[FFML] [fic][Tenchi and Ranma, Together, Forever!? ch5][all new]

     Tenchi and Ranma, Together Forever!?
     Chapter five
     Girls just want to create Mayhem.
     
     What's going on.
     This is an alternative universe story.
     Ranma was trapped as a girl from her first dip in the
Nanniichuan.

     Why?  Read the earlier chapters.  See below for some
highlights.

     Unable to carry out his plan to engage Ranma to one of the
Tendo girls, Genma recalled that he had once promised Nobuyuki
Masaki that if he had a daughter, he would marry her to Nobuyuki's
son Tenchi. 

     Nodoka Saotome, along with Akane Tendo and Ukyou Kuonji
are on their way to Jusenkyo in hopes of finding out what has
happened to Ranma and Genma.  At least Nodoka and Ukyou are. 
Akane just wants to get out of the house for the summer before her
father sinks the place with his tears. 
     
     When we last left Ranma, she had just survived a crash landing
aboard the now defunct Ryo-oh-ki.  And in a moment of weakness
she has agreed to allow Princess Ayeka to teach her some of what it
means to be a girl.
     On with the story.


     The old man stood at the top of the stairs that led down into the
small mountain valley. Behind him, the graceful buildings of the
shrine he tended gleamed in the early morning sunlight.  He looked
out over the valley, and then down at the small circular lake that
filled its middle.  Normally, other then by its shape, the peaceful
valley gave no evidence of the cataclysmic event that had created it
seven hundred years before.  This morning was a marked exception.
     Masaki Katsuhito  had seen every one of those seven hundred
years.  Not all in this location, or under the name he now wore.  He
had seen the valley when it was nothing more then a smoking crater,
and he had seen life slowly fill it to brimming.  Many of the stately
old trees that grew on the valley slopes had been planted by him
personally. 
     Now like some shadow out of the past a vast wooden dome
filled much of the lake.  Even as he watched, it lurched and began to
sink into the unexpectedly deep waters.  Surrounding the slowly
sinking disk were upthrust shards of black crystal.  They sprouted
like some jagged edged Stonehenge, placed there for who knew what
reason.  They too were slowly settling into the depth. 
     A feeling of sorrow filled him as he took in those shards. He
had never made himself known to Ryo-oh-ki back when she had
lived out her life in the human village in the next valley over. 
However, he had taken pleasure in the joy she had found there.  
     The family that had found the mysterious jewel that had
hatched into a Kapa spirit had raised her as one of their own.  There
kindness had been rewarded by good fortune.  The first food that
Ryo-oh-ki tasted had been a noxious weed that had been choking the
life from the villagers scant crops.  That first taste had left her with
an insatiable appetite for that particular plant.  Soon the fields for
miles around were bare of it.  Proof positive that she had been a gift
from the gods to the poor villagers, and she had led a sheltered and
loved life from that point on.  She had grown, assumed human form,
and had married the boy who had been her brother.  She had given
birth to three children, and had seen two of them grow old enough to
give her grandchildren.
     As Ryo-oh-ki had found joy in her life, that joy and
contentment had flowed down the link she shared with Ryouko, and
even in her spelled sleep, it had filled Ryouko with a longing for
those emotions and feelings.  When Ryo-oh-ki's life had turned bad,
when despair had gripped her, sending her into a centuries long
sleep to escape it, that too had been sent to Ryouko as well.  Ryo-oh-
ki's sleep had ended that particular torment, but not before it had
affected her master profoundly.  In her endless dreams, Ryouko had
learned to dread that feeling, that loss.
     Katsuhito, had found shortly after sealing Ryouko away, that he
had a link to her.  It flowed from her, to the jewels in Tenchi-ken, to
Funaho and then to him.  No where near as strong as the link
between Ryouko and Ryo-oh-ki, it was true, but still, it let him gauge
her character.  Which is why he had not set out to restrain her when
he had discovered Tenchi had freed her.  She was a far different
creature then the one he had sealed up all those centuries ago.  Just
how different, he believed even she did not know yet.
     
     As these thoughts ran through his mind, his eyes, still sharp as
an eagle's after all these years, picked out two feminine forms
making their way toward the house that had sprouted over night in
the valley.  One of those figures he knew, even from this distance. 
The very shape of her was engraved on his heart.  Ayeka, his sister,
who he had never thought to see again, and who, with a little luck,
would never know just who he was. He knew little Sasami was here
as well, and he looked forward to seeing her.  Even as Ryo-oh-ki had
let Ryouko know of their presence in orbit, Funaho had let him know
about Ryuu-oh's presence and who was on board it. 
     Welcome as Ayeka, and Sasami's presence were, his eyes did
not stay focused on Ayeka for long, his attention switched to her
companion, a small girl with vivid red hair done up in a heavy braid
that fell nearly to her waist.  Something about her tweaked at his
memory, but at this distance details were too vague to tell why. 
However, that was not what was making him stare so intently at her. 
     She would be the fiance that Nobuyuki had told him about on
the phone the other night. Saotome Ranma, the daughter of
Nobuyuki's old friend Genma and his cousin Nodoka. That was the
thing that made Katsuhito look very intently at the young girl. 
Fifteen years ago Nodoka had brought her infant child to the shrine
to show it to the head of her family.  She had stayed a week, and
during that time Katsuhito had been drafted into babysitting duties
on more then one occasion as Nodoka had visited with Tenchi's
mother, who was also visiting at that time. Katsuhito had changed
both babies, and Ranma was every bit as much a boy as Tenchi was. 
     So who was this girl who called herself Saotome Ranma?  He
idly stroked his chin as he thought over the possibilities.  Genma was
a scoundrel, he knew that well, but he had a hard time believing that
even he would try and pass off some child he had picked up as his
daughter.  Well, there was an easy way to settle the matter.  He had
Nodoka's number, a simple telephone call would go a long way to
clearing this puzzle up.  He turned and headed into the shrine. 
     

     
     Down in the valley, the girl that was attracting so much of
Katsuhito's attention, was trying to deal with some puzzles of her
own. Ranma had been feeling uncharacteristically depressed, and a
little unwell. She'd even cried, an action that filled her with disgust. 
Sure, a very nice person she had just met had died in the crash that
now littered the nearby lake with refuse, but guys weren't supposed
to cry, not even for stuff like that.  That was one thing Genma had
drilled into her constantly over the last ten years.  To cry meant you
were weak, and to be weak was to be a failure.  It was a lesson
Ranma had taken to heart long ago.  So why was she feeling an
itchiness in her eyes, and this enormous urge to bury her head in the
Princess's shoulder and cry her eyes out?  It was unmanly, that's
what it was, and she'd not give in to it.
     She tried to drive the sadness she was feeling away. Things
were looking up after all.  She had discovered a way to at least
temporarily wiggle out of this stupid engagement to Tenchi.  Both
Ryouko and Princess Ayeka thought she was Tenchi's sister.  Now if
she could just get to Tenchi and convince him what a good idea it
was for her to continue the deception until they left, things would be
great.  After all, she told herself, surely he couldn't want to marry
her!  She had told him she was really a guy.  Guys didn't marry
guys, even if one of the guys looked like her.
     She was sure Tenchi could convince his father.  Masaki-san
seemed a nice enough guy, even if he stared at her rather a lot.  Of
course that left her Pop.  She rubbed a closed fist in the palm of her
other hand.  She was rather looking forward to convincing Pop to go
along with the idea.  
     Buoyed up by the thought of doing violence to her father, her
usual upbeat character was soon shoving the grief she had been
feeling aside, forcing it down into her gut.  Just like Pop always told
her to do.  Even if her stomach felt like she'd been punched there
repeatedly in her last sparring session, she could at least think of
other things now.
     She had just made a new friend, well, a maybe friend,  and a
rather cute one at that.  Despite her mud spattered kimono, Princess
Ayeka was every inch a lady.  Normally that would have been a
mark against her in Ranma's mind, but the way she carried herself,
and the kimono she wore, reminded Ranma of someone, and that
memory carried a warmth that was helping in the lifting of her
spirits. She was not sure what it was, but that didn't really matter.  It
wasn't like she had friends by the dozens, and they'd been even
harder to come by since she had become a girl. 

     Most of her life she had been alone, her Pop hardly counting as
company.  The few friends she managed to meet were soon left
behind on her everlasting training trip.  She tried to think of how
many there had been.  After a moment of thought she was shocked to
realize that she could think of just three that had made a real
impression in her life.  There had been the old lady who had
comforted her when she first acquired the cat fist.  Ranma had
known her for a while when that had happened, and she had
instinctively sought her out the first time she went cat.  The old lady
had comforted the frightened creature she had become, and had
brought Ranma back to herself.  Then she had held Ranma while
Ranma had wailed out her fear and trauma in her arms. The old lady
had not thought crying unmanly she recalled.  
     Pop had moved them on shortly after he had caught the old
lady telling Ranma that sometimes it was all right to let others see
your feelings.  Maybe because of the closeness she felt for the old
lady, and from missing that closeness, she had quickly made another
friend at the first opportunity.
     That had been Ukyou, the best friend she had ever had.  They
had played together for nearly three months that summer before Pop
had moved them on.  She remembered Ucchan running after them,
and how hard it had been to keep the tears at bay, but she had
managed, and her friend's last sight of her had been a smiling face,
instead of some baby crying over something that could not be helped. 

     She wondered what Ucchan would think of her now, hard to
imagine him as a grown boy.  All the boys she'd met since the
change had been such jerks.  She was sure Ucchan would not be like
that, maybe . . .   No!  She pushed the thought aside.  The last thing
she wanted was for any of her old friends to see her like this, see
what had happened to her.  She shoved the memory of Ucchan from
her mind.  Even if she were to meet him again, she would not be able
to tell him the truth.  The memory of Ucchan's friendship was far
too valuable to spoil by letting him find out she had turned into a
freak.

     Her last friendship had not been as strong as the one with
Ucchan.  It hadn't really even been a true friendship.  She had grown
cautious of making close friends after Ukyou.  Still, there had been
something about him, something in his face, in the guarded way he
behaved around others.  She had felt that he might understand her. 
But, she'd blown it.  She'd tried to use the same basic method she'd
used so well on Ucchan.  He was a lot different than Ucchan
however, and he'd seen her behavior as a personal insult. She'd
regretted not finding some other way of getting to know him  when
he  had challenged her to a man to man duel.  Maybe if she had let
her guard down, he would never have felt the need to challenge her. 
Maybe if she hadn't been such a jerk, they could have been real
friends instead of glorified sparing partners.  They had never fought
that last fight of course.  Poor old Ryouga had gotten lost like usual .
. .

     "Ryouga!!!" Ranma suddenly shouted out loud, her face a study
of chagrin.
     "I beg your pardon Ranma-san?" Ayeka asked, startled by
Ranma's outburst.
     "Damn, damn, damn.  How could I be so f****** stupid?"
Ranma cursed loudly and vigorously.  Then she noticed Ayeka's
shocked expression, and blushed, placing her left hand behind her
head and rubbed her hair..  "Eh, sorry Ayeka-san, I just realized
something, and it pissed me off that it took this long.  I met this boy
the other day, and I didn't remember him from when we went to
school together.  I just realized I told him my real name.  I hope he
doesn't think I'm me."
     Ayeka was still rather flustered at hearing a Jurain princess, no
matter how backward her raising, using such language.  She put that
thought aside for the moment, time later for etiquette lessons.  "This
boy, did he make advances on you before?  Are you afraid he'll come
here?  Should we warn your father and brother?"
     "Eh?" Ranma said, looking at Ayeka in bemusement, trying to
figure out what she was going on about.  Then it struck her, and she
frowned angrily.  "Hey, I don't need no one looking after me.  It's
just that I wasn't a . . ." Ranma paused, having almost said she
wasn't a girl last time she met Ryouga.  That would blow her sister
story right here and now.  That was no good.  She finished rather
lamely.  "I wasn't looking like he remembered, and I didn't want
him thinking I was strange or nothing."
     "Ahh," Ayeka said knowingly. It was obvious that Ranma did,
despite appearances, give some thought to how she looked.  Why else
would she be concerned about what this boy might think of her
current appearance?  "Don't worry Ranma-chan.  We will have you
looking just like a proper young lady in no time.  Just leave
everything to me."
     Ranma was once again left wondering just what in the hell the
princess was talking about, but she did not let it concern her.  She
had other worries.  "Man oh man," she thought to herself, "I hope
Ryouga didn't make me.  I'd die of embarrassment if he knew what
happened to me."  She tried to reassure herself that there was no way
Ryouga would know it was her, but still, the thought of an old
acquaintance finding out about her condition, and maybe blabbing it
all over town, or in Ryouga's case, all over Japan, filled her with
dread.  The only thing that made walking around like this bearable
was that no one she knew was aware of it.

     "Oh, look.  Kamidake and Asaka managed to recover my
belongings from Ryuu-oh." Ayeka said suddenly, breaking into
Ranma's train of thought.  Ranma looked up and saw a stack of 
wooden cabinets scattered haphazardly across the grass that had
been transported along with the house.  Even as she watched, Tenchi
came down the stairs from the house and picked one up with a grunt
of effort.  Then, accompanied by a young girl Ranma had not yet
met, he returned to the house.  As Tenchi walked into the house with
his burden, two large floating logs maneuvered themselves into
position of either side of a large stack of the dressers, and the bulky
objects floated up in the air, supported by nothing Ranma could see.
     "Neat!" Ranma exclaimed, once again caught up in the wonder
of being in the presence of aliens, and all that went with it.  She was
also glad that as a girl she did not have to feign disinterest, but could
act in a manner she would be too embarrassed to do in her male
body. She bounced over to have a closer look.  One of the logs gave a
sudden "eep" and disappeared into the house.  The other log,
unbalanced by the lose of whatever force his companion had been
exerting toppled over, along with the wooden furniture, which
scattered across the small patch of lawn.
     
     "What, what, what." A voice said from inside, and Nobuyuki
came out on the deck, and looked over the disarray.  "Tsk, tsk, tsk,"
he said to the fallen Asaka, "you shouldn't try to take so much at one
time.  You might have damaged something." 
     "It was not Asaka's fault." Ayeka explained.  "I am afraid
Kamidake had a rather unpleasant experience with your daughter,
and is a little nervous around her.  I'm sure he will get over it
quickly once he gets to know her."
     "Daughter?" Nobuyuki said in puzzlement, but Genma, who
had come out on the deck behind him laughed out loud.  If Ranma
had been less busy trying to signal his father to go along, she might
have noted a slight tinge of hysteria in her fathers laugh. 
     Despite Ranma's frantic hand signals, Genma said, "Ranma's
my daughter, and Tenchi's fiancee."  Ranma dropped her head and
moaned.
     "Fiancee?" Ayeka said, a puzzled expression on her face.  "I
don't understand.  She must be your daughter." She said to
Nobuyuki.  "She has the Jurain royal blood.  Just like Tenchi."
     A sudden flare of light drew the attention of everyone on the
deck before any explanations, or in Genma's case, lies,  could be
made.  They all, with the exception of Ranma, who was glaring in
anger at Genma, turned to look, and saw Ryouko standing there, her
face twisted into a horrendous expression. 
     "Fi-an-c-ee!" She stuttered out, her fist clenched and sparks
forming a halo around her statically charged hair.  
     Genma turned slightly pale.  He had not taken being shot at,
shrunken, kidnaped on an alien space craft, and then being crash
landed in a lake well.  About the only thing that had gone his way
was that he had managed to evacuate the ship without getting wet. 
A situation Ranma now rectified with a pail of water she plucked off
the deck.
     "You got a big mouth Pop. Why don't you keep it shut for a
while?" Ranma yelled at him. She was furious that he had screwed
up her plan to pass as Tenchi's sister.  She watched in satisfaction as
 he changed form, and then dove in fists first.
     Ryouko paid not the slightest attention to Genma's
transformation.  Every bit of her attention was focused on Ranma's
back.  Sixteen years!  She had watched Tenchi grow up for sixteen
years.  Now, just as she managed to get free, this, this, this mud
covered, ragged, top heavy, little tramp came along to take him away
from her.  No goddamn way, not if she had anything to say about it.
     If Ryouko attention was fully focused on Ranma, Ayeka's was
on the large Panda that had just joined their group.  "Wha, wha,
what?"  She stuttered pointing at the transformed Genma.  Then a
shocked look crossed her face, and she looked from Genma to
Ranma and back again, recalling he had called her daughter. 
"Shape shifter." She suddenly said, and her body language was
suddenly saying the same thing that Ryouko's was.  There was a
shape shifter in the legends of Jurai, and those legends were not such
as to give her a good opinion of the creatures.
     "So," she gritted out from between clenched teeth.  "You
thought to insinuate yourself into the royal family.  Evil creature! 
Never!  Never will I allow this to happen!" She reached with her
right hand, and pulled the fingers on her left hand, then cursed a
ladylike curse under her breath as nothing happened.  Of course, her
armor was still packed away in one of the dressers in front of her. 
She gritted her teeth in anger at herself.  If she had taken the time to
find it and dig it out before confronting Ryouko, none of this would
have happened. She wouldn't be trapped on this backward dirt hole. 
She stalked over to the scattered dressers and began to ruthlessly dig
through them, looking for the ring containing her Jurain battle
armor.

     Meanwhile, Ranma was just getting into a nice rhythm with
her father, landing two punched for every one he managed to block. 
Then she became aware of a hazard from another source.  Ranma's
danger sense was highly developed, so it was hard to say which of
the minuscule clues tipped her off to the impending attack.  It could
have been the smell of charred wood from under Ryouko's feet, the
crackle of lightning as it arced through her wildly waving hair, or
maybe the smell of ozone as she concentrated and formed a globe of
pulsing energy in her hand.  Of course it could merely have been the,
"NOW YOU DIE!!!" that Ryouko screamed out, just before
launching the blast.
     Whatever subtle clue warned her, it gave Ranma time to spring
up and do a handstand on her fathers shaggy head, leaving Genma
fully exposed to the bolt of energy that blasted him off the porch and
in a long trajectory toward the lake.  Bereft of her support,  Ranma
did a somersault, and landed on her feet.  She watched Genma
splash down in the lake with every indication of satisfaction.  Then
with a grunt of effort, she twisted her body aside as Ryouko's energy
sword passed through the space she had just occupied. 
     "What's got your shorts in a twist!?" She yelled at the angry
Ryouko, giving her a boot to the backside as her wild swing carried
her past Ranma.  Ranma's only answer was a concussion blast that
she saw coming a mile away and easily dogged.  Doing several
multiple back flips, she moved away from the house, and toward the
side of the valley, never taking her eyes of the furious demon girl. 
She didn't know what had set her off, but she had been hoping for a
rematch, and she still had a pile of anger to burn off.  So, all in all,
she was perfectly happy to accommodate Ryouko's sudden need for a
battle. Unrestricted by walls she was sure her greater speed would let
her give a good account of herself.  She felt not an ounce of fear. 
She never did in fights.  The thought that she might lose was just not
a part of her mental makeup. 
     Drawing on the memory from her first fight she found it easy to
dodge Ryouko's energy blasts.  Ryouko had to focus for just a second
before launching them, and that gave Ranma ample time to dodge,
and to even use the shock wave, and debris to her advantage.  She
used her feet and hands to deflect the shattered pieces of rock toward
Ryouko.  They did Ryouko no harm, but they did inflame her even
more, and gave Ranma even more of an advantage as Ryouko's
anger made her careless.  

     Tenchi had of course heard the explosions, as well as Ryouko's
scream of anger.  He came bursting out of the house, fully expecting
to see Ryouko attacking the princess.  He stopped in surprise when
he got outside and Ryouko was nowhere to be seen and Ayeka was
rummaging through her belongings throwing clothing and other
things right and left as she looked for something.

     "Ayeka-san!  What is happening, where is Ryouko?" Then
taking a closer look at who was present he added.  "Where is
Ranma?"
     "You have been betrayed Tenchi-sama!" Ayeka yelled over her
shoulder.  "That girl you are engaged to is a shape shifter.  She is not
what she seems."
     Tenchi was surprised to hear this, first because he could not
think how Ayeka could have been able to tell, and secondly, because
Tenchi himself had not been entirely convinced that Ranma was
really a boy under that very feminine body.
     "No, no, no!  You are very much mistaken Miss." Nobuyuki
broke in before Tenchi could say anything.  He had watched enough
anime, and read enough manga, to know what she feared.  "Ranma's
father is not a shape shifter, he is a shape shifted." Ayeka and
Tenchi both gave him a blank look, and he explained further.  "He
does not change himself, he is changed by his curse.  He had no
control over it, and Ranma has no curse, she is merely a little
confused.  Sasami-chan, there is a kettle on the stove in the kitchen,
could you go and get it please?" Nobuyuki asked the young girl who
was standing beside Tenchi, a look of confusion of her face. 
     "Yes," she answered, glad of something to do.  She hurried into
the kitchen, not wanting to miss any of what was turning out to be a
marvelous entertainment.  To think, just a day ago she had been
bored out of her skull, and now she was here after a fierce battle in
space.  A crash landing on an alien planet, and out in the lake  was a
shape shifter right out of the legends.  She had no idea what the hot
water was for, but she felt that given recent events it had to be for
something more interesting then making tea.

     By the time Sasami heated the water, and returned to the porch. 
A singed and soaking wet Panda was sitting there, cowering under
the basilisk stare of her older sister. 
     "Ah, thank you Sasami-chan." Nobuyuki said, taking the kettle
from her.  "You see," Nobuyuki said to Ayeka.  "My old friend
Genma is under a curse.  When splashed with cold water, he turns
into a panda.  When splashed with hot . . ." Nobuyuki poured the
water in the kettle over the shivering Panda.  Sasami clapped in
delight when the large black and white creature suddenly shimmered
and turned back into a man in an old cotton gi.  A man who yelled in
pain.
     "It needn't be that hot Masaki." He said in a querulous voice.  
     Nobuyuki ignored him, and instead addressed Ayeka  "There,
you see, that's not so bad, is it?  He's not some sort of monster.  He
merely had the bad luck to fall into a cursed spring."
     Ayeka didn't look in the least mollified.  "And his daughter?"
she said in a grating tone.  Once fooled, she would not so easily be
tricked again.
     "Ah, well, that is a little more complicated." Nobuyuki said, he
held up the kettle and shook
it. "Good, enough for some nice tea.  Why don't we all sit down and
my friend can tell you about his poor daughter."
     Ayeka declined to be mollified.  "That is all very well, but why
did she scan as having the same ancestry as Tenchi."
     "That?  Why that is a simple as can be, they are both descended
from Yosho."
     "What?"
     "Yes, yes, you see, while grandfather up at the shrine, and
Tenchi, are descended along the direct line, myself, and Ranma's
mother, are descended through another branch.  So you see, both
Ranma and Tenchi have Yosho's blood in them.  Now come, let my
friend tell you about Ranma's problem."


     Meanwhile, Ranma was having a thoroughly good time.  It had
been months since she'd been able to go all out against her father, a
few weeks after Jusenkyo, her speed had increased to the point where
he just couldn't stand up to her.  What she had lost in strength, had
more then been made up for in speed and flexibility.  Two weeks
after the curse, she had mastered a Kata she had been trying to do for
months, and had been unable to.  Her male body just refused to bend
that fast, or that far.  She'd not even felt like she was trying when
she'd done it the very first time in her female body.  The problem
was, she could no longer let herself go with her Pop.  If she did, the
fight was usually over in a minute or less.  That was very frustrating
to some one who was use to training at full throttle.
     Now however, she was facing an opponent who she did not
have to hold back with in the slightest.  Ryouko was enraged for
some reason, and unlike the fight in the school, where Ranma had
tried to be the aggressor, Ryouko was doing the attacking.  This
allowed Ranma to land several blows, which were ineffective, and to
redirect her movements, which while not doing Ryouko much
damage, caused very impressive collateral damage.  
     She had just now dodged out of the enraged demon girl's way,
using a shove from her hand to add a little speed to Ryouko's already
rapid movement, and sending her face first into a large boulder,
which shattered most satisfyingly. 
     "Argggg!!" Ryouko screamed, bursting out of the ruble, her
hair streaming almost vertical from the aura crackling around her. 
"Stand still you little bitch." 
     "Sorry Granny, should I go a little slower? Would you like me
to wait while you cut yourself a cane?"  Ranma's voice floated down
from where she was currently standing on a tree branch.  Ryouko
shimmered and reappeared floating on air beside the branch, with a
cry of rage she brought her energy sword around and severed the foot
thick limb with one blow.  Then she blinked, and looked around for
Ranma, who had disappeared between the time she had faded out on
the ground, and reappeared in the air beside Ranma's perch. 
     "Feeling creaky you old Mummy." Ranma's voice floated down
from farther up the hill.  Ryouko screamed in rage, and flew in a
straight line toward that taunting voice, severing several moderate
sized trees, and shattering two large ones.  She burst out of the forest
to see Ranma standing on the stone patio of the shrine.
     A lance of force flew from her hand and penetrated the stone
where Ranma had been standing.  From several feet away, Ranma
ragged her.  "Missed again!  Damn, you're not a very good shot are
you."
     "Good enough." Ryouko said with an evil chuckle in her voice. 
She grinned down at the smaller girl, who looked at her in
puzzlement.  Then a rumble filled the air, and the stone under
Ranma exploded before she could escape.  She was flung high into
the air.  Ranma rapidly oriented herself, but she knew she was in
trouble, she could maneuver in the air almost as well as if she could
fly.  The problem was, Ryouko 'could' fly! 
     "Gottcha," Ryouko cried in a triumphant voice as she managed
to snag the front of Ranma's shirt.  Ranma struggled futilely,
leveling several powerful kick and blows at Ryouko, to no avail. 
Ryouko just took her best shots, and kept right on smiling, a very
nasty smile Ranma noted with a sinking feeling.  In one last
desperation move, she pressed both feet against Ryouko, and pushed
with all her might.  There was a loud ripping sound, and Ranma was
free, sans shirt, but free.  She somersaulted to the ground, and
shouted out. 
     "Hey, that was my favorite shirt, you owe me."
     "Favorite shirt!!" Ryouko screamed. "You take Tenchi away
from me, and you bitch about some shirt.  I'll kill you!!"
     "What the hell are you talking about!" Ranma yelled as she
dodged several force bolts.  "I never took Tenchi from no one!" 
     "You're his Fiancee aren't you!" Ryouko yelled as she slashed
at the ducking, weaving girl with her sword.
     "Yea, so what."
     "So what!!! SO WHAT." Ryouko became a veritable tornado of
slashes and blasts.  Tears were running down her face.  "Tenchi is
mine! I'm the one who will show him the sweet secrets between a
man and a woman.  No one else.  DO YOU HEAR ME!!"
     "Sweet secrets?" Ranma said in puzzlement, then she gagged
as she deciphered Ryouko nearly incoherent shouting.
     "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR F****** MIND??  THAT'S
DISGUSTING!  God, what sort of a pervert do you think I am? 
Sleep with a guy." Ranma made retching sounds.
     "Nani" Ryouko said, shocked enough by Ranma's outburst to
stop her attack.  She looked down at the little red head, who looked
up her with an expression of total disgust.  Suddenly her mind went
back to the scene in Tenchi's bedroom.
     "OH ho," She murmured, "It's like that is it." She floated down
till she was two feet from the ground, then floated toward Ranma,
who fell into a defensive pose.  Ryouko was not attacking however. 
Instead she stopped a few feet away from Ranma and bent over to
look her in the eye.  As her feet were still two feet off the ground,
and she had mentally adjusted her top, this had the effect of
demonstrating very explicitly to Ranma that she felt the same way
Ranma did about bras.  Ranma's eyes glazed slightly, and she
blushed a deep red.
     "H mm mm, " Ryouko hummed, sounding very satisfied with
herself.  "Tell me Ranma, if you don't like Tenchi, why did you get
engaged to him?" 
     "It was our stupid father's idea!" Ranma cried, wrenching her
eyes away from the soft mounds in front of her.
     "So you don't have any interest in doing this and that with
him?" Ryouko purred in a seductive voice.
     "NO WAY!!  Acchhh." Ranma let out a frantic squawk as
Ryouko moved in closer and pulled her into a tight embrace.  Her
danger sense had not warned her in the least that Ryouko was about
to attack.  For a good reason.
     Ryouko held the struggling girl tight against her, making sure
the hug pulled Ranma's face deep into her cleavage.  She chuckled
to herself as Ranma's body reacted to her embrace.  What ever
Ranma might say in protest, it was clear where her interest lay. 
Releasing Ranma she floated back from the other girl, who was
flushed a deep red and was breathing heavily.  
     Blowing a kiss at her, Ryouko said.  "Sorry sweet, I'd love to
stay, but I need to get back to Tenchi."
     Ranma watched her go, part of her relieved, part of her
disappointed.   Drawing a deep breath, she tried to bring her heart
under control.  "Geez, what was she doing?  We're both girls."
     "And very healthy ones at that."  A voice said from behind her.
     Ranma spun in place, and looked in surprise at the old man
standing there.  How had he managed to sneak up on her?  Surely
Ryouko hadn't rattled her that much?  Then she became aware of her
topless state and crossed her arms over her exposed chest.  Even
after three months, she still did not possess a natural modesty toward
going topless, but bitter experience had taught her that it was
inadvisable to go around that way in front of other guys, even old
priests, as the one at the Cherry hill Temple had proven to her.
     "What do you want?  Who are you?"
     "Masaki Katsuhito, but you may call me grandfather Ranma."
     "Hu, you know who I am?" Ranma said in surprise, but then
the other part of that sentence registered.  This must be Tenchi's
grandfather, which meant . . .
     "No way, not you too.  Listen up old man!" Ranma said with
some heat.  "I ain't marrying Tenchi, no matter what weird ass ideas
our fathers have.  You got that!"
     The old man held up his hands in a peace gesture.  "Got it, got
it." he said in a placating tone.  "That is not what I meant in any
case.  Your Mother used to call me uncle, but I've gotten use to
Grandfather, so I felt . . ."
     "You knew my mother!?"  Ranma blurted out, her mind
suddenly swamped with images.  It had been so long since she'd
thought of her mother.  The images in her head were blurred and
distorted.  She only had a vague memory of the woman who had
given her birth.  She was incredibly tall for one thing.  Towering
over Ranma.  Ranma mentally kicked herself, "Baka, of course she's
tall.  You were only what, Six?  When did Pop take me away
anyway? Ten years ago?"  Ranma tried to focus on the image in his
mind, and found that it kept getting mixed up with her memory of
the princess.  She finally placed the points of confusion.  The way
Ayeka carried herself, the way she dressed, that was how her mother
had behaved.
     "Ranma, Ranma, wake up.  Are you alright boy?"
     "Huh," Ranma said, coming out of her daze to see the old man
peering into her eyes from inches away.  "Yaaa, get away from me!"
She shouted in surprise.  She lashed out at the old man in surprise. 
To her amazement, her fist was stopped cold as it splatted into the
old man's open palm. 
     He grinned at her, and said, "Now, now, don't be like that. I
didn't mean any harm.  You just drifted off there for a minute boy. I
was worried about you."
     "Well, don't do that." Ranma said rather weakly, still looking
at her closed fist in puzzlement.  In her surprise she'd thrown a full
speed punch.  No way should the old man have been able to stop it. 
Then she remembered what had started this.  "You knew my
mother?" Ranma repeated.
     "Indeed, she visited often when she was young, but the last time
was many years ago when she brought you around to see me."
     "I don't remember that."
     "Well, you were very young, still in diapers as a matter of fact. 
You were a messy baby." Katsuhito chuckled in remembrance.  
"You could be clean one minute, and covered in jam or something
else a second later.  You spent so much time in the water. It's a
 wonder you didn't turn into a prune."
     Ranma put a hand behind her head and chuckled.  "Ya, guess I
haven't changed much.  I still seem to need twice as many baths as
anyone else I ever knew. . .Wait a second!" Ranma suddenly
exclaimed.  "You gave me baths?"
     "Yes."
     Ranma dropped her arms, and put her hands on her hips.  She
stared at the old man with a look of mistrust.  "So, you notice
anything strange about me you old fraud?"
     Katsuhito peered over his glasses at her for a second, then
turned to walk toward the dojo. Over his shoulder he threw a parting
comment.  "The one on the left is a little bigger, but I don't think
that's really strange." 
     Ranma stared after his retreating back for a second, then a look
of disgust crossed her face and she replaced her arms back over her
chest and yelled.  "That's not what I meant you old pervert!"  Ranma
muttered to herself.  "The old fraud, no way did he change me as a
kid.  He'd know that I wasn't a . . ."
     "Come in and have some tea Ranma, there's a good boy."
Katsuhito called from inside the Temple office.
     "Yea right." Ranma muttered, then a look of shock crossed her
face.  "Hey, you called me a boy!  Are you blind or something old
man."
     "Would you like some hot water before I make the tea Ranma?"
was the reply.
     Ranma blinked at the open doorway, then said softly.  "Hot
water, why'd I want hot water . . . Unless . . .YOU KNOW!!!" She
yelled, running across the stone paving blocks and into the office. 
She glared accusingly at Katsuhito.  "You know about Jusenkyo!" 
She repeated.
     He looked up at her from where he was heating the water.
"There are records, one of my ancestors visited that area of China
about three hundred years ago." He held up the kettle, gesturing with
it toward Ranma.
     "It won't do me any good." Ranma said in bitter tones.  "I'm
stuck like this.  Hot water just gets me wet."
     Katsuhito raised an eyebrow. "Really, did you have a run in
with the Musk?"
     "The Musk?"
     Katsuhito opened a large book on his desk, and gestured toward
a picture in it.  Coming closer Ranma saw a drawing of people that
looked vaguely familiar.  "Hey, those are the characters I saw at the
cursed springs."
     Katsuhito nodded his head as if she was confirming something
he already knew.  "And did they splash you with some water."
     Ranma thought back, and remembered the water thrown in her
face.  "Yea, they did."
     "The Chiisuiton." Katsuhito said.  "It is a magic bucket.  Water
from it freezes the  victim in their cursed form."
     "What!!! Those bastards!  You mean all this time I thought it
was my fault, and it was theirs. And the guide, he knew, he was
scared of something that day.  He knew they were there.  If you
know, he had to have known.  He should have told me the bastard."
     "Don't be so hard on him.  I could be wrong, but I may know
why he did what he did."
     Ranma snorted, "Yea, what could be a good enough reason for
leaving me like this."
     "To keep you from becoming the bride of a Musk warrior."
     "Nani?"
     "That is what the Musk use the Chiisuiton for.  They throw an
animal into Nyanniichuan,  douse the girl that comes out with it,
then marry them."
     Ranma looked disgusted, then sick as the full implications hit
him.  "You mean. . . But I'm a guy!"
     "They would not care."
     "Well, I would have liked to have seen them try.  I would have
kicked their teeth down their throats."
     Katsuhito nodded as if agreeing with her, but then he said.
"There is a legend that says the Musk once defeated a mighty
dragon, and threw it into the spring to make a bride for their
Emperor.  Do you think yourself a greater fighter then that dragon?
Or of the Tigers, or Bears they have used?  I watched your fight. 
You are skilled, but you are only one, and it is said the Musk are
very single minded.  Could you have defeated their entire
Kingdom?"
     "I sure as hell would have tried!" Ranma answered
belligerently.
     "And that is why I think the guide did nothing.  He must have
known you would feel that way.  Something else you must consider.
Have you been pursued since then by any men who look like these?"
     "Not . . . men . . . not looking like that." Ranma said slowly. 
Katsuhito waited, but it became clear she was not going to add
anything, so he continued.
     "There you have it.  Keeping your secret from the Musk was a
grave risk for the Guide.  But keep it he must have, because they
would have pursued you to the ends of the earth if they had known
the truth."
     "I don't care, he should have told me!" Ranma yelled, tears
suddenly springing forth in her eyes.  "Damn it, I'm a guy, a guy. 
What the hell am I doing walking around with a pair of tits on my
chest, and nothing between my . . ."
     "Yes, yes, but is it really so bad?"
     "So bad!  So bad!  Of course it's bad.  Girls are weak.  Girls are
silly.  They cry at the stupidest things."
     "Like Ryouko?"
     "Yes!  No!  That's not the same thing.  She's a demon, not a
girl, not a real girl."
     "Ah, ah, you seemed to think her a real girl outside there a
moment ago." Ranma started to protest, but Katsuhito kept on going. 
"So, you've been feeling weak?"
     "No!"
     "Silly?"
     "No!"
     "Stupid?"
     "NO!!."
     "Oh, are you sure you've got  a girl's body then?"
     "What the hell do you think these are old man?" Ranma cried,
thrusting her bare chest forward for Katsuhito's examination.  
     Katsuhito pushed his glasses up on his nose and peered at the
offered anatomy.  "Hmmm" he hummed, leaning in closer, then he
leaned back and said.  "Very nice." 
     "Why you old . . .!" Ranma cried out.  She threw a blazing fast
fist at him, tying to put a little extra speed on it this time. 
     "Ah, ah," Katsuhito said, catching Ranma's fist in his hand,
and twisting so she crashed face first into the wall.  "Just a little
joke.  Just a little joke."
     "Stupid old man." Ranma mumbled from her position against
the wall, before she fell backward, her eyes clearly showing she was
slightly stunned.
     "Really," Katsuhito said.  " Stupid? Do you think I'm turning
into a girl?" He felt his chest experimentally.
     "I'm not staying here for this.  I'm going back to China to get
the cure for this body."
     "Ranma." Katsuhito said, the light bantering tone gone from
his voice.  The serious way he said her name caused Ranma to stop,
but she didn't turn around. 
     "What is it now old man?"
     "Answer me truthfully.  Could you beat me?"
     Ranma first instinct was to say, of course she could beat him,
but then she thought of the way he had stopped both her attacks.  Not
the fact that he had stopped them, but how easily he had done it. 
How centered he'd remained.  Truth be told she'd never seen anyone
move like him. So she did what he said, she answered truthfully.  "I
don't know, maybe"
     Choosing his words carefully, Katsuhito said.  "I don't know if
I could beat the Musk by myself.  Maybe I could.  Maybe I could
recover the Chiisuiton if I tried for it.  But if I tried, and failed, the
worst that would happen would be that they would kill me.  But you .
. ." Katsuhito let the implication sink in.
     Ranma winced, and her shoulders slumped. 
     "Something else you must consider as well.  The Chiisuiton is
well known.  The Musk have used it for generations.  But always to
lock, never to unlock.  You might take all that risk, and then end up
with something that was no good to you."
      "Then why the F*** did you tell me about the Chiisuiton?" 
     "Because you deserved to know."
     Ranma turned and looked at him.  "Just that?"
     Katsuhito shrugged.  "Why else?"
     Ranma tried to get her mind around the concept.  Had her Pop
ever told her anything he didn't want her to know, just because she
deserved to know.  Slowly, thoughtfully, she walked back to
Katsuhito and sat down.  "So what do you suggest I do?"
     "You are young, and very, very good . . . for your age.  If you
are not good enough now to seek out the cure, you will be."
     "What cure?  You just said the Chiisuiton was no good to me."
     "You were not listening.  I said there was no mention of it
being used in that manner.  But think.  If there is one device to lock.
Might there not be one to unlock?  If you become good enough, you
will be able to take the Chiisuiton.  The Musk value it highly, and if
anyone knows a way to undo its effects, it will be them."
     "How can you know that?  What if I'm never good enough!?"
Ranma cried out in anger.
     "Would it be so bad, to stay as you are?"
     "Yes!!" Ranma said intensely.  "I'm not a girl."
     "Yes I know, you're not weak, or silly, or stupid."
     Ranma winced, and admitted, "alright, maybe girls aren't so
bad, but I'm still a guy inside. How can I be a girl?  How could I
marry a guy?" 
     "Don't."
     "Nani?"
     "Don't marry a guy."
     "Yea, right, girls marry guys, that's the way it works in case
you ain't noticed. . .  I don't . . . want to spend my life alone. . . I'd
like someday . . ."
     "Yes."
     Ranma threw up her hands in dismissal. "What's it matter.  As
long as I'm stuck like this . . . I mean it just couldn't work out, the
thought of some guy, ugh.  It's disgusting."
     "What about other girls?"
     "Nani?  Don't be stupid, what am I suppose to do?" Ranma
gestured at her most prominent current feature.  "Strap these down? 
Don't you think the girl might get a little suspicious on our wedding
night?" She finished sarcastically. 
     Katsuhito pushed his eyeglasses back and stared at Ranma for a
few minutes until she started to fidget under his intense gaze.  At
last he said.  "Ranma, do you know what a lesbian is?"
     Ranma grimaced, remembering her taunt to Tenchi just a
couple of days ago.  "I don't know, it's something bad that's all I
know."
     "How do you know it's something bad?"
     "When the guys got mad at me, that's what they'd call me."
     "Hmm, I suppose they would.  But Ranma, a Lesbian is not a
bad thing, it's a person, and not a bad person."
     "Really?" Ranma leaned forward in interest.
     "Ranma, did you know that some people like people of the
same sex."
     "Well sure, I've had two guy friends, and I chummed around
with a lot of other ones.  Back when I was a guy that is.  So what?"
     "Ah, that's not exactly what I meant.  I meant love rather then
like, as in the love a boy and girl feel for each other." Katsuhito
watched as Ranma frowned, her forehead wrinkling as she tried to
decipher his point.  Just when he thought he was going to have to
draw pictures, her faced cleared and she looked at him
incredulously."
     "Nani?  You mean . . .?"
     "Exactly."
     "That's disgusting!" Ranma said, her face twisting, then she
winced as Katsuhito produced a bokken from nowhere and lightly
rapped her over the head with it.  "Ouch, what you'd do that for old
man?" 
     Katsuhito gave her a stern look, quite unlike his usual one of
good humor.  He placed the bokken in his lap, and said.  "I told you
Ranma, they are not bad, nor are they disgusting.  They are the way
they are.  Whether they are good or bad is a matter of how they lead
their lives, and how they treat others, just as it is for you and me. 
There is nothing disgusting about feeling honest love for another
person, no matter if they are the same sex as you."
     Ranma rubbed the top of her head, and glared at Katsuhito. 
"So, you mean that there are guys, who like other guys?  I still say . .
."
     "And girls, that like other girls."
     "Yea right, and girls who like other . . ." Suddenly Ranma's
eyes widened, and she looked at Katsuhito with a look of horror in
her eyes, the whole disgusting conversation suddenly clicking into
place.  "No way, no way." She said.  Then she sprang across the
room at the seated Katsuhito, who was suddenly not there by the
time she arrived.  "NO F****** way," she screamed as she pounded
her fist into the place he had been sitting.  Following after the
retreating Katsuhito, she lashed out with everything she had,
punctuating each strike with a rejection of the point he had just
made.  "I'm not a girl damn it! I'm not a girl!  I 'm a guy!  A guy
you son-of-a-bitch, not some pervert girl!" 
     Ranma suddenly found her eyes flooding with tears, and the
pain in her stomach was back ten fold, but she kept after Katsuhito,
never wavering in her attack.  Always he faded away from her best
blows, never retaliating, just dodging.  
     "How the f*** is he doing that?" Ranma muttered to herself,
she wiped the tears free from her eyes, and pressed on.  "Is he
reading my moves?" She drew back, and tried to catch her breath. 
The fight with Ryouko had worn her out, and she was having trouble
focusing past the pain in her stomach, and her usual calm in battle
seemed to have deserted her, but she didn't care.  She would wipe
the floor with the old man.  She'd make him take back what he was
suggesting.  
     For the last three months the only vestige of Ranma's manhood
had been that she was still interested in girls.  Even if she couldn't
do anything about it, at least it proved she was still a guy down
inside.  Now this old pervert was telling her that she was a real girl. 
That the fact she still liked girls had nothing at all to do with her
really being a boy.  Well, he could take that idea and stuff it up his
ass.  Better still, she'd do it for him.
     Ranma's eyes suddenly glinted as she noted Katsuhito had
gotten himself trapped between her and the wall.  This was her
chance.  Calling up every ounce of energy she could muster, she
lashed out.  Forcing herself to move faster then she ever had before. 
For a second she thought she had him.  Then her fist passed through
his image, and she realized she had only managed to tag his
afterimage as he jumped lightly over her fist.  With a crash, her fist
hit the wall, and passed through it.  Ranma was temporarily pinned. 
If she tried to wrench her fist free, she risked cutting her arm to
ribbons.  
     That was when she felt the light tap on her head.  She twisted
her head around and saw Katsuhito standing there, his bokken over
his shoulder.  He gave her a smile and said.  "Come, have some tea. 
Don't be mad.  I'm sorry I made you angry."
     Ranma stared at him in stunned surprise, but then she felt her
temper flaring and she was suddenly madder then she could ever
remember being.  Without a thought of the harm she might do
herself, she wrenched her arm free, and brought nearly half the wall
with it.  There was blood running from a long scratch on her
forearm, but she gave it no mind.  She glared at Katsuhito, her chest
rising and falling like a bellows.  She wanted to smash him, beat him
to a pulp. . .  And she couldn't.  She'd given it her best, she had
nothing more.  She wasn't good enough.  Not to beat him, and not to
acquire the cure she needed. Suddenly, to her horror, she heard
herself give a little sob.  She felt a larger one forming in her throat,
and tears started rolling down her cheeks in large fat drops. 
     "Damn you!" she said, her voice hoarse from suppressing the
emotions in her chest.  "I'M A GUY GODDAMIT!!" She screamed,
then turning, she lunged through the hole she'd made in the wall. 
Ranma wanted nothing more then to get away from this place before
she disgraced herself anymore.  Wiping the tears from her face with
her bloody forearm, she plunged into the undergrowth that
surrounded the paved area of the Temple, and vanished from sight. 

     Katsuhito watched her go.  His calm face belying the raging
lecture he was giving himself.
"You bloody fool.  After all that effort you put into preparing
yourself to face her?  What do you do?  You're not talking to her five
minute and you're acting like it was Xian Pu in front of you, instead
of scared former boy who doesn't know what is happening to her."
With a muffled curse, he turned and left the Temple, heading for the
stairs.  He had not wanted to face Ayeka and Sasami this early.  He
had wanted to give himself time to adjust to the concept, but he had
to try and straighten this mess out.  He owed her, both Ranma, his
great, god knows how many times Grandson, and Xian Pu, his poor
dead daughter, whose body Ranma was wearing.

     When Katsuhito had called Nodoka, he had gotten her neighbor
instead.  Apparently all of Nodoka's calls were being forwarded
while she was out of the country.  She was on her way to a place
called Jusenkyo, to look into the disappearance of her Husband and
Son.  That name had sent shockwaves through him.  
     His daughter Xian Pu had drowned there, fighting off some
magical monster that had attacked the village.  He had never been
happy with that story, but knew he would never know the full details
of what had happened to her.  He had been away at the time, and two
weeks later when he returned, she was already buried with full
Amazon honors. Her name had already been bestowed on a newborn
infant.  Her name would live on as one of the famous. Like Pur-Fum
, who had died holding a mountain pass against the Musk.  Or Lo
Xien, who had given her life to save a group of children from an
insane wizard.  Like them, there would always be a Xian Pu.

     Knowing that Ranma had been to Jusenkyo, it had not taken
Katsuhito long to put two and two together.  Something in the Jurain
blood was beyond Jusenkyo's ability to duplicate.  For years they had
watched the Musk, but no woman born of Nyanniichuan had ever
had Xian Pu's features, or more importantly, her abilities.  But,
when he had learned that Ranma had gone to Jusenkyo, combined
that with Tenchi's new Fiancee, and had stirred in the vaguely
familiar red head he had seen with Ayeka, he ended up with the
conclusion that somehow Ranma's Jurain blood had enabled her to
assume the body of Katsuhito's long dead daughter. 
     Just as he had in regards to Ayeka and Sasami, he had prepared
himself to meet her with a calm face, and a moderate behavior,
giving nothing away.  And he'd blown it.  He'd been unable to keep
himself distant from her, had slipped into behavior three hundred
years old, and in doing so, he might have permanently scarred
Ranma.  He reached the stairs, and hurried down them. As he moved
down the stairs, two at a time, a huddled ball of misery just off the
stairs, hidden in the undergrowth watched him go.


     Ranma barely stifled the sobs that were racking her body as
Katsuhito strode past.  She had barely made it out of sight of the
temple when all her efforts had failed, and she had fallen to the
ground weeping as if her heart was breaking.  The worse part of it
was, she had no idea why.  She had endured far worse insults with
out shedding a single tear drop.  She had lost fights before, met
superior fighters, if not recently.  It had never bothered her before. 
Not this way anyway.  Always before she had been left with a grim
determination to improve.  So why was she crying like she was six
years old again? 
     Slowly, she rocked back and forth, her arms wrapped around
her stomach, which felt like it was full of knots, and slowly, far too
slowly for her peace of mind, she brought herself under control. 
Finally, with a last hiccup of a sob, she managed to stop the crying,
if not the tears.  It was at that point she started to berate herself.  
     "Stupid fool." she muttered to herself.  "The old guy told you
more about your curse in five minutes then you found out in six
weeks in China.  And what do you do?  You act like some sort of
crazy person.  Okay, so maybe he was full of shit about that pervert
stuff, but he knew why I'm stuck like this.  Shit, he could have just
kept his mouth shut, that's what Pop would have done."  
     Ranma stood up, wincing as her stomach protested.  What was
wrong with it anyway?  She couldn't remember taking a hit there
recently, not a bad enough one to be bothering her this much.
Brushing through the low bushes that lined the stairs, she stepped
out on the stone, and looked down toward the house.  She could just
barely make out Katsuhito as he made his way toward it.  Her
thoughts went back to what she'd noted as she had fought him.  The
absolute ease and control he'd shown as she had come at him with
everything she had.  Not for one instant did she think she'd pushed
him anywhere near his upper limit.
     "F***," she swore.  She had a feeling that if anyone could
prepare her to meet the Musk, it was him.  "Ah what's the use, I've
blown it.  He probably thinks I'm some sort of crybaby girl.  How the
hell am I going to get him to train me?" Ranma mulled this over as
she walked down the stairs.  She could just attack him again.  She'd
learn a lot that way, but he'd have no reason then to point out where
she was going wrong.  Or to show her anything more then he had to. 
He might also kick her out.  It was his shrine after all.  He probably
had a lot of say in who lived here. 
     Once, half an hour ago, that prospect would have delighted her. 
Now it was the last thing she wanted.  His remarks about the result
of failure had bothered her more then she liked to admit.  The
thought of being forced to marry some guy, and not having any
choice in the matter.  Ranma  shuddered.  That prospect had been
the stuff of nightmares, and not just since Genma had come up with
his scam to marry Ranma to Tenchi.  Tenchi didn't frighten Ranma. 
Ranma was positive the two of them would work this out, but what
the old guy had said about the Musk. . . Ranma would risk death
happily, if there was a chance of a cure in it.  But that . . . She shook
her head, she had to think of someway of convincing the old man to
help her.  Shit, she didn't even know what this Chiisuiton looked
like.
     "Damn, damn, damn!" She swore, as the only possible option
became obvious.  She was going to have to apologize to the old fart. 
Glumly she continued down the steps, not looking forward to the
next fifteen minutes in the least.


     Down in the house, Tenchi was trying to keep Ryouko at bay,
while keeping his attention on the Temple stairs.  His Grandfather
had just come down them, but there was no sign of Ranma. Once
again fighting free of Ryouko's grip, he turned to her and said in an
accusing tone.  "You said you left Ranma with Grandfather, and that
she was alright.  Where is she then?"
     "Oh Tenchi, don't be like that.  Don't you trust me?" Ryouko
whined, trying to crawl kittenishly into his lap.  Her efforts were met
by a resounding lack of success.  No doubt due to the fact that the
boy who's lap she was currently trying to settle into was the same
boy she had apparently been doing her best to kill not eighteen hours
before, and who was not interested in the least in having her perched
that close.
     Tenchi reached around behind his back and pulled out the
Tenchi-ken.  He thanked fortune that Ayeka had returned it to him. 
Of course she had slipped it to him in order that he could protect
himself from the wicked shape shifter that had tried to ensnare him. 
However, it wasn't Ranma he needed protection from.  He held the
sword hilt between himself and Ryouko, who retreated a pace.  "No. 
I don't trust you.  You tried to kill Ranma.  I want you to take me to
her.  I want to see her myself."
     "Ah Teennnccchhhiii." Ryouko softly wailed, "you're so mean
to me." 
     Katsuhito, reaching the house, took in the scene in front of
him. "Tenchi, shame on you. You should not treat such a lovely lady
 so badly." he said.
     "But Grandfather . . ."
     "There, there, don't fret. I left Ranma up at the temple. 
Ryouko did her no harm."
     "See Tenchi, aren't you sorry you didn't trust me." Ryouko
purred, taking advantage of the fact that Tench had turned her back
on her, to wrap her arms around him neck and to blow into his ear. 
Tenchi blushed red, and tried to dislodge her, but she held tight.
     Katsuhito pushed his glasses up his nose, and asked.  "Tenchi,
why is there a Panda writing on a sign in the livingroom?"
     Tenchi craned his head about as best he could under the
circumstances, and took in the scene in the living room.  Genma was
indeed a Panda again, and from the way Ayeka-san was scolding
her, he guessed the likely reason was Sasami, who was not paying
her older sister any mind, but was instead taking in the sight of a
large furry panda with every evidence of delight.
     Tenchi finally managed to dislodge Ryouko, using the Tenchi-
ken as a pry bar, and while she floated off a bit and sulked, he turned
to his grandfather.  Placing his hand behind his head, he said
hesitantly.  "It's a little hard to explain.  That's Ranma's father."
Then hurrying his words, before his Grandfather could have him
committed, or wacked him over the head for telling tall tales, he
continued on. 
"Hefellintoacursedspringinchinaandnoweverytimehegetswetheturnsi
ntoaPanda." Tenchi took a deep breath.  "And when he gets splashed
with hot water, he changes back." Right on cue, Nobuyuki showed
up with a fresh kettle of hot water, and Genma was soon returned to
normal.  To Tenchi's surprise, his Grandfather did not even blink. 
     "Well," Katsuhito said.  "It makes sense I suppose.  If Ranma
was at Jusenkyo, then Genma most likely was there as well."
     "You know about the cursed springs." 
     "I had a chat with Ranma up at the temple." Katsuhito sighed,
and looked up the hill toward the Temple.  "Tenchi?"
     "Yes Grandfather."
     "Do you like Ranma?"
     Tenchi was a bit taken aback by the question.  Ranma had
arrived like a bomb in his life nearly two days before, and he'd spent
all that time getting use to the concept of having a fiancee who
insisted she was really a boy, not to mention dealing with demons,
aliens, and space battles.  Did he like Ranma?  "Yessss." he said in
considering tone of voice, "I think I do.  She's very pretty, and has a
lot of energy.  She's a little reckless, but she came to my rescue when
I hardly knew her.  I like her a lot I guess."
     "Well, that's good.  I 'm glad to hear it.  But Tenchi . . ."
Katsuhito turned to his grandson. "You will be a gentleman won't
you.  Don't try and take advantage of her, eh."
     "Grandad!" Tenchi said in shock, blushing red.  "I"d never do
that!" Besides he thought to himself, Ranma would kill him if he
tried anything eechi.  As long as that was the case, he was not likely
to get too familiar with her.  Then he started as something occurred
to him.  He looked at his Grandfather in surprise.  Grandfather
telling him not to be eechi, that wasn't like him at all.  Katsuhito
continued his out of character behavior with his next sentence.
     "Good, good.  You're a good boy Tenchi.  Just . . . Ranma
needs a friend, and not a boyfriend right now.  Just give her a little
space.  That's all I meant."
     "Sure Grandfather." Tenchi said, easily agreeing, as that
matched his intentions anyway. He was impressed however, by the
serious way Katsuhito was talking.  His Grandfather usually took a
much lighter tone.  He was not as bad as Tenchi's father, when it
came to being a hentai, but he had his moments.  If Grandfather
thought the matter was this important, Tenchi would be well advised
to take it to heart. He vowed to be as good a friend as he could to
Ranma.
     "Now, are you going to introduce me to these lovely young
ladies." Katsuhito said, the serious look on his face gone, and a
lecherous twinkle in his eye.  Tenchi sighed.  It had been too good to
last.  He just hoped he was not going to be embarrassed too badly.
     "This is Ryouko." Tenchi said.  Gesturing at the floating girl,
who was giving Katsuhito a skeptical look.  She clearly didn't quite
trust him.  She gave him a short nod in acknowledgment of Tenchi's
introduction.  
     "Aaa, of course, but you've been our guest for many years my
dear.  My ancestors accounts of you do not do you justice." Ryouko
scowled at being reminded of her imprisonment, and then smiled at
the compliment, then scowled again as she started to wonder if it
was an compliment.  By then Katsuhito had proceeded into the
living room, where they watched as the explanation regarding
Genma's condition, and Ranma's behavior were coming to a close.
     "As I understand it." Ayeka was saying.  "You fell into this
pond."
     "Spring," Genma corrected her.
     "Whatever." Ayeka scowled at being interrupted.  She clearly
was not over her earlier reaction to Genma's shape shifting, and was
nervously fingering a ring on her right forefinger.  It was one Tenchi
had not noticed before, and he assumed she must have just recently
put it on.  She went on with her summary of Genma's story.
     "This 'spring' somehow cursed you so that you change into that
creature whenever you are splashed with cold water, but only into
that creature, no other.  Sasami-chan, stop doing that!" Ayeka
chided her sister. 
     "I'm sorry Oneechan.  It's just so funny." Sasami said,
lowering the water pitcher in her hand. 
     *That is correct.* Genma Panda said, via the sign in his paw.
     "I'll make some more hot water." Nobuyuki said, leaving the
room.
     Ayeka continued.  "There is no cure, and you have no control
other then the hot and cold water?"
     *That is correct*
     "Ranma is not cursed, she has a deep seated belief that she is
really a boy?"
     *That is correct* Tenchi would have spoken out, but he felt a
hand on his shoulder.  Looking up, he saw his Grandfather shake his
head.  The meaning was clear.  He did not want Tenchi to say
anything.  Tenchi did not understand, but decided to go along with
his Grandfather, for now.
     "When your daughter learned of the nature of the springs, she
used it as an excuse for the physical changes that were happening to
her own body, and that she was having trouble dealing with.  She
decided that she had fallen into the spring of drowned girl, and her
body was a cursed form, just like your creature form?"
     *That is correct* Genma turned the sign to reveal the other
side, which said. *And it's a Panda, not a creature.*
     "Whatever.  The proof of this, is that Ranma does not change,
no matter what." Ayeka finished.
     *That is correct*
     "And you expect me to believe you?"
     *That is correct*
     "I think you are lying. I think you have afflicted that poor girl
with her delusions, and you are a foul deceiving monster.
     *That is . . . * Genma hastily lowered the sign, and quickly
created a new message.
     *Who?  Me?*
     "That is correct." Ayeka said sarcastically.  She stood, her hand
lifting to the ring she had been fingering earlier.  "And I'll prove it."
     Katsuhito finally intruded himself in the conversation.  "That
will not be necessary my dear.  I can assure you that Jusenkyo does
indeed exist."
     "And who are you!?" Ayeka snapped out, spinning in place to
look at Katsuhito, upset at being interrupted at the climatic moment
on her denouncement of this evil creature.  
     "Oneechan!" Sasami said reprovingly. 
     Ayeka suddenly flushed, and lowered her head in confusion. 
"I'm sorry." She said softly. "It's just that I was so shocked by his
change.  Shape shifters are evil creatures.  The thought that one had
wormed its way this close to my family.  I'm afraid I forgot my
place.  I'm a guest.  I'm sorry." She repeated.  Drawing a breath, she
looked up and met Katsuhito's gaze.  The look of apology lasted for
a second, then was replaced by one of puzzlement.  "I'm sorry, do I
know you?" She said.  
     She stared intently at Katsuhito, who coughed into his hand,
and turned his face away from her.  "Oh, I don't think so." He said
in a joking tone.  "It's been years since I shot through space in my
space ship." 
     "Grandfather, don't tease her.  She's a princess." Tenchi said
reprovingly.
     "Ah.  A princess you say.  Then we are most honored indeed. 
Is this also a princess?" Katsuhito said, kneeling down to look
Sasami in the eye.
     "Yes!  I'm Sasami, and that's my sister Ayeka.  Don't mind
her, she's in a bad mood."
     "Sasami-chan!"
     "Well, it's true."
     "Sasami." Ayeka said, her tone quelling.
     "Oh, alright." Sasami muttered.
     Turning to Katsuhito, she said.  "You said that you knew of this
cursed place sir?"
     "That is correct." Katsuhito said in a wooden voice.  Then
giving a small smile he continued in a more normal tone.  "It is in
the Temple records."
     Just then Nobuyuki returned with the hot water, and restored
Genma.
     Katsuhito looked at the thoroughly sodden figure in front of
him.  "Hello Genma.  Long time no see."
     Genma looked at Katsuhito nervously.  "Ah, do I, ah, know . .
.you?"
     "I don't know if we ever met.  I was at your wedding, but I
don't believe we talked."
     Genma looked very relieved.  "Oh, well, that's fine then.  Nice
to see you."
     "I called your wife just a little while ago." 
     Genma froze, his eyes took on a haunted look.  "No . . .Nodo. .
.Nodoka.  Ah, how, I mean, she was well?"
     "I don't know.  She wasn't home."
     Genma nearly melted with relief, but he was premature in his
reaction as Katsuhito continued.  "I got her neighbor.  She told me
Nodoka has gone to Jusenkyo, looking for you and Ranma."
     Ayeka looked up at this.  "So he was at that place!"
     Katsuhito looked over at her.  "Indeed, according to Nodoka's
neighbor, he was suppose to have been there about  three to four
months ago."
     Genma was not hearing any of this.  One phrase kept going
through his head.  Nodoka was going to Jusenkyo, that meant she
would meet the guide, and the guide would tell her, and she would
know, and he was going to die.  No.  Get a hold of yourself Genma. 
Think man. Nodoka was going to find out.  Nothing he could do
about that, but he was safe here.  She'd never expect him to hide
here, in her own family as it were.  Everything would be alright.  He
looked over to where Ayeka and Katsuhito were talking, focusing in
on their conversation.
     "I left my number with Nodoka's neighbor.  I also left a
message.  I told her to tell Nodoka that Ranma was here.  She'll call
as soon as she gets back I imagine."          

     Genma picked up the half empty pitcher of water, and went
Panda.  The thought "I'm going to die. I'm going to die," ran
through his head over and over again. 

     "Looking good Pop." A sarcastic voice said from the doorway. 
Everyone in the room turned to look at Ranma, and with the
exception of Ryouko and Katsuhito, they all gaped in shock. Ranma
was a mess.  She was still topless, her upper body was covered in
scrapes and abrasions, blood smeared across most of it..  Her face
was filthy, covered in dirt and blood, except for two clear tracks that
had been cleaned by her tears.  She ignored the stares she was
receiving, and looked straight at Katsuhito.  "May I talk to you alone
Sensei?" 
     Katsuhito nodded.  "Of course." Turning to Nobuyuki, he said. 
"May we use your office?"
     Nobuyuki nodded, more in reflex then consciously,  his face
was still wearing a stunned, hit between the eyes, expression. 
Katsuhito gestured to Ranma to follow him, and he made his way
toward the back of the house.  Back straight, looking at no one,
Ranma followed.  Then, as she passed Ryouko, who was stretched
out in a relaxed pose on the sofa, she turned and glared at her. 
Ryouko returned her glare with a leering smile.  Ranma's gaze
became even hotter, and she hissed out, "You pervert!" Then she
turned and followed Katsuhito out of sight, a second later the sound
of the door closing could be heard. 
     Ryouko gave a snort, still looking in the direction that Ranma
had disappeared . "Hmp, she has some nerve calling 'me' a pervert."
Suddenly, a fizz, snap, followed by a constant low thrum filled the
air.  Ryouko jerked her head around, and saw that the Tenchi-ken,
which Tenchi had been holding in his lap, had sprung to life.  Under
normal circumstances, Ryouko would have made a slightly lecherous
comment, remarking on the blade's apparent point of origin.  As a
matter of fact, she started to do that very thing, but then the words
caught in her throat as she lifted her eyes to meet Tenchi's.  He was
looking at her with a look of utter loathing.  Lifting the sword, he
pointed it at her.  His mouth moved, but no words came out, it was
as if he could find none to express what he was feeling. However, the
look on his face, and the white knuckles on the hand holding the
sword gave mute testimony to the feeling he could not voice. 
     Ryouko took this all in, in a second, then a second flash of light
out of the corner of her eye diverted he attention for a second.  Just
long enough to see the final stages of Princess Ayeka donning her
Jurain battle armor.  Again, under normal situations, her reaction to
this would have been a smirk, and a feeling of 'Good.  Exercise.' In
this case however, the words did not even enter her mind. Ayeka's
face was a feminine mirror of Tenchi's, which caused her to move
her gaze back in his direction.  He had stood, and was moving
toward her, very nearly shaking with the emotion he was trying to
contain.  
     "Wh, wha, what?  Tenchi?  What?" Ryouko stammered out,
unable to understand what had Tenchi so upset.  The princess, she
could understand, but what had she done to make Tenchi mad.  As
might be noted, Ryouko's skill at looking at events from other
people's point of view was not highly developed.


     Ranma closed the door behind her, ignoring the sound of a
large explosion, and the accompanying screams and shouts.  All her
attention was focused on Katsuhito, who was standing across the
room, one hand resting on Nobuyuki's drafting table.  She closed her
eyes, and through gritted teeth started to say.  "I'm sorry for being
such an asshole up at the temple."
     She only got as far as "I'm sorry . . ." When Katsuhito
interrupted her.
     "No."
     Ranma blinked, startled out of her carefully rehearsed speech. 
Then she flushed red, and was on the verge of giving Katsuhito hell
for not letting her say she was sorry for giving him hell before.  Then
Katsuhito continued.
     "You have nothing to apologize for." A loud explosion rocked
the room, and dust settled down of both residents, but they ignored
it.  "I spoke out of turn.  It was not my place to speak so to you, not
on such short notice." Katsuhito gave her a small bow.  "I am sorry
that I offended you."
     Ranma was shocked.  Had anyone ever apologized to her
before?  She couldn't think of anyone off hand.  "Ah," She hemmed,
placing a hand behind her head as an aid to thinking.  "That's
alright." Then, getting into the concept, she added.  "I shouldn't of
ought to have gone over the top like that, even if you were being a
pervert." 
     Katsuhito smiled at her, his face shifting into a more relaxed
expression.  With a slight undertone of amusement, tinged with
mock lechery, he said.  "A poor old, lonely man, he has to find his
pleasure where he can.  A pretty young girl comes calling, it would
be rude not to compliment her on her outstanding features." Here he
leered at Ranma's still bare chest. 
     Catching the tone of his statement, Ranma, relieved that this
was going so well, and that she hadn't had to kiss ass, played along,
returning the smile, she arched her back.  "Well, they are
outstanding, I have to give you that.  Guess I can't fault you for
honesty. Guess it'd be rude of me to deprive a senile, decrepit old
pervert a little pleasure before he croaks."  She held her pose, and
grinned at Katsuhito, who tried hard to keep a straight face, but
finally had to advert his eyes. 
     Chuckling into a his moustache, he said.  "I think things are
going to be very interesting around here for a while." Which of
course was when the wall fell in.

     "Raaaannnmmmmaaa!" A truly wretched and frightened
Ryouko shot through the hole where the wall had been, and latched
on to Ranma.  Putting the smaller girl between her and the
advancing Tenchi and Ayeka. 
     "Leave her alone you monster woman.  Have you not done
enough to the poor girl already." Ayeka demanded.  Tenchi stepped
through the dust and debris, taking a heroic stance, he pointed the
glowing sword in his hand in Ryouko's direction, and quickly
clapped a hand to his nose as he got a good close look at Ranma's
bare chest.
     "Ranma, Ranma, tell Tenchi I didn't touch you.  Tell him's he
wrong." Ryouko whined, her voice stricken at the thought of
Tenchi's hatred.  She fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around
Rama's legs.  "Please, please Ranma." Turning her eyes up toward
Ranma, she met Ranma startled maroon ones  with her own slitted
cat eyes.  
     Ranma flinched from those disturbing orbs, but not before
seeing the distress in them, or noting the heavy stream of tears
flowing down her cheeks.  Much as she enjoyed seeing Ryouko in
this state, Ranma couldn't ignore the entreaty in those eyes. 
Sighing, she turned to Tenchi and Ayeka, who were both trying to
move so as to get a clear shot at Ryouko.  Tenchi still had one hand
pinching his nose closed, and Ranma grinned at the image he
projected.  "Alright," she finally said. "Anyone want to tell me what 
the heck is going on?"


     It was several hours later that the pain in her belly returned to
Ranma, pulling her out of a restless sleep.  Giving a soft moan, she
sat up in bed and clutched her gut. 
     "Ranma?" A soft sleepy voice said from the side in a
questioning tone.  "Are you alright?"
     "It's alright Sasami, just something I ate probably." Ranma
said to the young girl.  She glanced over to where Sasami's sister
was sleeping, and gave a sigh of relief when she noted the Princess
was not stirring.  After enduring a solid hour of Ayeka's sympathy
and understanding earlier, she wasn't sure if she could take any
more so soon.  The Princess had been so roundabout in her remarks,
phrasing things so delicately, it had taken Ranma nearly a half hour
to understand what it was Ryouko was suppose to have done to her. 
It had taken nearly as long for Ranma's very loud denial that she had
not been molested to be believed by Ayeka.  Tenchi thank god, had
believed her right away, and had shamefacedly apologized to
Ryouko.  She in turn had taken full advantage of his guilt to cuddle
him, much to Tenchi's obvious distress.  
     After giving some more quite assurances to a worried Sasami,
Ranma left the room and made her way to the bathroom, hoping that
emptying her belly from one end or the other would relieve the
discomfort she was feeling.  

     After Ranma left, Sasami found she had trouble getting back to
sleep, so many exciting things had happened today, her mind was
whirling with all the experiences and new people she had met.  She
had even met a shape shifter.  Ayeka had forbidden her to go near
him, but Sasami was sure her sister would recant.  He was so soft
and furry, he couldn't be an evil creature of the realm of darkness. 
As that thought was running through her mind, a blood curdling
scream of feminine terror ripped through the house.  Sasami
screamed in sympathetic shock, and launched herself across the
room toward her sister who sat bolt upright as the scream ripped her
from her deep sleep. 
     "Ayeka-oneechan, " She cried as she flung herself into Ayeka's
lap.  "It's Ranma, something is wrong with her, we have to help."
     Ayeka didn't need Sasami encouragement, throwing on her
night dress, she ordered Sasami to stay in their room, and raced
through the door, heading in the direction the cry had come from. 
"If that monster woman had touched her again, I will never forgive
her!" She vowed to herself.
     Reaching the bathroom, Ayeka found Nobuyuki and Tenchi
standing outside.  Even as she arrived, the door opened, and a
thoroughly flustered Panda appeared.  Tenchi immediately
demanded information.  "What is it?  Is Ranma alright?  I'm going
to see if she's . . ." Tenchi was cut off as a large furry arm blocked
his access to the bathroom.  His free hand held up a sign. *You do
not want to go in there* Then he turned it. *Believe me!* Genma's
fur bristled, and his eyes were clouded with agitation, something had
very clearly disturbed him.
     Ayeka had long since discarded any belief that Ranma was a
shape shifter, but she still did not trust Genma by a long shot. 
Hustling up, she demanded.  "Why are you stopping Tenchi-sama
from going to Ranma?" Inside the bathroom, a moan of despair
could be heard.  Reacting to that sound, Ayeka started for the door. 
"Well you won't stop me." She declared, and then was shocked when
rather then stopping her, or even trying to.  Genma opened the door,
and pushed her in.
     
     Once in, she saw Ranma kneeling on the floor, her boxers
around her ankles.  She was staring in shock at a hand she held in
front of her, a hand that dripped with red.  Ayeka took a step toward
her, and then paused, shocked.  "Surely not?" she thought to herself,
Ranma was too old, for this to be her first time.  Wasn't she?
     
     Outside in the hall, all was silent.  The three males looked at
the door with varied expressions.  Genma's was reminiscent of
someone expecting a bomb to go off at anytime.  Sasami hurried up
just as the door opened and Ayeka stuck her head out.
     "Oh, good, Sasami-chan," she said, ignoring the fact that her
young sister had once again ignored her orders, "would you go back
to our room.  In the dresser that use to stand beside my bed, in the
bottom drawer, there is a small pink bag.  You know the one?  Good. 
Get that and bring it will you please." A look of comprehension
donned on Sasami's face, and she hurried off on her errand.  
     "Ayeak-sama?  Is Ranma going to be alright?" Tenchi asked in
a worried tone.
     "Ranma-chan will be fine Tenchi." Ayeka answered.  "You
need not worry, it is nothing serious.  Please, won't you and your
father go back to bed.  I'll make sure Ranma is well.  Not you!"
Ayeka suddenly snapped out, as Genma started to follow after
Tenchi and Nobuyuki.  "Perhaps you could explain how it is that
your daughter has not been taught one of the most important things a
young girl should know!  Do you have any idea what you have done
to her?"  The cold in Ayeka's voice slashed Genma like a knife.  He
tried to write on his sign, but Ayeka gave a disgusted snort, and went
back in the bathroom.  In her haste she left the door open a crack,
and Genma moved in closer.  He heard Ranma ask in a disgustingly
weak and quavery voice.
     "Ayeka-san, am I, am I dying?"
     Ayeka gave a light laugh. "Don't be silly Ranma.  What is
happening to you is perfectly normal.  You are a bit old it is true for
this to be your first time, but then you are very active, and I have
heard that hard exercise can delay it."
     "What is it?  What's wrong with me?" Ranma asked, her voice
sightly steadier as a result of Ayeka's assurance.
     "It's very simple Ranma, I'll explain it in detail to you later,
but think of it like this.  It's something to be very happy about."
     "Happy?  Happy?  About bleeding like this?"
     "Yes.  You should be very happy.  Your body is telling you that
it is ready to make babies.  What could be happier then that?"
     
     Genma very nearly made it to the forest lining the side of the
valley before Ranma caught him.  Ayeka held a hand to her mouth in
shock as the sounds of a Panda crying out in agony floated across the
small lake. 
     "Ayeka-oneechan, here's the box you wanted."
     Ayeka took the container from Sasami, then pulling up a chair
she sat down.  Then, as another cry echoed through the night, she
turned to her sister she said.  "You might as well go to bed Sasami, I
could be here for awhile."


comment or death threats accepted, Comments being the more
welcome.
Many thanks to my various pre-readers, who gentle ways with the
cattle prods keep me motivated.
And a special thanks to Wade Tritschler.  If it were not for him, it is
very unlikely I would be able to write with even as little ability as I
do. 
So now you know who to blame.^_^
Please check out Wade's home page at
<http://www.mala.bc.ca/~tritscwa> 
He has some very good stories there.

Next Chapter: Join us for.

     Happy birthday, Ryo-oh-ki
     
     "Oneechan, why is Ranma-oneechan acting that way?"
     "Meow!"



T.H. Tiger, 
schell@interlog.com