This is my first fic, it does get better ( in my opinion anyway )

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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?

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Ranma was walking back home alone after having to stay behind at school because he had been late for school that morning due to having to fight off a crazed Kuno spouting poetry about the pigtailed girl.

Ranko and Akane had already left as had Nabiki.

He was walking pass an empty parking lot, when he heard shouts coming from the other side of the wall. One voice sounded very familiar he thought.

He quickly hoped over the fence, *That's right, pops and Ucchan are suppose to have a fight here*

remembering how it was before.

He leaped over the other side in time to see a figure dressed in black disappear, and to see his father crumpled on the floor.

"Yo pops who was that?" Ranma asked trying to sound surprised by the attack. Ranma received no answer as he noted that his father had passed out.

"Stupid pops.." he grumbled as he hefted his fathers unconscious form back to his mother's house.

By the time Ranma had reached his mother's house, Genma was beginning to stir. Ranma already knowing who and why that person had attacked his father, just dumped him at his mother's house and headed back to the Tendo dojo. He was slightly disappointed that Nodoka was not home, for they still had so much to catch up.

The next day at school Ranma was distracted as he knew that his old friend Ucchan should show up today, but he was still unsure as to what to do about her.

"Ranma are you ok?" Akane asked, Ranma had noticed that his relationship between himself and Akane was steadily improving, although he seemed to be annoyed by this for some reason,

*perhaps I'm just too used to the Akane who always hit me, it's like she a completely different person*

"Ranma you better wake up now, you don't want to get on sensei Hendo's bad side again, or you'll be spending the rest of the week staying behind after school" Ranko whispered into Ranma's ear

"I guess your right..." he said as he began to concentrate on the start of the lesson

"Class I'd like to introduce a new student" the teacher said gesturing towards a boy dressed in black wearing a bandoleer containing what looked like mini spatulas, and a oversized one on his back.

Ranma seeing his old friend resisted the urge to shout out his name, instead he decided that the matter between them should be settled in private.

"Hi my name Kuonji Ukyo nice to meet you" he said evenly with no trace of emotion on his face.

"Well Ukyo please take a seat anywhere you can find one" the teacher said

Ukyo nodded and decided to take a seat in the far corner away from anyone else.

Ranma wondered why Ucchan had not challenged him yet, *last time she did in class* Ranma thought remembering to their battle on the over sized grill.

*She probably didn't see me or she can't remember what I look like* He thought deciding that after school he would confront his childhood friend.

The rest of the school day went rather quickly, Ranma decided that he needed to confront Ucchan alone, following her home from a safe distance. Having already explained to Akane and Ranko so they would not be worried about where he was going.

Ukyo somehow knew that she was being followed but every time she turned around to look, she saw no sign of her assailant. She headed into her restaurant which she had only just set up, even the name had yet to be chosen. She ignored the feeling of being followed as a feeling of excitement at nearly fulfilling her ten year quest.

Before she went upstairs to her room to change there was a knocking on the front door of the restaurant.

*I wonder who that could be* Ukyo thought as she was not expecting anybody.

She opened the door to see a familiar boy wearing black pants and a red shirt, his black hair was tied into a pony tail.

"Hello Ucchan" Ranma said.

Ukyo seeing who was before her immediately pulled her battle spatula from her back, preparing to strike.

Ranma decided to pretend he did not know Ukyo was a girl,

"I haven't seen you in years Ucchan how've you been?" Ranma asked trying to sound as friendly as possible.

"RANMA DIE" she shouted as she swung her weapon in a downwards arc hoping to cleave Ranma in half.

Ranma grabbed and held the weapon in a vice like grip,

"Ucchan why're you attacking me???" trying to sound confused.

"Don't call me that you have no right, after you left me behind!" Ukyo spat back while struggling to free

her spatula from Ranma's iron grip.

"What do you mean I left you behind?" He asked.

"Don't try to act innocent that day when you and your father ruined my life, by stealing our yatai and leaving me behind" Ukyo said as she realized that Ranma was physically stronger, she gave up

attempting to free her spatula and leapt back, producing a trio of mini spatulas and throwing them in

Ranma's direction.

Ranma with one hand hold the giant spatula, used the other to catch all the incoming mini projectiles.

"But Ucchan why would you want to go with me and my father he's an idiot besides you had your own

father!!"

"We were supposed to be engaged!!" she practically screamed.

"But Ucchan we're both guys how could we had been engaged!" Ranma said trying to sound confused, thinking to play dumb was the only way to calm down his old friend.

"For ten years I have suffered after that incident I have lived my life as a man!" she shouted as she threw a flower bomb at him and began attacking in close combat hoping that the flower had acted as a smoke screen.

"C'mom Ucchan let bygones be bygones be a man" Ranma said deciding that he should counter attack so

he wouldn't be humiliating his friend's martial arts ability. This caused Ukyo to stop in mid punch even

though all her attacks were hitting air. Just as Ranma decided to return some of her mini spatulas.

He sent the spatulas in the direction of Ukyo's voice as he was blinded by the flower.

" urg...you really don't know do you??" she asked have been hit across the chest with her own projectiles.

"Know what?" Ranma said trying to sound confused.

As the smoke cleared, Ranma saw Ukyo facing him a few feet away with three slashes along her uniform. The weapons had cut through the bindings that Ukyo used daily so partially revealed her breast.

Ranma although knew that Ukyo was a girl was still surprised by how well she hid it, started to nose bleed severely, he quickly turned away.

Ukyo wondered why Ranma was clutching his nose suddenly, looked down at her chest to see her uniform slashed to reveal parts of her breasts.

She immediately began to cover herself up.

"Ucchan y....your a girl!!!!!!" Ranma said finally getting his speech back. His face was red with embarrassment.

"Of course I'm a girl idiot" she shouted while grabbing her battle spatula from the ground where Ranma

had dropped it and hit him over the head expecting him to be unconscious now.

Instead there was now a dent in the shape of Ranma's head in the middle of the spatula. She prepared to attack again.

"Wait Ucchan listen I didn't know you were a girl!!!!" Ranma shouted trying to get her attention, while putting his hands up in defense.

"I don't care after that day when you and your father left me behind I vowed never to love another man again, I decided to live my life as a boy" She spat as she attacked him in hand to hand combat having already out of weapons.

Ranma decided that what worked last time would work again, *I would rather have her as my fiancée

than to lose her completely* he thought.

"You know that's a shame Ucchan a cute girl like you, any guy would be lucky to have you as a

girlfriend" Ranma said while dodging another blow.

Ukyo stopped her attack after hearing what Ranma had said,

"Your liar I'm not cute" she replied,

Ranma walked up to her, standing beside her,

"Yes you are..." Before he could finish his sentence he was punted through the roof of the restaurant into

LEO.

Ranma did not see the smile on Ukyo face or the blushing in her cheeks as she punted him away.

*Damn those always get me* Ranma thought as he sailed over Nerima, conveniently crashing on the door step of the Tendo dojo.

Kasumi was first to see him as Ranma walked in unhurt by the attack but his clothes were torn due to the landing on solid ground.

"Ranma what happened?" said Ranko as she ran to his side seeing the condition of his clothes.

Akane likewise to his other side.

"Nothing just a disagreement with an old friend" he said *well it's not exactly a lie* he thought.

"you seem to be having a lot of disagreements Ranma" Nabiki commented as she walked past.

"Hey it ain't my fault ya know!" he retorted.

"Whatever Ranma" Nabiki said as she left.

"So what happened Ranma?" Akane asked.

"Well I was just meeting up with an old friend that's all, but my idiot of a father somehow offended their family so I was on the receiving end" *Can't tell them about the engagement to Ukyo, they'd go mad besides I think after what happened Ucchan ain't gonna want to be engaged to me* he thought.

"I always said your father was an idiot Ranma, so why don't you let him sort out this mess?" Ranko

commented.

"Yeah I know, but the person offended is an old friend of mine but I'll see what happens tomorrow" he

replied

"Who was it?" Akane asked curiously

"Well you know that new guy in our class well, that's my old friend" Ranma said.

"So do you know what your pop did to him?" the redhead questioned.

"I think he stole something of theirs that's all" *Better not tell them the whole story all at once*

"Well that's typical for Genma" Ranko said

"Yeah anyway I feel tired so I'm gonna go sleep now" Ranma said as he walked up to his room.

*He's hiding something* the redhead thought before she and Akane left now sure that Ranma was

physically fine went to their respective rooms.

The next day at school was a surprise for Ranma when Ukyo approached him during lunch time.

He had expected some sort of an attack but instead received an okonomiyaki with 'to my dearest Ranchan' written on in sauce.

"I'll let bygones be bygones Ranchan but your father is another matter" Ukyo stated.

Ranma although shocked noted that although Ukyo was still wearing her boy type clothing, seeing the glares coming from both Akane and Ranko which were directed towards him and Ukyo he quickly ate the okonomiyaki, he noticed that her chest stuck out, meaning that she had not bound her breasts like usual.

"Sure as long as you don't kill him" Ranma replied.

"oh....all right" Ukyo said, to push her point across she started to hold Ranma in a passionate embrace.

This got the already angry Akane and Ranko fuming. They were already upset after having seen the okonomiyaki with the message written on it and had already concluded that Ukyo was a girl.

"Just what do you think your doing hugging Ranma" Akane said to Ukyo staring daggers at the chef.

"Why your Akane right, well I'm Ranma's CUTE fiancée" Ukyo said emphasizing the word cute.

Ranma big sweated, knowing the upcoming attack was going to hurt more than usual.

"Umm Ucchan when were we engaged?" Ranma asked although he already knew the answer.

"Yeah when were you two engaged?" Ranko asked dangerously.

"Well........I'd have to say about seven years ago!, when Ranma's father and my father decided to engage us both" Ukyo said to the two angry girls with a smile on her face.

Ranma knew this would happen but was glad that at the very least he had regained his childhood friend. He quickly untangled himself from Ukyo's grasp.

"Well look at the time, lunch times over don't wanna be late for class" Ranma said as he ran off to class, buying himself some time from the angry girls, before they could say anything.

That afternoon Ranma had returned to the Tendo dojo early, sporting several hand shaped bruises on his

face.

"Oh hello Ranma aren't you back early today?" Kasumi asked with her usual smile in place.

"Yeah Akane gave me a lift" he said in a bored tone indicating the bruise on his cheek. Remembering how during class Akane wanted to know what his relationship with Ukyo was, not believing his explanation she had gotten angry and punted him away.

"Oh, what was it about?" Kasumi asked as she got a first aid kit and began to patch up the boy

remembering Akane rarely hit Ranma unless there was at least a reasonable explanation. She suspected

that Akane attempted to hide her feelings for Ranma behind her anger.

Ranma wanting to just rest simply replied.

"just another misunderstanding that's all" *well it ain't exactly a lie!* he thought to himself lying to Kasumi felt like lying to his mother, something which he hated.

"Oh well I'm sure you and Akane will sort it out when she comes home" the elder Tendo said

not pushing the subject and returning to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Ranma nodded and went upstairs to the bathroom, Kasumi was one of the few people that respected his wishes not trying to force him to do anything he didn't want to.

Checking to see that no one was in the bath, something he now constantly did. Seeing no one he went in and began filling up the furo with water, undressing he slid into the warm water and relaxed the water massaging his tense muscles in his body.

*Man it's good to have Ucchan back but now I'm also stuck with her as a fiancée!* He thought.

*What am I gonna do, I don't want to hurt her but....*

As Ranma was too preoccupied thinking, he did not notice Ranko walk in with only a towel around her body, Ranko's first instinct was to leave and apologize for walking in on him but then noticed that Ranma made no indication to even know she was here, she decided to surprise him.

Ranma's thoughts were interrupted when he felt someone tapping him on the shoulder he had not notice

the person until they tapped him on the shoulder.

Startled and reacting out of instinct he grabbed the offending hand and pulled, bringing his assailant into the furo with him, already preparing for another strike.

Ranko after being pulled into the bath with Ranma now found herself in his arms, her towel having fallen off was floating in the tub nearby.

Ranma opened his eyes to see his assailant, noting that something was peculiar about the attacker, one they had not attempted to hit back yet. He saw in his arms was a familiar and naked redheaded girl. After a few seconds he let go of Ranko quickly and practically leaped to the other end of the furo.

"ur...um...." was all that came out of his open mouth as his brain had long since burned out.

Both had faces redder than tomatoes.

Ranma was the first to break the silence, as he was continuously apologizing in the corner of the furo.

"All right Ranma I got it the first time" Ranko said having gotten bored of Ranma continuous apology.

Ranma turned towards her but with his head down,

"I'm realllllllly sorry Ranko I thought you were some guy out to kill me"

He said in an apologetic tone.

"I'm just surprised you didn't know it was me, I mean considering how close I managed to get" the girl stated.

"Well it's just that I've been thinking about what happened today with Ucchan that's all"

Ranma answered truthfully his eyes focused on the water.

"Yeah what was all that stuff anyway?"

"Well apparently my childhood friend was a girl.."

"What's so strange about that?" she inquired.

"Well I. kinda thought she was a boy"

"You gotta be kidding me.." Ranko said slightly shocked and amused.

"Nope and now she has found me after over ten years of searching and wants to marry me!"

".....So simply say your already engaged, I mean you are" the girl stated with a neutral face.

"Well it's not that simple, apparently when pops engaged me to Ucchan he took their yatai as a dowry, so I'm honor bound to marry her!"

"Oh.. I can see where that might be a problem"

"Anyway I was just thinking about how I could get myself out of this mess that's all before you walked in on me" trying to change the subject and lighten the mood.

"Hey I didn't know anyone was in here, I mean I knocked a couple of times already and no one answered"

"hmmp I guess it was kinda my fault.." he muttered.

"You probably just wanted to peek on me when I came in!" Ranko said with mock anger as she splashed water in his face.

This action was followed by a similar one in retaliation. Eventually ending in an all out water fight, the fight ended when both noticed they were hugging each other in an attempt to put each other under the water and were both naked. The silence lasted for a moment when the two stared at each other.

*why am I doing this?" Ranma thought usually he would go frantic when a girl hugged him, but this time he did not feel his mind telling him to resist.

*What am I doing, I mean Ranma's probably my best and only friend, why do I feel this way* Ranko thought.

The silence was broken when Ranma and Ranko both heard heavy stomping coming up the stairs, knowing it could only be Akane still mad from earlier that day.

Ranma knowing that it was Akane and being caught naked in the bath with Ranko would not be taken lightly by her, jumped out of the tub and was out the door within seconds, leaving a still confused and blushing Ranko in the furo.

That night after dinner Ranma noticed that Akane had gone to the dojo, he soon heard noises of concrete blocks being smashed coming from there. Deciding that now was probably the best time to talk with her he proceeded to the dojo.

"HIIYYAA" Akane shouted as she turned another block of concrete into rubble.

As Ranma approached he could hear Akane muttering,

"Ranma no baka" as she demolished more concrete blocks.

Ranma cautiously approached the angered girl,

"Um Akane are you going to give me a chance to explain before you hit me?" he asked

Akane immediately turned around,

"What do you want, why aren't you with your fiancée?" the last word said with venom.

"Akane I didn't know that she was going to be my fiancée, she a friend from childhood for god's sake!" He said waving his arms around in frustration.

"So why'd she want to be engaged to you in the first place" she asked slightly calming down a bit.

"Hey it was all my pop's fault, he engaged us when we were kids and stole her father's yatai as a dowry" he replied defensively.

Before Akane could continue the argument Happosai appeared at the entrance of the dojo, shouting 'whoopie' as he leapt for Akane's chest only to be smacked out of the air by Ranma.

"Look old freak we're kinda busy now" Ranma said to the ancient martial artist.

Happosai jumped up from the ground unfazed taking a serious face for the second time Ranma had seen him in this lifetime.

"I'm sorry m'boy old habits die hard, anyway I'm back to continue your training" he said as he sat down and begun smoking his pipe which he pulled out from no where.

Ranma seeing the stubbornness in the old man's eyes knew it was useless to argue, turning to Akane.

"Look Akane can we talk about this later"

Akane just grunted and left the dojo, slamming the door on the way out.

"Guess it didn't go to well huh Ranma?" Ranko asked as she appeared a moment later.

"No I guess not" turning to the old man.

"So what's so important anyway old freak couldn't you see I was busy!" Ranma asked in an irritated tone.

"Respect your elders boy" Happosai said as he threw a bomb towards Ranma, who casually stopped the

bomb in mid-air and cut the fuse using a mini vacuum slash.

"Anyway what do you want Happosai" deciding that further insults would be pointless.

"I'm going to start teaching you a final technique, it will be the last thing I teach you before I leave" the old man said neutrally.

"Where're you going?" Ranko asked in a surprised tone.

Happosai hesitated for a moment, which surprised Ranma again.

"Let's just say I have some unfinished business in China". the old man said in a serious tone.

"Anyway let's get down to training" the old man continued quickly before either could ask further questions.

"Ok what's so special about this technique"

"Simply boy it is an adaptation of the splitting hair's cats technique used mainly by the amazon"

"But that technique's just a way to confuse your opponent by making multiple images of yourself and

spiraling around them"

Ranko said in a bored tone, she had a vague memory of some woman doing it in a fight only to be

knocked back 100ft after the technique was performed.

"Ah so you've heard of it"

Both nodded.

"Well when I was young I urr..borrowed this technique, and have been practicing it ever since"

"Don't you mean stole.." Ranma said

"What innocent little me??" Happosai asked with his most innocent looking face.

"Hmmpp" Was all that Ranma replied.

"Anyway as I was saying, a while ago I managed to perfect this technique to a degree"

"What do you mean by perfect?" Ranko asked.

"Well attack me and find out" the ancient master said taking up a defensive stance.

The pair nodded to each other and charged simultaneously, Ranma attacking by the air Ranko going low.

They were shocked to say the least when Happosai seemed to split in two, turning around quickly the pair soon saw that there was now four Happosai's circling them.

"What??, it's just like the splitting hair's cat technique" Ranko said.

"Something's wrong though" Ranma said suspecting remembering what the old man had said before the

match.

Ranko was busy attempting to see which one was the real Happosai, *Damn I can't tell which ones the real one*

A Happosai attacked her suddenly, suspecting that that was the real Happosai the pair attacked him, knocking him into the dojo wall.

"Well so much for tha......" Was all Ranma managed to say before another Happosai hit him in the back momentarily paralyzing his body.

"Wha...t?" Ranko managed to say before the remaining three Happosai converged on her.

Ranma seeing that Ranko was being beaten back, quickly concentrated to even out the flow of ki in his body undoing the pressure point paralysis Happosai had done to him.

"That's it you old freak!" Ranma shouted as he launched himself into attacking the Happosai with chestnut speed attacks, Ranko likewise attacked but went in low when Ranma was high and vice versa.

The battle raged for half an hour longer, with Ranma and Ranko barely holding their own,

*Damn I can handle one Happosai maybe two but four is the limit* they both thought.

Ranko wanted to use some fire spells but knew using her magic would arouse suspicions from the ancient master and probably destroy the dojo. For now all she concentrated on was healing her injuries, Ranma likewise was doing the same.

The pair were on the defensive and losing, when suddenly all four Happosai stopped attacking and stood still, a moment later vanishing to leave only one Happosai kneeling on the dojo floor, a look of extreme exhaustion on his face.

"Ther..e now you see the power of my multiple mirror strike" the master said exhaustedly.

Ranma and Ranko were likewise exhausted, both sported many bruises all over their body.

Even though Ranma had the advantage of the breaking point technique his body still ached from the old man's attacks.

"I have to say that's a pretty good technique old man" Ranma finally said.

"Yeah but you said you've been practicing this technique for practically your life time" said the redheaded girl.

"That's right"

"But from what I see you could only maintain that technique for a short period of time" Ranma stated.

Happosai smirked,

"that's right m'boy your pretty smart, let's just say that now the pair of you could take me down now with no trouble at all" he was still breathing heavily.

"Than what's the point of this technique if you'll be totally exhausted by the end of using it?" Ranko asked, Ranma nodded as well to this question.

"Simply that the technique is very hard to perfect, legends say that masters of this technique could maintain themselves in a multiple state for hours!"

"So how's it work anyway?" Ranma questioned.

The old man stood for a while as if thinking about the question.

"Well You already know about ki, so that makes it easier"

The pair nodded in agreement.

"It's quite simple really you just have to harness the chi around you and use your body to channel it and convert it into ki"

"Wha...t??? but that's impossible" Ranko said

"The person would be overloaded with energy they’d be dead" Ranma said with similar shock.

"why do you think I've been practicing it for a couple hundred years now!"

The pair had looks of shock on there face, Happosai noticed this getting up to leave he said.

"Hmmp well I can see you two aren't good enough to learn my ultimate technique"

Ranma never one to back down from a challenge especially from the old man jumped up shouting,

"All right old freak I'll learn this technique and I'll do it in less than a year!"

"Ranma are you sure?" Ranko whispered.

He turned to face her, she saw the rock hard determination in his face.

"Ranko if I learn this technique I be able to beat anyone" he said thinking about how either Herb or

Saffron would handle attacking four Ranma's all at the same time.

Happosai turned around a grin on his face,

"Well I glad to hear that, I wouldn't want my heir to anything goes not know the ultimate techniqueof the anything goes school"

The three settled down in the dojo to listen as Happosai's explained about the ultimate technique.

End of chapter 8

( to be continued…. )

So what do you think??

Any questions or comments e-mail them to me!

albertliu@clara.net

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