Ranma 1/2: A Wolf in the Dojo

All characters are copyrighted by whomever holds the copyright.  This story is a
work of Fanfiction and is not in any way an attempt to make money or steal glory
from the creator of Ranma 1/2.

Part One: Here we go again!

    Kasumi answered the door hesitantly, for whenever someone came to the Tendo
household, it usually meant trouble.  This time seemed to be no different, as
there was an attractive woman standing at the door.  "Is there a Saotome Ranma
here?" she asked, confirming Kasumi's worst fear, trouble.

    Kasumi flattened herself aginst the wall, preparing herself for the
inevitable.  turning her head slightly, she called back into the house, "Ranma,
there's a girl here to see you!"

    The sounds of people running came from throughout the house.  Everyone
seemed to arrive at the same point at the same time, causing a large pile of
bodies, all except for Ranma, who managed to trip and wind up face first at the
feet of the new arrival.  Slowly, Ranma looked up at her.  Simple shoes, loose
fitting pants, slim waist, muscled arms but not overly so, all in all not bad.
Ranma's visual trip stopped at her eyes, looking down at him.  Her eyes were a
deep grey, a grey that seemed to look right through into his soul.  Her hair was
the same color of grey, long flowing hair down to her waist.

    "Are you Ranma?" she asked, still looking down at Ranma.  Her smile seemed
to widen a bit.  "You must be.  You fit the description."

    Ranma jumped to his feet, spun around, and grabbed his father out of the
pile of people trying to untangle themselves.  The loss of Genma caused the pile
to recollapse, bringing complaints from everone still stuck.  "So, what was it
THIS time?" yelled Ranma, shaking his father.  "Aw, never mind, you never
remember anyway."  With that, Ranma threw Genma back onto the pile of people,
where admist the complaints of the others, seemed to seep to the bottom of the
pile.

    Ranma turned to the strange girl, intent on finding out what his old man had
traded him for this time, only to see her looking past him at the pile of
people.  "Is Shampoo here?  I heard that she was in Nerima because of you."

    "You mean you're here looking for Shampoo?  What makes you think she would
be here?" asked Ranma, looking slightly over his shoulder at the aura slowly
forming from within the pile.

    The stranger added fuel to the fire by answering "Well, you are her Airen,
are you not?  You should be at her side.  That is of course only proper."

    "She is at the Nekohanten, I could show you where if you like."  Ranma
offered, wanting to vacate the area as Akane's aura seemed to be reaching
dangerous levels.

     Akane, upon hearing this, burst out of the pile, scattering peole
everywhere,her aura flaring brightly.  "You Baka!  Take off to that Chinese
Hussy if you want!  I don't care!"  Whipping back a large mallet, Akane bashed
Ranma and stormed off, shaking the floor with her heavy footfalls.

    At about this time, everyone heard a low growl at the doorway, and when they
turned to look, were surprised to see a large dark grey wolf blocking the space
between the strange girl and everyone else.  "Oh, don't worry about Sam, he
won't hurt anyone.  He is just overly protective of me."  The strange girl said,
scratching the wolf behind the ears.  "Could you take us to Shampoo now?"  she
asked of Ranma, peeling him off the floor.

    "Uh, sure thing, follow me." said Ranma.  Leading the woman and her wolf,
Ranma could only stare in wonder at the loyalty the wolf showed, always imposing
itself between her and any possible danger.  "What's up with that wolf?" Asked
Ranma.  "I've never seen a pet protect someone like that."

"Oh, Sam is more than a pet to me." she replied, "Perhaps I should explain."

    "My name is Wandering Wind, but Sam always called me Wanda.  Sam here found
me about 10 years ago, alone in the woods.  We became friends, and eventually,
more.  Sam finally returned to his world, and he wanted me to accompany him, so
he led me to a place called Jusenkyo, where I took this form for travel in his
world."

    "You mean you've been cursed at Jusenkyo too?  What do you turn into?" Ranma
asked, no longer paying attention to where he was going.  He suddenly stopped,
however, when a telephone pole refused to get out of his way.

    Wanda just stopped, smiled, and said "You weren't listening.  Maybe Sam
can explain better."  Wanda reached into her bag and pulled out a steel canteen
that was blackened on the bottom, and a small propane torch.  "Just give us a
minute, will you?" she asked, and ducked down an alley.  A few moments later, a
man walked out of the alley with Wanda following him.

    The man seemed to be about 19, dressed in loose fitting clothes that seemed
to match Wanda's.  "Hello Ranma.  It's nice to finally be able to talk to you.
My name is Samuel.  I guess I should explain fully.  When I was six, I started
traveling the world to escape my home life.  Dad was always at work and Mom,
when she wasn't in public, was always drinking.  Dad assigned an
escort/bodyguard to go with me.  He reasoned that travel would prepare me for
running the company.  After two years of seeing the sterile tourist traps in
several countries, I ditched the bodyguard, withdrew a large sum of money from
Dad's account, and started traveling on my own."

    "Where were you then?  Where could you travel alone at eight?" asked Ranma.

    "I was in China.  I wandered the country for over a year, spending Dad's
money slowly.  Finally, I wound up near some pools of water with bamboo poles
sticking out of them.  I saw a hut near the pools and wanted to clean myself up
before knocking.  I dove into a pool to clean myself up, and was shocked to find
myself transformed into a wolf.  I ran off into the woods, scared.  I finally
wound up in a small clearing, hungry and tired.  Wanda was there, wondering what
was wrong with me.  She brought me food, and slowly I learned about her and her
world."

    With a smirk on her face, Wanda said "He was so stupid.  He had no idea how
to survive."

    Looking down, a small smile on his face, Samuel continued his story.  "For a
year, Wanda and I roamed the woods.  She was a loner, not really accepted by the
pack.  We were kindred spirits, and eventually, we came to realize that we were
made for each other.  Shortly after that, I was caught by an Amazon.  I was
brought to their village rapidly, because both they and I knew they were being
followed by Wanda.  I was placed before an Elder.  She looked at me for a
moment, then requested hot water.  She saw beyond the Jusenkyo curse."

    "Let me guess."  Ranma said, a slight frown on his face.  "The elder was
Cologne, Right?"

    "Yes Ranma, it was Cologne.  When she explained the nature of the curses to
me, I asked for cold water so I could rejoin Wanda.  Instead, Cologne led Wanda
to the spring of drowned girl, so that we could always be together.  We stayed
in the amazon village for almost seven years, learning to live in both worlds,
as well as with each other."

    Ranma was still sitting on the ground, looking shocked as the story
unfolded.  Finally, he stood up, shaking his head with a smile on his face.
"Stranger things have happened, I guess.  I am glad you, at least, have found
peace and tranquillity with your lives.  Let's get going, huh?"

    A few minutes later, the Nekohanten loomed in front of them.  As they
entered the restaurant, Shampoo first came bounding at Ranma, only to stop short
and then leap at Samuel.  "Nihao!  Samuel!  How are you!" Shampoo said,
crushing Samuel in a bear hug.  "Wanda!  You're both here!  Great Grandmother
will be so happy to see you again!"  The three of them began to tussle around
the restaurant, the customers sliding out of the path if they passed to close.

    "What's all the commotion Shampoo?"  Asked Cologne, hopping out of the
kitchen.

    Wanda and Samuel stood immediately and bowed to Cologne.  "We have come to
visit, honored Elder, and to pay our respects to old friends."

    Cologne nodded at the pair, and then turned to Ranma.  "You could learn a lot
from these two, Son-in-law.  They know who to respect."  Ranma just glared at
Cologne, prepared to show her exactly what he thought about it.

    Shampoo came back in with a bowl of ramen.  "Here Ranma!  I make this
especially for you!"  Ranma seemed to forget about Cologne, and dug into the
ramen like a starving man.

    Right about then, Mousse came bounding down the stairs, pointing at Samuel,
yelling "After Shampoo again, eh Saotome?  I shall stop you!"  Samuel lept out
of the way of the dozens of weapons thrown, landing right next to Mousse.

    "How ya doin, Mousse!  Long time no see!" Samuel said, staring right into
Mousse's glasses.  Mousse adjusted his glasses and a huge smile crept across
his mouth.

    "Samuel!  What are you doing here!  I thought you were in America again!"
The two shook hands, and with both of them grinning, stepped down the last of
the stairs together.

    "Mousse and I used to practice together.  He was the only man in the
village that could challenge me after the third year there.  Those were the
days, eh Mousse?" Samuel said, grabbing Mousse's arm in a lock and throwing him
to the floor.

    "Yes, those were the days." Mousse replied, doing a legsweep that brought
Samuel down onto the floor next to him.  The two then got back up laughing, and
sat down at a booth, Shampoo and Wanda joining them.

    Ranma could only stare once again, as Shampoo sat next to Mousse, neither of
them seeming to act like themselves.  They acted like good friends, without
Mousse fawning over Shampoo and Shampoo not minding Mousse so close.  It seemed
to upset the natural order of things.

    Apparently, the universe agreed, and chose this time for Ryoga to enter the
Nekohanten.  Spotting Ranma, Ryoga charged, a yell emerging from his lips even
as he drew the umbrella and attacked.  The fight progressed, collateral damage
piling up, while the four just sat watching.  "He IS good.  I can see why you're
interested in him, Shampoo." said Samuel, watching the fight.  "How come you
haven't brought him back yet?"

    Shampoo only shook her head slowly, watching Ranma with a sad longing.
"Shampoo is not sure.  Ranma is very stubborn.  Refuses to go with Shampoo."

    The fight ended, Ryoga being launched far over Nerima, a small sparkling
light indicating his flight path.  Ranma started to leave the Nekohanten, still
slightly confused about the new arrivals.  "Hey, Ranma." Sam called, "I noticed
a dojo at the Tendo home.  Think we could use it to practice?"

    "I think so, but you had better ask Mr. Tendo if it's Ok." Ranma replied.

    "all right.  Shampoo, Mousse, see you later.  We have to make arrangements
for a place to stay and practice." Sam and Wanda followed Ranma out of the
Nekohanten, heading back to the Tendo home.

    After Samuel once again related his story for the Tendo family,  Soun Tendo
could only stare across the table at the two visitors to his home.  "Yes, you
may use my dojo to practice in.  I am afraid, however, that I have no room
available for you to stay in."

    "Thank you, Sensei Tendo." Wanda replied.  "If you do not mind, we would
sleep in your yard, in our other forms."

    "That is agreeable, if you do not mind."  Mr. Tendo seemed a little
hesitant about it, but the couple seemed happy about the arrangement, so he
was satisfied.

    Nabiki, however, was not happy at the thought of a couple more freeloaders
moving in, and said so.  Samuel merely looked at her, a smile on his face.  We
do not intend to freeload.  We can compensate you."  At the mention of money,
Nabiki did a 180 and welcomed the new arrivals.

    Samuel and Wanda crossed the yard to the dojo, passing Akane.  Seeing the
two heading for the dojo, she followed, interested in seeing how good they were.
The couple spread out their packs, both removing several containers of water.

    The ensuing fight seemed like something out of a horror movie.  The two
fought fiercely, each one using the water to change the other.  from wolf to
human they fought, the change neither slowing them down or hampering them.
Finally, they split, each one panting heavy.

    Akane just stood in shock at the ferocity of the training.  Both of them had
small cuts and scratches.  Samuel, finally realizing that his clothes were over
where he had first changed, jumped over and scrambled into his clothing.  A
small noise from behind Akane made her jump.

    Ranma stood there, arms crossed, eyes intent on the two combatants.  "I've
always wondered if anyone could incorporate the change into a style.  They seem
to have done well."  Ranma turned at that, heading back into the house.

    Dinner at the Tendo home was calm for once, the only interruption being
Genma and Ranma fighting over their food.  Sam and Wanda ate slowly, enjoying
the home cooked meal that Kasumi had prepared.  "Thank you for your hospitality,
Sensei Tendo.  This meal was one of the finest we have had." Sam said.  "It is
time for us to retire now, for we have a long day planned tomorrow."

    With that, Samuel left the house and jumped into the koi pond, while Wanda
entered the kitchen.  Two wolves joined each other under a tree, laying together
under a star filled sky.

Well, this is the end of Part one.  Part two soon to follow!