Kikuko

Review

This is an extremely good story working on the them of Ranma having to choose to stay male or become female after once again having been physically abused by Akane.

As with various other good fanfic stories, this one examines Ranma's psychology, showing that Ranma was not leading a very happy life. Dr. Tofu is shown to be extremely caring, competent and compassionate. I like the characters of the four elderly ladies and their interaction with Kikuko.

Synopsis

The story opens with Ranma-kun in Dr. Tofu's clinic for an overnight stay. Ranma-kun uses cold water to change in to Ranma-chan so she can cry. Dr. Tofu tries to comfort her.

There is a flashback to a five days before. This is shortly after the failed wedding attempt. Apparently Ryoga seduced Akane and was having sex with her when Ranma-kun caught them and threw cold water on them, changing Ryoga into P-chan. Akane then proceeded to take her anger out on Ranma (as usual), sending him airborne. She attempted to kill herself afterwards to "regain her honor" over being seduced by Ryoga.

Ranma's jaw had been broken and he had been in a coma for two days after delivery men discovered him in their truck (via Akane airborne express). (Tofu no longer lives in the Nerima district). Tofu tells Ranma that he had left Nerima since he had fallen in love with another woman other than Kasumi but couldn't really do anything about it.

Ranma reveals that he thinks people would be better off if he were dead. Tofu tells Ranma that not only does he have choices as a male, but he has choices available as a female if he chooses.

Ranma reveals that martial arts is not really his entire life and that he misses having actual friends and that he basically hates being himself. Tofu tells Ranma that he needs to decide if this "new" self that he wants to build will be male or female.

Tofu finds out that Ranma is a virgin and that she has explored her female body in sexual ways.

Two weeks have now passed. Tofu reveals to Ranma that he felt his relationship with Kasumi was hopeless since he couldn't control his strange reactions whenever she was around and that the other girl he had fallen in love with could never be his either.

Ranma tells Tofu that the "new" Ranma will be Ranma-chan rather than Ranma-kun. They discuss whether Ranma-chan will be attracted to women, men or both.

At the high school word has gotten around about Akane and Ryoga having had sex. Nabiki tries to track down where Ranma is and she ends up following the trail to a hospital where she is led to believe that Ranma might actually be dead.

Ranma-chan has chosen the name "Kikuko" as her new name. Kikuko and Dr. Tofu see Nabiki nearby and later Tofu tells Kikuko that the boy who had died in the hospital is still not identified and he could claim that the body is actually Ranma.

Kikuko tells Dr. Tofu to claim the body is Ranma's and declare Ranma officially dead.

Tofu makes sure everyone who knew Ranma received a copy of the death certifiicate. Ukyuo leaves the area and so does Cologne and Shampoo.

Kikuko becomes Tofu's receptionist.

It becomes evident that Tofu is starting to fall for Kikuko.

Four elderly women come to the clinic, one of them limping. They meet Kikuko and tell her that she doesn't really act very feminine, her dress is somewhat scandelous and so the three non-hurt ones take her shopping. In addition, they offer to give her lessons on how to behave in a proper feminine manner.

One of them tries to get Kikuko to go out with her grandson but Kikuko tells them a (modified) version of her life and how she had to disown her family and flee. Five months have passed since "Ranma's" disappearance.

Kikuko and Tofu have a lot of picnic lunches together. Kikuko is also growing more and more to like being female.

While doing some housecleaning she finds a picture frame with pictures of the two Nerima girls that Tofu loved, one of them being Kasumi and the other being Ranma-chan.

Later the four elderly ladies help Kikuko set up a formal tea ceremony for Dr. Tofu. During the ceremony Tofu finally reveals that he loves Kikuko and he proposes to her.

Three years have passed since Ranma's disappearance. Tofu invites Nodoka to a dinner at his home with his wife, Kikuko. Tofu and Nodoka look at picture albums of Ranma and Nodoka reveals that she would not have held Ranma to the martial-arts "man-amongst-man" seppeku pledge and would have loved Ranma even if he had decided to become a she.

Kikuko is six-month's pregnant. Nodoka and she make up and Nodoka will be moving to a house near them.

About five years later, Kasumi is in the park with her son. She had married Moose who had been kicked out of the Amazon tribe and who became a professional stage magician. Nodoka comes to the park with several kids. Kikuko reveals her existence to Kasumi (Kikuko has three kids and is expecting another.)

Kuno and Kodachi are both in a mental institution. Soun and Genma are teaching and Akane has become as good a martial artist as Ranma had once been. Akane and Nabiki are told of Kikuko's existence and everything ends happily.


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