Ranko's Big Decision

This is one of the types of stories in which boy-type Ranma realizes that "he" really wants to be "she" and to stay that way. Caught in a rainstorm, Ranma-chan takes refuge in the store of a dressmaker. Gradually, over time, she reveals her story to the elderly owner of the store and finally finds a good friend. The mental anti-female training that Genma gave him gives Ranma-chan some problems, but she realizes that being a woman is what she really wants.

Ranma-chan tells her family that she has decided she will remain female, with the expected rather harsh reactions from Genma and Nodoka. Akane, though, does not react violently and ends up becoming a really close friend to Ranma-chan. (In the context of the actual series, I doubt Akane would be very understanding, though. She reacted very violently to Ranma-chan being female in Pretty Womanhood. Still, for the sake of the story, it's good to have Akane being willing to listen, for once.)

Things become somewhat complicated, though, when Ryoga ends up asking Ranma-chan out on a date. It gets even more complicated when Ryoga informs Ranma-chan that he has a map to one of the springs that will enable Ranma-chan to stay physically female forever, and Akane reveals that she actually loves Ranma (but not Ranma-chan, at least physically), forcing Ranma-chan into a very difficult position In the end, though, it's Akane that comes up with a solution to their problems.

The story does a good job of showing just how deeply Ranma-chan feels about "really" being a woman, and the problems that would result from a decision on her part to live full-time as a female. This also shows Ranma-chan being more relaxed, carefree and happy than she ever was in the actual series. The complication with Ryoga is a good addition, and the ending of the story is upbeat and good.