Disclaimer: None of this, except for the situation, is mine. (As you well 
know) If you believe it is, you are so stupid you should probably put a 
drool guard on your keyboard....right now.

Note-I'm still learning about the joys of formatting. now....*  * means 
thoughts.

                Chapter Two: No Need for Further Complications

	In the depths of the lab of the greatest scientific genius in the
universe, there was never a stop to the activity. At any given moment,
some piece of exotic or esoteric machinery was whirring, humming,
beeping or making some other such noise that is a given with properly
functioning equipment, unlike the more peaceful and quiet nature of the
upper levels. However, the lab's mistress was completely oblivious to
the background noise. In point of fact, she was oblivious to most of
what was going on at the moment, save for the status of her two
patients, her erstwhile daughter, Ryoko, and Yosho's recently revealed
grandson, one Ranma Saotome. Washu looked at the prone form on the lab
table, and felt an inward chill once again.* Every time I look, she
thought, I can't believe my eyes. How is this possible?* She put a hand
to her chest and sighed. Feeling something amiss, she looked down, and
noted she was much more.developed than she had been earlier in the day.

	*Huh? When did I shift to my adult age?* It was a measure of
exactly how flustered the being with the highest IQ on the planet was
that it took her a moment to remember that she had been asked by Tenchi
to be an adult when his cousin woke up. He had said something about
humans not generally receiving medical care from twelve year olds, but
to be thoroughly honest, she hadn't been listening. She had been
overcome by a wave of memories that had been triggered by her first
close look at the new addition to their happy home. *Kami-sama,* Washu
thought dazedly, *All that's missing is the hair. He looks so much like.*
The thought was left incomplete, interrupted by the stirring of her new
patient. She shook off her reverie, glad to be doing something. She
moved to the bedside as Ranma's eyes cracked open and he groaned
softly, and tried to summon her customary mad scientist air, but she
just couldn't. Not right now. Smiling gently instead, she leaned toward
him.
	"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly. He didn't answer, and
Washu frowned. She spared a glance at a monitor by Ranma's head, and
noted his brainwaves were still erratic. He needed a few more hours
rest, she judged, and began the prepare a sub-epidermal sedative. Ranma
groaned again, taking her attention away from her task for a moment,
and his eyes focused on her, with what seemed to be a great force of
will.
	"Kawaii.," he breathed drunkenly, and lapsed once again into
unconsciousness, leaving Washu speechless, her face nearly the same
color red as her hair.
	*Oh.oh boy.*

		#		#

	It could not be said that Genma Saotome was easily intimidated.
Not because he was brave, oh no. Not much made him nervous, because he
prided himself on always having an out, an escape plan. Not necessarily
a moral or particularly intelligent escape plan, but he'd never had to
face negative consequences that he hadn't chose to. Which really wasn't
very often. So he wasn't afraid of much. In fact, there were precisely
three things on the planet that made him nervous. Scratch that,
TERRIFIED.

	Two of them were sitting in front of him right now.

	Trying desperately not to act like a cornered animal, Genma
addressed his wife and her katana.
	"Why have you called this meeting, No-chan? Where is Nabiki and
our son?" he asked Nodoka as calmly as he could. Ranma and Nabiki had
been missing for five days, and then Nodoka formally asked for a
meeting with the head of the Tendo clan. He had thought at first it was
mere coincidence, but upon further reflection, he dismissed the idea.
Something was up, and all the signs pointed to his wife. Ignoring her
husband's question, Nodoka simply shot him a look that could freeze
flame in an instant. He tried not to wince, failing miserably, and fell
silent. There was no talking to her when she was like this. He just had
to ride it out and hope that he emerged with his head still attached to
his shoulders. He shook his head slightly, as he spied Soun Tendo,
seated beside him, open his mouth to speak. Soun, while being less bold
than his friend, was certainly a good deal smarter. Which still wasn't
saying much. Nonetheless, he too was silent, as the two men sat across
from Nodoka in the Tendo family dining room, trying hard to look
anywhere but at the blazing eyes of the woman across the table. After
what seemed like an eternity, The silence was interrupted by a loud
slam of the front door.
	"I'm home!" came the slightly exasperated voice of the youngest
Tendo. Tearing her furious gaze from the two men in front of her,
Nodoka called out to her.
	"Could you join us in the dining room, Akane-chan?" After a
moment, Akane answered.
	"Hai," After a moment, the somewhat subdued countenance of Akane
Tendo came into view. Glancing curiously at her father and Genma, she
joined the two men at the table. Nodoka nodded decisively.
	"Now we can begin. Kasumi-chan? Come in now, please," from around
the corner, the eldest daughter of Tendo family stepped into the room,
gently assisting her sister, Nabiki. On seeing Nabiki, Akane let out a
strangled gasp. The middle Tendo sister was a mess. Her normally
immaculate short brown hair was disheveled and dirty, marred by a clean
white bandage wrapped around her head. Her face was a mass of bruises,
and her shirt was torn just below her breasts, revealing another stark
white bandage protecting her abused ribcage. Completing the picture was
a third bandage on her thigh that a close inspection would reveal faint
rust-colored stains beginning to seep through. Kasumi helped her
sister, who was hampered by a pronounced limp, to the foot of the
table, whereupon Nabiki gingerly sat down. Wincing slightly, she looked
up and gave her older sister a grateful smile.
	"Thanks, sis," she said weakly. Kasumi smiled warmly back and
nodded. The smile faded abruptly as her gaze fell upon the two men
across from Nodoka. Even Genma shivered as his internal list of things
he was afraid of grew to four. Kasumi went around the table and seated
herself at its head. As she did, Akane finally swung her horrified gaze
around to the woman who had called the meeting.
	"Auntie, what, who.," she gibbered, until a strange light came
into her eyes. "Ranma!" she breathed, looking around, and noting the
absence of the pig-tailed martial artist. Jumping to her usual
conclusion, she roared. "That.That PERVERT!!! That's why he isn't here,
isn't it?! He's finally gone too far!!!!" Inspired by his youngest
daughter's sudden burst of fury, Soun Tendo leapt up from his seated
position, and unleashed the full fury of his Demon's Head attack at
Nodoka.
	"What has Ranma done to MY LITTLE GIRL??!!" He became so lost in
his sudden fury at the perceived wrong that he didn't notice Nodoka
reach for her katana. Without even batting an eye at the frightening
display, in one smooth motion, Nodoka drew her katana, sliced off the
striking tongue of Soun's attack with a single stroke. The large head
looked at the severed appendage with an almost comical expression of
cross-eyed dismay, and vanished with a loud `pop'.
	"Please be silent, Tendo-san," Nodoka said mildly as she replaced
the sword in it's sheath. Soun gazed at her in wide-eyed astonishment,
and no small amount of fear. "Now, Ranma...," she began, when she was
interrupted again by Akane.
	"Where is he?!" she growled. "I'll kill him!" Kasumi opened her
mouth to respond to that, but was stopped by a gesture from Nabiki.
	"Hold it, Sis," Nabiki told her older sister. "I'll field this
one," Kasumi nodded and remained silent. The kitchen was still for a
moment when the silence was broken by the resounding crack of flesh
meeting flesh.
	Akane held her hand to her already reddening cheek, staring at
her injured sister in shocked amazement as Nabiki let her arm drop.
	"Grow up, Little sister," Nabiki snarled, though the effect was
somewhat muted by her haggard appearance. "Not everything is Ranma's
fault. If you're looking to blame someone for what happened to me, you
can start with yourself!" Akane protested at that.
	"How could I have done." she began, but Nabiki cut her off with a
slashing gesture.
	"No. You didn't attack me, but If you hadn't been making life so
hard for poor Ranma, he wouldn't have needed me to help him disappear
so often. Do you remember the last five conversations you've had with
Ranma?"
	"Of course!" Akane cried indignantly. Nabiki nodded.
	"Fine. Now how many of them didn't end with you pulling your
damned mallet on him?" she asked reasonably. Akane looked
uncomfortable.
	"Um.None, But."
	"Exactly!." Nabiki retorted. She was about to continue when Soun
interjected,
	"Nabiki, perhaps."
	"Quiet, Daddy," Nabiki snapped. Soun looked startled, but did as
he was told. Without missing a beat, she continued relentlessly. "Now,
I'll admit Ranma does say the wrong thing sometimes, but how many times
out of the last five did he deserve what you did to him?"
	"Um." Akane's flustered hedging seemed to further infuriate the
middle Tendo girl.
	"I'll TELL you! None! The first time, he said `hey! These cookies
are pretty good!', and asked if you made them. Without warning, the
entire neighborhood was treated to a long, ranting speech about how you
aren't a bad cook, and how Ranma is such a JERK!" Nabiki's voice rose
dramatically in pitch on the last word, a credible imitation of Akane's
usual screech.
	"I didn't make them," Akane whispered. "Kasumi did,"
	"And that makes it alright?" Nabiki asked incredulously. "Kami-
sama! He was looking for a reason to compliment you! Lord knows you
make it difficult sometimes! And how about how he happened to mention
how those coats in the department store would look good on Ukyo? A loud
screaming fit about how he should go marry his CUTE fianc‚e, and you
belted him through the skylight of the mall! Do I need to go on? Is it
any wonder he needed to get away so often?" Akane hung her head,
staring at the table, and shook it slightly. Nodoka watched with
appalled dismay. Ranma had told her how bad the situation had become,
and yet it appeared he had been understating the case. If what Nabiki
was saying was accurate, Ranma had glossed over the worst of the
troubles with his reluctant fiancee. She knew Ranma had had strong
feelings for the girl in front of her at one time, and in fact, still
cared for her, but there appeared to be too much bad blood between the
two of them to be able to expect a happy marriage to come from it. She
cleared her throat quietly, interrupting the argument.
	"As I was saying," she began pointedly, glancing at the sisters
and idly noting the embarrassed flush on both their cheeks, "Ranma is
what I've come here to discuss. It would seem, that save for Nabiki-
chan, no one has looked out for the welfare of my son during the two
years he has resided in this home," At this, Nabiki shook her head, the
anger in her eyes dissolving into a uneasy guilt.
	"No," she said quietly. Nodoka blinked.
	"Pardon me?"
	"You're giving me too much credit, Auntie. I've taken advantage
of Ranma since day one. I helped him out some, but I've done far more
harm than good," she said miserably. Genma and Soun stared at the
conversation happening all around them in mystified fascination. It was
obvious that something _Very Big_ was happening, but since they
possessed the combined sensitivity of lint ball, they could not, for
the life of them, grasp what it was. Nodoka smiled warmly at Nabiki.
	"I presume you're referring to your business activities that
centered around my son?" she asked kindly. Nabiki nodded morosely.
"Ranma knows, Nabiki, and he doesn't mind. After all, when a father,"
she paused a moment to glare across the table at Soun, eliciting a
slight whimper. "leaves the task of providing for the family
financially up to his daughters, the blame can hardly be lain at the
feet of a young girl who has done an adult's task so well," Nabiki
looked up at Nodoka, with a kind of dawning wonder in her eyes.
	"He-he knows?" she asked hesitantly. "And he doesn't hate me?"
	Nodoka's smile only grew wider. "Hai," she said simply. "And he
asked me to tell you, before we saw him off last night, that he's grateful 
you
were on his side this past  year. He talked quite a bit about how you risked
yourself to help him.  You were a good friend to him, Nabiki-chan," Nodoka
looked at the girl, warmly amused at the open gratitude on her face. The
calculating, cold-hearted girl had changed quite a bit in the time she had 
begun visiting
the Tendo home.
	"Thank you," Nabiki whispered. Kasumi smiled at the two from her
seat at the head of the table. *I'm glad that Nabiki-chan can sleep
without guilt from now on,* she thought to herself.* I hope I can manage
a family half as well as Auntie Saotome when the time comes*. With that
thought, her smile turned slightly wistful as she continued to observe
the proceedings. *Oh, Tofu-chan*. She thought wistfully as the moment
between Ranma's mother and Nabiki was broken. Nodoka nodded gently to
Nabiki, and turned back to the two fathers.
	"Now, I am here on my son's behalf to negotiate a satisfactory
dissolution to the marriage agreement between the Tendo and Saotome
families," she said firmly. The two men, silent until now, could not
have reacted more strongly if the slight woman had tossed a live
grenade onto the table.
	"Now see here.!" Soun began as Genma also looked ready to object.
Nodoka silenced the two of them with a gesture.
	"Now, as it has become obvious..." Nodoka trailed off as a white
faced Akane stood up. She stared at the table for a few moments as a
single tear tracked down her cheek. Without a word, she left the room.
Kasumi stood up as Nodoka watched the youngest Tendo leave.
	"I'll go talk to her, Auntie," said Kasumi calmly, and followed
her little sister from the room. Nodoka nodded. Once Genma and Soun's
gaze returned to her, she picked up right where she left off, though
more softly, in deference to the feelings of the crushed girl who had
just left.
	"It has become obvious, that due to your bungling interference
and indifference to their feelings, little opportunity remains to
salvage a relationship between Ranma and Akane," she paused for a
moment, glaring at the two of them, as if daring them to disagree. When
no such disagreement was forthcoming, she continued. "Therefore for the
sake of my son's happiness, and the honor of the Saotome clan, I have
come to resolve the situation," After a moment's thought, Soun
leaned to his friend.
	"Can she do that?" He asked. Genma sighed heavily.
	"Unfortunately Tendo, yes, she can. She's been the Saotome clan
head ever since I took Ranma away to train," he told his friend. Soun
looked worried.
	"Saotome, This cannot stand. Our clans MUST be united. Otherwise...,"
Soun left the thought unfinished, as though it went without saying. Genma 
nodded gravely.
They turned back to Nodoka, wide smiles plastered onto both their faces.
Nodoka Saotome sweatdropped.

----------------
	Later.
---------------
	Nodoka and Nabiki sat together on one side of the table, facing
Genma and Soun on the other. Nabiki slammed her fist onto the table,
wincing slightly at the pain the shock produced.
	"Why won't you give up on this? Ranma and Akane are never getting
married!" she asked, exasperated.
	"Unacceptable," Soun said flatly. "The agreement is a matter of
honor. It must be maintained," Nabiki stifled an ever increasing urge
to point out that they were in no position to lecture anyone about
honor. Beside her, Nodoka's eyes narrowed.
	"You leave me no choice then," she grated. "I had hoped to
salvage my clan's honor, but I will not put it above my son's
happiness. The agreement is broken," she said flatly. Nabiki watched
their reactions carefully. Genma gasped, horrified, and her father.his
eyes darted right and left, then.
	"Wait!" he called desperately as Nodoka made to leave. Nabiki
frowned. He's desperate. She thought. Why? Oblivious to his daughter's
intense scrutiny, Soun bigsweated as Nodoka turned back to the two men.
	"Perhaps.a compromise can be reached?" he offered. Nodoka's gaze
was unreadable.
	"Very well. I will listen," she said, neutrally.
-----------------
	Later still.
-----------------
	"You want me to what??!!"
	"Nabiki-chan, please! For your family's honor, I implore you!"
	"You're nuts, Daddy! After what we put Ranma through he'd be
crazy to want anything to do with us, much less me!" Nabiki glanced at
Nodoka for help, but the exhausted woman merely shrugged. They had been
arguing with her father and Mr. Saotome for the better part of the day,
and when she'd got up once to go to the bathroom, a ridiculously
difficult and lengthy task when one was hampered by injuries, and she'd
returned to this. Apparently, they had conceded that there seemed
little hope of Ranma and Akane getting married, so, with typical
irrational logic, they had decided that she would accept Akane's place
in the arrangement. Nodoka looked weary and confused. She didn't
understand the doggedness with which the two men pursued the matter
either. She sighed and gave Nabiki a look that seemed to say, `your
call'. Nabiki opened her mouth, getting ready to argue, but decided it
wouldn't do any good. If there was one thing she knew, it was when to
cut her losses. But that didn't mean she couldn't build an escape plan
into the agreement. For Ranma's sake, if nothing else. Sighing deeply,
she turned to the two men.
	"Fine. On one condition," she said sharply. Her father looked
exultant.
	"Anything! Name your price!" Nabiki winced at the reminder of how
most of the world viewed her.
	"That this is all dependent on Ranma. If he decides that it's
over, you can't force us together, and the contract is dissolved," she
said tightly. Her father looked dubious, but Genma agreed instantly.
	"Done!" shouted the rotund martial artist. "On one further
condition. You and Ranma must both give it a fair chance. After one
year together, if you so choose, Ranma may end the agreement," Nabiki
sighed. She had sunk all of her savings into repairing the dojo, so due
to her lack of finances, she would be ronin for a year anyway, so she
couldn't disagree. She glanced over at Nodoka who merely said,
	"It seems to be the best we can do," she murmured. "Are you sure,
Nabiki?"
	Nabiki shrugged. "I guess so." she said absently. Sorry, Ranma-kun, but 
this does
give you an out. I can't really say no, not after all I've done to
you.Nodoka nodded.
	"Very well. Done," she told the two celebrating men. Nabiki
wondered what she was getting into, and yawned deeply as Nodoka sealed
the new agreement with the two men. Both Nodoka and Nabiki were
thinking the same thing at that moment, namely.
	How am I going to break this to Ranma?

	#		#		#

	Ryoko opened her eyes a crack and immediately winced at the
stabbing pain the illumination produced. She heard a rustling to the
side, and Washu came into view. Staring at the woman who claimed to be
her mother with her amber eyes narrowed, Ryoko noted with mild surprise
that Washu was currently `adult'. *She hates looking like that, Ryoko
mused to herself. I wonder what the occasion is?* Washu looked down and
noted Ryoko was awake, and an impish grin lit her features.
	"How's my little Ryoko feeling?" she cooed, pinching Ryoko's
cheek, jut a tad too hard. The stabbing pain mutated into a full blown
headache.
	"Dammit, Washu, cut it out!" she snarled, beginning to sit up.
Halfway through, she thought better of it as the room began to spin
wildly. She lay back down, covering her mouth with one hand.
"Urk," she managed, and closed her eyes for a moment. As the
spinning sensation and accompanying nausea began to recede, She opened
her eyes again, mentally warning her surroundings to behave themselves.
"Did anyone get the number of the Galaxy Police cruiser that hit me?"
she asked weakly. Washu blinked.
	"Eh?"
	"Why else would I ache so much?" Ryoko went on sourly. "It
certainly feels like some one hit me with a spaceship. Maybe a few of
`em," she amended, feeling a particularly tender spot on her leg. Washu
looked at her sharply, interested.
	"Tell me, Ryoko, what do you remember?" she asked intently. Ryoko
looked surprised. She closed her eyes in thought, running a hand
through her spiky cyan hair.
	"It's pretty fuzzy, actually," she admitted. "I drank way, way
more of the sake bottle than I meant to."
	"All of it, in fact," Washu put in, smirking. Ryoko blinked.
	"I did? Hmm. Anyway, I remember swearing at the bottle `cause I
was hoping to trick Tenchi into drinking some..." Washu cackled at that,
and Ryoko smirked a little, but grimaced as the headache reasserted
itself. And then, I remember.a fight?" she frowned. Washu nodded.
	"Yep. You scared the daylights out of Ryo-Ohki when she felt it
through your link," The red-haired scientist commented, chuckling.
Ryoko frowned. She remember that she didn't recognize her opponent, and
if she'd fought a human drunk...
	"I didn't kill anybody, did I?" Washu looked Ryoko sideways for a
moment, then burst into full blown laughter. Ryoko sat up, (slowly this
time), and glared at her.
	"What?" she snapped. When Washu's giggling fit died out, she
grinned at Ryoko, shaking her head. Ryoko was slightly disconcerted.
Dealing with Washu ordinarily was no problem, as her less intimidating
child form allowed Ryoko at least the illusion that she was in nominal
control of her dealings with the genius scientist. But the easy
confidence of the fully adult Washu even in the face of Ryoko's most
intimidating stares, (And they WERE intimidating. Ask anyone on Jurai)
left her off balance.
	"To think that a child of mine could have such an ego," Washu
stated, smiling as she spoke. Ryoko growled.
	"What's so surprising about that, Miss Greatest Genius Scientist
in the Universe? If you are my mother, I come by it honestly," she
muttered sourly. Washu's teasing smile grew even wider.
	"That's just the facts, Ryoko-chan, just the facts," she said
merrily, tossing her long mane of bright red hair. "In any case, you're
right, there was a fight. You lost," Ryoko blinked, stunned at the
unexpected news.
	"I-I lost?" she asked incredulously. Washu nodded.
	"To him," she said, offhandedly, pointing to another prone form
on a bed a little further down. Ryoko looked, and on the bed was a boy,
about eighteen with a shock of unruly black hair tied back in a
pigtail, sleeping soundly.
	"Who is he?" she asked, carefully getting off the bed and walking
over to the boy. She heard an oddly careful tone in her `mother's'
voice as Washu replied,
	"His name's Ranma Saotome, and apparently, he's also Yosho's
grandson," Ryoko surprised at that bit of news, looked over at Washu,
who was also examining the boy. Ryoko noted an odd look in her emerald
eyes, one she'd never seen Washu use before when she looked at him. She
reached out mentally for the link she and Washu shared to find Washu's
mental shields solidly blocking her every probe.
	"So. If he's part Juraian, He must have beat me with Light Hawk
wings or something, right?" Washu grinned.
	"Nope. Just plain old human fighting skills.plus an extremely
strange attack. He created a hurricane, using only a bio-electric
energy field if some sort, and caught you up in it," Ryoko pondered
that. That would explain the way she felt right now, that's for sure.
The thoughts of the two women were interrupted by a soft rapping sound.
Washu turned and saw Yosho standing in the doorway.
	"Come in," she invited cheerily. "He should be waking up any
minute," Ryoko stepped back as Yosho quietly entered the room and stood
by the table. Washu glanced at the monitors and counted under her
breath. "Three, two one, Now!" she whispered. At that exact moment, the
monitors began to beep and Ranma groaned, then sat bolt upright.
	"KAWAIIKUNE!!!" he shouted, startling the three people standing
at his bedside. Slowly, he seemed to focus on his surroundings. "Wha-?
Where am I?" he said dazedly. Yosho smiled.
	"You're in our home, Ranma," he answered gently. Ranma blinked.
	"Who're you?" he asked curiously. Yosho inclined his head.
	"I am your grandfather, Katsuhito Masaki," he said. "And this is
Washu Habuki, a guest here. She's been looking after you while you were
unconscious," this last was said, gesturing at the red-haired woman
beside him. Ranma looked at her, and was flabbergasted. The girl his
grandfather was pointing to seemed to be about Kasumi's age, and was,
frankly, stunning. She had the greenest eyes he had ever seen..He
realized he was staring when her cheeks reddened. He tore his gaze
away, scratching the base of his pigtail chuckling sheepishly, as Yosho
and Ryoko both noted Washu's odd reaction.* When did she get shy?* Ryoko
wondered.
	"Heh. I guess that explains the shrine outfit, ne? Pleased ta
meet'cha both. Sorry I'm late. I couldn't find the place, and on the
trail, this crazy chick jumped me." Ranma said, uncomfortably.
	"Hey!" Ryoko protested. Ranma stiffened as he caught sight of the
cyan haired girl, standing slightly behind Yosho and Washu.
	"Ah.You ain't gonna try an' kill me no more?" Ryoko fumed for a
moment, then opened her mouth to berate the newcomer, when Yosho spoke
first.
	"He will be living in the house Ryoko, so perhaps you two should
start over," The priest commented mildly. Ranma watched the interplay
between the old man and the girl with interest. *Well, if there's one
thing I learned from dealin' with Akane, It's that it never hurts to
apologize. Even if it ain't my fault, I really don't wanna get off on
the wrong foot here, if I can help it,* he thought. He slid off the bed
and faced Ryoko.
	"I-ah.Gomen," he stuttered, wincing. *Ah, man! I'm not good at
this*. Fortunately, Ryoko's anger was derailed by the unexpected
apology.
	"Listen you! I- What?" she asked, confused. Ranma looked at the
ground.
	"I- I'm sorry that I fought ya. I guess it was kinda rude. For
what it's worth though, Y' fight pretty good." he trailed off as
realized he had been about to say, 'Y'know, for a girl'. Ryoko blinked,
assimilating the new experience of being apologized to. Especially for
something that was, technically, her fault. She chuckled nervously.
	"Ah, Thanks," she told him hesitantly. *Geez,* Ryoko chided
herself, *You'd think no one had ever been nice to me before.Oh wait. No
one has. Except maybe Tenchi or Sasami*. "I guess I should say sorry
too. I get kind of wild when I drink too much," she explained. Ranma
smiled when he saw she'd let him off the hook.
	"Hey, It's no problem. My Pop was kinda like that too. I'm big
enough to defend myself now, so I don't mind," He said dismissively.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the expression of his recently
met grandfather hardening. Washu was frowning as well.
	"Your father beat you?" she asked tightly. Ranma smiled wanly.
	"Not `zactly," he explained uneasily, "He never hauled off and
smacked me, like some dad's do, but when we trained while he was drunk,
he hit harder and stuff. I don't think he meant to, or nothing," he
continued hastily, seeing his grandfather's expression continue to
darken, "It was just he couldn't pull his punches properly. Toughened
me up some, though," he commented.
	"He did that.to a child? His child??!" Washu's own anger was
dissipated somewhat by this heated exclamation from Yosho. She was
further surprised by Ranma's next statement.
	"Trust me. I'da been a lot better off if that's all he'd done,"
Ranma said bitterly. Yosho blinked at that. What else could Genma
possibly have done to his grandson? As it was, Yosho, normally an
extremely controlled person, was contemplating various painful methods
of death for him. He was about to ask when Ranma shook his head. "Never
mind. I'll tell all of ya a bit later anyway. You'll probl'y need to
know," he said wearily. Yosho took the hint. Forcing a smile onto his
face, he was about to change the subject when Ranma's stomach made it's
presence known rather loudly, evaporating much of the tension in the
room. Yosho blinked and smiled slightly.
	"You've been unconscious for quite some time," he observed wryly.
Ranma looked interested on hearing that.
	"Oh yeah? How long?"
	"About fourteen hours, ten minutes and thirty-two seconds" Washu
answered cheerily. Ranma sweatdropped.
	"About?" he intoned, faintly sarcastically. Washu grinned.
	"I could give you the milliseconds, if you'd like," she offered.
Ranma blinked, but he couldn't help grinning back.
	"Ah, that's OK," he assured her. "I guess that's why I'm so
hungry," Hearing this, Ryoko spoke up tentatively.
	"I know what that's like," she chuckled. "C'mon. Sasami usually
keeps leftovers in the fridge, and she's a great cook," Ranma perked up
considerably at that.
	"Great! Let's go," he responded eagerly. Ryoko and Ranma left the
room, talking, the foundations of a tentative friendship formed. Yosho
glanced at Washu as they left, and they began to follow the two
teenagers.
	"Washu, are you...?" Washu smiled faintly.
	"I should have known I couldn't hide it from you. Please.don't
ask right now, OK? I'm not ready to deal with it yet," she said without
looking at the man beside her. Yosho nodded.
	"Later then," he said in a tone that indicated he didn't expect
to be refused. Washu shot him an irritated look, but nodded.
	"Maybe," was all she said.

		#		#		#

	Ranma looked over the people who had gathered in what had turned
out to be his uncle's living room with mild trepidation. He was well
fed now, but it was time to face the people in whose home he would be
staying for the foreseeable future. Despite having no indication that
these were anything other than warm, friendly people, his stomach was
still tied up in knots.* Ok, Saotome, you can do this,* he encouraged
himself nervously.* Even though I've got a lousy track record with
introductions, there must have been one that hasn't ended with someone
wanting ta either kill or marry me*. He thought hard for a moment, and
came up empty.* Nope, I'm gonna die.*
	Yosho looked around from where he was standing beside Ranma and
surveyed the room. Every one seemed to be here, but. He turned to Ayeka
at her customary seat on Tenchi's left, and asked the purple haired
girl,
	"Ayeka, where is Sasami?" Ayeka smiled a little.
	"She thought that Lord Ranma might benefit from a little
refreshment while he was being introduced. Ranma started out of his
fatalistic predictions when his name was mentioned. He glanced at the
regal looking girl with purple hair for a moment, briefly wondering if
she had Amazon origins.
	"Um.You don't gotta call me that, Lady. Just Ranma is fine," he
told her uneasily. Ayeka looked surprised for a moment, then shrugged
and smiled for Ranma's benefit.
	"As you wish, Lord Ranma," she said calmly, with a small grin. He
was about to correct her, when Ryoko, sitting on the other side of the
young man who had introduced himself as Tenchi caught his eye. She
shook her head slowly then gestured to Ayeka and pointed to her head,
turning the finger in a slow circle. He blinked, and resigned himself
to the Ayeka's quirk when the little blue haired girl he had rescued
from his Hiryu Shouten Ha emerged from the kitchen, carrying what
looked to be a very heavy tray, loaded with a pitcher of cold lemonade
and glasses. As she slowly made her way into the living room, A blonde
woman Ranma hadn't been introduced to yet stood up and began walking
toward the cute little blue haired girl.
	"Wait Sasami-chan, let me help you with that," she said
cheerfully. Sasami smiled brightly at her, looking a little strained.
	"It's ok, Mihoshi," she responded. "I'm almost- eek!" Sasami
squeaked as Mihoshi's toe caught the edge of a floorboard. Ranma felt
the hair on the back of his neck stand up as the blonde woman fell flat
on her face behind him. His danger sense began to blare as Tenchi sat
bolt upright and yelled,
	"Sasami! Look out!" With remarkable clarity, Ranma knew just what
had happened. Oh man!!! He thought, panicked. True to the abysmal luck
of those with Jusenkyo curses, Sasami tripped over Mihoshi's
outstretched arm, flinging the lemonade and glasses forward, into the
room, and more significantly.toward the group of people Ranma was
standing near. As the pitcher of yellow fluid arced toward him in mid-
air, Ranma whipped around, seeing his own personal 'Murphy's law' go into
effect. He knew he had no time left to dodge, so he simple threw his
arms up to protect his face from the flying glasses, silently cursing his 
luck.
As the lemonade struck him, triggering the by now, hated change,
time seemed to stretch into slow motion at he shrank several inches,
his hair lightened and his chest and hips grew considerably.curvier.
Time snapped back to normal speed as Ranma sighed and ran a hand
through her wet hair, brushing it out of her eyes, and turned to face
the shocked gaze of the entire Masaki household. The moment stretched
as if everyone were afraid to shatter the surrealness of the situation.
Then with agonizing slowness, a single drop of blood trickled from
Tenchi's nose as he stared at the buxom redhead whose wet shirt clung...
revealingly to a VERY female chest, had abruptly replaced his cousin.
That seemed to spur everyone into motion. Ayeka leapt up, her mini-logs
deploying in a protective force field over Tenchi and herself with a blazing
crackle of electricity. Ryoko too jumped up, activating her energy sword
as Mihoshi cringed and moved to stand behind Yosho. The only one who
didn't seem alarmed was Washu, who had been standing off to the side
of the whole situation. She simply frowned and activated her subspace
computer, and began working busily at it, scratching her head every once
in awhile. Ryoko and Ranma stared at each other for a moment, then Ryoko
broke the silence.
	"Who the hell are you, lady!" Ranma winced at being called that
and sighed deeply.
	"You ain't gonna believe it, but.My name's Ranma Saotome."

__________________________

Next Time: Ranma explains the fact of his curse, and the Masakis
are amazed to meet someone easily as strange as they are. Also, the
villains of the piece reveal themselves, as Washu's interest in Ranma
has not gone unnoticed. Please look forward to it!

___________________________

AN: This is just a slight update, as I'm very nearly finished
Chapter 3. I expected it to be finished a great deal earlier, but
trying to explain everything adequately, without overdoing the
information is extremely difficult. Also, some say Nabiki might be out
of character here, but, believe it or not, Genma and Soun have a good
reason for pushing ANY wedding between the Saotomes. But, I'll get to
that later. ^_-