Chapter Two: Live To Tell The Tale

        Nodoka would say no more of her plans that night. The next day she returned home, still saying nothing, but with a promise to return again soon. Three days passed. Genma tried futilely to convince his son to disappear with him on another long training trip, but Ranma was having none of it. "Mom's right. I've got a year and a half to turn things around. If she has an idea that can help me, then I want to hear it."
        That afternoon, Nodoka Saotome returned to the Tendo Dojo. Once they were seated in the living room, she handed a package to Ranma.
          "Here, Ranma," she said. "I've brought something that could help you with your studies." Ranma took the package and began to unwrap it. "You will need to be in your girl form to make use of it, however."
        Ranma raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" he ripped the rest of the wrapping away.
        "It's a school uniform," Nodoka said.
        Ranma stared at the folded clothing in his lap. He lifted one item. "This? Mom, this is a dress!"
        "No, Ranma, it's a skirt."
        "Whatever! I can't wear this!"
        "My, like that's ever stopped you before?" Nabiki said.
        Ranma glared at Nabiki. Nodoka looked surprised. "Then you've dressed as a girl before?"
        "Many times," Nabiki said.
        "That's not true!" Ranma exclaimed. "Those were only for disguises!"
        "Please, Ranma," Nodoka said. "I insist. Once you are properly dressed, come downstairs and we will have a talk."
        Nabiki doused Ranma with a glass of water. "Better get moving, Ranma-chan," she said with a smirk.
        "I... okay, Mom," Ranma said. She headed up to her room. The aura of depression surrounding her would have rivaled that of Ryoga himself.

XXX

        Ten minutes later, Ranma descended the stairs slowly. Her face was bright red.
        "Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed. "You look very nice, Ranma-chan!"
        "Thanks, Kasumi." Under her breath she added, "My life is hell!"
        Nabiki took one look, then a second, then began to laugh hysterically. "What's so funny?" Ranma growled.
        "It's just that... oh Ranma! Don't you recognize that uniform? It's a St. Hebereke uniform!"
        In the shocked silence that followed, Nodoka calmly said, "Yes, it is. I am Vice Principal at St. Hebereke's School for Girls, and I have convinced my superior the Principal that it would be okay to enroll my son there -- as a girl student."
        There was a moment of shocked silence, then Ranma exclaimed. "But mom, I'm not a girl!"
        "Really? It seems that, thanks to your father's foolishness, you are now a girl at least part of the time."
        "Yes, but...."
        "Ranma," Nodoka asked, "just how long have you had this condition? This 'curse' as you call it?"
        "I... for about half a year, I guess. Maybe a little longer."
        "And in all that time, you've learned nothing about how to act like a proper lady."
        Ranma's eyes bulged. "Mom! I'm a guy!"
        "From what I can tell," Nodoka said, "you are a boy half of the time, and a girl half of the time. Is that not so?"
        "Well yeah, but...."
        "And when you are a girl, Ranma, I expect you to act like one."
        "Yes, but...."
        "Don't worry, Ranma, I realize that you're not to blame. How could you expect your father to teach you such things? He really hasn't even taught you to behave properly as a young man, let alone how to be a proper young girl.
        "More importantly, I expect you to become a top student. You are a fine martial artist, that I can see, and I don't believe for a moment that you couldn't put the same effort into your other studies. When I was last here, you mentioned all of the distractions and fighting that goes on at your current school. That is why I propose to place you at a different school -- one where there are few distractions. One where I can help to minimize the chaos around you, and teach you proper study habits, as well as proper etiquette."
        "But Mrs. Saotome," Akane said. "you can't force Ranma to live as a girl. That's perverse!"
        Nodoka Saotome scowled at Akane. "Perverse? In my book, young lady, not having a good education is what is perverse. My top priority is that Ranma get a good education. If, after that, he still chooses to live as a martial artist, then that is fine. But at the very least Akane, if he is meant to marry you and run that dojo then he will need excellent math and business skills, and frankly, the same goes for you. Do you not agree? Or do you truly believe that your father has run his dojo in a smart and professional manner?"
        Akane looked away. "I... I get your point." She turned back. "But Mrs Saotome, there must be some other way!"
        "And what would that be? To allow Ranma to continue on as he has done? To allow him to continue to fail? I've seen his transcripts by now, Akane. I know how badly he's been doing. No, if I intend to see my son honor his vow, then I have to do this.
        "Now Ranma, I know you weren't born a girl, and I certainly don't expect you to become one. Family Honor is important, and you are destined to marry Akane. But priorities are priorities. Clearly part of the problem is this foolishness that you two should marry before even graduating high school...." She paused to glare at Soun Tendo and her husband Genma.
        "That will come to an end immediately. Listen well, Soun Tendo. As the mother of Ranma Saotome, I refuse to allow him to marry before he has graduated from high school. Is that perfectly clear?"
        "But... the schools must be joined...."
        Nodoka drew her sword and carefully pointed it at the Tendo patriarch. "And why is it so important to do that now, instead of two years from now?"
        Soun was sweating now, but to his credit he didn't back down. "There are... circumstances... which conspire against us...."
        "Such as?"
        "Such as," Nabiki said, "Ranma's other fiancees."

XXX

        "I... see," Nodoka said, after Ranma's various fiancees had been explained in detail to her. She continued to glare at her husband for several minutes. "I will have to deal with these other suitors separately. Clearly Akane Tendo has the first claim."
        "Yes!" Akane crowed, shoving her fist into the air. Everyone turned to stare at her. "Not that I care," she added, gazing at the ceiling.
        "Ba - a - ka," Ranma said softly.
        'Look who's talking," Akane replied.
        "Ranma," Nodoka said, glaring at her child. "Do not insult your fiancee." She turned her glare onto the youngest Tendo. "The same goes for you, Akane. Clearly the two of you have suffered from a lack of maternal guidance. That is one thing that I intend to fix, whatever else happens.
        "However, at the moment, we're here to discuss the most important thing in your life: your education. I'm very disturbed and disappointed in your level of learning so far, Ranma. The itinerant lifestyle you have led so far has been a great detriment to your education. So has being a boy."
        "What?"
        "Mrs. Saotome!"
        Nodoka held up her hands. "No. I don't want to hear any arguments. As an administrator of St. Hebereke, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that girls can be much better students than boys. Especially when there are no boys around to distract them."
        Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "From what I've read, studies bear that out, actually," she said.
        "This is my offer, Ranma," Nodoka said. "You will come live with me. You will attend school as a girl, at St. Hebereke, and you will graduate with good grades. Then you are free of the pact you made with me and your father, and may do as you wish."
        "If you refuse me, then you must honor the contract. When you fail to graduate high school with good grades -- and here, let me make myself very clear, you will fail to do that if you stay on your present course -- then you and your father will be forced to commit seppeku."
        "Mom, I... I can't live as a girl. Not full time."
        Nodoka smiled. "I shouldn't think you could," she said. "My rules are that you attend school as a girl, and that you study as a girl, and that any school activities or activities with your school friends, you do so as a girl." She paused, then added, "Also, I would like you to promise to remain a girl for a minimum of five weeks. After that, I may allow you to dress and act as a boy when you are not attending school or involved in school related activities. Is that acceptable?"
        "Why do you want me to stay a girl for five weeks?"
        "I think it will help you get used to your girl side," Nodoka said. "And there is one other reason. Tell me, Ranma, have you experienced menstruation?"
        Ranma's face flushed bright red. "I... ah... once... when Cologne used the cat tongue. I was stuck as a girl for several weeks...."
        "I see. But it only happens when you remain in your girl form for several weeks? That is as I suspected. Well, it may be embarrassing, it may be messy, but it's a normal part of being a girl. It's important that you experience all aspects of being a girl. You won't grow comfortable with your female half otherwise."
        "But I already done it once! I don't hafta do it again!"
        "Ranma, those are my rules and conditions. You do not, of course, have to accept my offer."
        "Don't t do it, boy!" Genma yelled, leaping forward. "Don't let her turn you into a girl!"
        Nodoka's sword appeared in an instant, levelled at Genma's neck. "Lest we forget," she said icily, "it is you who gave Ranma this girl's body. More to the point, it is you who has failed to educate our son, and it is you who has pledged to commit seppuku if our child fails to graduate...."
        Sweat appeared on Genma's brow. A moment later he had assumed the "Crouch of the Wild Tiger" stance -- that is, he was on his hands and knees, bowing and saying, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" over and over. He turned to Ranma and added, "Please, boy! Listen to your mother! You must do this! In fact, it is your duty as a martial artist. Do not fail your father in this!"
        "Can I think about it?" Ranma asked.
        "Of course, child," Nodoka said. "This is only an offer. In my opinion you will not fulfill your contract otherwise, but the final decision is up to you."
        "Akane," she said, "this offer extends to you as well. If you wish, you can come to live with me and attend school at St. Hebereke. I'm sure you would benefit from the same environment, with fewer distractions, and with me to help you in your studies. And as I said, there are also things that your mother would have taught you, that you still need to learn. Things that I could teach you."
        Akane nodded. "I... thank you, Auntie Nodoka. I'd have to think about it as well."

Chapter 3