AN: Sorry for the long absence. I got cut off from the net for a while. I'm just giving this a trial run to see if I should continue it. As I said of previous stories, I'm not sure I'll be writing much, but at least I'm back online.

From the Top

Hidden in the Bayankara Range, in the Mt Quaichin Region, in the Qinghai Province of China, lie the springs of Jusenkyo. This vast region, with its many pools, is rarely ever visited, even by the locals that live nearby. Yet on this day, two seasoned travellers, new to the area, had just arrived, led by a local guide. They would soon learn just why people avoided the place.

They had just come to a collection of pools when the Guide turned and spoke. "Here, sirs, we have forbidden training ground," he said, "Accursed Springs, Jusenkyo."

"This place ain't as bad as I thought," said the younger traveller.

"You two very strange customers, no?" said the Guide. "No one use training ground now. Over one hundred spring here and each have own tragedy happen there."

"Quit gawking, boy!" said the elder of the two travellers. "Follow me!" Having said that, the fat, bald traveller dressed in a dirty, white gi hopped up to one of the bamboo poles sticking out of the many pools with surprising agility for a man of his girth.

"Sir, come down from there!" yelled the Guide. "I no finish tragic story!"

"Maybe we should listen to him, pop!" said the young traveller.

"Have you become such a weak girl that you would put off training, boy?! You've grown soft!"

"That's it! Yer goin down, old man!" With that, the fit, young traveller with the ponytail, wearing the cleaner white gi, jumped up to join the older traveller on another pole.

"Please, come down, sirs!" the Guide yelled frantically. "It very bad you fall in spring!"

"I won't go easy on you, boy," said the older traveller.

"That's just how I like it," was the reply. And then came the end of their lives as they knew them, for, as they began to spar, the pony-tailed traveller knocked the fat one into a spring. "We done, oyaji?" called the pony-tailed traveller when his father didn't resurface. Suddenly, the waters of the spring began to surge as a form erupted from it. Only, instead of it being a bald, fat man, the form that emerged was that of a fat, middle-aged woman. "What the hell…?!"

"He fall in 'Spring of Drowned Woman'," said the Guide. "There, very tragic tale of woman what drown two thousand three hundred year ago. Now, whatever fall in spring take body of woman."

"Why didn't you say so before?!" It was a shame the boy turned away to ask that question, for the other traveller, still in battle mode and not paying the Guide any heed, took advantage of the opening to land a punch, knocking the boy into another spring.

"Too bad," said the Guide. "He fall in 'Spring of Drowned Girl'. Tragic story of girl what drown there one thousand five hundred year ago. Now, whatever fall in spring take body of young girl." The boy, who had surfaced just in time to hear that last part and noticed that things felt a bit… off, took stuck of all pertinent parts before opening his gi and looking down… "AHHHH!!!" only to find new, rather large, parts. "You see?" the Guide continued. "Now you young girl. It no is permanent though. Cold water turn you and other sir to womans, hot water turn you back."

'Okay, okay,' thought the young traveller. 'I can handle this. After all, he said it ain't permanent.'

"What are you talking about?" asked the older traveller, still not noticing the change.

"Sirs now have curse, yes?" said the Guide. "You now turn into woman while young sir turn into young girl. You very lucky though. At least you no turn into animal and curses right age."

Finally starting to catch on, especially after hearing his… er, her own voice, the other traveller also takes stock of his new body… and instantly passes out.

Several hours later, we see our two very weary travellers trudging along on a dirt road led by their guide. "Very soon, sirs," said the Guide, "we come to village of Nyuchiehzu."

"Nyuchiehzu?" said the young traveller. "Is that some kinda food?" The two travellers had run out of rations long ago and hadn't eaten in days… at least, the young one hadn't.

"Is village of Amazon womans," said the Guide as they entered the village. "They live in valley long time. Can teach sirs about curse. No can cure though. Jusenkyo no have cure." There were sounds of cheering up ahead and, as they turned the corner, they were greeted by the sight of a huge crowd. "You in for real treat, sirs." They were in what seemed to be the village square. It was packed with people who had their attention focussed on a log that was suspended in the air by cables. On it were two people. "Today, womans have tournament."

The young traveller was looking at one of the contenders, a bulky, broad-faced, masculine-looking person. "That's a woman?" she asked.

"Other one more pretty, no?" said the Guide, pointing at the other contender, a busty, long-haired beauty. "Besides," he continued, "no is like you no see ugly woman before." Thus reminded of his father, the young traveller shut up. "Tournament only happen once a year. Winning is great honour." As the young traveller and the Guide were talking, the pretty girl won the match. Unfortunately, the other traveller had not been idle. Alerted by the munching sounds, now audible due to the dead silence of the crowd, the guide turned to look at the other traveller, who was seated at an overflowing banquet table. "What you eating there, sir?" He only had time to read the sign that said 'First Prize' when the bonbori came crashing down, followed by the girl that threw it.

She blasted them in Chinese, which was translated by the Guide, "'Who you? Why you eat my prize?' she say."

"Huh?" asked the elder of the two travellers while the younger just put her hand on her forehead and moaned.

The girl fired off more Chinese and the Guide translated, "'Today, I champion. Feast is prize,' she say."

"Baka oyaji!" yelled the younger traveller to the older, not realizing that the Guide was still translating. "Can't you ever think before ya act, you moron?! You coulda asked first!"

"Quiet, boy!" the older traveller yelled. "Have I taught you nothing?! 'Eat whenever you can, for you never know when you may get another chance'!"

"That's just an excuse for you ta stuff yer greedy face!"

As they were having their little shouting match, a gnome-like little creature on a stick, who had heard everything, hopped up to them. "There is a way to correct this," it said in a quiet and raspy, yet carrying voice.

The villagers and the two travellers turned to look at the creature. "AHH!! A mummy!" yelled the younger, earning her a bop on the head with the stick.

"Mind your manners, child," said the creature. I am Kho Lon, one of the elders of this village, and you're on thin ice as it is."

"S-sorry," the girl said contritely, rubbing the new bump on her head.

"As I was saying, this matter is easily rectified if the offender is willing to fight the champion. If you win, you will go free. If you lose, you will be punished like any other thief."

"Fine, I'll fight the girl," said the older traveller. "It's not like she'll win," he muttered under his breath, but still loud enough to be heard by the girl in question.

"Very well, but first, return to your natural form."

"Huh?" the traveller looked down. "Oh, right." She then took the kettle that was handed to her for the purpose and turned back into a fat, bald man.

The elder, guessing that the traveller's birth form would be none too attractive, was hoping that, considering the possible consequences, such a thing would make the champ approach this fight with caution. She was wrong. It was over in about a minute, the champ was down, and the villagers looking at her with pity in their eyes. Sadly, the law of the tribe states that any warrior defeated by an outsider male… must marry him. She stood, walked to her opponent… and kissed him. "Wo da airen," she said sadly.

"AIYAHH!!" the Guide yelled. "Sir now have Amazon wife!"

"WHAT!?!" yelled the two travellers. The Guide then explained the outsider laws to them, including the one about having to kill the woman that defeats the warrior.

"Geez, pop," said the younger, "my stepmom's young enough ta be my sister."

"SHE IS NOT YOUR STEPMOTHER!!" the older shouted.

"According to our laws, she is, muko-dono," said Kho Lon. "Now, what are your names?"

"I'm Genma Saotome, and I'm telling you she is not my wife. I'm already married."

"But you said ofukuro was dead, pop," said the younger traveller.

"Having a mother around would only weaken you, boy. You'd have been constantly begging to go and be coddled by her, and she'd have spoiled you."

"Yeah, right. She probably left us."

"As doing so would nullify your claim, muko-dono, I'm inclined to believe your child." She turned to the girl. "What is your name?"

"Ranma."

"Well, Ranma, as my great-granddaughter's stepson, I would appreciate it if you would help her improve her Japanese."

"-But, great-grandmother,-" said the new bride in Chinese, "-the fat man said he had a wife. Doesn't that cancel the kiss of marriage?-" she asked hopefully.

Knowing that it did, yet wanting to teach the girl the proper humility, patience, and forbearance needed to be an elder (for that was the possible future of the village champions), the elder said, "That may be what he claims, Xian Pu, but his son claims no knowledge of this alleged wife. No, he is your husband. As such, you must learn to communicate with him and teach him our ways." She then hopped over to Ranma with another kettle and poured it over her, turning her into a handsome, young boy. "Welcome to the family, grandson," she said. The crowd gasped at this statement from the elder, for her words held greater import than either of the travellers would think.