Hello all!  I have a few quick notes before I present the fanfic, so here they
 are:

First off, you should know that this is a self insertion.  I didn't put it in
 the tags because I was afraid people would delete it without looking at this
 explanation first.  ;)  This is essentially a response to the assumption that
 practically all SI's make the author in question unbelievably powerful and
 dominate the scene.  And also to the remark once made about how there seemed
 to be few female SIers.  I'm a female.  In the fic, I'm not a god-like martial
 artist, and I don't *ahem* 'boink' Nabiki.  ::shivers::  I hope that makes the
 fic more intriguing than the usual ones.  Also...

This is a short Chapter One/Teaser.  Please respond if you find it
 interesting!  Also...

I copied Brett Handy's style of switching inbetween first and third person
 using line breakers.  I contrast my perceptions of the surroundings with an
 impersonal description.  (As much as there can be with me also writing the
 third person parts.)  Mr. Handy, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
 :)  Also...

I think the title is awful (however fitting), so if you read the fic and think
 of a better one, please let me know!  NOW, on with the fic!

Disclaimer:  The characters in this fic (except me!) are property of Rumiko
 Takahashi (the Great), and I use them without permission.  

DOUBLE TROUBLE

	The weekend afternoons in Nerima were often the busiest time for merchants
 and shop owners, and this Saturday was no exception.  Restaurants were packed
 as people ate their meals, and sellers cried their wares to scrutinizing
 customers along the sidewalks.  Through all the chaos, one particular young
 woman struggled to push past the crowded streets, occasionally pausing to ask
 a passerby some questions.  She had short, dark hair, and wore fashionable,
 casual clothes.  Many of the people she passed recognized her and gave her a
 friendly smile and wave, which she returned, along with a nervous laugh.  
	The girl continued to walk, wearing a confused expression and glancing from
 left to right to find something familiar.  Adjusting the glasses she wore with
 her forefinger, she closely observed each building she passed.  This
 apparently kept her from watching where she was going, because she ran right
 into another woman on the street.  Both fell to the ground, emitting quiet
 grunts as they landed.  
	"Oh, my," said the elder female, as she straitened herself up and began
 collecting the groceries she had dropped.  Once everything was in order, she
 glanced at the bespectacled girl who had also managed to stand and was
 brushing herself off.  A smile bloomed on her face.  "Akane!" she exclaimed,
 as she readjusted her ponytail to lay over her shoulder.  The smile faded a
 little as the taller girl examined the younger one.  "Why are you wearing
 glasses?"  she wondered, as the short-haired girl smiled uncomfortably.  
	"He�hello, Kasumi," she responded, slowly backing away.  Something made her
 stop moving, however, and she looked at the smiling sister determinedly.  "Are
 you going back to the, uh, dojo right now?" asked Akane hesitantly, ignoring
 Kasumi's question.
	"Why, yes," Kasumi answered happily.  "I just finished shopping for food, so
 I'm heading back home."
	"Well, then, I think I will join you," the youngest Tendo decided, and they
 both moved off together, Akane trailing Kasumi ever so slightly.  The walk
 back was a silent one.  Kasumi's motherly instincts warned her that Akane was
 disturbed for some reason, and wanted to be left alone.  When they arrived at
 the front door of the household, Kasumi smiled kindly at Akane and placed a
 dainty hand on her sister's shoulder.  
	"I'm going to start dinner soon, Akane, so I'll be in the kitchen," she told
 the girl, making her voice as gentle as she could.  "If you ever need to talk,
 you know where to find me."  She then moved through the door into the cooking
 area, and Akane was left alone inside the entranceway.  


	I looked around the house.  Some things looked familiar, but I didn't know
 where most of the doors led.  I heard some muffled sounds and decided to
 follow them to see where I would end up.  I eventually found myself outside an
 open door, looking into what must have been the dojo area.  Inside was _THE_
 Ranma, going through what I assumed to be a kata.  He was very graceful, I had
 to admit.  Unconsciously pushing my glasses back onto the bridge of my nose, I
 watched him for a while.  Eventually he noticed me, and put on a roguish grin.
 *Uh, oh,* I thought, *here we go.*  I was not looking forward to any of this,
 but I had to start somewhere.
	"Hey, Akane," the pig-tailed boy said, sauntering over towards me.  "Come for
 another match?"  Then he noticed my attire, which was a pair of white jean-
 shorts, and a blue and white striped T-shirt, not the normal gi I bet he was
 expecting.  "I guess not," he continued.  Then he began to inspect my face.
 "What's with the glasses?"
	I guess I couldn't help but play the part for a little bit.  I stuck my
 tongue out at him.  "People use them to see better," I explained, as if I were
 talking to a three-year old.  He looked at me flatly, and then bent down to
 pick up a towel from its place on the floor.
	"I meant, since when did you wear them?" he asked again, now heading for the
 door as he wiped himself off.  I moved to let him out, and followed him down
 the hall.  This was not how I wanted to start my explanation, so I scrounged
 for a false answer.
	"Oh, uh, I just wanted to see how I looked in them, is all," I mumbled,
 looking at the ground as I walked behind him.  Ranma laughed.
	"Well, you look dorky, that's what.  Ha ha!  Isn't that great?  Now I have an
 uncute, non-sexy, DORKY tomboy fiancee.  Ha ha ha."  The grinning cursed-boy
 turned around to see my reaction.  I frowned at the 'dorky' crack, but I knew
 it would do no good to get angry.  Seeing that I wasn't going to respond,
 Ranma gave me a strange look and then shrugged.  He returned to walking
 through the house and I continued following.  *Hmmm,* I thought, *maybe Ranma
 isn't the best person to start with.  I guess I should start with the person
 who's going to be most affected by me.*  That issue resolved, I nodded and
 began thinking about other matters.  Suddenly Ranma's voice carried me away
 from my thoughts.  "Uh, Akane?" he was saying, and the odd look was back.  I
 looked around and immediately a blush came to my face.  Apparently I had
 followed him into the bathroom and shut the door behind me without thinking.
 I blushed even further and bowed nervously because I didn't know what else to
 do.
	"Sorry!" I yelped, backing up against the door and trying to find the handle
 behind my back.  Once my hand clasped onto it, I slid it open and stepped out,
 my eyes shooting everywhere but at Ranma.  Before he could say anything more,
 I closed the door and then hurried down the hall, trying to compose myself.
 Eventually I came to the staircase and I pondered whether or not to go up it.
 *What the hell, may as well get this over with,* I decided, making my way up
 the stairs.  Once at the top, I glanced at all the doors on the upper floor.
 Sure enough, one of them had a wooden, duck-shaped sign, with 'Akane' written
 on it.  I walked to that door, and paused for a moment, building up my
 courage.  Finally, I raised my hand to the door's surface, and gave three
 timid knocks.  A moment of silence passed, and then I heard a quiet "Come in"
 sound from the other side.  I closed my eyes and took one final deep breath,
 preparing myself for what was to come.  Slowly, I turned the knob of the door,
 and let myself in.  
	The room looked much like I expected it to;  the placement of the bed, the
 window, and the adorning objects were all as I remembered them.  Finally my
 eyes landed on a young woman with short hair sitting on a chair.  She had her
 nose stuck in a comic book.  Her feet were raised and resting on her desktop,
 and she looked totally at ease.  I grimaced at how that peace was about to be
 shattered.  When I made no noise, the girl casually glanced in my direction to
 see who had interrupted her.  I suppose, to her, it was like looking in a
 mirror when there was no mirror.  
	Naturally, she began to scream at the top of her lungs.


	By the time the rest of the family had arrived at Akane's door, the girl had
 finally stopped screaming.  In fact, everyone was totally silent, as they
 stared at the sight before them.  There stood two Akanes, one calmly regarding
 her twin, while the other stared back with wide eyes.  They looked exactly the
 same, except that one was wearing a skirt and sweatshirt ensemble, while the
 other was wearing shorts, a T-shirt, and glasses.  Soun was the first to
 speak.
	"Which one is the real one?" he whispered, too overwhelmed to even wail.
 Akane (the one in the skirt) turned her head to face the group at the door.
	"I am!" she yelled, flushing with anger.  Ranma and Kasumi nodded their
 agreement; the upset girl on their left was acting much more like Akane than
 the person they had been talking to earlier that day.  Ranma narrowed his eyes
 as he watched the Akane with glasses.
	"Just who are you, then?" he asked.  "Copycat Ken?"  The others regarded her
 suspiciously as well.  The Akane double sighed.
	"No, I'm not Copycat Ken," she said.  "But before I answer you, could you
 please give me a kettle of hot water?"  She looked at the gathering of people,
 and after a slight pause, Kasumi fished a kettle from out of nowhere and
 walked slowly towards the girl.  She took it, thanked the Tendo sister, and
 then proceeded to dump the pot of water over herself.  Suddenly, the second
 Akane changed.  She grew a bit taller, her chest downsized somewhat, and her
 hair became blonde and wavy.  Her face changed its features, and then there
 was a completely different girl.  "I'm Erin Laue," she said, sheepishly.  The
 irony of the situation caused her to smirk.  "Sorry about this." 

END

Okay, there's the Chapter 1, teaser, prologue, whatever-you-want-to-call-it of
 Double Trouble.  Was it enjoyable?  I hope the 1st/3rd person switches were
 not too jarring.  If you feel the inkling to write some feedback, don't fight
 it!  :)  I'd like to what you all think of what I feel is an uncommon SI.
 Thanks in advance!  Ciao for now.

Erin, Unfortunate Victim of Drowned... well, not Finch for once.