Well, here's the next episode!!  This is, as with the
previous Series, based heavily on events and situations
from the preceeding stories, which are available on my
Web Site.

As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.
Once again, my thanks to Kunoichi, whose "Ranma nibun no
ichi" Lemon Series inspired this "Paralell Universe".
And a very special thanks to Magic Knight Kiyone, who
helped give Hitomi a last name.

All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy.
Coutuva.



One Good Turn                                  <WARNING - LIME>
----------------------------------------------------------------


	In the large playground out behind the Center, Hitomi had
gathered her large group of charges together to recite the day's
storytime offering.  Smiling broadly as usual, she sat before the
hushed assemblage and held up the book she was about to read them.
	Kikyo stood in the rear doorway of the Center itself,
watching with unconcealed admiration how her co-worker held the
rambunctious group spellbound with a simple children's story.  She
had to smile as the redhead 'got into character' and had the
children all laughing, cheering and pouting in turn with the events
depicted in the book.
	To this day, it still amazed her how enthusiastic the
reception had been when the two of them came back to work, and how
poor Hitomi had been almost mobbed when she appeared in the doorway.
Afterwards, it was as if she had never left, the children not
having held her brief absence against her.  Kikyo found that
particularly impressive, as during her own days in Japan as a young
public school teacher, if she left for a sick leave or seminar,
the kids always took it badly... and the relationship inevitably
became more distant, even if it was only to a small degree.
	Hitomi, on the other hand, had no such problems.  When it
came to kids, she was magic.
	Finally, the story was finished, and over the protests of
the children, Hitomi sent them off to play.  As the last of them
scurried off to the apparatus area, Hitomi caught sight of Kikyo and
waved happily.
	Kikyo waved back, and stood patiently waiting for her
girlfriend to approach.
	"Ne, Kikyo... How did I do?"  Hitomi asked, walking up to
her and still smiling brightly.
	"Do I have to tell you?  Look at all those faces."  Kikyo
replied, indicating the playground.
	"Captive audience." the redhead smirked, looking happily at
the children.
	"Hai.  Held captive by your magic.  Face it, Sensei... they
love you like you were their Mom.  If they were older, I'd be
jealous."  Kikyo winked, flashing Hitomi a cheesy grin.
	"Baka ne... Oy!  What time is it...?"  Hitomi suddenly
gasped, looking at her watch.  "I have to make a phone call!
Could you put this away for me?"  she asked, handing off the book to
Kikyo and dashing away.
	"H-Hai... "  Kikyo stammered, a bit taken aback by the
sudden rush.
	A few minutes later, after making sure Kikyo wasn't nearby,
Hitomi wandered out of the main office, hurriedly tucking a folded
piece of paper into the cutout across the bodice of her dress.
	"Wait till she sees this..."  she giggled to herself,
excitedly.  "It's finally happening!"
	That evening, as the girls returned from catching a run of
Dante's Peak at the Ontario Place Cinesphere, Kikyo couldn't help
but notice that Hitomi seemed unusually excited.
	"Ne, Kikyo... feel like grabbing a coffee before we head
home?"  Hitomi suggested, her eyes giving an even bigger hint
that something was up.  Noticing that made Kikyo agree readily,
her curiosity starting to get the better of her.
	"Hai... I'd like that.  We're in no hurry, anyway."  she
replied, trying to play innocent.
	"Good.  I have just the place in mind, too."  Hitomi
grinned, and leaned forward to get the driver's attention.
Inwardly, she was excited beyond words, and wanted to have an
appropriate venue to tell Kikyo about her 'little surprise' from
earlier in the day.
	When the driver finally noticed her, she startled her
girlfriend with the destination.
	"We've changed our minds... CN Tower, please."  Hitomi
indicated, smiling back at Kikyo.
	"The Tower?  What's the occasion, anata?"  Kikyo asked,
blinking.
	"Oh, you'll see."  Hitomi replied, smiling knowingly.
	All through the ride and in the elevator on the way up to
the 360 Restaurant, Hitomi wouldn't budge on her 'reason', no
matter what Kikyo tried to do to get it out of her.  Once they had
been seated, Kikyo couldn't stand it any longer.
	"Kuso, Hitomi... what is it?  You're killing me!"  she
whined, trying her best kawaii eyes.
	"Okay, Okay... turn off the eyes, will you?"  Hitomi
giggled, enjoying her girlfriend's anguish.  Reaching beside her,
she brought her purse up to the table and opened it slowly, teasing
her girlfriend almost to the point of madness.
	"Arrghh!  Hitomiiiii....!"  Kikyo pouted, leaning forward
to try to see into the purse.
	"I got you a little something... and I know it's something
you've been wanting for a long time.  Here."  Hitomi responded,
whipping a piece of paper out of the purse and placing it before
her girlfriend.  Kikyo simply looked back at her in surprise.
	"That's it?  This is what you teased me so much about?"
	"Read it first... then speak."  Hitomi instructed, still
smiling excitedly.
	Kikyo, eyebrow raised, unfolded the paper and scanned it
quickly.  As she finished, her eyes flew open.  "Anata!  You...
bid on a house?!?"  she blurted, stunned.
	"Hai!  I saw it for sale, and fell in love with it!  Wait
till you see it!  It's on one of the Toronto Islands, faces the
water... it's perfect!"  Hitomi gushed, eyes sparkling.  "We can
get it for a great price, too!"  she continued, reaching back into
her purse for several photos.  "Take a look at this!"  she urged,
laying the pictures out before Kikyo.
	"Incredible..."  Kikyo breathed, looking over the various
shots.  The house was perfect, and in excellent condition.
Breaking out in a huge smile, she lifted her eyes to Hitomi's and
took the redhead's hands.  "How... How did you know?"  she
whispered, almost overcome with emotion.
	"Don't think I didn't notice you staring longingly at the
Realty Guides, and always leaving them open on houses like this.
I've been quietly watching for one to come up, and when this one
did, I grabbed for it.  I'll find out tomorrow if they accept my
offer or want to haggle."  Hitomi stated, smiling.
	"Anata... I love you."  Kikyo breathed, leaning across the
table to kiss Hitomi happily.
	After the kiss, Hitomi smiled happily, but then lowered
her eyes for a moment and drew a long, deep breath.
	"Kiko-chan..." she began softly, looking deep into her
girlfriend's misty eyes.  "You've done so much for me... given me
love, happiness, a home... accepted me despite my 'quirks'.
Without you, I'd be nothing."  she stated, emotion wavering her
voice.  "I've always wanted to be able to tell you how much that
has meant to me, and when I figured out your little dream, I was
so excited... I just had to do this.   It's the best way I could
think of to try to make you as happy as you've made me."  she
added, squeezing Kikyo's hand for emphasis.
	Kikyo could only look back at Hitomi through her now
tear-filled eyes,  struck wordless by her lover's act.  Finally,
she found her voice again, but only just barely.  "Hitomi-chan...
you make me happier than I've ever been in my life... house or no
house."  she sniffed, tears running down her face.  "I've wanted
a house like this since I lived in Japan... but... I don't
deserve it..." she started to protest, earnestly.
	"Daijobu desu."  Hitomi deflected, waving her hand.  "You
certainly do.  Putting up with me for this long should warrant a
medal."  she smirked, grinning.
	Kikyo looked back at Hitomi wordlessly again, knowing that
she'd never win this discussion.  Finally, with a resigned sigh,
she smiled brightly through her tears.
        "Domo arigato gozaimasu, Hitomi-chan.  This is...
unbelievable."  she breathed, shaking her head.
	"Well, it's not quite official yet... but, I think I'm
the only offer.  We'll know by tomorrow afternoon sometime."
Hitomi winked, handing Kikyo a kleenex.
	"Oy... I don't think I'll be getting any sleep tonight."
Kikyo responded at length, wiping her eyes.
	"Well, not right away, at least..."  Hitomi quipped,
grinning mischievously.


	Six weeks later, as Hitomi, Kikyo and Shampoo stood
side by side on the street watching the moving van drive off,
Kikyo fished a tissue from her purse and dabbed her eyes.
	"It seems like a dream, Hitomi-chan... I can't believe
it's really happening."  she sniffed, hugging the redhead happily.
	"It's happening.  We finally get to have a real home.
I can't wait to get moved in."  Hitomi responded, smiling.
        "Well, we had best get a move on... I don't want those
gorrillas throwing our stuff around without us there to keep 'em
under control."
	"Hai, hai.  I'm ready, anata."  Kikyo nodded, wiping her
face once again.
	"I am ready to go too.   I still can't believe that you
could get a house that big... I've never seen one like that."
Shampoo commented,  shaking her purple-maned head slowly.
	Hitomi giggled happily, and nodded at the Amazon.  "This
is one of the things that I love about this country... someone
like me can buy a house like this."  she noted, pointing to
herself.  "In Japan, I'm told it's impossible."
        "No kidding."  Kikyo chimed, still wiping tears from her
eyes.  "Ano... can we get going before I start blubbering in the
middle of the street?"  she added, trying to smile.
	"Hai!  Hop in, ladies."  Hitomi agreed, holding the cab
door open for Kikyo and Shampoo.   Kikyo glimpsed up at the
building that had been her home since coming to Canada, and
sniffed one more time before sliding into the cab.
	Shampoo, meantime, tapped Hitomi on the shoulder and then
bowed to her respectfully.
	"I must thank you again for allowing me to stay with
you... it is beyond what I could have ever expected of you."
she reiterated, earnestly.
	"Lin-san... I already told you that you'll always have a
home with us.  And not because you saved Kiko-chan's life, but
because you're a friend."  Hitomi smiled, gently.  "And I don't
want you feeling indebted or beholden, either, because I offered...
you didn't ask."  she reminded, gesturing for the Amazon to
enter the cab.
	Shampoo smiled in appreciation of Hitomi's generosity,
and bowed to her once more.  "Arigato Gozaimasu, Hitomi-san.  I
will not forget this."  she affirmed, then stepped into the
vehicle.
	It took a few days, but the three women finally managed
to get the house cleaned and all their things put away.  Between
working and getting the house organized, Hitomi and Kikyo were
well wiped out by the end of the week.  Shampoo had done a
yeoman's duty on the project, feeling duty-bound to contribute
despite Hitomi's efforts to convince her otherwise.
	Finally, the job was done, and Hitomi immediately took
advantage of their large deck, stretching out on a lounger and
gazing out at the river.
	Kikyo, noticing what her girlfriend was doing, wandered
out to join her, handing her a fresh cup of tea.
	"Welcome home."  Kikyo smiled, sitting in the chair near
Hitomi.
	"Yeah... isn't it wonderful?  I've been wanting us to
have a real home together for ages."  Hitomi replied, sipping
her tea gently.  "All it's missing is..."  she began, then
abruptly sat up and looked around the deck, then back into the
house.
	"Ano... what is it, Hitomi-chan?"  Kikyo asked, turning
to look in the same direction.
	"Kiko-chan... where's Shampoo?  She should be out here
celebrating with us.  She worked really hard, and deserves to
enjoy this, too."  Hitomi noted, concerned.
	"Hai... I know.  I saw her in the kitchen a while ago,
and she was putting something together for herself to eat, I
think..."  Kikyo indicated, rising from her seat.  "I'll go have
a look, if you want..."  she added, but was interrupted by the
sliding of the patio door screen.
	"I hope you two are hungry... I have made too delicious
treat for us!"  a positively bubbly Shampoo announced, grinning
from ear to ear as she presented the carry-tray she held, simply
loaded with Chinese appetizers.  Both Kikyo and Hitomi gasped
at the selection, momentarily at a loss for words.
	Hitomi was the first to find her voice, and shook her
head in disbelief.
	"Lin-san... this is amazing!  But you didn't..."  she
began, swinging her legs off the lounger.
	"Hai!  Like I told you, I used to own a restaurant in
Nerima Ward... and I haven't done any cooking since I left.  I
needed the practice."  the Amazon explained, offering the tray
to the still surprised women.
	Hitomi nodded, unable to take her eyes off the tray.
	"This is wonderful, Lin-san... but you didn't have to
go to all the fuss.  A few cookies would have done me fine."
the redhead replied, glancing up at the proud Amazon.
	"No... no cookies.  As long as I am here, I can cook.
Besides, we won't look good with cookies on our waists."  she
smirked, glancing at Kikyo who couldn't help but snicker at the
remark.
	"Ano... Okay, you win.  But you have to sit out here
with us now... you deserve a chance to get off your feet, too."
Hitomi reiterated, firmly.  "And we'll talk about this cooking
stuff."  she added, also looking at Kikyo.
	"I don't know, Hitomi-chan... she's pretty good at
this..."  Kikyo teased, waving her chopsticks at the tray.
"Try it."  she urged, handing her girlfriend a set of sticks.
	Hitomi willingly sampled one of the items, and
immediately nodded.
	"I think so too."  she indicated, smiling.  "But that
doesn't make it a deal yet.  Sit down, Lin-san... relax."  she
urged, taking the tray and setting it on the adjacent table.
	Kikyo nodded her agreement, and then finished the last
of her tea.  "Ne, Hitomi... want a warmup?"  she asked, holding
up her cup.
	"Hai... How about you, Lin-san?"
	"I would like that very much." she replied, bowing to
Kikyo.
	Kikyo rose and took the cup from Hitomi, then headed
into the kitchen.  When she returned, she handed out cups to
the others and poured them each their teas.  Setting the pot
down with the tray, she sat beside Hitomi and started scoping
out the snacks.
	It didn't take too long for the entire platter to
disappear, and before Kikyo could even move, Shampoo jumped up
and removed everything, then wiped the table before taking it
away.
	"Gomen... old habit."  she explained sheepishly, as the
other two looked at her questioningly.
	As Shampoo headed back to the kitchen, Hitomi looked
up at her girlfriend and sighed wistfully, then turned her gaze
out to the water once more.  Kikyo smiled and patted her shoulder
affectionately, avoiding the tempatation to stretch out beside
her.  Rising, she moved over to an adjacent chair.
	Hitomi continued to stare quietly out at the gentle
ripples of the river for a few moments, then sighed aloud again.
Rolling on her side, she looked over at Kikyo with a strange
expression decorating her face.
	"Kiko-chan... ever wish..."  she began, regarding her
girlfriend questioningly.
	"What, anata?"  Kikyo responded, turning in her seat.
        "Ano... this probably is going to sound pretty silly."
Hitomi hesitated, looking at Kikyo sheepishly.
	"I promise I won't laugh."  Kikyo assured, tracing an
'x' over her chest.
        "Okay... ever wish... you had kids?  After getting to know
that little girl I met, it got me thinking about it... a lot.
I love kids... but they're always someone elses.   I just wish
one of them... was mine."  she explained, quietly.  "You probably
think I'm crazy, but sometimes... sometimes I really want to be
called Mom."  she added, her voice trailing off to a whisper.
	Kikyo simply stared at her, and for a moment could see a
deep longing in her big blue eyes.  At that instant, she knew she
had suddenly found the one thing that would make Hitomi complete.
	"Anata... I don't think that's silly at all.  Actually, it
doesn't surprise me one bit."  she stated, smiling gently.  "You
would make an incredible mother."  she added, encouragingly patting
her knee.
	"You think so?"  Hitomi gasped, brightening as if she had
won the lottery.
	"Hai!  Couldn't think of anyone who'd be better.  Look at
all the experience you have...!"  Kikyo asserted, grinning happily.
	"Arigato, Kiko-chan... That means a lot coming from you."
the redhead smiled, settling back into her lounger.
	"I mean it, too... a child would be blessed to have you
for a mother.  You understand children like nobody I've ever
known, and they just love you.  No doubt about it, Hitomi-chan.
You would be the best Mom ever."
	"Hey... cut it out, you're gonna give me an ego here."
Hitomi flushed, covering her face.
	"No, I'm going to give you something much better than
that..."  Kikyo thought to herself, resolutely.  "Just you wait."



	Miyabi squealed with delight as her Dad again levitated
her around the room, while Masao sat on his mother's lap, giggling
at his sister.
	"No too fast, Ranma... you'll make her sick."  Akane
cautioned, giggling herself.
	"Daijobu, Akane... she loves it.  Besides, what good is
having Spirit for a father if you can't do the neat stuff?"  Ranma
replied, smiling.
	"So how did class go today?"  Akane asked, knowing she'd
best just let the other issue alone.
	"It was a bit strange... this was my first time with this
group, and they don't know what to make of me yet... "  he replied
at length, his attention still on Miyabi.
	"Well, give them time... everyone wrote you off for a
while there, and seeing you here is still surprising people."
Akane noted, setting Masao on the floor.
	"As long as nobody figures out why.  I still worry about
that."  Ranma indicated, swinging Miyabi in for a perfect one-point
landing.  Still giggling happily, the little girl yelled "Arigato,
Papa!" and trotted over to the game she had been playing a few
minutes earlier.
	"Well, I'm not about to tell anyone, and I don't think the
rest of the family will.  They're all still too shook up over it."
        "I'll say... My Mom still looks at me with pity in her eyes,
and Pop... well, nothing fazes him.  The only one I worry about is
Nabiki.  You never know where she's at."  Ranma observed, turning to
look at his wife.
	"She won't be any trouble... I don't think she'll be showing
her face much after that speech your Mom and Kasumi gave her."
	Ranma smiled at that thought.  "Yeah, they kinda dressed
her down, didn't they."  he smirked, shaking his head slightly.
	"Well, she did deserve it... as much as I love her as a
sister, and even considering that she did it to try to help me,
she threw away any shred of honor she may have had.  I can't
understand her sometimes..."  Akane commented, rising from the mat.
	"Where are you going?"  Ranma asked, glancing up at her.
	"To get our supper... it's all ready."
	"Akane, you have to stop thinking like a mortal..."  Ranma
grinned, and pointed to the low table.
	"How...?"  Akane blurted, noticing the fully-set table
with the food all laid out on it.
	Ranma simply winked, held his finger up and blew across
the tip as if blowing the smoke from the barrel of a gun.
	"Ranma no Baka."  Akane replied, setting her hands on her
hips.  Ranma, acting as if he was deeply insulted, scooped Akane
off her feet and started to float her toward the table.  Akane,
caught off guard, shrieked at the surprise.
	Miyabi, hearing the commotion, turned away from her game
and saw her Mom float by, kicking and screaming.  Immediately, she
ran after her, laughing with delight.
	"Put me down, Ranma!!  Or so help me, I'll mallet you!"
Akane threatened, glaring at her smirking husband.
	"Are you going to take back that remark?"  he grinned,
starting to turn her in the air.
	"Hai!  You win!  Just put me down!!"  she responded,
fighting back a grin as she caught sight of Miyabi killing herself
laughing.
	"She's no fun today, is she Mi-chan?"  Ranma replied,
winking at Miyabi.  The little girl couldn't respond through her
laughter, so Ranma shrugged and set Akane down at her place at the
table.
	"Me next, Papa!"  Miyabi suddenly blurted, lifting her
arms up.
	"You're on!"  he replied, elevating the child over to her
mat.  "Okay, one left..."  he added, repeating the process for
Masao.  Once they were all seated, he popped from sight, only to
reappear at the table grinning smugly.
	Miyabi clapped at the display, while Akane tried her best
not to laugh.
	"Ranma, how are we supposed to act normal if you keep doing
things like that?"  she scolded, although her heart wasn't really
in it.
	"Gomen nasai, Akane-chan.  I was just having a little fun
with the kids... and you."  he responded, bowing his head.  As he
did however, he glanced toward Miyabi and winked, and the little
girl winked back with a mischeivous grin.


	As she usually did while the girls were at work, Shampoo
meticulously cleaned the house, taking it as a point of pride that
she was a better housekeeper than Kikyo.  After checking her work
over to ensure that she hadn't missed anything, she smiled with
satisfaction and wandered off to her bedroom.
	Standing before the large mirror on the wardrobe, she peeled
out of her day clothes and looked herself over, noting with dismay
that her tummy seemed a bit puffy.  Face darkening, she turned a
bit and checked her curvey hips and shapely rear for other
tell-tale signs.  Spending so much time as a cat had caused her
normally tight body to soften a bit, and it upset her a great deal
to think that a warrior could be so out of shape.  She was glad
that her new home had a large and currently underfurnished living
room, as it gave her a place to keep up on her practice.
	Opening the wardrobe and reaching for her gi, she was about
to toss it on the bed when an idea struck.
	Leaving the gi where it was, she walked back out to the
spacious living room, and noted with pleasure that all of the curtains
were closed and the blinds turned shut.  Smiling, she walked to the
middle of the room and began her warmup routine.  This wasn't the
first time she had worked out in the nude, but it had been a very
long time since the last occasion had presented itself, and she was
glad she had thought of it.  There was something earthy, something
powerful, something 'stimulating' about practicing her fighting
style unencumbered by clothing... and she could already feel its
seductive call.
	Finishing her warmups, she pulled out her twin swords and
began her full routine, thoroughly enjoying the session.  The
feeling of freedom and the element of danger practicing nude
involved rapidly combined, producing a unique kind of excitement
for her, and as the session progressed into the more difficult and
dangerous forms, she felt herself becoming almost drunk on the
thrill.  Soon, her warrior nature began to take her over,
encouraging her to push the limits of her control, which in turn
made her even more excited.
	All too soon for her, however, the session reached it's
climax, and left her basking in the afterglow of yet another
successful practice.
	After her cooldown and a short rest to let herself calm
down, she jumped into the shower to freshen up.  Feeling quite
pleased with her workout, she soaked in the tub for a while
afterwards, then treated herself to a makeover.
	Upon getting dressed, she wandered to a window and gazed
out at the beautiful, sunny day that seemed to be showcasing the
long, narrow beach in front of the house.  Deciding she didn't
want to spend such a wonderful day cooped up in the house, she
dug out the spare key, made sure the house was well secured, and
headed out for a nice long walk along the shoreline.
	As she wandered aimlessly down the beach, her thoughts
drifted back to her conversation with Hitomi, and she began to
think about what to do now that she was set for a place to live.
	Her Amazon pride wouldn't let her continue to live off of
the girls' generosity without compensating them in some way, but
she didn't want to end up working just as a waitress either.
Regrettably, she had left Japan before getting any sort of
financial arrangements made, and didn't have enough money to do
anything on her own.
	Sighing aloud, she wished that life could be easier.
	

	"Tadaima!  Lin-san!"  Hitomi called, stepping through the
door and pulling her keys from the lock.  Kikyo followed
immediately, having delayed a moment to clean out the mail
box.
	Shampoo wandered in from the deck, smiling happily as
per usual.
	"Nihao, you two!  How was the day today?" she asked as
Hitomi waved at her.
	"Oh, not much different than most..."  Kikyo chimed in,
changing into her slippers.  "Hitomi stole the show for the
touring Moms today, and it looks like we'll have six new faces
come next month."  she winked, to which Hitomi blushed slightly.
"Any messages, Lin-san?"  she asked, looking through the pile of
mail.
	"Ya... the machine's been quiet."  the Amazon answered,
glancing at Hitomi.
	"Did we get any real mail?"  Hitomi called, closing the
closet.
	"Just a couple of flyers, as usual... "  Kikyo replied,
waving the items in the air.
	Hitomi nodded, then headed down the hallway to the
bedrooms.  "Want me to put anything out for you, Kiko-chan?"
she asked, starting to unbutton her mini as she waited outside
the door.
	"No... I don't know what I'm going to wear yet.  I'll
be right with you anyway."  Kikyo called, turning to Shampoo,
who still stood expectantly in the foyer.
	"You must have had a boring day today... No calls, and
just junk mail.  Did you find something to do?"  she asked,
concerned.
	"Hai.  I practiced for a while, then went for a walk on
the beach... this is a very pretty island.  I like it here."
Shampoo replied, grinning.  "I just wish there was more to do.
Amazons get fat if they don't work all the time."  she added,
her face momentarily serious.  Glancing down the hall to make
sure Hitomi was out of earshot, she stepped toward Kikyo quietly,
and motioned for her to lean forward.  "I would like to make the
supper meal tonight... is that okay with you?"  she whispered,
cautiously.
	Kikyo stood back up and looked at the Amazon in surprise.
	"Hell, yes it's all right with me.  I love your
cooking... and Hitomi does too, no matter what she says.  She
just doesn't like you thinking you have to do it to repay her."
she indicated, quietly.
	Shampoo's face darkened for a moment, and she opened her
mouth to protest.  Nothing came out of it however, as she
rethought her argument and closed it again.  She knew that it
was useless to debate the issue, as both Hitomi's and Kikyo's
senses of honor were as strong as hers.
	"Hai, Kikyo-san.  Arigato.  I am doing this only because
I want something to do.  I am not used to such a long, boring
day."  she finally stated, bowing.
	Kikyo couldn't help but grin at the Amazon's attempted
diplomacy.
	"I'll talk to her... I promise."  she winked, and
patted the almost pouting Amazon's shoulder affirmingly.
	Shampoo immediately brightened, and flashed her trademark
grin.
	"Arigato."  she whispered, and almost bounced into the
kitchen.
	Kikyo smirked after her, thinking that she might have
just been suckered.
	After hanging up her coat, Kikyo headed into the bedroom
after Hitomi, and was pleasantly surprised to see the redhead
wandering around in only her panties, looking for something to
throw on.
	"Ne, Hitomi... your tees are in your drawer."   Kikyo
reminded, unzipping her skirt and letting it drop to the floor.
        "I was thinking I might go out on the deck... maybe
walk the beach for a while."  Hitomi responded, absently.
	"Okay... look in the wardrobe... your two-piecers are
in there."
	"Yep... there they are.  Aha!  Here's a good one."  she
announced, producing a multi-toned blue number.  "This should do
fine."  she smiled, laying it out on the bed.
	"Hai.  I like that one on you."  Kikyo smiled, removing
her sam brown and blouse, then starting to slide off her hose.
	Hitomi glanced over at her girlfriend and abruptly
frowned.  "You're not going to keep that on, are you?"  she
complained, pointing to Kikyo's bra.
	"Ano... do you want me to leave it off?"  Kikyo replied,
winking.
	"Hai.  You know I do.  Here, let me help you get rid of
it."  the redhead offered, leaning over and popping the garment
open with one hand.  "I never could understand those things...
they feel like you're wearing a body harness all the time."
	"You mean you've never worn one??"  Kikyo gasped, looking
straight at Hitomi's healthy chest, then back at her face.
"Kuso... I'm surprised those aren't around your waist by now."
she added, incredulously.
	"I can't ever remember it... but, that's not saying  much,
is it?"  she smirked, sitting before Kikyo on the bed.
	"Huh... I went without one for a summer, and even though
I'm not built like you, I still sagged quite a bit."  Kikyo noted,
bouncing her breasts in her hands.  "They're just not that firm,
I guess."  she added, sighing.
	"They're plenty firm enough for me."  Hitomi winked,
bringing a flush to Kikyo's cheeks.
	"Anata...."  Kikyo finally responded, quietly.  "We'd
better get dressed before..."
	"Before what?"  Hitomi injected, suggestively.
	"Before we don't..."  she replied, running her fingers
through her girlfriend's bangs.
	"Well, supper can wait, ne?"  the redhead breathed, reaching
up and cupping Kikyo's rear.
	"Anata... Lin-san is making it right now..."  Kikyo sighed,
suddenly wishing she had told the Amazon to wait.
	"All right... " the redhead sighed, rising from the bed.
"I guess I can wait until later..."  she pouted, stepping into her
silk pants.
	"Gomen nasai."  Kikyo apologised, bowing to Hitomi quickly.
"I promise I'll make it up to you."  she insisted, worriedly.
	Hitomi reached for her top, then shot Kikyo a sly glance.
"I'll hold you to that."  she smiled, then walked over and kissed
her girlfriend's cheek affectionately.  "Just don't wait too long,
or I might have to come after you."  she added wantonly, sliding
her top on and heading out into the hallway.
	Sighing with relief, Kikyo hurriedly finished changing, then
padded out into the livingroom after Hitomi.  She hated it when her
girlfriend was upset with her for any reason, and this time around
she felt especially guilty.
	Hitomi had assumed her usual cross-legged perch in the
center of the couch, and upon hearing Kikyo coming, turned and blew
a kiss at her.  Kikyo felt better instantly, as the look in her
girlfriend's big blue eyes hinted that they were going to have fun
tonight.  And as that thought registered, it abruptly occurred to
her that tonight could also mean the beginning of something far
more special.
	Conversation was cordial all through Shampoo's wonderful
meal, and between the two of them, Kikyo and Shampoo managed to
get Hitomi to relent, and not object to the Amazon cooking whenever
she felt like it, which finally solved the duty/honor issue that was
threatening to become a major problem.
	In the back of her mind however, Kikyo was thinking about
her secret promise to Hitomi.  This caused a conflict of a different
sort to rage in her thoughts, as she contemplated how to give her
lover the thing she most wanted, and yet avoid something she
personally found extremely distasteful.
	She hated the thought of having to do such a thing to
herself, but in order for her to carry out her plan, it was
unavoidable.  Finally, she realized that no sacrifice was too
great if it would make Hitomi happy, and resolved that she would
go through with it at any cost.
	When bedtime finally arrived, Kikyo let Hitomi preceed
her into the bedroom, and made a quick pit stop before following
her.
	When she finally did enter the room, Hitomi was already
in the bed, propped up on her elbow and smiling lecherously.
When Kikyo caught sight of her, Hitomi lifted the bankets to
reveal her nakedness and winked suggestively.  Kikyo smiled in
response, then wandered over to the edge of the bed.
	Slowly, and directly in front of Hitomi's smouldering
eyes, she untied the thin straps over her shoulders and let her
flimsy gown drop to the floor, smiling again as she saw Hitomi's
eyes widen in appreciation.
	Reaching to her side, Kikyo flicked off the lights and
slid in beside Hitomi, nestling into the warmth of the Chinese
girl's open arms.  Within moments, it became apparent that Hitomi
was in no mood to wait, as she deftly teased Kikyo into a frenzy,
almost making her forget about her idea.
	Sitting up, Kikyo put her fingers against Hitomi's lips
to stifle her protest, and turned to the bedside table.  Hitomi's
eyes again widened as, in the dim light from the window, she could
just see the large thermos that Kikyo was now holding up.
	Glancing toward Kikyo's face, Hitomi could see the sultry
grin decorating it, and her surprise was replaced by anticipation.
Smiling herself, she reached out and touched her lover's arm
tenderly.
	"Are you sure...?" she asked, gently.
	"Hai... I would love to try it."  Kikyo whispered back,
hoping her misgivings wouldn't show.
	"I always wanted... to try it this way, but I was afraid
to ask you."  Hitomi stated, her happiness evident in her hushed
voice.
	"Then let's go for it..."  Kikyo urged, handing her the
glass.
	Hitomi smiled even more brightly, then sat up and kissed
Kikyo passionately.  "Arigato..." she whispered, then slid off the
bed and upended the thermos over her head.
	Kikyo gasped as the woman she loved became the much bigger,
squarer and harder-featured man, whose interest in her was rising
by the moment.
	Otoko-Hitomi then slipped carefully back under the
blankets, and opened his arms to the slightly nervous little woman
beside him.  Kikyo slowly laid back down with him, nestling into
his broad chest as best she could.
	He carefully closed his large arms around her, not wanting
to be too forceful yet as he wasn't very used to his own strength.
	Despite knowing that it was still Hitomi under all that
maleness, Kikyo cringed inwardly at his touch, and had to fight
to quell the shudders that the thought of what was coming up gave
her.
	Kikyo had only tried this kind of activity once before in
her life, and the feeling of revulsion she had experienced was so
powerful that she literally kicked the boy off of her.  As it turned
out, it was shortly thereafter that she discovered her true
direction, and had never looked back.
	Otoko-Hitomi began to run his rough, hard hands over her
delicate skin, and she grit her teeth and tried her best to enjoy
the sensations.  Gradually, with much repeating to herself that
it was really Hitomi touching her, she began to relax a bit, and
could feel herself responding to the somewhat familiar
stimulations.  Even so, she knew it was going to be a long night,
and for the first time since they began sharing a bed, she wasn't
completely thrilled about that thought.
	Over time, and a few more attempts, Kikyo gradually found
that she could enjoy her lover's attentions from either of her
forms, but she still far preferred her to be herself.  Hitomi,
meantime, was happy that Kikyo was enjoying their experimentations,
but had to wonder what had triggered it all.  To the best of her
knowledge, Kikyo didn't like contact with men, almost to the same
degree that she herself didn't.
	However, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she
happily enjoyed the opportunities to explore the concept, and
found that despite it's running out of 'steam' faster than her
normal form, the male perspective was not that bad.


	On a sunny yet somewhat cool Saturday afternoon, Hitomi
was on her way to meet Kikyo downtown, and had come to regret
her choice of dress.  The season was in the midst of change, and
she had misjudged how cool it really was.  Her attire was a long
dress, but she wore no hose and not brought any sort of jacket
along.  As she strode down the street toward the point of their
rendesvous, she shivered occasionally from the chilly wind,
wishing she had taken the cab all the way in, instead of electing
to walk the few blocks between her little side trip to the store
for mints and Kikyo.
	Finally, she arrived at the appointed location, the lobby
of the Constellation Hotel near Pearson Airport.  Kikyo simply
loved the food in the Atrium restaurant, and had wanted to meet
there after an appointment she had downtown.
	Hitomi wasted no time in ordering a coffee to warm herself
back up, and was sipping away at it when a positively beaming
Kikyo almost ran up to the table.
	"Ne, Kikyo... what are you so excited about?  You look
like you're about to explode!"  Hitomi asked, a bit surprised by
her girlfriend's state.
	"I got some great news today, anata... and I'm so excited
for us!"  she replied ecstatically, sliding quickly into the booth.
	"Ano... tell me then!  You're getting me all excited just
looking at you!"  Hitomi urged, feeling herself getting giddy.
	"Hai!  I can't stand it, anata!  I feel like I want to
scream it instead of just tell it!"  she bubbled, clasping her
girlfriend's hands tightly.  "I just came from my Doctor's
office... Hitomi-chan, we're preganant!"  she squealed, bouncing
in her seat.
	Hitomi's face dropped in astonishment.  "Pregnant...?
As in... a baby?"  she breathed, staring into Kikyo's dancing
eyes.  "Yappa!"  she squealed, lunging across the table to hug
her girlfriend.  "Kiko-chan!  I love you!" she cried, feeling
her eyes moistening as she hugged Kikyo even tighter.
	"Hai, hai!  I'm three weeks along, and everything looks
great!"  Kikyo indicated, even more thrilled at Hitomi's reaction.
"Congratulations, 'otousan'!"  she added, returning the hug
happily.
	When Hitomi sank back to her seat, she wiped her eyes and
sniffed happily, looking back at the glowing Kikyo with a bright,
loving smile.
	"Kiko-chan... I'm so happy... I've always wanted a child.
Thank you... you're the most wonderful person in the world, and I
am just so thrilled for you."  she said, her eyes shimmering with
pride.
	"Ano... It's your baby too, anata... and I did it because
I love you... and I wanted to show you how much.  This baby is
going to grow strong, proud and happy because it will have you
to raise it."  she responded, looking deep into Hitomi's
shimmering eyes, and taking her hands again.  "I am honored to
be carrying your child... and I can't wait until you can hold it
for the first time, knowing it's really your baby."  Kikyo stated,
sniffing quietly.  "I know it's not the same as having one
yourself, but it's the best way I could think of to fulfil your
'little dream'." she continued, smiling and squeezing Hitomi's
shaking hands.
	Hitomi's smile widened even more at her lover's words,
and she simply shook her head, unable to find the words to
express her joy.
	Standing up from the booth, she pulled Kikyo up into her
arms and hugged her lovingly, starting to cry into her lover's
embrace.
        Kikyo could feel happiness, pride and love literally
radiating from Hitomi and soaking deep into her soul, and the
sensation convinced her that she had indeed given Hitomi
completion.  Smiling with satisfaction, she held her girlfriend
tightly, letting her enjoy the moment.
	When they had both regained some semblance of composure,
they celebrated over a good meal and spent the next while
excitedly discussing the news.  Kikyo had to keep a steady supply
of tissues handy, as Hitomi seemed wont to burst into tears
steadily, so overwhelmingly happy was she with the prospect of
raising their child.
	At one point, Kikyo actually had to tell her to stop
saying thank you so much, or else she'd send the baby back.
Hitomi was so stunned that it took her a second to recover, much
to Kikyo's amusement.
	Later, as the two left the Hotel arm-in-arm, they
decided to go for a little walk, both too excited to head home
just yet.  As they waited for the light to change for them to
cross the intersection just beside the Hotel, Hitomi turned and
kissed Kikyo's cheek, startling her slightly.
	"Ne, Hitomi... don't you start getting all slobbery on
me now."  she smirked, nudging her girlfriend playfully.
	"I can't help it... I'm so happy, I can't keep it all
to myself."  Hitomi replied, shrugging.
	"Well, in that case..."  Kikyo replied, rolling her
eyes.  "Okay, let's go."  she added, noting the light had
finally changed.
	As they stepped out into the street, they were both
startled by the sound of a car approaching fast.  Turning, they
both froze at the sight of a large vehicle mere feet from them,
the driver staring back at them in horror, realizing he was about
to run them both down.
	Hitomi reacted instantly, grabbing Kikyo and bodily
throwing her aside, out of harm's way.  The awkward throw left
her off-balance, and she ended up on her knees facing the oncoming
car.  The driver had locked up the brakes, but it was no use.
Hitomi reacted instinctively, covering her head and throwing her
hand out toward the car as if to block it.
	The loud crunch she heard convinced her that she had been
killed, until she suddenly heard Kikyo screaming her name in panic.
A heartbeat later, she felt Kikyo grabbing at her, checking her
for injuries.
	Opening her eyes, she looked up to see her outstretched
hand bathed in a bright blue glow, and the car stilled beside her,
it's front end smashed in as if it had hit a brick wall head-on.
	Stunned, she slowly turned toward the panic-stricken Kikyo,
her face fixed in disbelief.
	"A - Ano..." she breathed, then brought her hand before
her face and stared numbly at it.  The glow had faded, and for a
second, she wondered if she had really seen it.
	Suddenly, she remembered Kikyo, who was now kneeling at her
side shaking like a leaf.
	"Kiko-chan!  Are you okay?"  she blurted, feeling a flash
of panic as she reached for her girlfriend.
	"H - hai.  What about you?  That car hit you... I saw
it..." Kikyo responded, weakly.  "I thought... you were dead."
she added, her eyes dripping with tears, yet still wide open
with shock.
	"Ano... I didn't feel a thing... are you sure?"  Hitomi
asked her, relieved that Kikyo was unharmed.
	Kikyo stared wordlessly at her for a split-second, then
collapsed in her arms crying.  Hitomi embraced her comfortingly,
soothing her as best she could.
        Glancing back at the car, she shook her head slightly at
the extent of the damage, then noticed the driver.  He had a large
cut on his forehead, and was still sitting behind the wheel,
conscious but stunned.  Closing her eyes, she said a silent
prayer for all of their lives.


	"Ano... What the hell was that?"  Ranma blurted, sitting
upright on the futon, his chest tight and heart racing.
	"Ranma?"  Akane asked sleepily, turning to face her husband
nervously.
	"Daijobu, Akane-chan... I just felt something strange.
It was like I was in fear for my life, then there was this... drain
on my energy.  Kuso, it felt so strong it scared me."  he replied,
shaking his head.
	Akane instantly panicked... with Ranma in the form he was,
she had feared that there would be other 'situations' that could
possibly take him from her again, and in her current half-awake
state, this felt like it could be one.
	Lunging up, she enveloped him in a tight hug, pressing her
face into his broad chest and hanging on for dear life.
	"Ranma, no... Don't say things like that... I don't want
to lose you again!" she sobbed, as he felt hot droplets land on
his skin.
	"Baka ne..." he soothed, closing his arms around her.  "It
was just some nightmare, Akane-chan... You can't get rid of me
that easy."  he quipped, stroking her head gently.  Inwardly, he
too was abruptly sad... this little scene convinced him that
despite how it looked, things would never even be close to the way
they were.  Akane had just shown him that despite the words of the
Fates, which he had no reason to doubt, she was convinced that she
only had him temporarily, and that he could disappear at any time.
That realization gave him a heavy heart, as he knew she would never
be totally at ease.  His face darkened as he wondered if he had made
the right decision after all.
	A while later, after he had managed to get Akane back to
sleep, Ranma sat up in the futon still, going over what he had
felt.  As he continued to gently stroke Akane's head while she
slept across his lap, he realized that what he had experienced was
real... he had felt *something*.
        The emotion of it was frightening, as was the sudden
drain on his Chi.  Together, they hadn't lasted long, but it was
enough to worry him.  Up till this incident, he had thought his
involvement with such things was over with, at least until he
crossed back over.
	Finally, after tossing it around for a while longer with
no results, he decided to settle back into bed and leave it till
the morning.  Gently levitating Akane's upper body from his lap,
he shifted down under the covers and settled her across his chest,
and she moaned quietly as she adjusted to the changes.
	Smiling gently, he kissed the top of her head and wrapped
an arm over her back.
	"Good night, Akane-chan.  Suki da yo."  he whispered,
closing his eyes.



	Shampoo stared wide-eyed at the other two girls, hands
covering her mouth.
	"Are you both okay?"  she finally asked, still staring at
them.
	"Hai, we're fine... but I still don't know how
Hitomi-chan managed to stop that car.  It was moving fast, and
damned-near on top of us before we even saw it."  Kikyo stated,
still a little shaken up by the whole affair.
	"Hai... all I know is that I threw Kikyo out of the way,
and the next thing I know I'm sitting in front of a wrecked car."
Hitomi added, shaking her head.  "I don't know what happened..."
she added, her voice trailing off.
	"I have an idea... Kikyo-san, did you see anything...
else?"  Shampoo asked, regarding her intently.  "Think hard."
she added, urgingly.
	"Ano... I thought I saw a blue flash in front of the car,
but I can't say for sure.  I was pretty scared."  she replied,
thoughtfully.`
	"Hai... and I thought I saw the same thing on my hand
after... but it went away fast.  I wasn't sure if my eyes were
just playing tricks on me or not." Hitomi added, looking at her
hand again.
	"Aiyah... they weren't, Hitomi-san.  That was Chi energy.
You have the same ability as Ailen... you can control your Chi
or life energy, and use it for things like that.  It's very
powerful, and can do a lot of damage." the Amazon indicated,
awestruck.
	"How... can she do that?  I've never even heard of such
a thing."  Kikyo gasped, turning to look at Hitomi, who could only
shake her head.
	Shampoo nodded. "Even Aikido and Kenpo Grand Masters can't
do that.  I have only seen Ranma and a very few others do this,
although it is talked about by the Elders of my Tribe."
	Hitomi listened carefully, then leaned toward Shampoo.
	"Ano... if that's true, then why haven't I been able to
do it before now?  I didn't even know I could."  she asked, a hint
of skepticism in her voice.
	Kikyo suddenly lowered her eyes, and sighed audibly.
	"It's because of me, Hitomi-chan.  I'd bet on it."  she
stated, eliciting gasps from both of the other women.  "The only
time I've seen you do something like this before was when Mu Lin
was trying to take over your body.  Remember the situation at the
Center... when one of the creeps made it look like he shot one of
our kids?  You freaked out, and that was the first time Mu Lin
broke through."
	"Ano... I remember some of it, but... what does that
have to do with you?" the redhead asked, regarding her curiously.
	"Our baby, anata... that car threatened our baby, which
pushed you over the edge.  Only this time, instead of calling
Mu Lin, you called up this 'Chi' thing to protect it.  Any time
any child is threatened, it's like you 'zone out' and go
ballistic."  Kikyo explained, taking Hitomi's hand.
	Before Hitomi could respond, the two women were disturbed
by a gasp from beside them.
	"Aiyah... a baby?"  Shampoo suddenly breathed, her face
dropping.
	It took Kikyo a second to click, then she remembered that
she hadn't told Shampoo her news yet, having been so preoccupied
with the other incident.
	"Gomen, Lin-san..." she flushed sheepishly.  "I'm
pregnant... with Anata's baby!"  she explained, beaming at the
Amazon.
	Shampoo stared back at her for a second, then glanced
at Hitomi, and finally back at Kikyo.  A heartbeat later, she
squealed and lunged toward Kikyo, wrapping her in a celebratory
hug.
	"Congratulations, Kikyo-san!  A baby!! I'm so happy for
you!"  the Amazon gushed, almost crushing the poor woman in her
excitement.  Jumping up, she swung around and hugged Hitomi
equally as tight.  "You two are a family now!  This is wonderful
news!  When did you find out?"  she asked, stepping back from
the stunned Hitomi.
	"Today... I went for the test yesterday at lunch."
Kikyo smiled, happily.  I'm so excited I can't stand it!"  she
added, patting her tummy gently.
	"Hai! I'm still on cloud nine... I can't believe it!"
Hitomi added, smiling again herself.
	"Have you decided anything yet?  You know, names and
such?" Shampoo quizzed, looking back and forth between the two
of them.
	"Not yet, Lin-san... with everything that happened, we
haven't had time to even let it sink in."  Kikyo replied, tsking
at the question.
	"How did you do it?"  the Amazon continued, unfazed.
	Hitomi broke out laughing, the question catching her
completely off-guard.
	"Hitomi's curse."  Kikyo replied, grinning.  "100
percent natural."  she added happily, taking a playful swat at
the giggling Hitomi.
	"Aiyah... I forgot about that.  Good idea.  So, what
will it's last name be then?"  she inquired, thoughtfully.
	"I don't know... but, we've got lots of time to figure
all that out, don't we anata?"  Kikyo answered, smiling.  "Well,
if you'll excuse me Lin-san, I think I'm going to catch a shower
now... I feel really tired and a bit sore." she added, getting up
from the couch and heading for the hall.
	"Gomen, Kiko-chan... I was a bit rough on you out there."
Hitomi immediately replied, a bit embarrassed.
	"Daijobu desu... I'm here to talk about it.  Are you
feeling better?" she responded, waiting for the redhead to catch
up as they both headed down the hall.
	"A bit, but I'm still shaking..."  Hitomi noted, rubbing
her hands.  "Ano... Lin-san, I'll be back in a minute... I just
want to change." she added, calling back from down the hall.
	"Hai..."  Shampoo replied, turning away from the hallway
so that neither of the other two would see the deep sadness in her
eyes... or the tears that were starting to trail down her cheeks.



=================================================================
END - One Good Turn                  A Ranma1/2 FanFic by Coutuva


Comments Welcomed, Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@vecdev.com