This is a sequel of sorts to "Sequence", which I hope most of you 
have read.  (I posted a copy to the remailer...)  We join the action in 
progress; all is eventually explained, but the earlier story lays it out 
in a linear fashion.  There are two things to know.  First, Ranma is now 
female all the time, and as far as anyone knows, was born that way.  
Second, she has a little brother named Hikaru who has the curse we 
normally associate with Ranma.
	This will likely be short, as I have limited time tonight, but I 
hope it will whet your appetites for more.

				WORSE
			by Scott K. Jamison
(Note:  Ranma 1/2 and its associated characters created by Rumiko 
Takahashi; no infringement intended.)

		Part One: In Which Ranma Doesn't Wake Up

	""Make it stop!  Please make it stop!"  But of course it didn't stop.
	Mousse and Shampoo had reverted to shouting Chinese at each 
other.  Ranma had picked up more of that language over the last two years 
than he'd ever let on, and was able to pick out "idiot", "easy", "weak" 
and "kill".  Not that she couldn't guess what they were talking about 
without those hints.
	Hikaru had recovered from his shock enough to go into martial 
arts macho mode.  "Hey!  No one kills my sister while I'm around!"
	Which was nice of him to say, but some very disturbing pictures 
flashed in front of Ranma's eyes, and she knew she couldn't let him 
defend her.  She rose back to her feet, her cheek still burning where 
Shampoo had kissed it.
	"No, Hikaru, I can fight my own battles.  If Shampoo wants a 
piece of me, I'll be more than happy to oblige her."
	"But you're a girl!"
	"I'm n--So is she.  And we're both a lot more dangerous than we look."
	Mousse broke off arguing with his countrywoman.  "You speak as if 
you know Shampoo.  Have you been to our village?  I would have thought 
I'd remember such a lovely girl."
	"Hey, that's right, and you knew Mousse's name and that he speaks 
Japanese even before he showed up.  I thought you and Mom had been in 
Nerima this whole time."
	"Um, er, ah..."
	"Shampoo kill now!" said the purple-haired girl, bringing her 
bonbori to bear.
	Now this was something Ranma could deal with.  She took up a 
defensive stance.  Shampoo charged right on in.  Yep, good old 
overconfident Shampoo, thought Ranma as she used the same feint and 
uppercut that had won their first battle a world away.  Of course that 
other battle had been in the open; here there was a ceiling in the way.
	"Beautiful and strong!" exclaimed Mousse.  "Truly you are the 
bride I have searched for!"
	"I an *not* your bride, Mousse.  Not now, not never!"  Ranma 
leapt up and pulled Shampoo's head out of the ceiling.  "Hey, Shampoo, 
you okay?"
	The Chinese girl was out cold, but nothing looked broken.
	Mousse was embracing Hikaru again.  "Ranma, how can you say such 
a cruel thing!"
	"I'm not Ranma, four-eyes!" replied he4r brother.
	At this point, Genma stuck his head into the hall.

		TO BE CONTINUED

Out of time!

SKJAM!