It was a common day in Nerima doing a fairly common thing in Nerima. That is to say it was raining. In the distance we see a shadow running towards us down a street. Then another larger shadows looms in behind the first. A shrill whining voice calls out through the air as we see rather petite looking girl with long blonde hair done up in two round balls on her head, two long pigtails stretching back from them. She is carrying a back pack in her hands in front of her and is dressed in a red chinese style shirt and a black pair of pants. She is running and dodging strikes from the form behind her apparently by total luck.
"Ah! EEK! Whoa! Hey! C'mon pop!! You can't do this!!! It's not faaaaaaaaaiiiiiiirrrrrrr!!!!!!!", the girl wails in a loud irritating voice and trips falling and rolling out into the middle of a lightly crowded street her backpack landing a few feet from her. She jumps up and gets into a defensive stance.
"Growf!", comes the response from a rather large panda which emerges from the street the young girl tumbled from.
"NO WAY!! I won't let you do this to Ranma pop! I won't I won't I won't I won't I wooooooooooon't!!!! It's not right choosing his fiancee for him. You should let him choose his own....for love! This isn't right!!", the young girl shouts at the panda. Both began to circle each other on the street as the rain poured down drawing murmurs from the small crowd of people who have been watching.
"Did you hear that girl? Calling that panda her father. Is she insane?", a man says to his girlfriend.
"What's this world coming to? Panda's attacking young girls like that. Tsk tsk tsk.", an elder shopkeeper commented as he watched from his small street shop.
"Can I have a panda mommy?", a small girl said tugging on her mothers dress.
"No. Let's go before someone gets hurt.", says the girls mother quickly shuffling her off. A small gasp from the few of the people in the small crowd as the panda lurches forward and sends a flurry of hits at the blonde haired girl. She moves to block and.....looses her footing. Her arms begins to flail about and her feet slipping on the road trying to find grip. Amazingly as her arms flail they manage to block every single attack from the panda. Then panda then lurches forward sending a fast punch to her head. Just at that moment the girl looses her footing completely and her feet come out from under her. She falls towards the ground, the panda's punch sailing over her head. As she falls her right leg arcs up, by accident or design, and her foot connects solidly with the panda's head sending him flying back to crash against a yield sign. The young girl gets up and turns away from the panda.
"I said no pop and I mean it. I know Ranma feels the same way and I won't let you ruin his chances at finding his one true love.", the young girl says and begins grunting trying to lift the backpack she so effortlessly carried a few moments earlier. The panda gets to his feet while the girl is picking up her backpack and sneaks up behind her holding the sign he knocked over. It swings it and connects solidly with the back of her head. She lurches forwards and collapses on the ground. The panda then picks up her and the backpack slinging the girl over his shoulder after planting the sign back in the ground. The crowd begins to murmur about what the panda has just done and it hears the word "police". It frowns and pauses then turns it's head to both sides and growls. The few people left start and turn walking away. The panda smirks lightly and continues on it's way with the girl over it's shoulder.
Inside the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts Dojo, Soun Tendo sits holding a postcard with a panda on it. He is trembling lightly and once again read the message written on the postcard which says, "Tendo, Coming with Ranma. Genma." Soun suddenly begins to cry.
"Waaaaaah. I'm so happy. Today is the day our families will finally be united. Kasumi!! Nabiki!! Akane!!", Soun calls out. He quickly gets up and checks the kitchen where Kasumi stands at the stove tending over dinner.
"Kasumi.", Soun says from the doorway.
"Yes father?", Kasumi asks turning around. A few moments later he looks into Nabiki's room where she lays on her bed reading a magazine and snacking.
"Nabiki.", Soun says getting her attention.
"Yeah?", Nabiki asks looking up. A few moments later Soun is looking into Akane's empty room.
"Akane. Akane? Has anyone seen Akane?!", Soun calls out to the household not seeing her in her room.
Akane was sitting in the dojo wearing her gi. She kneeled in front of a set of cinder blocks she had set up. She rested the edge on her hand on them and slowly relaxed her breathing. Then she lifted her hand and with a shout brought her hand down into the blocks smashing them in pieces. A small piece of stone skittered across the dojo floor and under Nabiki's foot as she paused at the doorway.
"Hmmm. Not bad.", Akane said to herself looking at her handiwork when a sudden flash of light disturbed her.
"Huh?", Akane said looking up to see Nabiki lowering her camera.
"You know sis it's no wonder normal boys don't like you. You keep doing things like this.", Nabiki said with a small smirk.
"Yeah well that's fine but unlike you sis I HATE boys!!", Akane retorted.
"Oh....well I guess this isn't for you then.", Nabiki said and turned heading back inside.
A few moments later the three sisters were in the living room sitting at the table opposite their father.
"Fiancee?", Kasumi asked blinking a bit.
"Yes. He is the son of your father's very good friend. Ranma is his name.", Soun said and rose to look out the door.
"Dad! You can't just engage us like this to some boy we've never even met!", Akane said angrily.
"I hope he's older than me.", Kasumi said softly to herself.
"Now now Akane. You should at least meet him first. You never know he might be cute. Right Daddy?", Nabiki said looking to her father.
"Hahahahahahahahaha. I don't know.", Soun said laughing for a few moments first before glancing back and speaking.
"You don't know?", Nabiki asked quickly loosing her good mood.
"I've never met him.", Soun replied calmly causing all three of his daughters to just stare at him in disblief. Before anyone could say anything else a sudden female voice shouted from the vicinity of the front door.
"Waaaaaaahhhhhhhh!! Pooooooooooooooop!!! How could you hit me so hard! Put meeeeee doooooooooown!!!!", the small shrill voice wailed. Soun immediately turned and rushed down the hall followed by Nabiki.
"Saotome my old friend!!", Soun shouted as he rounded the corner. Kasumi rose and slowly moved to follow, Akane right behind her.
"I do hope he's older then me. Younger men are just so.....young.", Kasumi said to herself and blinked as Soun and Nabiki rushed back around the corner looked rather spooked. The reason for this was evident as a large panda rounded the corner right after them carrying the blonde haired pigtailed girl over its shoulder.
"Daddy are these your friends?!", Nabiki asked getting very annoyed now. Soun just shook his head back and forth mutely.
"Then what is a panda doing in our house!?, Nabiki growled to her father who just mutely shook his head a second time. The panda stopped and then deposited the girl on her feet facing the rest of the household. Soun seemed to snap out of his daze and lifted a hand pointing at the girl a little.
"I'm....Usagi Saotome. Sorry about this.", Usagi said quietly.
"U....Usagi? I didn't know Saotome had a daughter. Where is Ranma? We've been anxious to meet him.", Soun said looking at the panda for a moment.
"Ranma? Ummm....he'll be here soon.", Usagi said a bit nervously and laughed a little bit, nervously as well. Akane sighed a bit hearing that bit of news but at this girl seemed nice enough. Akane walked around her father and Nabiki, who was frowning lightly, and placed a hand on Usagi's shoulder.
"Hi. I'm Akane. Want to be friends?", Akane said with a smile.
"Friends? Sure!", Usagi said with a wide smile.
"You study kenpo?", Akane asked, hoping somewhat that Usagi was like her brother in that aspect.
"Oh. Yup! I do! Pop's taught me ALL kinds of things!", Usagi said with a proud grin on her face.
"Really? Want to have a match?!", Akane asked smiling wider now. At last another girl with the same interests, sort of.
"A match? Ummm...sure!", Usagi said pausing to glance at the panda who was moving off with Soun in tow.
Akane and Usagi walked into the dojo idly talking as they did. Usagi paused and took a look around. It was rather nice and well kept up.
"Well. This is our dojo. What do you think?", Akane asked smiling a bit.
"Ummm...it's nice!", Usagi said and smiled, maybe a little too much, but Akane didn't notice.
"Thanks. You ready for that match? Just for fun though.", Akane said setting her stance.
"Right!", Usagi said getting in a stance as well but looking rather silly. She stood with one foot ahead of the other and her hands up in front of her almost as if she was boxing except her hands were ready to chop into of punch. She set her face to an expression of extreme determination and looked extremely silly like that. Akane had to fight down her urge to burst out laughing and shook her head a bit and got ready for the match.
"Ready?", Akane asked.
"Ready!", Usagi answered. Akane nodded and the two began to circle each other. Usagi glanced down and noted one of the ties on her shirt had come undone. She got out of her stance and began to tie it just as Akane leaped forward to attack. She looked up hearing Akane's movements and began to backpedal. Akane lashed out with a short flurry of punches, which all were blocked by the flailing arms of Usagi, who then lost her balance and landed on her rear with a thud.
"OW!", Usagi shouted and got up rubbing her bottom.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I thought you were ready.", AKane said apologetically.
"No. It's okay. I was...I just noticed a tie was undone.", Usagi said and quickly tied it and then got into a stance once again. Akane nodded and did the the same. Usagi suddenly lurched forwards to throw a punch at Akane but tripped over her own feet and fell. Akane blinked, lowering her defense, and watched as Usagi fell and somehow tucked into a roll and kept on rolling. She tried to dodge too late and her legs were knocked out from under her as Usagi rolled right through them. Akane found herself face first on the mat. She groaned a bit and lifted herself up. She heard a thud and looked over to see Usagi laying against the far wall her legs up in the air. Akane couldn't help herself and began to laugh a bit and walked over to help Usagi up.
"Are you okay? How did you do that? I didn't know you were attacking until it was too late.", Akane asked a little impressed. Usagi blushed a little and looked around.
"Ummm....don't tell anyone but I'm a little...uhhh...clumsy. Pop saw that and based my training on that. I study the Saotome Anything Goes Martial Arts: Clutz Style.", Usagi whispered a bit. Akane blinked.
"Clutz Style?!", Akane asked in disbelief.
"Shhhh. Yeah. I always clutz out so I use that to my advantage and attack and defend by clutzing out.", Usagi said a little louder but still whsipering.
"Wow. That's....interesting.", Akane said, still finding it hard to believe.
Back inside the house Soun sat alone across from a strange man. The man wore a white gi and a light blue bandana covering his bald head. He also wore a pair of glasses which were designed to be flexable as well as to stay on his face, the handles wrapping aorund his ears and reconnecting to the frames. Both men sat looking rather grin, tears falling down their faces.
"So. That's how it was.", Soun said quietly. The strange man merely grunted and nodded slightly in reply.
"You can use this room Usagi.", Kasumi said cheerfully as she showed Usagi the guest room. Usagi just sat her backpack down and glanced around the room. She nodded to Kasumi with a small smile.
"Thanks.", Usagi said and blinked as Kasumi handed her a couple of towels.
"Here you are. The bathroom is just down the hall.", Kasumi said.
"Ummm....no that's okay. I don't really need a bath.", Usagi replied nervously.
"Oh but you must! You're probably all sweaty from all that exercising.", Kasumi insisted peacefully.
"Uhhh....yeah. Alright.", Uasgi said finding it hard to argue with Kasumi. She turned and headed for the bathroom.
Nabiki poked her head into the living room and stared at her father and this new man he was sitting with. She raised and eyebrow and then entered pausing to glance once more at the two men.
"Daddy? Who's this?", Nabiki asked calmly.
"Nabiki. This is my old friend.....", Soun began.
"...Genma Saotome.", Genma finished.
"Oh. Pleased to meet you Mr. Saotome. Is Ranma here as well?", Nabiki asked curiously.
"Hmmmm. Not yet. He should be here....rather soon.", Genma said and cleared his throat a bit.
Usagi upended the bucket of cold water over herself, washing away the soap, and shivered.
"Ah! That's cold!", Usagi said to herself and shivered once again. She stood up and walked over to the tub looking at the warm inviting waters. She paused and looked over into the bathroom mirror.
"Well Ranma. They're bound to find out anyways. Good luck bro.", Usagi said to herself before hopping into the bathtub.
Akane entered the changing room and began to undress herself. She paused for a moment as she noticed Usagi's clothes piled on top of the hamper. She blinked a bit and then shrugged to herself and continued undressing. She was sure Usagi wouldn't mind if she joined her. She grabbed her towel and turned for the bathroom door.
A young boy with black hair tied back in a pigtail, Ranma, lay relaxing in the tub. He sighed to himself and groanded softly.
"You're right Usagi. Oh well. No sense in putting this off any longer.", Ranma said to himself and pushed himself up out of the tub. As he did the door to the bathroom was opened and her turned, only to expose himself more to Akane, who stood in the open doorway blinking holding a small towel in front of her. The towel did not offer much in the way of cover. Akane suddenly snapped out of her trance and stepped back outside slowly shutting the door. She slowly turned and picking up her robe, slowly put it on and tied it. She walked to the outer door and opened it stepping outside. She shut the door behind her and leaned back on it. She took a breath and then....
Downstairs Soun and Genma were just toasting each other when their heard Akane's scream. They both looked towards the stairs hearing sudden rapid footsteps. Akane bolted down the stairs and ran past one entrance to the living room and ran around and in through the other, still screaming. She grabbed the table and easily hefted it up over her head, Soun and Genma barely saving their food and drinks. Kasumi and Nabiki rushed into the living room.
"Akane?! What is it? What's wrong?!", Kasumi asked worried.
"There's a molestor in our bathroom!!!", Akane shouted back.
"Well why didn't you clobber him then!?", Nabiki asked dryly.
"How could I?! I was scared!!", Akane retorted.
"Ummm...excuse me?", Ranma said having just entered. Everyone turned to look at him and he swallowed a little nervous.
"Who....who are you?", Kasumi asked blinking.
"I'm....Ranma Saotome. Sorry about this.", Ranma said and lowered his head. Akane blinked a couple of times before her arms went slack and the table came to rest on the top of her head with a soft thunk.
Genma and Ranma sat facing the three Tendo sisters and Soun sat off to the side of them. A silence pervaded over the whole group of until Soun cleared his throat and turned to his daughters.
"Let me introduce them once more. This is my old friend....", Soun began.
"....Genma Saotome. And this is my son....", Genma continued for Soun and gestured to Ranma.
"....Ranma.", Ranma finished and glanced up. Akane sat across glaring daggers at him. Nabiki lifted her head up from her hand and glanced to Ranma and Genma.
"What is the meaning of this?", Nabiki asked in a bored tone.
"Where did Usagi go to? I sent her to get a bath.", Kasumi asked a little concerned.
"Hmmm. Where to begin? Well for starters why don't you all take a look at this.", Genma said and rose to his feet. He turned and grabbed Ranma by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. Genma then turned and swiftly tossed Ranma out across the yard and into the koi pond. A splash of water erupted as Ranam hit the water. Everyone moved to look out into the yard and watched as the water bubbled and out popped Usagi.
"Pooooooooooop!!!! What did you do that for! Waaaaaahhhhh!", Usagi whined sitting in the water and began to immediately break out crying.
"Oh my. It's Usagi.", Kasumi said a little confused.
"Yes. I can explain....", Genma began.
"Waaaaaaaaaah!!!", Usagi whined some more and splashed her hand in the water hard sending a small wave over Genma.
"Growf growf growf.", Genma continued in panda form. Nabiki, Akane and Kasumi all just blinked in shock. Soun cleared his throat.
"Perhaps we should wait until they change back.", Soun interjected. A few minutes later they group was back sitting at the table Genma in normal form and Ranma as himself.
"As I was saying I can explain. It all began about a month ago. In order to continue our warrior's conditioning my son and I crossed to China in order to seek out a new place to train. It was in China's Mt. Quanjing region, in the Bayankala Range Qinghai Province, that we finally came to the legendary training ground of Jusenkyou.", Genma began.
~~Flashback~~
A valley spreads out surrounded by high cliffs and mountains. In the valley are hundreds of clear blue ponds each with several bamboo shafts rising up out of each one. Genma and Ranma, both dressed in white gis and carrying backpacks, walk along the trails being lead by the guide until the reach the gates leading into the grounds.
"Here, sirs. We come to famous Traing Ground of Cursed Springs. Jusenkyou.", the guide explains to them.
"Are you prepared, Ranma?", Genma asks.
"This place ain't near as bad as I thought it'd be.", Ranma replies shucking his pack.
"Oh sirs! You very strange ones. This place very dangerous. Nobody use now, this training ground. More than one hundred spring here and each one have own tragic legend.", the guide tells them.
"Ranma, follow me!", Genma says ignoring the guide and leaping up onto one of the bamboo poles, balancing on one foot.
"Okay.", Ranma replies and leaps up landing on a pole facing his father.
"Oh, sirs! What you doing? You no go there! I no finish my tragic story yet!", the guide shouts after them.
"I won't go easy on you.", Genma says to Ranma tensing his body as both he and Ranma balance in a crane-like stance.
"That's just the way I like it!", Ranma replies smirking and the two leap at each other exchanging blows as they pass landing balanced on another set of poles.
"Oh, sirs! Very bad you fall in spring!", the guide shouted at them as they continued to ignore him. Ranma and Genma leapt at each other once again only Ranma got the upper hand kicking Genma down into a spring with a splash. Ranam landed on a poll smirking.
"Gotcha!", Ranma said as Genma splashed down. He blinked a bit seeing Genma not come out immediately.
"What's wrong, Old Man? We done already?", Ranma called down to his father. The surface of the pool began to churn and suddenly a panda bear leapt out of the water, wearing a torn white gi and Genma's glasses hanging off one ear.
"W-What is that!?", Ranma shouted to the guide pointing at the panda.
"That one Shonmaoneechuan. 'Spring of Drowned Panda.' There very tragic legend of panda who drown in that spring two thousand year ago. Now, whoever fall in that one take body of panda. Is very cursed spring.", the guide explained, a little more enthusiastic seeing as they were actually going to listen now.
"This is the first time you said anything about that to me!", Ranma shouted down at him annoyed. He suddenly turned to look at the panda, his father, and saw him leaping at him. Before he could react Genma-panda slammed his massive paw into Ranma and knocked him through the air to splash down in a different spring a little ways off.
"Ah, you fall in Yueiichuan! There very trangic legend of Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon who drown in 'Spring of Drowned Sailor Moon' ten year ago. Now whoever fall in spring take body of Sailor Moon. Is very cursed spring. Is very very tragic day in history.", the guide explained and lowered his head. As the guide spoke Ranma, now Usagi, emerged from the water and blinked a bit looking around half listening. She waded to the shore and climbed out to sit right at the edge of the pool. The panda padded over and stood staring at the his son turned girl.
"You feel okay?", the guide asked Usagi who blinked but didn;t look to him. Her face slowly turned sad and then went into full depression. Her lower lip began to tremble as tears formed in her eyes.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!", Usagi suddenly burst out crying, wailing loudly, tears streaming from her eyes.
~~End Flashback~~
Genma paused for a moment at the end of his story to clear his throat a little. He glanced around at the faces of Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane and Soun.
"The guide explained to us the nature of these curses after we had gotten Usagi to calm down. They are activated when we are splashed with cold water, changing us to our other forms. Hot water reverts us back to normal until the next contact with cold water. Once Usagi had calmed down we found out that ten years ago she had an accident with four of her friends. All five of the girls drowned, each in a different spring. It was evident that Usagi was a completely different person from Ranma. They may share the same body but they both have a totally different mind. I decided that since Usagi could not go back to her family ten years after her apparent death, plus the fact that she and my son are sharing a body, that I would adopt her. She is as much a Saotome as my son is.", Genma said looking rather noble at the moment.
"Yeah. Usagi is my sister and even though it might sound stupid I'm kinda glad that I got cursed. I mean if I knew about the place I wouldn't have went but what's done is done.", Ranma said a bit, almost to himself. He paused a moment adopting a look like he was listening and nodded.
"Ummm...Akane. Sorry about....uhhh...up in the bathroom.", Ranma said with some difficult.
"Oh. Uhhh....well I did sorta walk in on you. It's okay. Just don't do it again! Ummmm....can Usagi hear me?", Akane asked a little embarassed at how silly she sounded.
"Oh. Sort of yes. Why?", Ranma asked a little curious.
"Oh well...I mean with you and Usagi the way you to are it wouldn't be right for you to be engaged to anyone of us. It wouldn't be fair to Usagi as well as any of us. Right?", Akane said with a bit of a smile. Ranma blinked a bit and grinned seeing Akane's logic as well as a way of out getting engaged.
"Right!", Ranma agreed.
"But....but....", Soun stuttered out.
"What of the promise Tendo and I made?! What of our family honor!? You...you must get engaged to one of Tendo's daughter Ranma!", Genma said sternly.
"Yes!", Soun agreed and moved to grab Ranma by the shoulders.
"You must choose one of my daughters to be engaged to Ranma. If you do not both our familes will lose face! You must!", Soun shouted. Ranma frowned and was about to comment when he stopped and once again looked as if he was listening to something no one else could hear. He sighed a bit looking defeated.
"Alright. I choose Akane.", Ranam said causing Akane to blink startled and Soun and Genma to immediately begin to celebrate. Akane frowned and grabbed Ranma pulling him close and whispering harshly.
"Ranma! What do think you're doing! I am NOT getting engaged to anyone!", Akane growled to him.
"Akane! Wait a minute let me explain! NO!", Ranma shouted as Akane grabbed him and threw him outside. Once again he landed into the pond with a splash. Usagi popped up out of it frowning and hopped out of the pond racing back inside and grabbing Akane pulling her off to the side, away from Soun and Genma who were dancing around and singing.
"Akane! Listen. I told Ranma to choose you. We can sorta talk to each other in our minds. Anyways I told him to choose you because I think Ranma sorta likes you anyways.", Usagi whispered and paused to giggle at something.
"What?", Akane asked shocked at those words.
"Uh-huh. Ranma's busy denying it now. Loudly. Anyways I knew Pop wouldn't let up if he didn't agree and I don't think your Dad would have either. I told him to agree so we can get them off our backs until we can think of a way to get out of it okay?", Usagi said with a mischievious grin. Akane blinked a bit but then smiled a little and nodded.
"Okay. I got it. Sorry about throwing you in the pond.", Akane said lowering her head a bit.
"Oh that's okay. I wanted to talk to you for a little bit anyways. Ranma's no good at girl talk anyways.", Usagi said and giggled again. Akane couldn't help but giggle a little to. She couldn't put her finger on it but just being around Usagi made her feel....well...happier. She wasn't too thrilled aobut the engagement but she could handle it and she got a new friend out of it. Things were looking up.
Outside in the Tendo's front yard hidden in the bushes a small black form watched the group of people in the house through two narrowed eyes. It shifted it's position and a brief bit of light from inside illuminated it briefly, just long enough for a crescent moon shaped mark on it's forehead to gleam for a moment. A tired sigh came from the form as it moved back into the bushes to rest for a while.
"She's back. I just hope she rememebers me....and her destiny.", the small form said to itself.
In a dark, spaceless void an air of utter silence pervades. A small speck of light forms suddenly and then explodes outwards in a massive purple and black vortex, a deafening sound of rushing air and screams come from the other side. The vortex writhes and swirls and then as suddenly as it came it disappears. Left standing there is a tall man with cold blue eyes and dressed in what appears to be a black gi with a black rose pinned over his heart. Also standing by him and holding a staff is a tall evil looking woman with a long flowing mane of red hair and deep red eyes. She lightly holds a staff in one hand an orb hovering just above the top. The women smirks and chuckles softly to herself turning to look at the man.
"Finally my Prince. We have returned.", the woman says in an almost sultry tone of voice.
"Yes Queen Beryl. We have. And with no Sailor Moon to stop us this time. Earth is as good as ours."
