Amazonian Switcheroo

By Sara T. Fontanini

(Ranma 1/2 and its characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi)

Part 1

Ranma stared into the mirror. There was no denying what he saw.

It all started a few days ago. He got up, and was ready to enter the furo when he noticed it.

A stand of his hair had enixplicably changed colour. Before cold water had hit him. It was a purplish colour.

And now, he had an entire purple streak. Not only that, but he had noticed his body getting slimmer. It was a good thing everyone he knew was so dense, else the secret would be out (It also probably helped that he had started to use hair dye). He didn't want anyone finding out about this.

That is, if he was able to stop this.

But he doubted that.

He feared that nothing would stop his transformation into Shampoo.

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It was the next day, as he was changing for gym class, when he noticed the other change.

He quickly hid, after ensuring That nobody saw, and stared at his chest.

It had doubled in size. Maybe even tripled.

He was pale. He had hoped it wouldn't develop any further, but here it was. The proof that what he had feared was true.

It was a good thing he borrowed some spare bandages from Ukyo. After a minute, he was ready to face the world.

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He had gotten splashed on the way home. After eating one of Kasumi's wonderful meals (it was like eating the food of the gods!) he readied the furo. After first cleaning himself off with cold water, he stepped into the steaming tub.

He changed. But not into his normal self. Oh, no. He looked down at himself. Then he rushed out to look in the mirror.

His hair was now a deep lavender colour, which did not suit his trademark pig-tail, somehow. His body was also still female, but even curvier.

It had happened. What he had hoped would never happen, happened.

His body was now a near dead ringer for Shampoo's.

He screamed in pure horror and despair.

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Akane was woken by a scream. She got out of bed and raced towards the furo, thinking it was one of her sisters.

She was shocked to find Shampoo, of all people, crying and screaming like a howler monkey.

"Shampoo, what are you screaming about?" She asked irritably. "And why are you here?"

The amazon turned to look at the tomboy. "Akane."

She ran to the other girl, and embraced her. Akane was shocked. She didn't expect this from a supposed rival.

The lander-haired girl was crying, her body shaking. "A-Akane! Why does this always happen to me!? What did I do to deserve this!?"

Akane stared at the crying amazon. "Shampoo....Your japanese....has improved..."

Shampoo looked up at the tomboy, tears still falling. "Why can't you see that it's me!?" She looked furious. "YOU STUPID TOMBOY!"

Akane never saw the slap coming. She touched her cheek in shock, still staring at the amazon. Only one person ever called her that....

"....Ranma?" She asked, disbelieving.

The other girl nodded. "Yes, it's me."

"Wha-!? How!?"

Ranma looked down to the floor. "It's....It's a long story."

Somehow, Akane had never noticed that the girl she had been holding was naked. It's probably for the best, actually.

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Akane had returned to her room, with a fully dressed Ranma in tow. Somehow, the former-boy's pig-tail had come undone between his discovery and when Akane had rushed in, and he now looked near identical to Shampoo, minus some details in the hair. The two sat down next to each other on Akane's bed.

"So, I guess ya wanna know how this actually happened." Ranma said, looking totally miserable.

Akane nodded.

"Well, It began a few days ago. I was in the Nekohanten, and Shampoo was trying to catch me using another of her damn potions. I should have learned to be careful when dealing with that girl a long time ago.

Anyway, I try to run away, knowing what she had planned, for once. She's still chasing me when she trips and breaks open another potion. We had run into their supply room, which was filled with all their magic junk.

Some fumes soon come out of the puddle left by the potion, and then there's this burning sensation. Worried, Shampoo picks up what remains of the bottle and reads the label. She shows it to me, and tells me what it does.

It makes people switch bodies. Well, technically it gradually changes your body into another's, over the course of a week.

What you see is the final form of the tranformation."

Akane gaped. This type of thing could only happen to Ranma.

"So, the same thing's happened to Shampoo?"

Ranma smiled coldly. "Yep. Maybe she'll get what's coming to her, and have all the rivals and fiancees chasin' her instead of me."

"Do you really hate her that much?"

Ranma grew angry. "Are ya joking!? Because of her, I lost my manhood, maybe forever! Do ya think I liked that bimbo? I hated her, always chasin' me, tryin' to force me into loving her! If it weren't for the Nekohanten, I wouldn't have anythin' to do with her!"

Akane could only stare at the lander-haired girl. Never had she seen Ranma look so bitter and angry.

Ranma slumped down on the bed, crying. "And I..... I wanted to be able to be normal.... So you could....m...mar..." She sobbed, unable to say anymore.

Akane continued to stare, her eyes going wider. "You....wanted to marry....me?"

The other girl could only nod. She was too busy crying to do much else.

Akane couldn't believe it. Ranma actually wanted to marry her? It was impossible. He always insulted her, calling her names. There's no way she could possibly love Akane.

"You're lying. You always call me names, always say you don't want to. What's changed?"

Ranma looked up at the tomboy. "I realised it when I realised that I lost everything. I realised why I wanted to regain my manhood so much now. I wanted to be a perfect man, for you."

Akane embraced the neo-girl, stunning her. "It's alright. I'm not going to turn you away. Especially not now." She paused. "But, noone can know about this. They can't know what's happened."

"I know. I'm already prepared."

She hugged Akane tighter, not wanting to let go. Akane returned the favour. She wasn't sure how she felt, but she prided herself on helping others. Besides, it's not like this was the first time she helped Ranma in his time of need.

She just hoped that she didn't end up hurting the girl any worse than she was now.

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I had no idea how to end it. If it's too cheesy, or it just isn't quite right, it's entirely my fault. Because I couldn't think of a better way to end it.

I like body switching stories, and decided to create my own. Especially seeing as there are not too many Ranma ones. However, I decided to mix it up a little, and not make it into a standard body switch.

Of my fave pairings, RanmaXAkane and AkaneXShampoo are at the top. Why? Dunno.

Shampoo is going to be presented in a very bad light. At least, that seems to be the most likely course.

Sadly, there isn't going to be too much action here. Just some romance, and maybe a little angst, but no action. Probably.

Hope ya liked it! And please comment!