lesbian.

Satisfied with her flashy introduction, Kodachi settled down, then took another glance at her conversation partner. “Wait… If you are Nabiki’s sister, might you be Tendo Akane, by any chance?”

“Yes…?” Akane said, apprehending where this was going.

Kodachi dropped her hand onto Akane’s shoulder recomfortingly. “I would like to apologize for my brother’s zealousness in labelling you a woman of sapphic pursuits. He can be thickheaded, and prone to misunderstandings,” she said with the most serious of tones.

Akane flopped onto her face, index and pinky fingers extended out. Wasn’t the pot calling the kettle black?

“Now, Akane-san, I’m afraid I don’t have much time left before I need to head for my own school, so I will be off to looking for your sister before it is too late. Stay strong, and don’t let the rumors drive your mood down.” Kodachi threw her a smile, before heading into the school building at a swift pace.

Were both Kuno siblings seriously like this!?

She stomped towards the school, heading for her classes before she would have to hear the whispered rumors roar in intensity.

 

The morning classes went by much too slowly for Ranma’s taste, not least because of the weird glances he kept getting all morning. But at least Akane finally accepted his offer to spend lunch time with him - he had been worried from seeing her sit alone for the better part of the past week.

Their meal was quickly interrupted as the door to the classroom slammed open. “Tendo Akane!” the local kendo trainee Tatewaki exclaimed, approaching them both. “Am I correct in my understanding that you have met my sister this morning?”

“Wait, what? Was that who that girl was?” Ranma asked.

“Yes, Tatewaki, we met your sister this morning,” Akane replied in a droning voice. Ranma grimaced, realizing that Tatewaki was the origin of the rumors putting her in a foul mood.

“Aaah! Curses!” Tatewaki raised his face towards the ceiling, planting his hand over it. “Did she insinuate that Saotome Ranma and his childhood friend are lovers, I fear!?”

“SHE DID WHAT!?” Ranma screamed, jumping out of his seat. He turned his head towards Akane for a visual confirmation she refused to give him.

“So you’ve heard the rumors?” Akane replied, pointedly avoiding giving Ranma any attention.

“AND THERE’S RUMORS TOO!?” That’s it. Ranma’s life was ruined. If they didn’t have to head out of Furinkan before, they had to now. Maybe he could convince his pops if he promised he’d do the cooking for the next year on the road.

Tatewaki slid down onto his knees and prostrated himself in shame. “On behalf of my honor as a kendo master, I would like to apologize for my sister’s proneness in calling you, Saotome Ranma, a pursuer of masculine lovers. She can be thickheaded, and prone to misunderstandings.”

“Where could I possibly have heard that one before,” Akane replied, gritting her teeth.

“Still, that is not the only reason I have come to talk to you at this time,” Tatewaki continued, lifting his head up. “I have heard from your sister Nabiki that you have entered a competition in gymnastic martial arts?”

“Can we please go back to the whole ‘people think I’m gay’ stuff!? Cuz it ain’t true! I’m not!!” Ranma pleaded to deaf ears. “Akane, tell ‘em!”

Akane shook her head and ignored him. “We did. Why?”

“Wonderful!” Tatewaki stood himself back onto his feet. “I look forward to crossing your path on the battlefield, then. My sister and I have registered ourselves as our own team. Know that we do not intend to lose! Farewell, Akane, precious partner of Ranko!” He ran off on that note, leaving the pair of teens behind, stunned.

“Akane!” Ranma growled, throwing daggers at his fiancée. “Why didn’t ya tell everybody I ain’t into men!?”

Akane shrugged nonchalantly, a mean smile on her face that would’ve befitted her sister more. “I just thought you’d appreciate the perspective.”

“Ya… YA UNCUTE TOMBOY!!” Ranma shouted, causing his fiancée’s eye to twitch.

“BIPOLAR DISASTER!!” Akane replied.

The two teens huffed and went back to their meals, sitting as far away from one another as they could.