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It started and ended with an eating competition. Ranma had thought it'd be only three days between them, enough time to train and win the second one.
It'd been just over three weeks. The better part of a month. Three weeks of playing the dainty bride to be of Picolet Chardin II. Three weeks of surviving without fighting, Three weeks of being stuck in French aristocrat purgatory with no way out.
Three weeks of almost no food, right up until earlier that day. Ranma hadn't been that hungry in his entire life. Apparently, his dad had been going easy on him all this time. Ranma had almost died, and had passed out from exhaustion and just how frail he'd become.
Three weeks of that damned iron corset, holding him stiff. That damned tightrope balancing act, with the iron ball and chain, in sandals turned stilts. Weeks of avoiding hot water that could cause his spine to crush in from containment.
… Three weeks of missing Akane, even with the occasional visits. Three weeks since receiving that good luck charm that felt just so sweet to receive. All that time staring wistfully out the window, getting called a commoner, having to play up the hopeless romantic to get close to Picolet… Even though he knew where his heart belonged was with the girl who disguised herself as a maid for him.
All of that was behind Ranma. Every dinner party, every horrific ‘kiss’ that engulfed him, every frying pan to the head from that damn Madam St Paul… It was over. It was all over, and Ranma managed to have a splitting headache.
Whatever. He was in his futon, in the Tendou's guest room with his dad, as a boy, as he should be. Headache and growing dizziness aside, he needed to get some sleep. He needed to put all this behind him as dreams came ever closer.
His eyes began to flutter shut…
“Cependant, le matelas luxueux me manque... Il était bien plus confortable que ce que je méritais…” A poor girl whispered to herself before drifting into sleep.
□■□■□
It had been three weeks since Akane had last woken up to the sound of the Saotomes sparring. Unfortunately for her sleep, that streak had ended. However, it did mean that Ranma was back. Did that mean he was okay, though?
“Oi, you big fuzzball! What was that for!?” The sound of Ranma's girl form followed a splash from the koi pond, “Don't want to fight man on man!?”
“I'm just pushing you, boy!” Genma roared, “You've been made weak by eating all that fancy food, you've gotta toughen yourself up again!”
“Didn't Ranma literally starve himself?” Nabiki asked as she watched from the dining room table, “I know his girl form's small anyway, but look at him.”
“Oh my…” Kasumi added while bringing breakfast to the table, “His clothes do seem far more ill fitted…”
Soun didn't say a word, simply observing the aerial clash with concern. Akane did the same, and noticed just how quick Ranma was to dodge any attack to the head, even the ones that wouldn't have connected. Was Ranma flinching?
The two combatants landed, and Genma immediately charged forward to grapple the redhead. And Ranma's response to being constrained? The redhead went unresponsive. No attempt was made to fight a way out. Genma might as well have been wrestling with a mannequin.
“Ranma?” Akane called out, just as Genma realised his child had gone still, “Ranma, what's wrong?”
The redhead shuddered for a moment, eyes going vacant before blinking awake again. “... I'm sorry, I… I should sit down.”
Genma did nothing to protest his child walking out of his grasp, but there was a sense that he was disappointed, and almost concerned. Akane wondered what was going through both of the Saotomes’ minds as they walked past her to sit for breakfast.
“Is everything alright, son?” Soun asked, and it took a moment for the pigtailed martial artist to realise who was being addressed.
“O-oh, yes, sorry,” the redhead yawned quietly before continuing, “I've been very tired lately, that's all…”
Akane didn't want to picture how Ranma had fainted in front of her a matter of days ago. Even now, her fiance seemed so weak and fragile compared to three weeks prior. It was almost enough to make Akane think she should've been the one to starve, just so Ranma didn't get hurt like that… Almost.
“Itadakimasu!” Everyone around the table said at once before eating, and as per usual, Genma was poised to take everything Ranma went to eat.
Except Ranma wasn't eating. The redhead simply sat there, sitting upright, hands on the table. And when Genma did finally go to pick some food of his own, giving up? Ranma still didn't try to eat a single thing.
“Sheesh, maybe he did get to eat after all,” Nabiki tried to taunt Ranma into acting, “Does ‘Madam Chardin’ suddenly think our food's too lower class for him or what?”
“Nabiki, don't be rude,” Kasumi gently chastised, “I'm sure he's not that offended about-”
“May I please be excused?” The redhead asked through the tears slowly forming, “I need some space.”
“At least they taught him table manners.” Nabiki said under her breath, to which Kasumi gently tapped her on the shoulder as admonishment.
“Um, sure, but wouldn't you like something to eat?” Soun answered the redhead, “There's plenty for you to take, son.”
“N-no, it's fine,” Ranma got up while grabbing a pinch of salt, throwing it over the left shoulder and breathing a sigh of relief, “I'll be fine, thank you for your concern.”
As the redhead walked off gently and quietly, the four Tendous and Mr Saotome all looked at each other for a second, completely confused and various levels of concerned. Akane wasn't willing to be the one who pointed out that Ranma was using ‘atashi’, the feminine personal pronoun, that whole interaction.
“... I don't think that's my boy,” Genma whispered to himself in shock, “That couldn't have been him.”
□■□■□
The longer she was awake, the more her memories started coming back to her. She was the failed attempt at bringing a commoner to the status of the upper class, the one percent. She was the girl who, after having blacked out before her wedding dinner, found herself housed by two of her maids instead…
She had to maintain her elegance, though. It was all she knew how to do. Be pretty, dainty, polite. Maintain her good posture. Only eat if very explicitly allowed to while still somehow remaining elegant. Avoid hot water unless she wants her spine to snap… Somehow.
She was, despite her disgrace as a failure, a beautiful girl who had to prove her worth as someone good, a girl who could be loved. A girl who deserved to survive. She had to survive. That maid had given her a good luck charm to help her survive.
She owed good luck her life. She owed that maid… What was her name? A.. A…
… In her thoughts, she owed Adeline, the forbidden crush she harboured during her time at le Chateau de Chardin, the maid whose house she was living in now, her life.
However little that was worth.
“Ranma, are you okay?” The blue haired girl asked, “You've been staring out my bedroom window for at least ten minutes.”
“Oh, my apologies, I was simply…”
What was she doing? Why was he just standing there, looking out like some girly fairytale princess? Ranma wasn't sure how he got here from fighting his dad, but damn if he'd let himself be anything less than the manliest, like his dad taught him.
“... Yeah, I got no clue,” Ranma said, his shoulders relaxing as he stood more casually, “Just felt like it? I don't need a reason, ‘Kane.”
“Yeah, but… Never mind. Keep being weird, I guess.” Akane sounded concerned, despite the hostility in her words. Whatever, Ranma didn't need her acting like that. He needed to get some food, he felt like he must've somehow skipped breakfast.
□■□■□
Despite having a lot things he should've been recovering from, Ranma still went with Akane to school the next day. The blue haired girl was indeed still highly concerned, though. There was just enough of a glitch in Ranma's metaphorical system that she was unable to ignore.
At least Ranma had breakfast this morning, that was a good thing. Maybe it was a small fluke yesterday, just a little bit of instinct left over from all that training. And yet, if part of Ranma was still mentally stuck at that place…
“Dear Akane Tendou, I see your tormentor has returned!”
“I am going to kill Kuno one day,” Akane mumbled to herself, “One day, I'm just going to snap, and he will be gone.”
“Missed me, Kuno?” Ranma called out, black hair shining in the sun, “Sorry, but you're actually pretty low on my ass kicking priority list right now. Let's reschedule to when we won't be late for class, how ‘bout that?”
“Coward!” Kuno pointed his sword right at Ranma, “You don't deserve Akane, or to withhold the pigtailed girl from me, you commoner!”
At that last word, Ranma's eyes went slightly foggy.
“I could rip you asunder, you foul sorcerer,” Kuno continued, “I shall prove my superiority on the battlefield once more, and you'll witness the true power of someone worthy of adoration!”
Akane watched Ranma's breathing get heavy.
“So fall before Tatewaki Kuno, the Crown Prince of Furinkan High!” His new moniker was accompanied by a brass horn played by that little ninja guy Akane didn't ever talk to.
And Ranma folded in on himself, writhing from an illusionary pain, breathing harshly and screaming as if tortured.
“RANMA!?” Akane rushed to his side, wrapping an arm around him while death-staring Kuno, “What did you do!?”
“I-I am unaware, myself, I swear on my honour! Sasuke, is this your doing?” The ninja shrugged in response to Kuno's question, “To think I had this power over Saotome…”
“Cold water…” Ranma wheezed quietly through strained breaths, “S'il vous plaît… Please…”
Since when did Ranma want cold water for something other than a disguise? Most recently, it would have been… The iron corset, right! But Ranma had gotten rid of it, and was doing just fine moments before.
Whatever, it didn't matter. “Okay, let's get you some water.” Akane quickly guided Ranma away, decking Kuno in the face when he tried to get close.
□■□■□
Her poor, fragile body felt like it was being snapped in two, her vision blurred and thoughts a mess. She needed a way out of this pain, her only coherent idea being to breathe and not look at herself getting crushed to pieces like it felt she was.
And, with a splash, that phantom sensation of the brink of death was gone. Her body relaxed enough for her to be aware of her inelegant posture. Her vision cleared up, revealing the row of water fountains her blue haired crush had dragged her to. She was capable of living another day.
“Thank you… So much…” She coughed out.
“It's alright, but…” Her saviour looked at her, still heavily concerned, “Ranma, what was that?”
She wasn't sure yet why she was being called Ranma, although that was the only name she could remember being called… But that didn't matter. “I simply must not touch hot water, or else I'll surely die. I don't recall touching any, though…”
“What!? How!? You've been a boy all morning!”
The redhead lightly giggled at the joke. “I'm not sure how that's possible, Adeline, I would know if I had been turned into a boy!”
The blue haired girl didn't seem to be laughing, though. “Ade- Ranma, don't mess with me like this, you jerk!”
… Something itched in her mind, her thoughts went out of focus, and Ranma's shoulders suddenly sat casually. “Uh, ‘Kane, I'm not trying to mess with ya.”
What was once anger Ranma didn't understand on Akane's face turned into confusion. To be fair, Ranma was confused, too. He swore he was just about to fight Kuno before the sword idiot started doing that whole upper-class upperclassman thing…
“You're talking like yourself again…” Akane was somewhere between frustrated and concerned, and Ranma didn't know which was worse, “Ugh, we're dealing with this after school, okay?”
“Sure, just lemme get some hot water and-”
“Not if it's going to kill you, idiot!” Akane started to drag the redhead to class by the hand.
Ranma didn't take that very well. “WHADDYA MEAN HOT WATER COULD KILL ME!?”
□■□■□
“Genma, it's your move.” Soun waited patiently, but his old friend seemed too lost in thought for shogi.
“... I've been thinking over my mistakes as a father,” Genma mumbled, “And I think I might know what happened to my boy, yesterday morning.”
“You might?” The moustached man leaned forward, “What could cause him to act so strangely?”
Genma took a deep, mournful breath. “When I was too late to learn my mistake, giving Ranma the nekoken, I couldn't help but be morbidly curious. I wondered to myself, why cats? Why not anything else, anything starving and angry enough?”
“Like some hypothetical inuken?”
“Yes, not that I had the means or intent to induce it,” The bald man looked genuinely upset, “However, I think it might’ve been able to work with something other than cats. After all, we did just throw Ranma into a cesspool of hungry French royalty…”
□■□■□
“Well, Ranma, there's a good few signs of head injury,” Dr Toufu kept looking over his patient, “And your weight loss is highly concerning, especially given how healthy you were last time I checked you over. However, nothing I can see would result in a complete personality shift, unless…”
“Unless what, doc?” Ranma had never been this concerned about his own health before.
“What artifact do we need to fix this?” Akane asked, “There's always some magic artifact, right?”
“I'm afraid not,” The doctor sighed, “My only assumption is that this might be some kind of trauma induced alternate self. There's various terms for it, but it basically means there's more than just Ranma in his head.”
“... Well duh, that's just the nekoken training,” Ranma shrugged off the explanation oddly well, “So, we just gotta figure out what triggers it, and I'll get some cool fight power up.”
“Ranma, if that's true, then I don't think you'll be any stronger as that other you,” Akane interrupted, “She seemed… Well, she seemed weak and frail.”
“What!? That can't be true! The nekoken is a fighting style, and I have to be able to fight, right, doc?” The redhead pleaded.
“I can't say until I see them, I'm sorry,” Dr Toufu said plainly, “What one of you is like says nothing about the others. We could try to get them to take control now, but I don't know how you'd feel about that.”
Letting someone else take control of Ranma's body was only slightly scary to him, but it wasn't a new concept. The cat just did it whenever it wanted to, never a controlled environment. There was only one problem.
“I dunno how to let it take control, though. I was kinda already gone apparently by the time it took over.”
“Hmm…” Akane thought to herself before suddenly grappling Ranma, “YOU'RE A COMMONER! UNWORTHY! Uhhhh… I'M ROYALTY AND BETTER THAN YOU!”
Akane's stream of oddly thematic insults kept coming, and while Ranma was confused, he also… Slowly… Wasn't there… And when she looked up to see her beloved Adeline yelling at her, gripping her tightly without actually hugging, she felt hurt and ashamed.
“... But I thought we were of the same class, Adeline…” She whimpered softly, “Y-you were a maid, right?”
In an instant, the blue haired girl stopped yelling and gently let go. “Sorry, um, Ranma? I didn't know how else to get you in control.”
“In… In control?” The red haired girl wasn't too sure what that meant. She wasn't even sure where she was, other than it clearly being a doctor's office in Japan based on the writing on posters and labels.
“Yes, hello there,” A man who must've been the doctor smiled kindly at her, “I'm Dr Toufu, in case you don't remember. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I know your name?”
Her name… She only had one name, and it wasn't hers. It felt gross and weird, and hardly suitable for a French girl trying to strive for elegance. “I… I don't have a name I like, but I can tell you what I have, if that's what you wish.”
“Only so we can talk about you properly, if that's okay.” The doctor said calmly as Adeline watched on, worried.
“... Je m'appelle Ranma Vincent. Je suis vraiment désolée.”
□■□■□
Akane, in doing the nice thing and guiding the redhead home, was trying her hardest not to also laugh her head off at the last name difference in the two Ranmas. One Ranma? No, no, definitely two Ranmas.
Ranma Saotome, for instance, wouldn't delicately loop his arm around Akane's, unsure of his surroundings. He wouldn't be staring off into space, mumbling in what Akane could only assume was French. He wouldn't- Okay, well he would actively walk around where a black cat was sitting, but not for the same reason the girl practically possessing him would.
No, Ranma Vincent was a dainty, superstitious girl. She shared the same face and first name, even if she didn't seem to want the latter, but she was far from the Ranma Akane knew.
“And you're sure you're still okay with me in your household, Adeline?” The redhead asked for the umpteenth time, “I do understand if I complicate things between you and this… Other Ranma you say I am.”
“First of all, yes, of course I'm okay,” Akane sighed, “And secondly, my name is Akane. I don't know why you keep calling me something else.”
The redhead looked slightly embarrassed. “O-oh… I'm sorry, Akane, I simply… My memory is hazy, and I remember you, I suppose when it didn't have a name to your face and importance… My mind simply imagined you were called Adeline instead.”
“You remember me?” This was still slight news to Akane, as while she assumed this Ranma did to some extent, this sounded like more than the blue haired girl had thought.
“Yes, I recall you giving me my first good luck charm!” The pigtailed girl smiled at the memories, “And you were a maid, always on my side through my training. A-and, when I glanced out the window alone, or my heart simply couldn't help but yearn, I…”
The delicate redhead shook her head, as if her thought was forbidden. But Akane had a guess. A wild, stupid guess, but a guess nonetheless. “... That's sweet of you, Ranma. Thank you.”
“It's hardly something you should thank me for, I was simply helpless but to daydream.”
… Well, that was almost Saotome levels of sticking feet in one's mouth, even if still slightly romantic. Maybe there were similarities after all.
“We're home!” Akane called out as she led the redhead through the doorway, “And… Well, there's news from Dr Toufu regarding Ranma.”
□■□■□
“Yeah, I'm not calling her Ranma,” The kind of rude brunette was actually on the poor girl's side, unlike last time when she called her… ew.
“She is rather different, isn't she?” The older brunette was kind to her, although the offer of tea was quickly declined.
“I suppose, as the b- I mean, as the girl's father, I should take full responsibility, as I do with the nekoken,” The bald man she couldn't remember proclaimed, “You may all call her Shizuma, if you m-”
“That isn't a good name for me, in my opinion, sorry,” She spoke up, just a little bit, “I'd rather not be named by someone I don't know, my apologies.”
Her apparent father practically wilted, more upset with her gaps in memory than her as a person. It wasn't as if he would've been the most memorable person, anyway, given that there was even a panda at Chateau de Chardin. Additionally, he probably wouldn't like what she did know of her father, the man who planned to sell her off to live a life of luxury…
“... Adeli- I mean, Akane, my apologies. Akane,” She corrected her false memory while looking her crush in the eyes, “I would like a name that's meaningful and elegant, and there's surely no better meaning than it being a name you adore. If I could have the honour, please, what do you think would be a better name for me?”
There was clearly conflict going on in Akane's brain, although that might’ve been an understatement. Was Ranma never this forward? He had to love Akane at least, the redhead couldn't imagine any world without her crush, regardless of who she herself was.
“... I've got nothing, sorry,” Akane admitted as she slumped in defeat, “I don't know any French names, and I can't just summon someone who does out of nowhere…”
“Pardon me, but why only French names?” The oldest girl asked.
“Ne sait-elle pas que je suis française ?” The redhead asked Akane, only to be stared at like she might as well have spoken a language from the moon. That might’ve explained why everyone had exclusively been speaking Japanese…
“Ah, I see.” At least the oldest girl's question was answered.
“Wait, ugh, who was that famous French cake lady in history class…” The rude girl pushed herself to remember, “Ah, Marie Antoinette! There, French name. You can even keep the ‘Ma’ sound to keep your dad happy.”
“Marie…” It was elegant, dainty, feminine. It was… Well, it was almost perfect, with only one thing that could make it the absolute best: “What do you think, Akane?”
“It is a pretty name, I think it'd work!” The blue haired girl then gave this wondrous smile that could rival the most brilliant sunset, worth more than anyone could ever know.
“Alright, then! Hello everyone, my name is Marie, and I apologise for my presence in Ranma's absence.” She curtsied for added effect. Marie needed to maintain her good impression now more than ever.
“It's fine, uh, daughter,” The former maid with the moustache chimed in, “As long as you maintain Ranma's engagement to Akane, we will welcome you with open arms!”
Marie's heart skipped several beats.
“... Excuse me, me and Akane are… We're… That Akane? The beautiful one with blue hair and a smile that could blind heaven itself?” She had to make sure this wasn't a dream, and surely enough, Akane's face was dusted pink with her blush.
“I'm going to go brush my teeth,” The rude girl left as Marie dramatically swooned into Akane's arms, “I'll get a cavity from how sweet this is otherwise.”
□■□■□
Ranma woke up the next morning, kind of hungry. Although, that was kind of normal after the Chardin incident. Did this new technique not like food or something? Was this an upgrade to the Parlay du Fois Gras?
“Marie, is that you?” The soft whisper from behind startled Ranma, who hadn't registered that he was on the floor of Akane's room, “Or… Ranma?”
“It's Ranma, tomboy. I'm back in control,” Ranma yawned, stretching in borrowed pink pyjamas, “I bet ya missed me?”
Akane didn't actually answer the question. “... She's very sweet. I'd guess that Marie is more romantic than you'd ever be, and she's a girl.”
“... ‘Kane? ‘Kane, what did I do?” If the technique did anything bad to Akane, or worse, embarrassing to Ranma…
“She got her bearings, was very gentle and polite, confessed… Uh, something,” Akane blushed a little, “And wrote you a note.”
Sure enough, just by the side of his futon, was a folded piece of paper. When Ranma opened it, it started with some English letters making probably not English words, all crossed out before the letter actually started in readable, neat and tidy Japanese.
“To Monsieur Ranma Saotome,
“I am writing to you as a way of communication, as I don't retain many memories of your experiences and don't want to assume that you do. My name is Marie Vincent, and we share a body.
“The family we are staying with have been nothing but kind, aside from an unpleasant comment regarding our previous fiance, Picolet Chardin II, and some minor roughhousing I would personally prefer to avoid. Please apologise to your father on my behalf, though, as he seems to dislike my lack of connection to him.
“Please, also, be loving to our dearest Ade- Akane. She is our luckiest charm, our sole guiding light through the darkness, and her radiance is that of God itself. If you are to take anything to heart, it's that I love her more than anything in this world, and I hope you do too, for our sake.
“A final note; I find it hard to think of you, or even believe you could exist, as a boy. The mere concept is painful to me. If we truly share a body, then you are a beautiful young woman who deserves it far better than I do.
“Sincerely,
Mademoiselle Marie Vincent.”
Ranma… A beautiful young woman, in love with Akane? And this technique, this girl… She had a name. She had the desire to reach out and talk to Ranma. She had love and kindness etched into her words.
“... She's a person.” Ranma whispered to himself.
Not a cat. Not a cursed artifact. Not a training technique.
There was a whole other person. A girl.
□■□■□
Akane had never watched Ranma so closely before, at least not for this long. Not knowing for sure what could trigger Marie was like walking on eggshells, and Akane wanted to make sure that neither the arrogant martial artist nor the delicate ingénue would be too disoriented if they swapped places at school.
The biggest problem with this was that… Well, when you're looking for someone to be sweet and innocent, you notice every small instance of it way more. Akane, in looking for Marie, saw her where she wasn't.
Was it really Ranma when the redhead held the door to class for Akane? Was it Marie who seemed to carefully organise the pencils on the desk? Was it… No, it had to be Ranma himself when he willingly went into boy form for sport.
“Relax, ‘Kane, they want this to be boys versus girls, you don't have to keep watching me,” Ranma said loud and clear as he spun a dodgeball on his finger, “It… It ain't like I'll just suddenly be an actual girl mid-match, right?”
Akane looked over at the several water bottles on the bleachers. “Ranma, your curse, not to mention Marie.”
“Well, yeah, but I mean… Y'know…” The black haired boy's hand wobbled a little, yet the ball stayed in place, “... Me as an actual girl. Not like that I can be. I'm not worth being like a real one…”
The line blurred again, and if it wasn't for Ranma not keeling over in suffocating pain like Marie had before, Akane almost would've thought there was a switch. But why would Ranma even think he should try to be worthy of being a girl?
… If Marie happened to share Ranma's interest in Akane, then it wasn't impossible for…
… Oh.
Ranma had already walked to the wrong side of the boy-girl split in the gym before Akane could say anything. When the teacher called everyone to get ready, Ranma and Akane were both instantly on the front lines as both sides’ powerhouses. Time stopped once the match began.
Ranma was always lightning fast, preferring to rapidly dodge as opposed to Akane's more offensive game plan. But today, simply dodging was replaced by grabbing incoming balls and redirecting them back to sender. The way that every ball Ranma threw hit right at the chest, safely below the mouth…
Akane's fiancee had a hollow look in those grey eyes as the altered take on a Parlay du Fois Gras was performed. The footwork on the field was sloppy, the panic was setting in, the harsh breathing from physical activity got stronger and stronger… Until Ranma collapsed from exhaustion, folding inwards and-
“Can someone throw their water bottle to me?” Akane called out as she dashed towards Marie, catching the bottle tossed to her immediately to pour it on the now redheaded girl.
Akane couldn't make out what Marie was mumbling, only that it switched between Japanese and French near nonsensically. At least her breathing seemed like less of a struggle and her spine relaxed. The pigtailed girl wasn't going to die of phantom pains today.
□■□■□
Marie's thoughts weren't pleasant, but they weren't all that comprehensible either. A screaming match between two people who refused to scream. Just a whirlwind of feeling unworthy of existing for different reasons. So, in combination with her poor memory, it wasn't her fault she didn't recognise the place far from school Akane dragged her to.
“Take your time,” Akane slid a menu from across the table, “And if you don't want anything, that's okay too. I don't mind, whoever you are.”
“M… Marie… I am Marie. Sorry,” The redhead looked down at her hands on the table, unable to make eye contact, “I must've interrupted you and Ranma, my apologies.”
“Bonjour, Marie,” The blue haired girl said with a soft smile and light giggle, “I'm sorry if I said that wrong. And you didn't interrupt much, I think. Ranma… Ranma might’ve needed to step out anyway.”
“Why? What happened?”
Akane took a deep breath. “... I think, through you and Ranma, I'm actually engaged to two girls.”
“Ah,” Hopefully, nothing about Marie's letter had been an issue, “And she thinks herself impossible?”
“She said she wasn't worthy to be an actual girl,” Akane placed one of her hands on Marie's, “And it reminded me of how you talk down about yourself.”
It was too scary, meeting Akane's gaze, so Marie simply didn't. “... I'll have a small, plain vanilla parfait, if that's allowed, but I'm not to desperate for food, I pr-”
“Vanilla sounds like a good idea,” The gentle hand squeeze Akane gave made Marie feel safe, “And I understand. You don't have to think of the bad things right now. But you, and Ranma, are worthy of everything you are. You seem to need to be reminded of that.”
The redhead didn't answer as Akane walked away, going to place their orders. It wasn't true, Marie couldn't believe that she really was worthy of even knowing Akane. She wasn't worthy of going to Chateau de Chardin, nor was she worthy of being able to escape that circle of hell.
… But she was here, wasn't she? Marie might not have felt worth a lot, but she was already living life better than she needed. That had to mean at least someone felt she had worth. Ranma was worthy of Akane, and Marie had been given that same honour. She was worth good luck charms, at least. She was worth a parfait right now. Akane thought so.
There were some small paper packets of salt on the table. Even in her not very comfy clothes, Marie thought it best to pocket a few. The large pockets were useful, although she'd rather have been pretty than… Whatever weird boy clothing style Ranma liked, apparently.
“Sorry for the wait, Marie,” Akane returned with two parfaits in hand, sitting down while placing the desserts down, “They can take a little while, although your order was simpler than Ranma's usual choice.”
“I suppose I don't want to feel wasteful if I can't eat it elegantly…” Marie said, slightly ashamed, “Ranma might not have that problem.”
Akane's brow furrowed for a moment before realising something. “Would it help if we already broke the rules of Martial Arts Dining? Because you're allowed to eat however you want to, so maybe you'd feel better.”
“I… I suppose?” The redhead looked slightly to the side, for just a moment, “I don't think I could do that, though. After all, where would I even sMPHH!”
A small spoonful of vanilla parfait had been placed in Marie's mouth, the handle held by the angel of her dreams sitting across from her. It tasted like pure heavenly bliss. It overwhelmed her senses in the best way possible. She was very explicitly allowed to eat, to live.
“It's good, huh?” Akane gave that pure, glistening smile, the one that melted away any worries, as she let go of the spoon, “Sorry I didn't actually ask first, but I kind of acted on impulse.”
Finishing the small mouthful, Marie remained slightly shocked for a few seconds with her spoon in hand. “... It's amazing. I… I can't remember anything this good. I'm glad for your impulse. Thank you.”
“Good! And was that elegant? Because you don't have to be,” Akane reassured while getting a scoop of her own parfait, “I really don't mind. You survived not eating, you can eat again now, you made it back to safety, I promise.”
Looking down at her dessert, Marie realised she wasn't going to have her food taken away. She was told explicitly she wasn't. She…
She took a small scoop, and let herself be worth this simple pleasure. She may have been slow, and she wouldn't be winning any competitions soon, but she could make it through. Marie could at least try and let herself do more than survive.
… She had to do something in return for Akane. She had to. If only she knew her way around this city… Or knew someone who did, who owed Akane just as much.
□■□■□
The knock at Akane's door was what caused her to lose track of her homework. “Come in!”
The door creaked open slowly, and… Well, the redhead was wearing the kind of beautiful yet simple outfit that Akane would expect Ranma would use to trick Ryoga. However, her demeanour was more awkward and shy. This wasn't a scam, Akane could tell.
“‘Kane, I… Uh…” Ranma blushed, swinging around the shoulder bag she had anxiously, “... Marie left a letter and wanted me to do something for ya, and I… I kinda wanted to say sorry for dealing with my garbage, so… Are ya free to go out?”
“Oh, uh… Sure!” Akane responded, surprised, “A-and, um… You really look pretty. You both do? I don't know what to say, I just… Two pretty girls. Yes.”
Ranma's blush deepened, along with the extreme confusion she seemed to be experiencing. “I- Uh- I- IT AIN'T LIKE I ASKED YA OR ANYTHING! … But… Thanks.”
“... Oh my goodness, you're even cuter when you deny it.”
“NO I'M NOT!” Ranma slammed the door and could be heard already heading downstairs.
Akane really had to wonder how hopeless, honest romantic Marie could handle sharing a body and life with that repressed dork.
□■□■□
“S-so…” Ranma gestured outwards, “Uh, here we are!”
“Ranma… This is a bridge. We literally cross it every school day.”
So maybe Ranma had no clue what to do. It was Marie's plan, poorly described in a letter. All that Ranma knew was the basics of the idea, not the actual method and presentation. It's really Marie's fault for not knowing any local bridges!”
“Y-yes, but,” The redhead fumbled through a bag really quickly, pulling out a padlock and key, “Um… Apparently there's this thing in France with putting a lock on a bridge and throwing away the key, as some kinda love declaration thing… A-and…”
Akane just had to look so cute when surprised like this, it was so distracting! “O-oh… And you're both wanting to… With me…”
“... ‘Kane, I'll be honest, I have no clue what I'm gonna do with my feelings for you,” Ranma sighed, “And I think, even kinda feel, like Marie does know what to do, but she's… Well, she's new in town. The best I can give ya is two mismatched halves where I at least know how to get places for ya.”
The padlock was, surprisingly, taken out of Ranma's hands. “Idiot. That's more than enough, I think. Just try not underselling yourself, I miss your huge ego sometimes.”
Before Ranma could even say anything, the lock was already placed on the railing. Akane simply looked at the redhead, waiting for the key to enter the water below.
A nagging feeling tugged at Ranma's brain, like someone trying to talk directly. A soft-spoken voice that told Ranma to sweep Akane off her feet, to owe her a thousand lifetimes, and millions of other little romantic ideals that girls dream they may some day experience.
The key hardly made a splash.
“I think…” Ranma smiled, truly and happily, for the first time in at least three weeks, “I think we're yours.”
“Good, I could use the good luck charms,” Akane held on to Ranma's hand, “Even if I have to protect one, and the other is a bit of a jerk.”
A beautiful moment of silence sat between the two of them.
“... Is the cat also mine?”
“Like hell if I know. I don't even speak French, let alone Cat.”