Separation Anxiety part 9

        'Ranko' woke up the next day when Nodoka gently nudged her awake. "Wake up
Ranko dear, we have a big day planned remember?" she said to the young girl.
 "C'mon Ranchan." said Akane sleepily. Ranchan caved and rose drearily. 
        "whas iss Pops?" asked Ranma drearily not fully awake. Ranchan's eyes went
side as she realized where she was. Her mother gathered her bedding and left
Akane's room leaving Ranchan and Akane to sit alone together.
        "So, what are you going to do?" asked Akane after a few moments of silence.
        Ranma sat with Akane on the bed and sighed. "Enjoy spending the day with my
mother." she said finally. She was smiling but her eyes gave away her true
feelings.
        "Ranma ...you know you'll always have a home here with us." she said after a
moment.
        Ranma's smile turned genuine, "thanks Akane." she said and left.

        Ranma walked along the hall to the bath engrossed in her thoughts. "How long
can this last?" she wondered. she disrobed and thought about her problem,
"Never to be a man again, is it really that bad? I mean no one is going to
force me to get married or anything, do I really want to be alone...I can't
marry a man! What am I going to do with my life?!" she thought about this as
she walked into the bath.

        "Oh hello Ranko." said her mother from the tub. "The water sure is warm
today." Ranko froze. Nodoka smiled "Are you going to stand there with the door
open looking embarrassed or are you going to come in? Its ok we're both girls
dear." said Nodoka. 
        Ranma slowly walked into the bathroom and washed herself she then sat in the
tub with her mother. "Right...we're both girls...forever." she thought to
herself.
        "So what do you think of my son Ranko?" asked Nodoka pleasantly.
        Ranchan sighed. "I-I don't know. Sometimes I hate him, other times...its
almost like having an arrogant stuck up brother." she said more to herself
than Nodoka.
        Nodoka blinked "You think of my son as a brother?" she asked in am unreadable
voice.
        Ranko nodded and sighed. "I guess I do...now." she leaned against the back of
the tub and looked at the lights on the ceiling.
        Nodoka smiled. "I would be honored to have a daughter like you, Ranko." she
said.
        Ranma blushed and got out of the tub. "Thanks Auntie you don't know what that
means to me." she said looking at the floor. She walked out and Nodoka smiled.
        "I really wish I had two sons Ranma's age now." she said to herself

        Ranma woke and went straight for the Dojo. "I've got to beat him." he said as
he ran past 'Ranko'. 
        Ranchan smiled as he went by "Slow poke." she commented. Ranma growled and
kept going. Ranchan went on the roof for her workout as it had become her
habit to train alone in the mornings. She trained with Genma and Ranma in the
evenings and was easily faster than Ranma as she so often liked to point out
to him. He was stronger thought and never missed any opportunity to prove it
to her. 

        Ranchan walked with Akane and her Mother through the shopping district of
Nerima with a board expression on her face. They had been to twenty three
clothing stores in the past two hours and Ranchan had only bought herself a T-
shirt. She had also been stuck with bag carrying duty. "Oh yes I almost forgot
I need to pick up some underwear today." commented Nodoka. Ranko froze she
knew from experience that she would end up trying and eventually succeeding in
getting some for her and Akane as well.

        Ranko sits uncomfortably in the dressing room with a defeated look on her
face. "Honestly Ranko I've never had such a hard time getting a girl to go
shopping before." said an exhausted Nodoka as Akane tries to stifle her
laughter at seeing Ranma sitting in women's underwear. Ranchan glared at her,
Akane burst into laughter. "Akane dear behave yourself." said Nodoka with her
own giggles as she caught Ranma's angry stare. Ranma was not amused.

        A few hours later Ranchan burst into the Tendo home in a short yellow skirt
and a cute blue blouse. Ranma and Genma stare at her in disbelief. On Ranchans
face is a look of pure rage. Akane and Nodoka walk in beaming brightly. "What
happened?" asked Ranma in shock.
        Ranchan  glares at them, "They ganged up on me." she said giving them a gaze
of ice. Ranma and Genma shudder. Ranchan looks at Ranma "I'm dealing with
things that are only a memory to you, don't ever forget that." she said and
walked out of the room angrily.

        "Ranko dear I met someone today who says he knows you." said Nodoka at the
dinner table. Ranchan looked at her in puzzlement. "Yes, he even says your
dating." said Nodoka cheerfully. 
        Every one stared at Ranko who looked blankly back. On Ranma kun's face was a
look of pure terror. "Who?" asked Ranko dumbly. 
        "I didn't get his name but he was quite handsome." said Nodoka who was
staring at Ranma's reaction uncomfortably. 
        "I'm not dating any one." said Ranko looking across the table calmly. Every
one seemed to be relieved at the same time, well every one but Kasumi and
Nodoka.
        Ryoga Hibbiki walked to the next street and smiled as he realized where he
was. He looked up to see Ranma standing on the wall of the Dojo looking up at
the night sky. He smiled as she stared at the sky oblivious to the goings on
around her. "He must have taken my beating him pretty hard.  Ranma turned and
jumped off the wall as Akane's familiar yell echoed through the street.
        Akane screamed at Ranma as he lept out of reach of her mallet as chased him
through the house with it. "Ranma You jerk!" she cried as Ranma ducked behind
his mother. Ranchan walked into the house calmly "Are they fighting again?"
she said aloud. "Ranma when are you going to get some guts and tell her you
love her so the rest of us can have some peace?" she asked  him as he ran by.
Every one in the room froze. Ranchan smiled and walked out side. Only to be
stopped by another familiar battle cry.
        "Prepare to die Saotome!" cried Ryoga as he lept at Ran with his Umbrella
drawn. Ranchan dodged and Ryoga rushed and grabbed her in a crushing bear hug.
        "How did he get so fast?" thought Ranchan from Ryoga's grip. 
        "Ryoga what the hell do you think your doing?" yelled Ranma from behind him. 
        Ranchan was having difficulty breathing. "I have you now Saotome!" cried
Ryoga. "R-ran-Ranma?" he stuttered looking over his shoulder at Ranma behind
him. He put Ranchan on the ground and looked at her. "Ranma?" 
        "Over here doof." said Ranma looking annoyed. Ryoga looked at Ranchan who was
catching her breath. "Your not...Oh no I'm sorry I thought!" he turned to see
Akane staring at Ryoga quizzically. "I just attacked a woman in front of
Akane!" he thought in desperation. 
        "Please let go of my niece." said Nodoka looking at the strange and
apologetic boy. This was to much for Ryoga as he ran through the wall
surrounding the yard and into Nerima.
        
        Nodoka sat and looked at Ranma and Ranko as they sat across from her at the
table. "Why did he call you?..." she said aloud and looked at Ranma and Ranko
again. She sweat and grabbed them both by the arm and pulled them to the side
she pushed both of the confused Ranmas onto the table and stared at them.
"Wha..?" she said looking at them with a shocked stare. "H..How could I not
see it?" she said softly never taking her gaze off them. Both Ranmas Knew
something was wrong here. Nodoka's face started to twitch and turned into a
mask of pure rage. "GENMA!!!!" she yelled and turned to see only the Tendos
and Mr. Panda staring back at her nervously. "Where is he?" she demanded.
Every one pointed out the front door and Nodoka hurriedly stormed out.