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With Grace and Elegance

A Girls Und Panzer/Ranma ½ Crossover

Chapter One: The Good and the Bad

By: Grounders10

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For the students of Furinkan High School seeing their 'principal' suffer consequences for whatever stunt or bizarre scenario, he had concocted that day was nothing new. True he normally managed to escape anything truly lasting, but there was always a price.

That price was not normally being carried, unconscious and bound in chains, by police out of the main entrance of Furinkan High to a waiting police van. That did not, however, stop crowds of students from cheering as the much-derided principal Kuno left the premises under heavy police escort for what everyone hoped was the last time.

Above the crowds, on the roof of the school, two people stood looking down. One, a young man with his black hair braided at the neck, was leaning against the doorframe of the staircase that led down into the school. His attention was focused not on the departure of the principal he had good reason to hate, but on the other occupant of the roof, a young woman with brown hair who was just half a foot shorter than he was.

"Never thought I'd see the day." He said to her. He wasn't referring to the scene down below, though he was certainly glad to see the bastard gone.

She snorted. "Surprised I have standards?" She quipped without turning around, her eyes were tracking the ambulance as it left the school. She missed the flat stare he was giving the back of her head.

"Yen operated Helicopter." He replied.

She shrugged. "Like I said. I have standards." She replied before turning around and leaning against the chain-link fence that ran the perimeter of the roof. She frowned at him. "You don't think I'd condone something like that… Do you?" She asked. She sounded just a bit angry at the implication.

"Because you've been such an upstanding example of moral righteousness." He drawled sarcastically before shaking his head. "Never crossed my mind you'd approve of what he did, Nabiki. Just never expected you to be the one to call the police."

"This wasn't a problem you could just punch until it went away." She said, "There are going to be consequences for what happened today. For all of us." She seemed uncertain for a moment so brief he would have missed it if he'd blinked.

"New principal might be nice." He replied with a shrug before wandering over to peer down at the slowly dispersing crowds below.

"You really have no idea just how important he is, do you?" Nabiki asked.

"He's a principal. He's not that important at the end of the day." He said, turning to look at her as he did.

Nabiki reached into her pack and pulled out a map. "Here's a freebie Saotome." She said as she unfolded it and held it out towards him. He raised an eyebrow at it.

"What's a map of the school district have to do with this?" He asked. Left unsaid was the question of why she had it on her.

"How many schools do you see in the district that are higher than middle schools?" She asked.

He blinked and did a quick count off the map. "Three?" He said after a double check. All of them were clustered near each other.

"Did you know that is three more high schools than the next four districts combined?" She asked.

"What?" That didn't make any sense. "Where the hell is everyone supposed to go to school?" He asked. He may not have liked school, but given how important everyone else treated it he'd have thought there would be a lot more than three.

Nabiki rolled her eyes before pulling out a couple of pamphlets from her bag. She handed them to him. He glanced down at them. The first bore a crest of a black cross, while the other had a teapot and teacup that were steaming a trail of pink flowers. They were for schools on… he tilted his head and flipped them open.

"School-ships?" He muttered. Schools on giant ships? When did this happen?

"I'd ask how the hell you don't know this, but that would require me to forget you've spent your entire life living under a rock." Her sarcasm could have stripped the last of the paint off the side of the building. He barely winced, months of living in the same home as her had long since inoculated him to her sharp tongue… most of the time.

"What does this have to do with that." He gestured at the map.

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Nineteen Sixty-Three the Diet decided they wanted to cut costs for education by finding, what did they call it." She paused for a moment. "'Creative Solutions'. Someone managed to pitch the idea of creating giant floating schools and just shipping all of the high school students off into the great blue sea."

"Uuummm…" He started.

She waved him off. "Yeah I know it sounds stupid. Giant ships need massive crews to run, and crews of that size cost a lot more than a brick and mortar school with teachers. They got around that by deciding to make the students do most of the work. They still claim it builds character but…" She rolled her eyes, "Anyway some people, rich people, really didn't like the idea of all of their kids floating around at sea without their personal supervision. That's where the Kunos come into this whole tale. The Kunos at the time didn't like the idea that they'd be sending their kids off."

He swallowed and looked at the map with its trio of dots. He was getting a feeling of where this was headed.

"So they made a deal." Nabiki continued.

"A deal." He echoed, "For the schools."

She folded the map and slipped it into her bag. "Two-thirds of the school's operating budget would be paid by the Kunos along with all upgrades needed to keep up with building-codes and any expansions needed. Used to be six schools in the district were under their thumb. Two had to close due to dropping enrollment, while St. Hebereke managed to find other private sponsors." She said, taking the pamphlets from him.

"And now he just got dragged off for…" He trailed off, trying not to think about the events of earlier that day.

"Yeah." Nabiki sighed. "Practically the Kuno name may as well be made of plutonium for how much anyone is going to want to be in contact with it. Legally or not. It's not like they were well loved before anyway. They created more than a few enemies over the years, and now its open season."

He snorted and leaned against the chain-link. "Gee, wonder how that happened." He snarked. The Kunos were, one and all, insane and it was a small wonder they had even survived as long as they had even before then.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but this could have some very negative repercussions for the school," Nabiki said before heading for the door. "See you back home Ranma." She waved over her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah." He said sighing. Well, this was a giant mess, and one completely outside his ability to do anything about. He rattled the chain-link with a finger, accidentally bending the wire mesh as he did so. He looked down at the still jubilant, but much diminished, crowd and sighed. Nabiki was rarely wrong, but maybe…

"Different school wouldn't be that bad." He mused softly. Hell, maybe he'd even get away from all the girls trying to marry him. He wished the Amazons luck trying to find him in the middle of the Pacific.

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The school had been closed for a week after what was becoming known as "The Kuno Scandal" on both the TV news and in the newspapers. Furinkan had never been the most well-liked school, even in the area. Low grades and rumours of poor education tended to follow most graduates from it for the rest of their lives.

The less said about the quirks students tended to develop while attending the better.

Still, despite its poor reputation it had managed to remain open when other school afflicted with such issues closed down. Ranma, after his conversation with Nabiki, suspected that it probably had to do with the Kunos greasing the right hands. This scandal, however, was proving to be far more damaging than merely turning out poor graduates year after year. Those could be excused, or ignored, at the government's discretion. While those were the equivalent of minor bumps and bruises to a school, this was like someone had broken both its legs and left it in a slowly flooding ditch to drown. Without outside help, there was no way the school could reasonably survive it.

It was two weeks after they had returned to classes that Ranma returned to the Tendo Dojo bearing what was, in essence, the execution notice for the school.

He slid open the front door and shouted, "I'm back," as he entered.

As he slid the door shut behind him his mother stepped out of the kitchen. "Welcome home Ranma." She smiled.

"Hello, mother." He said, "I've got bad news from school."

She blinked and frowned. "More fallout from what that man did?" She asked.

Ranma nodded and pulled the sealed envelope he'd been handed earlier out of his bag. "Ms. Ninomiya handed these out today. The school is being shut down at the end of March." He said.

His mother took the packet and began fiddling with the tab. "Why don't you go sit down. Kasumi and I were just preparing some snacks." She said.

Ranma stepped past her and headed for the sitting room. As he turned the corner he bumped into someone else coming the other way and felt the familiar, and annoying, sensation of something cold and wet slopping onto him. The world grew around him as he lost a foot of height and became a girl.

She sighed and looked up into the chagrined expression of the eldest tendo daughter. "Kasuuumiiii." She whined. Behind her, she heard a suppressed giggle from her mother. Yes, laugh at her misfortune...

"I'm sorry Ranma." The brunette apologized as she stepped back. In her hands was a jug of water. "I was just coming to say hello."

Ranma brushed a loose strand of red hair behind her ear and sighed. "It's fine Kasumi." She said.

"Why don't you go sit down. I'll bring some snacks out Ranma." The older girl said.

"Sure," Ranma said.

"Hold on a second," Nodoka said, her voice sounding a bit confused as she shuffled through papers.

Ranma and Kasumi both turned to her. "What is it?" Ranma asked.

"Is something wrong Auntie?" Kasumi asked.

Nodoka looked up from the papers with a frown. "Ranma, do you know why these papers are transferring you to Oarai Girl's Academy?"

Ranma blinked. "What?" She asked. Silently her mother pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her. The redhead looked it over. It was an order to transfer her to… Oarai Girl's Academy… She frowned. Somehow she just knew this was that bastard of a Principal's fault.

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"You're what?"

Ranma sighed as Akane stared at her for a long moment before she started to giggle. "Being transferred to a girl's school." She sighed. "This has to be the nuts fault." She grumbled.

Akane stopped giggling and frowned. She cast a look across the living room to where Nodoka was sitting with the phone trying to find out what was going on. "But, he's in custody, right?" She asked. She sat down at the table and started digging through her bag.

"He's got a lot of money." Ranma said, "A lot of money and you know how the teachers were always terrified to go against him." It was really pathetic how most teachers in Furinkan just rolled over and acquiesced to Principal Kuno's demands, no matter how strange or illegal they were. Only Ms. Ninomiya had had the nerve to stand up to him, but even she had spent most of her time hounding the students.

Akane frowned as she pulled out the envelope she had been given and opened it. She flipped through the papers and quickly pulled out the transfer orders. She sighed with relief. "I'm being transferred to Kuromorimine Girls Academy."

Lucky her.

"At least one of you has stayed out of whatever is going on," Nodoka said as she set down the phone. "The school says they'll look into it and get back to me tomorrow. With all due luck, we can get this sorted quickly."

Ranma and Akane exchanged a look. The sometimes girl was pretty sure that her fiancee was thinking the exact same thing as her. She looked back to her mother and voiced that thought. "It's the Kunos mum, this won't be simple."

"Perhaps. However, this might just be a simple mistake." Her mother said, "People misfile paperwork all the time."

Kasumi entered the room at that moment bearing snacks and a glass of appropriately hot water. Ranma snatched the glass of water from her and poured it over her head.

He stretched and sighed. "That's better." He said, ignoring his fiancee's eye-roll and Kasumi's giggle.

"I wouldn't be too hopeful Auntie," Kasumi said after she stopped giggling and started distributing snacks. "As much as I don't like thinking about it we have had a great deal of trouble with those people in the past."

"You're really underselling it Kasumi." Akane sighed. The older sister merely shrugged.

Nodoka sighed. "Well, all of you seem determined to be pessimists today." She said, "I'm sure this is all a mistake and we can get it cleared away within a week or two." She picked up on of the cookies Kasumi had brought out and bite into it. "A very nice batch Kasumi dear."

"Thank you, Auntie," The younger woman smiled.

The front door banged opened and shut and angry feet could be heard stomping down the hallway. A belated "I'm home" was half-heartedly shouted as Nabiki reached the room.

Over the last couple of years, Ranma had, after a great deal of personal suffering, learned to recognize the mood the mercurial mercenary that was the middle-Tendo sibling. Right now he would put her mood somewhere between "I had to pay for my own lunch" and "He paid me in monopoly money". More towards the latter than the former at that.

"Oh dear. Is everything alright Nabiki?" Kasumi asked, starting to stand before Nabiki waved her back down as she joined the table.

"They lost my paperwork." She growled, dropping a familiar looking packet on the table. Ranma tilted his head to read the top of the page that was sticking out. Something, something transfer to Kuromorimine. Okay.

"What paperwork?" Akane asked.

"Yes, what exactly did they lose Nabiki?" Nodoka echoed.

Nabiki leaned against the table and braced herself on her elbows. One hand massaged the bridge of her nose like she was fighting a building headache. "Everything I've done this year." She said. Her sisters gasped while Ranma just nodded and mentally raised the number of punches he'd need deliver to the elder Kuno should they ever meet by a factor of two. If only because this was probably going to be detrimental on his wallet while Nabiki vented.

"That's unfortunate," Nodoka said slowly.

Nabiki snorted. "Unfortunate would be losing my paperwork for a single class. They've lost everything that even says I was taking classes. They say I can't take the finals unless I have the correct paperwork." She growled, "Can't take the finals, can't graduate this year."

Ranma raised it to a factor of three. His wallet was doomed. "So," He said, looking at his mother. "Looks like he wasn't happy just messing with me."

"Oh?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow.

"Ranma's transfer papers are for 10th grade at a girl's school," Akane said, her lips twitching.

Nabiki snorted. "Low hanging fruit." She said.

"This will take longer than a week or two to fix," Kasumi said to Nodoka.

The older woman nodded. "I think I need to make a few more phone calls." She said, getting up from the table and heading to the phone.

Akane glanced at Ranma and he shrugged, tossing a hand in the air to say he had no idea. Honestly, he knew so little about his own mother that the idea that she would expect him to know Nodoka's thought processes was ridiculous. Still, he had to wonder who she was calling.

Nabiki took a cookie and bit into it. "Oh, these are good Kasumi."

"Thank you, Nabiki." The eldest sister said.

From there things devolved into more normal topics of conversation.

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The next few weeks did little to inspire confidence. While at first Nodoka seemed to be making progress eventually she stopped talking about the matter at all unless asked and eventually everyone learned to avoid mentioning it as, after three weeks she had begun to get quite sharp with anyone who asked and even Nabiki had stopped inquiring. It was clear to everyone that whatever she was dealing with was more than just a little bit of bureaucratic mismanagement.

That was when Ranma started noticing a few odd things. While he was used to the strange, and indeed the last few weeks had contained their unfair share of several odd incidents including a cursed waffle iron, a type of magic garlic that made people who ate speak in languages even they didn't understand (though he suspected it might have been some European language), and at least three attempts to get him married to someone including one particularly well-prepared ceremony with a besotted toad. And those didn't include the attempts to marry his female half either.

No the strange and unusual was almost commonplace around Ranma, still, even it had something of a waiting pattern. Things that broke that pattern were things to be noticed and measures were to be taken to prepare for their inevitable consequences. Like coming home to find everyone sending terrified glances at the kitchen usually meant he needed to somehow disappear before anyone could rat him out to Akane as a ritual sacrifice on the altar of her latest horrific cooking attempt.

To be fair that was not even an uncommon occurrence anymore. Not only was she better than she had been, but between Kasumi and Nodoka she rarely got a chance in the first place.

Odd bird calls of out of season birds, he had long since learned what birds were around when out of sheer necessity, started to show up half-way through the second week. By the third he had narrowly spotted two people dressed as, and who were probably trained as shinobi. It wasn't even a day after the second spotting that whoever had been attempting to spy on them had simply given up all subtlety and parked a black unmarked van down the street. He ran a lot of errands for Kasumi from then on. Just in case.

Still, while nothing direct was happening, as far as he knew, the odd occurrences just kept piling up. People in suits near the school, 's old place, the library, and both Ucchan's place and the Nekohanten.

When he eventually, as the third week dragged into the fourth, asked his mother she had simply smiled, hugged him, and told him not to worry. Which… Really hadn't helped. Nor had the three-day trip she had taken to "speak with someone who can help". He had no idea who she had spoken to. At all. Or what they had talked about, or…

There were a lot of ors. Way too many ors. He hated being left out of the loop. It usually meant things were going to go horribly wrong soon… Mind you just being in Nerima meant something was going to go wrong soon.

It all changed one week into March when he arrived home from school along with Akane to find one of those black vans parked directly outside the gate of the Tendo Dojo.

Ranma scowled. "Them again." He said, stepping back around the corner of the perimeter wall the moment he noticed the van.

Beside him, Akane nodded as she peeked around the corner. "It has government license plates." She said.

"Yeah, I noticed that before." He said, "What on earth is going on?" His gaze had gone to the nearby rooftops and side streets. Unlike the last couple of weeks, there didn't appear to be anything else. A small hop allowed him to take a quick peek over the wall into the compound. Other than the usual plants there wasn't anyone in view. No one on the roofs around either. He repeated the process twice more just to be sure.

Akane sighed. "Well, let's go find out what's going on." She said, making to step around the corner. His hand on her shoulder stopped her. "What?" She asked, rounding on him.

He pointed up over the wall. "Let's go over the wall." He suggested. Without waiting for a response he scooped her up and jumped over the wall. To her credit, she managed to keep from making any more sound than a muffled squeak as he carried her over the wall.

Setting her down on the other side he flinched as her fist slammed into his gut. "Jerk." She snapped quietly.

"Did you have a better idea?" He asked, just as quietly. The two started to walk towards the main building. The yard was silent as they crossed. Birds, actual birds, chirped as they flitted from tree to tree around them, but other than that there was nothing. Not unusual for this time of day, but somehow with the vehicle outside it created a tense oppressive atmosphere.

Akane didn't get a chance to reply as they both heard the front door open. Without a word both of them dashed forward as quietly as they could, which for them meant making less noise than a mouse, and jumped the railing onto the porch where they took cover by the corner.

As they peered around the corner, which gave them a view of the gate but not the door into the house, several voices drifted around the corner.

"- be in touch again, once the agreement is properly registered." An unknown woman's voice said. She sounded somewhat nasally like she had a head cold or suffered from some medical issue.

"We will be waiting then." Ranma's mother said.

"Yes, yes. Just remember the terms." The other woman said. There was the sound of feet on stone as a short overweight woman in a particularly unflattering brown pinstripe suit walked into view on her way to the gate. "And remember I'll need to see the girl next time. So make sure she's here and presentable." She called before stepping through the gate. It swung shut behind her but didn't close properly.

Ranma and Akane exchanged looks. "Girl?" She mouthed at him.

"This better not be like the French guy," Ranma muttered back. She scowled and mimed gagging. Neither of them had liked Picolet Chardin and the freak with the gigantic mouth had given Ranma nightmares for weeks after they were down dealing with him.

"What an arrogant bitch." Another new voice opined loudly. It was a woman's voice, rough and aged, with a distinct hint of condescension in it.

"Language, please mother." Replied Ranma's mother.

"What?" Ranma mouthed, mother? Akane shot him a look and he just shrugged helplessly. His mother had just called this other person… mother… which would make her his grandmother. He had a grandmother?

Akane looped an arm around his and dragged him around the corner. "Come on Ranma." She hissed, "let's go find out."

He let her drag him around the corner but pulled his arm free before they reached the next corner. She shot him a look which he ignored. Letting her drag him around the corner would give the wrong impression.

Stepping out onto the stone path they found Nodoka talking with a slightly taller woman with mostly grey hair except for a few strands of red still visible. Behind the two of them, standing in the doorway was Kasumi.

The eldest Tendo sister smiled and waved. "Ranma, Akane, welcome home." She said, interrupting a budding argument between the other two women.

"Hello, Kasumi," Akane said, smiling and waving back.

"Hey." Ranma waved once before pointing his hand back towards the gate. "Who was that?" He asked, looking to his mother.

Nodoka sighed and adjusted her kimono. "That was Rio Miyabe, a social worker with the government." She said, "And the source of many issues over the last month and a half."

"Are you finally going to tell us what's going on?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yes. First though, something else." She gestured to the woman next to her. "Ranma this is my mother, your grandmother, Himawari Hayashida. The Matriarch of the Hayashida School of Sensha-do."

Ranma bowed at the waist politely. "Hello, Grandmother." He said, "It's good to meet you." What was Sensha-do? It sounded familiar. Way of the Tank was an odd name…

Beside him, Akane bowed and echoed his greeting.

Himawari smiled and bowed slightly in return. "It is good to finally be allowed to meet my grandson." She said, stepping forward as he rose from his bow. She looked him up and down and ran a hand along his chin. "Fortunately you seem to have inherited little of your father's countenance."

"Mother," Nodoka said warningly.

Himawari ignored her. "Your eyes and your chin remind me of my husband, your grandfather." She said, "I wish he were still here to meet you."

"Ah… Well.." Ranma stammered a bit, a blush forming. His grandmother chuckled.

"Just the ramblings of an old woman, bear me no mind on that." She said, placing a hand on his back and gentling pushing him towards the door. "Now enough standing around out here. My Daughter has some important news to share. It's not good I'm afraid." Her smile had vanished as she led him into the house.

Kasumi smiled weakly as they passed. "I'll bring some snacks out." She said, disappearing into the kitchen. Behind them, he could hear Akane asking his mother what was going on.

"Soon Akane dear. I'll answer everything once we've dealt with a couple small details." She said. Ranma had to wonder what details she meant, though he had a suspicion that his curse was probably somewhere on the list. Hopefully, his grandmother didn't suffer from shock easily. She seemed fairly tough, but you never could tell.

"Tell me," Himawari said, "how are your classes going?"

He shrugged. "Everything's wrapping up. With the school shutting, down many of the teachers haven't really been bothering with the usual end of year projects." He said.

The older woman 'hmmed' as they entered the dining/living room and everyone quickly found seats. Akane and Ranma were on the side facing the patio door while the two older women sat across from them, their backs to the patio.

There were a few awkward seconds of silence before Kasumi came out of the kitchen with a tray bearing cookies, a teapot, and a glass of cold water. Setting everything down on the table she placed the glass of water in front of Ranma with an apologetic smile.

So the curse was on the list. He looked to his mother. "How much have you said?" He asked.

"She's shown me videos and pictures," Himawari said as Kasumi poured her a cup of tea. "Thank you Kasumi dear. It was enough to convince me she might not have completely lost her mind. Again mind you." She sipped the tea, not looking at her daughter.

Nodoka sighed. "Mother…" She said.

"I have yet to hear a better explanation for why you married that lump in the first place." His grandmother said, "And he hasn't exactly inspired confidence with the way he left you to deal with that woman today."

"Pops left?" Ranma asked, leaning forward against the table.

"Yes." Nodoka sighed, "When I filled him in on what was happening he bolted and took Soun with him." She scowled, her hands clenching the edge of the table hard enough to be visibly straining.

His grandmother sighed and set her tea down before turning to Nodoka and wrapping her in a hug. "He might be gone, but I am still here. This is not your burden alone."

Nodoka nodded stiffly and honestly looked closer to tears than Ranma had ever seen from her. "Thank you, mother." She said, pulling away. Himawari frowned at her daughter's back but returned to her place.

"Now," Nodoka gestured to the glass of water, "If you would Ranma."

He sighed before picking up the glass and emptying it over his head. The world grew ever so slightly. She shook her head, sending water droplets scattering around the room, and readjusted her shirt and pants.

All the while her eyes hadn't left her Grandmother. The first visible reaction from the old woman was the slight widening of her eyes before she leaned across the table.

"Hello, grandmother," Ranma said, the higher pitch of her voice caused the old woman to jump a bit before her eyes narrowed and one hand come up to run along her neck before taking her braid in hand and running the crimson strands between her fingers.

"Fascinating." She murmured. "I've never seen anything like this." Then the old woman's hand dipped.

Ranma squeaked and scrambled back a foot without leaving her seat. A blush formed swiftly. "Grandma!" She squawked.

"Mother!" Nodoka reprimanded.

The old woman just chuckled at them for a moment before leaning back thoughtfully. "From a man's man to a beautiful young woman. Remarkable. This does mean that you aren't mad daughter dear." She ignored the annoyed look Nodoka sent her. "However it does complicate things. This means that that woman has a leg to stand on."

Nodoka sighed. "It does." She said.

"Ummm?" Ranma looked from one to the other. "What does this," she gestured to herself, "have to do with that walking toad?"

Himawari snorted as Ranma's mother choked on her tea. "Over the last couple of months did she, or someone like her, speak with you?" Her grandmother asked.

"There've been a lot of suits around the school," Ranma said with a shrug.

Akane nodded. "With everything closing down and that investigation still going there've probably talked to everyone in the school at least twice." She said.

"Did they talk to you as a girl?" Nodoka asked.

"A few times," Ranma said, thinking back. There had been that second week in February where no matter what she did she always seemed to get splashed with water every few minutes as a guy. After the third incident in an hour, the teacher of that class had banned her from changing back for the rest of the day. That week had been when the suits had wanted to talk to her the most… "Actually." She said thoughtfully, "I don't think I spoke to them as a guy even once. That week was really bad for water-related accidents. Couldn't seem to spend ten minutes as a guy."

The two older women frowned. "Not even once?" Nodoka asked.

Ranma shook her head. "No."

"What did they want?" His grandmother asked.

"To know about how the school was run." Ranma said, "How the teachers were and if I had any other issues with things. Though, a couple of them seemed to keep asking questions about me and any… family…" Something clicked inside her head. "Mum, what's going on? Why was there a social worker here?" She asked pointedly.

Nodoka sighed. "There has been an investigation in allegations that I and your father, Soun is not involved in this as far as I know. That your father and I have been abusing you." She said.

That- Okay so maybe she hadn't lived a comfortable life, or really much of a sane life, but child abuse? … Well, the Nekoken definitely counted.

"Why?" Akane asked.

"I can think of a few things." Ranma said flatly, "Neko-ken to start with."

"Oh, but still… That was Genma." Akane said, "Not your mother."

Himawari shook her head. "Nodoka essentially allowed Genma to run off with Ranma. On the condition of a suicide pact no less." She shot a glare at her daughter.

Nodoka flushed. "Seppuku is an honourable act." She said stiffly.

"An outdated and illegal act currently." His Grandmother responded. She turned back to Ranma and sighed. "However, that is not the current source of issues. When your mother inquired as to your placement at Oarai it brought light to an apparent issue with the school's records."

"A very odd issue." Nodoka said, "They found that the records listed you as a fifteen-year-old girl who should have been starting her first year next year, and yet who was somehow placed into the second year class with Miss Ninomiya."

"That's not right," Ranma said.

"We know." Her mother replied, "I protested that that had to be wrong. One thing led to another and before I knew it someone had contacted child protective services." Beside her, Himawari shook her head.

"I've prodded some contacts of mine on the matter." Her grandmother said, "The response time was almost instantaneous. Someone was waiting for this in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare."

Nodoka nodded, "Yes well... Perhaps your concerns a couple months ago had merit after all." She said to Ranma and Akane. "I tried to prove you were a man. I showed footage of your curse. I even went to the ministry and tried to get a copy of your birth certificate and your information as proof. But-" She scowled. "The copies at the ministry were changed as well. And I haven't been able to find my copies since the house incident."

Ranma winced, as did Akane. That had been the very unfortunate incident involving the jewelry box shaped pillbox. "What about Pops?" She asked.

Nodoka shook her head. "He claimed to have lost it before he left." She said.

"Even if he hadn't lost it, I highly doubt it would have any weight," Himawari said taking a sip of her tea. "With the amount of evidence that has been, I hesitate to say collected, but well." She shrugged. "I suspect it would have simply been used as evidence of attempted forgery of government documents."

"At this point, I have to agree with you mother," Nodoka said.

Ranma rocked back on her knees. So, somehow, someone had arranged for her records to be replaced at school and for her official government records to be replaced to support that. Either someone important in the government was out to get her, or someone with a lot of money and power was throwing their weight around. And she had just pissed off someone who met that description very well a couple months ago.

"Fuck the Kunos." She muttered. It had to be them. The Shinobi, the suits, the sheer about of blatant corruption.

"Ranma, language," Nodoka said though she was half-hearted in her reprimand. She just looked done. "They were going to take you into government care. So I broke down and contact my mother."

Himawari nodded and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I know how hard that was." She said before turning to address Ranma. "I was able to leverage a bit of my own influence. Being the head of one of the four major Sensha-do houses in Japan means those in power tend to listen a bit more to me."

"Still wasn't enough," Nodoka said.

"Almost wasn't enough." Himawari corrected.

Ranma licked her suddenly dry lips nervously. "What happened?" She asked.

"I was able to prevent them from outright taking you into government care, however, there are… conditions." She said.

"What are the conditions?" Akane asked before Ranma could.

"They are-" Ranma's grandmother paused as Nodoka held up a hand.

"Let me." She said forcefully.

"If you insist." The older woman allowed, sitting back.

Nodoka took a deep break, settling herself. "The exact accusation was that we were forcing you to crossdress and act like a man against your will." She said, "They claimed the videos I provided were fake and provided testimony from both your classmates and your teachers."

Ranma's eyes narrowed and she scowled angrily. Someone had lied to screw her over. The teachers weren't a surprise. Hinako probably hadn't been involved, but then someone who was a child half the time probably wasn't considered a trustworthy source either. The rest though? These were people who'd put on animal costumes to attack the students, or pretend to be statues of Kuno to do the same all at the freaks command. Morally bankrupt was probably a defining trait of at least half the staff at Furinkan. No, they weren't a surprise. The students, on the other hand, were going to remember what she did to them when she found them.

"So today we made an agreement with that woman today. The one you saw outside." Nodoka continued, "In exchange for dropping the charges and staying proceedings to take you away we have to meet certain demands. First, I am no longer allowed to be your legal guardian, and neither is your father. Instead, my mother will fulfill that role until you reach adult age. Adult in their eyes that is."

"That's not so bad," Ranma said. It sounded a little too good so far.

"We also," Nodoka continued without responding. Her voice was catching a little and she swallowed nervously. "We also agreed to provide evidence of our good behaviour by showing proof that we are- we are-" She petered off.

"Nodoka, do you want me to-" Himawari started.

"No." Ranma's mother said, "I am his, her.. Her..." and that sounded very strange to Ranma's ears to hear her mother refer to her as a woman, "I am her mother. I do what I need to do." She took a deep rattling breath and let it out in a single explosive breath. "Right, I was… We are to show proof that we are allowing you to explore your femininity by ensuring you are signed up with a properly certified girl's high school. Including properly feminine activities."

Aaaand that was the sword chopping off her head. Ranma took a deep calming breath herself. She felt like breaking something, or someone. This, this made her angry is a way she hadn't felt since Herb, or maybe Saffron. No definitely Herb. There hadn't been as much anger with Saffron. Desperation sure, but no anger.

The young redhead got to her feet.

"Ranma?" Nodoka asked, a plaintive note in her voice as Ranma walked past her towards the patio door.

Ranma paused at the door. "I need to think." She said bluntly and walked out, sliding the door shut behind her with a final snap. She walked out past the roofline and with a single hop leaped up onto the roof.

She looked around, taking in the familiar skyline that surrounded the Tendo Dojo. As much as she appreciated the scenery she wasn't looking to appreciate the beauty or lack thereof depending on where she was looking. No, she was looking for more of those spies that were more than likely working for the Kunos. No sign of anyone. No rustle of trees, no birds, no oddly conspicuous objects big enough to hide a person that hadn't been there the day before. Or the week before either.

Satisfied that she wasn't likely to spot anyone who was actually after her she lay down on the roof, staring up at the sky that was slowly turning into soft pinks and oranges. She needed time to think, and the roof was as good as anywhere else to do it.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Several hours later Ranma was broken from the unproductive loop of her own thoughts by the clack of a ladder being set against the rooftop. She didn't bother moving as the sound of someone climbing reached her. Instead, she just kept watching the stars. It was a clear night and the view was, while not helping her make up her mind, certainly encouraged calm and reflection.

The tiles creaked as whoever it was stepped onto the roof. Ranma said, "Hello Akane."

A giggle caused her to lean back over the ridge of the roof. "Wrong sister I'm afraid Ranma," Kasumi said with a smile as she sat down on the other side of the ridgeline. She looked up at the sky. "When I was younger I used to get into trouble for coming up here."

"Really?" Ranma asked. It was hard to see the very quiet and usually well-behaved girl as someone who would be climbing the house.

She nodded. "Oh yes, but that was when mother was still with us. I was always doing things I shouldn't have." She said. Her smile had turned a bit sad.

"Why did you climb up here?" Ranma asked, trying to change the subject away from the Tendo's mother. "Normally you just shout."

"I needed to talk with you," Kasumi said. She lay down on the roof tiles, her head and neck resting on the ridgeline. "It really is a nice view." She said humming thoughtfully.

Ranma rolled over onto her side to face the older girl. "What about Kasumi?" She asked.

"Don't want any small talk to take your mind off things?" Kasumi asked, glancing at her from the corner of her eyes. Her lips twitched into a small grin.

Ranma just rolled her eyes. There it was, the mischievous streak that Kasumi normally kept hidden. "Really Kasumi?" She prodded, not-pouting at the older girl. She didn't pout after all.

Kasumi giggled. "Fine, fine." She said, her expression growing serious. She sighed. "It's about this whole thing with child services. I just shared this with your Auntie Nodoka today. I didn't want to bother her about when she was fighting her own battle."

Ranma frowned. "What happened?" She asked.

"They attempted to do what they did with your mother to us as well." Kasumi said, "I managed to deal with it without father knowing, but…" She fidgeted nervously and sighed. "I seem to have drawn a bit of attention for myself."

Ranma sat up. "From who?" She growled. Involving Kasumi was going too far.

"The same place as you I imagine." Kasumi sat up pulled her knees to her chest. Resting her head on her knees she continued. "I received a letter last week from MEXT informing me that I would be attending Oarai Girls College as a first-year come April first."

"Your over twenty years old, who would believe your fifteen?" Ranma asked. Kasumi shrugged. Her lips twitched and she giggled. Ranma blanched. "I- I mean, your young and um."

Kasumi started laughing as Ranma flushed red. She kept laughing for a few minutes before settling down, wiping tears from her eyes. Ranma, however, was nearly as red as her hair. Silently she was cursing the way her mouth tended to run ahead of her good sense. "Don't worry Ranma." Kasumi snickered, "I know what you mean. And no, I'm fairly sure I can prove I'm not fifteen, but… Well, should I?" Her expression turned thoughtful.

Ranma frowned. "Why wouldn't you want to?" She asked.

"Well," She drawled as she leaned back against the roof tiles once more. "To start with they deleted my records. The only proof I have that I graduated at all is a piece of paper in my room." Ranma frowned and went to speak only for Kasumi to hold two fingers up. "Second, even if I did have my records how far do you think a Furinkan education gets you amongst post-secondary schools?"

Ranma shrugged. "As far as anywhere else I guess?" She asked.

Kasumi shook her head. "Even if you get straight As places like Tokyo University won't even consider you." She said, "If I wanted to do anything after Akane and Nabiki graduated I would need to go back and take other classes just to qualify where I'd want to attend."

"Still…" Ranma said. "Three years is-"

"Not as long as you think." Kasumi smiled, "Besides, graduating elsewhere will open up my chances in the long run. I do have a plan to avoid it taking time out of my life though." She started fishing through the pockets of her apron.

"A plan, what sort of plan?" Ranma asked. "Its three more years of school. I'm going to be twenty-one by the times it's done."

"Only if you play by the normal rules," Kasumi said as she pulled something very familiar out of a pocket. A mushroom, long thin with a stubby cap it was very familiar to Ranma. "Recognize this," Kasumi said with a smile that reminded the redhead that yes, she was related to Nabiki.

"Kasumi," Ranma said as she eyed the mushroom nervously. "Is that an age mushroom?"

"Mhmm." Kasumi nodded, "Fifteen centimeters long harvested today."

"Where did you get it?" She and Ryoug had eaten the last bunch of them months ago.

"I grew it." The older girl said, slowly twirling it in her fingers. "I've been growing them for months. I have a few I can share if you want." The smile she sent Ranma only exacerbated the similarities between the sisters.

"If I did that I'd lose a lot of progress." Ranma pointed out, "I'm a lot better now than I was then and my body-"

"Isn't that different," Kasumi said, still twirling the mushroom between her fingers. "Two years ago you were only a little shorter and a little less muscular. Most of your change is in skill and energy manipulation, isn't it?"

Ranma nodded slowly. Really even four years ago she'd been nearing the limits of what a human being could accomplish without ki, and that was before her disastrous trip to China. "I can barely keep ahead of Ryouga as is." She muttered.

Kasumi sighed, and bopped her on the nose with the mushroom. Ranma wrinkled her nose at the smell. "Kasumi." She whined.

"Don't think of it like that." Kasumi scolded, "Think of it like this: They think they've taken our future. That they've taken our precious time from us. Really all they've done is give us more chances to do it right. We don't need to continue through life haunted by the spectre of Furinkan High. Isn't Anything Goes about taking your enemies strength and using it against them? This is their strength, make it yours."

"True…" Ranma sighed, "I just… Don't want to be a girl this much. Can you imagine what it's going to be like the moment I get hit with hot water? It's bad enough now, but at an all-girls school. Gah."

Kasumi just smiled and pocketed the mushroom. She started searching through the other few pockets. "Hand please." She said and Ranma held her hand out, wondering what she was pulling out now.

Whatever she had expected it wasn't a pink bar of soap with the words 'Jusenkyo Products Ltd.' was written in the center of the bar. Was this waterproof soap? She gave it a sniff. It didn't smell horrible. Actually, it smelled like strawberries. "Kasumi, what is this?" She asked.

"Waterproof Beauty Soap. A very recent invention from the people who made that waterproof soap Shampoo used last year." Kasumi said brightly. "Strawberry scented."

Ranma turned it over in her hands. "You've thought this through." She said. Waterproof soap did work as advertised, but the original had caused dry skin and had a foul smell to it. It was bad enough that the beauty conscious Shampoo had rejected it outright last year. On the plus side as a method for controlling the curse, all you had to do was stop using it ahead of when you wanted the curse to function normally.

"I've had time." Kasumi admitted, "You can have the rest of the package if you want. I got it for you."

Ranma pocketed the soap with a frown. It got rid of the issue of turning into a guy at an inopportune moment, but… "There's not really anything I can do about this, is there?" She asked Kasumi.

"Not really, no," Kasumi said quietly, placing a hand on atop Ranma's own, which were folded on her knees. "This isn't a battlefield that can be fought with fists and weapons. Words are the blades of choice for this, not feats of strength."

"Hmm.." Ranma frowned but nodded. "Letting them win sucks." She said, "But… Nothing says they have to win forever, does it?" The Kunos had won this round. Maybe if she'd been brought in earlier she could have done something, but now it was far too late. This was the sort of battlefield she always struggled in. Give her a fist fight, or a duel with weapons or magic or something and she'd find a way to win, but Nabiki had proven time and again just how dangerous words could be.

"Nothing says that." Kasumi agreed, "and between the two of us I don't like this either." She squeezed Ranma hand and the two shared a smile. "You help me, and I'll help you, 'kay?"

"So that's what you want." Ranma sighed before looking the other girl in the eye. "What do you need?" She asked.

"I already spoke with Auntie Nodoka and your grandmother a few minutes ago," Kasumi confessed with one of her trademarked angelic smiles, only right now it was making Ranma feel like she'd just made a deal with Nabiki.

"And?" Ranma asked.

"I give you the Mushroom, and your grandmother will get me a chance to get into the same school your Auntie and your Grandmother are planning on sending you to," Kasumi said, "Though you don't have to accept the mushroom if you don't want it."

Ranma blinked. "I'm going to Oarai, aren't I?" She asked.

Kasumi shook her head and stood up. "Auntie was talking about family tradition. Apparently, there's a specific school every girl in your family has gone to for decades. It's very fancy and prestigious." She said as she walked over to the ladder.

"Which one?" Ranma asked.

Kasumi smiled at her mischievously. "Ask your mother." She said before climbing down.

Ranma stared after her for a moment before chuckling. The other girl had completely played her that entire time. Well, played her and yet left her feeling better about everything. Better didn't mean happy, but she did feel better. This wasn't forever, and it wasn't like they'd just let the Kunos get away with this.

She stood up and brushed her pants off before walking over to the edge of the roof. She looked down and spotted Kasumi standing by the ladder waiting. She smiled and hopped down.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Oh, Kasumi." Ranma rolled her eyes as Akane hugged her sister, "How dare they get you involved in this."

"I'm fine Akane, really," Kasumi said, patting her sister on the head.

Akane shook her hand off and stepped back, rearranging her hair. "Kasumi." She frowned as her sister giggled.

Ranma sighed and took her usual seat at the table where dinner was being served. Nodoka, her grandmother, and Nabiki were already around the table.

"So," Nabiki said as Ranma sat down, "What's it like being a real girl Saotome."

"Nabiki," Nodoka said warningly before Ranma could respond with something rude. The middle-Tendo fell silent. It was clear that Ranma's mother was in no mood to deal with the young woman's normal shenanigans.

Dinner was mostly silent, other than the clattering of dishes and the clack of chopsticks. Eventually, though dinner came to an end.

"Ranma, are you alright?" Nodoka asked as the dishes were being cleared away.

Ranma sighed and leaned against the table on one elbow. "I guess?" She said wiggling a hand side to side. "I mean, I find out that the Kunos have been doing this whole thing and it's too late for me to do anything about it. We've already lost this round. I'm just pissed off I can't do something." What exactly could she do at this point, punch the social worker? That would just make things worse.

"Sometimes we have to accept we've been outmaneuvered." Her Grandmother said, "There will always be another chance if you're patient enough."

Nodoka nodded her agreement. "Yes, well…" She sighed, "What about Kasumi's suggestion? What do you think of it?"

Akane and Nabiki perked up. "What suggestion?" Akane asked.

"As you know Akane," Kasumi said, taking her younger sister's plate, "I got caught up in this unpleasantness as well."

"And it's not fair," Akane protested. She shot a glare at Ranma that left her with the distinct impression she was being blamed for dragging the older sister into this mess.

Nabiki snorted. "Fair or not, how can anyone believe you're fifteen?" She said before Ranma could snap something at Akane.

Kasumi shrugged. "Even if they don't they've already lost my records. Without the official records, my graduation certificate means nothing at all." She said, "I did have plans for after the two of you graduated you know."

"You should have started on those sooner," Nabiki said.

"Father loves us very much," Kasumi said, "But you know as well as I do how useless he can be Nabiki." The middle sister shrugged. "Anyway, I've decided not to try and fight this. Instead, I've decided that it is an opportunity. One I can take advantage of with this." Balancing the plates in her left hand she pulled out the mushroom again.

Ranma snickered as both Nabiki and Akane backed away as they recognized the mushroom of time. "Kasumi," Akane said warily, "Where did you get that?"

"I grew it," Kasumi said as she put it away and headed for the kitchen. "They're very simple to grow you know." She called as she left the room.

Nabiki looked to Ranma. "Going to turn back the clock Saotome?" She asked sardonically.

Ranma smiled. "I'd prefer to think of it as stealing back a few years." She said.

"So these mushrooms do as she claims?" Himawari asked, curious.

"Oh yeah, they do," Nabiki said, eyeing her elder sister warily as Kasumi reentered the room carrying a small plastic container. Kasumi simply smiled at her.

"Oh don't worry about me Nabiki, I'll be fine. It's just high school." Kasumi said breezily as she set the tupperware container on the table. Visible through the clear plastic was a pair of steamed buns.

"It's not you I'm worried about," Nabiki said flatly as she shifted away from the buns on the table.

And on that, "What school am I going to?" Ranma asked, "Kasumi said it's not going to be Oarai?"

Himawari nodded. "Our family has traditionally sent our daughters to St. Gloriana Girls College." She said.

Nabiki choked on her drink. "St. Gloriana's?" She coughed.

"My family has been involved in St. Gloriana Girls College since its inception." The older woman said proudly. "While I can't promise entrance, I can arrange for Ranma and Kasumi to take the entrance exams in a couple week. So long as they manage to pass those they can get into the school."

"And that relies on Ranma managing to pass the entrance exam to such a prestigious school," Nabiki said, smirking at Ranma.

The redhead glared at her. "I can pass an entrance exam just fine." She said though she had to admit the brunette had a point. Her grades were far from the best. This would require effort… even if it was for a lower grade at this point.

"I can help you study Ranma, though I probably need to study myself. The number of things I've forgotten over the last few years is greater than I'd like." Kasumi sighed, "Well, nothing to worry too much about. I'm sure we'll manage just fine." She cracked open the lid of the plastic container and pulled out a bun. "Mushroom bean bun." She offered, holding it out to Ranma.

The redhead eyed the bun warily. "That has mushrooms of time in it, doesn't it?" She asked as she accepted the bun.

"Did you think I was just going to eat them raw?" Kasumi asked, taking a bite out of the other one.

"KASUMI." Akane shouted, "What are you doing!?"

"Oh my." Kasumi blinked and put a hand on her chest. She looked mildly alarmed, which for anyone else would probably have been interpreted as a panic attack. Then, in the time it took to blink, she was a full foot shorter.

Ranma had to admit she looked cute as a fiteen-year-old, even if it did look like she had raided her mother's closet. She was, however, now only as tall as Ranma was.

"Well." Ranma glanced at her grandmother who seemed somewhat stunned. Beside her Nodoka was just shaking her head.

"Perhaps you should have waited Kasumi. There was no rush." She chided the now youngest girl.

Kasumi shrugged, and eeped as her dress tried to slide completely off her. Gathering it up she blushed furiously. "Should have, maybe." She admitted, "Well Ranma?" She asked, sending Ranma the closest thing to a challenging look she had ever seen on the other girl's face.

Ranma looked down at the bun in her hands. "Think of it like this: They think they've taken our future. That they've taken our precious time from us. Really all they've done is give us more chances to do it right. We don't need to continue through life haunted by the spectre of Furinkan High. Isn't Anything Goes about taking your enemies strength and using it against them? This is their strength, make it yours." Kasumi had said. At the moment it seemed like only one of them had the courage to at least try.

Ranma raised the bun up to her lips.

"Ranma, this-" Akane started and stopped as Ranma took a bite.

The bun was cold, and so was its contents, but it still tasted quite nice. Very sweet actually. Not too surprising since Kasumi had made it.

'Thump' And there was the first sign it was working. That little clench of the heart that rattled the body. It was a bit like having the floor drop out from under you. Unpleasant to say the least.

The next thing she felt was more like an inaudible 'she-bang' than anything else. It didn't just shake her body, it seemed to rattle the world, and in the span of a single blink, the world grew larger.

"Ranma." Akane groaned. The bluenette was not much taller than Ranma and the look she was sending her was one of disappointment.

The redhead just stuck her tongue out at Akane before turning to Kasumi. "The bun is good." She said, taking another bite. No further ominous thumps came as she finished the bun.

Kasumi smiled brightly as she finished her own. "I know, I'm surprised how good they are." She said.

Nabiki just scooted down the table from her shrunk sister. "Really sis, really…" She sighed, "Daddy is going to freak when he finds out what you've done."

Kasumi sent an uncharacteristically flat look at her sister. "Then he should have been here." She said before gathering her dress around her. "I'm going to go look for something to wear. Excuse me." Everyone watched, silently, as the now youngest Tendo left the room.

"Well, that's that." Himawari said, "Now we're committed."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Author's Note: Welcome everyone to something I don't think has actually been done before. Girls und Panzer and Ranma ½. Given the fans predilection to put Ranma in anything and everything I'm surprised that I can't find at least someone who has done this before me. For those wondering this is basically going to be entirely Female Ranma. Male Ranma will show up here and there, but Girls und Panzer is a show about Moe Girls and Tanks, boys only exist in the background. So, don't expect Male Ranma to show very often.

*Kitsune Yawn* Chapter two is in progress and should bring us to St. Gloriana Girls College. Also #GoGoGloriana #DarjeelingBestCaptain