Love Springs Eternal - Part 3 - A Ranma 1/2 commission from JW

Konatsu’s fork speared through a piece of roast chicken, bringing it to her mouth so fast that the movement was little more than a blur. As she started chewing the dry poultry, she was already reaching for the cup of water by her side. She swallowed her food, took a sip of water, then moved on to her portion of potato salad. Akane had used mustard for it, alongside the traditional mayo, and she’d gone quite a bit too heavy on both. That was fine, though! Konatsu just had to follow it up with some more water. Then she moved back to the chicken and repeated the cycle all over again. Of course, she didn’t hold back from eating the more palatable dishes too, but quantity would always beat quality when it came to food so far as Konatsu was concerned. 

Despite the blissful years she'd spent with Mistress Uko, a part of her still feared that everything good in her life could be taken away from her. It had happened once before, when her father died, and she had no reason to believe that it wouldn’t happen again. So it was best to take whatever food you could whenever possible! Even if it meant eating stuff nobody else would, she’d fill her stomach to the fullest! And then she’d burn all the calories off through cleaning, of course. That way she could help her Mistress while still maintaining her beautiful figure!

Konatsu was about to cut another hefty chunk of white meat when a black rose appeared, its sharpened stem piercing through the overcooked bird. A note, tied in place halfway up the stem, read, “Meet me at the fountain, Ranma darling!”

“Kodachi!” Akane gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth. Then she lowered them, her fingers curling into fists. “She ruined my chicken!”

“Huh? It doesn’t look ruined to me…” Konatsu eyed the poultry. It was a pretty rude move, sure, but ruined? Roses weren’t poisonous or anything. It was just a little decoration for her food.

“I’ll just take it out!” Konatsu declared, reaching for the extruding plant.

A hand closed around her outstretched wrist, stopping her hand an inch away from the flower’s stem. Konatsu almost pulled away on instinct but froze when she realized it was her own beloved Mistress Ukyo who’d stopped her.

“I  wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Ukyo growled, with a scowl. Konatsu would never describe any part of her beloved mistress as scary, but she had to admit that most would have shied away from that look.

“That right,” Shampoo confirmed, with a firm nod. “Kodachi no play fair.”

Konatsu glanced back at the rose, then at the chicken beneath it. She was hesitant to leave food untouched, but she had heard a few horror stories about Kodachi in the past. She’d mostly kept her activities centered around Ranma and Akane, but she’d created trouble for just about everyone in the days leading up to the couple’s matrimonials. Or, more precisely, she’d caused trouble for those actually interested in Ranma. Konatsu, who’d been putting her all into helping Ukyo around the shop, hadn’t received any of her attention.

“That thing’s probably been dipped in some sort of paralytic or another,” Ranma agreed, bending down to read the note, before turning to Konatsu and flashing her a grin. “But hey, now you have an excuse not to eat the stuff! Why don’t you try one of the sandwiches? At least those are edible.”

“Ranma…!” Akane redirected her glare toward her spouse, her fist now trembling with rage. Seeing the danger, Ranma instantly flipped backward, landing on her feet some distance away from the picnic. 

“Well, guess I’m off to see what Kodachi wants. Have fun with your girls night out!” She gave a happy wave, still grinning, before turning to go.

“You’re going!?” Akane called after her, scrambling to her own feet. 

“Well, yeah,” Ranma replied, turning back. Her head tilted in confusion, causing her red pigtail to swing back and forth. “She didn’t list a time, so she probably wants to meet now, right? I’m already a girl, so there’s no problem with me hitting her or anything. We’ll have a quick fight, I’ll show her I’m stronger than ever, and I’ll come back once Konatsu’s eaten all the iffy stuff.”

Instead of fuming at Ranma’s teasing, Akane responded with a worried look. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright? Kodachi always has a few tricks up her sleeve.”

“I’ll be fine,” Ranma promised, rolling her eyes. “You’re the one who keeps insisting I spar with you in this body. I’m probably more used to fighting like this than as a guy at this point.”

Akane gave a hesitant nod, her brow still creased with obvious concern. Ranma didn’t seem to notice, though. She just turned away from the camp and raised her hand in an idle waver as she walked away.

Since Ranma seemed committed to her course, Konatsu decided to focus on more important matters; namely, the chicken. Even if it had been exposed to some sort of poison, it seemed like a waste just to toss the whole bird, when she’d barely eaten more than half of it. Maybe she could just cut off the bits around the rose? That sounded like it would work. 

“Konatsu?” 

Konatsu was trying to figure out exactly how much of the chicken she’d have to sacrifice for it to be safe when she heard her mistress’s sweet voice. It drew her attention immediately. Ukyo wasn’t looking at her, though. Instead, the cook was gazing at Akane, who was staring at Ranma’s receding back.

“Yes, Mistress?” Konatsu didn’t mind if her mistress was distracted. It was a little odd that she was staring at Akane, and not her or even Ranma, but that didn’t really matter. Ukyo had spoken to Konatsu, and that was enough to make up for a little inattentiveness. Though she did wish that she could capture Ukyo with her beauty…

“Can you follow Ranma for me? Don’t let her see you, and don’t interfere with the fight. You know how prideful Ranma can be. Just make sure Kodachi doesn’t take advantage of her if things go south.”

“Of course, Mistress.” Konatsu smiled, happy to help. She didn’t give the food another glance as she stood and started walking toward Ranma.

Well, the version of her that was speaking didn’t look, at least. The two clones she’d created through her body-splitting technique, meanwhile, had already grabbed hold of the potato salad, and a pitcher of water. There was no sense in letting good food go to waste, after all! Or… Well… Food, anyway.

***

Konatsu crouched, hidden behind a bush. She’d used her casual clothes to wrap her food up and had stashed it in the hollow of a tree for safekeeping. In turn, she had drawn out her traditional ninja outfit. It had taken less than a minute to make the swap, and she’d arrived at the fountain almost immediately after Ranma had, maintaining just enough distance to avoid being seen. Kodachi had yet to appear, but Konatsu was certain she’d show up soon enough. Or at least she hoped so. It would be tragic if squirrels found her food! They probably wouldn’t be able to stomach much of it, of course, but every bite they did take was a bite she couldn’t take herself!

“Ohohohoho!”

The obnoxious laugh pulled Konatsu from her reverie. A sudden wind sent rose petals swirling around Ranma, forcing her to cover her face. It took a few minutes for the wind to die down, but when the petals finally fell to the ground, Kodachi was standing in front of Ranma, dressed in a tight red leotard. Her hand was resting upon a large barrel, and she was smiling as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

The effect was somewhat ruined for Konatsu, thanks to her unobstructed view. Unlike Ranma, she’d actually seen Kodachi clutching the unwieldy container against her chest, getting into position as quickly as she could before putting the barrel down beside her. She’d even taken the time to fix up her hair and makeup before carefully finalizing her pose before the wind died. Watching it all, Konatsu could only thank her lucky stars that she’d been born with so much natural grace and effortless beauty.

“Surprised to see me, Ranko?” Kodachi asked, giving the other girl a wicked smile, before dramatically pointing toward her. “Or I should call you Ranma, instead?” 

“You okay, Kodachi? You’re making even less sense than usual.” Ranma’s body had tensed slightly, though her tone was still casual. It wasn’t like the redhead actually tried that hard to hide her real identity, but Konatsu could see why she wouldn’t want Kodachi knowing. Having to risk Kodachi’s obsession in her male form was bad enough, already.

Kodachi froze, her finger still outstretched. Her brow creased, and a shadow of doubt crossed her features, before vanishing. 

“Ohohoho! There’s no need to hide the truth from me, anymore, Ranma darling! I know all about your secret! But don’t worry, I’m not like that evil muscle freak who forced you into marriage! I’m here to set you free!” She glanced meaningfully at the barrel she’d brought.

“Set me free?” Ranma’s eyes went over to the barrel. “...Wait… Is that…?”

“Of course!” Kodachi confirmed. “It’s water from the spring of drowned man!”

Ranma didn’t respond. Her eyes were focused entirely on the barrel as if it was the only thing in the world that mattered to her.

“It must have been so hard living under that gorilla’s thumb! I can’t imagine the threats she must have used to keep you by her side. Oh, it must have been so terrible, being forced into marriage by that ugly girl! But you won’t have to worry about that, anymore, Ranma! I’m going to cure you, once and for all, and rescue you from under her thumb! And then…” She clutched her cheeks and blushed. “Oh, we’ll have a lovely wedding ceremony! Don’t worry about proposing - I already know your true feelings about me! Just stay still, while I get rid of that nasty curse!”

“No thanks.” Ranma’s tone was utterly flat. The intense look she’d been giving the barrel had shifted to one of wariness, with a little disgust mixed in.

Konatsu wasn’t sure what to make of it. She hadn’t expected Ranma to agree, of course, but she had expected the redhead to make a mad dash for the barrel. Ranma had complained about her curse so many times. So why did it seem like she was actively opposed to curing it?

“Our wedding night will be thanks en-” Kodachi paused, her eyes widening in surprise as she finally registered Ranma’s words. “W-What!?”

“You heard me. I don’t want it.”

“O-Of course you want it! Why wouldn’t you want to be a real man again!?”

“Thanks for the concern, but I’m happy the way I am.” Saying so, Ranma turned to leave, raising her hand in a casual wave, the same gesture she’d given her friends.

“Th-That whore!” Kodachi screamed out, bringing Ranma to a stop. “She’s got something else on you, doesn’t she!? Or she brainwashed you! Don’t worry, Ranma darling! We can handle it together!” She rushed forward with those words, reaching into her cleavage and drawing out one of the clubs she used for her rhythmic gymnastics.

Ranma stayed in place, not moving an inch as Kodachi came toward her. The moment the club started to come down upon her head, however, Ranma ducked down, twisted about, and kicked up, striking the club and throwing it into the air. Kodachi, disarmed, dug her feet into the ground and jumped back toward the barrel. Ranma grabbed hold of Kodachi’s club as it fell back toward the ground, and pointed it toward its former wielder.

“Don’t talk about my wife that way.” She glared at Kodachi as she spoke, gripping the weapon tightly.

Kodachi only smiled. Ranma, seeing it, glanced down at the club in her hands. It only took a moment for her to realize her mistake, but she was already too late. Purple smoke sprayed out from the rear end, striking her in the face. 

Ranma’s body shuddered, the club falling from her grip. The redhead followed right after, landing upon the grass at her feet. “You bitch…” It looked as if she wanted to say more, but her mouth wouldn’t obey her any further.

“Is that any way to talk to your future wife, Ranma darling?” Kodachi grabbed hold of the barrel. “Don’t worry. This batch of paralytic gas was custom made for the occasion - it’ll wear off in just a moment. That way you can give me a proper thank you when we’re finished!!”

Konatsu jumped to her feet the moment she saw Kodachi grab the barrel and began running toward the pair at top speed. This was bad. This was really bad. Konatsu wasn’t sure what was up with Ranma’s refusal, but it was clear her friend didn’t want to end her curse. If Kodachi was planning to force the issue, then Konatsu had to stop it. She’d have to get Ranma out of range, and then bring Kodachi down before she could follow. The girl was already taking off the barrel’s lid. Could Konatsu make it in time? She bent forward, pushing against the wind, trying desperately to squeeze out just a little more speed. Kodachi was gripping hold of the barrel’s sides, and tilting it forward slightly. She was being cautious not to spill any of its contents on herself, which was slowing her down a little, but Konatsu wasn’t sure that her trepidation would buy enough time. Konatsu was close, close enough to almost touch Ranma, but the horrid woman was lifting the wooden vessel, pulling it back, getting ready to swing it forward. Konatsu bent down further, grabbing hold of Ranma’s stiff body, and bringing it up against her chest. She bent her legs, preparing to leap toward safety.

The water struck, soaking Konatsu and Ranma both, and muddying the ground beneath them. Konatsu’s foot slipped on the wet earth, causing her to land upon Ranma’s body. Her head struck against Ranma’s chest, the soft breasts cushioning her fall.

“...Breasts?” she whispered to herself, pushing herself up a little to take a look at her friend. She looked exactly the same, her hair red and her curves more obvious than ever thanks to the wet clothes. Perhaps the transformation took a moment to start? Konatsu stared at Ranma, waiting for something to happen.

Until she was distracted by a tingling sensation in her own chest.

Konatsu’s hands slipped beneath her black outfit, pulling out the padding that had been pressed against her chest. In truth, she’d always been a little flat. Or rather, she’d never had breasts in the first place. She wasn’t precisely assigned female at birth, and she’d never done any sort of hormone therapy. But now, when Konatsu placed her hands over her nipples, she could feel a gentle curve beneath her palms. Something soft pressed against her hands, pushing them back. She withdrew them quickly, as the tingling sensation was joined by a pleasant warmth, and her breasts began to press instead against the fabric. Her breasts, when they stopped growing, were just a tiny bit bigger than the pads had been. Not enough to be noticeable without close inspection, but enough that she’d need to adjust her clothes at the next opportunity.

It seemed her tighter outfits would need quite a bit of work, in fact. The pleasant heat that had started in her chest was now spreading throughout her entire body, carrying with it a strange sensation. It felt like she was being jabbed by pins and needles but instead of pain or even discomfort, they were delivering tiny spikes of pleasure throughout her body. 

The changes to Konatsu’s body weren’t as dramatic as what Ranma generally went through. Her ass got a little bigger, her hips expanded subtly outward, her thighs became a touch thicker, her nose a tiny bit smaller. Individually each alteration would be hard to notice, but taken altogether they would be just enough to make it obvious that something was different about her, even if most wouldn’t be able to tell what had changed. The most dramatic modification was her hair color, which was quickly shifting from black to white, but even then it could be explained away as hair dye. But then, the transformation wasn’t quite finished yet. 

The heat inside Konatsu’s body began to shrink in upon itself, covering less and less of her form, but growing hotter and hotter in turn. It shifted from a pleasant warmth to an inferno of heat, hot enough to burn flesh to ash, and yet it wasn’t painful. In fact, it felt good, as the prickling pleasure grew with it, stabbing deeper into her flesh, and bringing her closer and closer to ecstasy. The sensations condensed further until they were focused fully on Konatsu’s crotch, making her squirm atop the still paralyzed Ranma, as the last unaltered piece of her anatomy began to warp. Her dick shrank, her balls pulling up until there was nothing left but smooth skin. Then, with a final burst of flames and a shudder of pleasure, she felt something open up inside her, folds forming around her new slit, as she moaned against Ranma’s chest.

And then it was over. For a moment, she just laid there, atop Ranma, her cheeks filled with a completely different sort of warmth. Then she pushed herself up, looking down at her friend, who smiled awkwardly back at her. She hastily pushed herself off the ground and stood, her eyes darting around as she tried to look anywhere that wasn’t Ranma’s face. 

“You okay?” Ranma asked, getting to her feet.

Konatsu was silent for a moment, embarrassed, but she couldn’t stop herself from speaking. “...It’s not always like that, is it?”

“I don’t remember it being like that at all,” Ranma admitted, shrugging as she got to her feet. “I was sort of submerged the first time though, so I probably would have drowned if it did.”

“Oh…” Konatsu searched for something to say. “So. That was your second time with this water, right? Hope that doesn’t do anything weird…”

“Neah. It just makes the effect permanent.”

Konatsu’s gaze swung back to Ranma, her mouth dropping open in surprise. Her shock wasn’t only about the news, but from the way, Ranma had delivered it, without even a hint of distress in her voice.

“Permanent!?” A voice screamed out, drawing Konatsu’s attention back to Kodachi. Honestly, she’d forgotten that the woman was still there. “No! Impossible! It can’t be permanent! W-we just need to get you to the springs! Then we can set this right, and you can be with me!” She started to walk forward, her eyes locked on Ranma. “Don’t worry, Ranma darling! I’ll save you!”

“You…” Ranma’s body started to tremble. 

“No need to thank me, Ranma darling! I’m only doing what’s best for us both!” Kodachi proclaimed, reaching out toward the redhead.

Ranma responded with her fist, cutting through the air to hit the underside of Kodachi’s jaw. Konatsu had just enough time to see the confusion and shock in Kodachi’s eyes, before she went flying through the sky, disappearing into the distance.

“Come on,” Ranma muttered, starting to walk back toward the picnic. “The other girls will get worried if we take too long.”