This is my first chapter of my new fic, it does get better ( in my

opinion anyway )

c&c welcome, flames not!

PLEASE e-mail me I need your comments!

Characters are own by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video, and a bunch of

other

companies. They are used without consent. I'm really poor don't sue

me please?

Chapter 1

Here's Ranma and ?????

A man in his late thirties, with a moustache and shoulder length black hair is sitting in a traditional Japanese dining room reading a letter. The man's eyes were wide and filled with tears of joy.

The letter read:

Dear Soun,

Coming from China as promised with Ranma and friend. Be there in a week.

Genma.

Soun Tendo master of Anything goes was overjoyed with the news shouted out to his three

daughters, to inform them of news.

"Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane come on down I have something to

announce"

Kasumi and Nabiki arrived in the dining room,

"what is it dad?" questioned Nabiki.

"where is that girl Akane?" Soun questioned to himself.

At that moment we see a 16 year old girl with shoulder length hazel

hair returning from a jog, immediately changing into a gi.

With a loud "HIYAA" the girl brought down her hand on several

concrete blocks utterly destroying them.

At that moment a another girl walks in, she is around Akane's age

with short cut black hair, and cool calculating eyes.

"No wonder all the boys are scared of you, you'll never get a

boyfriend at this rate!"

"Why do I care Nabiki, I hate boys" answered Akane.

"well then I guess you won't be interested in what father has to say

then" replied Nabiki.

The three girls all gathered in the dining room to listen to their

father's announcement,

"FIANCEE!!!!" all three Tendo daughters screamed

Soun continued unaffected by their reactions "Yes an old friend of mine and his son will be coming to visiting me in a few days, if one of you were to marry him then the legacy of the Tendo dojo

would be secure "

"They have just finished crossing into China six months ago and

should be arriving in the next few days"

"Wow China" Nabiki murmured in a generally interested tone.

Akane was the second to react,

"Huh big deal anyway don't we get any say in who we marry",

Kasumi simply said "I hope he's not younger than me, younger men

bore me"

Nabiki decided to not comment further, but in her mind she was already

calculating all the ways in which she could make money out of this.

At that moment a loud shout was heard from outside

"POP will you let me go, I ain't got time to visit some of your old

friends, to get engaged to some girl I don't even know "

The voice was followed be a definitely feminine shout, "Genma put him down now!"

"All right you asked for it, DRAGON FIRE" the same female voice cried out.

There was a loud thump as if something heavy just slumped to the

ground.

By this time the entire Tendo family had gone outside in time to witness, at first a giant panda running towards them carrying a handsome young man with a pigtail, only to be moments later zapped by fire which seemed to come from a dragon that appeared out of nowhere.

They then saw a redheaded girl who had her hair in the same style as

the boy's, mummer to each other.

"Say umm Ranma why are those people staring at us?" the redheaded

girl said pointing to the Tendo family.

Nabiki whispered to her father "are these your friends' dad?"

"I don't recognize any of them" he simply replied

Any further questioning of her father was stopped when the pigtailed boy approached them, Nabiki started to look him over while at the same time calculating how much she could make off him, he was quite handsome she thought.

Akane kept telling herself "I hate boys, I hate boys......" but had to

admit he was quite handsome as well.

While Kasumi thought this boy too was quite attractive, she did notice that

he seemed younger then her. But thought *maybe*

Soun observed the way Ranma strolled towards him with such grace

that there was no sound made from his footsteps.

*hmmm he must be a good martial artist whoever he is*

Ranma strode up to the family, attempting to hide any signs of recognition from his face, after all it was suppose to be the first time in this life he would meet to Tendo family.

Although for some reason though Ranma felt quite uneasy as the stares of all four members of the Tendo family seemed to bore into his very soul. As if it were not the first time they had seen him either.

"Good morning Mr. Tendo?" Ranma queried to the only man present in the family

"Yes who are you and how may I help you?" Soun replied

"Well um...." Ranma struggled to find the right words although this past month his verbal skills

had improved due to help from Ranko, he still had trouble socially talking to people, he preferred to

fight his way through most problems.

"Firstly Mr. Tendo, my name is Ranma Saotome, and Urrgg...." before

Ranma could complete his sentence Mr. Tendo had in the blink of an eye run up to him and

was now squeezing the life out of him in a kind of bear hug, shouting, Ranma had forgotten

how emotional Soun Tendo usually was so was unprepared.

"Oh Ranma I'm sooo happy your finally here"

Ranko seeing Ranma being choked began forming a spell but then stopped when she could

sense no ill intent coming from the man named Tendo. so walked up to him, touched a few pressure points causing Ranma to be released from his grip, ( Ranma's face which was a bit too out of color )

Soun knocked out of his emotional shock, turned and stared at the girl who was helping to support Ranma. The sensation in his arms already returning.

"are you alright Ranma?" the redhead asked

"Yea thanks for the save although I could have done it myself" Ranma

smirked as he replied

"hmmm....whatever" Ranko said in a non-believing tone.

The three Tendo sisters all stared at the events occurring,

Akane thought *hmm she's pretty good, not many people can take out

my father with such ease*

Nabiki was too busy thinking ways in which to make money out of

the pair in front of her

Kasumi just thought *well I guess there will be guests tonight* so

hurried off to make preparations for a large dinner.

Soun assessed that the redheaded girl must also be good in the art.

Ranma now a shade more healthy continued "As I was saying Mr. Tendo, my father wanted to

speak with you rather urgently for some reason"

"Where's Genma I don't see him anywhere" replied Soun in a questioning tone.

Ranma turned to Ranko and nodded,

She in turn stuck her hand behind her back, moments later pulling

out a kettle.

The remaining members of the Tendo family stared curiously at this

kettle as if it were more then it seemed.

Until the girl poured the hot water over the panda.

Everyone except Ranma and Ranko were shocked to see the Panda

transform in a bald man with glasses in a white gi!

Soun immediately recognized his old friend, "Genma" he cried

running to the body that lay on the ground.

"Mr. Tendo, my pop is simply unconscious, for the moment would

you please look after him while my friend and I go to urmm...find someone"

"When will you be back? and who is your friend?" Soun questioned

"This is my friend Ranko and we are going to find my mother, I have

not seen her in nearly ten years"

Before Soun could reply Ranma and Ranko turned and ran towards

the business district of Nerima.

Nabiki seeing the redheaded girl pull a kettle out of nowhere, began

seeing yen signs floating about, she imagined the magic shows that girl could act in.

Genma was dragged into the Tendo dojo by Soun and dumped on a

couch.

Soun was nearby his lifelong friend eager for him to regain

consciousness, to explain what had just happened.

Meanwhile the girls went back to whatever they were doing.

Akane just went into the dojo to practice some more forms, Kasumi

was in the kitchen cooking and Nabiki up in her room planning on more get rich quick schemes.

Ranma and Ranko finally made it to their destination after twenty

minutes of jogging. Although they covered well over one and a half

miles, they did not show the slightest signs of strain.

Except on close up one could see that Ranko was breathing slightly

heavier than Ranma.

"We there yet Ranma?" Ranko questioned.

"Yes we're here at last after ten years, I can finally see my mom again"

the pigtailed boy answered.

Ranma stared up at the traditional Japanese designed house which although seemed smaller than the Tendo dojo that they had just visited, was quite large compared to the majority of houses he had already seen.

He strolled up to the front door and knocked lightly, partially still afraid that his mother would still hold him to that stupid promise about seppuku and being a man amongst men. Although he had nothing to fear after all he was not cursed.

After waiting awhile his shoulders slumped down in disappointment

and a bit in relief,

"I....guess she's not in" he murmured to Ranko.

Ranko seeing the pain in Ranma's eyes went to comfort him,

"Don't worry Ranma she'll probably be back in a moment, we'll just

wait here"

Just as the pair were about to turn and leave, the door opened a women's voice could be heard

"Sorry about that I was in the back doing some gardening"

the women stepped out into the open.

She was an middle aged women with hazel brown hair, wear a

traditional kimono.

By just looking at her one could see a deep sense of honor seeming

to emanate from her.

"Anyway how can I help you?" she asked

Ranko seeing that Ranma seemed to have lost his nerve stepped up to

the woman asking

"yes....could we speak to Nodoka Saotome please?"

"Why of course you can dear, I'm Nodoka Saotome"

Ranko seeing as this was the best time nudged Ranma towards the

woman,

This of course forced Ranma to snap out of his shock induced haze

and quickly compose himself.

*I wonder who this young man is.... he seems so familiar* Nodoka

thought.

Ranma unable to think what to properly say said the first thing that

came to his mind.

"Momm... it's me Ranma...."

"Ranma....??....is that really you after all this time?" with that Nodoka

rushed and grabbed her son in a tight embrace hugging him tightly,

"After ten years.....oh how I've missed you.."

"But what are we standing out here for, come in quickly, we've a lot

to catch up on"

Ranma relieved that everything was going so well simply nodded.

"by the way where is your father?" Nodoka asked.

Ranko chose this moment to speak up "He's visiting an old friend, but

he'll be along shortly"

Nodoka looked at the girl then towards Ranma,

Ranma noticing his mothers' questioning stare about Ranko, remembered that the two had never met

before.

"Mom I'd like you to meet Shian Loi, but she has adopted the name

Ranko we umm.... met in China a few weeks ago"

Nodoka nodded to the Ranko and then turned her attention back to

Ranma,

"Both of you come in, tell me about your travels while I prepare some refreshments."

As the pair followed Nodoka in, Ranko whispered to Ranma

"See that wasn't so bad now was?"

"I know....but I'm still glad the worse of it's over"

"Are you going to tell her about me?" Ranko asked

"I might as well, anyway after all this time I don't think I could lie to my mother"

"Oh ok..." the redhead replied

Ranma although not the most observant person when it came to

people's feelings knew that something was bothering Ranko

"is something the matter Ranko?"

"it's just that I'm not sure how she will take it, the truth about my

origins that's all"

"Don't worry Ranko she'll understand, after all I did"

"I guess your right"

They seated themselves in the dining room which was of traditional Japanese design as well, there was a fireplace which above hung a sheathed Katana, no doubt the Saotome ancestral blade, which she would usually carry around.

After the three were comfortably seated around a small rectangular

table, the first question that the elder Saotome asked was

"now Ranma before you start telling me about yourself, perhaps you

should tell me about your companion here" shifting her gaze to Ranko.

Nodoka obviously awaiting an answer from the redheaded girl, was

surprised when her son spoke up instead.

Ranko was having difficulty thinking about a way in which to tell her

tale was relieved when Ranma spoke up for her.

"Mom it would be easier if I explained"

"Go ahead son" the women said.

"Anyway first of all I...um... met Ranko five months ago........"

=============

'five months ago'

A bald man with glasses in a white gi was staring at a number of pools at the base of a valley, each pool had a bamboo pole sticking out in the center of each pool.

Next to the man was a boy about sixteen years old with a long black hair in a pigtail, who was staring at the pools. His deep blue eyes seemed to be taking in every detail of the training ground.

"wake up boy, we're here to train" Genma shouted, as to emphasize

his point, grabbed the motionless boy and throw him into a nearby pool.

Ranma emerged moments later on the surface of the pool, spluttering

"Oy pop what'd you do that for?"

"Ha boy a true martial artist would have been able to see that attack

coming from a mile away" Genma retorted.

While jumping up to a nearby bamboo pole balancing on a single foot

while in a crane stance.

Ranma noting that this was the indication for the beginning of a sparing session, ignored his now soaking clothes and jumped up to another pole directly opposite his father none noticed the plump guide heading towards them waving his arms about in warning.

Although Ranma already knew the outcome of what was to happened he knew that if he were to be cursed all he'd have to do would be to find the Nanniichuan, which was probably the first pool he had be immersed in, as he had come out as himself, a man.

As the battle continued as both Saotomes collided in mid air with a

flurry of punches and kicks, both oblivious to the shouts of the guide.

Ranma was of course holding back as he had had two years more experience than what his father believed him to have. Although even before the special training from the old ghoul he was still ableto beat his father just not as easily.

Genma on the other hand was having a hard time just avoiding and

blocking all of Ranma's attacks.

As the battle continued Ranma got the upper hand and tossed his

father into a pool, waiting for his father to emerge in his panda form.

As expected he did, straight away attacking Ranma in a renewed

assault.

Although Ranma expected this to happen he was quite unprepared

when he had leapt to a pole which was rotted and gave way under his weight.

Genma of course pressed the advantage and kicked his son into a

pool, while he attempted to regain his balance.

A few moments after Ranma fell into the pool, Genma seeing that his son had not broken the surface of the pool yet hurried over to it staring into the pool, he noticed for the first time that instead of a bald man staring back at him there was a giant panda.

This of course caused Genma to faint.

The guide at that moment reached the elder Saotome, hurried back to

his hut to fetch some hot water.

As he turned to leave, there was a sudden bright flash of light

released from the pool which Ranma had moments before fell into.

The guide stared in awe as the bright yellow column energy released

shot up through the air later to separate and enter other pools nearby.

After the light had died down, the guide warily approached the pool,

which was now no longer a pool but rather a pit or hole.

The guide curiously looked into the pit, was shocked to find a boy,

the one who had earlier been seen fighting with the older man now

panda.

What was most surprising was that next to the boy was a girl about

the same age as the boy, slightly shorter with beyond shoulder length red hair.

The guide seeing as how all three people ( two people and an animal ) were unconscious and that the girl

was naked. Decided to take all three into his hut for the moment until they regained consciousness.

=========

".......and from there onwards after we woke up, the guide

demonstrated that pop had a curse, which is activated by cold and hot water, told me the story about Shian Loi"

Nodoka seemed to accept the story although it did seem to be rather ridiculous but her mother's intuition told her that Ranma was not lying.

"Basically Shian Loi here" he indicated to Ranko who was staring at

her tea

"is the girl who drowned in the spring about one thousand five

hundred years ago"

Nodoka was taken back by her son's statement but showed no

indication of disbelief

"Is this true dear?" Nodoka asked turning towards the young girl

"Yes..s I'm afraid it is although I don't remember much about the events in my past life"

Ranma continued on with the story at his mother's approval.

"Anyway we learned that there are well over a hundred springs in the

valley, the guide said the place was called the cursed springs of Jusenkyo."

"We later were told that if a person or animal were to fall into one of

the springs they would take the form of whatever had drowned in that particular spring........."

===================

"So honored customers whoever fall in cursed spring will take the

shape of animal or person that drowned there" stated the guide to all three people.

"so that's why pop's here turned into a panda, then back into a man when you poured hot water all over him" trying to sound as if it were the first time he had heard the explanation.

"Yes honored sir, cold water turn him into a panda hot water turn

him back into a man"

"Ok I get that, but then how do you explain her" Ranma indicated to

the redheaded girl who seemed to be sitting in silence contemplating the event.

"I mean I did fall into the Nyanniichuan right, so how comes I'm not

cursed like pops here?"

Although Ranma was relieved to not have a curse anymore, he was still curious as to the difference in events from how he remembered them.

"Ohh...I remember now sir, when first I saw you come to springs I saw

you fall into the Nanniichuan, the spring of drowned man"

The group seemed puzzled as to the point of his statement.

"Anyway since you already a man you just curse to turn into yourself, a man. So no change happen to you when you splashed with cold water"

Ranma thought about this and was silently happy, that there was no longer a reason for him to fear his mother's promise of manliness. So at last he would be able to see his mom after all this time.

The guide continued with his explanation

"So young sir since you already cursed you can not be cursed again, so when you fall into Nyanniichuan you cancel out the curse of the Nyanniichuan and release the soul of the girl who drown there one thousand five hundred years ago" indicating to the red head who sat silently in the corner of the hut.

At that last sentence the girl got up and ran off out of the hut, tears

from her eyes fell to the ground where she once was.

Ranma being the only one to have seen the expression of pain on her

face ran off to catch up with her

=============

"Anyway eventually I caught up with her, we talked and I convinced

Shian that if she wanted to, she could come with me and pop for the rest of the journey"

Nodoka after hearing her son's explanation, nodded * my son is truly

a man amongst men helping a someone who he had just met *

Ranko spoke up at that moment, "After Ranma and I talked I decided to adopt the name Ranko, as

it was easier to pronounce properly and it would have sounded better here in Japan."

"So Ranma it seems you've been on many exciting adventures so you

and Ranko here must be tired, and it is rather late, you two should rest now, I'll show you your

rooms and tomorrow morning we go to pick up your father"

Ranma and Ranko nodded at this, only now noticing the lateness of the hour, surprised that they had spent practically all afternoon talking about his journey across China with his pop"

The next morning saw Ranma and Ranko sparring in the back yard, although Ranko was attacking with speed and skill far beyond someone of her age, Ranma was parrying and blocking her strikes with what seemed as graceful ease.

Nodoka awaken by the noise in the backyard went to investigate, upon seeing Ranma and Ranko sparring she was surprised by the amount of skill her son and Ranko possessed.

"Ranko try to feign more as I can’t read what your going to do before

you actually strike"

Ranma commented, although the match between the pair seemed tobe equal Ranma was holding back the vast majority of his actual skill.

As he had had several months to tune his body and focus his ki better in the forests of China than in his previous life, where he was forced to learn the moves to survive.

Ranko was getting annoyed, it seemed that no matter how much she trained she could never keep up with Ranma when it came to martial arts. She was glad that they had reached an understanding, several months ago he would not even spar with her because he said he would not hit girls.

After some fighting and several spells later, she managed to convince Ranma that she was not as helpless as he thought she was.

They reached an agreement that Ranma would help to improve her hand to hand combat skills while

she taught him about magic.

Even when once they did go all out they still held back, Ranma held back his death blows while she would make sure none of her spells were deadly.

Usually she would win in such matches but she suspected that Ranma let her, but Ranko found she could never stay angry at Ranma for long and vice versa.

Ranko knew that each morning sparring session would see Ranma

winning although she was improving knew that Ranma would easily best her.

She decided to try something else to win.

Ranma decided that being on the defensive would not help Ranko improve so began a quick combination of punches and kicks.

He was shocked when his last kick connected with Ranko's stomach.

She was flung back several meters and lay on the ground.

Ranma immediately ran up to her to see if she was badly injured

saying

"Ohh...Ranko I'm sorry.....are you ok??"

Nodoka's first instinct when Ranma actually managed to hit Ranko

was to go up to the boy a clip him round the ear for being so dangerous.

She stopped that thought when she had noticed that it seemed Ranko had intended to allow herself to be hit. Curious as to why she waited out to see what the girl had planned.

As Ranma knelt next to Ranko turning her over and constantly apologizing, although he had gotten over his inability to hit a girl back in the Amazon village he still preferred not to.

While he was checking Ranko over for any signs of serious injury,he heard Ranko murmur something, unable to make out what it was he leaned his ear closer to her lips, and heard

"Gotcha Ranma"

The next moment he felt himself grabbed and thrown into the nearby koi pond, he emerged to see a laughing Ranko clutching her stomach.

"HE HAHAHAH.......I gotcha at last Ranma...."

Nodoka too could not help but laugh as well at her now soaking son.

Ranma wanting to get revenge on Ranko for pulling such a trick thought of a plan.

"Yeah Ranko Ok you won this time" Ranma got up and pretended to stumble and hurt his knee

"Anyway Ranko you think you can help me out of here I'm slipping on the mud on the bottom"

Ranko still happy and sniggering at her victory and joke did not notice the gleam in Ranma's eyes as she walked up to him to help him out.

She realized too late what Ranma intended to do as she reached out to haul him up.

Only to find herself being pulled into the pond as well.

"HAHAHAHA....gotcha back....." it was now Ranma who was laughing and clutching his stomach.

A now soaking Ranko replied "Why you......." as she grabbed Ranma's head and pushed it under into the pond.

Ranma in turn started to splash water at her when he re-emerged.

This quickly escalated into a all out water fight.

Which was end when the elder Saotome interrupted by saying

"Breakfast's ready"

The pair quickly stopped fighting and made a mad dash for the bathroom to clean up,

Ranko got there first locking Ranma out in the corridor in his soaking gi.

"Ranko hurry up.......!!"

The only reply Ranma got was a laugh, He then just sat outside the bathroom door waiting, although no real anger was behind it, he was just annoyed that Ranko always seemed to get to the important places quicker then he did.

This gave him a moment to think about how this life seemed so different from his previous one, also how he could get out of the forced engagement with one of the Tendo daughters. Not that it was a bad thing but it's what caused many of his problems in his first life.

After Ranma and Ranko had both finished with the bathroom, they

both went downstairs to the dining room for breakfast.

Nodoka was waiting patiently for the pair to be seated before starting,

she was shocked at how fast the food seemed to be disappearing from the table. Ranma and Ranko

seemed like human vacuum cleaners as they cleared the whole table within a matter of minutes.

When there was only one piece of food left on the table a chopstick match occurred between the two in the end Nodoka decided that she herself should take the food as that seemed the quickest solution to the bickering between the two.

After breakfast was finished and all the cleaning done the three sat

down in the living room.

"Now Ranma you said your father was visiting an old friend, who was he?"

"I think he said it was a mister Tendo mom why?" Ranma asked as if

he did not know the answer already.

"yeah we left him there because he said he had something really important to discuss with his friend,

but Ranma really wanted to see you again first" Ranko stated.

Ranma slightly embarrassed by Ranko's bluntness decided that the tea in front of him was suddenly very interesting to study.

Nodoka was pleased that her son had had the courage to come back to her without the support of his father even though they had been separated for over ten years.

"Anyway son it's best that you and Ranko go with me to visit mister

Tendo so we can go pick up that idiot of a husband of mine". Nodoka stated thinking back to the previous night when Ranma told her about how he was sold for food several times during their journey.

An hour later they were on their way to the Tendo dojo.

( To be continued…..)

You can e-mail me : albertliu@clara.net

my homepage : http://www.albertliu.clara.net

p.s. I'm always looking for more good fanfics to read any advice on

some good ones and their homepages

thanks for reading this

Albert