***Disclaimer***

I do not have any type of ownership of Ranma ½ in any way and such; I don’t have any right to be using the characters or places used.  I only use them in my stories that I create to quench my writing desire to change the fate of the Ranma Universe at some level.  General Warning to the owners of Ranma ½: Don’t bother suing me please.  I’m still a lowly college student and if you remember your college days, money is scarce while schoolwork is plentiful (yet I can still make time to write this stuff.  Lets here it for procrastination).  It will be only considered a loss on your part.

 

***WARNING***

 I’m still a beginning writer at this; so don’t get bent out of shape if my grammar goes to hell throughout the story.

 

***Story Notes***

I was inspired to do this while I was writing, “Return of the Eagle.”  I was in the middle of one of the earlier chapters when I thought about all the Ranma altaverse/divergence stories that exist out there.  In every one of them, Ranma either has his regular curse or no curse.  There is a rare few that deal with Ranma who has a curse that is completely different than the norm.  Plus, no matter what story it is, Genma is always a panda.  What would happen if Ranma and Genma, while at Cursed Springs, Jusenkyo, received different curses from the original cannon?  As such, this story came about.  Hope you enjoy it.

 

Italics for thoughts and brackets for the sign language

 

R-Ranma => Ryoga thinking he is Ranma

H-Ranma => Hayabusa-Ranma.  The real Ranma cursed to be a falcon

 

 

A Tendo & Her Falcon

Chapter 4

 

“School?” R-Ranma was sitting across from Genma the next morning.

“Yes, we are going to be staying here a while.”

“But, what about my… my problem?” R-Ranma stammered.

Genma nearly glared at his son acting so unmanly about a little curse.  “Well, your curse shouldn’t be a problem, just avoid water as much as you can.”

“Damn it old man!” R-Ranma yelled, jumping to his feet.  “That’s not what I’m talking about.  What should happen if I get lost on the way there?”

“Foolish boy.  Don’t you remember what the old man at the temple said?  If you concentrate, then you shouldn’t have too much trouble,” Genma barked.

R-Ranma was loosing his patience, “Of course I remember.”

“Then stop whining, boy.  Are you a man or are you a girl?” SPLASH!  Onna-Genma just stared at her son who was holding an empty glass in his hand.  “Oh, how embarrassing that my son doesn’t show respect to his father.”

“Stuff it old man.  Stop acting like a girl and start acting like the ma… woman that you are.”  R-Ranma then left with a smirk before Onna-Genma could say a word.  Smiling in his triumph, he wasn’t paying attention when he collided with Nabiki.  “Excuse me, I wasn’t watching.”  He then took a quick look and realized he was still at the dojo, “Yes, I’m still here.  I didn’t get lost again.”

“I’m so happy for you Ranma,” straightening out her uniform.  “You’ve been signed up at the same school me and Akane go and your books are downstairs.  We have to get going, Ra here is due for a teachers conference.”  Nabiki held back her laughter at Ra’s yawn, perched on her shoulder, at the excitement of the meeting.  “We’ll see you there.”

“Nabiki, wait up.  I’ll go with you.” Akane called as she ran down the hall.

“What are you talking about?  You never go this early.  Besides, Ranma is your fiancée remember and he needs someone to show him where school is.  So, you should walk him to school.”  She then left quickly for school.  Akane was left behind, looking over at R-Ranma as he just looked ashamed at the floor.

 

“What do you think Ra?  Think those two will eventually get hitched?”  Nabiki asked Ra several minutes after leaving.  H-Ranma had to think for a moment.  He didn’t know Ryoga very well, but he figured the guy needed something good happen to him for once in his life.  So he nodded to her.  “I’m not so sure.  Ranma and Akane didn’t start things out very well, but we’ll see.  For right now, my little sister isn’t ready for marriage and I intend to make sure that they don’t get married until after high school.”  H-Ranma was lost in thought as they walked past the gates of school.

 

[Elsewhere]

R-Ranma and Akane were finally on their way to school.  This would be normal to everyone except for the small detail of R-Ranma walking on the fence instead of on the sidewalk like everyone else.  R-Ranma dressed in his usual attire of Chinese clothes and Akane in her school uniform.  “We’re not going to get married you know.”

“You’re telling me,” R-Ranma responded uninterested.

“So don’t hang around me in school.”

“Don’t worry.  I’m totally uninterested in hanging around people that instantly hate people by first appearance.”  Akane was ready to through her bag at R-Ranma when Mr. Saotome ran up behind R-Ranma and hit the back of his head.

“Pop, what are you…” Genma interrupted him before he could continue.  “You’re in no position to be choosy about women.  I’ll tell you only once,” but that was as far as he got before R-Ranma casually tripped him and he fell into the canal below.

“If you haven’t forgotten, I haven’t chosen yet.  Mr. Tendo said I could choose any of the three Tendo girls.  Besides, you complain enough to be a girl; at least by the description that you keep giving me.  Oh, that’s right.  You are a girl, aren’t you, Mom?”

Onna-Genma just glared at his son as he taunted from the fence.  Then with untold skill, he jumped from the river over the fence, ready for a fight.  R-Ranma quickly jumped off the fence as Genma came up and Akane got out of the way, recognizing the signs of a fight.  “It seems my son still needs to be taught to teach their elders with respect.”

“You haven’t earned it from me yet, Mom,” soon the two were busily fighting when R-Ranma tucked into a tight series of flips, landing well away from the fight.  “Ha!  Check this out.”  SPLASH!  [That’s right.  Those who know Ranma ½, know what just happened]

“Something wrong?” Akane asked the pile of moving clothes on the ground as a small black piglet came out of the pile.  R-Ranma took a quick look around and continued walking in the direction they were headed.  “Where do you think you’re going, Ranma?”

{To take a bath.}  {I can’t start school like this!}

“Home is in the other direction.”  R-Ranma tried to look as if he knew that already, but was failing miserably as he continued walking in the other direction.  Out of mercy for the lost martial artist, Akane picked up the pile of clothes and book bag then grabbed R-Ranma up by his bandanna and began walking off, “Besides, you’ll be late if you go home again.  If we just poor hot water on you, you’ll turn back.”

 

“Akane, what are you doing here?” Dr. Tofu asked from his desk.  He was going over a couple files when he saw the youngest Tendo walk by his office.  “Do you want to be late to school?”

“Oh, Doctor,” flustering while trying to keep her blushing down.  “My friend just needed some hot water.  After that, we’ll be going.”  She quickly disappeared around the corner and dropped R-Ranma in the bathroom and turned on the hot water for him.  Before closing the door, she quickly dropped his cloths inside.  A splash was heard and five seconds later, R-Ranma opened the door.  She handed him his pack and started dragging him out of the building so he wouldn’t get lost again.  “I’ll see you later Doctor,” as she closed the door behind the two of them.

Dr. Tofu watched the two leave and was perplexed.  She came in with a black pig and then left with a young man about her age.  She needed hot water for her friend…  Jusenkyo.  I never thought I would see it in all my life.  Something was still bothering him though as he sat down at his desk.  Jusenkyo would explain that weird aura I was feeling, but where have I felt that before.  Oh, well.  It’ll come to me.  He then went to call in his next patient.

 

[The story continues as normal until…]

Lighting lit up the darkened sky overhead as R-Ranma sprung towards Kuno, and struck.  Just as he did, the skies unleashed the water that they could no longer hold back.  Just as R-Ranma felt the change happening, Akane heard the sound of running.  Turning, she saw Mr. Saotome in his cursed form running with a kettle in her hands.  In a blink of an eye, she grabbed R-Ranma while knocking Kuno into dreamland.  “Mr. Saotome?”  She didn’t stop but continued running for the school.

“Wow!  Kuno was knocked out by a girl,” a student commented from the balcony.  “Man, she must be as good as Akane is.  Nabiki heard all this as she watched Kuno fall unconscious in the downpour.  Sensing an opportunity, she quickly got permission to fetch Kuno and take him to the nurse’s office.

In class, Nabiki was thinking how Kuno would take the news that another girl besides Akane knocked him unconscious when the person in question walked into class.  As he took his seat next to her, she noticed something on his forehead.  Moving for a better view, she saw, “Bufoon,” imprinted on his forehead.  Kuno looked at it as well with his mirror when Nabiki brought it to his attention.

“Amazing, and you don’t even remember being touched?”

“Hmm, at first I thought Ranma Saotome was good.  But he can’t even spell!  This is how you spell it,” as he scripted, “Boofun,” on the board.  Nabiki just grabbed the chalk, “No, this is how,” and scripted, “Buffoon.”

“I detest you, Nabiki Tendo.”

“I’m so glad.”

“But that is not what is truly on my mind,” sitting at his desk again.  “My fellow colleges tell me that it was not the foul sorcerer that had defeated me and it was not my dear Akane.  But it was a fair lass that with the deepest of deep red hair billowing from under a bandana.   Pray tell, do you know this girl?”

As soon as it was asked, Nabiki’s elbow slipped, SMACK!  “Now look at what you made me do,” rubbing her forehead gently.

“What I… made you do?”

 

[After school, the school scene is still the same except for a small twist]

“By the way, which way did you turn when you and Kuno were running down the hall,” Akane asked as she and R-Ranma walked home.  Nabiki had some other business to attend to before she could head home.  “Everyone saw you turn left to jump out the window, but when we got there we only saw Kuno in the pool.”

“Huh, I did turn left.  That led me down some strange hallway, turned to go down the stairs but got caught in a small explosion.  After that, I ran to the exit before ending back at the room for the change of periods,” R-Ranma stated matter-of-factly.

So that was the explosion we all heard when Kuno hit the pool.  “Ranma, that was the chemistry lab.  Mr. Saotome mentioned a small problem that you have, is this it?” changing subjects quickly.

Sighing, R-Ranma nodded, “Yeah, the priests that Pop and I visited shortly after Jusenkyo told me that I have a chronic direction problem.  It was after I disappeared from Jusenkyo for two weeks before Pop found me again that he decided to take me to some of these temples to see if they could help.  Sure enough, a week later, I have some idea of where I’m going if I remember to pay attention.”

“What did they do?”

“Don’t really know.  They had me lie down and they went into some sort of chant and I fell asleep.  Next thing I know, I’m waking up and see my pop with one of the priests.  All I can say, is that they did something in my head to help me find my way as long as I concentrate on where I’m going and pay attention to where I’m going.

“Sometimes, a fight or other stressful situations cause me to loose control and I get lost like I did today, but usually its much worse.  I was lucky it didn’t turn into a week trip across Japan.  That’s happened a couple times when me and Pops ran into trouble in China a couple times.  I think Pop pissed off a couple of the locals.”  They walked the rest of the way home in silence, as Akane was busy trying to understand what she was told about the wandering martial artist.

 

[Later that day]

“This is for you Mr., sorry, Mrs. Saotome,” smirking to Onna-Genma’s annoyance as Nabiki handed him a letter addressed, “To: The Fleet Footed Warrior.”  “Kuno baby just hates to loose; especially to people without knowing who he is fighting.”

Genma didn’t pay attention to what she was saying as he was busy trying to decipher the letter from all the fancy words that Genma had no clue what they meant.  After a few moments of reading, he decided to read the words he did recognize, “I Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder, challenge you.”  “So Pop, you going to meet him tomorrow after school?” R-Ranma asked as he read over his fathers shoulder.

“Well, I… am handing this over to you to carry out in my name.  Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.”

“I can’t believe that you’re scared like a little girl of a junior from school.  The curse must affect you in more ways than one.  You are truly the girl that you appear to be Pop.”  R-Ranma was having the time of his life.  It’s a rare opportunity that R-Ranma was able to turn the tables on his father like this.

“You disrespectful boy!  I’m going to have to teach you how to give your elders respect,” Onna-Genma stood and prepared to lung at his son.

“So you’re going to meet him then?”

“Of course I am!” He bellowed.

“See you tomorrow after school then,” R-Ranma called as he walked into the house.  H-Ranma was trying hard not to laugh as he saw Ryoga make a fool out of his father, who was standing with is jaw open as his words finally registered with his brain.

 

After school the next day, a group of people came to watch the fight and place their bets.  Nabiki was working the crowd while H-Ranma was perched on the fence.  R-Ranma and Akane were seated with their friends on the sidelines waiting for the fight to begin.  Onna-Genma was in the center of the field waiting for his challenger who hasn’t arrived yet.

Then, as the clock started to chime, everyone saw Kuno approach from the school.  Nearing the field, everyone could see that he was again dressed in his samurai garb and carrying his wooden sword.  An aura of nobility seemed to permeate from him as he strode forward, strong and confident in his movements.  Too bad everyone knew that he was just a simple, common blockhead & pervert.

“Well Tatewaki Kuno, I Ge… I Nodoka Saotome accept your challenge.”  Genma called while slipping into an offensive stance.

Kuno just stood, watching his challenger take a stance.  But it wasn’t the stance he was looking at.  No, he was admiring the beauty of his raven-haired fleet-footed warrior.  “Very well.  If you should defeat me then I will allow you to date with me.”

As soon Kuno finished talking, Genma leapt into action, ignoring the words that were spoken.  Ducking under the sword, Genma kept just out of the swords range as he judged his opponent.  This is a joke to my skill.  He has excellent skill, but it is nothing compared to mine.  Deciding to end it, Genma jumped into the air.

Kuno was having serious trouble.  He was no longer holding back against this warrior.  She was the answer to his prayers for a girl that would be beautiful, a skilled warrior, and would be able to give him a challenge in a fight.  When he saw her jump up, he tracked her as she came down upon him and moved his sword to get the final strike.

Onna-Genma anticipated the attack and diverted himself slightly and landed on the sword tip.  The sudden downward force on the tip drove it into the ground, ripping it from Kuno’s hands.  Then with quick movements, Onna-Genma grabbed the end sticking up and struck the boy on the head, hard, with enough force to knock him out instantly.  With his opponent defeated, Onna-Genma jumped to the roofs and ran back home to change into a man again.

A little later, Nabiki was walking home from the bank with Ra on her shoulder.  They had just deposited a large amount of the winnings and the income from answering questions about “Nodoka.”  “You know Ra, I never would have thought that anything good would have come out of the Saotome’s arrival.  But with the winnings and questions that I answered, I was able to get the family a decent investment portfolio.  With careful study and buying, we shouldn’t have to worry about money for a long time.  I still have to do something though to cover the eating expenses of trying to feed the Saotome's.  Both of them eat more than any of us could possibly eat.”  H-Ranma didn’t know what to do.  If he was human, he might be able to suggest a few ideas.  So the rest of the walk home was in silence.

There were about a block away from the Dojo when Nabiki snapped her fingers. 
”I’ve got it!  Mr. Saotome can pay his way by allowing me to photograph his cursed form.  I know he won’t allow it so, I’ll just get my pictures an alternate way.”  As they entered the house, H-Ranma wondered how much trouble was going to be caused.  After a moment, he dismissed that line of thought and believed Genma deserves what ever Nabiki does to him.

[The next day]

“To: The Raven Haired Warrior” Onna-Genma looked up in confusion.  “What’s this?  Another challenge?”

“From Kuno again.  He just hates to loose,” Nabiki smiled as she walked off.

On the tenth hour of Sunday… ok ten sharp on Sunday, at Furinken on the second field…  If only my ungrateful son would do this.  Oh the sacrifices I have to make.

[Sunday]

“Oh, welcome back Mr. Saotome.  How did your… Oh my.  Mr. Saotome, why are you so green?  Is something wrong?  Why don’t you go upstairs and I’ll bring you up some soup.”  Everyone turned to see what was wrong when Genma, still a girl, answered.

“N-N-No food K-K-Kasu-Kasumi.   I-I-I’m fine   I’ll b-b-be all right.  H-H-Here.”

“Why thank you, there are lovely.”  R-Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, H-Ranma, and Soun were surprised to see that Genma was indeed a few shades greener than any human should be.  He didn’t turn to acknowledge them as he slowly climbed the stairs to the guest room where he and R-Ranma were staying.

Just as Genma disappeared, Kasumi came in with a large bouquet of roses and a vase.  “Look at what Mr. Saotome gave me.  Wasn’t that nice of him?  These flowers are beautiful,” as she placed the flowers in the vase.  “Nabiki, what’s so funny?”

Nabiki, held back the laughter that threatened to break her usual mask, “Nothing Sis.  If anyone needs me I’ll be in the dojo for a little bit.”  A few minutes later, Nabiki came back with her usual mask in place.  H-Ranma could see that there was a crack of a smile in her mask this time.

[During school the next day at lunch]

PLOP  “Kuno baby, what is this?” indicating the teddy bear that was just dropped on her desk.

“It’s a present.”

“Sorry, not my style,” tossing it over her shoulder to him.

Kuno bent down to explain, “Tis not for you, but for the Raven Haired Warrior.”  SPPPFFFFTTT!

“Kuno,” Nabiki glared angrily, “I don’t know what you keep doing to me, but I ask you to please stop it,” and picked up a napkin to wipe some of her juice off her face.

Kuno stoically stared at her with juice running down his face, “What I keep doing to you?”

 

“Here,” FAPPITA FAP [Don’t look at me, it was used in the manga] Kuno’s eyes tracked the photos that were laid on his desk with elation.  Every one of them held his beauty, the Raven Haired Warrior in them.  A few were quite racy, but he didn’t care.  There were of his warrior.  “Set of five for 4000 yen.”

“Oh, she so… so… defenseless!”

“Kind of like a guy.”

 

“You’re really something Kuno to be dropping Akane like that,” Nabiki commented as she counted the money.

“Dropping her?”

“You’re not going to two-time my little sister are you?” Nabiki asked.

“Don’t be vulgar.  Akane is such a delicate beauty, so pure and tidy.  Nodoka is a woman, bursting with health and strength.  Both so dear I cannot give up either of them.  Do you call it deceit to love them both?”

“No, I call it TWO-TIMING.”  FAPPITA FAP  “Set of five for 4000 yen.”

Kuno stared at his tigress Akane who littered the photos that lay before him.  “Such ferocity…SOLD!”

 

“Mr. Saotome, Tatewaki Kuno would like to speak to you,” Kasumi stated as she walked onto the porch.  Genma growled at the mention of that name and determinately stood up and marched to the door.  But before he could say anything, his reflexes caught an object.  It was a little teddy bear.

“Tell me why I must give this to you!” Kuno ordered.

“What?”

“Answer me.  Why?  “If you want to give her the gift, give it to Genma Saotome,” quoth Nabiki Tendo.  How do you know my raven haired warrior?”

Ugh!  “Trust me boy, forget her.  You’ll probably never see HER again.” Tossing back the present and stomped out of the Tendo’s household, he needed a drink NOW!  Just as he disappeared around the corner, water struck him from above.  Onna-Genma looked up and saw Nabiki’s pet falcon trying to look innocent.  Stupid, smart aleck bird, he did that on purpose.  I just know it.

“Never see her again,” as he took off where Genma walked off to.  “What do you mean, Genma Saotome?”  Suddenly he stopped, and gazed upon his warrior as she glared up at the top of the wall.  “Oh, my warrior.  How I’ve missed you!”  POK

“Back off boy!” Onna-Genma threatened as he removed his fist from Kuno’s face.  As soon as he did, Genma found himself in a hug of death that he couldn’t get out of.

“Never! I shall never let you go!”

Just as Genma was about to try another approach to break free from this boy’s grasp, HOT water cam crashing down on him, “YAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

“Sorry Mr. Saotome, was it a too hot?” Nabiki asked with a kettle over her shoulder.

“Ok, BOY.  Time to let go and respect your elders.”  Kuno just stared in surprise, at one moment he was holding his warrior, the next; this old man was in his arms.  “Do you understand now you idiot?”  And started to walk to the nearest bar, he really needed a drink.

“Hold Saotome!” Kuno bellowed.  “Where have you hidden my raven haired warrior?  Upperclassman Kuno will not be deceived by such trickery.”

“I’ll handle this Mr. Saotome,” Nabiki said as she walked over to Kuno.  “C’mere Kuno baby.  You see, that girl there is a curse, forever attached to Mr. Saotome.  Everything that is hers is his.  Understand now?”  Nabiki and H-Ranma could see the volcano erupt.

 

R-Ranma and Akane were just turning the corner when they heard the sound of combat.  Hurrying, they saw Mr. Saotome and Kuno fighting again.  “What is it now?” they both asked.

 

Genma meanwhile was trying to knock out this boy.  After a kick in the chest, strong enough to break a tree, he was still standing.  Genma was so involved that he didn’t see the pieces of paper fall out of Kuno’s shirt.

Catching his breath, Kuno took a new stance that no one recognized.  Suddenly his arms blurred and Genma was suddenly dodging a weaving, trying to get a strike in.  Not able to keep it up any more, Kuno stopped to catch his breath.

Genma took this opening and kicked him in every vulnerable point.  As Kuno fell, everyone else ran over to see the results.  “Mr. Saotome, what did you do?” Nabiki asked.  Genma’s movements were too fast for her to track.  It looked like Genma kicked once then moved his foot in an upward motion.

“He hit all the vunerable points Nabiki,” Ranma answered as Akane turned Kuno over, revealing all the footprints.  Nabiki looked on in shock as she watched Genma continue down the street.  R-Ranma was about to go inside when he noticed some of the papers that fell out were floating down.  Snatching one, he saw that it was a picture of Akane lifting some weights.  Seeing another, he grabbed it and saw that it was his Pop’s girl side sleeping with part of the shirt off.

“Hey Pop,” Ranma called to his retreating figure.  “You ever think of going into modeling?”  Turning, he saw Akane’s questioning look and showed her the picture.  Before she could say anything, he asked, “Akane, you ever think of being a trainer for a weight lifter,” showing her the other picture.

“GRRRR!”  POW!  WHAP!  BONK!  KRAK!

 

Dr. Ono Tofu looked at his new patient with surprise.  The boys name was Ranma and he was currently bent into different directions with all his limbs.  “This is amazing.  These dislocations and contusions are brutal.  What thug did this?”  Akane studied the floor in shame, “Uh…”

Dr. Tofu heard Ranma whisper something and leaned down to hear it better, “A dorky girl did this,” and was suddenly dumped off the table as Akane lifted the end up.  “Say that again Ranma and I’ll…” She quickly dropped the table in embarrassment.

“You did this Akane.”  Akane could only look down at her hands.  “I knew it!” he happily exclaimed as he lifted Ranma back onto the table.  Akane and Ranma were dumbfounded.  “You see the way this joint bends backwards, this is Akane’s touch all right,” as he began to untie the human knot.  “You’re Ranma aren’t you.  I hear that you’re Akane’s fiancée.”

“That was our parents decided, not us!” Akane heatedly exclaimed.

“Well, its still too early.  You’re both still children after all,” as he finished with the last joint.

“THAT HURTS YOU KNOW!” Ranma almost screamed.

“Really, where does it still hurt?”  Ranma was about to answer when he realized that he didn’t hurt at all.  He moved all his joints and found that nothing was hurting.

 

“Just a moment Ranma,” Dr. Tofu asked, as the two were about to leave.  “Fiancée or not, do try to get along with Akane.”

“I’m not the one starting the fights,” Ranma defended.  “She just overreacts to everything.”

“She’s such a sweet girl and I’m sure you’ll find out soon,” as he patted Ranma’s back.

 

“What were you two talking about?” Akane asked as they walked home.  “Nothing much, just some stuff.”

 

“Three, two, one,” Dr. Tofu stated as he sipped his tea, watching the clock countdown.

 

WUMP  “What?”  Akane turned at Ranma’s voice and saw that he was on the ground and was apparently having trouble getting up.  “What is it?”

“My legs.  I don’t know.”  That lousy…  When he patted me, he did something to my hips.

“Come on, let’s go,” Akane calmly stooped down to pull him on her back.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Piggy back since you can’t walk.”  She didn’t notice Ranma twitch slightly at the mention of pig.

“Do you think a man would be able to stand the embarrassment?”  His other comments were drowned out as water splashed him, activating his curse.

“This way, no one should recognize you, right?”  As she grabbed his clothes and Ranma and carried them both home.

“She’s really a sweet girl.  I’m sure you’ll find out real soon.”  Not yet buddy, not yet.  R-Ranma continued in thought the rest of the way home.

 

H-Ranma gazed out of Nabiki’s window that night as it continued to rain.  It’s been several weeks since arrival of his father and Ryoga.  With them, the brought how the curses work, and it was his hope that the same would be with him.  But when Nabiki poured the water on him that day, it didn’t work, ever since he’s spent every night trying to understand why.

Suddenly, he saw a couple birds sitting in the tree in the yard.  He saw what the rain was doing as it hit them and an idea formed.  He hopped off his night perch and pushed open the window that was left open for fresh air and flew down stairs.  Using his beak, he wedged the door open and walked into the kitchen.  Kasumi always has a kettle ready, ah, there it is.  As he spied the kettle on the stove and with a couple hops he flew up and grabbed the kettle in his feet.  He placed the kettle on the ground as he landed beside it.

With careful movements, H-Ranma tilted the kettle enough to start pouring the hot water onto him.  As soon as the water started, he turned his head and discovered the reason.  A memory fragment, when he stayed around long enough to go to school, the same one where Ryoga went to in fact.  One of his biology teachers was talking about birds and how their feathers were an insulator and water resistant to the weather.  As he thought about this, the more he realized that every time he got wet, he never felt it because his feathers were keeping the water away from him.

While still trying to keep the water going, H-Ranma tried several tries to get the water past the feathers.  Flustered, his feathers fluffed up and H-Ranma tipped the kettle even more.  A couple seconds later, he felt the change occur and his point of view changed again.  He wanted to jump with joy as he saw that he had hands again, but kept quiet so not to disturb anyone.

He looked himself over and confirmed that he was truly a boy again.  Then quickly tried covering himself as he also discovered that he didn’t have any clothes.  Stupid curse, leaving me naked like that!  Quietly, he picked up the kettle, filled it, and wiped up the water with a towel.  He then sat down at the table and thought about this revelation.

I can’t just announce myself as Ranma, that would cause some problems and I don’t want to be engaged right now, least of all to Akane.  I don’t think I could handle her always jumping to conclusions.  She is cute though when she smiles.  Besides, I think Ryoga likes her and he deserves something for once.  Now I can try to find my mother, as a boy, this time.  But… what do I do about Nabiki.  She’s become such a good friend, even though it’s to my cursed form.

He stayed that way for a good hour before he stood up and walked onto the porch, closing the door behind him.  I will tell her the truth as soon as I find my mom, if she is still around; if not, I’ll immediately tell Nabiki.  I also need to find the real reason why Pop found someone to replace me.  He stepped out into the rain and felt his curse activate.  Flapping his wings, he flew back up to Nabiki’s window, which was still open, and climbed in.  Before he jumped onto his perch again, he used his beak to hook the window and pull it closed some more.  His dreams were much better ones as he thought of being able to change back to a human again.  In a few of them, his mother was holding him, happily.  And a couple, were concerned about a girl with short, brown hair.

 

***Author’s Notes***

I’m sorry about the long delay with releasing chapters.  With school out, my job has taken a good part of my thinking power.  Plus, my hobby of singing with my chorus is taking up some of my evenings when I feel like writing.  You can find out more about my chorus at http://www.newtradition.org.

I hope everyone now understands the reason why Ranma couldn’t change back the first time.  This was going to be one of the little problems that will appear time and again as the story progresses.  I know, not much has happened, but this was to be a filler before the fun stuff starts to happen in the next chapter.  Such as introducing the Kodachi, the Golden Pair, and “Airen!”