responded to all the C&C, rewrote this. will
  prob not write this one the rest of the way as there were
  way too many flames, and was under constant bombardment
  (damn AOL IMs) to release the outline.

Ranma 1/2: Enslaved, the Bet (final)
chapter 1: "Wayward son"
by Gregg Sharp, http://members.aol.com/metroanime/main.html
	insert standard disclaimer here. note also the flavor's a bit different...
----======================
	"A tiny change, you say?"

	Toltiir nodded but did not look happy. Hardly a surprise considering
his visitor. Though originally of the same pantheon and world, the two were
quite
different. Toltiir, patron of humor, mischief and good-natured chaos. Ankoku
aka
the Usurper, alias "Darkness Made Dominant", sometimes known as "the Devouring
Darkness" among other things. One was also known as Robin Goodfellow and
often played the foolish prankster role. Ankoku was known by less savory names
and played the part of the classic "James Bond villain"- the sort who
appreciates
the fine beauty of a symphony while personally ripping the living heart out of
someone who littered on his property.

	"Well, how about THIS!" Worlds died, their atoms ripped apart and
converted into the raw energy for his spell.

	"That universe was already divergent. Though everyone was there,
the overall flavor of the setting was quite different." Toltiir pointed out.

	"Humor," said Ankoku with a flat tone. "This universe, however, made
sense. How do you think those amazons survived all those years through 
repressive government after government? Through the Boxer Rebellion and the
hash those Westerners and their drug trade made of the region? The seven
percent
solution, indeed. Proving that my influence in these worlds is far greater
than your
own, lord of humor. But the Joketsuzoku and the fear they inspired in their
rulers
survived due to their abilities as assassins. Which brings us to this change
here."

	"Happosai teaches one of the hundreds of techniques he's stolen 
over his long life to his two pupils. Soun Tendo teaching some of his
students, and 
demonstrating on a TV interview, the 'Splitting Cat Hairs' technique." Toltiir
looked
saddened. "Why? You already could stabilize a timeline with your own power."

	"Because, 'lord of jest' - I like to win." Ankoku smiled, and as always,
there was no humor in it.
--------------------------
Juuban, Day One
	The rain had been brief and had stopped just a few hours ago, leaving
the day muggier but slightly cooler. Nodoka Saotome opened the windows to her 
home, allowing tiny breezes to stir the air within.

	She was contemplating the emptiness of her home, after ten years of
the training trip her son and husband had undertaken, when voices and the
sound
of the front gate opening interrupted her reverie.

	"I think this's it." A young man's voice, somewhat uncertain. A quiet
murmurring from a woman followed that. "Well, it _has_ been years since I was
here last."

	That comment caused Nodoka's heart to skip a beat. Could it be? She
hurried out to the front door. There was a young man of about sixteen there,
wearing a red Chinese silk shirt and black leggings. He was followed by two
young
women, one slightly taller than the other. The taller one of the girls was
wearing
clothing very similar to the boy. The shorter young lady was wearing baggy
shorts
and a t-shirt/vest combination. The tall woman was carrying a thermos.

	Nodoka frowned as they stopped and stared. In the two women's eyes
were the look of those who had been through much abuse in their lives. The 
taller one had the white tracery of an old scar going from chin to just under
her right
eye. The shorter woman, a girl about the same age as the boy, had a slightly
more 
haunted look to her though no VISIBLE scarring.

	"May I help you?" Nodoka bowed, her eyes never leaving the three
standing in her courtyard. Upon seeing the bundle in one of Nodoka's hands,
the
youngest one looked ready to bolt and the taller girl fingered her scar in
what was
likely an unconcious gesture.

	The young man spoke with a touch of hesitation. He had, after all, 
arrived unannounced with guests. "I'm Ranma Saotome, sorry about this."
---------------------------------------------
	Nodoka had hustled the three inside, and after a long and nearly rib 
crushing hug, wanted explanations. First, though, came tea. Proper decorum
must
be maintained, after all. So it was that Nodoka Saotome came to be sitting
across the 
table from her son and the two mysterious women.

	"Well, son, I'd say some explanations are in order." Nodoka sipped at her
tea and carefully appraised the two women, who seemed to hover close to her
son
as if he were shelter in an uncertain world. She had no idea as yet how close
that
observation was to the truth. "Where is your father? Who are these two young
ladies? That would be a good start, I think."

	"Father," Ranma began, "well, I left him behind. Snuck out of camp one
day 'cause I remembered something you said years ago. ' It is the duty of a
martial
artist to stick up for those who are in trouble, in need of help, or in need
of a friend.
Do not turn your back on duty or honor, and don't abandon those whose needs
outweigh your own.' Something like that wasn't it?"

	Nodoka smiled faintly. He remembered the code she had taught him those 
years ago. Perhaps he had become a man-among-men, as well. "Yes, I believe it
was 
something like that."

	"Well, Pops said we couldn't do nothin' and that we had problems of our
own. I thought I could do somethin' so I did." No bragging, just simple
statement of
fact. "These two were slaves in a village we ran across in China. Lipstick
here 
managed to bump into me when we entered the village, and asked for help."

	The taller one bowed slightly. "Lipstick and Gloss are the names we
were given within the village. My real name is Kasumi and this is my sister
Nabiki.
We were taken by a Nichieju kill squad shortly after they killed our father
and 
mother for the crime of the unauthorized teaching of secret amazon techniques,
something only an Elder of the village should be able to do. There were also 
questions apparently about some Master that our father studied under, but our
father refused to speak of him.

	"Both I and my sisters were taken to the village as children. Both Nabiki
and I were deemed unsuitable as warriors and so became slaves of the Council.
We
were seen as valuable lessons, you see, do not cross the Elder Council, or
else.
My youngest sister, Akane..."

	There was a flare of anger in Nabiki's eyes. "Don't mention that traitor's
name! She is no longer our sister Akane, merely the amazon Comb. Just another
one of our tormentors."

	Nodoka raised an eyebrow at the amount of venom in the young lady's
voice. "They didn't simply kill you or abandon you, at least."

	"They would not do that, Saotome-san." Kasumi's voice was soft and
full of hurt, remembering her own treatment at the hands of one who had once 
been her youngest sister. "If we had been male children, no doubt we would
have
been slain shortly after our father. That we were not was reason to take us
into the
tribe. If you are not a warrior, however, you are not much of anything in the
village.
We...did not fare well there. The fate of our parents and our subsequent
treatment
was to be an example for others."

	The haunted look had returned to the eyes of both of the girls. Nodoka
cleared her throat. "Do you have no family, then?"

	"We do not know of any, Saotome-san. We tried to stop by our home
but it had been razed years ago while we were in China. There are townhouses
there now, and have been for some time. 

	"Please forgive us for this intrusion." Kasumi bowed again from where
she was seated.

	"So, my son, you decided to sneak into a village of heavily armed 
warriors and steal from them?"

	"Mrs Saotome!" Kasumi's eyes widened and she stared at Ranma's
mother. Nabiki merely turned pale and closed her eyes, certain that she was
going to be turned away. And then where could she go but back to the damned
village where her punishment would be severe?

	"Uhm, I'd have said 'rescue' myself." Ranma tugged his pigtail. "I brought
'em here cause where else could they go?"

	Nodoka was not heartless, no matter what her husband might think from
her ability to ignore his pleading and begging whenever he wanted to spend
money.
The tale of these two Japanese women, cut adrift on the seas of fate, touched
her 
greatly. That her son had done something so honorable and heroic as to risk
his life 
by sneaking into a village to rescue two women was a good sign. Two fairly 
attractive women  who were apparently quite interested in their rescuer,
judging by 
the body language and how close they sat to him. The promise of being a 'man 
among men' was recalled and Nodoka placed a large mental checkmark by it. That
Ranma didn't seem to know what was going on was merely amusing, but then men 
tended to be a little clueless about some things anyway.

	"So, you brought them here to meet your mother?" Nodoka smiled. "Well,
that DOES change things doesn't it?"

	"Hmmm?" Ranma began sipping on his tea, not sure of what his mother
was going on about.  Kasumi and Nabiki stared at her, catching the reference.

	"So which one are you going to marry?"

	<SSPLURSHHH> Nodoka leaned slightly so that Ranma's rather 
spectacular geyser of tea missed her. She noticed that both of the young
ladies
colored slightly (not enough to indicate that they've Done It, but enough to 
indicate that they've THOUGHT about It.) 

	"What..I..but...I...they..."

	"...or is it that you're planning to marry both?"

	Ranma went completely silent and pale enough that one would think
he'd seen a ghost. Finally a startled "eep" forced its way past his lips.

	Realizing she'd overplayed her hand, and that Ranma probably wouldn't
be capable of anything approaching coherent thought for awhile, Nodoka sighed
and asked if either of the two orphans would care to assist her in getting
supper
ready. It was quite late by now, and time to consider the possible events of
the
next day. She got up to lead the way to the kitchen.

	"Saotome-san," Kasumi got up and bowed. "I would be happy to assist
you, but there is one further thing you need to know first. Have you heard of
a
valley of magical springs known as Jusenkyo?"

	"Jusenkyo? No, I can't say that I have."

	"Saotome-san, do you believe in magic or in curses? Of things that are
not quite fully within the boundaries of modern science?"

	"Kasumi-chan, do you have a family name?"

	"Yes." Kasumi thought about it briefly. "Tendo. It was Tendo."

	Nodoka lost her train of thought briefly before turning a dazzling smile
to the two girls. "Well, kami-sama works in mysterious ways, does he not? In
any
case, yes, I have seen a shinnentai and heard of a shinto priestess at Cherry
Hill
who does fire readings of exceptional accuracy..."

	Kasumi checked the tea in her cup. Cool enough. "There are over
a hundred springs in Jusenkyo, each cursed. Whoever touches the water of one
of these cursed springs is forced to take another form when touched by cold
water. 
Hot water restores the original form, but only until the next time that cold
water 
touches the curse victim."

	"Interesting. Is it folk tale or real?"

	Kasumi upended the cup over herself. Nodoka watched the eyes, the
eyes never changed. The form around them blurred and enlarged, shifting until
a
young man with the same eyes, the same scar, the same clothes stood before
her.
"It's real. Myself, Ranma, and my sister have all felt the touch of Jusenkyo."

	Nabiki held her own cup over Ranma's head and a similar demonstration
occurred. Ranma shrunk slightly, becoming more curved. Again Nodoka noted that
the eyes didn't change, though her son was now quite obviously a girl.

	The reason for Kasumi and Ranma wearing slightly baggy unisex clothing
was quite obvious now.

	Ranma spoke quietly, her voice a throaty contralto now. "Both Nabiki 
and Kasumi received their curses as punishment for trying to escape the
Nichieju. 
Mine was because Pops dragged me off to Jusenkyo, showed it to me in some 
Chinese guide to training grounds for martial artists. He turns into a panda
now, by 
the way."

	Nodoka thought she was holding up well under the shock, up until the
point where her knees gave out. If her son had not already proven that he was 
sufficiently manly by rescuing the two girls, she might have had to hold him
to the 
promise of committing seppuku. THAT realization caused her to feel somewhat
faint.

	Ranma was across the table and at her side in an instant. "Mom? You
okay?"

	"It's just been a surprising day. I think we need to wait on any further
revelations until AFTER supper, don't you agree?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
	
       chapter 1 was expanded so much i had to break into two sections.

       oh well, ja ne.

gregg