eerg! I'm stuck, please read and forward me whatever hits your brain   
about this, the stuff typed in here is about 70% of the finished chapter   
but I'm having a very hard time coming up with believable dialouge, I   
also hate the use of a Deus ex machina, early in this part. C&C badly   
needed!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Help, help I'm a fanboy and I can't get up)
Please send me responses to this at TnekG@aol.com
I also need people who are willing to proofread for me.

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumico Takahashi: My use of her
characters is without official permission and is intended for the non
profit amusement of other Ranma 1/2 fans out there. No Infringement
of the creators copyright or her authorized publishers or distributors
is intended: If you like this stuff go buy the real thing it's better;
and the cash will make Viz happy.


Ps. - this is a continuation fic - meant to pick up at the end of volume
38 - unfortunately I have only read synopsis's of 38 - my copy should
be in about the time pigs learn to fly (And Astro boy P-chan doesn't   
count)

What has gone before:
	A long time ago the Dinosaurs wandered the earth, then the dinosaurs
died and became oil, then the Arabs came.. um no wait.

Quick synopsis of V37-38:
	Akane is kidnapped (again) and taken to China. During the shenanigans
at Phoenix mountain Akane nearly dies, Ranma declares "that he never had   
the
chance to tell her that he loved her" and begs her to be all right, he   
later
denies everything. The Jusenkyo Springs are broken, and there now exists   
a
spring of drowned Akane.
	The return to Nerima is marked by a wedding. Ranma and Akane's
wedding is broken up by their friends- Shampoo and Ukyou actually throw
bombs and damage the house, Ranma looses another chance at being rid of   
his
curse as Happosai drinks the Nannichuan water thinking it is saki.

Quick Synopsis of what I've been up to:
	P-chan has disappeared after Akane took him to the vet. Ranma and
Ucchan are not speaking but the full reason has not been revealed. Karume   

and Natsumi are back. Ranma's mother has made him promise to become not
only a man but a gentleman and Akane's cooking can still kill moose at
thirty paces ^_^ enjoy!

Quick notes:
"" - quotes for spoken text.
[[]] - thought bubbles.
{} - sound effects.

	
 --------------Begin Episode 3 -----------------------------

Chapter #3- I'm a Tendo, She's a Tendo, Wouldn't cha like to be a Tendo   
too?
	
	The crickets were unusually loud. Not that this would normally be
noticeable at the Tendo household, but no one had said anything ever   
since
Karume's announcement. Finally Kasumi broke the silence.

"Oh My!"

"Soun, I do not believe I am familiar with these girls."

	Nodoka was puzzled at the effrontery of the two girls. Soun looked
like he was ready to cry (but then he always did). Akane looked angry,   
and
Ranma looked confused. Nabiki (ever the logical one) quickly explained.

"Mrs. Saotome, these two girls are orphans, Happosai deceived them at a
very young age into believing that our father was theirs as well. The   
last
time they were here they challenged Ranma and Akane for the right to   
carry
on the dojo; after all that is what their "father" promised them. Ranma   
and
Akane beat them and they left to train for a rematch someday."

"So this is a matter of family honor?"

"Exactly."

	Nodoka nodded sagely. If there was one thing that she had learned in
recent months it was that matters of honor, while never easy, where
particularly contorted where the Tendos and Saotomes were concerned. She
addressed Karume politely but firmly.

"It is your intention then to take Akane's place as heir to the Dojo?"

"Hai. I do not believe I have met you O-sama."

"I am Saotome Nodoka, Ranma's mother."

	As Nodoka was introduced to the girls Ranma tried to gauge his
iinazuke's mood. It looked like Akane was happy to see Natsumi again;   
every
so often the younger girl would flash Akane a sheepish grin. On the other   

hand it was pretty obvious that Karume's presence was less welcome. Ranma   

realized his mother was speaking to him again.

"Ranma, this appears to be a matter for the Tendos to solve, while your
assistance of Akane was admirable, you should allow her to resolve   
matters
of her families honor on her own. After all, if these girls win one of   
them
will become your iinazuke."

"NANI????"

	Ranma and Akane both were shocked. Everyone stared at Nodoka.

"It should be obvious to you son, the arrangement between our families is   

that you would marry a Tendo daughter and carry on the Anything Goes   
School.
If either of these girls becomes the heir to the Tendo dojo it would be   
her
duty to marry you."

	The reactions around the table were wildly varied.

	Soun, as usual, was crying (#373 What am I gonna do with two more
daughters?).

	Kasumi was smiling and helping dishes for the two girls.

	Nabiki had her notebook out and was looking for her phone #'s of
various repair contractors. The last visit from these two had ended with   
the
dojo needing a new roof.
     

	Ranma had his head in his hands. Faintly you could hear him
muttering.
"Oh no, not again."

	Genma was taking the opportunity to steal Ranma's dinner.

	Karume was surprised.

	Natsumi looked skeptical.
"Hey I'm too young to get married!"

	Akane was furious.
"I am not going to LOSE!"

	At this point Genma and Soun made their last conscious mistakes of
the evening; they congratulated Akane on fighting to keep her engagement
with Ranma. This, combined with everything else she had been through, was   

more than enough; Akane snapped.
	Luckily the damage to the house was minimal, Nabiki, Kasumi,
Nodoka and Natsumi survived unscathed. Ranma and the fathers were a   
little
less lucky, but Ranma had only been hit on his way out to the Koi pond   
and
Soun and Genma showing their usual fortitude were quickly rendered
unconscious by a table wielding Akane. Karume had tried to intervene and   
had
gotten caught up in the general melee. She and Akane were on the floor   
now,
tangled like Greek wrestlers. No one left conscious was foolish enough to   
try
separating them.

"Well girls, I believe I shall take my son and husband and put them to   
bed.
Kasumi, would you like a hand with your father or the mess in here?"

"Thank you Mrs. Saotome. If you would help father to bed it would be a   
great
help. Nabiki would you please let Natsumi sleep in your room tonight?"

"Sure Oneechan, come on Natsumi, I'd like to talk to you anyway."

"Thank you Oneechan!"

	Nabiki winced slightly, this was going to take some getting used to.

	Later that night there was a soft knock on Akane's door.

"Who is it?" Akane still sounded mad.

"Um, It's me, Natsumi."

"Oh, please come in!"

	Akane had been glad to see Natsumi, the young girl was one of the few
people who had always been nice to Akane. Even though she had only known   
her
briefly Akane liked her and, to her surprise, had realized that she   
wouldn't
mind having a younger sister like her. (It helped that the ever starving
Natsumi had actually liked her cooking and had complimented her on it.)

"Akane, I've been thinking; and I've decided I don't want to fight you."

"Why Natsumi?"

"Akane, I, I just want a family. And you're the only one who has been   
nice to
me. I couldn't try to take away your place here. Besides I don't want to
marry Ranma!"

	The girls both laughed. They talked for a short while longer,
renewing the friendship that had started during the last visit; and then
Natsumi said her goodnights and went to Nabiki's room.

	Ranma-chan meanwhile was standing on a rock by the pond. She had
awoken part way through the cleaning up of the mess in the living room   
and
had just finished helping Kasumi with the extra bedding. The house was
getting very crowded, and it looked like the only places left to sleep   
were
the roof again and the Dojo.

[[Too bad I can't just become an animal like Ryoga or one of the others.
Then I could just curl up somewhere quiet in the corner.]]

	As if summoned by Ranma's errant thoughts, there was a rushing of air
and a muted cry.

"Ranma! Prepare to die for the HELL you've put me through!"

	Ryoga looked a mess. He hadn't found one of his many outfits and
backpacks for one thing. For another he was wearing only two aluminum   
garbage
can lids crimped by his great strength into some ridiculous parody of a
diaper. He was shaking in anger and he was covered head to foot in mud   
and
bracken. He smelled awful (even at this distance) and looked not like
something the cat had drug in but rather something that a dog would roll   
in
and then leave exactly where it found it.

"I've been through hell because of you Ranma! You have no idea, the   
horror,
the guy with the knife..."

	Ryoga was shaking. Ranma knew that this would happen, but hadn't
expected Ryoga to find his way back so soon.

 -----Ryoga's Happy Little Flashback---------

	He awoke to the actinic light of the surgical arena. He was still in
his cursed form, and his mind was hazy from whatever it was the nurse had   

given him.

[[Akane, how could you do this to me?]]

	P-chan tried to move but his body wouldn't respond. Distantly he
could hear Nabiki's voice in the background, asking the doctor where she
could stand where she would be out of the way. He felt the nurse turn him   

over on his back and wrap towels around him to keep him from rolling   
over.
He could see the doctor going through a collection of knives. Nabiki was
checking her camera, she looked bored.

[[Why is she here? Ranma must have wanted a souvenir so he could gloat   
over
me... ]]

	As the nurse came back to where he lay. P-chan gave up trying to
struggle and lay back in the warm towel. Then the nurse was over him, she   

lowered a sponge to his body, with a sudden rush of joy P-chan realized   
that
it was steaming. As his body began to change he rolled off the operating
table, landing hard on the floor and crawling toward the first door he   
saw.
The nurse had screamed and fainted, the doctor had dropped the scalpel   
and
stood there in shock. Nabiki looked almost as shocked and with mounting
horror Ryoga realized that she was capturing the moment on film.

[[Ranma!!! I'll Kill You!!!]]

	Ryoga ran out the door, he found himself in a dirty alleyway between
two buildings. Grabbing the first thing he could to protect his modesty   
he
ran for his life, and his manhood. For the rest of the day he felt like a   

hunted animal. Not sure where to turn he frequently found himself in dire   

circumstances and twice had to run from police trying to arrest him for
indecent exposure. Finally near dark he had seen Ranma-chan again and had   

followed her as best he could back to the Tendo's. He had collapsed in an   

alley and slept then, waking only when the fight at dinner broke out -   
Now
was his chance for REVENGE!

 -----Now back to your regularly scheduled slugfest-----

	Ranma was unimpressed, on a good day Ryoga was a challenge for him;
the perfect test of speed verses strength. Tonight Ryoga was pitiful,   
without
his umbrella, half naked, shivering with the cold and over exposure.   
Ranma
almost felt sorry for him - almost.

"So you wanna fight Ryoga or just cuss at me?"

"You can't know what I've been through! What kind of man are you to let
something like that happen to me! It's your fault I have this curse!"

"And its your fault that Akane thinks your just a PIG!"

"You take that back you half woman pervert!"

	Both sides had had enough; Ryoga jumped at Ranma-chan who rolled out
of the way of his wild blow and countered with a foot sweep. Ryoga   
stumbled
as he landed, he rolled to his side and began throwing bandannas at
Ranma-chan. Ranma-chan was a blur, combined with the cloudy night and the   

mud all over Ryoga both warriors were totally lost in the darkness to   
anyone
more than a few feet away. The only signs that a fight was occurring at   
all
was the unusual amount of swearing for a Koi pond and the usual   
intelligent
repartee associated with a Ranma / Ryoga brawl.

"PIG!"

"Pervert!"

"Come at me lost Boy!"

	etc. etc. and so forth. Any normal family would have long since woken
and come out to see what was happening. But this was the Tendo's the   
entire
sum of activity could be summed thus:

{"Kasumi what's that noise?"

"Oh just Ranma and one of his little friends. Don't worry he usually   
finishes
these quickly. Goodnight Karume"

"Oh Er - goodnight Kasumi.." }

	Ryoga and Ranma-chan were rolling around on the ground. Ryoga had
managed to grab onto a leg and was inelegantly trying to rip it out of   
it's
socket. Ranma-chan was getting desperate. She hadn't realized how tired   
she
was and if Ryoga kept this up he was likely to break something she was   
fairly
likely to need. Finally she found herself near the edge of the pond and
almost gratefully pulled herself and the rabid Ryoga in with her. P-chan   
was
much easier to deal with and after an amiguriken or two lay quietly in   
her
lap like a good house pet should.

[[Enough for one day- I don't care where it is I just need someplace to
crash.]]

	Ranma looked at the comatose P-chan. He felt kind of sorry for the
sap and it had been kind of rotten to scare him like that. Even if he had   

told Nabiki to make sure that P-chan got washed in hot water before the
surgery. Oh well - to late to take it back know. And if Akane found out
P-chan had been here and she hadn't seen him, she would no doubt blame   
Ranma
for it. With a sigh Ranma climbed up the side of the house, stopping at
Akane's window. He knocked softly. Akane slid the window open part way.   
She
stood there wiping the sleep out of her eyes.

"what do you want Ranma." Akane yawned.

"Here, I found him wandering around outside."

	Ranma handed the comatose piglet to Akane and resumed his climb to
the roof.

"Goodnight Akane."

	Akane slid the window closed quietly. She stared at the unconscious
form in her arms. Then her nose wrinkled.

[[Ewww. What has P-chan been into? But why would Ranma? Did he go looking   

for? Oh I don't understand this- I'll think about it in the morning.]]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soun's Room
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Soun Tendo, patriarch of the Tendo clan slept peacefully in his room.
Of course, this could not be allowed to last.
	Soun dreamt of earlier days before his life became so complicated, of
days that were more likely to bring him smiles than tears. He dreamt of   
days
before his daughters were grown, of days when he had students lining up   
to
enter the dojo; of days he spent with his wife.
	But the dream was different tonight. This did not feel of dream-stuff
but more like the strangely lucid visions after a long fever, as if   
somehow
he had traveled some great distance to reach this peacefull spot in his   
own
soul and the journey had exhausted him. Here the cherry trees were in   
bloom
and he could hear his childrens laughter, softly. Somehow it was like the   

tinkling laugh of small children and the pealing giggles of adolescents   
and
the refined amusement of the mature all at once. Not directed at him, but   

laughing with him at the ridiculousness of the life that the Kami and   
karma
had selected for him. He walked to the crest of the hill he found himself   
on.
>From there he could see the forest streching around him as if he stood in   

some great national park or undiscovered wilderness.

"Few men see this land beloved."

	The voice was soft, and close behind him. He turned, and as he often
did in his dreams, he saw his wife standing before him. She was smiling   
and
she was clearer and more real to him than she had been in a long time.

"Come my husband, we have much to discuss and little time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Morning
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Ranma awoke on the cold tiles of the roof. He had been too tired to
get a blanket or sleeping bag last night and he was paying for that   
oversight
now. As onna-Ranma stretched in the cold morning sun she reflected on the   

fact that she had used to sleep in so late. But ever since phoenix   
mountain
she was up with the dawn almost every morning, sure she sometimes had a
relapse and slept in all day; but then considering the amount of exercise   
one
of her days could entail it was surprising that she didn't nap more.

[[Heh. Of course there's always school- plenty of sleep there.]]

	The thought of school brought Ranma-chan awake with a shock. There
were only three weeks left before summer break and then her family would   
be
moving out. But would she be with them? This unpleasant thought was
apparently lonely and so made Ranma come up with another one.

[[FINALS!!! two weeks to FINALS!!!]]

	A few feet below Akane woke from a deep slumber. She stretched
luxuriously for a few seconds and then the smell hit her.

[[EEWWWW!]]

"P-chan you need a bath! I'm so sorry I scared you yesterday, but you   
have
been acting funny lately!"

	P-chan awoke- everything hurt. Had he killed Ranma? Had Ranma killed
him? shaking the pain away he soon realized that he was being helped by
someone. He was being carried somewhere but where? His head was still to
cloudy...

[[Cloudy, no THAT'S STEAM!]]

	P-chan tried groggily to escape but Akane tossed him into the
bathroom and closed the door so she could put her nightshirt in the   
laundry,
after all it did now smell like an alley. P-chan twisted wildly on the   
slick
floor- he had one hope - the tub.

	Ranma-chan was standing bemused on the roof watching the last of the
sunrise and stretching the last kinks out of her system. then she heard a   

window slide open below her. Ryoga clad only in one of the Tendo's towels   

was trying to squeeze out of the bathroom window. She heard a door open
somewhere below.

	Akane finished disrobing and opened the door to the tub. She was
shocked- some stranger was trying to sneak into the house NAKED! And   
somehow
they had gotten stuck in the bathroom window in a very _exposing_   
position.
Or. Could Ranma be trying to? Akane took a closer look at the evidence
before her.

[[Nope Not Ranma - no dimples]]

	There was only one acceptable solution to this matter. Akane reached
for her hammer.

"HENATI !!!!!"

	Ranma-chan was lying on the roof now hanging a little over the edge.
It was hard to keep from laughing. Suddenly with a scream from inside the   

house Ryoga launched for the skyline like he had been shot from a VERY   
rude
cannon. A towel drifted towards the lawn. Akane leaned out the window.
Looking around she saw Ranma-chan hanging above her.

"Ranma! Did you see who that was?"

"Nope I was just looking to see what all the commotion was about. What
happened?"

"Some Pervert tried to sneak into our bathroom! .. AND P-CHAN is missing
AGAIN!"

	Ranma-chan was laughing so hard that he barely heard Akane call her
baka again and slam the window shut.

~~~~~~~~~
	During breakfast, which thanks to the fact that Karume, Kasumi and
Nodoka had all worked on it was exquisite, the families began to discuss
what would be done about the two new girls. Soun claimed to have dreamed   
of
his wife last evening; she had told him that he should accept the girls   
as
his daughters and that one day they would be a source of pride to the   
Tendos.
Genma seemed skeptical but Akane and Kasumi seemed happy and Karume was   
smug.
Nabiki brought up the point that the grocery budget was already stretched   
to
the breaking point by Ranma and Genma's enormous appetites. Kasumi was
reserved but polite about the fact that unless someone moved out there   
just
wouldn't be enough room. Soun surprisingly did not cry but had a   
peacefull
expresion. Akane strangely seemed to be on Karume and Natsumi's side. As   
had
become recent habit, Nodoka was the first to come up with a reasonable
suggestion.

"Soun, you have been a great friend to Genma and Ranma in their times of
need. But our family has imposed on you for long enough. Genma and I can   
move
back to our house, when Ranma moves home in a few weeks you will have   
even
more room. Further I think that I should begin working again, with Genma   
and
I both working we should be able to send you a little money to help with
Ranma."

	Nabiki made a few calculations on her abacus.

"Hmm that will help but it still will not be quite enough."

	Karume, Akane and Ranma spoke at almost the same time.

"Then I'll get a job to help."

	The three looked at each other uncomfortably. Nabiki looked a bit
happier.

"Well then, if the three of you are actually willing to work for a   
living,
we may just be able to make this work."

"Hmmp. Gee thanks Nabiki."

"Ranma! be polite to your hosts."

"Yes mom."

	Apparently trying to diffuse the situation; Natsumi leaned over
to her sister.

"Karume, I don't want to fight Akane."

"NANI?? Thats why came here!"

"No Karume, I came here to find a family. If Akane and her family are   
willing
to give me that I have no reason to fight, at least not to fight them!"

	Karume lowered her head.

"Besides Karume I don't wanna marry Ranma!"

	Akane laughed, even Ranma found himself smiling.

	It was too late in the year for Karume and Natsumi to start school at
Furinkan so... blah blah blah
~~~~~~~~~
ICK!!
so there you have it- I know where I want to go with this and I know how   
I
want to get there, but like Ryouga I find myself somewhere totally
unexpected every 5 minutes and I don't know quite what to say..
bleah- any help would be greatly appreciated.(and could we cut back on   
the
spam a little people? I'm getting 150+ messages a day and less than a   
score
are original or fic related)

Kent Armstrong

TnekG@aol.com
or
armstk@uf4965p01.bentonvillear.ncr.com
or
www.members.aol.com/TnekG/index.html

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