Well, here is the rest of the second chapter.  Complete and ready for 
perusal.  Anyway's it's been a long day on this end, so I'm going to say 
good night and continue tommorow.  Hope you like the story.

Oh, by the way, I want an honest tally of people who thought that this 
would happen.  ^_^

Hitomi

***

	It was now night at the Tendo home, the only place in the world 
that taught the secrets of the art of Indiscriminate Grappling, and a 
place where a rather unusual conversation was now taking place.
	They were seated for supper, the three Tendo girls on one side of 
the table opposite a man in his forties wearing a white gi and a young 
man with dark black hair wearing a Chinese outfit that consisted of a 
dark red top and pants.  The girls looked nervously over at the pair, 
unsure what to make of them or the statement that the young man was named 
Ranma.  It was impossible that this was the same girl with the guardian 
Panda.
	Of course, supper had started a little bit late.
	It had taken a while, because Akane had to calm down and finish 
her bath and everyone had eaten while the explanations, at least the 
basic ones were held over dinner.  Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane had been 
stunned silent over the whole thing, with Akane looking as though she had 
been deeply betrayed.  For most of the meal there were uncomfortable 
silences, and disbelieving stares at the young man sitting across the 
table from them.
	Ranma, for his part, was absolutely embarrassed, keeping to 
himself, and trying to avoid the accusatory glare that Akane kept 
throwing his way.  He already felt guilty enough and now, the only friend 
he had made in years, in fact the only friend he had, was angry at him.  
He couldn't really blame her however, she had good reason, thanks to his 
secret which had made an embarrassing situation earlier in the day that 
much worse.
	After supper, they left the table and sat facing one another 
again, Soun acting as an intermediary between his daughters and his 
friend.  "I'll explain it once again.  This is my old friend and training 
partner..."
	Genma took over, "Saotome Genma.  And this is my son..."
	Ranma then took over from him, "Saotome Ranma."


An Alternate History of Ranma 1/2:

Chapter Two:

Will the real Ranma please...

A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga series, Ranma 1/2

Saotome Ranma, Saotome Genma, Saotome Nodoka, Tendo Akane, Tendo Soun, 
Tendo Kasumi, Tendo Nabiki, Kuonji Ukyou, Hibiki Ryouga, P-chan, Shampoo, 
Moose, Kuno Tatewaki, Kuno Kodachi, and Hinako Sensei are copyright 
1987,1996 by Takahashi Rumiko.

Publishing rights:

Japan:              Shogakukan Inc. Tokyo
Hong Kong:          Jademan (Holdings) Ltd.
North America:      Viz Inc.

By Ichinohei Hitomi

	Akane was having none of it, she was extremely embarrassed, very 
angry and was feeling very betrayed.  How, could the girl she had spent 
the afternoon with, the girl who she had shared thing with, things that 
she wouldn't have told a boy do this to her.  How could Ranma turn out to 
be a boy!
	Ranma for his part was staring at Akane, not knowing what to say 
or what to do.  She was rather cute, wearing that pink night gown, but 
they way she was staring at him, the way she had reacted, he knew that 
she felt like he was the scum of the earth.
	Nabiki started into the question, not being as angry as Akane, 
but a little more level headed.  She was still incensed at having been 
fooled twice in one day.  First by thinking the girl who had shown up 
earlier was a boy, when she wasn't and now by this boy claiming to be 
that same girl.  "What is this all about?"
	Kasumi had the same questions in her head, but for different 
reasons.  She could see from the look in Ranma's eyes that he wasn't 
interested in her, and could also see that there was already some sort of 
connection between him and Akane.  Also from the looks of things, Nabiki 
would not have anything to do with him if she could help it.  More likely 
her sister would be waiting for some chance to get vengeance for what she 
would consider a huge betrayal of honour.  "Are you really her?" she 
questioned, trying to think of what could be done, "Are you really that 
same girl?"
	Genma had been contemplating how to answer that question all 
night.  While his usual habit was to avoid, prevaricate, and generally 
rewrite situations to his own advantage, in this case he felt it 
necessary to tell the truth.  But he still had a problem with 
believability.  "Hhhhmmmmm....Where should I begin?"  He stated as he put 
a finger to his forehead.
	He suddenly said "I know!", quickly turned and grabbed Ranma 
tossing him towards the fish pond.
	Soun had watched this dispassionately, knowing what would happen 
and knowing that there was nothing to be done for it.  His daughters had 
to know the full situation, and that meant that they had to see a 
dramatic demonstration.  If only the fickleness of the Kami could be 
understood.
	Ranma was only concerned about the fact that he was headed face 
first into a pond of cold water.  "Hey!"
	He never got the chance to say anything more as he splashed into 
the surface of the water and sank out of site.  The courtyard was silent 
for a few moments before it's peace was broken once again.  Out of the 
fountain, came the Ranma the girls had first been introduced to.  An 
extremely angry Ranma who had water coming down in a stream from her hair 
which was now highlighted with a red tinge.  "What the HELL do you think 
you're doing?!"
	Akane stared, unable to say anything, unable to do anything.
	Nabiki looked at the girl with a question in her eyes.  Maybe 
there was something that could be done.  Not marriage, she wasn't a 
lesbian, but perhaps..."mmm?"
	Kasumi looked on, her eyes going a bit wide as she stated the 
obvious, her mind wondering how she could begin to resolve the situation 
and keep everyone happy.  "Now he's a girl!"
	Genma could hardly keep in his feelings, his shame at what had 
happened to his son.  Standing up and walking to the edge of the pond, he 
looked on, tears streaming from his eyes as he thought of the curse which 
had changed their lives, "That this should happen to my own son.  It's so 
humiliating, so very humiliating!"
	Of course, he shouldn't have said that with a wet Ranma around.
	Ranma had climbed out of the pool obviously very, very angry and 
very, very wet.  As far as she was concerned, the reason that she was now 
a girl, in fact the only reason that she became a girl in the first place 
was because of her father.  Her idiotic, unthinking, stupid, father.  Not 
saying a word, Ranma went behind her father and kicked him deep into the 
middle of the pond.
	The three girls looked on, quite shocked, as Genma also 
disappeared beneath the water, somehow suspecting what would happen, but 
hoping that it wouldn't.
	Ranma waited at the edge of the pond until the giant Panda, which 
everyone had earlier assumed was her guardian rose out of the water, the 
pants having fallen off and the top having split open.  "Who are _you_ to 
talk?" she questioned, her face a mask of grim rage at what was going on.
	Kasumi was the only one of the girls who could see past the 
obvious shock of the shape changing abilities of their guests.  She had 
to think, start to make plans and formulate possible ways to keep peace 
in the house.  If there was anything that she would not allow, it was the 
peace of her home to be disrupted, or at least make it seem as though it 
wasn't disrupted.  To do that, she had to have some information.  
"Father?  Why are you friends with them?"
	Soun for his part was nervous as to how to answer that question.  
No doubt it was a good one, and there was also no doubt that his daughter 
was correct in a way, but Genma was more than a friend to Soun.  To him, 
Genma was more like his brother given all the trial they had faced 
together, including one which made everything else pale in comparison.  
"They were not like this before daughter.  Not before they went to China, 
and undertook a terrifying training exercise in a place that has been 
shrouded in mystery.
	Kasumi shook her head.  Everyone she knew seemed to do martial 
arts of some type or another, and they all had this fascination with 
finding out all sorts of obscure information, sometimes to their own 
detriment.  "Well, we should let them change back, especially if they are 
going to tell us what happened."
	Soun smiled slightly as he nodded, "You are correct about that."

***

	Genma kneeled in front of the Tendo's knowing that he would have 
to explain his actions to a far more critical audience than he had 
expected.  His voice began the tale, a strong voice, one not filled with 
a lot of emotion, and one not filled with pride, "It all began two 
fateful weeks ago when we were training in China.  We came across a 
legend describing a training ground for martial artists known as Jusenkyo."
	"At the time, we didn't know exactly what we were getting into, 
so we hired a guide, a man who had left himself in the days of Mao and 
went to the training ground, and to find out what could be learned there."

***

	The guide, an old man with a bald head hiked up the hidden trail 
leading to the forbidden training grounds.  He was wearing a brown 'Mao' 
outfit that had been popular with the Chinese during the 'Cultural 
Revolution' in which China had either killed, jailed, or exiled their 
best doctors and scientist, knowing that their dictatorship would never 
survive if the people had an education.
	He had lived in this area all of his life, the remoteness meaning 
that he and others could escape the eyes of Beijing.  Here and there, 
hidden in the mountains, were the legendary 'wise men'.  People who had 
hidden themselves and their books, documents, and papers during the great 
scrounge.
	He himself was one, being not only the guide, but the caregiver 
of Jusenkyo.  Looking back, he noted the two.  Like others who had come 
here before them, they were martial artist.  People who had come to the 
accursed area in search of knowledge or power.  Power which was hidden 
away and could never truly be released without dire consequences, and 
others had learned.
	As they rounded the bend, he turned to his clients and pointed 
out to the various bamboo poles stuck in what seemed to be hundreds of 
pools that littered the floor of the valley.  "Here sir.  This is the 
legendary training ground known as Jusenkyo."
	Genma looked out at all of the pools, seeing nothing that special 
as had been advertised by that hard to find guide book.  His face 
hardened, they had made the journey here barefoot as usual in order to 
train, and train they were, no mater the state of the training area.  
"Are you prepared, Ranma?"
	Ranma looked on, not really impressed by the area, and seeing 
only the small bits of ground, the bamboo poles of varying length ranging 
from about five feet to twenty feet in height.  Not really something to 
be worried about when the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling 
based most of it's moves on leaping and aerial abilities.  "This place 
isn't so great."
	They took off their backpacks and placed them aside as the guide 
looked out at the pools, contemplating all that was there.  "You are very 
strange one, true sir?  This place very dangerous to use.  No one use now."
	The guide spread his hands out, showing the entire valley, a 
valley that he knew much more about than he wanted to know.  "Is more 
than one hundred springs here and each one have it own legend that very 
tragic."
	At that moment, Genma had gotten tired of listening to the old 
man.  Although he might know the legends, and that would be useful, it 
was obvious that this place was not dangerous.  The bamboo poles were 
fresh, just striped not too long ago or they would have rotted from the 
water and cracked in the winter.  He leapt up towards a pole that was 
approximately ten feet above the ground.  "Ranma, follow me."
	Ranma lost no time in following his father, and tightening his 
belt in mid air.  They each landed upon one of the longer poles that were 
situated in the pools, some only having one, others having as many as ten 
depending on the pools size.  Ranma was calm, watchful and waiting, 
wondering what his father had in mind in bringing him to this place.  
Other than practicing good balance and judgment, there would be nothing 
really new here for him to learn.
	The guide grew scared as he saw what the two were doing.  It was 
unheard of for a visitor to these training ground not to listen to the 
tales of the pools before deciding weather or not to attempt to cross the 
valley on top of the poles, each trying to prevent the other from getting 
to the other side.  There was much danger here, danger the two artist, 
the two idiots would soon find out about if they did this.  "Aaahhhh!  
Sir, what you doing?"
	He wished the travelers had been able to speak Mandarin as he was 
only able to speak a little of the Japanese language. 
	Genma landed in a crane stance, his face immediately going into 
battle mode, hiding his feelings and his abilities.  In this case, both 
were going to advertise their movements to the other, their was no help 
for that, but what they could do, and what they would do was minimize 
their patterns once airborne.  "I will not go easy on you, my son."
	Ranma had landed in the beetle pincers position.  It was not 
really designed for one footed combat, but it was easy to hold and also a 
classical defense towards the Crane attack.  Using the 'pincer' he could 
easily use the strength of the crane against the attacker.  "That's how I 
want it father.  I wouldn't have it any other way."
	The guide now was trying desperately to get the attention of the 
two guest as they started for each other.  They were not even going to 
try to get to the other side of the pools, they were going to fight above 
them!  Such foolishness!  He had to try one last time.  "Please sir!  
Very bad if you fall in spring!"
	He was too late.
	The two of them had leapt towards one another, Genma changing his 
basic crane stance in mid-air to that of the hawk, hoping to throw the 
boy off.  He went in at a low trajectory, going for speed, not stealth.
	Instead of doing the expected, which would have been to change 
his stance, Ranma leapt more up than forward, waiting for the attack that 
he knew his father would use.
	Genma shouted out what he was going to do, and switched his 
attack in mid-flight to a frontal side kick with his legs.
	Ranma twisted his body, using his center of gravity as the 
rotational point to point the pincers to the ground, taking advantage of 
his father by using his foreleg as a solid surface.  He pushed up and 
flipped around, his father unintentionally allowing him to stay in the 
air much longer, and using that, then kicked Genma in the back straight 
down into a pool.  Ranma landed back on the same pole he had started 
from, while Genma had landed, face first, in the water.  "Gotcha!"
	Ranma steadied himself as the pole he was standing on shook, 
making minute adjustments in his balance.  He looked down into the pool, 
wondering where his father was.  It was unlike him to be taking so long, 
he knew his father to be an excellent swimmer.  "Father?  What's wrong?  
Are we done already?"
	All that answered him was a gurgling sound and a few burbles as 
air rose from the pool.  Ranma was starting to get worried.  It hadn't 
happened before, but if his father had hit his head on a rock at the 
bottom of the pool, he could be unconscious and drowning.  He was just 
about to jump in to look for his father when the pool erupted in a burst 
of water.
	What came out of the pool was completely unexpected.  There was a 
Giant Panda, one of the symbols of China and one of the great gentle 
creatures of the world.  On one ear dangled the glasses that the elder 
Saotome usually wore, obviously because the head was now shaped 
differently.  Genma's jacket was also on the Panda, much too small for 
the creatures chest and body, although there was no sign of the pants.
	Needless to say Ranma was not taking it well.  After his initial 
scream of surprise, his eyes opened wide, and he pointed at the Panda who 
had taken a stance on it's back paw, going into what seemed like a 
praying mantis position.  Needless to say he was almost completely 
speechless.  "W-who...wh..what...wh..why...?"
	The guide looked up, having expected this from the way the two 
had reacted and attempted to tell the young man what was going on.  It 
wasn't easy, as this was the first time that he had seen someone with one 
of the animal forms actually mimic a human posture.  "That is 
Shonmaoniichuan, the spring of the drowned Panda.  A very tragic tale 
that.  Tragic legend of Giant Panda that drowned there two thousand year 
ago.  Now whoever fall in spring take body of Panda!"
	Ranma was startled.  In all of his life, in all of his training, 
he had never heard of something like this.  Sure there were legends, 
growing up in Asia you got used to hearing a lot of them, but they could 
be real, could they?  Not that it really mattered much at the moment.  
Ranma's brain wasn't working properly, or at least not properly as in 
regards to this situation.
	"Oh no!" he muttered as he looked in disbelief at the animal that 
used to be his father, fear now permeating his entire being.  It was 
terrifying, and the worst part was that the elder Saotome hadn't noticed 
anything.  Ranma jumped as the Panda flew towards him.  "Wait a minute!"
	Genma hadn't really realized what had happened as of yet.  True 
his glasses had fallen off, but that was to be expected in a fight.  What 
had been unexpected was the fact that his student, his son had been able 
to defeat him on the first pass.  It should not have been possible, at 
least not here.  What was worse, not that the defeat was over, Ranma 
wasn't even paying attention!
	Anger continued to build in the Panda as it wanted, not only some 
revenge for being shown up like that, but also to teach the boy never to 
let down his guard.  If he did that when he was faced with a real foe, he 
would die.  Genma attacked, not hearing what the guide had said, nor to 
what Ranma was saying.  Besides, the words sounded a bit faint and sort 
of distorted, no doubt from the mud at the bottom of the pond.
	Ranma avoided his fathers strikes as much as he could, given his 
brain was almost completely locked at the moment.  It was a good thing 
that his body was reacting on automatic, because he would have surely 
been tossed into a pool.  Avoiding a strike that barely grazed his chest, 
he exclaimed loudly, "You never said anything about tr--"
	Genma never allowed his son to finish what he was saying, being 
more concerned with trying to knock Ranma into a pool.  He succeeded in 
knocking Ranma's back and the boy went flying into one of the nearby 
pools.  So concentrated on wining, he failed to see the boys terrified 
face as he flew towards a nearby pool.
	Ranma hit the pool with a huge splash, not hearing the guide.  He 
was more concerned with what would happen to him, what would go on, what 
type of beast would he become?  He felt a ripple as his body started to 
change, and he struggled towards the surface...
	The guide looked on with horror, as the young man was knocked 
into one of the pools that he knew much about.  It was a pool that had 
been used quite a lot, one which a certain people considered a reward 
while others considered it a punishment.  "Noooooo!  Not Nyanniichuan, 
the spring of the drowned girl!"
	He trembled as he looked on wondering how the young person would 
react to his...or rather her new body.  "There is tragic story of this 
pool.  Very tragic, of young girl who drown in spring one thousand five 
hundred year ago.  Now whoever fall in that spring..."
	Ranma finally burst to the surface of the pool, already 
suspecting what had happened.  As soon as he burst from the water, he 
pulled his gi open, and noticed his breast, he took in a breath of air, a 
confused sound coming from him as he heard, "...take body of young girl.  
You see what I mean?"

***

	"...And so that is our tragic story."
 	Nabiki looked on, having heard the entire story and was bored.  
However, there was something nagging at her, especially since the father 
was a fool.  She'd have to take a look at the insurance forms in the 
morning, especially if these two were going to be living here.
	Akane had her eyes open.  She believed the story, and was now 
feeling a little bit sorry for what Ranma had to go through.  It was no 
wonder he had been so shy earlier, having to learn in two weeks what most 
girls learn in a lifetime.  Akane wondered how Ranma had kept from going 
insane.
	Kasumi was the one who's face contained a look of slight horror, 
and she quickly hid the pity that she felt for Ranma, seeing that he 
would not accept the emotions she had.  It was a mistake, a terrible 
mistake, but the child would have to learn to live with it.  His father 
on the other hand deserved to be taken in hand for this.  Unfortunately 
he was still a guest, which meant Kasumi had to try to stay on her best 
behavior while he was there.
	The sound of the wind chime broke the utter silence that had 
encased the room, and Soun, a bit of perspiration showing on his forehead 
said, "Jusenkyo.  The legendary ground of accursed springs.  It's true 
secret, it's true mystery and horror have always been shrouded in 
mystery, but now..."
	Ranma's face kept getting angrier and angrier as it continued to 
throughout the entire story.  Before Jusenkyo he had a life.  Admittedly 
not much of one, but a life none the less.  He had traveled, honed his 
skills, and grew to love the honourable way of life that he led.  During 
the past two weeks however, he had learned to be female most of the time, 
to have to escape, steal, and survive.  He felt so much weaker, almost 
helpless, and the fact that his father had led them to..."Whaddaya mean, 
'horror'?"
	Ranma couldn't take it any longer, he had to do something, 
_anything_ to get rid of that anger.  While he couldn't, and wouldn't, 
actually hurt his father, he could attempt to teach the old fool a lesson 
he wouldn't readily forget.  "Hey old man," he said menacingly as he spun 
around to face his father, grabbing the elder Saotome by the front of his 
gi, "what's the idea of dragging me to a place like that?"
	Genma in the meantime had expected something like this to 
happen.  Since they had arrived at the Tendo home, Ranma had been to 
calm, too quiet.  It wasn't normal for his child, and given what they had 
gone through during the past couple of weeks, it was definitely out of 
character for him.  Calmly he grabbed Ranma's wrist and threw the boy 
once more into the pond.
	He waited until the girl came up for air before giving a speech.  
"You sound like a woman, so be one!  Were you not prepared and sworn to 
give up your life if your training required it?"
	Ranma looked down into the pool and growled low, noticing a 
firepail nearby.  Taking it and filling it with water, she replied, "My 
life yes."  She quickly sprayed the water across her father changing him 
into a Panda.  "MY GENDER IS ANOTHER MATTER ENTIRELY!"
	The two started fighting in front of the Tendo's blow after blow 
being exchanged at a high speed.  Ranma didn't really care anymore.  She 
had to express the frustrations she felt ever since her father had done 
this to her.
	The frustrations that Soun had been feeling, his guilt over his 
eldest daughters situation, the fact that things were going so horribly 
wrong was taking it's toll on his emotional stability.  He started to 
sob, almost uncontrollably, "What a tragedy!"
	Kasumi on the other hand had truly reached her limit.  The way 
that young girl was treated by her father was criminal.  She felt the 
urge to rush in and help the girl, to hit that Mr. Saotome over the head 
hard.  It may have been part of training, but what he was now doing was 
going much too far.  Didn't he realize how psychologically delicate his 
daughter now was?  "STOP THAT!"
	She jumped forward and grabbed the Panda's foreleg as it grabbed 
Ranma.  Kasumi had only one over-ridding thought, to save this child from 
a beating.  She was starting to feel something that she did not normally 
feel towards anyone.  Hatred towards another living thing.  Angrily she 
started into him, "You just went _too_ _far_, Saotome-san!"
	Nabiki had gotten up and was looking at the Panda from the other 
side.  Her elder sister was not one to fight very much, and Akane was 
still too stunned to participate.  Besides, even if she couldn't stop the 
Panda immediately, by being a witness she could certainly do something to 
stop him latter on.  "Yeah!", she snarled out at Genma, "Even for Martial 
Arts training, that's going much too far."
	Kasumi stared into the face of the Panda, a face that had no 
remorse, nothing but hardness in it's eyes.  It had stopped attacking, 
true, but it still didn't understand how everything was affecting the 
child in it's paw.  She screamed, 'WHAT _EVER_ MADE YOU DO SOMETHING SO 
DANGEROUS?!?"
	The Panda shifted slightly, not used to the tone of voice being 
used against it.  In shifting, the pants that it had been wearing fell 
down a bit further and a magazine-like book fell out.
	Nabiki grabbed it immediately, looking at the front cover, while 
Kasumi observed over her shoulder.
	Kasumi immediately said, "It's Chinese.  A map and a guide book 
of some type."
	Nabiki immediately grew a little more intense as she started 
reading the cover.  It was a guidebook all right, to unused places, and 
on the cover was, "Something about...'training grounds'."
	Kasumi gently took the book out of the hands of her younger 
sister, the pieces starting to fit into place and a plan starting to 
form.  If it was to work, she would have to act in a way that would fool 
everyone as to her true intentions.  She had to work to try and make 
Ranma accept herself for who she was and come to terms with this change.  
She took control of her emotions, and said calmly, "No wonder, you can't 
read Chinese can you?"
	The Panda signaled that she was correct while Ranma took the 
opportunity to hit him hard on the side of his head.
	Soun took the opportunity to remove the pot of water from the 
hibachi and poured it over the Panda's head, thinking of the fact that 
both of them returned to their original forms after taking a bath, "So, 
when covered with hot water you return to your human form."
	A burned Genma replied, "Hot, not boiling!"
	Soun wasn't listening, thinking of some way to salvage this 
situation, and he had an idea, that is if he could convince the children 
to accept it.  He turned and held Ranma's forearm.  "When covered with 
cold water, you turn into a girl, but hot water turns you back into a 
boy."  He stated as he tried to pour the still boiling water over Ranma.
	Ranma jumped back quickly, her anger still not dissipated, but 
trying to now understand what was going on.  "Hey what are you trying to 
do?  Burn me?"
	Soun started to laugh, and patted Ranma on the shoulder, 
completely confusing the young girl.  "No problem!  Your situation is not 
so terrible after all!"
	Ranma just looked at him as if he were crazy.
	Soun turned her around and pointed to his daughters, "My 
daughters; Kasumi, age nineteen, Nabiki, age seventeen, and Akane, age 
sixteen.  Choose the one you wish.  She is now your fiancee."
	Ranma just stood there confused.  Could he really be serious?  
Having her accept an engagement when she was also a girl?  It was crazy!
	Kasumi thought quickly.  It was obvious there could never be 
anything between her and Ranma.  Besides, she felt protective of the 
girl, and it would not be wise to counsel Ranma while being engaged to 
each other.  She couldn't let Nabiki get her hands on the child either.  
Her little sister had some interesting ideas when it came to revenge over 
points of honour.  No, the best choice was her youngest sibling.  They 
were about the same age, and they already had a connection.  "Oh.  He 
want's Akane."
	Nabiki smiled suddenly, agreeing completely with her elder 
sister.  Although she had wanted to be the one engaged, she wasn't about 
to marry someone with whom she could conduct a lesbian relationship 
with.  It just wasn't her way.  Besides, if what she suspected about her 
younger sister was correct, then Akane would actually be pleased with a 
girl as a fiancee.  "Oh definitely!"
	Akane looked startled.  Everyone was making a decision about her 
life but her.  It was crazy!  "You must be joking!  Why would I be..."
	Nabiki cut her off, trying to hint at what she suspected, "Well, 
you hate boys, don't you?"
	Kasumi picked up on that line of inquiry, smiling in her nicest 
way.  She would definitely need to meditate later in the evening.  
"You're in luck.  He's half girl."
	Akane was flabbergasted.  Admittedly she didn't like boys, 
although there was someone she liked, and she got along much better with 
the girls, especially since they weren't possible love interests, but to 
hear her sisters talk.  "Me?  Marry that hentai?!  Never!"
	Ranma had kept fairly quiet up to now.  She had been too stunned 
to even try to say or do anything, but to hear someone she considered a 
friend say that she was a hentai was going too far.  She walked in front 
of Akane, "Whaddaya mean hentai??"
	Akane for her part just looked at Ranma, angry at being tricked.  
"You looked at my body hentai!"
	"Hold it!  you walked in on me!"
	"It's different when a girl sees a boy!"
	They stopped their argument as they noticed their fathers 
laughing to one side."
	They're already a perfect couple.  Already arguing!"
	Akane was about to say something to her father about interfering 
in a fight when Ranma suddenly grabbed her arm.  "Com'on.  Lets go talk 
in a place a little more private."
	As she was being pulled out to the Dojo, Akane could here Kasumi 
saying, "Would the two of you care for more beer?"

***

	Ranma pulled Akane into the Dojo, looking back at their fathers 
who were drinking and congratulating each other.  She would like nothing 
better to do at that moment that beat the two of them up.  Imagine, 
trying to get her married when she wasn't even prepared for it!  She 
turned to Akane...
	Who was waiting for Ranma to turn around.  Her face had become 
one of anger, the days events catching up to her.  She was about to hit 
the shorter girl when she saw the anger in Ranma's eyes, as well as the 
tears beginning to well up.  The pig-tailed girl was suffering as well, 
although she was trying to hide it.  "Want to talk about it?"
	Ranma smiled a little smile, although it was forced and gestured 
for the couches that they had been sitting on earlier in the day.  "I'm 
sorry abut everything Akane.  You didn't do anything wrong in the 
washroom, after all, you were expecting another girl."
	Akane took a seat, indicating that Ranma should sit next to her, 
"True.  But I should have still knocked first.  It might have prevented a 
bit of embarrassment for both of us."
	Ranma snorted at that, seeing the humour in the situation, 
"Somehow, I think it would have turned out the same, given I wouldn't 
have been able to get out of the tub in time."
	"Well, what do you think we should do?"
	"I donno.  I mean, it's not that I don't like you, but we just 
met, and I want to be your friend more than I want to be your fiancee."
	Akane looked over at Ranma, noticing the slumped shoulders, "You 
haven't had too many friends have you?"
	That caused Ranma to chuckle in a low, almost self-pitying way.  
"No.  Not really.  Besides you, I think I've only had one friend in my 
entire life, although I can't remember that too clearly.  He was a nice 
guy however.  I wonder what he would say about me now."
	Akane giggled impishly, "Well, he'd probably say something about 
how cute you are now."
	Ranma giggled as well, calming down, and beginning to relax.  
"True.  In any case, I traveled around too much to have friends.  
Acquaintances yes, friends no.  What about you?"
	"Well, I've got lots of friends, although not among the boys.  
Around here they're much too troublesome.  I mean, there are some nice 
boys, but they all have this overbearing macho attitude that turns me cold."
	Ranma rolled her eyes.  "Huh!  Then you won't think too much of 
me then, all I've had is my father as a person to really look up to, and 
now I don't think that was such a good role model."
	Akane frowned a bit, "It was only a mistake Ranma, I'm sure 
something could be done.  I mean, if magic exists to change you into a 
girl, I'm sure some sort of magic exists to make you male again."
	"Do you really think so Akane?"
	Akane held Ranma's hand.  "I'm sure of it.  Now stop moping and 
lets think of a way out of this and still allowing us to stay friends."
	"I'm to tired to think," Ranma replied, "besides, the last two 
weeks have been a confusing blur."
	Akane frowned a bit, "What can we do..."
	Ranma leaned back on the cushions, "Besides, even with this 
curse, our parents are crazy enough to keep us engaged."
	Akane smiled suddenly, "Ranma, I've got an idea, and it might 
make it easier for you as well."
	Ranma looked up at Akane, "What is it?"
	"Well, it would require you..."

***

	"WHAAATTTT!"
	Everyone in the main room turned towards the dojo, Soun and Genma 
about to go out their when Kasumi diverted their attention, "Here you 
go!  More beer and Sake!"
	No more sound was heard coming from the dojo, so the two men went 
back to their drinking.
	Nabiki was looking at the guidebook in the meantime.  Her studies 
on economics and business required her to take several forms of Chinese 
writing, and what she was reading was interesting.  If anything, some of 
the information contained within would be profitable, at least if she 
could find some way to exploit it.  Besides, she didn't quite trust 
'uncle' Saotome yet, as their father insisted they call Genma.
	Kasumi was glad that things were going so well.  She had fully 
expected a blow up to take place, given how angry the children were.  It 
was fortunate that they were talking, and now it was time to come up with 
a way to make Ranma more comfortable, not only at home, but with life in 
general.  The girl had certainly spent too much time with her father, and 
she was not too glad of that.  There was so much that she would have to 
teach her.
	Everyone looked up as Ranma and Akane came back into the house 
holding hands and giggling.  Seeing their family, they sobered up and 
then sat down at the table.
	Akane looked around, "We've decided to keep the engagement, at 
least for now, but there are certain conditions."
	Soun and Genma nodded.  It wasn't usual, but not unexpected.
	Ranma turned to the two of them, "One:  I get my own room, and 
that means that I do not share that room with my father."
	"Two:  If Ranma and I are engaged, we are to conduct the 
engagement as we see fit, without interference from you."
	"Three:  We have the final say on weather or not we get married, 
or when."
	"Four:  If we decide to do something, it's our decision, not 
yours to influence or change."
	"Five:  If Akane and I do get married, it will be after we finish school."
	"Six:  Ranma gets to stay here for the next five years, even if 
we throw his father out."
	They turned to each other and nodded and said together, "That's 
it.  Accept it or the engagement is over."
	Soun was so-so on the terms.  There seemed to be something wrong 
with them that he couldn't figure out, other than the part about Genma.  
"How about we take a couple of days to think it over?"
	Kasumi wasn't about to let the two old men disrupt the children's 
lives more than absolutely necessary.  She had too much work to do, 
"Well, they are perfectly reasonable requests father.  I don't think it's 
asking too much."
	Ranma frown as well, "And the offer is only good for the next 
three minutes."
	Genma sighed, "I will agree to those terms."
	Soun looked uneasy but also agreed.
	The two girls looked at each other.  They had prepared for an 
argument so were pleasantly surprised that things had gone so easy.  Part 
one of their plan was a success.

***

Ichinohei Hitomi
Hitomi@terminal.autobahn.mb.ca
http://terminal.autobahn.mb.ca/~hitomi
"The beginings of wisdom is the ability to always ask questions."