This is chapter 2.  In Chapter 1, Genma was killed in the Amazon Village by
mistake.  The Amazons assign Shampoo to ensure Ranma safely gets to friends or
family.  She makes Ranma take a fast trip to Japan by scareing her every time
she shows signs of slowing down.  Oh, did I mention that Ranma doesn't know
about the effect hot water has on him.  C&C are welcomed, I'll try to respond
to all.  Heck I need all the C&C I can get.  Well, enjoy.  

Just A Friend
Chapter 2

The red headed girl trudged wearily through the streets of Nerima.  Even
though she couldn't see anyone following her, the sense of being watched
refused to leave her.   
She had been feeling irritable ever since she had awakened and now that
feeling was threatening to blossom into paranoia.  Unseen by her, but not
unfelt, a shadow flitted across the rooftops. 

At the same time the red head was walking through the streets of Nerima, Soun
Tendo was gathering his three daughters together and informing them of the
impending arrival of a fianc� for one of them.

Shampoo was careful to keep out of the sight of the young girl.  She was so
close to completing her mission.  She didn't want to spook the girl now.  All
that was left was for the girl to go to her friends.  As long as Shampoo could
report to her great grandmother that the girl seemed happy, then she was free
to head back to the Amazon village and her friends.  All she had to do now was
wait and see.

The Tendo household was in an uproar.  It seemed none of the girls had any
enthusiasm for the engagement.   Each daughter had protested in her own way.
Then came a ringing of the bell at the front gate.  And into the lives of the
Tendo family came the person named Ranma Saotome.

Everyone was gathered in the family room waiting for Soun Tendo to awaken.
Upon learning that the young girl that had showed up on his doorstep that day
was the Ranma Saotome that he was expecting, Soun had promptly fainted.
During the wait the girls had gotten better aquainted.  Once Soun had revived,
Nabiki had started again attacking her father and his choice of a proper
fiance.

  Akane noticed how Ranma was reacting to the words and actions Nabiki was
using and felt sorry for her.  In order to spare the girl any more discomfort
and to put her at ease Akane asked, " Hi, I'm Akane.  Do you want to spar?"

Ranma looked up with relief in her eyes.  She had been feeling cross and
slightly angry all day yet she felt unable to do anything about it.  She was
ready to hit something, anything.  Much more of this poking, prodding and
other nonsense and she'd explode.

Upon entering the Dojo Ranma faced the shrine in the corner and bowed.  Then
she faced her opponent and bowed again.  Then she waited.  
 
Ranma went on the defensive at first and discovered quickly that Akane stood
no chance of hitting her as long as she concentrated on dodging her strikes.
Once she determined this she began to go on the offensive.  Soon she received
a nasty surprise as Akane connected with a punch that finished with Ranma
knocked back against the wall.  Akane was strong!  It wasn't very long before
Akane connected with another.  Then Ranma realized that Akane was a counter-
puncher.  When attacked, she was most effective.  While Ranma was able to
inflict more hits, Akane was able to get some of her own in.  Akane used the
attacker's offense against the attacker.  Soon as Ranma came to this
conclusion she stepped back, held up her hands and said.  "I've had enough,
how about you?  You're pretty good, just need to tune up on some spots."

Akane flushed with the complement.  "Yes, but you were better.  Still I got in
a few good shots."  She looked around and sighed.  "Why don't you go back in
the house, I'm sure Kasumi has a room for you now, I'll be in when I finish
cleaning the Dojo."

"Yeah, I think I'll be feeling them in the morning."   Ranma replied.  She
didn't feel comfortable in the house yet, and as Akane was the only person who
had even acted friendly towards her she wanted to stay near her as long as she
could.  Thinking hard Ranma asked Akane.  "How about I help clean up the Dojo,
then we can go back together?"  

After cleaning the Dojo, Akane and Ranma returned to the house.  Once they had
entered, Kasumi caught up with them in the hallway.  

"My, you two look like you've had a good session." Kasumi told them.

"Yes, Kasumi, Ranma's very good at martial arts," Akane replied with a smile.

"Well, with a little more training you'd be about as good.  You need to
remember I've been in training since I was 6.  That gives me the edge over you
for now."  Ranma told them.

"Well, that's nice but now you two need to go and clean up.  Akane you go now
and I'll send Ranma after I get her settled into her room."  Kasumi said with
a stern glance.
 
Ranma trudged up the stairs following Kasumi.  While Kasumi chattered on about
how nice it was to have some friends, how nice it was to share interests and
etc, Ranma was busy thinking.

She had never had a room before, her and Pops had always been on the road to
much.  Usually they had a tent set up and that was it.  Looking around she
noticed how big the room was.  *Me and Pops could, no don't think about that.
It's almost as bad as thinking about being a girl for the rest of your� NO!
don't think that also.  First lets put our stuff away and just think about
that!*  

Turning to Kasumi she caught the last few words Kasumi was saying. "I'm sorry
the room's so little but it is �" 

Ranma interrupted her, "Little?  Kasumi this room is enormous.  I think you
could fit four or five people in here.  It'll do just fine.  Uh, where can I
put my things?"

Kasumi was surprised.  *Ranma hadn't been in a house in such a long time that
she wasn't familiar with the layout of a room?  What else would she need
teaching in?  Oh my, what about school?  She'll need to go of course.*  With
this in mind Kasumi rapidly showed Ranma where to store her things and hurried
downstairs to talk to her father.

It had been a long day for Ranma.  She was tired, sore, and she had missed her
lunch.  She knew that a long soak in the furo would be good for her.  It would
take away the ache in her muscles and a good meal would fix the cramps she was
feeling.  Then a good nights sleep and she'd be back to what had passed for
normal, well normal for her lately.

Picking up a towel that Kasumi had left her, she started off for the bathroom.

As Ranma entered the bathroom she noticed some clothes off to the side.  Not
wanting to intrude she called out, "Hello, is anyone in here?"

Akane answered her.  "Come on in, I'm in the middle of my soak."

"Uh, that's alright, I'll wait till later."  Ranma said.

"What's the matter Ranma?  After all we're both girls.  Are you shy?"  Akane
replied.

Ranma thought for a moment.  "Uh, kind of.  I like to bathe by myself."

"Well, I'm just about finished.  Why don't you go ahead and scrub up and I
should be done by then and you can have the furo all to yourself.  All right?"
Akane asked.

Nervous, Ranma replied.  "I guess." 

Ranma turned her back to Akane and stripped.  Picking up the bucket which held
her bath articles she turned and sat down on a small stool facing the wall.  

Akane watched the red head as she kept her back to Akane and started to wash
off.  Akane smirked.  *Ranma's really shy about her body.  She acts like she
never been undressed in front of anyone before.  But if she's been alone
training with her dad for the last ten years, I guess she hasn't.*

Her thoughts were disrupted by a quickly rising moan coming from Ranma.  

"OH NO, WHAT'S WRONG?  WHAT HAVE I DONE TO ME?  AAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"  Ranma
screamed at the end.

Akane got out of the tub and ran over to Ranma.  Ranma was scrubbing at her
pelvic region with an intense single mindedness.  Akane grabbed Ranma around
her shoulders to hold her still so that the red head wouldn't hurt herself and
tried to get a look at what was wrong.  Just then Kasumi and Nabiki entered
the room as Ranma began to sob in desperation. 

Akane quickly filled her sisters in on what had happened and they concentrated
on getting Ranma calmed down and finding out what was wrong.  After a short
time they discovered that Ranma was bleeding.  

Nabiki blurted out, "Ranma for goodness sakes, it's just your period.  Heck,
the way your acting anyone would think you'd never had�" Nabiki's eyes got
big.  "That's it.  You've never had this happen before have you?"

Ranma shook her head no.  "This will happen again?  When does it stop?  Why
does this happen?"
 
"Uh, your mother never�  No, you've not seen your mother in ten years have
you?  And your father wouldn't have said anything or did he?"  Akane asked

"No, I don't even know if my mother is alive or anything.  And as for my dad
telling me about this"  Ranma said as she gestured at the room in general.
"He never needed to tell me about it."

"Well, Kasumi is the best one to talk to about this."  And with that Akane and
Nabiki turned and quickly left the room. 

Kasumi took a little time to tell Ranma about what her body was doing.  She
quiet night air was often interrupted by shrieks from Ranma as Kasumi would
explain about her problem.  After Kasumi finished, she left to go to the
kitchen to make some tea.  She felt it would do Ranma some good for aafter
Ranma finished her cleanup.

A pale faced, mind numbed Ranma finished her cleanup using the bucket she had
brought.  She didn't, couldn't contaminate the water in the furo so she just
rinsed off using the cold water in her bucket.  Rising, she took the napkin
Kasumi had told her about and got dressed.  Wanting to be alone she went to
her new room.  However she didn't comfortable there, she started thinking
thoughts about what this evenings event meant to her.  Baby.  Mother.  She
didn't want to think these thoughts so she got up and went back outside to the
Dojo.  Deciding that a kata would take her mind off her problems, she started
doing a moderately difficult one.

Her concentration failed as she thought what she had just learned.  The idea
of going through this every month frightened her.  Heck, even thinking about
the last few months frightened her.  Then she started thinking about being a
girl for the rest of her life.  This led to thinking about her father's death
and what she had recently gone through.  The images started to flash through
her mind.  One after the other in a continuous loop.  Faster and fast they
went.  Soon it seemed almost a blur to her.   Finally she couldn't take it
anymore.  She fell to the floor of the Dojo.  Tears started streaking down her
cheeks as she buried her face in her hands.  Immense body shaking sobs began
to burst from between her lips as she slid to the floor.  Once there she
curled up into a fetal position and cried.  

Shampoo was overhead in the rafters.  She watched as the girl collapsed.  She
didn't think this was a good sign.  It looked like she wasn't going back to
her village as quick as she thought.  In fact if things were as bad as they
looked, great-grandmother might have to come here.  Shampoo started composing
a message to her great-grandmother in her mind.


A RanmaFan
(Wishing for a red head, a moonlit night, and a hospital.  All in that order)
Wep page courtesy of Nausicaa@sprynet.com
HTTP://members.xoom.com/bellchan/saotendo.html
Also found at Carly-chans home page
http://carly-san.animecity.ml.org/fanfiction/