DRAGON'S DESTINY 2: School Is No Place For 
                    Horsing Around
a Ranma 1/2 Altered Destiny fanfic by Gregg Sharp
   i don't own these characters, that doesn't keep me
   from having fun with them.
 prereader version. 
=================
	Ranma was running to school, not because he
might be late, but because he simply enjoyed the
exercise. Atop a chainlink fence, flipping to the roof
of a building, then leaping in a manner that looked
almost as if he were on the verge of flight.

	Akane and Nabiki were grateful that he didn't
know the way. If he hadn't kept coming back to them,
they would never have been able to keep up with him.

	As Nabiki tried to catch her breath near the
schoolyard, she thought back to the conversation the
previous evening.
-FLASHBACK--------------
	Soun lit a cigarette, which disappeared from
his mouth a moment later.

	"You really shouldn't, Mister Tendo." Ranma
shook his head. "Life is so fleeting anyway without you
hurrying to join your wife. Patience is easy for those
passing beyond the Veil. She will wait."

	Soun glared at Ranma but didn't press it. "So,
Saotome, what of this overgrown boy scout you've brought
me? And, for that matter, why were you a panda?"

	Genma explained that he turned into a panda 
through a curse picked up at a training ground called
Jusenkyo. Ranma, however, had been altered through a
wish.

	"I wished that he would be a 'man among men'
and what did I get? I got a wimp..."

	Kasumi reached over to delicately slap Genma
in the back of the head, but Akane had already gotten
up and slammed the elder Saotome with the dining room
table. Nabiki smiled at Ranma, hoping that the old fool
hadn't hurt his feelings.

	"Actually, pop," Ranma corrected, "what you said
was 'I wish that Ranma were truly a man among men,
a paragon, uhm, with powers and abilities far beyond
mortal man, uh, so incredibly heroic that his mother
couldn't possibly doubt that he was a man among men, uh
or something like that.' Exactly."

	Soun looked at Ranma with some surprise. The boy
had gotten his father's voice and inflections down 
perfectly.

	Nabiki grinned. With a talent like that he could
be a voice actor/idol singer. Money, fame, power, with
his agent/wife there to arrange it all. That meant
merchandising was also possible! Yen signs floated 
through Nabiki's happy little fantasy.

	Akane glared at Genma, warning him not to call
HER Ranma a wimp again.

	"So what exactly does that mean? This wish did
exactly what?"

	"Beyond the physical transformation, I seem to
pick up new languages easily, I'm faster and stronger
than I used to be, and then there's this." With a slight
hesitation and glance towards the girls, Ranma removed
his shirt.

	"Yeah, baby, take it off!"

	"KASUMI!" Akane looked in shock at her sister.

	"Oh," said Kasumi, turning an interesting shade
of scarlet, "my. Did _I_ say that aloud?"

	Nabiki licked her lips as she contemplated the
tight hard muscles under smooth golden skin. The way his
dragon tattoo (obviously an expensive one) coiled its
way up his body seeming to accentuate as it rode between
the various muscle groups. She wondered what that tattoo
would taste like.

	"You got a tattoo?" Soun didn't understand the
fuss. He'd gotten a small one himself years ago...

	"Take a better look, Mister Tendo." Ranma 
thumbed the coil of dragon that passed over his heart.
There was a faint color change as if jeweled scales 
had shifted slightly in the light. "There's no needle 
marks, and it seems to move some whenever I raise chi
or pull off something really difficult."

	Ranma shrugged his shirt back on, bringing a 
chorus of protests from the Tendo sisters.

	"Excuse me, son, raise chi?" Soun wasn't sure
he'd heard right.

	Ranma held out his hand. A glowing sphere
appeared directly over his palm. "Like this."

	Soun nodded. "I see. Well then, your troubles
aren't so bad. So which of my daughters will you marry?"

	"I'm sorry, Mister Tendo, would you mind 
explaining this engagement thing to me?"

	Soun went over the deal made while both fathers 
were trying out a new bar they had found called 
"Callahan's." Strange how they'd never found it
again. The deal being that the son of Clan Saotome 
marrying one of Soun Tendo's daughters to carry on the 
legacy and the dojo.

	"I see, so as a matter of honor, I must accept.
However, would it not be more wise on this to wait 
until such time as it can be determined which of the
young ladies would be happiest with such a deal?" Ranma
shrugged. "After all, they might have other plans."

	"Nononononono. Marriage is fine." Nabiki smiled,
stood up, and would have  moved to Ranma's side except 
for Akane grabbing Nabiki's ankle.

	"Excuse me, dear sister, but since it involves
the dojo, shouldn't the best fighter be the one to marry
Ranma? We can spar for it."

	Kasumi bypassed the two other sisters and 
happily moved alongside Ranma. Blushing delicately,
and seeming to find her own feet fascinating, she
reached out for Ranma's hand. "I do."

	"KASUMI!" Akane and Nabiki were up in a moment
to glare at their sister. How dare she when she already
had Dr Tofu?

	"Kasumi, Doctor Tofu loves you," Akane tried. "I
gave up on him for your happiness."

	"Doctor who?"
-------------
	Somewhere in Juuban, a man with an extremely
long scarf sneezed and wondered where he'd put the key
to his 'police call box'.
-END FLASHBACK------------
	The school was at last coming into view.

	"Ranma, stay clear of this. It's my fight
and I don't want you to get hurt." Akane smiled up
at Ranma. "Please."

	"Oh, Ranma, let ME escort you to your class."

	The three came to a stop, Nabiki with Ranma
as Akane went a little further to meet the crowd of 
boys that were attacking.

	Suddenly the doors burst open to Furinkan High.
Within moments the male part of the crowd present had
become trampled underneath what appeared to be the 
entire female population of the high school.

	"It's an idol singer!"

	"It's an actor!"

	"Oh, he's sooooooo cute."

	"Kumiko, what about your boyfriend Sanjuro?"

	"Who? Oh, him."
---------------------
	The goddess turned to the cat. "Okay, Toltiir,
explain this, exactly what the heck did the wish do
that has THIS sort of effect?"

	"Turn your attention to the line that goes:'so 
incredibly heroic that his mother couldn't possibly 
doubt that he was a man among men'- in this case it
means that he is perceived as immediately good and noble
and all those other paragon/manly virtues by those who
happen to see him. Whatever virtues the viewer seeks, 
he is seen to have."

	"Hmmm. That also explains why he's so clueless
about it himself, since being clueless about such things
is a male quality."

	Cats don't normally shrug. Toltiir did. "What
can I say? He's still Ranma."
--------------------------
	Kuno stepped forward, the crowd of women
ignoring him as they paid attention to whatever was
at their center. He couldn't see what was going on,
and with all the girls talking amongst themselves, he
couldn't hear what was being said either.

	"Akane Tendo? Akane? Whither my proud tigress?"
Finally Kuno caught a glimpse of her and moved 
decisively. She would be his.
--------------------------
	<GLOMP!>

	Akane stiffened as she realized that she'd
left herself defenseless.

	"See, Ranma?" Nabiki made SURE that Ranma saw
this. "Akane already has a boyfriend, so she CAN'T be
your fiancee." Taking his arm, she quickly hustled 
Ranma into the school, explaining that they did NOT
want to be late for their first day of class.

	Akane twitched slightly, still caught firmly
in Kuno's grasp, a feeling of disbelief and betrayal
sweeping over her.

	"Kuno..." Akane's voice had a quiet tone to it.

	The crowd filtered into the school, leaving
piles of crushed boys lying around with Kuno still
holding Akane in the center. An errant breeze blew 
leaves in a brief swirl then away.

	"Ah, Akane, my love. You have allowed me to
capture you, showing that you return my affection. Come,
my fierce falcon, let me bind your heart to my...urk!"

	There was a snapping sound as Akane held Kuno's
hand in one of her own. A closer examination would 
reveal that Akane's hand was rapidly approaching the
closed position.

	"My sister...my own sister...No. THIS IS YOUR
FAULT! DIE, KUNO!" <SMASH> "BAKA BAKA BAKA" <CRUNCH>
"YOU OAF, YOU SIMPLETON!" <Suplex> "YOU POSTURING 
EMPTY-HEADED MANIAC!" <Airplane spin> "YOU LOWGRADE 
MORON!" <Mongolian piledriver> "YOU PUSTULE ON THE 
BUTTOCKS OF THE UNIVERSE!"<Flying haymaker> "YOU...
Kuno? Where'd he go? Grrrrr." Akane reconsidered,
maybe it wasn't too late. They might share a class,
and she'd still have a chance with him. Maybe after
she cooked something for him, proving that she could
do the feminine stuff too.

	Nabiki reached over and gently closed Ranma's
mouth as they watched Akane leave the battleground and
run into the school. "Well, Ranma, I've got to get to
my own class, but I think you've seen why I am a clearly
superior choice here. See you at lunch, big boy."

	Ranma nodded absently. He watched Kuno land
finally, having spent considerable air time since 
Akane's last attack. He really was impressed by her
martial arts skills. Hmmm, it DID make his decision a
little easier, though. Nabiki or Kasumi.

	For that matter, maybe he'd just caught Akane
on a bad day.

	He could read Kuno's lips. "...she must love
me well to reject me thus." Ranma shook his head, that
guy really could use counseling.
-----------------
	The teacher looked a little flustered. The
class looked awed. Ranma looked bored.

	So far the teacher had been playing "stump
the newbie" and hadn't gotten anywhere. Most teachers
would find such a thing a pleasant change from the 
usual pace.

	Most teachers wouldn't be working at Furinkan
Senior High School. Most teachers knew better.

	The junior or senior class always pulled 
SOMETHING. This group had the interesting variation on
the "forbidden fruit" theme: Akane Tendo (voted most 
likely to be relegated male roles in the Drama Club for
life) had to be defeated in combat to be dated. From 
having NO boys trying to date her, she'd suddenly 
become very popular indeed.

	Most people assumed that Tatewaki Kuno was
solely responsible. Most of the staff knew that to
pull something like this off, and to be continually
profitting from it, was the work of someone else
entirely. Mr Kawasaki was just glad that Nabiki Tendo
was NOT in his class.

	Hmmph. And the LAST group had merely done 
pranks like rebuilding Mr Honda's Toyota inside the
kitchen. Of course, the pizza STILL tasted like motor
oil.

	Now this. Mr Kawasaki wondered how the boy
was cheating. He was about to reprimand the boy when
a sound like a distant explosion rattled the windows.

	Ranma was fully awake now.

	Another explosion, louder this time.

	"Damn," Hiroshi had taken the opportunity to
look out the window. "Something blew up on the first
floor."

	"Cool," partner in crime Daisuke immediately
chimed in.

	Someone ran past in the hallway. There was
an explosion at the far end a moment later.

	"Could it be a terrorist?" Yuka backed away
from the door, having seen "Die Hard" just the other
day.

	A door slid open and a purple haired girl
stuck her head in. "Ni hao? AIYAAAA! Shampoo find right
room AT LAST!" Door closed.

	Door bursts open as Shampoo makes entrance.

	"YOU!" Shampoo assumed a martial arts stance.
"Ranma no respond Shampoo's challenge!"

	"You're that girl from the Amazon Village?
How do you know my name?"

	"Got it from girl at port. She remember you,
EVERYONE remember you." Shampoo pointed at Ranma, doing
a fair sentai stance. "You RUN but you no hide from
Shampoo."

	"Okay," Ranma sighed, getting up from his desk.
"Let's get this over with."

	"No you don't," Akane jumped from her desk,
moving to get in between Ranma and Shampoo. A brief
fantasy played in her head. Yes, the Evil Outsider 
Bimbo (looking suspiciously like an SD Shampoo with 
devil horns) threatened the Handsome Prince 
(suspiciously had a ponytail like Ranma's), when the 
Valiant Knight (insert SD Akane) knocks the Bimbo out
of the way. Confetti drifts down as the Handsome Prince
and his Valiant Defender kiss.

	Unfortunately, the fantasy ended at that 
point when Shampoo hit a set of pressure points and
walked past Akane as she hit the floor.

	"NO!" Another entered the room, posing as he
did so. "It is MY fight with Ranma Saotome this day."

	Everyone looked at Shampoo, then over to Kuno.

	"You wait your turn, is MY fight with Ranma."

	"The Blue Thunder of Furinken High will not
delay the punishment of this newcomer!" Kuno got his
first good look at this "Ranma" fellow. Why, he was
the spitting image of a young Miyamoto Musashi! He
carried himself like Ieyasu himself might have. No
doubt of noble samurai blood himself, and therefore
a worthy opponent.

	"Shampoo have first dibs on fight with Ranma!"

	"Oh, and who are you to challenge the great
Tatewaki Kuno?"

	"Shampoo no challenge stick-boy. Shampoo 
challenge Ranma!"

	"Why do you want to challenge Ranma, anyway?"
Nabiki strode in. "He's MY fiancee."

	"What?!" Shampoo absently punched Kuno through
a wall, ending THAT distraction. She noted that the girl
she was standing on was beginning to come to.

	"He hasn't chosen you yet, Nabiki." Akane felt
realized that someone was standing on her. "Would you
GET OFF ME!"

	"It no matter, Shampoo challenge Ranma many many
days ago. Now we fight!" The bonbori were pulled out.

	"It doesn't matter. I don't hit girls." Ranma
sighed, flipping his ponytail back. Two girls in the
back of the class swooned. Ranma noted this and wondered
if Kasumi's illness was passing through the entire
school.

	"Then Shampoo make Ranma fight her." Shampoo
lunged towards Nabiki, bonbori swinging up to strike.

	Ranma kicked out, breaking the handle of the
bonbori. It arced up then slammed down on Shampoo's 
head. Shampoo went down.

	"Oh, Ranma," Nabiki said, pressing tightly
against her fiance. "You've saved me." She idly fingered
the front of his shirt with one hand while using her
other arm to anchor herself to one of his arms. "Why,
however can I repay you."

	"Na-bi-ki." Akane got up and glared at her
sister. "He's still got almost a month before he
chooses who he's going to marry."

	Nabiki's eyes widened as she heard the muttering
from the various girls. Even she wouldn't be able to
ride damage control on this. Within hours it would be
all over the school.

	Shampoo got up, recovering quickly. She moved
to glomp position. Glomp achieved. "Wo da airen." 

	Ranma's eyes bugged out. He couldn't have heard
right, could he?
--------------------
	Ryouga entered the cave and saw the tablet
floating in air. "So this is where Ranma was last seen?"

	It didn't seem fair that his old rival had come
here to China only to pass away in some remote cave,
without ever having to face the fists of justice of
Ryouga Hibiki.

	The tablet grabbed his attention. "What's a
frivolous wish?" Something grabbed his attention. In
a wide cave like this there should be some echoes.
Why weren't there echoes? What was keeping the tablet
suspended.

	"Probably something like wishing Village Elder
would stop snoring," the little girl who was his guide
shrugged. "It powerful magic, you no disturb dragon
spirit without good reason. You do, poof, no more you."

	"Well, don't worry, you don't have to go back
to THAT village. We'll find a place for you." Ryouga
remembered finding the little runaway. "I certainly
seem to find enough odd villages."

	"Dragon spirit say Ranma alive, but changed by
magic of cave. He much stronger now."

	"Yeah, right." Ryouga thought it odd, the little
girl claimed that spirits talked to her, and this is
why she was beaten so often in her home. Anything went
wrong, she was always the target of choice. 
Superstitious nonsense.

	"He now have fragment of dragon spirit within
him. Have dragon's chi, dragon's blood." Mao Yin knew
Ryouga didn't take her gift seriously, but he was the
first to show her actual kindness in some time, so stuck
with him.

	"Well, if it granted wishes, and it made
Ranma stronger, then I'd just wish that I had an even 
HIGHER power level than Ranma!"

	"This is fate," came an impossibly deep growling
voice within the cave. "So be it. GRANTED!"

	Ryouga screamed as the Change took place.
===================
	ends this second installment of Dragon's 
Destiny. note that this takes place as part of "The Bet"
a collection of linked Alterniverse stories. Each of
the participants in "the Bet" is a deity/demon/other
powerful being, and that the bet is to cause the 
biggest change with the smallest alteration in a given
timeline. The prize, to see their creation continue on
instead of being a temporary timeline that lasts just
a brief period. (ie it'll be the one i go back and make
a continuing series based on the feedback i get.)
         any suggestions should be e-mailed to me, 
don't forget your e-mail address/name so i can credit
you.
 
ja ne.

Gregg