Chapter 4: Enter Happosai.

      Ranma was sitting on the rear porch, polishing his knife.  He
carefully rubbed the white cotton cloth up and down the length of the blade,
making the mirror smooth finish gleam with the slightest hint of blue.
Satisfied with his work, he reached behind him, and expertly sheathed the
weapon with one hand.  Sighing, mostly out of boredom, he glanced around.
His father was sitting next to him, locking in a shogi game with Soun.
Apparently, Genma was losing.  

      Soun chuckled.  "Oh Saotome!  I got you now!"  He placed down the
black piece, and flashed a wolfish smile at Genma, who was sweating
profusely.  Glancing around, his face paled, and he pointed.  Soun's head
turned around, and he too paled.  Genma didn't even bother to rearrange the
board.

      "Hi Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome.  Remember me?"  an ancient voice
creaked, it's dischordant sounds, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
Nodoka paled, and she ushered the Saotome girls away.

      Kasumi looked at Nodoka as Nodoka pushed her into the kitchen.
"What's wrong?"

      "It's Happosai," responded Nodoka, "He's the most evil and powerful
man in the world.  I hope Soun, Genma, and Ranma can take care of him."
Nodoka seriously doubted that anyone could handle Happosai at all.

       Soun and Genma were quivering in fear, cringing away from the
shriveled old midget that stood no more that thirty feet away from them.
Ranma groaned and stood up.  "Pop, who is he?"  Ranma thought it was amusing
that his father was afraid of such a small and ancient looking man.
However, Ranma took Happosai seriously, for experience had showed Ranma
never to underestimate anything.

       Genma turned to Ranma.  "He's only the most powerful and evil man in
the world!"  Genma decided that he did not want to even try to deal with
Happosai.  'Might as well have Ranma take care of him...'  Genma grabbed
Ranma by his collar, and spoke.  "Hey boy, this is a training exercise for
you!  Take care of him!"  Genma picked up Ranma and tossed him towards Happosai.

       Happosai chuckled evily, the fear of his former pupils driving his
power even higher.  "For abandoning your poor master in a cave, I am
prepared to forgive you.  But first things first.  I must prepare you two to
be my willing slaves!"  With that, Happosai produced out of thin air, a
giant urn, on the side labeled, "Jusenkyo Water 100%, no preservatives."
Soun and Genma started to bow repetitively, constantly "Praising our
master's humility and his superiority"  

      Happosai paid no attention to the two sycophants in front of him, and
with surprising strength for his size, Happosai ripped the lid off the urn.
He grinned sickly at Genma and Soun.  "Enjoy this!  It wasn't cheap!"
Happosai swung the urn forward, splashing its contents at Genma and Soun.

       Ranma gritted his teeth.  That water must be poisoned or something.
Drawing back onto his martial arts skills, Ranma decided that the best thing
to do was to neutralize the water as fast as possible.  Ranma shuddered,
thinking about the technique he was about to use.  He could almost feel the
scar on his arm burn with pain.  

       Ranma forced himself to continue.  'Besides, I owe a lot to my old
man.'  Ranma ran forward towards the giant wave of water.  He leaped up, and
with a deft movement, sent a stream of golden dust into the water.  The
powder exploded, its blast shielding Genma and Soun from the water.
Unfortunately the water was diverted elsewhere, primarily onto Ranma.  Ranma
was thrown back from the powerful blast, and he smashed headfirst into the
ground.

* * *

      Ranma groaned a bit, and he snapped up only to find himself in a bed.
In front of him, he saw his mother crying, and father lying on the ground
staring at the ceiling.  Nodoka grabbed Ranma.  "Where is my son?  Do you
know where my son is?"  Ranma looked around, and he glanced at a mirror.
What he saw numbed him instantly.  He saw a girl.  Ranma sat paralysed for a
moment, as he stared at the mirror.  

     Genma cried as he spoke, his hands shaking uncontrollably in front of
him.  "My only son!  Sacrificing himself for me!  Oh how I loved my son!"
Genma couldn't continue, and he started to sprinkle Nodoka with his tears.  

     Ranma placed his hands on his mother's shoulder.  "Mother..."  he started.

      Nodoka stared at the strange girl, who obviously had a very faint
resemblence to Ranma.  She had a similar hairstyle, with a long pigtail.
Her face was similar to Ranma's , only it was more refined, graceful.  For a
moment Nodoka looked at Ranma without recognition.  Suddenly it dawned on her.

      Nodoka tightled embraced Ranma, as she shouted at a bundle of rope
that was quivering in fear in the corner.  "Happosai!  Evil man!  Why must
you do this to my son?"  Nodoka sobbed uncontrollably into Ranma's shoulder.
Ranma comforted his mother as much as possible.

* * *

      Akane stared at Ranma warily.  "Ranma, is that you?"    

      Ranma grumpily nodded, as he sat on the porch.  Not only his day had
been ruined, but his entire life as well.  'Plus,' Ranma thought mentally,
'my clothing was never meant for a girl to wear."  Ranma paused, catching
himself.  'What!  I'm beginning to think like a girl?'  Ranma looked around
quickly, and found that everything was physically the same, but somehow, his
perspective on things were a lot different.

       Ranma turned his head to Akane.  "I need to be alone for awhile.
I'll be back in awhile."  Ranma walked gloomily out of the Tendo Dojo, and
wandered aimlessly around Nerima.  After what seemed like hours of walking,
Ranma finally saw his friend Ryoga, trying to find his home.

       "Ryoga!"  Ranma waved hard, and he ran up to her friend.  'Ryoga, how
come girls don't swarm over you?  You look so cute!'  Ranma stopped
suddenly, afraid of what his mind just thought.  'Am I becoming a girl?'

       "Do I know you?"  Ryoga laughed nervously as Ranma approach.  "I
don't remember knowing any cute girls."  Ranma sighed.  'No wonder, he's a
nervous wreck around girls.'  Ryoga laughed again as he passed his hand
through his hair, and played with his bandanna.

       Ranma looked around.  'I guess I have to take him home and tell him
what happened.' Ranma sighed, "Come on!  I'll take you home."  

       Ryoga's eyes bulged as Ranma turned, and he caught a glimpse of
Ranma's profile.  Ryoga felt a little dizzy, and he walked right into a
telephone pole.  Ranma sighed impatiently, and he grabbed Ryoga's hand.
"Come on!  I don't have all day!"

       As they walked home, Ryoga finally got over his fear and found the
courage to talk.  "Um, what's your name?"  Ranma stopped, and momentarily
forgeting that Ryoga didn't know about his new body, he knocked Ryoga on the
head.

       Ryoga grumbled as he rubbed his head.  Ranma shouted "I'm Ranma!  Do
I have to remind you that we go to the same school?"

       Ryoga stopped.  He stared at the girl in front of him.  'The last
time I checked Ranma was a boy!  But this girl, she does act like him.'
Ryoga looked at the familiar hairstyle, and even within the girl's face, he
could see a faint resemblence to Ranma.  He voiced his major concern.
"Ranma?  But Ranma's a guy!  Not a girl!"  Ranma sighed again, and he
grabbed Ryoga's hand.  'I guess I have to explain it to Ryoga.'

       Ranma after explaining his story to Ryoga, Ryoga seemed to have
controlled his initial fear.  "So Ranma, you're a girl now?"  Ranma cried
out, and he tried to push Ryoga against the wall, but he couldn't.  'What?
My body is a lot weaker now!'

       Ranma started to pound his fists ineffectively against Ryoga.  "I'm a
guy!  I'm a guy!"  

       Ryoga joked a bit.  "Well, Ranma you certainly don't fight like one.
Am I home yet?"  Ranma looked around, and cursed.  Immediately, Ranma felt
some other voice in his head make him blush, and put his hands over his mouth.  

       "Um, Ryoga... We're at the Tendo Dojo."

(Author's note:  From now on, when Ranma is specifically acting like a girl,
I will call her(him) Ranma-chan.  Otherwise, at any other time, he will be
called Ranma, whether he be in a girl's or boy's body.)


* * *

      Ranma walked in, his shoulders drooped.  He had been mentally
reviewing the events that occured to him ever since he was splashed with
that weird water.  In his new body, he felt the smallest tugs of femininity
raging in his mind.  It wasn't that Ranma had become a girl, it was just
that Ranma's male prespective was sometimes displaced with feminine
opinions.  He was instantly greeted with a splash of hot water.

       "Ah!  Who did that!  You ruined my clothes!"  Ranma's feminine half
made those final words, and they finally disappeared.  Ranma didn't need to
look at himself to know that he was a guy again.  "I'm a guy again!"  He
looked around, and saw his mother holding a teapot.  She was smiling, but
beneath the smile, she knew about the curse.  She could only think.  'My
poor son.  I hope Genma can break the news to him gently.'  Nodoka suddenly
frowned, it was not a good idea for Genma to tell Ranma the bad news.  Genma
was just too blunt sometimes.

       Kasumi smiled as Ranma turned back into a boy.  "So Ranma!  Are you
cured?"  Kasumi asked, as she carefully setted the table.  

       "Yeah, I guess so."  Ranma patted himself all over to make sure.
Genma stood up, and he walked up to Ranma.  Pulling Ranma away from the
table, he whispered into Ranma's ear.

       "Boy, you must know this.  Nodoka managed to beat Happosai, and
according to what he says, you will never be cured."  Ranma visibly paled.
"The water he splashed you permanently cursed you.  Cold water activates it.
And hot water neutralizes it."  Ranma's face turned from pale to bleached
white.  His initial joy over his cure dissipated leaving a gutless empty
feeling within him.  Genma nudged Ranma out of his speechlessness.  "By the
way, Ranma while you were a girl, um, were you getting any feminine urges...
you know?"

       Angered, Ranma brought his hand down on Genma's head.  He roared.
"What do you mean by feminine urges?"  Everyone stared at the two men in the
corner.

      Genma growled at his son's audacity.  'How dare he hit me, even when
I'm trying not to be blunt!'  Genma shouted back.  "Happosai said that in
your girl form, your personality would be affected slightly.  He said in
your girl form, the balance between yin-yang will sometimes be off, and you
will act like a girl!  Is it true?  Is it?"  Ranma clearly flushed, when he
noticed everyone staring at him and Genma.  He surpressed the urge to pound
his father into a pulp.

      Ranma looked at the floor.  "Yes." he said very quietly.  He sat down
for a moment at the dinner table, his head sunk low.  He felt as if everyone
in the world was scrutinizing him, examining him, and laughing at his
predicament.  Unable to stand his embarassment, Ranma walked off, five pairs
of sympathetic eyes followed Ranma out of the room.  

    Soun surpressed a tear.  "Why must Ranma suffer?  He saved Genma and I
from this fate, and now for his manly act, he is condemned to a woman's
body.  Oh the unfair world!  I forever am in debt to Ranma!"  Soun started
to cry.  Akane only shook her head, and Nabiki hardly touched her food.
Kasumi sat down, and she tried to comfort Soun. 

* * *

      Ranma walked down the street, his head hung low, his world crumbling
around him.  'I'm a mistake.'  He was depressed thinking about his new
curse.  He was so depressed, that he didn't notice that he walked straight
into a manhole, and fell down.  Seconds later, an angry Ranma-chan came
climbing out.  'My clothes are ruined, my hair is messed...'

      "Allow me to help you."  Ranma-chan looked up, and saw Tatewaki Kuno.
'Oh brother, not him.'  It seemed that even as a woman, Ranma-chan managed
to retain all of Ranma's memories.

      "I don't need your help."  Ranma-chan easily lifted herself out of the
manhole.  Ranma-chan was surprised with the strength she had.  'I'm strong!
But not as strong as Ryoga.  Ryoga is really strong.'  Kuno paid no
attention, and he easily lifted up Ranma-chan, and immediately hugged her.

      "Oh beautiful girl, now fair's fair.  You owe me a favor."  Tatewaki
glanced up and down the girl's body, which had been enhanced by the wet
clothing.  "A kiss and a night of passion?  How does that sound?"
Tatewaki's eye had a peculiar glint that hinted the perversion that infested
his mind.  Ranma's yin and yang were sickened simultaneously, and both
shouted 'He deserves to be pounded!'  

       Ranma balled his fist, and drove it into Kuno's stomach.  He was
satisfied when Kuno fell backwards, slightly blue.  'At least I still can
fight.'  Ranma walked off.

* * *

      Akane was sitting in her bedroom, feeling very sorry for Ranma.  "Poor
Ranma" she repeated for the millionth time.  Nabiki who was stretching on
Akane's bed, thought similarily.  'Ranma, he must really hate himself now.'
However, her appearances did not match her feelings.

      "Well, Akane.  It isn't that bad.  At least he turns into a cute
girl."  Akane whirled around.

      "What?  You don't care about Ranma's problem?  You're colder than I
thought."  accused Akane.  Akane scornfully stared at Nabiki, not expecting
a slight reaction from her normally calm sister.  However Nabiki did care,
and Akane's comment forced her to resort to an emotional outburst.

      "Of course I feel sorry for Ranma.  I feel really sorry!"  Nabiki
shouted back.  Nabiki stopped herself, feeling surprised that she actually
had the gall to admit her feelings.  There was a knock on the door, and
Kasumi came in.

      "Are you two fighting?"  Kasumi looked at Akane and Nabiki.  "I could
hear you two from downstairs!"  Kasumi carefully closed the door behind her.

      "Well, we were sort of fighting."  Akane explained.

      "About Ranma?"  Kasumi asked.  She had no idea, but she too was
worried about Ranma.  'He was so depressed when he left.  He even forgot his
friend.  I hope he's alright.'  Kasumi then remembered that she had to clean
the dishes.  "Well, that's nice.  I hope you two don't get too rough.  I
have to go clean the dishes."

      Nabiki rolled her eyes. 'Sometimes I think Kasumi has lost it.'

* * *

      After pounding Kuno, Ranma was feeling slightly better, and he was
running home on the fence.  He did fall off a couple times, but after
getting used to his new body, he found it easier and easier to balance.  'At
least I'm not completely helpless in this body.  And not that bad looking,
all I need is a dress...'  Ranma stopped himself, and tried to suppress the
inevitable.

       Leaping hard, Ranma-chan was surprised, when she easily flew over the
gate into the Tendo Dojo.  Momentarily dizzy from the height, she managed to
land perfectly on the other side.  Ryoga who had been fiddling around with
his umbrella for an hour shook his head.

      "Hey Ranma!  Are you alright?"  Ryoga shook his head again.  His
friend, whether girl or boy, never ceased to amaze him.  'He still has his
touch, even as a girl.'

      Ranma-chan smiled at Ryoga.  "I'm fine.  I just needed to think a
little, that's all"  Ryoga's eyes bulged, as he saw her heaving chest.
Ryoga felt himself get dizzy, and the blood pressure within him skyrocketing
to new highs.  Unable to cope, he collapsed onto the ground.  Ranma-chan
laughed a little.  'Ryoga, Ryoga.  Always nervous around the girls.  That's
what make him so cute!'  Struggling a bit, she managed to lift up Ryoga, and
drag him into the house.

      "What happened to your friend?"  Kasumi asked.  She stared at Ryoga
who was twitching on the table, his nose bleeding.  Ranma-chan shrugged her
shoulders, as she carefully wiped away the blood.

      "I don't know.  I smiled at him, and all he did was collapse.  I guess
he gets nervous around girls, that's all.  He's so cute!"  At that moment,
Ranma stopped himself from continuing.  He felt sickened, and fought the
urge to run to the bathroom.  Trying to calm himself down, he convinced
himself that his yin had stirred up a bit, and he couldn't do anything to
control it.  "I almost felt I was a girl."  Ranma muttered quietly.  Kasumi
only nodded at Ranma, understanding his fear.

      Ryoga finally woke up from his stupor, to see Ranma and Kasumi, taking
care of him.  "Ah!  Ranma!  Turn back into a boy!"  Ryoga fumbled about, and
eyeing a cup of tea, he dumped the hot water onto Ranma.

      Ryoga breathed in relief, when he saw his friend revert back to his
male body.  "Ranma  I really want to go home now."  Ranma shrugged his
shoulders, and he took Ryoga home.

* * *

     The next day, Ranma staggered into school, his clothes a giant soaking
mess, his hair stringy and messy.  For some reason, that morning, his body
had suddenly become a giant magnet for water.  Ranma glumly felt his pockets
empty.  He had spent all of his lunch money buying hot water to cure himself
along the way to school.  Ranma groaned as he though about the sprinklers
that accidently sprayed him as he passed the garden, and the old woman who
was watering the sidewalk, and those obnoxious kids playing with water
balloons.  He could hear some boys snickering, and some girls who went to
the neighboring girls school giggle.

      "Ranma!"  Ranma recognized that voice.  He turned around, to see
Kodachi.  "Ranma, why are your clothes soaked?"  Kodachi felt the fabric of
Ranma's clothes, and was surprised by how waterlogged they were.

      Ranma didn't want to tell Kodachi in the open, so he evaded the
question.  "Well, it's a long story, so ask me again later."  Ranma
continued walking slowly, he still had a good twenty minutes until class
started.

      Kodachi thought about the last time she was with Ranma, and she
decided to ask another question.  "By the way Ranma, here's the change from
the dinner.  You gave a bit too much.  How come you had to leave?"  Kodachi
handed Ranma some money, which he gratefully pocketed.  'I guess I won't
have to starve later.'

      Ranma started to fidget.  "Well, I know the waitress."  Kodachi
stopped for a moment as she thought about the waitress.  The waitress who
was impossibly cute.  The fact that Ranma had gone out of his way to learn
Chinese.  Kodachi concluded 'That's it.  Ranma likes that waitress.  He
learned Chinese so he could hook up with her...'

      Ranma continued.  "I met her in China, when I was ten years old.  My
father, he was a character.  We happened to wander through an Amazon
village, and he stole some food.  This young girl, about my age, leaped out
of nowhere, and began to attack my father.  She had been assigned to guard
the storerooms.  Well, I joined the fight, and I basically won.  Then..."
Kodachi saw Ranma shudder.  "She kissed me, and tried to drag me off to be
married."

      Kodachi couldn't believe what she heard.  "What?  She tried to marry
you, even when you were 10 years old?"  Ranma nodded.

      "It's the Amazon law.  Anyways, I hated the idea of marriage, so
father and I ran off during the night.  I never thought she would ever come
to Japan."  Kodachi calmed down a bit.  'Whew!  At least he hasn't married
the girl yet, and he's not interested in marrying her.'

      The first bell rang, and Ranma ran off.  "Sorry, talk to you later."
Seconds later, Ranma bursted into his classroom, and slid right into his
assigned seat, ready for another boring day at school, or so it seemed.

      Well, for the most part, the morning was dull, and lunch was boring
despite the giant fight that broke out for the food.  But physical education
was a challenge, at best.  The students had to swim in the pool.

      Ranma tried to talk his way out of swimming lessons.  Unfortunately,
Ranma was not successful at all.  Ranma begged his instructor.  "Um, Coach,
I don't feel well..."

      The Coach stared surprised at Ranma, who was usually so eager to
participate.  He grumbled back.  "Get into the pool Saotome!"

      Ranma continued his pleading.  "I don't think it would be a good idea
if..."

      "Get into the pool Saotome!"  Ranma swore to himself, and he stood on
the edge of the diving platform.  Praying to god, he felt his gym teacher
impatiently push him off the edge.  Ranma tumbled wildly, as he approached
the giant pit of water below, he swore as he broke through the surface.
Immediately Ranma felt changes occur over his body.  Looking down, Ranma
immediately shouted.  He wasn't wearing a top!  'Damn it, why did I have to
go to an all boy's school!'

      Ryoga kicked himself as Ranma crashed into the water.  'Oh no!  The
entire school is going to hear about this.'  Everyone stood expecting Ranma
to come to the surface, however, he was below for a long time.  The Coach
started to look around nervously, thinking that he had drowned Ranma.

      "I didn't push him in!  I didn't!"  the Coach shouted as he pointed
wildly at the pool. Ryoga sighed, and he grabbed a towel, and prepared to
dive in.  He didn't have to.  Ranma came bursting up to the surface, and he
started to cough up water.

      A boy in the class pointed.  "Hey!  That's not Ranma!  It's a cute,
naked girl!"  Ranma immediately blushed, and he covered his chest with his
arms.  Swimming to the edge of the pool, he carefully pulled himself out
without revealing much.  A crowd of gropping boys appeared around him.

     Ranma momentarily lost his mind, as his yin broke free, and Ranma-chan
started to scream.  "Get away perverts!"  Ranma-chan covered her assets with
her left arm, as she tried to force back the hormone driven boys with her
right hand.  However, as a girl, Ranma-chan was less inclined to hit people
without a very good reason, and slowly, the crowd of boys approached closer
and closer, there hands outstretched hoping to get a touch of Ranma-chan's body.

     Ryoga felt sorry for his friend, and he felt obligated to help.
"Coming through!"  Ryoga picked up a boy, and threw him into the pool.
"Watch out!"  He shoved another four boys into the pool.  He broke through
the crowd, and he covered Ranma-chan with the towel.  "Come on Ranma.  Let's
go to the locker room"  Ryoga lead her.

     Ranma-chan shuddered as Ryoga covered her with the blanket, and she
looked at Ryoga with open eyes.  'He's so cute, and he's a gentleman.  And
he's completely lost.'  She gently shook Ryoga's arm.  "I think the locker
room is that way."  Ryoga stared for a moment, and he laughed.  As soon as
they entered the locker room, Ryoga pushed Ranma-chan into a shower, and
turned on the hot water.

     Ranma shouted as the hot water stung him temporarily.  Ryoga asked.
"Feeling better?"  Ranma nodded his head.  'Damn, back there, I just began
to think I was a girl!  I guess an all boys school is not a good place for me!'

* * *

     Genma and Nodoka stared at Ranma.  "That happened?"  Ranma nodded.
Genma added.  "Well, I think that you're right, anyways Mr. Tendo convinced
me that you should go to Furinken High School."  Ranma felt suspicious, for
before his father always praised the existence of all boys schools.

      "Really?  And why the sudden change?"  'It seemed that Genma had
already planned to transfer Ranma to Furinken High.'  Ranma stood tapping
his foot, waiting for an answer.  Nodoka rolled her eyes, and she pushed
Genma rather hard.

      Genma took off his glasses, and started to polish them furiously.
"Well, I and Soun made a little promise to try to get you to marry one of
the Tendo daughters.  I'm not forcing you, just trying to help you..."

      Ranma stood up.  "So you're trying to play matchmaker again?  How dare
you try to arrange my life for me!"  Ranma walked off, wishing that his
parents never meddled in his life.  'Why do they always have to play
matchmaker!  It never works!'

* * *

      The next day, Kodachi sat outside of the school gates, waiting for
Ranma.  He never showed up.  Sighing, Kodachi convinced herself to wait, and
period after period went by.  Classes started and ended.  A couple minutes
after the dismissal bell, Kodachi was surprised by a very haggard looking
Ryoga, crawl his way to the gate.  He was muttering, "That's pretty good.
It took me only the entire day to find school!  Too bad Ranma can't help me
anymore."  Kodachi jumped up from her seat, and kneeled next to Ryoga.

       The mere mentioning of Ranma's name had piqued her interest.  "Are
you a friend of Ranma?"  Ryoga nodded, and Kodachi continued.  "So do you
know where Ranma is?"

       Ryoga fought for air, since it seemed that he had spent the entire
day running nonstop.  Finally catching his breath, he spoke.  "Ranma
transferred to Furinken High, because his parents are trying to get him to
marry some other girl."  Kodachi stiffened, and she stood up.  'So his
parents are trying to marry him off to some other girl.  I can't let that
happen!'  She ran off.

* * *

      Akane looked at the greying clouds in the sky, and she guessed about a
coming storm.  As she scanned the horizon, her eyes locked onto a figure in
the distance.  "Hey, Nabiki, I think it's going to rain, and isn't that
Ranma?"  Nabiki stared at the person in the distance.

      Waving her arm, "Hey Ranma!"  Nabiki shouted out at a boy who was
running rather quickly on the other side of the street.  She shook her head,
when she saw him easily running on the fence.  Ranma stopped instantly, and
he leaped across the street, landing right in front of Nabiki and Akane.

       Somehow Akane had remembered that Ranma went to St. Lawerence
Academy, which was on the other side of Nerima.  Akane looked at Ranma.
"Aren't you supposed to be going to school?"  Ranma slowed down so he was
walking next to Nabiki and Akane.

       "Well, something rather embarassing happened at school yesterday, and
I thought it was time I transferred to Furinken."  Ranma decided to leave
the part out.  He was still quite embarassed about the incident
  
       Akane was shocked.  "What happened?"  Nabiki through her usual
network of information sources had already a brief synopsis of the event.
But she walked silently, as if she didn't have a clue what happened.

       Ranma grimaced, and he muttered.  "Let's say I had a little problem
in the pool."  Ranma's comment had the effect of turning on Akane's
imagination, and she was able to surmiss what had happened.  She immediately
felt sorry for Ranma, and tried to say something nice, but she couldn't
think of something right to say.

       Akane looked ahead, and she saw the high school straight ahead.  She
was almost glad, and she sighed with relief.  'Here's something I can
handle.'  She took off her knapsack, and handed it to Ranma.  "Can you hold
this?"  Ranma with a questioning look accepted the bag, and watched Akane
run towards the school gates.

       Nabiki spoke to Ranma.  "You've got to see this.  This happens every
day."  Just when Nabiki finished her words, an entire mob of boys charged
out the school gates and swarmed Akane.  Ranma watched in awe as Akane, in a
mere three minutes reduced a crowd of rowdy lovesick boys into a giant pile
of bodies on the ground.

       Ranma walked up, and handed Akane her sack.  "Here's your bag."  He
looked around and surveyed the damage.  Nabiki carefully picked her way
through the bodies, and she ran in the door.

      "Hey!  You'd better get into class.  The bell's going to ring in a
minute."  Ranma started to walk in, but he was blocked by Tatewaki.

      "Who dares to hold a priceless possession of Akane Tendo?"  Kuno
stared at Ranma vaguely familiar.  "Ah it is you!  The slippery devil who
used magics to conquer me at the Kendo match.  And you, who are friends with
my sister!  Prepare to die!"  Kuno pulled out his wooden sword, and charged
Ranma.  Akane stepped back.  'His sister?  Kuno has a sister?'  Kuno
suddenly stopped, and he paused.

     "Even though you may be an evil scoundrel, I shall have to abide by the
rules of honor.  State your name!"  Ranma was about to start, but Kuno
cutted him off.  "I'm Tatewaki Kuno, the star of Furinken High, master
swordsman, and I shall kill you!"  Tatewaki charged, trying to catch Ranma
unprepared.  "Take this!"  Kuno's blade whistled through the air, prepared
to cleave Ranma in half.  

     Ranma sighed as he easily dodged Kuno, and he backflipped, landing on
the outer concrete walls of the school.  Frustrated Kuno tried again.  This
time, he swung from bottom to up, splitting the wall.  Ranma had foreseen
this attack, and he leaped from the fence to the tree trunk.  Amazingly
standing horizontal against the tree for a moment, he jumped knocking Kuno
onto the ground.

      Ranma smiled a bit.  But instead of beating Kuno into a bloody pulp.
Ranma backed off, and turned to walk into the school.  Kuno grumbled.  "This
is not finished yet, cretin!"  Kuno charged Ranma from behind, with his
bokken ready to decapitate Ranma.  As Kuno swung his sword, Ranma leaped up,
and his hands barely touched Kuno's forehead.  But whether it be sudden luck
or some coincidence, rain started to pour down from the sky, and Ranma found
himself changing in midair.  Out of no where, Genma came running up, and he
plowed aside Kuno as he grabbed Ranma and entered the building.  

      "Here.  Your mother gave these to me."  Genma tossed Ranma thermos of
hot water, "And here.  Your transfer papers.  Bye!."  And as suddenly as he
appeared, Genma disappeared.  

* * *

      Ranma walked into class, and he presented his papers to the teacher.
Ranma sighed thinking about the forty minutes he had to wait in the office
for the incompetent secretaries to actually find his class forms.  The
teacher looked up.  "Ah, our new student.  Everyone give Ranma Saotome a
warm welcome.  Now Ranma go out into the hall.  Being forty minutes late is
not acceptable, even if you're a new student. Now go!"  

      Ranma shrugged his shoulders, and he walked out into the hall.
Standing there for a moment, Ranma mindlessly accepted his fate.  'Well, it
isn't my fault I'm late.'  His brief period of rest was interrupted by the
sound of anger.

      "Ranma Saotome!"  Ranma looked up, and saw Kuno running towards him,
his sword waving around wildly.  "Prepare to die!  How dare you defile me by
writing on my face!"  As Kuno ran, his hair fluttered, revealing a
noticeable message scrawled onto his forehead in black magic marker.  Ranma
groaned as he thought, 'Why does it always have to be "Prepare to die!"?'
Kuno ineffectively swung his sword around as Ranma easily dodged.  Ranma
finally leaped up into the air, and landed behind Kuno.

      Meanwhile, in the classroom, everyone was instantly distracted by the
sounds of a fight in the hall.  The teacher frustrated with the noise, stood
up, walked to the door.  He began to shout.  "Stop fighting!"  But he was
silenced by a stray blow from Kuno's wooden sword.  Stumbling, the teacher
collapsed backwards in a heap.  

     A boy stood up.  "Hey!  Upperclassman Kuno killed the teacher!  Let's
blow this joint!"  He ran out of the door, followed by everyone else in the
class.

      Ranma watched the people piling out of the classroom.  'I can't fight
here!  It might hurt them.'  Ranma ducked Kuno's thrust.  "Hey Kuno!  Follow
me, if you're man enough." Ranma started to run down the hall, glancing
about, he found an open window, and he leaped out.  Kuno without hesitation
(or thought) leaped out.  

      Akane shouted.  "Ranma it's the third floor!"  Ranma smiled to
himself, as he initiated aerial combat.  His fists slammed into Kuno, and
his kicks launched the bokken far away.  Ranma was going to finish off Kuno,
when both crashed into the pool.  Akane paled.  'Is Ranma alright?'

       Ranma felt the transformation as he impacted with the water.  Staying
submerged, he hoped to quickly leap out of the pool, and run off before
anyone else realized his curse.  His plan had one flaw, it didn't include
Kuno.  Kuno swam quickly after Ranma, and he latched onto him hoping to
drown Ranma.

       His hands looped around Ranma, and grabbed his chest, where his hands
felt soft resistance.  Ranma gasped in pain, and his womanly instincts took
over.  Screaming loudly that even people outside could hear, Ranma-chan
propelled herself and Kuno out the pool, and she leaped out of the
schoolyard with Kuno on her back.  Reaching over her shoulders, she grabbed
Kuno, and propelled him into the ground.

       "Never touch me again!"  Ranma landed on Kuno's stomach and began to
slap him silly.  "Never!  Never!  Never!"  Kuno's last thoughts as he
fainted, 'Such beauty.  Love hurts sometimes.'  Kuno fainted.

       "You can stop now."  Ranma felt a cool hand land on her shoulder.
Suppressing her tears, Ranma-chan looked up and saw Kodachi, who was looking
disdainfully at her unconscious brother.

       "What are you doing here?"  Ranma asked.  Ranma felt the yin within
him slowly die down.  'Gosh, I've got to control these urges.'  Ranma
laughed to himself as he looked at Kuno's red puffy cheeks.  'At least he
got what he deserved.'

       Kodachi helped Ranma to his feet.  "I heard my brother fighting, and
I decided to come.  He can be such an asshole sometimes."  Ranma nodded.  

       "Ranma?  Ranma?  I got some hot water."  Kodachi paled when she heard
the name of her loved one.  'Where is Ranma?  Where is Ranma?'  She looked
around for him.  'If I only had the courage to...'

       Akane appeared, carrying a pot of steaming water.  "Ranma?"  Akane
stopped when she saw Kodachi and Ranma.  Her eyes narrowed.  'Is Ranma and
her...'

       Kodachi looked at Akane.  "Do you know where Ranma is?"  Akane
breathed a sigh of relief, she obviously didn't know about Ranma's curse.
Akane began to formulate a plan to get Kodachi to leave for a moment so she
could give Ranma the hot water.  

       "I think I heard Ranma calling out over there."  Kodachi stood for a
moment, and she shrugged her shoulders.

       "Thank you so much."  She hastily walked through the bushes.  As soon
as Kodachi disappeared, Akane poured the pot of hot water on Ranma.  

       "Thank goodness!  I was almost going insane.  Kuno had to touch me
there!"  Ranma unconsciously touched his breast.  Akane shuddered.  'That's
Kuno alright.'  Both heard the sounds of someone walking closer, and Kodachi
broke through the bushes.

       "Oh, I couldn't find Ranma."  Kodachi noticed Ranma.  "Ranma?"
Kodachi's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the soaked clothing that
Ranma wore.  'Didn't the girl that I just met wear similar clothing?'
Kodachi didn't care, she had an important question to ask.  "Ranma!  Is it
true that you transferred to Furinken High because your parents want you to
marry a Tendo?"

       Ranma began.  "Well, it was Mr. Tendo's and my father's idea.  I mean
I didn't have a say in this, but fortunately I'm not engaged yet."  Akane
felt her heart beat faster when she heard Kodachi.  'Why didn't father tell us?'

        Kodachi felt in her desperation, a new courage burn within her, and
she hugged Ranma tightly.  "Don't leave me!  I've been in love with you
since we've first met!"  Akane started to twitch slightly, and her hands
starts to claw up.  But as quick as Akane was to anger, Akane calmed down.
'I can't do anything.  Ranma's not engaged to anyone at all, yet, and I have
no right hitting him.  I wonder what it would be like if he was engaged to me.'

       Ranma gently pried Kodachi off of him.  "Kodachi, you're a friend of
mine, and I know I will never abandon you.  But as for me loving you, that I
do not know about.  Only time will tell.  I don't think I'm ready to love
anyone, yet.  I have to finish my duty, and duty comes first."  Ranma spoke
sternly to himself, as if he was reminding himself, and forcing himself to
do something.