Epiphany Chapter 8
By Tripolar Disorder


Ranma stood, leaning against the wall in his mental room. Though
he wasn't in control, he had seen everything that had been
happening outside. He had the widest grin on his face. It 
threatened to reach both ears if he pulled it tighter.

Ranko materialized into being in the center of the room. she
opened her eyes, smiling as she saw him grinning back at her.

"I told ya she wouldn't see it. I don't know why, but she
didn't. she never gets it. I'll bet if me and Pops hadn't sat
and explained the curse, then she would think my two sides were
more like you and me."

Ranko smirked, "Thank you by the way. I've never had a body of
my own to interact within your world."

"Not even going to admit she missed it huh? Don't want admit I
was right?"

Ranko's smile waivered slightly, but she tried to maintain it.

"Well, you're still on. You can't let Akane's ability to miss
things right in front of her face catch you that off-guard. You
sure haven't got my skills in the art."

Ranko scowled, then turned and charged Ranma, only to give him a
hug. "I'll give it back soon, I promise."

Ranko faded away, remarking with a smile, "And I'll fill up the
tank before I return it."


Akane soflty slapped Ranma's cheek a few times until he returned
to conscienceness. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Ugh, did you just say you thought Ryoga was trying to...."

"But, P-chan got away though. I can't believe he wanted to ... 
ugh, I can't even picture that. I guess he is into pigs even 
more than I thought. That is disgusting."

Ranma held his head for a few seconds, swearing under her breath.

Akane meanwhile, was running her fingers through Ranma's hair
when she realized that said hair was black. She looked over his
shoulder and noticed the lack of breasts.

"Uhm, Ranma. How come you changed, but your hair is still dry?"

Ranma's head jerked up, looking forward. His eyes had reached
the size of dinner plates. Then, he blinked once then looked
down at her. "uhmm, I had to run into the bathroom. P-chan may 
have been Ryoga's victim, but he still bit me on the leg. I 
didn't want to get an infection. When the rag touched my leg, I 
changed, then you hollered."

Akane looked puzzled, but it dawned on her that it could be that
simple.

Ranma snickered out loud. "You didn't think that water has to 
run over my head to change me, did you? If my feet get wet 
outside from a puddle I can change. You are silly sometimes 
Akane. It's so cute."

Akane looked into his eyes again and saw their warmth. She
pulled him closer and closed her eyes as she leaned against his
shoulder. "I'm sorry Ranma. I guess I just got nosey."

"Oh Kami, you think we should write that down. Akane admits
she's nosey. Well, how about that. I guess Hell musta just
dropped below freezing."

Ranma was rewarded with a mock-hostile glare. Akane then began
laughing. "You still can't keep from putting your foot in your
mouth, even when you're trying to be nice."

She then pushed him off her lap and onto the floor.

"What was that for?" Exclaimed Ranma.

"You need to go to your room to sleep tonight, unless you want me
to get some cold water and we can share my bed tonight. But we 
probably won't get much sleep." Akane said with a grin.

Ranma looked into her eyes. Comepletely serious again, he
replied, "Is that what you want Akane?"

Akane tried to scowl, but with a smile on her face. "Get going
you pervert, before I pound you flat for even considering that I 
was anything but joking."

Ranma smiled reluctantly. "I thought so. You had me going 
there."

With that, he picked himself up and truded out of the room.

Akane's smile dropped as soon as the door shut behind him. She
spoke aloud softly. "But what if I had been serious? What if I
really wanted your company tonight?" 


The next morning, Ranma and Akane were out in the yard sparring.
It was unlike their usual matches, and quite unlike the morning
ritual attack that he and Genma were accustomed to.

He was going slow and pointing out her weaknesses. In turn Akane
was trying to keep her strength in check.

Afterwards he carried her inside on his back. When he set her
down, Akane got an evil look about her.

"Ranma, you know what I miss about your sparring sessions?" She
grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back outside. She walked
over to the pond and dunked her hand, still holding his wrist,
under and Ranma closed his eyes and changed.

Akane laughed. "You usually come to breakfast as a girl, but
this time you're not all wet."

Ranma-chan hopped to her feet and grabbed Akane by the waist.
She lifted her over the pond. "Well, maybe you need to come to
the table wet. You know, right now I wish you had a Jusenkyo 
curse of your own."

Akane was frantically squealing out loud as she tried to get out
of the redhead's grip. She then realized where she was and
stopped squirming.

"You wouldn't dare Ranma. Ok... please?"

Meanwhile in Ranma's mind...


Well, so he wishes Akane had a Jusenkyo curse. I can come close
I suppose, since it is his magic now.

Here goes... 


Ranma started to feel weak. She felt energy moving through her.
Everything started to go black and she felt her feet slipping.
She couldn't hold up Akane and they both fell into the pond.

When Akane surfaced she felt just a little different. Her
hearing was the first thing she noticed. Everything was a little
louder and as she turned her head, she could tell where just
about every sound was coming from.

She only half registered all of this as she noticed Ranma-chan
unmoving, floating face down next to her.

She grabbed Ranma, and jumped out of the pool. She landed next
to the house and was surprised at how far she went.

Nodoka came into the living room to see a drenched Akane holding
an equally drenched Ranma-chan in her arms.

Nodoka was at her daughter's side immediately. She noticed
Ranma-chan was still breathing. She seemed to be asleep.

Without looking up Nodoka asked. "What happened Akane?"

Akane replied. "We were having a little fun out over the pond
and Ranma passed out and we fell in."

Nodoka looked up and her face seemed to lose all color. "Are you
alright Akane?" Said Nodoka in a shaking voice.

Akane looked confused. "Other then being all wet, I feel fine.
Why do you ask?"

Nodoka put her arm on Akane's shoulder. "I think you need a look
in the mirror, Akane. You seem to have grown.... ears."

Akane put her hand against the side of her head. "No I haven't
they didn't get.... wait, what happened to my ears?"

She was patting the side of her head frantically, when Nodoka
took her wrist and placed it on the furry cat-ear on top of her
head.

Akane patted her hand around and realization struck her. She
proceeded to pass out.


Ranma-chan was standing in her mind's room. "Okay, Ko-chan how
come I passed out?"

The mirror image of Ranma-chan emerged from the wall. "I am
sorry about that Ranma. That took more energy than I thought it
would." Said Ranko as she stepped onto the floor. "Don't worry.
We just need to recharge our batteries. We'll be good as new in
about an hour."

Ranma-chan glared at her. "What took more energy than you
thought?"

"Why giving Akane a Jusenkyo curse, just like you wanted." She
was smiling with a truly evil grin.

"WHAT?!?!? YOU DIDN'T!!!!" Ranma-chan was nearly screaming at
Ranko.

Ranko laughed. "This is your magic now and that is what you 
wanted. You aren't capable of giving her an actual curse, but
she has an adorable pair of ears and a tail."

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!! YOU GAVE HER A CURSE?? UNBELIEVABLE!!!"

"Calm down Ranma. There is no reason to yell at me about it.
You can remove it as soon as you wake up." Replied Ranko. She
continued, "Though I think she looks better with them."

Ranma-chan "Just because I asked? You did it because I asked?"

"Wished, Ranma. If you had not wished it out loud you would not
even have tempted me. But THAT, I could not resist."

Ranma-chan seemed to be calming down. "Well I guess I will have
to tell her about being able to control the curse. Then change
her back."

"You could. There are other ways. You could torture her for a
few days." Ranko giggled.

Ranma gritted his teeth. "No, I don't want her that mad at me.
I'm already dead meat from this."

Ranma-chan sat down with crossed legs and Ranko mimicked him
while sitting across from him.

They continued to look at each other for several silent minutes
until Ranko spoke up. "I know you're mad at me, but I think this
could be a good thing."

"How?" Growled Ranma-chan.

"They are cat ears and tail. Akane could help you with your only
real fear."

"C-C-Cat ears? No... anything but those. How could you?"
Stammered Ranma-chan.

"Hot water will change her back, and cold water will make her a
cat-girl. She has one advantage in the fact that she is not a
water magnet." Replied Ranko.

Ranko looked up suddenly, toward the ceiling. Time to wake up
Ranma-chan, and you better figure out what you are going to say.

With that, the room went dark.


Ranma-chan opened her eyes. She was lying on a futon on the
floor. She could see Nabiki, Nodoka and Kasumi sitting around
her. She turned her head to the left and saw Akane on a futon
next to her. Her eyes were still closed and a damp cloth was on
her forehead.

Ranma-chan noticed her ears. They were sticking out of her hair
near the top of her head. Short and furry in a brown and tan
marbled pattern. She did have to admit that, despite the
obvious resemblance to a cat, she did look quite cute.

Ranma-chan turned her attention to Nodoka clearing her throat.
"Ranma-dear, do you have any idea what happened to Akane?"

Ranma-chan felt her face getting red. "Yes Mom, I think I can
explain. But, can I tell you alone? I feel embarrassed."

Nodoka nodded. She helped Ranma-chan up and they went down to
the furo. Ranma-chan stopped and came back. "Um, after Akane
wakes up, can you have her meet me and mom in the furo? I hope
she won't be mad at me."

Nabiki snickered and pointed to the roof. "You will be lucky if
she only knocks you into orbit."

Ranma-chan paled then turned around and left.

Akane woke up shortly after. Her eyes slowly opened. Kasumi
asked her. "How are you feeling, Akane?"

She turned toward Kasumi. "I just had a strange dream that I got
turned into a cat."

Nabiki coughed and handed her a mirror. "It wasn't a dream sis,
and you have a tail too."

Akane was holding the mirror tightly, as she could see a pair of
ears on top of her head. She could feel them as she flexed them.

The glass surface on the mirror began cracking, so she handed it
to Kasumi and sat up slowly. She put her hands on her head and
touched them. They were soft, furry, and sensitive to touch.
She then turned behind her to see the tail sticking out of her
practice gi.

She tried to make it move and it did. It started curling up
toward her. She put her hand on it, and could feel her touch.

Akane laughed once. She stood up slowly. The new sensations
were calming her. She could hear and feel the cool breeze
flowing through the house. It tickled her ears and she rubbed
them lightly with her fingertips.

Nabiki pointed toward the furo. "Ranma says she knows what
happened to you, and she and Nodoka are waiting in the furo for
you.

Akane nodded. With her mind set, she stormed her way to the
bathroom door.


Meanwhile...

"Ok, dear. We are alone. Now what happened to Akane?"

Ranma sighed as she sat on one of the wash buckets. "You know
how I can change forms at will now?"

Nodoka nodded and Ranma-chan shifted into male form. "Well, I
want to tell you how that happened."

Nodoka listened to her son's story of how his curse merged with
him and was now part of him.

Ranma had watched his mother and noted her reaction was still
calm, and was relived to see that.

"The reason I decided not to tell you how I knew, is because then 
Akane would hear it, then she go and tell Ryoga, thinking he's 
just that Damn P-Chan. He'd come clobbering me endlessly 
thinking I had a cure, which I really don't."

After he finished his mother asked "so... your curse magic, whom
has a mind of her own, heard you wish Akane had a curse and
fulfilled it?"

"Yeah mom, that about explains it. She said the magic is mine
now to do with what I want. I didn't have enough for a full
curse, so she did a tail and ears."

"Ears, I might add, that are very capable of picking up mumbling
conversations in ajoining rooms." Interrupted Akane as she
opened the door and walked in.

Ranma started to sweat. 

"How long were you behind the door Akane?" Asked Ranma, shakily.

"Long enough." 

Akane walked over and stood in front of him. He saw her giant
mallet materialize in her hands.

"Now Ranma, the only thing keeping me from being really mad at
you is that I promised you I wouldn't. But I want to know why 
you never told me you could change at will, or that Ryoga WAS
P-Chan?

Ranma sighed. "I was the one that accidentally knocked him off
the cliff and into the spring. He said it was all my fault and
made me promise not to tell you, and he has been using me since."

Akane started to cry. She fell to her knees. The mallet
impacted the floor tiles, it's holder unable to hold it. "And
all the times I caught you in my room at night?"

Ranma nodded.

Nodoka decided it was time to leave the two of them alone. She
stepped out and shut the furo door behind her.

Akane choked out. "You were trying to get Ryoga out of my bed,
and I called you a pervert for it."

Ranma nodded again.

Akane's mallet disappeared and she threw herself at Ranma. "I'm
so sorry Ranma."

Ranma was bowled to the floor under the force of her impact.
Still crying, Akane tried to continue her apology. "Ryoga has
been using you all along, just like you said to Kasumi and I
never saw it."

He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face into his
chest. She continued to cry for several minutes.

She finally lifted her head back up to look at him. "Did you
cause him to change last night?"

Ranma nodded again. 

Akane started to laugh, even with tears in her eyes. She
sniffled her nose and Ranma handed her a tissue.

"I'll bet you were just hitting yourself that I was so dense I
couldn't see it." Akane said with a smile on her face. She blew
her nose as she listened to his reply.

She buried her face into his chest for a moment, before lifting 
herself off him.

"Alright then. As my punishment for being dense as a brick. I 
accept your curse upon me. It's the least I can do."

"You're not mad?"

"Not at you Ranma. Not at you. I am quickly realizing how much 
I was blaming you for, that wasn't your fault at all."

"Never again." She said, and proudly left the room with a smile.