On Her Own
By Kevin D. Hammel

A Story Inspired by Jeff Hosmer's Amazons.

Ranma 1/2 is property of Rumiko Takahashi. Publishing rights are held by 
Viz in The US and Shogakukan in Japan. My purpose is to honor the 
creator and her works. No infringement intended.

=======

Introductory Note:

Two years pass in the first part of the story, but many of the details 
aren't written (but *are* plotted)... I *have* been working on this 
story for nearly a year, so I thought you might like to have a look.

Kevin D. Hammel February 13, 1999

=======

Dwarfed by the cliffs and fortress towering above her, an injured girl 
picked her way through talus at the base of the escarpment. She wore a 
torn white garment, a dress, perhaps, and sandals on her feet. Her red 
hair was matted with blood, mostly dried. She was not sure where she 
was, but knew she had to get away from here or fate would be far crueler 
to her than it already had. She heard a faint noise, and dove into a 
crack between two of the boulders, trying to hold absolutely still. She 
heard footsteps and the men shouting at each other in a language she did 
not understand. She would wait several agonizing minutes, knowing they 
would hear her pounding heart and haul her back inside.

After she was sure the men had gone back to the fortress, the frightened 
girl crawled out from between the rocks. only 5 more meters, and she was 
on the valley floor. She made her way silently through the shadows away 
from the area.

Some distance from the fortress, the valley opened up to reveal several 
pools on the side of the road. Behind her, she heard shouts in the same 
language she had heard at the fortress. They saw her! She ran. Her head 
was pounding, and her vision was growing darker, but she made it across 
the clearing where the pools were.

The shouts she heard behind her were being answered by voices on this 
side of the springs. She noticed the light from a watch fire in the 
distance. She ran even faster. Fire from her exertions began to burn its 
way up her legs, but she ran on. The fire began to burn her lungs...the 
bonfire was getting closer, but she would not reach it. She saw a purple 
flash before fire consumed her consciousness.

=======

A procession of images flew throughout the unconscious girl's mind. A 
woman's face, her mother's. Travel with...her, no HIS father. Endless 
Martial Arts training. Finally, the valley of springs... Waking up in 
the castle.  The Musk, that's who those bastards were! Being one of a 
group of girls splashed by water using a ladle and a strange bucket. 
Climbing 10 meters up the wall to a window. Making her way down. Her 
flight from that horrible place to the lights...

=======

The girl groaned and regained consciousness. "Why are the lights so 
bright in here?"

She heard excited conversation in the language of the...Musk, and bolted 
upright, to waves of nausea and pain. "No, No! I escaped from you!" She 
sank back on the bed, drifting out of consciousness again.

The girl felt cool moisture on her head, opened her eyes, and saw a tiny 
elderly woman, who smiled at her.

"Good morning! You are clever and resourceful to have escaped from the 
Musk. Who might you be?"

"My name is...Saotome Ranma. My memories ain't too good right now."

"That would be expected after suffering the head injuries you did in 
getting here. Drink this, you need to rest."

The liquid filled her with warmth, and Ranma drifted back to sleep.
Ranma was awake again, but the nausea was replaced by pangs of hunger. 
Her guards summoned the old lady in the Musk language again.

"Well, do you feel better? You slept for another day. I imagine you are 
hungry."

"Yeah, I'd like to eat." The pounding headache and nausea were finally 
gone. Ranma was glad someone had replaced that horrible dress with a 
bathrobe and some sort of pajamas.

The lady issued a command in the Musk...no...Mandarin language, and one 
of Ranma's guards hurried from the room.

The woman returned with a tray of rice and fruit, which the hungry girl 
nearly inhaled.

"That was good, bring on more!"

"You need to take it a little slower, Ranma. Could you tell me a little 
more about yourself?"

"Yes, My name is Saotome Ranma, I am...was...a sixteen year old boy who 
came to China with my dad, Genma, on a Martial Arts training mission. 
Though they told us not to, we tried to spar in some cursed spring 
place. Pop fell into a spring, and I think he turned into a panda, I 
fell in one and... Became a girl. Pop had read about it in a guidebook. 
He should have burned that one! Anyway, I woke up in a dungeon of some 
kind, tied up with several other girls. They came by with some kind of 
bucket, and splashed water on us with some kind of ladle or something, 
laughing and saying something in Mandarin. One of 'em even knew a little 
Japanese, and told us we were the property of the Musk Dynasty. I 
decided I had to get out of that crazy place, but I had to wait until 
the time was right. That night, when the guards fell asleep, I broke the 
rope that bound me, climbed  up the wall of the dungeon to a window, and 
escaped. After sneaking around for a while, I ran across the valley at 
the spring place, and ended up here."

"My name is Cologne. I am the leader of this village. Though the 
Jusenkyo curse can usually be reversed by hot water, listening to your 
story tells me that might not be the case for you."

Cologne gave a command in Mandarin to one of the guards. In a few 
minutes, the guard returned with a teapot.

"Ranma, could you stand up?"

Ranma stood up, and looked in a nearby mirror. Though her head wounds 
were still healing, she thought the girl in the mirror would have been 
beautiful, if it wasn't her. The woman in the mirror was fairly short, 
with bright red hair, and quite well built. "At least my eyes are still 
the same, blue as ever!" She watched as one of the guards poured the 
water over her head. "Hot" she said. Nothing happened.

Cologne closed her eyes for a moment, seeking composure. "It is as I 
feared. Ranma, the Musk are a truly terrible people." She opened her 
eyes, trying to offer compassion for the stricken girl with her gaze. 
"They use an artifact on victims of the 'Spring of Drowned Girl'. This 
horrible bucket, the Chisuiton, forever traps the spring's victims as 
women."

Ranma just quivered between rage and horror. "So... I'm a weak, silly, 
*girl* now?" She closed her eyes and buried her head in her hands.

Cologne freed the young woman's chin from her hands, gently lifting it. 
"Be glad you're here, Ranma. The women created by the Musk are used to 
the strengthen their gene pool."

Concern still on her face, Ranma looked a little puzzled. "What's a pair 
of pants gotta do with a pool?"

"Women created in the 'Spring of the Drowned Girl' become their wives, 
and are used to breed new Musk warriors. A beautiful young martial 
artist like you would be highly prized as a wife."

Ranma look like she was going to be sick. "So those other girls..."

Cologne shook her head sadly. "Were either men like you or strong 
animals who the Musk thought would make good breeding stock."

At last Ranma thought of someone other than herself. "I wish I'd a been 
able ta save some of 'em."

"Because you were able to escape and tell me what happened; I will send 
a raiding party over to try to rescue some of them."

Ranma realized her duty as a martial artist had be fulfilled. She almost 
smiled. "Thanks, I don't feel as bad about it now!"

"Ranma, if you had tried to escape with all of them, none of you would 
have made it out. Your bravery has given all of them a chance to 
escape."

Ranma felt a lot better... until she thought of her situation. "But I'm 
still a girl." She couldn't keep tears from falling. Being a girl now, 
she really didn't care about acting unmanly.

"Yes. There is another artifact, the Kaisuifuu, which can unlock the 
curse, but its whereabouts have been lost. The curse itself has no known 
cure. A cursed individual takes their original form when splashed with 
hot water, and cursed form when splashed with cold. I am truly sorry."

All of the food she ate, the discussions, and the shock of her situation 
were catching up with Ranma..."uhhhhhh, I think I need to go to sleep 
again." The girl crawled back into bed and soon cried herself to sleep.

=======

Ranma woke up the next morning feeling much better. As the sun had not 
come up yet, the village was washed with a dim gray light. It had a 
while since she had done it, but Ranma stepped outside the house and 
began a simple kata. Now, she was truly alive again. She began a much 
more complex kata with her eyes closed; she did not need to use them to 
know where she was. When she was done, she opened her eyes, and saw a 
beautiful sunrise. She heard a noise to her right. Turning, she saw a 
girl about her age. The girl was pretty, which long purple hair. Ranma's 
expression perked up; the girl held some sort of Chinese maces in her 
hands, marks of a martial artist. 

The girl reflected Ranma's hesitant smile. "Ranma good Martial Artist. 
My name Shampoo.  Shampoo also Martial artist." the girl said with a 
smile.

Ranma's smile became broader in anticipation. "Hey, Shampoo, wanna spar 
with me?"

Shampoo smiled back, then gave a brief bow. "Yes, Shampoo like that. 
Shampoo not go easy on Ranma because Ranma sick."

The redhead assumed her battle stance.

The match began. As usual with a new opponent, Ranma observed Shampoo, 
trying to discover her attack strategies and power levels. Shampoo 
repeatedly attacked Ranma, who dodged every blow. Finally, Shampoo 
feinted with one of her maces, and landed a solid blow with the other.

"You're pretty good... for a girl!" Ranma said to her opponent with a 
smile.

"Thank you!" Shampoo happily replied, then the comment registered. 
"Ranma girl too!"

Pleasantries out of the way, it was time to fight in earnest. Ranma 
continued to dodge Shampoo's blows, then suddenly unleashed a flurry of 
fists. One of Shampoo's maces was knocked out of her hand. A flip, kick 
and a punch removed the other. Ranma leapt back. "You fought well." She 
bowed to her opponent.

Shampoo grinned at the prospect of training with her new friend. 
"Shampoo train with you?"

Ranma thought of home for a moment, putting a damper on her spirits. 
"Well, Shampoo, I'm not sure how long I will be staying here..."

"You can stay as long as you like, Ranma" Cologne spoke from the portal 
of her home, then hopped over to the girl's side. "I would welcome you 
as a member of our tribe."

"Thanks, I guess. But I'm from Japan, and I'd really like to go... 
home."

"As you wish. You'll need to recover and prepare for your journey, so 
stay with us as a guest. Perhaps you can train our warriors. That should 
be a fair trade." Cologne smiled and offered Ranma her hand. "Deal?"

Ranma shook the withered appendage. "Deal! I'd like ta train your 
fighters. Those Musk are gonna be sorry they ever got ahold a me." Ranma 
bowed deeply. As she got up, tears began to form in, then fall from, her 
eyes. She ran inside.

=======

Shampoo entered the room where Ranma had been sleeping. She found the 
girl weeping. "What wrong, Ranma?"

Ranma didn't even look up. "My pop raised me ta be a man. He always said 
that girls were weak, they distracted men from the Art. Now look at me. 
I'm just a weak little girl."

Shampoo struggled not to yell at the silly girl. "Ranma, Shampoo best 
warrior in village. Ranma beat Shampoo even though sick. Ranma strong 
warrior, not weak. Woman can be strong fighter if want to."

Ranma began to sob again. Shampoo left the room; maybe her great 
grandmother would know what to do.

=======

Cologne looked thoughtful in response to her great-grandchild's query. 
"Shampoo, perhaps we can help Ranma accept what she now is using some of 
our hair care products. Let me see, we can make her forget she was ever 
male, we can erase her memories..."

Shampoo returned a look of pleading determination. "No, great 
grandmother. Please let me try to save Ranma without destroying her. 
She's a brave and skilled warrior, and I like her. Her memories will 
only make her stronger."

Cologne looked at the child with pride. "Well, granddaughter, as an heir 
to leadership, you must learn to make difficult decisions. She can be 
your little project. My method would take only a few seconds, but I'll 
give you a month."

Shampoo bowed. "Thank you, great grandmother." She left to see Ranma. 
When the young Amazon got to her room, the girl had cried herself to 
sleep and seemed to be resting comfortably.

=======

Ranma woke up a few hours later. What a nightmare! He opened his eyes, 
and saw Shampoo looking at him with a concerned expression. It was no 
dream. "Shampoo, why are you still here?"

Shampoo shook the daze that had crept up during her vigil away. "Shampoo 
worried about Ranma. Shampoo like to help Ranma be happy as woman."

"I never got a chance ta be very happy as a man Shampoo. Pop and I lived 
for the Art, ya know. Why should I be happy as a woman? The Art's all I 
got left, now."

Shampoo rose and offered her new friend a hand. "Start at beginning. 
Ranma need clothes. Come with Shampoo."

Ranma accepted the hand, and followed Shampoo out the door. It had been 
a long time since she had stopped long enough to have a friend, she knew 
she needed one now.

=======

The seamstress lived in a house similar to the others in the village, 
the only difference being the clothing displayed in the window. Inside 
she measured Ranma for her new clothing.

Ranma looked at herself in the mirror. The top of her pajamas was off. 
The first time she ever saw what a girl REALLY looked like, and it was 
HERSELF she saw in the mirror! Her face reddened and she averted her 
eyes. She thought for a moment. She couldn't even look at herself in the 
mirror! Her fear gave way to tears. "I hate myself!" she whispered.

In that moment Shampoo realized both how easy her grandmother's solution 
was as well as importance of the task Cologne had given her. She and 
Ranma would learn much in the coming month. She walked over to the 
softly sobbing girl. She crouched down to look Ranma in the eyes, 
speaking softly with the love she already felt for the frightened girl. 
"Ranma woman now, Shampoo sister. Shampoo want sister be happy. Please 
no cry. Look mirror. Be proud. Ranma beautiful and strong woman, make 
fine warrior. Ranma may never be man again. If Ranma not woman, Ranma 
die. Shampoo think Ranma want live. Please live. Think of parents. Think 
of sister."

Ranma looked up at the woman in the mirror again. She saw all Shampoo 
had said she was in that person, in herself. She would not be frightened 
of her reflection again. Her tears gave way to a tiny smile. It would be 
difficult to get used to, but she would, with her sister's help. She 
realized her life depended on it. "Thank you, sister." Ranma turned to 
face Shampoo, her smile much broader.

The seamstress came up to Ranma. "My alterations should be done 
tomorrow. I think you'll like your new clothes."

Ranma bowed. "Thank you." She was glad the woman spoke Japanese; though 
she knew that would not often be the case. Shampoo and Ranma left the 
shop.

=======

The two sisters talked on their way home.

Her tears forgotten, Ranma turned to her... sister with a small smile. 
"Shampoo, I think I need ta speak Mandarin. Can you help me learn?"

Shampoo nodded. "Of course Ranma. If Ranma live here, even little while, 
Ranma need speak language. Will Ranma train Shampoo in Martial Art?"

Ranma's smile broadened. "Sure, Shampoo! I'd love ta train ya."

They walked in silence back home. The rest of the day consisted of a few 
playful attempts at language lessons, which usually ended up in both 
girls laughing hysterically.

Shampoo's progress with the Japanese girl impressed Cologne. This one 
would be an asset to the tribe here or in Japan. Perhaps she should try 
to formalize the relationship between the two. A sister for Shampoo 
would prove useful in the village or across the sea. Cologne left to 
consult the scrolls on the matter.

========

Ranma finished her kata then went inside. Shampoo was finishing 
breakfast. "Good morning, Ranma. Today, we get you new clothes." 

"Yeah, Shampoo." Ranma replied, trying to muster SOME excitement for 
today's trip to the seamstress.

Shampoo turned for a moment from the pot she stirred to wink at her 
friend. "I think you like you new clothes, Ranma. You see."

=======

Again Ranma was in the shop, looking at one of her new outfits in the 
mirror. It was a simple, consisting of a sleeveless, sky blue silk shirt 
and black silk pants. The alterations had made the clothes fit her 
closely, but not tightly, though there were ties around the ankles. The 
outfit was similar to what he had worn on the day he had fallen in the 
spring... before he had changed into his gi... yet it was completely 
different. The outfit he wore was functional; this outfit showed off the 
person beneath, enhancing her beauty. The color was also different. His 
shirt had been red, but hers matched her eyes, not her hair. His hair 
had been black.

The redhead took a ready stance and looked at her image in the mirror. 
It was that of a martial artist. She was smaller than before, but her 
expression and control of same were identical. She also noticed stream 
of tears coming from her eyes. Was she upset about what he had lost or 
she had gained? It was what he had lost. She saw Shampoo's reflection in 
the mirror.

"You like?"

"Yes, I like 'em a lot, Shampoo. I have never had such nice clothes 
before. I look beautiful..." Tears swallowed her voice, as the girl 
began to cry. She could not stop the impending torrent.

Shampoo hugged the much smaller girl. "Why you sad Ranma?"

The warmth of the embrace brought Ranma back from her despair. "I've 
lost what my pop taught me to prize most, my manhood. I am a man, 
Shampoo. I have to be a man." She began to quiver slightly as despair 
increasingly became agitation.

Shampoo understood how Ranma felt, but she had to save her. "RANMA! You 
cannot be man now. You accept this body. You can still be man inside, 
but must be woman outside. You not accept, you die."

Ranma shook her head no. "But Cologne said there's a way to unlock the 
curse! Why should I give up hope?"

Shampoo let go of the girl, lifting her chin again to look into her 
tear-streaked face. "I not say give up hope! Just remember that you will 
have woman body until you unlock curse. You must accept. You must be 
woman outside. I help you, please let me!"

Despair threatened to claim the quivering girl again. "But I am a man!"

Shampoo released the girl's chin, gratified Ranma still looked into her 
eyes. She placed a hand on each of the redhead's shoulders. The young 
Amazon spoke again, fighting to keep anger from her voice. "Ranma, I no 
want tell you this, but if you not want to be woman, Great Grandmother 
MAKE you woman. She use magic, make Ranma forget he man, maybe forget 
his life. Make RANMA dead. Shampoo no want. Great Grandmother see strong 
Woman, Shampoo see brave Ranma. Great Grandmother give Shampoo one month 
fix Ranma, then she fix Ranma. Ranma die. Shampoo very sad, lose 
sister."

Shampoo hated to use her trump card on the second day, but she felt 
something had to be done. She offered her hand to Ranma. "You help 
Shampoo prove Great Grandmother wrong, or we go now and Ranma die. It 
just like your Seppuku, but no blood. Ranma's pain end, new warrior 
happy. But... Shampoo very sad."

Ranma thought for a while, she wanted to live. Cocky determination she 
had forgotten returned to drive out the despair. She had not chosen to 
become a woman, but she was one now. She could run away, But only from 
this place... not from what she was. Here she had a friend, a sister, 
who understood her problem and wanted to help her.

Ranma looked at Shampoo for a moment. The purple-haired Amazon was very 
beautiful. HE might have fallen in love with her, but SHE saw her new 
sister. She already loved this girl, but in a different way. Even if 
some miracle unlocked her curse, this woman would always be his/her 
sister. Ranma smiled, filled with her new love.

Shampoo showed playful concern. "What you think about Ranma? You no get 
funny on Shampoo!"

Ranma wrapped her arms around the larger woman, offering a fierce hug. 
She spoke softly in Shampoo's ear. "I was just thinking that if I were a 
man, that I might fall in love with you, but I realized that I already 
love you as my sister. Even when the curse is unlocked, I think you will 
always be my sister."

Shampoo returned the embrace. "That nice Ranma, I like have brother, 
too. If curse unlocked, you be both for Shampoo."

Ranma broke the embrace, happiness returning to her face. "I think I 
love my sister very much, even though I just met her. She has already 
saved me once."

Shampoo almost burst with pride as she replied. "Twice, Ranma. I carry 
you when you run from Musk and faint. I get scar from Musk spear 
carrying you. You so brave. No one EVER escape Musk fortress like you!" 
She showed Ranma a scar on her arm.

"Thank you Shampoo, for everything." Tears came again, now of joy and a 
bit of love.

Ranma took Shampoo's hand and shook it with a firm grasp. "I'll be 
damned if that mummy's gonna get rid a me! With your help, Shampoo, we 
can do this."

"Good, Ranma. I try not kill man inside, but help woman outside. I want 
brother AND sister. Let's go."

Ranma bowed to the proprietor, "Thank you, the clothes are beautiful."

"You are most welcome," the woman said. After all she had seen and 
heard, she didn't know what else to say. It was often like this with 
children of Jusenkyo. This one must be special, she had never heard of 
such leeway being giving before, but then the heir apparent had taken 
the girl under her wing.

=======

When a cheerful, almost cocky, Ranma returned with Shampoo, Cologne was 
even more impressed. It seemed that Shampoo's project was well ahead of 
schedule. It seemed Ranma would survive, though it was still weeks 
before her greatest test. If Shampoo succeeded, the rewards would be 
great.

=======

After returning to their home, Ranma and Shampoo went outside to train 
in earnest. Ranma prescribed a difficult regimen of exercises, running 
and sparring designed to increase fitness and fighting prowess. She had 
learned much in the eleven years she had spent with her father. They 
also tried to conduct language lessons all the while, and actually found 
the mental stimulation made the long workouts easier. It would be 
difficult to do this every day, but both girls were determined. After 
the first real day of training, both girls were winded.

Ranma stopped panting for a moment to get a few works in. "So, whatcha 
think of my training, Shampoo?"

Shampoo gave her sister a look of playful anger. "You a monster, Ranma! 
Your method make strong warrior of me, or they kill me!"

Both girls laughed.

"The same tomorrow, Shampoo?"

"Yes, same. Maybe other warriors join."

"I'd like that, Shampoo."

=======

As days became weeks, more people joined Ranma and Shampoo in training. 
Ranma could see daily improvement in the practice sessions, and her 
command of Mandarin had improved greatly as well.

Cologne had also taken it upon herself to teach the Japanese girl a few 
useful Amazon techniques 'Kachuu Tenshin Amiguriken' and 'Bakusai 
Tenketsu'. In return, Ranma had taught the Matriarch all she knew of her 
father's school.

=======

One day Shampoo was a little sick. She trained but seemed a little off. 
After training, Ranma wanted to talk about it. She looked at her sister 
with concern. "You seem to be a little sick today, Shampoo."

Shampoo smiled. "It happens to women once a month, Ranma."

Ranma looked concerned. "You mean I'M gonna get sick once a month?"

Shampoo laughed. "Don't worry, Ranma. It's part of making babies."

Ranma's face grew pale.

"But you still need father."

Ranma decided she didn't want to press the issue further. It was a 
complication she hadn't figured on, however.

Shampoo soon got over her 'sickness'.

Ranma dreaded the days she would have to endure hers.

=======

Ranma's sickness came and went. She was scared at first, but was glad 
Shampoo had told her about it before. What Shampoo hadn't told her about 
was all the bleeding involved. She was glad when her sickness was over, 
but she'd survive, she was a... woman, at least for now.

Cologne was surprised how well Ranma handled the hurdle she had to 
cross. Shampoo had succeeded, and the tribe was much stronger due to the 
training sessions. She was glad Shampoo had defended the Japanese girl. 
Ranma would be an asset to the tribe. Cologne would now formalize the 
relationship of Shampoo and her 'sister'.

=======

At Ranma's last session, nearly the whole village was training. Shampoo 
was Ranma's partner in the training exercises, as she was the best 
warrior in the village. The 'sisters' would demonstrate a new skill, 
several times at different speeds, and then Ranma and Shampoo would walk 
among the warriors, helping each group of two perfect the skill they 
were learning. Looking over the mass of warriors practicing skills she 
had taught them made her proud.

=======

Ranma went back to the house where she had lived for the past month. 
Cologne and Shampoo were already there.

First, Cologne spoke "Saotome Ranma, I thank you on behalf of our 
people. Though it is unusual to make such an offer to one who is leaving 
us, I would like you to join our tribe. The world grows ever more 
complex, and our tribe would be well swerved by a sister in Japan. As 
Shampoo has already told me that the two of you consider yourselves 
sisters, I can also declare that you are sisters, if you wish."

A surprised, proud smile lit Ranma's face. "Thanks, Cologne. I'd be 
honored to join your band, and I'd really love to call Shampoo my 
sister."

"So be it then, welcome to our tribe Ranma. I know you will stand ready 
to help your sisters if they need you. Also know that, I our eyes, you 
share a special bond of sisterhood with Shampoo. Henceforth, she shall 
be your sister as truly as if born so."

Ranma bowed deeply at Cologne. "Thanks again, Cologne. I'll honor my 
tribe here and in Japan... and especially my sister, Shampoo." It seemed 
that unlike Japanese, she had been learned proper Mandarin.

Cologne smiled. "Ranma, please accept these gifts from our tribe, in 
partial payment for the training you have given us." indicating a 
backpack, a pair of hiking boots, and a small stack of clothing. The 
clothing consisted of gray pleated skirts, pairs of gray socks, white 
blouses, various undergarments, a dark blue sweater, a belt, and a long, 
warm jacket. The backpack contained all manner of camping equipment.

Ranma carefully put her 'old' and new clothes in the pack, leaving one 
new outfit, which she put on.

She looked in the mirror one last time. Her stay had allowed her wounds 
to heal, but it looked that she would probably have to live with a scar 
on her forehead. Her skirt stopped just short of her knees, and her 
socks stopped just bellow. She looked almost like a Japanese schoolgirl. 
"I guess that's what I am now," Ranma whispered.

She turned from the mirror to look at Cologne and Shampoo. "Thank you, I 
really appreciate all you guys have done."

Cologne embraced her tribe's newest member. "You are most welcome, 
Amazon! Please come visit your sisters again."

After Cologne let go, Ranma spoke. "I will! Shampoo, could you walk with 
me to the edge of the village?"

"Yes, sister. I would be glad to."

The two sisters reached the edge of the village. Ranma turned to 
Shampoo. "I owe my life to you, Shampoo. You're not just a sister; 
you're almost like a mother to me. I'll write you whenever I get a 
chance; and why don't you visit when I get home? Maybe you could join me 
at school when I get back to Japan."

"Hey, Ranma, that's a great idea! I'll be sure to tell Great-
grandmother." She held a paper package, offering it to Ranma. "Please 
open this before you leave for Japan, Ranma. Goodbye, sister."
 

"Bye, hope to see you soon! You'll always be in my memories." She gave 
her sister a hug and a kiss on the cheek, which Shampoo was happy to 
return.

Ranma took off her pack and added the package. She noticed tears in 
Shampoo's eyes through her own. Putting her pack back on, she embraced 
her sister one more time, but not the last. "I love you, Shampoo." She 
whispered.

"So do I, sister." Shampoo whispered back.

Breaking the embrace, Ranma pivoted and hiked down the road. At the top 
of a small hill, she turned, and waved to her sister once more, then 
walked down the other side.

Both sisters knew they would see each other again.

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

Ranma' s stomach decided that the time for thought was past, it was time 
to eat. As she walked, she looked for the edible fruits and berries the 
amazons had shown her during her stay with them. In an hour of hiking at 
a slightly slower pace, she had almost enough for a meal, and would use 
a ration of the food she was carrying to complete it. Stopping for a few 
minutes, she dropped her pack, removed a little dried food from it, and 
enjoyed the fruits of the past hour's labors.

As the sun began to dip, Ranma again began to look for some edible fruit 
along the trail. Before it got too dark, she selected and prepared a 
campsite. She ate her evening meal, and snuggled into her sleeping bag. 
Ranma was so tired from this day's exertions that she was asleep before 
the sun had set.

=======

Her journey proved uneventful for several weeks, but one day...

Ranma saw a flash on either side of the road, 200 meters ahead; she went 
to the side of the road and quickly took off her boots, putting them in 
her pack. The flashes hadn't moved. The fools didn't see her! Though it 
was much less comfortable to walk in her stocking feet, she could FIGHT. 
She put her pack back on, cautiously walking down the road.

A twig snapped. Ranma went to her battle stance, dropping her pack. 
Four, no, six men rushed out from the bushes. She knew where each of 
them was. In two seconds, she whirled around to disarm them. "Feh, 
weapons users!" She whispered as she whirled around again, rendering 
them unconscious.

Hearing the sound of a man clapping behind her, she jumped and flipped, 
now facing him 5 meters from where she had previously stood.

"Very good, you are skilled, girl! But can you beat a man?" He sneered, 
taunting her.

Anger filled Ranma for a second, but she let go of it, that was part of 
the trap this man was trying to set. She studied her opponent.

"Ah, a bit of self-control. I am truly impressed; you are indeed a 
student of the Art. A pity you must die today."

Her opponent slowly advanced...

Ranma studied him, he lunged at her, just missing...

Ranma felt a trickle of blood on her leg, and a slight burning. Her 
expression darkened... POISON!

"You know no honor!" She spat.

The man laughed. "I'm a thief! What honor do I need? And YOU... are 
dead!"

Ranma had to act fast. Shouting "Kachuu Tenshin Amiguriken!" She 
pummeled the man before he had a chance to react. Three tenths of a 
second later, her opponent was unconscious.

Ranma tied a strip of material from her skirt around her thigh. At least 
some of the poison wouldn't make it, but would it be enough?

Pain forced her to the ground. So... this is where it ended, so far from 
either of her homes...

She heard an auto engine, then rolled over to see a truck. She screamed 
before the darkness came.

=======

The woman driving the truck slammed on the brakes, then her companion 
jumped out of the truck, running over to the girl.

The man looked at the girl, her leg already turning blue-black from her 
wounds. He shouted to his wife, the driver. "Floss! You'd better call 
for backup, we need to get this girl back to town."

The woman shouted into the radio. "This is Floss, calling from the South 
road into town!"

"What's your problem, Floss?" A scratchy voice responded.

"We need another truck out here right away. The bandit gang is down, but 
we are returning with a critically injured woman, over."

"We're coming. Let's put those bastards on ice. Out"

The man carefully carried the girl to the truck as his wife radioed back 
to town. He'd seen the effects of the bandit leader's poison before. It 
looked like the girl had applied a tourniquet, saving her life. He hoped 
the doctor could save her leg.

As the man gently laid the girl in the back of the truck, his wife ran 
out to get the girl's backpack and throw it in the back of the truck.

After her husband secured the girl, Floss turned the truck around, then 
gunned the engine to race home.

=======

The blackness was lifting; Ranma heard the sounds of a household around 
her. She opened her eyes, and saw a young girl about four years old. She 
was cute, with pink hair and dancing gray eyes. "Hello." Ranma said in 
her native tongue.

The girl looked puzzled. "What did you say?"

"Hello, who are you?" Ranma responded in Mandarin.

The girl smiled. "I'm Gloss"

Ranma struggled to smile. "I'm Saotome Ranma."

The girl ran out of the room. "Mommy, the brave lady is awake! She says 
her name is Ranma!"

Two more people come to Ranma's bedside, a man and a woman.

"I am Chang Zhming, and this is my wife Floss."

The man had brown hair; Gloss had inherited her hair color from her 
mother.

"How long?"

"You've been semi-conscious for two days, Ranma. The doctor was able to 
save your leg, but thinks it will take at least 5 months to recover." 
The man smiled as he continued. "Because you put an end to the bandits 
which have plagued our village, you are the honored guest of our town."

"What did you do with the bandits?" Ranma asked.

The man's expression turned grim. "They were taken away. We heard they 
were tried and sentenced to long prison terms. My guess is they were 
taken out and shot."

Ranma winced; she did not like to be responsible for the death of 
anyone.

The man's expression remained grim. "They had killed many people who 
lived here, Ranma. You should be proud, not upset. You avenged all of 
their innocent victims."

The man's wife spoke next, motherly concern on her face. "The doctor 
recommends that we help you exercise your leg. It's going to hurt, but 
we should start as soon as possible."

Ranma could not bring herself to look at her leg. She tried to flex it. 
It was on fire, but moving. She continued to move it until it was 
completely extended. she then tried to contract it fully , then extend 
it. After extending it, she became dizzy, and blacked out.

=======

When she woke up again, the girl was at her bedside.

"Where are you from, Ranma" She asked with the intense curiosity unique 
to four-year-olds.

"I'm from Japan. It's a beautiful place across the sea." She looked at 
the girl's hair, the light pink reminding her of "Sakura."

"What?" The puzzled girl asked.

"Sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossom, you hair reminds me of 
them." Ranma replied with a gentle smile.

The little girl grinned. "I see! You're a nice lady, Ranma."

"Thank you, Sakura" Ranma grinned right back.

The girl perked up even more, a delighted expression crossing her face. 
"That can be your nickname for me!"

"Would you like to learn a little Japanese?"

"Sure, Ranma!"

=======

Weeks of pain followed. Exercise of her damaged leg alternated with 
lessons about Japan and Japanese for Gloss and her parents, and Mandarin 
lessons by the Changs for Ranma. After about a month, Ranma was able to 
get along well enough to walk, though with a pronounced limp. With their 
guest able to take care of herself, the two parents left their daughter 
in Ranma's care while they worked.

During this time, Ranma took it upon herself to work on making the 
Chang's home spotless. She felt it was the least she could do for her 
hosts. Gloss 'helped' her as any four-year old would. It was two steps 
forward and one back. Ranma would scrub the floor, then Gloss would tip 
the bucket over, while trying to move it for Ranma. She could not find 
it in her heart to treat the girl too harshly, as she WAS trying to 
help. Soon, Ranma provided Gloss with a DRY sponge, so she could help 
clean the areas Ranma had not reached yet. Gloss really enjoyed helping 
her "big sister", and proudly showed her parents where she had helped 
clean each day.

When the Changs got home each night, Floss gave Ranma a cooking lesson, 
and found the girl to be an eager learner. After a few lessons, Ranma 
had a hot meal waiting for them when they got off work each day. After 
their meal, language lessons and cooking tips continued as Ranma and 
Gloss did the dishes. The Changs really grew to love their guest, and 
Ranma wondered if she really needed to search for her family any more... 
Then she thought of her father and mother, a man she loved and a shadowy 
entity buried in her memory. She knew then that no matter what, her 
family was in Japan.

=======

In another month, Ranma could walk well enough to engage in a light 
workout. She invited all of the Changs to join in a simple kata in the 
morning. When their parents went to work, Ranma trained Gloss, then 
studied some books she had bought at the town store, after her 
housekeeping chores.  She thought it strange that it would be in China 
that she would finally teach herself proper Japanese.

=======

A low rumble broke the silence that usually filled the valley. Ranma was 
studying her Japanese when Gloss ran in to the room. "Ranma, something 
bad happened at the mine! Can you come help?"

"Yes!" Ranma made her way out the door, and limped to the mine entrance 
up the hill above the town.

The town elder was at the mine entrance "Ranma, there has been a 
collapse in the mine. We think there are seventeen people trapped down 
there. Can you help?"

"Yes, can you get me to the collapsed section?"

Finally, Ranma had managed to crawl to the point of collapse. Several 
workers were using picks, making slow progress against the mass of 
rocks.

"Excuse me, do you mind if I try?" Ranma asked the people in front of 
her.

The miners moved out of the way. She studied the rock, looking for its 
breaking point. She turned around. "Could you clear the room, please?" 
After the workers were a safe distance away, she turned to the rock 
wall. With a shout of "Bakusai Teknetsu!" She touched the breaking 
point, disintegrating the rocks. A repeat of the process, and she broke 
through. Poking her head in the opening, she heard cries of relief from 
the other side.

Fifteen people crawled out of the tunnel Ranma had dug.

Concern suddenly filled her face. "Where are the Changs?"

"They're still back there, the roof collapsed on them."

Ranma crawled as fast as she could through the tunnel, the elder close 
behind. When she emerged from the collapsed area, she saw another place 
where the ceiling had come down... Ranma hurried over, dreading what she 
would see.

Mr. Chang was dead, crushed by the rock.

Mrs. Chang was clinging to life. She looked at Ranma, her head shaking 
with her struggle to live. "Ranma, my husband is dead, and I soon will 
be. Please raise Gloss as your own, we will not be able to."

"It will be my honor and joy." Ranma said through tears. She sobbed for 
several minutes. When she looked to back on her friends, Mrs. Chang had 
died with a smile on her face.

The elder was behind her. "Saotome Ranma, will you accept the duty given 
you by your friends?"

"Yes. After I free them from this place, I will comfort my daughter." 
Ranma began her terrible task, wishing she was beneath the rocks...

========

The two bodies wrapped in bed sheets lay in the back of one of the 
trucks. One of the drivers turned to the stricken girl. "We must go to 
the city to..." He could not finish the sentence. At last, he continued. 
"You must stay with your daughter to comfort her."

Ranma limped home as fast as her good leg would carry her.

=======

Dirty and bleeding from her ordeal, Ranma limped into the home, her 
endurance nearly spent. "Gloss, are you alright?" She breathed, 
collapsing on a bed.

"Did you see mommy and daddy?" The girl replied with concern.

Ranma choked out the words she needed. "They are gone, little one. They 
were killed in the mine."

Gloss' expression became puzzled as she asked. "When will they be back?"

"I am sorry, they asked me to be your mother, because they will not be 
coming back, Gloss"

Gloss began to cry joining her 'big sister' in bed. Ranma just held her, 
trying to absorb all the child's suffering. Soon both girls were crying 
themselves to fitful, painful, sleep.

=======

The sun rose, waking Ranma up. "Gloss, are you OK?"

Gloss had slept embracing Ranma. The girl still was not awake, but 
seemed to be breathing regularly. Suddenly she screamed.

"It's OK, honey, I'm here. Gloss, are you alright?" Gloss grabbed onto 
Ranma as if she was a life preserver... perhaps she was. The girl and 
her mother drifted back to sleep.

There was a knock on the door. Ranma got up to answer. "Miss Saotome, 
the truck is back."

=======

Ranma and Gloss looked through tears at the two small boxes. Gently, 
Gloss picked the first one up, and placed it into a larger concrete 
container, then she did the same with the other. Ranma placed the cover 
on the larger box; then haltingly bore it to the grave. Her injury made 
the trip agonizing, but she refused all assistance. Physical pain was 
the least of her suffering, and she had one last duty to perform for her 
friends. Several mine workers attached cables to the container and 
lowered it. Ranma and Gloss helped fill the hole.

As they left the gravesite. Ranma looked down at her daughter. "Gloss."

The girl shot a glance of pain at Ranma "Gloss is dead, papa-mama, I am 
Sakura!"

"Why do you call me papa-mama?" Ranma asked.

"You said you used to be a boy, and both my mom and dad are dead, so you 
must be papa and mama to me, papa-mama."

Ranma and her daughter returned home, and promptly tried to sleep. After 
many hours, the two girls succeeded.

=======

Nerima, Tokyo

A young woman with short brown hair, Tendou Nabiki, ran the usual search 
of newspapers she did once a week using the name "Saotome Ranma". The 
computer and the Internet made this a much easier proposition than it 
might have been. It seems that this Ranma character was engaged to the 
Tendou family, and was to marry either Nabiki or one of her sisters. 
Unfortunately, he got lost in China when his idiot father had taken him 
there to train. There had been a battle and the two became separated. 
Nabiki figured she might as well search the Japanese-language papers in 
China looking for this Ranma, and had been doing so for a year.  Today 
was her lucky day...

The words on the screen almost shouted at her. "Japanese youth saves 
fifteen in mine!" The person who performed the rescue was Saotome Ranma 
from Nerima, Tokyo. Nabiki printed off the article and ran to show her 
father.

=======

China

Days and nights of pain and tears followed, after a few weeks, the tears 
stopped and the pain was much less. Ranma was able to walk without a 
trace of a limp, her recovery astonishing the town physician.

A smiling Sakura looked up at her mother. "Could I get some clothes like 
yours?"

Ranma shook her head with a puzzled expression. "Do you really want to 
wear clothes like mine, little one? You deserve prettier clothes."

Sakura looked at Ranma with the twinkle in her eyes that still melted 
her mother's heart. "Your clothes are very pretty, mom, especially on 
you!"

Ranma shrugged in smiling resignation. "OK, lets go to town on the next 
truck."

=======

Ranma got a chance to visit her friends in the city. Most of them knew 
the Changs, and would miss them. First, Ranma visited the dressmaker.

"What would you like?" The man asked with a smile.

Ranma looked a little embarrassed. "My daughter would like clothes like 
mine."

Nodding his head affirmatively, the shopkeeper replied. "We should have 
these in stock."

Soon Sakura was wearing clothes that looked just like her mother's.

=======

Ranma looked down at her daughter. They had just finished their morning 
kata. Sakura did not cry anymore, neither did Ranma. It had been two 
months since the accident.

Sakura looked up at her mother. "Papa-mama, could you please have a baby 
so I will have a brother or sister to play with?"

"I'm sorry little one, but I am a boy and cannot love a man. I do not 
know if I can have a baby."

"Please, mommy?"

"I will try, Sakura." Ranma felt part of herself come to life at her 
promise. She had taken a step on the road she dared not tread.

That evening, Ranma thought she heard some people speaking Japanese, but 
it must have been her imagination.

=======

Elsewhere in the village

Three Japanese travelers were looking for Saotome Ranma, unfortunately, 
they could not find anyone who spoke Japanese. The finally found an 
older man who spoke their tongue.

The village elder looked at the three foreigners. The man seemed to be 
muscular, and wore a cloth over his head. His wife had red-brown hair 
and had a sword strapped to her back. Their daughter looked to be 
seventeen or eighteen perhaps, and had long black hair.

The woman spoke at last. "Good day, sir. I am Saotome Nodoka, Saotome 
Ranma's mother. Do you know where Ranma lives?"

The man looked thoughtful. "Yes, but they are probably in bed by now. 
There is an inn at the end of the road, perhaps you could stay there 
tonight and see them tomorrow morning."

Undeterred, Nodoka continued. "Very well, do you have Ranma's address?"

Jotting the address and a crude map on a piece of paper, the elder 
offered the paper to the woman. "Yes, here it is."

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

A beautiful day was dawning in the village. Sakura was already up, and 
wanted her mom to get up too. "Papa-mamma, please get up! It is time for 
our morning workout."

"Yes, dear, it IS time." Ranma replied, smiling at her daughter. "Let's 
get ready."

Ranma changed into her typical outfit; her daughter was dressed 
identically, of course. "Are you ready, Sakura?"

"Yes, mom! Let's go to the front yard and work out!" She hurried to 
assume her position on the gravel yard in front of the house.

"Okay!" Ranma replied, following her daughter.

=======

Nodoka lead the procession to her son's house. It had been over thirteen 
years. They arrived at the appropriate address, and saw two identically 
dressed girls performing an identical kata. One was a short young woman 
in her late teens, and the other was a small child, probably about five. 
The older girl had red hair and the younger pink. Both wore their hair 
in ponytails.  "Excuse me," Nodoka asked in Japanese "do you know where 
Saotome Ranma lives?"

Ranma stopped her kata. A woman was asking her in Japanese where Saotome 
Ranma lived.

Sakura beat her mom to the punch, responding in her adopted tongue. 
"Papa-mamma is Saotome Ranma! I am Saotome Sakura!" Sakura bowed. 
Looking over at the black-haired girl, she offered her the same twinkle 
that entranced her mother. "You're pretty."

This caused her mother to blush slightly. Ranma then look at Nodoka with 
a shocked expression. Was this the woman who haunted her dreams?

Nodoka wondered who Papa-mama was. She looked at the teenager, noticing 
how much this small girl's face looked like hers.

The teen spoke a word that broke Nodoka's heart. "Mother?"

Nodoka looked at the girl, and saw something in her eyes that was very 
familiar; her son had the same eyes.

Nodoka shouted at the redhead, trying desperately to deny what she saw. 
"How dare you call me mother!" She drew the katana from its place on her 
back.

Genma ran for the hills, his abrupt departure unnoticed by any save 
Ranma. Her father's presence confirmed suspicions about the woman's 
identity.

Ranma instinctively put herself between Sakura and the blade, assuming 
her combat stance. "Sakura, dear, please go inside."

"But what about you, mom?" Sakura dashed in front of Ranma, confronting 
Nodoka "What has my mommy done to you? Please don't hurt her!" The girl 
began to cry.

The woman's face first showed confusion, then shame. Returning the 
weapon to its place on her back, she looked at the redhead "We must 
talk." She then bent down and spoke to the frightened child,  "I'm 
sorry, please forgive me."

Ranma recovered some of her composure. "Please, come inside. You too, 
miss?"

"Tendou Akane" The black-haired girl replied in shock.

Ranma had put the tea on before she and Sakura began their workout, so 
it was now ready for her guests. She poured three cups, serving Nodoka 
and Akane, while keeping the third for herself.

Nodoka took the seat indicated by the redhead with Akane taking the 
other. The spotless and orderly house impressed Nodoka. "You are an 
excellent housekeeper miss..."

Ranma sat down, her daughter hopping into her lap. "Like my daughter 
said, Saotome Ranma. I've gotta ask, why did pop run off? I would have 
liked to talk to him, too." Ranma's expression darkened. "He has MUCH to 
answer for!" Her eyes shimmered.

Akane looked troubled. She had expected Ranma to be a hero, or dead... 
not a girl.

Nodoka now knew, absolutely, that this was her son "When you were a 
child, your father had the two of you swear an oath that you would 
become a man among men, or both of you would commit seppuku."

"So you came here to *kill* me? I hoped I could meet you again, that you 
would accept me... That you might love me." He expression darkened. "Pop 
always said girls were weak. I knew he wouldn't want me anymore, but I 
hoped, you might..."

Nodoka could only stare at the redhead. Why did she claim to be her son? 
Yet... somehow, she knew this girl was Ranma.

Swallowing her tears of heartbreak, Ranma continued. "I got knocked into 
a spring where a girl drowned at Jusenkyo. Then I got taken to a 
fortress where these evil... men..." She spat. "Made my curse permanent, 
made me a girl. I managed to escape from them. Finally, I ended up 
here."

Nodoka's mind reeled. How could Genma have taken her son to so dangerous 
a place? At last she spoke, sadness permeating her voice. "We did not 
know your fate when we came to China, we just wanted to find our son..." 
She smiled at the child who sat in Ranma's lap. "Tell me about your 
daughter."

"She's the daughter of my friends who died a few months ago. Their dying 
wish was that I raise her as my own, and I am honored to do so. I had 
intended on returning to Japan to find... you, mother." Ranma stopped 
for a few moments then regained enough composure to continue. "But I 
decided that I couldn't attempt a trip like that without endangering 
Sakura. So I decided I should stay here until she grew up." Ranma 
struggled to keep tears at bay. All her dreams were ashes now.

"If only your father had shown such wisdom." Nodoka was near tears, as 
well. "Do not worry about the oath, you seem to me to be more mature 
than your father ever was. I am just happy to see you, after all this 
time." Nodoka embraced her daughter. Both women shook with the release 
of thirteen years of emotion.

After a few minutes, Ranma let go of her mother and looked at Akane. 
"And why are you here, Miss Tendou?"

"Your father and mine promised to have ah... the... Saotome son marry 
one of the Tendou daughters. I thought all of the boys at school were 
jerks. But when I read in the paper what you did, all those people you 
rescued; I thought you might be a man, not a boy..." She began to cry.

"I couldn't save Sakura's parents... and I owed them my life! I could 
save only fifteen people, not the two I loved. It was a horrible day for 
me." Ranma looked thoughtful for a few moments. She spoke again. 
"Mother, you came expecting a son, but found me. Will you accept me?"

Nodoka did not hesitate. "I would love to have a daughter. There is so 
much you must learn."

Ranma held up her hand to protest, then put it down. She realized that 
she HAD walked the road she had tried to avoid, finding achievement, 
happiness, and a little girl who had become the center of her life. If, 
by some miracle the 'curse' she bore was unlocked, and she had to TRULY 
bear a curse, HE would have to walk the road back, or to some median 
point. Ranma turned to her mother, "My father trained me for a decade, I 
await your training."

Nodoka looked at her daughter with anticipation. "Do you wish to return 
to Japan?"

"I would like to, but Sakura needs to decide." Ranma hugged her 
daughter, dreams alive again. She kissed the top of her head, the looked 
down at the child. "Sakura, would you like to live in Japan? My mother 
wants to take me home."

Sakura looked up at her new mother. "Yes, papa-mama, I would love to go 
to your home. You used to be so happy when you talked about Japan. But 
first, I must say goodbye to old mom and dad."

Ranma turned to her mother. "Before we go back to Japan, I need to visit 
some friends... to say goodbye. Would you please come with me?"

Nodoka smiled warmly. "Of course, child."

Akane spoke up. "I'd love to see a bit of the country before we return 
to Japan, Ranma."

Ranma and Sakura spent the next hour saying goodbye to their many 
friends in the village, then packing their meager possessions.

Most of the time was spent in a rocky field, where Ranma and Sakura 
offered tearful good-byes to two people who gave them life.

=========

The train chugged through a mountainous region. Ranma pulled the cable 
to signal that they wanted out at the next stop. The train stopped a 
wilderness junction of rail and trail. The four people got out. "It's 
about five kilometers from here to the village. We'll meet my sister 
Shampoo there."

"Sister?" Nodoka looked at Ranma with surprise.

Ranma couldn't help but smile. "She twice save my life while in the 
village. When I left, I was accepted into the tribe and Shampoo was made 
my sister."

"You joined a tribe of natives? Why, Ranma?" Nodoka asked.

"They saved my life, mother. I would be dead, or worse if it wasn't for 
them. The least I could do was join their tribe, but I was honored to do 
so."

Nodoka responded. "I would like to meet the girl who save your life, 
Ranma."

"Let's get going, it's a bit of a hike!" Ranma said to get things 
moving.
After about two hours of hiking, they crested a hill and saw the 
village. "This is where I came after I escaped from the Musk fortress. 
These people saved my life."

A guard came up to Ranma, bowed and spoke to her in Mandarin "Welcome 
back, teacher, who have you brought with you?"

Ranma replied "My mother, a friend of hers, and my adopted daughter. 
Could you get Shampoo?" The guard left.

"What did they ask, Ranma?" Akane asked after the guard left.

"She asked who I had brought with me, and I indicated my mother, a 
friend, and..." Ranma looked at Sakura.

"Her daughter!" Sakura added with a grin.

A few minutes later, a purple-haired young woman, about Ranma's age, 
hurried to greet her sister. Ranma called to her "Shampoo! How are you 
doing? How goes the war against the Musk?"

Shampoo embraced Ranma. "The battle is going well. The Musk have been 
beaten back every time they have tried to take Jusenkyo. The training 
you provided has proven invaluable."

Ranma let go of Shampoo, and spoke Japanese. "Shampoo, this is my 
mother."

Shampoo went to Nodoka and bowed, then embraced her. "I Shampoo. I very 
happy, meet mother of brave warrior Ranma. She great teacher, she teach 
whole village martial art. She also my sister."

"My name is Saotome Nodoka."

Shampoo offered Nodoka her prettiest smile. "You child look like her 
beautiful mother."

"Thank you, Shampoo. Sometime, you must tell me all about the time you 
spent with Ranma." She smiled as she let go of the young amazon.

Shampoo went over to Akane. "So, you Ranma's friend?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. My name's Tendou Akane. Actually, our 
fathers engaged us before we were born, so I guess I'm her fiancee."

"I Shampoo. You must be sad Ranma girl now. There is way to unlock curse 
so she can be man again. We try to find Kaisuifuu, which do that. I tell 
you if we find it, Akane."

"Thank you, but I'm not sure I want to marry her even if the curse is 
unlocked." 

"Ranma wonderful person. You stay with her, you like. Shampoo promise. 
Ranma my sister, so Shampoo know her! You warrior too, Shampoo see you 
have muscle."

"Yes, I practice martial arts."

"You learn martial art from Ranma, she good teacher, Akane. I talk 
little girl now. Nice to meet you, Akane."

"Thank you, Shampoo!"

Shampoo went to Sakura. "What your name?"

Sakura answered in Mandarin "My mother gave me a Japanese nickname 
before my parents died, Sakura. That's my name now. My parents gave me 
the name Gloss."

"Your mother was an Amazon?"

"Yes, my father fell in love with her when he visited your village. She 
wasn't a very good fighter, so he defeated her."

"What was here name?"

"Floss"

"I don't remember her, perhaps my Great Grandmother does. Lets' go visit 
her." She switched to Japanese. "We visit my Great Grandmother."

They all followed Shampoo to a large house.

=======

Cologne had never expected to see Ranma so soon. Had she decided to move 
into the village? No, the woman beside her looked too much like her. She 
must be here to show her mother the village. Perhaps this could be an 
opportunity to broaden Shampoo's horizons before she took her place 
among the tribe's leaders. "Welcome, Ranma, am I to assume this is your 
mother?"

Ranma gave the matriarch a proud smile. "Yes, Cologne, this is my 
mother."

Having been introduced, Nodoka went to talk to the Amazon leader. "I am 
Saotome Nodoka. I must thank you for saving my... daughter's life."

"Most of the honor for that goes to Ranma's sister Shampoo, as I'm sure 
you have heard. However, our tribe has helped many victims of the Musk, 
though few have contributed as much to our community as Ranma has. She 
provided excellent martial arts instruction, as we helped her to recover 
and adjust. We were sad to see her go, but are pleased to see her mother 
is a warrior. She will prosper under your guidance, I am certain."

"Thank you. Ranma has said she will accept my training, and I do intend 
to teach her the way of the sword."

Ranma's face brightened, "thank you mother, I had thought your training 
referred to..."

"I will help you adjust to your new form, though I will not give up 
looking for a cure. I want my son back."

Cologne smiled, "on that note, I do have some news. We are certain the 
Kaisuifuu is in Japan. As my great granddaughter needs some exposure to 
the world outside before she takes my place as a leader, I was wondering 
if she could join you in Japan, where she could attend school, and 
perhaps a university. Though her Japanese skills are poor, she will have 
no problem with any other classes."

Ranma was almost beside herself with joy. She turned to her mother. "Do 
you think, perhaps, she could stay with us, mother? We became sisters 
during the time I stayed here. I sort of promised to invite her to Japan 
when I had the chance."

Nodoka hesitated for only a moment. "Yes, though I am a woman of modest 
means."

"Mother, whenever I needed money, I earned it. I will contribute no 
matter where I live."

"Shampoo work to pay bill, Mrs. Saotome."

=======

While they awaited a final decision on Sakura and Ranma's immigration 
status, Shampoo insisted Ranma open the package she had given her two 
years before. It held a beautiful Chinese-style dress, sky-blue in 
color, like the shirts Ranma wore in the village. The hotel they stayed 
at had a dry cleaning service, so the dress was soon like new. Ranma had 
four people to help her pick out accessories for the new outfit, which 
Shampoo insisted she wear home. Finally, everyone got the OK to travel 
to Japan.

=======

At last, it was time to leave. Ranma carried a revised Japanese 
passport, with a new picture. Sakura would be allowed to immigrate to 
Japan, based on her adoptive parent's citizenship.

Ranma gave a final look at the mirror. Her sister had insisted she wear 
this dress, though Ranma had NEVER worn one in public before. While her 
pantsuits had been cut fairly close, the dress had been tailored with 
jeweler's precision. It was a tribute to Ranma's careful conditioning, 
and lack of growth, that it fit her perfectly, two years after its 
purchase. Her hair was the other change, though shorter than Shampoo's, 
two years hair growth allowed Shampoo to fix Ranma's hair in a style 
like hers. Unlike the time two years ago, she was very happy with the 
image in the mirror, though she missed her ponytail.

Ranma sat between Akane and Shampoo on the plane. Sakura had insisted on 
sitting with her 'grandmother' as she had never had one before.
Ranma turned to Akane "Miss Tendou?"

"Call me Akane."

"All right... Akane, would you like to be friends?"

Akane smiled "Yes, I would like that. Will you spar with me at our 
dojo?"

"Yes, I'd like to test your skills."

"Akane, did my father tell you what happened at Jusenkyo?"

"Yes, he said fighting broke out, and you were separated. He ran from 
the area until the fighting died down, then looked for you, finding 
nothing."

Ranma turned to her sister, speaking in Mandarin.

"Are you ready to go to school, Shampoo?"

"Yes, Ranma. I hope to learn better Japanese."

"I'm really glad you can come home with me, if only for a few years."

"I'm excited about visiting Japan and the modern world." Shampoo said 
with a yawn. "I'm a little tired, I think I'll try to sleep." She closed 
her eyes.

Ranma noted Akane was trying to take a nap too. She amused herself with 
an airline magazine for the remainder of the flight.

=======

Two trains from Narita and a couple of blocks walking brought the party 
of five to the Tendou home. Akane knocked on the door.

"I'll get it." A woman with long brown hair, quite a bit taller than 
Akane opened the door.

"Welcome back, Akane! So nice to see you again, Mrs. Saotome!" She 
looked past her sister and Nodoka and saw two women with long free-
flowing hair, a redhead and one with purple hair. Both wore beautiful 
Chinese-style silk dresses. A little girl with pink hair in a ponytail 
wore a white blouse and a gray skirt and stockings.

Kasumi bowed curtly then looked up with a smile. "I am Tendou Kasumi and 
you three are?" Kasumi wondered where Ranma was, she had heard from Mr. 
Saotome that they had found him, but he would say no more.

The teenaged redhead spoke first, after a slight bow. "I am Saotome 
Ranma, and this is my adoptive daughter."

"Saotome Sakura. I'm glad to meet you. You seem to be a nice lady." 
Sakura said with a big grin on her face.

Finally, the teen with purple hair spoke. "Hello, I Shampoo. I Ranma's 
Sister."

"Oh my! Come in please." There was something strange going on. It was 
obvious Ranma was a woman. Why had their fathers pursued the engagement 
after Ranma's birth?

Three people inside rose to greet Akane and her guests.

Ranma recognized only one. "Well pop, now that you ain't in fear of your 
life, you didn't run this time."

"Son, I see only shame when I look at you. I raised you to be a man, and 
now all that is left is a weak girl, unfit..."

Battle-auras flared around Akane, Ranma, and Shampoo at Genma's 
pronouncement.

Ranma sought control, but couldn't find it; as any love she had ever had 
for the man sought to flee her soul. "You jerk! You MADE me a girl! How 
can you say a thing like that? If you hadn't gone to that stupid 
training ground NONE of this woulda happened." Finally, she was able to 
grab hold of her emotions. She continued after a swallow. "Wanna prove 
your manhood in the yard?"

"I'll teach you some respect for your father, girl!"

"You'll have to EARN my respect old man!" Ranma spat.

The two adjourned to the backyard of the Tendou home. Ranma hoped her 
dress would survive...

While Genma was totally on the offensive, aiming powerful strikes at his 
daughter, she was flying and dancing around him with a big grin on her 
face. It was obvious that none of his attacks would hit her.

Sakura smiled at her mother with pride.

"FIGHT ME RANMA!" Genma shouted. Then he used a technique Ranma had 
never seen. A great ball of energy hit Ranma in the chest and flung her 
across the lawn like a rag doll. She came to a rest with the front of 
her dress shredded and smoking.

Sakura ran to her mother's side in tears.

Ranma did not see the child, or anything except that MAN. She got up and 
ran to her father, who had relaxed for a second, savoring his victory.

The fight lasted scant additional seconds, as Ranma connected with a 
flurry of fists and kicks, sending her father into the nearby koi pond. 
Mr. Panda emerged.

Her revenge complete, Ranma slumped to the ground.

Sakura ran to her mother, then knelt, shaking her. "Mom! Are you all 
right?" She collapsed on the unconscious girl in tears.

Kasumi soon appeared with a kettle of water, then almost dropped it on 
the ground in shock at the scene. She hurried over to the panda and 
doused the animal with it, revealing a grim-faced Genma.

What had he done? He took the kettle from Kasumi's hands and went to his 
child, emptying it on the unconscious girl, who sputtered and regained 
consciousness... still female. Genma sank to his knees. "Ranma, I... 
I..."

Nodoka stood over her husband. "Saotome Genma! NEVER lay your filthy 
hands on my daughter again, unless she asks you to. Do not train her... 
do not touch her. Get out of her life!" She finished, almost shaking in 
rage. She then knelt by her daughter's side and gently lifted her into 
an embrace, offering her all the love she could.

Ranma regained her senses. She was in her mother's arms... her mother. 
She painfully sat up, then gave her mother a quick kiss and struggled to 
her feet.

She looked down at her father. "Pop, maybe there's something I can learn 
from ya after all. Maybe you can learn something from me, too... I hope 
you'll learn to give women a little respect. And NEVER forget why I'm a 
woman!" She turned on her heels and went into the house.

Kasumi, Akane, Sakura, Nodoka, and Shampoo followed close behind.

Genma contemplated the fate of his son. He had only sought to make him a 
man among men, now his dreams... and Tendou's lay in the gutter. What 
had happened to Ranma? But he had to admit she was right, his last 
training exercise had dashes any hopes of uniting the two families. She 
was a woman by his hand.

=======

Kasumi had invited Ranma and her family to her room. The girl had 
suffered some minor burns, but would soon recover. Her beautiful dress, 
however, was a total loss.

Ranma lay on the bed as Kasumi and her mother carefully peeled the fused 
silk away from her skin. Ranma turned her head slightly so she could 
catch Shampoo's eye. "Sorry, 'bout the dress, sis..."

Shampoo offered her sister a game smile, and replied in Mandarin. "The 
dress is only cloth, Ranma. I'm glad you got a chance to wear it. 
Actually, I'm just happy you're all right, little sister."

Ranma smiled a little and replied in her sister's tongue. "I never 
really thought the old man had it in him, Shampoo. I never thought he'd 
ever beat me."

Shampoo just laughed. "Maybe he'll teach us his techniques, then we can 
make him pay for what he did to you. He's only a man..." Shampoo almost 
bit her tongue as she realized her mistake.

"Don't worry, sis. I don't think I'll ever be 'only' a man again."

The two girls giggled.

Nodoka turned to her daughter and responded in Mandarin. "I'm glad, 
Ranma. I want to see my son again, but I think I'd miss my daughter."

All three laughed.

"There, Ranma. All done. You don't seem to be burned too badly, I think 
you'll be fine in a few days." Kasumi said with a warm smile.

A sound of running announced the smallest member of the Saotome family. 
Sakura scurried in carrying a stack of clothing followed by Akane. 
"Here, mom. Akane helped me get clean clothes out of your pack!"

Ranma sat up, grimacing slightly. "Thanks, little one."

Sakura just smiled as her mom took the clothes.

In a few minutes, with mother and daughter were identically dressed 
again, the group migrated downstairs.

======

Everyone met in the dojo. Ranma was finally introduced to Nabiki, the 
middle Tendou and Soun, the Tendou patriarch. In the dojo, Nodoka sat 
with Kasumi, Nabiki, Soun, and Genma. Shampoo, in a borrowed gi, and 
Sakura sat along the far wall, watching Akane and Ranma.

Akane looked at her new friend with a bit of concern. "Are you sure you 
want to do this Ranma?"

Ranma returned a cocky grin. "If I thought you'd be able to hit me I'd 
be worried."

Akane responded in mock anger. "Oh, you!"

Ranma and Akane squared off. Akane was dressed in a yellow gi, while 
Ranma was wearing her traditional outfit, her hair again in the ponytail 
she favored.

Ranma began the battle on the defensive, trying to gauge Akane's 
abilities. As was the case when she fought her father, this served only 
to enrage her opponent. Ranma began to throw some counters to Akane's 
attacks, at about her power level. As Akane was able to block these, 
Ranma increased the power level until a few got through. The battle 
continued for several minutes, until Ranma jumped back, saying "Thank 
you, Akane." Now that the battle was over, she allowed herself a grimace 
of pain.

Akane looked at Ranma, breathing heavily. "Thanks for the workout. Your 
control allowed you to provide me with just enough challenge to force me 
to improve my skills. I would like to train with you."

Ranma went over to the wall and sat down. "Maybe you'd like to test 
Shampoo, Akane."

"Yeah, after I catch my breath." Akane replied with a smile.

After a few minutes, Shampoo went over to the youngest Tendou. "Akane, 
you ready? You not wait all day, please!"

While Akane and Shampoo sparred, Ranma and Sakura engaged in a practice 
session. Nodoka was struck by the differences in her daughter and 
husband as teachers. Ranma never raised her voice, with both girls 
treating the workout as a game, though it was obvious that Sakura had 
become quite skilled. Genma had used shouting and intimidation of Ranma 
when she last saw him. She was proud of her daughter.

Soun and Genma were impressed with Ranma's abilities. It seemed that she 
would be a perfect choice to take over the dojo. Perhaps they could 
still realize that part of their dream.

=======

The workout concluded, the four combatants went upstairs to bathe. Ranma 
and Sakura waited outside for Shampoo and Akane, then went in after the 
other two were finished. Ranma put on one of her blue silk shirt & black 
silk pants combos from the village, while Sakura wore a clean white 
shirt and gray skirt. After glancing in the mirror to adjust her 
ponytail and outfit, she headed downstairs with her daughter.

=======

Finally, guests and Tendous gathered downstairs. Once everyone had 
gathered, Nabiki asked the question that was on the mind of most 
Tendous. "So Ranma, why are we engaged to a girl?"

Ranma told the whole story, from his abduction at Jusenkyo and the curse 
becoming permanent to the flight to Japan. She held the audience's rapt 
attention for the better part of an hour.

Tendou Soun was in tears long before the end of Ranma's story.

Genma had not fully realized what his son had gone through. He was proud 
of his child, but could not escape the fact that his mistakes had cost 
him his son, possibly forever.

Nabiki was intrigued. Here was a man who, even if the curse was 
unlocked, would be very much a traditional woman. He could run the dojo, 
AND take care of the kids, house, cooking, etc. Nabiki had already seen 
how much Ranma's adopted daughter loved her mom, and how much Ranma 
loved her. So she could work in the business world, knowing the kids and 
house would in the care of a loving parent/spouse. She sized up the 
redhead with an almost predatory gaze. Perhaps Ranma WAS what she had 
been looking for. Nabiki gave Ranma the nicest smile she could manage. 
Ranma flushed and smiled back.

Akane was confused. Ranma was obviously very brave and honorable, just 
like the man she had dreamed of when she read the article. 
Unfortunately, he had clearly become a woman, and an unlocked curse 
would never change that, would it? She saw the love Ranma had for her 
daughter, and was touched. That brought up the problem, as Akane saw it. 
Could she marry a woman? Only if the two of them loved each other. Could 
she love a woman? She wasn't really sure about it. She already knew 
Ranma was unlike anyone she had ever met, she was special. The problem 
was in the SHE. Akane smiled at Ranma, and Ranma smiled back. They were 
already friends, after all.

Kasumi looked at the small woman in front of her. She was beautiful, her 
clothing showed off her figure well, and Ranma knew it. It was obvious 
that Genma's son was probably gone forever, but the key to unlocking the 
curse was in Japan, so Ranma's male form might be available at some 
point. She knew the doctor down the street was attracted to her, but 
Ranma would be much closer to her in age. She saw Ranma's love for her 
daughter and knew it would be wonderful to share it with him/her. Ranma 
obviously enjoyed the simple pleasures of housework and motherhood, as 
well as the martial arts. Kasumi was tall and had a sturdy frame, 
perhaps if she learned the martial arts from Ranma or Shampoo; Kasumi 
could share a love for all aspects of Ranma's life, unlike her sisters. 
She would pursue this further. Kasumi smiled at Ranma, and Ranma smiled 
back. It was hard to put her hopes for the two of them into a smile, but 
Kasumi tried.

Uh oh, Now the oldest Tendou girl was smiling at her. It seemed that all 
three of the daughters were interested in her. Ranma didn't expect THIS 
turn of events; she was a WOMAN after all! This would be interesting. 
She had not considered unlocking the curse before now, at least since 
Sakura had come into her life, but she DID NOT want to marry a man, at 
least a full-time, born masculine man. But each time she looked at 
Sakura, she remembered her promise, though she knew the promise didn't 
matter. SHE wanted to have a child. Would any of these women love her 
enough to make the sacrifice she would have to make? Ranma hoped so; she 
had to marry one of three beautiful women... if she could ever become a 
man again. She would have to get to know each of them.

Shampoo was proud of her sister; she had gazed at Ranma and nodded 
affirmatively at several points in the narrative. She then noticed each 
of the three Tendou daughters had smiled at Ranma in turn. She already 
knew that one of the daughters had been promised to Ranma. She would 
help find the Kaisuifuu to unlock Ranma's curse so her sister/brother 
could marry one of these women!

Tears of joy replaced Soun's tears of sorrow when he saw each of his 
daughters smile at Ranma. He would do everything in his power to help 
unlock the curse.

Genma noticed the Tendou girls' reactions, but could not help but be 
puzzled. Couldn't these girls see that Ranma had become a woman in form 
and mind? Of course, each of them was probably considering the fact that 
the curse might be unlocked someday, though the 'male' Ranma would be a 
male in form only, but what did a woman really want in a man? Perhaps 
Ranma would be a perfect husband. Women. He would never figure them out. 
When he had first seen Ranma in China, he thought his dreams of unifying 
the families were destroyed. He had obviously been wrong. He looked at 
Soun, who returned his smile.

Nodoka had seen everything, from Shampoo's encouraging nods, to the 
fathers' happy smiles. First off, she was glad to see that Shampoo was 
truly a sister, and not any kind of a rival to the Tendou girls. It 
seemed that each of them was interested in Ranma. Nodoka would have to 
get to know each of them, as well as Ranma. She could still not believe 
it, but it looked like, perhaps, their families could be united. She 
would help find the Kaisuifuu, but she was certain that Ranma would be 
male in form only, at least initially. She hoped each of the girls AND 
fathers understood THAT.

Shampoo spoke to Ranma in Mandarin, "Ranma, each of those sisters likes 
you..."

Ranma responded in her sister's tongue. "I know Shampoo, I'm not sure 
what to do."

Shampoo shook her head knowingly. "Maybe you could train the other two 
girls. I don't think they are martial artists, though the smaller one 
obviously works out, and the taller one has the BODY of a warrior, at 
least."

"Good idea, thanks!" Ranma switched to Japanese. "Sorry 'bout that! My 
sister Shampoo suggested that I offer to train you, Kasumi and Nabiki. I 
have already offered to train Akane. Would you two be willing?"

"Yes, I would like that, thank you." Kasumi replied.

"Well, are you going to train Akane one on one? Don't the rest of us 
deserve equal time?" Nabiki asked, not willing to concede any edge to 
her younger sister.

Akane glared at Nabiki.

"If each of you wants individual sessions, I guess I could do that." 
Ranma smiled.

The meeting broke up. Nodoka approached her daughter. "When Will OUR 
training begin, Ranma?"

"And what about ours?" Genma asked.

"Father, you do have skills I want to learn, but not now. Don't worry, 
when I'm ready I'll let you know."

Genma looked disappointed. "I understand. I stand ready to train you 
should you request it." He did understand. Genma was happy she didn't 
hate him, at least. 

"Thank you, father."

Nodoka spoke to Ranma "Ranma, would you and Shampoo like to get some 
clothes more appropriate to Japan?"

"OK, mom. Can the Tendou's come with us?"

"Of course. Why don't you invite them?"

Ranma invited the sisters, who were eager to join them. Seven people 
headed to the shopping districts. Ranma wondered if she would ever again 
have time to herself without three Tendous following her. But then, she 
did invite them, this time.

=======

That afternoon, the weary shoppers returned home. Nodoka had purchased 
uniforms for Shampoo and Ranma, who would be attending High School as 
seniors, as well as a small collection of simple skirts, shorts, slacks 
and blouses for each. She had also had the two girls measured for 
kimonos for formal occasions. A good supply of underwear, as well as 
pajamas, and robes for each completed the purchases. She had purchased 
clothing for her granddaughter that was identical to her mother's. Ranma 
had noticed, and thanked her mother.

Nodoka also went to a martial arts store and purchased a bokken for 
Ranma and one for Shampoo, so they could learn Kendo. Both girls were 
excited about learning a new martial art. Nodoka also purchased gis for 
all three girls at the same shop, Shampoo's was pale pink, and Ranma's 
the sky blue she now favored. Of course Sakura's matched her mom's.

=======

The Saotome residence was still in Nerima, but was quite a distance from 
the Tendou home. It had been unoccupied for the duration of Nodoka's 
visit to China. Ranma ran to the door when the house came into view and 
stood looking expectantly, her eyes alight. Nodoka walked up the short 
path to the porch, unlocking the door.

Ranma went immediately to her old room, and found it as HE had left it, 
though his mother had kept it clean for HIM, all these years. The girl 
began to cry softly, the tears quickly building to sobs of release. Her 
mother held her, wordlessly offering comfort to her child who, at last, 
was home. Ranma's arms encircled her mother in a returned embrace. Time 
seemed to stop for the two women. Neither let go until Ranma sobs were 
silent, and her tears had stopped.

Ranma let go, her mother doing the same. She looked into her mother's 
eyes. "I am so happy to be HOME, mother. Sometimes I never thought I 
would ever be in this room or ever see YOU again." Her tears had given 
way to a smile. She hugged her mom again briefly, the noticed her new 
sister in the room. "This is my old room from when I was a child. I 
never thought I'd see it again. Because of your faith in me, I was able 
to make it home, thank you!"

"That's why I sister Ranma, I love you." Shampoo embraced her sister, 
then let go to smile at Ranma.

"If its not too painful Ranma, I have some pictures of when you were 
younger..."

"It IS too painful for me, but please show our guests, as well as my 
sister and daughter, the pictures."

"I understand, Ranma. I will show them."

Nodoka left Ranma in her room. The girl had soon curled up for an 
afternoon nap on the bed, just like he used to.

=======

Sakura saw the first picture of her mom as a little boy, and decided to 
check on her. She went to her mom's old room, and found her asleep. She 
was glad mom was still a girl. She tried to snuggle next to her mom 
without waking her up, but couldn't. Ranma groggily noticed her daughter 
trying to take a nap with her. Ranma encircled Sakura in a gentle 
embrace, then went back to sleep, soon to be joined by her daughter.

=======

The Tendou girls and Shampoo had seen the pictures of young Ranma, 
including the last one, taken as he smiled, turning around to wave 
goodbye to his mom. All four wanted a print of that one, and Nodoka was 
happy to get one made for each of them.

The four girls went to check up on Ranma, but decided not to disturb the 
two sleeping girls. They rejoined Nodoka in the living room.

Nodoka had to see what the four were smiling about. She came back with a 
smile, too.

The Tendou girls left and Nodoka helped Shampoo get settled in a 
guestroom.

=======

Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi walked home from the Saotomes. "So, Akane, 
what have you done to consolidate your lead in the 'Ranma' sweepstakes?"

"Like I've said before, I don't even know if I want to pursue a 
relationship with her. With no guarantee she would EVER be a man again, 
I don't really see it. Do you want to marry a woman Nabiki?"

"Of course not, Akane. I do see some advantages in a marriage with 
Ranma, but he needs to be a guy, as far as I'm concerned." Nabiki 
replied.

"Yeah," Akane concurred. "What about you, big sister?" She asked Kasumi.

"I want to get to know Ranma. Like me, she didn't ask to be a mother, 
but had to become one. We share so much in common."

"Yeah, I guess you two DO have a lot in common, you sort of ended up 
being OUR mother/housekeeper." Nabiki replied.

"But doesn't she need to be a guy?" Akane asked, concerned.

"Akane, I'm not going to marry her. I just want to be her friend... Like 
you already are, little sister. Ranma needs friends, Akane... Not 
fiancees."

=======

Ranma and Sakura had risen from their naps, feeling refreshed. "Mom, do 
you miss being a boy? You looked happy in the picture I saw."

"I used to, until I became your mom. Then I got used to being a mom, a 
woman."

"Do you still want to be a boy?"

"I wasn't too sure until today, but yes, yes I do. I hope you still can 
love me if I'm a boy again."

"You probably want to marry one of those pretty Tendou girls, right?"

Her mom blushed.

Sakura laughed. "I thought so. If you got married, and I got a second 
mommy, I still think I could love you if you were a boy... SOMETIMES."

"Of course. I don't think I can live without this 'curse'." What he HAD 
been had become the curse, now.

The phone rang and Nodoka answered it. "Ranma, it's for you," she 
called.
Ranma hurried out to answer the Phone.

"Yes? OK, I'll be there at 4:30. Bye"

"What was that?"

"Tendou Kasumi wants me to train her at 4:30 in the morning, before 
school. I told her I would."

"That's nice." The oldest Tendou daughter had impressed Nodoka greatly. 
She hoped Ranma and Kasumi could get along.

=======

Ranma showed up at the Tendou home at precisely 4:30 the next morning. 
Kasumi was waiting for her, wearing a long coat.

"Let's get started," Ranma said. The two women entered to dojo.

Kasumi took off her coat. Unlike the gi Ranma had expected her to wear, 
she was wearing a white leotard, tights, and slippers. She also offered 
Ranma a package. Ranma took it, finding similar clothing, except in the 
shade of blue she favored.

" I usually wear a gi when practicing the Art."

"Why not wear something NICE for a change?"

"Uh, could you look the other way for a few moments?"

Kasumi turned away, and Ranma donned her new attire. "OK, I'm ready," 
she said at last.

Kasumi was pleased Ranma had accepted her gift. She looked much prettier 
dressed as she was now than in that baggy gi. Why did they insist on 
wearing those anyway?

The first class consisted mainly of exercises to prepare Kasumi for the 
real lessons to follow in a few weeks. When the exercise was over, Ranma 
reminded Kasumi to bring running shoes and shorts tomorrow, as running 
would be added to their training regimen.

As Ranma hurried upstairs to wash up after her workout, she caught sight 
of a smiling Akane. "Nice gi, Ranma."

"Kasumi's idea..."

"I'm not surprised. It looks very nice on you."

"Thanks," Ranma turned to continue up the stairs.

Akane shook her head; she couldn't even imagine the cute redhead being a 
man.

Ranma went in to take a quick bath and put on her uniform. She then 
hurried downstairs to help with breakfast.

=======

Kasumi had breakfast well underway by the time Ranma entered the 
kitchen. "Need some help Kasumi?" Ranma asked the oldest Tendou 
daughter.

"I'm almost done, " she turned to smile at the redhead. "Thanks for the 
offer, though."

Ranma struggled to hide a flush, but failed miserably. She looked down. 
"Sorry Kasumi. I'm still kinda like a guy inside, so sometimes I... 
uh... could I help set the table?"

"Sure, Ranma. We'll have six this morning. The bowls and plates are over 
there, " the taller woman said, indicating a cabinet, " and the utensils 
are cover there."

"Thanks!" Ranma said with a smile. She immediately began to set the 
table using some of the Martial Arts Housekeeping techniques she had 
developed in China. She was done in about fifteen seconds. Ranma noticed 
that she had an admiring audience of one.

"Could you teach me how to do that?" Kasumi asked with a thoughtful 
smile.

"Sure!" Ranma proudly replied. "You don't need to beat people up to use 
the Art, Kasumi."

"I see. I'm even more interested in learning."

"I'm happy to help, Kasumi!"

There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Ranma sang out, then hurried to the door. Opening it, she 
was not surprised to see Shampoo dressed in her uniform. Ranma turned to 
the kitchen, "Kasumi, do you have enough for another?"

"Of course, Ranma. Did Shampoo come by?"

"Yeah, I'll set her a place."

"Thank you, Ranma."

The redhead set her sister's place in a flash.

Breakfast was pleasant. Conversation consisted mostly of the two 
Furinkan High alumnae and one current student filling Ranma and Shampoo 
in on some of the details... Like the crazy school's principal, and some 
bizarre rituals his son had presided over. Listening to Akane describe 
her many run ins with the boy, Kunou Tatewaki, both Ranma and Shampoo 
were glad he went to college with Nabiki now. When they had finished 
eating, Ranma quickly cleared the settings, then joined her sister and 
friend on a brisk walk to school.

=======

Soun and Genma had adjourned to the shogi board, leaving Nabiki and 
Kasumi alone in the kitchen. Nabiki spoke first. "So, how did things go 
with Ranma this morning?"

"Fine. She's very handy in the kitchen." Kasumi replied then busied 
herself with housework.

Nabiki resolved to use all her contacts and information-gathering skills 
to pinpoint the location of the Kaisuifuu. A man who impressed Kasumi in 
the kitchen would be a perfect husband for... herself. If they found it, 
one of them could marry Ranma. Now, if SHE was the one who found it...

"Though I don't have a lecture 'till this afternoon, I think I'll go to 
school to do a bit of research, see ya!" Nabiki turned to get her 
notebooks for the day's studies, AND her new research project...

Kasumi began the chore of cleaning the dishes soiled by seven people at 
breakfast.

=======

While her two older sisters were talking, the youngest Tendou girl was 
escorting her two new friends to school. "Ranma..."

"Yeah, Akane?"

"Do you know a boy named Kuonji Ukyou?" Akane asked.

Ranma looked thoughtful for a few moments. "The name sounds familiar, 
but I can't place it."

"Well, he came by looking for you and your father a while back. He 
thrashed your dad pretty severely. It seems he has a REAL grudge against 
you two."

"Why tell me now?"

"Well, he goes to our school, and runs an okonomiyaki shop just a bit 
off campus."

"Okonomiyaki rings a bell, Akane. I remember a little boy I used to 
fight with every day when I was younger. I THINK his name was Ukyou. 
I'll have to find him and see if we can settle this without resorting to 
fighting."

"It'll be pretty easy, Ranma, he'll be in the same class as us."

"Good, and thanks for the tip, Akane." Ranma turned to Shampoo, "Are you 
excited about going to school, Shampoo?"

"Yes, Ranma, I very excited. If that Ukyou boy attack you, I teach him 
lesson."

"Let me deal with him, PLEASE?" Ranma asked her sister with a pleading 
smile.

"Sure, Ranma. I just looking out for little sister."

"Thanks Shampoo, but I'm not your LITTLE sister."

"You much smaller than me, Ranma."

"Yeah, but I fight bigger than you!" Ranma grinned at Shampoo.

"I guess you right." Shampoo said, returning Ranma's grin with a laugh.

All three friends were laughing by the time they arrived at Furinkan 
High School and entered the main building.

=======

Ranma and Shampoo waited at the front of the room for the rest of their 
new classmates to take their seats. Ranma kept her eyes open for her 
childhood friend, Ukyou, or Ucchan, as he used to call him. A tall boy 
with a long ponytail and a large spatula in a holster on his back 
entered the room.

"Ucchan?" Ranma asked.

The boy turned around, his eyes blazing with anger. "What did you call 
me?"

"Ucchan!" Ranma replied with a smile.

The boy scowled at her. "Who are you? Why did you call me that?"

The bell interrupted the boy and Ranma's conversation.

"Please be seated, class." The teacher requested. "Today we have two new 
students, Shan Pu, an exchange student from China..." Shampoo bowed and 
wrote her name on the board, puzzled by a few snickers from the seated 
students. "And Saotome Ranma, who has been away from Japan for a few 
years." Ranma wrote her name on the board, then sought out Ukyou's eyes, 
receiving a look of hatred from the youth.

The two sisters took their seats. Ranma would have to speak with Ukyou 
at lunch.

=======

Lunchtime came quickly, and Ranma rose to greet her childhood friend.

"Could we eat lunch together, Ucchan?" Ranma asked the much taller boy.

"Why do you call yourself Saotome Ranma? Are you his sister?"

"It's a little more complicated than that, let's talk it over at lunch."

"If you wish. I won't punish you for what your brother and father did to 
me."

"Uh, good... thanks." Ranma didn't know what to say, OR what he and his 
father had done to Ucchan so long ago.

=======

Ranma, Shampoo, Akane, and Ukyou found an isolated table.

"Okay, Miss Saotome, why did you call me Ucchan?"

"Well, when I was little, I used to fight a little boy every day over 
Okonomiyaki on his dad's cart."

Ukyou's battle aura began to flare. "The kid who fought me was a BOY and 
had BLACK hair."

"Ukyou, look at me closely, and tell me I'm NOT the boy you remember."

Ukyou looked for a few moments into Ranma eyes, and saw why this girl 
remembered him. "I don't understand! My father engaged me to a GIRL? My 
life was ruined by a girl?" His battle aura flared even brighter. "How 
could you do this to me?" He drew his spatula. Battle auras flared 
around Shampoo and Akane. Ranma remained passive. "Defend yourself, 
Saotome!"

"Why, Ucchan?" Ranma asked, puzzled.

"What?" The confrontation was not going as he had expected, not at all.

"Why must you beat me and my father? What could I possibly have done to 
you to... to deserve this?" Ranma earnestly asked her friend.

"Your father accepted my dowry and abandoned me, taking it and you. I 
was left behind, disgraced and dishonored. But you weren't even a boy!" 
Ukyou looked on the verge of tears.

"Please come home with me tonight and we'll discuss this in a more 
private setting." Ranma did not want her... secret revealed in public, 
after all.

"Better yet, let's go to MY place, I need to work at my restaurant 
tonight."

"Okay, I'll call my mom. I'd like her to be there."

"What about your father?"

"It sounds like he's part of your problem, Ucchan. He's CERTAINLY part 
of mine! I'll see you tonight!"

"Yeah, tonight!" Ukyou said, his aura dissipating as he holstered his 
spatula.

"Why you no fight him, Ranma? He not as strong as you!"

"Shampoo, Ucchan was my friend when I was little. I don't want to fight 
him before I find out why he's mad at me!"

Shampoo saw the wisdom of her sister's actions.

=======

Soon classes started again. Ranma thoroughly enjoyed her PE class, 
though the locker room did put a bit of a damper on her enjoyment. She 
was a woman, and she had a daughter she loved, but the last time she had 
been in a locker room, she had been a he.

=======

Ranma and Shampoo said goodbye to Akane at the front gate of the school 
and followed Ukyou to his cafe. It was only a few blocks from school, 
just as Akane had said. Nodoka and Sakura were already there, waiting 
for Nodoka's daughter and Sakura's mom.

When Sakura saw her mom, she ran to her. "Hi, mom! How was you day at 
school? Grandma says I'll get to go to school soon, too!"

"I had a great day at school, Sakura. I met a friend from when I was 
your age." She turned to Ukyou. "Ucchan, this is my adopted daughter, 
Sakura."

"Hi, Ucchan! Did you know mom when she was a boy?"

Ukyou was shocked. Ranma was CLEARLY a girl, he had seen her in PE class 
today, how could she ever have been a boy? What was going on? And how 
did she come to have a daughter, even if adopted? "Yes, I knew your mom 
when she was a boy." Was all Ukyou could come up with.

"Uh, mom, this is a childhood friend of mine, Kuonji Ukyou." Ranma 
turned to Ukyou. "Ucchan, this is my mom. My father took me from her 
when I was five. I've only been with her again for a few weeks."

Ukyou was shocked by Ranma's statement. It seemed Saotome Genma... had 
hurt them BOTH. "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Saotome." Ukyou said as he 
bowed.

"Ukyou, why do you pretend to be a boy?" Nodoka asked.

Ranma and Shampoo looked at Nodoka with shock, Ukyou with surprise. 
"Come inside and I'll tell you. I don't open for another hour." Ukyou 
was already impressed with Ranma's mother. How could that... man take 
Ran-chan away from her mother for so long?

Shampoo, Nodoka, and Ranma, with Sakura in tow, followed Ukyou into the 
darkened café.

=======

Ukyou motioned the four to sit at the counter as she prepared to open 
for business. "Could I fix you a little snack?" The chef asked.

"Sure, Ucchan! I remember the delicious okonomiyaki I used to eat off 
you dad's cart!"

"I like to try Japanese food! If Ranma like, Shampoo like!"

"Could you make some for me, please Ucchan?" Sakura said, giving Ukyou a 
look that melted her heart like butter on her griddle.

"Sure, Sugar. You're up first!"

"Cool!"

"I would like to sample your cooking as well. You should come over to 
our house sometime, I'm sure Ranma would like to cook you some Chinese 
dishes."

Ranma looked down.

"Modesty becomes a young woman, but don't be TOO modest, Ranma! I wish I 
was as good a cook as you when I was your age!" Nodoka said with some 
pride.

"Yeah! My mom's a GREAT cook, Ucchan!" Sakura enthused.

"I'll have to take you up on it, Ran-chan!" Ukyou smiled at Ranma. 
"You're the guest, my story or yours first?"

"Yours please!"

Ukyou talked as she cooked Sakura's okonomiyaki.

"Well, my story starts when Ranma and I were children. Each day, Ranma 
would challenge me to a battle in front of my dad's food cart. It seemed 
Ranma would always win, then let his dad steal an okonomiyaki off dad's 
cart. Over time, I think I developed a crush on Ranma."

"So that's why you started putting hearts made of sauce on my 
okonomiyaki!" Ranma interjected.

"Let her finish, dear!" Nodoka interrupted.

"Its OK, Mrs. Saotome. Yeah, that's why I did it, Ran-chan. Anyway, to 
make a long story short, Ranma's pop Genma proposed that I marry Ranma. 
So, my dad offered the food cart as a dowry. The two Saotomes took me to 
train with them, then abandoned me after a few blocks, keeping the food 
cart. When my dad found me, I was in tears and he was VERY angry. He 
decided that, because I had been given away as a bride and disgraced the 
name of Kuonji, I had to become a boy." She looked at Ranma, nearly in 
tears. "Your friend Ucchan died that day, Ranma. I've lived as a boy 
ever since."

"How can you blame Ranma for this, he was only a child!" Nodoka asked.

"After talking with Ranma, I found I couldn't blame... her."

Ranma looked at Ukyou, "My father already promised me, before birth to 
the Tendous." She looked down. "And me being a woman doesn't make 
marriage even possible right now." She looked up, straight at Ukyou. 
"I'll do all I can to help you become a girl again. Please come to my 
house tomorrow. I'll return your hospitality, and invite the Tendou 
sisters over. Between mom, myself, Shampoo, you, and the three Tendou 
girls, we'll come up with something."

"Thanks, Ranma. I can afford to close up for one night, at least. Now 
will you tell me how MY fiancee became a girl?"

"Sure, It all started two years ago..."

Ukyou was amazed by all Ranma had been through, and had real doubts she 
would ever really be a man again, even if they found the device to 
unlock her curse. "Thanks, Ran-chan. Perhaps I can become Ucchan again, 
for you. I hope we can become friends."

"BECOME friends? We already ARE, Ucchan!"

"I know I like you, your Oknomaki is really good!" Sakura added.

The Japanese speakers laughed, Shampoo and Sakura wondered what was so 
funny.

=======

As they walked back home, Ranma and her mother talked.

"Ranma, your honor does you credit. I was very proud of how you handled 
yourself today."

"Thanks, mom. What can I do to restore Ucchan's honor? I don't really 
think I can marry her, or anyone, right now. I wish my pop hadn't been 
such a jerk."

"His dishonor shames HIM, and our name. I suppose I could offer to adopt 
Ukyou, she seems to be a fine young lady. That way, we can honor your 
father's pledge as best we can, under the circumstances."

"Perhaps we could repay her father for his food cart..."

"Or maybe a combination of the two. I'm glad we'll all be getting 
together tomorrow. I'm sure you'll want to cook dinner, after all, you 
have FOUR fiancees to impress!"

Ranma reddened noticeably. "Yeah mom. Could you pick up a few things 
tomorrow?"

"Sure dear, just make me a list."

"I'll help grandma buy the food, mom!" Sakura chimed in. 

"How did your training go this morning with Kasumi?"

"Great, mom. Kasumi's really interested in learning the Art, and I had a 
good time helping her with breakfast preparations." Ranma replied with a 
smile.

"That's wonderful!" Nodoka looked at her daughter, hoping that they 
could unlock her curse, somehow. But was this form her curse or was her 
old one? It was a sobering thought as she looked at her happy daughter.

Soon, the four people were home.

=======

Ranma got up the next morning in plenty of time to make it to the Tendou 
home by the appointed hour. She was a little surprised to see that 
Shampoo was already up, too.

"Good morning, Ranma. I train with you?"

"Sure, sis. You're always welcome."

Shampoo looked at Ranma's new training attire. "Kasumi buy you new 
training clothes, Ranma?"

"Yeah, Shampoo. She doesn't like gis very much."

"Shampoo buy new clothes today, she think her sister very beautiful in 
new clothes."

"Thanks, Shampoo." Ranma said as she stepped into a pair of running 
shorts and shoes. "Lets go!"

The two girls jogged into the pre-dawn darkness.

=======

There were three people waiting at the Tendou dojo this morning. Kasumi 
had outfitted her sisters for training in much the manner as she had 
herself. Akane wore a light blue leotard and yellow shorts, while Nabiki 
was black on black. All three wore running shoes, as Kasumi remembered 
Ranma's instructions of the previous day.

"OK, let's run!"

A bleary-eyed Tendou Soun looked out the window with a smile. Whether a 
marriage resulted from her arrival or not, Ranma had already changed his 
older daughters for the better. He hoped they would stick to it.

=======

Both Nabiki and Kasumi felt like their legs were going to burst into 
flame by the end of their morning run. It was only the encouragement of 
Ranma, Akane, and Shampoo that kept them going. Ranma assured them it 
would only get easier. It had better...

"You two did great for beginners. The same tomorrow."

"Yeah, right. I always LOVE to torture myself in the morning!" Nabiki 
cracked.

"But when our conditioning improves, It'll get easier." Kasumi 
responded.

"My question is: When is when? Will I still be alive when when comes?"

The five girls headed upstairs to clean up for a day of school and, for 
Kasumi, housework.

Kasumi had another gift for Ranma, a white apron with ruffles around the 
edges, much like her own, though smaller. "I thought you should have an 
apron, Ranma. We don't want your uniform to get dirty!"

Ranma glowed with appreciation. "Thanks Kasumi!"

With two experienced cooks working on breakfast, the food was excellent.

=======

Ranma, Akane, Shampoo, and Ukyou found Nabiki and Kasumi waiting for 
them outside the school grounds after their classes. Tonight they were 
going to meet to discuss Ukyou's dilemma. There wasn't a lot of 
conversation on the way to the Saotome home. Ranma hoped it did not bode 
ill for their meeting. She was CERTAIN dinner would put a smile on their 
faces, however...

=======

Her mother and daughter greeted Ranma at the door. She immediately 
headed for the kitchen, taking the apron Kasumi had given her out of her 
book bag.

"Who gave you the apron, mom?" Sakura asked.

"Kasumi. I helped make breakfast this morning at her house, so I needed 
an apron."

"I like it, its pretty. I'll thank her!" Sakura ran off.

"I bought everything on your list, Ranma."

"Thanks mom!"

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well you can work on place settings."

"That's a good idea!" Her mom left Ranma alone in the kitchen.

Ranma first rinsed off all the fresh vegetables then quickly diced them 
for use in the dishes she would cook today. She dumped rice and water 
into the rice cooker and started it up, then devoted her attention to 
the dishes she would prepare for her relatives and friends. The main 
dish was chicken with vegetables, with some peppers and vegetables on 
the side.

By the time the rice was done, so were the other two dishes. Ranma put 
everything in serving bowls, then prepared a plate for each guest, 
carrying then out three at a time, first to Ukyou, the guest of honor, 
Sakura and her mother; then the three Tendou daughters. Ranma next 
brought out her plate and a china teapot. Finally, the extra food in 
serving bowls. Everyone waited until her hostess was seated before 
eating.

"The food looks beautiful!" Kasumi commented, noting that Ranma had 
carefully placed each ingredient of the meal on the plate so each looked 
good. Now that Ranma had seated herself, everyone could see how it 
tasted.

"It's very good mom." Sakura proudly told Ranma. All the other diners 
agreed the food was excellent.

"See, Ucchan, I CAN cook!"

"Yes, Ran-chan, it seems you can." Ukyou wondered if she should 
diversify her menu.

"Ranma, have you considered cooking professionally?" Nabiki asked the 
redhead.

Ranma looked down. "It's not THAT good..."

Kasumi gently placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling at her friend. "It 
is that good, Ranma, really!"

"So Ranma, will you explain why you gotten all of us together? You 
cooking is good, but there MUST be another reason." Nabiki asked.

"Well, Ucchan, could you tell everyone your story?"

"Sure Ran-chan." Ukyou told all the guests her sad tale...

After Ukyou was finished, Nabiki first broke the silence. First she 
looked at Mrs. Saotome, "I'm sorry, but..." Her gaze shifted to Ranma. 
"Ranma, you father is a big *jerk*, you know."

Ranma's expression somehow combined mirth and anger. "I *know*, why do 
you think he isn't here, Nabiki? What we need to do is come up with some 
way to get Ucchan out of this mess. I was hoping you Tendous might be 
able to come up with a plan."

"What does it have to do with *me*?" Nabiki retorted.

"Well, you *are* a fiancee whose claim is older that Ucchan's..."

"Maybe, but why should I help her?"

Ranma gave Nabiki an incredibly cute grin. "Because I asked you to!"

Nabiki turned red.

Nodoka looked thoughtful, "Ukyou, do you know if your father still 
lives?"

"No, Mrs. Saotome. We sorta drifted apart after he declared me his 
son..."

Ranma looked at Nabiki. "Nabiki, from what I hear, it was *you* who 
somehow found where I lived in China, do you think you could track down 
Ukyou's pop?"

Nabiki looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think I can do that... 10,000 
up front should cover my 'expenses'."

"I'll pay it!" Nodoka said, pushing a small stack of bills at Nabiki.

"Thank you, Mrs. Saotome! I'll let you know what I come up with." After 
counting the money, Nabiki looked thoughtful for a few moments, then 
glanced at her 'fiancee'. "Ranma, since your cooking *is* good, have you 
considered combining you talents with Ukyou?"

"Well, that would be up to Ucchan..." She said, smiling at her childhood 
friend.

Ukyou smiled for a moment, then looked a little concerned. "I'd *love* 
to add Ran-chan's cooking to the menu, but I'm *really* struggling right 
now."

Nabiki arched an eyebrow Ukyou's way. "Perhaps you need a bit of capital 
to complete your expansion. I'd be happy to help you out for a share of 
your corporation"

Kasumi began to smile. "Maybe I could invest some of the money I've 
saved..."

Ranma nudged her fiancee, "And *you* could offer some support in the 
kitchen, too!"

Akane didn't want to be left out. "Maybe I can cook too!"

The look on the Tendou's faces told those who hadn't had the 'pleasure' 
of sampling her cooking to be *very* glad.

"You *don't* need to work in the kitchen, little sister, *somebody* has 
to wait on tables. And you'll probably need a manager to keep your books 
straight." Nabiki added, with a grin.

"Shampoo help with restaurant, too!"

"Since Ranma and Shampoo don't currently have the funds to invest, I'll 
loan them a bit of money." Mrs. Saotome added.

Nabiki called attention back to the task at hand. "So, if we 
incorporate, we'll need a name."

Kasumi smiled, "Well, there are three Tendou sisters, Shampoo is Ranma's 
sister, and Ukyou's *almost* Ranma's sister... How about 'Six Sisters'?"

"Great idea, big sis!" Nabiki pulled out a notebook, and began jotting 
what they'd discussed down... "So let's see what I need to do... Find 
Mr. Kuonji, draw up the paperwork for our new corporation, and continue 
my other research..." She winked at Ranma.

Ranma had a good idea what *that* project was and was both excited and 
frightened by what it might mean for her future.

Nabiki, who had clearly taken charge of the proceedings, looked up from 
her notebook and closed what would come to be known as the first board 
meeting of Six Sisters Inc. "Well that wraps it up for tonight. Let's 
meet again in one week at Ukyou's restaurant. I should have some 
paperwork drawn up by then."

======
(The End? You tell me!)


Kevin D. Hammel
========================================
khammel@mail.geocities.com
http://www.geocities.com/~khammel/ff/
"For St. Petersburg 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, and the Motherland!" Tendovski Akane
========================================