HERE WE GO AGAIN - a Ranma 1/2 Fanfic (continuation)
----------------

Notes:

I originally started reading Ranma 1/2 Fanfics as a way to try and get
Ranma 1/2 out of my system. However, after reading The More Things Change
and The Pursuit of Happiness, I became enamored with the concept of
writing my own, especially within that "Normality force" framework.  My
idea is awfully similar, but, in my world, it doesn't switch quite so
happily.

I also am quite aware that my knowledge of the series isn't flawless.  I
mean, I've only read up to the 9th translated graphic novel, I've only
seen up to the 9th translated tape of the 3rd season.  I did read all of
the summaries, however.  I kind of needed to, considering the way I
treated certain things in the story.

Please, also note I went as english as possible.  That means I didn't use
words like "Kawaikune" in favor of "uncute".  It also means I tended to
come up with my own names for some of the later moves.  The Shishi
Hodokan is called a chi-blast, for example.  Also, I used the North
American school year.  I wasn't clear on how the Japanese one worked, and
besides, by the time X-Mas came around in my fic, I had a story for it.
:)

(Besides, what do you call a chi-blast based on both love AND rage?)

Some of my pre-readers have complained that Tenno (the new character) is
too perfect.  I tried to fix that, but please, take this into account: 1)
He's designed as a Kasumi-like person.  2) His defects show up later.  3)
He's not one of the crew YET, 'nuff said.

Finally, I know the first few chapters are a bit angst-y, but hey, this
is the way I saw it.  A good portion of the premise is based on the fact
that the cycle would just get more and more painful until something
broke, or something caused the cycle to stop.  Tenno serves as the later
of the two, kind of like the branch that trips a running man.

As for the matchmaking I do, what can I say, I like the characters I
match, and they deserve each other (Nabs is my FAVE character).

In regards to OOCing: I don't think I went too far off base.  As far as I
could tell, at the end there was FAR too much emotional tension built up.
 When something broke, it would break hard.

I welcome **********PRIVATE**************  feedback.
(PLEASE don't recomend major changes.  I'm not going to do them, I'm
already on chapter 6!)
--------------------------------------------------------

Prologue: A new face and a new curse
------------------------------------

Kasumi hummed to herself as she washed the dinner dishes.  In the
background she could hear Ranma and Akane arguing as usual.  She winced
as she heard a crash and saw Ramna fly out the window.  Kasumi sighed,
and finished the dishes.  "I guess some things never change," she said,
drying off her hands.  She then heard someone yelling her name.  Ranma.

"Hey, Kasumi!  Come here, quick, someone's hurt!"  Ranma-chan's soprano
voice seemed to silence everything.

Kasumi's eyes widened.  "Oh my," she gasped.  She grabbed her first aid
kit (always a good idea to keep one handy in this house) and ran to the
front gate.  She heard Akane and Nabiki pounding down the stairs behind
her.

At the gate, a young man lay on the ground at the front gate, surrounded
by Ranma-chan, Genma (suprisingly NOT a panda) and her father.  He looked
like he had been stampeded by horses.  Kasumi could see he was young, and
handsome under the wounds.  He had long, straight dark brown hair that
lay like a halo around his head.  He seemed reasonably well built, but he
had the soft look of one not used to hardship.  His clothes were
scorched, but of good quality.

"I was chasing Happosai, and he got in the freak's way," Ranma-chan
explained.  "I don't get it, I've never seen him hurt anyone this badly
by one of his little bombs."

"The master went too far," Genma said.

"Yes, Ranma, the master went to far," Soun Tendo seconded.  "This poor
boy is no martial artist.  He never had a chance.  Master Happosai broke
the code."

It's a little understood fact that martial artists have an uncanny
resistance to damage and insanely effective recuperative abilities. 
Unfortunately, they tend to forget that others do not.  This led to a
code, common to all martial artists, for use when dealing with normal
humans.  Essentially, the rule is one of minimalism.  Use the least
amount of force, no killing, no maiming, that sort of thing.  The lawyers
hate it, though.

The man stirred. "Ranma?" he whispered.  Kasumi, busy tending his wounds,
smiled at him.

"Just lie still.  You've been hurt very badly." The man shook his head,
and struggled to rise.  "Stop that! Ranma, come here and make him lie
still!"  Ranma-chan sat beside her and held the man down by his
shoulders.

"Please, you must tell me," the man said faintly. Kasumi bent her head
closer to listen.  "Is this Tendo Dojo? Is Ranma Saotome here?"  

Kasumi looked at him, suprised.   She glanced at Ranma.  "Why, yes it
is," she said.  The man smiled faintly.

"Oh goody," he sighed.  And fainted.

"Oh dear," Kasumi sighed.  "I hope this isn't more trouble."  She
continued treating the man, and a light rain begain to fall.  "Whoever he
is, he wanted to get here," she told the others.

"I wonder who he is," Ranma-chan asked, standing.  They gathered a few
steps away to let Kasumi work in peace.

"Probably someone who wants to kill you," Akane muttered.

"HEY!  I haven't done anything to him!" She scratched her head. "I think.
 You think of anything, Pop?"

Nabiki looked down at the young man.  "He's a cute one.  Maybe he wants
to marry you, sis.  I hope not, for his sake."

Her father, now in Panda form, held up a sign.  "Beyond me." Just then,
Kasumi gasped. Everyone looked to where she was bandaging the man, and
stared in amazement at the beautiful, battered girl on the ground.

Nabiki scowled.  "Oh great.  Another one."

******************************

Kasumi came down from the guest room/infirmary.  "It wasn't as bad as it
looked," she said to the waiting group. "She'll be in bed for a few days,
but she should be able to tell us why she wants to kill Ranma when she
wakes up."  

"HEY!" Ranma objected.  "I didn't do nothin' to her.  Him." He scowled.

"You had to do something,"  Akane insisted, "why else would he want to
find YOU?"

"I didn't do nothin' to nobody!" he shouted back at her.  "Besides, you
uncute tomboy, what good is it gonna do just sitting here guessing?"

"Raaaannmaaa!" Akane growled, grabbing a hammer.

"Excuse me?" 

Everyone looked to the stairs, where the bandaged girl was standing
unsteadily.  "Maybe I can explain?"

Kasumi looked at the girl, a slight frown on her face.  "Ranma, help her
down." She  started grabing cushions and setting up an area for the girl
to lay.  "Give me your cushions, I want her to be comfortable.  She
doesn't need to aggravate her condition."  Everyone silently obeyed. 
Kasumi may not be a threat, but when she commands, you obey.

The girl winced as she sat, then leaned back into the cushions with a
sigh.  "Thank you," she said.  She squired a little on the cushions, and
relaxed. "I'm sorry I'm such a bad patient," she apologised, "but I have
to explain."  Kasumi noticed the girl's Japanese was adequate, if a bit
rusty.  Everyone else sat down.

The girl took a breath.  "No, I'm not here to kill Genma." Some tension
left the room.  "Or Ranma."  A lot more tension left the room. She smiled
lightly.  "I'm here to steal Tendo Akane and make her my bride."  

"OH NO YOU'RE NOT!" Ranma and Akane yelled at once.  Ranma jumped up, and
Akane grabbed a hammer.  They started to advance on the suprised girl,
who began to giggle.  Ranma and Akane stopped and looked at her in
amazement.

The girl started to laugh harder and winced. She contined giggling, her
eyes dancing with mirth. Nabiki also smiled.  So, she has a sense of
humor, she thought to herself.  Interesting.  The girl saw Nabiki smiling
and winked at her. Nabiki, started, scowled at first, then she smiled
back, cautiously.  I may like this one, she thought.  If she lives.  "Oh,
you two, it was a joke."  

"Oh, he was right, that was fun," the girl gasped.  "On my way here I
asked for directions at this Cat Cafe place.  A guy there filled me in on
you two.  Nice guy.  Blind as a bat though.  I should have believed him
though, that was almost suicidal."

"Mousse," Ranma muttered.  "Enough jokes, spill it!  What do you want?!"

"Ranma!" Tendo scolded.

"No, he's right," the girl said.  "I supposed I stalled enough.  So,
where should I begin?"

"How about your name?" Nabiki suggested.

"Oh, I forgot!  Nakani Tenno, pleased to meet you."

**************************

After the introductions were completed, Tenno continued.  She spoke
softly, yet everyone could hear her clearly.  "I'm going to tell you how
I was cursed," she began. She looked sadly at Ranma.  "And I have some
very bad news.  I'm sorry to do this to you, Saotome Ranma, but you must
know."  Ranma kept silent, but the suspicion he felt showed on his face. 


"I used to live here many years ago.  In fact, Tendo Nabiki, I think I
went to school with you for a year before I moved to America.  My father
was hired by an American pharmaceutical firm.  He was successful there,
coming up with numerous valuable products for the company.  That was,
until he heard about Jusenkyo."

"My father became obsessed with the curses.  He went over to China, and
gathered large samples from every spring.  He couldn't believe that they
were magic, and spent years trying to figure out how they worked. It cost
him his job, my mother, his life, and my manhood."  Tears began to
glisten in the girls eyes.  She wiped them away.

"My father spent horrendous amounts of money on his research at home,"
she continued.  "I begain to squirrel away as much as I could, hoping to
stop him from empoverishing us.  I was mostly successful.  I gathered
quite alot of money, and hid it from my father.  When he realized he had
no more money, he seemed to come out of it.  He went back to working on
real projects.  But once he made enough to finance a few more years of
research, he was right back to that DAMN water."

"He began trying to find out everything he could about the water.  He
found out every physical aspect of the curse he could.  He went back to
China and grilled that poor guide for days, trying to figure out the
history. He came back filled with new energy.  He began mixing the waters
and testing their effects.  He got so obsessed, he became convinced the
only way he could complete his research would be to see its effects
himself. That was when he discovered the curses' true limitation."

"He asked for my help in setting up an apparatus to allow him to be
cursed by many curses in a row.  During the building, we began to fight. 
He got so angry, he grabbed a bucket of water and splashed me. 
Girl-water."  Tears were running freely down Tenno's cheeks and he began
to sob.  

"Why are you telling us this?" Nabiki asked softly.  "We're complete
strangers.  What's in it for you?"

Tenno smiled a wan little smile.  "I need to tell someone.  It might as
well be you.  If what I've been told is true, you people would
understand.  I need someone to understand."  A bit more of Tenno's facade
slipped away, and they could see the emotional pain she felt.  Kasumi
just cried silently into her father's shoulder.  Akane just stared at the
ground as tears fell from her face.  Even Ranma and Nabiki's eyes were
moist. The torment in the girl's voice couldn't help but touch them.

Tenno pulled herself together.  "When my father heard me scream, and he
realized what he had done, he finally came out of it.  He returned to his
work, promising me he'd cure me."  Tenno sniffed and cursed softly. 
"Foolish, he was.  Irresponsible, definitely.  Stupid, not a chance.  He
got some of the boy-water, all right.  But he recalled his experiments
with mixing the various water.  He knew that some curses would not mix,
and grew worried."  Tenno started to grow angry.

"The IDIOT doused himself with girl-water, and then with boy water.  And
made one final discovery before he died."  All of Tenno's audience
started, and looked at him in horror.  Tenno nodded and continued. "He
discovered that to some people, the cursed water is like acid.  Like guys
to boy-water.  And girls to girl-water."

"NO!!" Ranma shouted.  "You're lying!  You have to be!"

Tenno looked at Ranma sadly. "No, Saotome Ranma, I'm not.  I'm sorry, but
you can never be cured."

"YOU'RE LYING!"  Ranma stood up and started advancing on Tenno.  "STOP
LYING!"

"Ranma, no!"  Genma interposed himself between his son and the battered
girl.  Ranma stopped, and fell to his knees.

"He's got to be lying!  I've SEEN people cured.  Remember that instant
spring stuff Shampoo had? And what about when Happosai drank all that
boy-water?  And what about the spring of young boy that other old freak
Lukkosai fell into? Don't you get it, Pop? If he's right, it means we're
stuck like this!"

Tenno shook her head, sadly.  "Have you ever looked at youself, Saotome
Ranma?  The body you posses when you change isn't just some random girl's
body, it's what you would be like if you were a girl.  The water can't
turn you into something you already are.  The young boy water might work
on a man, if he was very, very old.  If I poured girl-water on myself,
then poured it on a real girl though, she would burn.  The curse has
nothing to change.  All that magic builds up and has nowhere to go.  So
it burns."  She sighed. "I'm very sorry, Ranma.  I spent alot of time
trying to cure myself." She lifted up her sleeve, and showed them her
arm.  It had many small burn marks.  "There isn't a cure.  If there is,
it doesn't lie at Juskenkyo."  She sighed, and frowned.  "I don't know
about this instant spring stuff, though.  And who's Happosai?"

"The little freak who ran over you," Nabiki told her.

Tenno shuddered.  "Oh, HIM.  He drank the water?  That's impossible!  Are
you sure he's human?"

"His humanity is in doubt, yes, but he didn't drink the water," Genma
interrupted.  "He drank plain water." Everyone turned to Genma.  Ranma
sat down, and put his face in his hands.

"We fought ... like that ... over PLAIN WATER?"  Ranma was dizzy.  He
couldn't take much more of these suprises.  Soun stared at Genma who
shrugged, embarassed.

"I tried to use the water before the wedding.  When I touched it, it
burned me and I thought Soun here had been cheated.  I threw the water
away and filled it with plain water.  I thought I'd come up with an
excuse later."

Akane was angry.  She was beyond angry.  She was in a towering rage.  She
was glowing brighter than she had before, and she had a hammer in each
hand. "My wedding, ruined, for NOTHING!  How COULD you?"  Genma was no
idiot, he started to grovel. Akane pounded him anyway, and whirled on
Tenno.  "And you!  Why did you come here?  Just to ruin Ranma's life?  To
destroy his hopes?"

Tenno very slowly sat up, shaking off Kasumi's restratining hand.  She
calmy looked Akane in the eyes, and spoke softly. "Because I didn't want
anyone else to die.  I found the Saotome's names in my fathers notes. 
Because even my father, in his twisted state, saw what the curses were
doing to you people and wanted to save me from it.  Kill me if you want,
Tendo Akane. I can't stop you.  That water destroyed my life. I've done
what I can to keep it from destroying yours.  I don't care about anything
anymore, I'm just so tired."  Nabiki appraised the sad girl. You don't
care, do you?  Why don't I believe that, she thought.

Akane glared at the girl.  She lifted up a hammer to strike, and felt a
hand on her arm.  "Akane, you'll kill her."  Nabiki stood there.  "I know
you're hurt, and Ranma's hurt, and you're angry, but you can't do this. 
It's not her fault.  She was only doing what she thought was right."
Akane glared at her sister, then suddenly fell apart.  She dropped the
hammer and started sobbing.  Kasumi stood up and just held her sister.

"Thank you, Tendo Nabiki.  I owe you my life," Tenno said, and wearily
smiled at her, then collapsed into unconsiousness.

***************************

*days later*

"I'm home!" Nabiki yelled, running through the door.  Kasumi came out of
the kitchen.  "Hey, sis, how's the patient?"

"She finally woke up today.  Poor girl, I think what she did that night
hurt her as much as it did Ranma.  She cried for hours when she woke up."
Kasumi sighed, then giggled.  "And asked for  a bath. And food.  She'll
be fine.  She just needed to rest a bit.  Or rather, he.  I completely
forgot he was really male."

"Where is he?" Nabiki asked. "Still in bed?"

"No, once he woke up, he asked Ranma to help him break it to the others. 
Ranma's out gathering them all.   Tenno's in the practice room."

"Oh no.  All that anger in once place.  Here.  They'll demolish the
house!"

"Ranma and Mr. Saotome say they'll control them.  Mr. Saotome also thinks
that they'll follow that code."

"Ranma will control them.  Right.  Who'll control Ranma?  They'll kill
that idiot!"

"I don't think so, Nabiki.  I think Ranma was resigned to his curse, he
just didn't want to admit it.  I think once source of conflict out of his
life did him good."

Nabiki's eyes narrowed.  "When did you get so observant, sis?"

Kasumi tilted her head. "Isn't that Tenno calling?"

Kasumi smiled as Nabiki jumped and ran out of the room.  "You didn't
forget she was a man for a minute, did you?"

She went back to preparing dinner.

************************************************************

One of the few successes Tenno's father made was the creation of
curse-concentrates.  His father figured out that the cursing part of the
water was only a small part of the spring water, and that liters of
cursed water could be made from a few drops of the concentrate.  He
planned to make millions once he discovered how they worked.  His father
tried making curse powder, but then it only worked once.  Something
changed when all the water was removed.

Tenno sat on the floor of the practice room, making buckets of girl water
and boy water.  He sprinkled some boy-water on his arm, and hissed as it
burned.  He washed it with plain water.

Nabiki burst in to the room.  "Tenno!"

"Hello, Tendo Nabiki."

"Call me Nabiki."

Tenno smiled lightly.  "Nabiki, then."

"What is all this?" SHe asked, looking at the buckets of water.

He pointed to some of the buckets.  "Boy water."  Pointed to some others.
 "Girl water.  The rest are plain water I'll convert if need be."

"Convert?"

"One of the things father discovered was a trick to concentrate the
spring water." Tenno grimaced.

"But why have them?"

"You can't end cure the curse, but you can change it.  My father's notes
said that there were at least three people besides Saotome Ranma and his
father who were cursed, and that theirs were more crippling than his.  I
figure they'll probably want to remain human."

Nabiki sighed.  "You're going to get yourself killed, Tenno.  These
people aren't very stable.  Even if Ranma and Genma do try to save you
and don't join in, they'll probably not going to be able to stop Shampoo
or Mousse if they're intent on killing you."

"I don't think so Nabiki.  Saotome Ranma says he's going to explain to
them I'm not a martial artist.  He  seems to think once they know that I
can't defend myself from them they won't lose control.  Besides, with
these," he pointed to the buckets of water, "I have some defense."

"I still think you're going to be killed, Tenno, but it's your risk." 
She turned to leave.

Tenno watched the girl leave.  He felt so very alone.  "Uh.. Nabiki?" She
stopped, and turned.  "Would be here when I tell them?  You're to be the
only one here besides Kasumi that doesn't want me dead or look
uncomfortable when I talk to them, and she's a little too, uh..motherly. 
I..I could use a ... friend."

Nabiki was stunned.  No one had ever thought of her that way before. 
"S..Sure, Tenno," she stuttered, then smiled.  "Besides, you owe me one
and I intend to collect." She walked away and stopped.  Why'd I do that? 
She asked to herself.  She shook her head and left the strange young man
alone.

********************************************************************

The tension in the room was palpable.  Even Shampoo's usually unstoppable
cheer was subdued.

Tenno waited until Ryouga was shoved into the room.  Ranma and Genma
followed.  As Ryouga sat beside Mousse and Shampoo, Ranma and Genma stood
like boyguards beside Tenno and Nabiki.  Tenno began to explain.  The
tension grew as Tenno told them of the true nature of the curse.  Ryouga
had to be stopped by Ranma when he began building up a chi-explosion of
depression, but Shampoo merely cried.  Mousse, crying, tried to comfort
Shampoo.

"Is trick," Shampoo wailed.

Tenno stopped and let them regain control of themselved.  This isn't
going well, he thought.

"You better get on with it." Nabiki whispered.  Tenno nodded, and took a
deep breath.

"I know you'd rather not believe me, but Mr. Saotome has experienced the
effects.  He'll verify it.  I can't cure you, but I can change your
curse.  The magic of the curse isn't picky.  It'll change aspect quite
easily. I have boy-water here, and girl-water was well.  I can at least
make it so you remain human when you change.  If you want, I can even
change what you become into some other animal."

The tension in the room grew.  Tenno waited silently.  He knew they were
in shock.  He had known he couldn't be cured.  They had always hoped.  He
watched the three young people as they slowly came to terms with the
truth.  Mousse sniffled, rose from Shampoo's side, and walked over to
Nabiki.  "Changing into a woman is much better than changing into a duck.
 Please, Nakani Tenno, do what you must."  Nabiki tipped his glasses back
onto his face, and gently guided him to face Tenno.  Tenno nodded, picked
up a bucket, and poured the contents on Mousse.

All eyes in the room were on Mousse-chan, now an attractive young chinese
girl.  She looked down at herself, then sneaked a look under her robes. 
Shampoo hissed.  Mousse-chan blushed.  "Uhh.. can I have some hot water?"
 Tenno pointed her to some kettles in a corner, and set the bucket aside.

"Over there, Mousse, but you may want to wait.  Get used to your new body
a little."

Nabiki picked up the bucket, and considered the few drops remaining. 
They'd never believe what Tenno said unless they saw it, she thought. 
She poured it on her arm.  As the burning began, she screamed.

"NABIKI!" Tenno yelled.  He quickly grabbed a bucket of plain water and
thoroughly doused her arm.  He grabbed another and did it again.  Already
blisters were beginning to form. "Are you insane?!?!"  He turned to
Genma.  "Get help! NOW!"  Genma ran out of the room, calling for Kasumi.

Tears of pain were coming from Nabiki's eyes, but she shook off Tenno's
hands and walked over to the wide-eyed Shampoo.  "See Shampoo," she
hissed.  "It burned me.  Girls can't touch girl-water.  Tenno's father
died because of boy water.  You can't use the springs to change back!" 
Shampoo looked in horror at Nabiki's arm, and then began to cry again.

"Shampoo no want to be boy!" she whimpered.  Mousse-chan tried to comfort
her again.  "You go away Mousse.  Shampoo no like pervert boy."

"Would you rather turn into a cat?" Mousse-chan asked her.

"YES!" she said fiercely, and glared at Ranma, who gulped.

Tenno sighed.  "It's your choice, Shampoo.  Remember, you only have to
return to the springs when you want to change. But don't try the
girl-spring.  One person dying for these damned curses is enough."

Ryouga was stunned.  Here was his chance to stop being a pig.  He agreed
with Mousse.  Ranma's curse was much less severe than his own.  But to
never be P-chan again, to never be held by Akane again...was a very high
price to pay.  He looked at Ranma, who was watching him warily.  If that
jerk can take it, he thought, so can I.  He walked over to Tenno.

Kasumi came in and took Nabiki out.  "That's two," Nabiki whispered to
Tenno. Tenno stared after them for a moment, then turned to Ryouga, who
stood before him.

Ryouga gritted his teeth.  "Do it," he said shortly.  Tenno nodded and
poured the water over Ryouga.  And gasped.

At that time Tenno had seen a total of three men turned into girls, and
none of them were like Ryouga.   Ranma-chan was cute, yes, even beatiful.
 Well built, too.  Mousse-chan, from what he could tell, was probably
decent competition for Shampoo, if she could do something about the
glasses.  Even Tenno knew he was beautiful when female, ego aside.  His
father had thought it was some element of the curse.  If so, the curse
was working overtime on Ryouga.

Ryouga-chan put them all to shame.  She was easily as well built as
Ranma, only slightly shorter than her male form, and had the face of an
angel. Even the fangs that made male Ryouga look threatening were somehow
erotic.  Mousse-chan blushed, and looked away.  Genma and Ranma merely
stared, statue-like.  Shampoo looked at Ryouga-chan, who was looking down
at herself and blushing furiously, a small trickle of blood coming from
her nose.  Shampoo sniffed, and commented, "Ryouga very pretty girl." The
others merely nodded.

Ryouga had never understood Ranma's hatred of his curse till now.  His
body felt so strange.  His clothes rubbed his body in the most disturbing
way.  "Man, Ryouga you're cute!" Ramna exclaimed.  Ryouga-chan stiffened.
 She went to the kettles of hot water, and poured some on herself.

"Saotome Ranma," he growled.  And started to glow.  "You ruin my life,
put me through hell, and then have the gall to call me, another guy,
CUTE?!  I'LL KILL YOU!"

Tenno stood up and grabbed a bucket of boy water.  This might be trouble.
 Genma begain to advance on Ryouga, trying to prevent him from attacking.
"No.  You won't," Tenno said coldly.  Genma stopped, and Ryouga's glow
disappeared as he stared at Tenno in suprise.  "You promised you wouldn't
fight today.  Make a challenge or whatever it is you do and fight
somewhere else.  But for today, go home."  He paused, and placed the
bucket of water on the ground.  "If you must kill someone, kill me. 
Saotome Ranma is not at fault."  The tension in the room grew, and then
Ryouga slumped and nodded.

Shampoo sniffled again, and seemed to regain control of herself.  She and
Mousse-chan left together, Shampoo hitting Mousse-chan every time she
snuck a look under her robes.  "Stupid Mousse!  You no be pervert!"

"But Shampoo, it's my body...."

Ryouga just grabbed his pack and walked out.

***************************************************************

The Tendos and the Saotomes looked on as Tenno worked in the yard in
front of a small fire.

He first opened all the buckets he had made and poured them in a pot, and
quickly set it on the fire.  He backed well away from the foul smoke that
resulted from the mixing of the boy- and girl-water and chuckled. "I
guess men and women really don't mix well, do they?"  Ranma snorted and
glanced over at Akane.

Tenno picked up his bag of concentrates and started to throw it in the
fire, when he stopped and turned to Ranma's father.  "Uh, Mr. Saotome?  I
never asked if you want to change your curse."

All eyes turn to Genma, who pondered the question.  "No," he replied. 
"Of all of us, I've accepted my curse the most.  The panda is the most
fitting thing for me to turn into." Ranma snorted.  "I don't want to
change."

Tenno nodded, and dropped the bag in the fire.  "Father, I've done the
most good I could with your research.  I know it's not what you wanted to
happen, but please accept it and forgive me for destroying your work, but
it had to end.  I forgive you for what happened to me."

The bag burned, the smoke curling into the sky, while tears fell from
Tenno's face.  "Goodbye, father."

*****************************************************************

Tenno sat at the Tendo table and looked at his hands.  "What do I do
now?"

"I was going to ask you that."  Ranma sat beside him.  Nabiki and Akane
sat at the other side of the table.

"Well, I supposed I could go back to the US, but I don't think I will.  I
like it here, and I'm still a citizen.  Japan is crazy, exotic and new,
and truth be told, there's safety in numbers.  I don't want to be some
wierd freak back in America.  I can at least find some acceptance here if
there's others like me."  He paused. "I still have a good chunk of my
father's money, but it won't last forever.  I suppose I could find a job
at a drug store or something.  Or maybe a teacher." he chuckled.

"What could you possibly teach?" Nabiki asked suspiciously.

"Chemistry," he said, and snorted at their disgusted expresions. "Joke,
joke.  Jeez, you people have no sense of humor.  No, I have a bachelors
degree in math, I suppose I could apply at some of the local high schools
and teach calculus or algebra."

"You're lying.  You can't have a degree.  You're only a year older than
me!" Ranma accussed.

"It was mostly being in the right place at the right time."  Tenno
admitted.  "it sort of made up for the fact I barely passed alot of my
other courses.  By the time I graduated from univeristy, the only thing
keeping me from dropping out were my math grades."

Akane looked over at Nabiki throughfully.  "Didn't our math teacher
resign again?  Who'll be taking over?"

"Probably Principal Kuno," Nabili replied, with a mysterious smile. "No
one wanted the job."

"Uh..hey, it was just an idea," Tenno said nervously.

"And a good one," she replied.  "We'll take you down there to apply
tomorrow."

"But I don't even have a place to live!" Tenno protested.  His voice rose
in pitch as he started to panic.  He had this distinct feeling he was
being railroaded.

"You can stay here," Akane volunteered.

Soun who had been playing a game in the background with Genma, jumped up
and came over to the table.  "Akane! I can't afford another house guest!"
 Genma, seeing that Soun's attention had wandered, took advantage of the
lapse and started moving pieces.

"Who said anything about him being a guest?  I was thinking along the
lines of 'border,'" Nabiki said lightly.

Tenno's eyes narrowed.  "At what kind of rates?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well, considering that you'll be using additional water, eating
food....." Nabiki began, and the two quickly fell into bickering over the
cost of rent.

"Umm. Nabiki?" Soun asked his daughter.  "Nabiki?"  She ignored him, and
continued bargainning. 

Akane and Ranma looked at the arguing pair.  "I'll go tell Kasumi there's
another for dinner," Ranma sighed.

Akane patted her father's shoulder.  "It's OK, Daddy, Tenno's a nice boy.
 Besides, Nabiki will get us a good deal, you know that."

Soun looked ready to cry, then sighed, and went back to the game. 
"WHAT!?!" He screamed, looking at the board. 

**************************
(At dinner)

"...and he gets some martial arts training from father, Ranma, Akane, and
Mr. Saotome.  So that's the deal," finished Nabiki. 

Ranma looked disgusted.  "Congrats, Tenno, you've just been fleeced." 
Nabiki scowled and started to reply, but was interrupted by Kasumi
bringing out the meal.  They started on dinner.

"Kasumi, this is excellent!" Tenno enthused.

"Why thank you, Tenno" Kasumi replied.

"Get used to it," Ranma grinned at him, and then went pale as Akane
walked out of the kitchen.  Akane had come out with .. something heaped
on a plate.  "Uh...Akane, you didn't cook,  did you?"  Ranma asked
carefully.

"Raanmaaa, are you saying there's something wrong with my cooking?" asked
Akane, growing angry.  She placed the dish on the table and started to
glow blue.

"Wow, Akane, that's pretty good!" Tenno said.  Everyone at the table
looked at him amazement as he slowly ate some of the mixture, sweat
glistening his forehead.  Ranma grabbed a spoonful and quickly ate it. 
Almost immediately, his eyes grew wide, and he grabbed at his drink,
draining it in one go.  He then grabbed the pitcher and drained that. 
"HOT!"

"It is pretty intense," Tenno agreed.  He watched Akane advance on an
oblivious Ranma, who was muttering under his breath.  He leaned over to
Nabiki, who was eating beside him, and whispered.  "No offense, but
Akane's cooking is almost deadly!  I wonder if we could harness her
powers for good?"  Nabiki started to giggle.

Ranma was still muttering.  "He's not human!" he burst.  "He ate Akane's
cooking and lived.  He can't be human!"  He was completely oblivious to
Akane's growing anger.

"In the future, though," returned Tenno, "I'd probably eat it with rice. 
It IS awfully - Say, just where do you keep those hammers?"

"RANMA YOU JERK!!"  Akane yelled as she smashed Ranma.

**********************************
(late at night.)

Ranma was walking to his and his father's room, but stopped when he heard
groans from Tenno's room.  "Tenno, you OK?" he asked, poking his head in.
 He saw Tenno twisting in agony, clutching his stomach. He smiled, and
closed the door.  He quitely walked to his room, whistling softly.

End Prologue