Ranma ½ is owned by Rumiko Takahashi

‘Tribe of One’ is owned by TSR

**************************************

"My father?"  Ranma asked in a bewildered voice.

<Bitter> *He probably wants money or something...*
<Lyric> *Daddy!*
<Guardian> *Calm down.  Let's be cautious about this.  And everyone, be
ready.
Ranma may need some help after this.*

Ryoko had never told Ranma much about his father.  Only that Genma had
brought him to the village so that Ranma could get help dealing with the
tribe.  The tribe was aware that they existed because Ranma had gone through
some type of traumatic ordeal.  They didn't know, however, how that ordeal
was related to Genma.

Ryoko looked at Ranma and smiled sadly.

"Katya, let Genma into my study, I will be there shortly.  Ranma go get
washed up
and changed and then come to my study."


"But-" Ranma began to protest.

"It's OK, Ranma...Be patient.  Just get washed up.  There are some things I
need
to discuss with my brother before he sees you."


"OK, sensei.."  Ranma said, and ran off to the springs, Ukyou not far
behind.

Ryoko took a deep breath and headed for her study.  *Hopefully that idiot
has gained SOME
wisdom over the past 10 years.*


   *****************************************
   *            *
   * Raoh the Conquoror presents *
   *     *
   *    A Story of Ranma 1/2  *
   *     *
   *    A Stained Glass Mind  *
   *     *
   *   Part 2   *
   *     *
   *****************************************

Ranma stripped off his sweaty Gi and waded into the warm pool.  The hot
springs were
located very close to the village and were a deciding factor in building the
village
in this particular location.  The village of the Mind was located in China,
somewhere
in the Himalayas.  A part of the education discipline at the village include
geography.
Ranma knew that the village was luck to have these springs since he didn't
_think_ that
there was much thermal or volcanic activity nearby.

<Bitter>*The existence of the springs kinda proves that particular theory
wrong*

<Ranma>*I guess...*

<Bitter>*You never were a very good student.  Lucky for you I, at least,
stayed awake
during class.*

<Play>*Those classes were sooooo BORING!*

<Bitter>*How would YOU know, its not like you actually paid attention to
anything...*

<Guardian> *I think we should be-*

<Watcher> *Ukyou's coming.*

Ranma ducked his head under the water to get his face and hair wet.  He then
stood up,
shook off the excess water and turned around.

"Hey Ucchan."

"Hi Ranchan."  Ukyou said as she slowly disrobed and walked into the spring.

Ranma had spent his whole life surrounded by women, so seeing one unclothed
did
not ellicit any sort of response from him.  Besides, this was Ucchan, who he
loved
like a sister.  He had spent many, many, days bathing in the springs like
this, either
alone or with some of his classmates.  It took the other women some time to
get used
to disrobing in front of a man, but Ranma never did or said anything that
made them
feel uncomfortable.

Ukyou waded in the water towards Ranma, concern written all over her face.

"Ranchan...Do you want to talk?  About your father, I mean..."

"There's not much to say yet, Ucchan.  Ryoko-sensei told me that he might
come
back for me one day."

"But...are you going to go with him?  Don't you like it here? Why can't you
stay?"

Ukyou's lips were trembling and her eyes started to water.

"I do like it here, Ukyou.  This is the only home I've ever known, but I
want to learn
about my past.  I want to learn who I am.  I want to learn about my family,
about my
bloodline."

<Bitter> *Such a noble and foolish quest.  Why go out into the unknown with
some
old man who left us behind?  Stay here, its comfortable, and we know where
our next
meal is coming from.*

<Ranma> *Bitter, please...not now.*

"But Ranma, what about us?  I- I love you!"  Ukyou exclaimed.

Ranma blinked, then smiled.  "I love you too Ucchan, you're like a sister
too
me, you know that...but I need to do this.  If my... father wants me to
leave
with him, I am going to go."

"But Ranchan, you DON'T understand!  I don't love you like a brother...I
LOVE you."

"Ucchan...I'm sorry but-"

"Don't say it, Ranchan, don't say it." Ukyou quickly left the springs, tears
flowing
freely down her face.

"Ucchan!"  Ranma called out, but she didn't turn back.

<Guardian> *It's better this way...Even if you did love her, you know I
never could,
either could the watcher.*

<Ranma> *Do you ALWAYS have to be so damned cold-blooded about these
things?*

<Guardian> *What do you want me to say?  If you loved her like that it would
have
only made things worse, because the two of you could never be together.  I
could no
more make love to a woman than you could to a man...*

<Play> *I don't know...it might be fun...*

<Guardian> *Quiet Play.  You'd just do it for the shock value.*

<Play> *Hey!  I'm just curious...*

<Guardian> *Ranma, t might have helped, if you had told her earlier on that
SOME of us are female.*

<Ranma> *How could I explain something like that?  Besides, I never thought
that she
would develop feelings like that.*

<Bitter> *You were just scared about how being part female would affect her
perception
of your manhood.*

<Ranma> *Well...maybe.  But I didn't WANT to hurt her...*

<Guardian> *I'm sorry Ranma, but we really don't have time for this now.
Get dressed,
let's go see father.*

<Ranma> *Right...*


   **********************************

Ryoko sat at her desk and looked at the man sitting across from her.  Genma
looked older,
fatter, and had less hair.  Other than that, he hadn't changed one bit.

"Genma, Ranma will be coming here soon.  He has grown into a fine young man
and
has learned to deal with the tribe.  He will still have difficulty adjusting
to
the outside world.  We have protected him here, and I doubt that you could
do the
same.  If the choice were mine, I would not let you take him, and no force
on earth
would stop me.  However, I know that Ranma wants to go with you.  He is a
young male,
and his adventurous spirit is in full bloom."  Ryoko paused and gave Genma a
hard look.

"If you EVER do anything else to hurt that poor boy...I WILL kill you."

Genma gulped nervously and said, "Ryoko-san, he is my son, I love
him...Th-thank you
for taking care of him for all these years, but its time for him to come
with me."

As if on que, Ranma knocked on the door then walked into the study.  Father
and
son looked eyes and gazed at each other for a few moments.  Unknown to
Genma,
the telepathic Guardian had risen up and was now probing Genma's mind.

<Guardian> *This man is pathetic... We are better off staying here*

<Ranma> *I know...but I need to go, he has all the answers right now.*

Whenever the Guardian took over the body, she always allowed Ranma to exist
right
beneath her.  In that way, Ranma was able to pick up anything Guardian did
during
her telepathic probes.

<Guardian> *No, WE have all the answers right now.  We now know where mother
is,
we should visit her instead.*

<Ranma> *He is still my father.  I have to go with him, at least to make
amends.*

<Bitter> *Everything is his fault though!  What kind of idiot throws his son
into
a pit of hungry cats?  How can he make amends for that?  Is THAT love?*

<Ranma> *Bitter...*

<Bitter> *No Ranma, this affects the whole tribe.  Staying with him will be
nothing
but trouble.*

<Ranma> *sigh... OK, Let's make a deal, at the first sign of trouble we
leave, OK?*

<Guardian> *It might be too late by then..*

<Bitter> *I agree-*

<Shade> *ENOUGH.  RANMA HAS DECIDED.*

All the voices immediately quieted down.  None of the tribe had the courage
to stand
against Shade, even Guardian.

Genma suddenly shot up out of his chair and grabbed Ranma in a tight
bear-hug.

"Ranma, my boy!"  he cried, picking Ranma up off his feet.

"uh... I can't breathe!"  Ranma said in a small voice.

Genma released Ranma and gruffly started clapping him on the shoulder.

"You look well, boy.  Well...we should go."

<Guardian> *He's scared...  of everyone in the village*


"Hold on for a second... Otosan. "  Ranma said as he walked around Ryoko's
desk and
stood in front of her.

"Sensei...Thank you for everything you have done for me.  You took me in
when I was
sick and taught me how to live with myself, rather, my 'selves'.  I was
happy here,
and leaving you will be hardest of all..."

Ryoko stood up and wiped her eyes.  "Ranma, there is no longer a need to
call me
'Sensei'.  We are family, you are my nephew, but you have been like a son to
me.
You are welcome here anytime.  If the outside world becomes too much for
you, remember,
you have a home here. "

Ryoko slowly hugged Ranma and kissed him before letting him go.  Genma stood
in
the background shuffling his feet at this display of affection.


  ********************************************

"Well my boy, " Genma said as they were several miles away from the village,
" the
first thing we need to do is get your training up to speed."

"Training?" Ranma asked.

"You are the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Marital Arts."
Genma
stated proudly.

<Lyric> *Anything Goes???  What a STUPID name for a school... hahaha...*

<Ranma> *I kinda like it... It fits somehow...*

<Play> *At least we're out of the village now!  I've always wanted to see
the
world!  There is so many fun things we can experience!*

"Has Onee-, I mean, Ryoko-san been teaching you the Art?"

"Yes Otosan, we sparred every day...  She says I'm her equal now."

"Well, we shall see.  Since we are in China, I know the _perfect_ place
where
can train."

The pair travelled across China for two weeks.  During that time, the tribe
took
control rarely, and only when Genma was asleep.  No one in the tribe liked
him
and did not wish to speak with him.  As for Genma, he concentrated on
telling
Ranma about their school and how much he had sacrificed for the art.  He
knew, from
Ryoko, that Ranma had many personalities within him, but since they had not
emerged,
he decided to ignore them.  He felt that it was Ranma's problem and that he
was better
equipped to deal it at any rate.  He decided early on not to tell Ranma
about his agreement
with his old friend Soun;  it was best to deal with one problem at a time.

Finally, they reached the training grounds where Genma was planning to test
Ranma; the
Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo.  They met a guide on the outskirts of the
springs who
led them to the actually training area.  The guide spoke very little
Japanese, but tried
to convey how dangerous the springs were.

"Are you ready, Ranma?"  Genma asked as he looked at all the bamboo poles
sticking
out of the various springs.

"Any time, Otosan."

<Bitter> *Perhaps we should reconsider this, the Guide seems to be
agitated.*

<Ranma> *What's he saying?  His Japanese is kinda rough, and I don't speak
Chinese*

<Bitter>  *You live in China for most of your life, and you don't even speak
the language?*

<Ranma>  *Well, did YOU learn it?*

<Bitter>  *Of course, I did...  Not like I had anything better to do,  your
stupid fights
didn't excite me much. Besides, someone had to stay awake during class...*

<Ranma> *OK, so you speak to him.*

"So, what's wrong-" Ranma/Bitter started to ask when Genma jumped up onto
one of
the poles.

"Come on Ranma, hurry up.  You're not afraid are you?"

Ranma forced Bitter down and jumped up on one of the poles across from
Genma.

<Bitter> *I REALLLLY think we should wait on this...  Guardian why don't to
read
the Guide's mind?*

As Ranma was about to let Guardian take over, Genma launched himself at
Ranma.

<Ranma>  *Later...*

Ranma jumped back off the pole and onto another one.  Genma landed on the
pole
that Ranma had been standing on.  Genma turned towards Ranma just in time
for
Ranma's foot to get planted on his face.  Genma fell off the pole and into
the spring below.

Down below, the Guide started babbling again.  Suddenly, a huge panda bear
emerged
from the spring where Genma had fallen.  He jumped out of the spring and
onto
the pole across from Ranma.  Ranma stared at the bear in shock as it growled
at him.

Suddenly, Ranma could feel Shade trying to take control of the body.  He had
felt
threatened by the bear!  Ranma did not know what was going on, but he knew
that
Shade would try to kill the bear, so he struggled to hold on.
Unfortunately,
this gave the bear enough time to back hand Ranma and send him off into
another
spring.  The sudden plunge into cold water, and the immediate danger
subsiding, Shade
pulled back into the depths of the mind.  Ranma regained full control as he
reached
the surface of the water.  He knew that something was wrong... something
was... different.
He looked down at himself and saw a petite, full-figured, female body; then,
he blacked out.

****************************
End chapter two
****************************

Next time:  The Amazons!

*****************
Enough people wrote to me asking to continue, so here
it is... I'm still blocked on the Lodoss fic and should
start part 3 of 'brothers in the art' tomorrow...  this weekend
is a lost cause, however, since i will be going to Las Vegas and gambling
away all my money.  until next time,  anand.