"Tomboy!" yelled 16-year-old, Ranma Saotome.
"Stupid jerk!" yelled back a very angry 16-year-old, Akane Tendo.
"I hate you!" both Ranma and Akane said at the same time then turned away from each other, crossing their arms.
Ever since Ranma and Akane were little, they hated each other. It all started at the first day of Kindergarten. Akane was the new girl who was from a different part of Japan. When Akane was introducing herself, an obnoxious little had to make fun and embarrass her. Ever since then, they hated each other.
"Jeez, can you ever get along just once?" asked her big sister, Kasumi who was picking her up from school.
"No, I hate him; I wish…I just wish he would disappear!" Akane said angrily.
"I wish you would disappear!" Ranma said back trying to provoke her.
"Ugh, I hate you!" Akane said as she started storming off.
"Akane wait!" Kasumi said as she ran after her.
Ranma laughed in victory as he realized that he annoyed Akane-again. He loved annoying Akane; it was his entertainment every morning.
Ranma sighed happily as he realized what today is. 'Ahhh, finally summer break…I can finally get some rest from school!' Ranma thought as he headed straight home.
"I'm home!" Ranma called out as he set his backpack down next to the front door.
"Oh, hey Ranma, my boy, so glad that you're here," Ranma's father, Genma, said with a smile. "I have some good news!"
"What's the good news?" Ranma asked as he took off his shoes.
"We're going to China!" Genma said with a smile.
"No way, you're kidding!" Ranma said all excited.
"No, this is no joke boy," Genma said. "Ever since you were a little boy, you've always wanted to go to China then I decided that we could to China this summer!"
"Oh pop, this is great," Ranma exclaimed. "So, when are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow my boy…"
"Alright, better get packing!" Then Ranma headed upstairs to pack all his belongings for the trip that he longed for.
…
"Well, we're here," Genma said. "Welcome to China, my boy!"
"Wow, I can't believe I finally get to see China!" Ranma said feeling like a little boy again.
"Well, come on boy; let's take a good look around China!" Genma said as he started walking.
Ranma nodded and walked beside his father.
They looked all over China and bought some souvenirs. They were having a great time. It was almost getting dark and they had one more place to visit.
"Ranma my boy, we have one more place to visit before we go back to China." Genma said as he looked in his map.
"Where's that pop?" Ranma asked exhausted from walking too much.
"The Bayankala Mountain range where the cursed springs of Jusenkyo…"
"Okay," Ranma said as he picked up his backpack and started to walk. Genma followed his son and started walking.
After a few minutes, they reached their destination.
"Wow," Ranma and Genma both said amazed at the view.
"Hello, welcome to Jusenkyo!" said a man with a Chinese voice. "Take a good look around, but be careful to not fall in the cursed springs or else…you will be cursed!"
Ranma scoffed and whispered, "Yeah right," Then looked around.
"Ranma be careful, do not fall!" Genma warned Ranma.
"Don't worry dad, I'm not a clumsy, I can handle it…" Ranma said as looked around. Then all of a sudden, a cat appeared in front of him. Realizing his fears of cats, he started to run around like a coward.
"Ahhh, cat chasing after me, make it stop!" Ranma said running around everywhere.
"Ranma, don't run or else you'l-" Before Genma could finish his sentence, it was too late. Ranma slipped and fell in a spring.
"Ranma!" Genma yelled.
After a few seconds, Ranma came out of the springs, not as himself, but a different person, a…girl!
"Uh Ranma…is…is that you son?" Genma asked.
"No I'm the gingerbread man, of course it's me, who else do you think I am!"
"Uh…just…look at yourself…"
"Wait, what…what do you mean?"
Ranma walked over to a nearby lake and looked at his reflection, he didn't see himself; he saw a girl! He touched his face and started freaking out.
"AHH, WHAT…WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME?"
"Oh…come now son…maybe being a girl won't be so bad…"
Ranma looked down at his chest and pointed them to his father. "This is bad, this is SO not me!"
"Oh no, my boy has turned into a girl forever!"
"What happened?" asked the man with the Chinese accent.
"My son has turned into a boy forever!"
"Oh don't worry, he turns back…"
"Really, how?"
"All you need to do is put hot water on him like this," the Chinese man said as he poured hot water on Ranma. All of a sudden, he turned back to his normal self.
"Yes, I'm back!" Ranma yelled excited.
"But…" the Chinese man said.
"But? But what?" Ranma asked.
"But when you pour cold water like this," the Chinese man poured cold water on Ranma; then he turned back to a girl.
"What, I'm back to a girl!" Ranma yelled.
"Oh no," Genma yelled. "Is…is there any way to break the spell?"
"I…I can't help with that, you need to figure it out on your own," the Chinese man said. "But I'll give you a hint. The hint is: 'Find what your heart desires the most…'"
"Wait what, I don't get it!"
"You will figure it out sooner or later…" Then the Chinese man left leaving Genma and girl Ranma alone.
"Don't worry son, we will figure out this hint and change you back!" Genma said reassuring him.
"I hope so too, pop…I hope so too…" Ranma said.
'What…what does the hint mean?' Ranma thought.
