Chapter 1:
Ready, Steady, Go, is that a Dolly???
The usually bustling Tendo dojo was in a more somber mood that early Monday morning. Where the eldest daughter would be cooking breakfast at this time, she was in the family room wearing what most would call her Sunday best. It was that letter her father had got in the mail a few days earlier, there were only three words to it, but those three words echoed in the back of her mind. She sat quietly next to her father, though in the back of her mind, she had to admit that it felt odd to not be cooking, well, at least for this time of the morning.
While the middle daughter would usually be settling finances, or plotting up ways to reconnect herself with her most beloved money, on this morning, she was dressed politely in a business suit, as if she were dressed to finish an important business deal with a very important client. That simply wasn't true. Those same three words that had her elder sister in her Sunday best, had called her to her most professional attire, and persona. She had to admit, she was feeling a bit uneasy not balancing the dojo's books for the morning, but sacrifices had to be made.
The youngest daughter however, had not heard the same call her sisters had. While her two sisters sat in the family room with her father, she was in the dojo, practicing her katta and otherwise going through her morning routine. There was only one thing important to her, and that was her training. Three words, which had her sisters acting as if they were completely different people, had absolutely no meaning to her. She sighed a bit as she finished through one of her forms and wrapped a towel about her neck. She couldn't help but wonder what it was exactly that those three words, "Ranma is Coming" meant.
Actually, it wasn't long after that her answer would be coming. A few blocks away from the Tendo dojo, a large panda was dragging a girl over his shoulder. The redheaded girl in question was kicking and screaming in an almost futile attempt to break herself free of the large bear's grasp. People passing by didn't offer a second glance, as the scene was far too odd, and unusual for the streets of Nerima. Many thought it was some sort of sick publicity stunt, one they wanted no part of if they could help it. Still, seeing the Panda and the girl was like seeing a really bad wreck, people couldn't help but stare, at least until the unusual pair had passed through the archway into the Tendo Dojo.
"That must be Ranma!" The middle daughter jumped to her feet excited hearing the doorbell. She was rather curious about the man her father had promised one of his daughters to wed. She'd hoped he was handsome, and had a keen business sense, something to keep her interest.
"I hope he's older then me." The eldest daughter smiled watching both her sister and her father head towards the door. She was more proper then her slightly younger sister, and felt it her duty as a potential bride, to show her obedience to her father and her potential fiancé, by waiting in the family room until they could be formally introduced.
The youngest daughter meanwhile, was just finishing with her bath. Her father had demanded that she at least meet the young man. As much as she was against arranged marriage, especially in this day and age, she couldn't disobey her father. She still didn't like the idea of having to meet a boy, she never was fond of boys to begin with. After all, boys were jerks, and after what she was consistently put through, she'd have been more then happy to drop that subject altogether. It was about that time when her thoughts were drifting that she heard her slightly older sister scream. She rushed to finish getting dressed and headed out to the family room where she was greeted by a rather strange sight.
"What is the meaning of this?" The Tendo family patriarch demanded as he looked upon the panda, and the redhead that it had just set in front of him. He was expecting his good friend Genma, and his son Ranma. What he'd gotten, were a panda, and a redheaded girl. He was quite understandably confused.
The redhead sighed a bit as the panda gently set her down in front of the older Tendo patriarch. She clutched an object tightly to her chest as she looked to the ground and muttered almost under her breath. "I'm Ranma Saotome, sorry about this.
The entire Tendo household was in and of itself in a complete uproar. The eldest sister had finally decided to check up on her father, and sister, since they never did return to the family room with their guests. The youngest daughter had also joined the others in the entry hall, she too was taken aback by the odd sights. They had all gathered just in time to hear the young redhead stake a claim at the name Ranma Saotome, the same name of the "boy" that was to be engaged to one of them. The three Tendo sisters were in utter confusion, could it be that their father was that kind of man to engage his beloved daughters to another woman. The Tendo patriarch was meanwhile just as confused, his good friend Genma had told him he had a son. But, he still was unsure of things. He gave Ranma a quick glance over, then scratched his chin thinking before wrapping his arms about the redhead.
"Ranma my…. Boy?" He was certain now, as he jumped back in shock, that "boy's" chest was far too soft and cushioned to be a boy.
The middle daughter examined the guest a bit more closely then reached out to grab the redhead's chest, and rubbed at it tentatively to test a theory. "What were you thinking dad? 100% woman."
Ranma closed her eyes and sighed. "Please stop that."
The youngest daughter jumped in and pushed her slightly older sister away from the redheaded girl. "Nabiki! She's our guest, what are you thinking?" She then turned to the girl with a smile. "I'm Akane, wanna be friends?" She smiled, then blinked a bit noticing what Ranma had clutched to her chest. She pried a bit to gaze at it closer then had to ask, "What have you got there?"
Ranma looked up and stepped back slightly, backing up into a rather sad looking panda, the girl looked up at the tears welling in the panda's eyes then smiled a bit back at Akane, and held up the object, which looked a bit like a little girl's dolly. "It's my dolly, Chise-chan" Ranma beamed a bright smile then cuddled the dolly closer to her chest as she nodded an acceptance of Akane's friendship proposal.
The eldest sister smiled seeing the doll. "How adorable, she still has her dolly. Shall I prepare you and your doll some tea?"
Ranma smiled and nodded. The eldest sister seemed the one who most identified with her, and tea sounded rather nice at this point. She gave Akane a brief glance, and a smile. She then looked at the Tendo patriarch, who was crying about how his dear friend had ruined him, and finally she looked to Nabiki, who had seemed to be calculating upon something. Ranma thought it better not to ask, and just keep following the eldest sister for some tea.
"Oh, Ranma, why don't you go take a quick bath. You must be tired after such a long journey, and a nice warm bath is always a good way to relax." The eldest sister smiled a charming, heart-warming smile at the girl, though her suggestion seemed to have a power all it's own, one that no one could go against.
Ranma, as much as she'd rather not, agreed to bathe. She just couldn't say no to the kindhearted girl who offered her tea. Absently holding her doll to her chest she looked at the girl. "Uhm, where is the bath?"
The eldest sister stopped, turned to face Ranma, and smiled. "Oh, just have Akane show you."
Akane would protest, but no one could go against her older sister's kind heart. "Alright Kasumi, I'll show her where it is."
Ranma silently followed the youngest Tendo daughter. Eventually she was lead to the bathroom, where the pair parted ways. Inside, Ranma began to bathe, the cold water made her shiver a bit. She was used to such cold baths however, her and her father often had to bathe in streams or rivers during their travels. The warm bath to come however would prove quite relaxing, and the buxom young redhead eagerly anticipated it as she began to bathe Chise-chan.
"Nabiki, you should go join Ranma in the bath" The eldest Tendo sister smiled at her slightly younger, money driven sister.
"Why would I want to do something like that?" The middle Tendo replied almost as if to say she was too good for the common folk.
"Oh come now Nabiki, you don't make many friends, and that Ranma seems like a nice girl." The youngest of the three smiled as she had her say, having just finished showing the redhead to the bath.
"Et tu Akane?" The middle sister sighed and slinked up towards the stairs. She seemed to always lose the battle when her sisters teamed up on her, not that anyone ever won when going against Kasumi.
Ranma sighed as he poked his head up out of the warm bath water and looked at Chise-chan. "I hope pops knows what he's doing." He looked around the bathroom for a moment and thought to himself how nice it was to be able to relax a bit. He hadn't had much time to himself recently, not with the Journey. He'd had far less time alone with Chise-chan, due to the fact his father absolutely abhorred the bond the boy had with her. "Are you enjoying the bath too Chise-chan?" The pigtailed boy giggled slightly, as if responding to a comment made by the doll. He stood to get out of the bath, he was ready to enjoy the tea Kasumi was so thoughtfully preparing.
It was at that moment that Nabiki Tendo would step into the scene again. Ranma blinked the moment the door flew wide open, had he been aware enough to react, Chise-chan might have avoided a rather "pleasant" view of just how manly the boy was. Unfortunately for Nabiki, she missed that show, instead she was greeted by the sight of a red-faced, black haired boy, with Ranma's doll covering his masculinity. Many thoughts raced through her head, most of which were illegal throughout most civilized nations. Her body however responded on it's own. She silently stepped back out of the bathroom, dressed herself, and slunk into the hall. There was a moment of silence as she took a deep breath. She readied herself, but stopped just shy of a scream.
Calmly, Nabiki headed back downstairs, where she silently grabbed her youngest sister by the back collar of her shirt. "Come now, no questions." She spoke with a tone reserved for the most sinister of Ice Queen moments, Akane knew better then to argue with that tone, as she was silently dragged up the stairs towards the bathroom.
Akane was pushed into the bathroom just as Ranma's male side, complete with doll in hand, was stepping out. At that moment, Akane knew why she'd been dragged up here. Nabiki wasn't much of a fighter, however, Akane could defeat most, if not all opponents she'd face. Her face became twisted and red with anger as she reeled back her right hand to hit the male intruder. "You dirty pervert!"
Somehow, the male form avoided the fastest punch Akane could throw as he rolled around her. He was now running on instinct, and angry girl with speed like that meant trouble. With an enraged, raven-haired tomboy on his tail, Ranma ran all through the house, finally coming to hide behind the Tendo patriarch. Akane skidded to a stop before her father. "What is the meaning of this Akane, how dare you be so rude to our guest."
Akane blinked a moment, noticing a strange man to her father's left, then glaring at the pigtailed boy hiding behind him. "Guest? That pervert?" She tightened her fist as if to make further threat to the doll holding boy. "He was in our bathroom playing with Ranma's doll!"
The other man in the room spoke up, he'd had enough of sitting on the sideline. "That's because that boy is my son, Ranma Saotome." The older man frowned as he cried profusely. "It shames your father to see you like this my boy. A grown man, playing with dolls in the bath."
"Then, what about the redheaded girl that introduced herself earlier?"
Ranma meekly poked his head out from behind the Tendo patriarch, and attempted to smile. "That was me."
An hour had passed, and the pair had told the entire Tendo family their story. Apparently, water was the key to unlocking the curse that both the balding old man, and the black-haired pigtailed boy were under. While Ranma became a beautiful young woman when cold water was splashed upon him, his father became a Panda.
"Oh my, so that's how it is." Kasumi smiled and looked at Ranma. "It's so nice to see a man secure enough with himself to play with dollies."
Akane and Nabiki cringed. If they didn't act fast, one of them might have to marry that freak named Ranma. Akane scooted away from the table slightly, then stood behind her eldest sister and placed a hand on her shoulder with a halfhearted smirk.
The Tendo patriarch meanwhile decided to make his presence known. "Well then Ranma, it seems your troubles aren't so bad. I have three lovely daughters. One of them will be your bride, anyone you choose."
Nabiki joined Akane behind Kasumi, she would have no part of being chosen for Ranma, especially not after seeing what bath time with Dolly meant. "I think Kasumi is the obvious choice"
Akane nodded in agreement. "Yes, I think Kasumi would be the perfect wife for Ranma. They both have a tender side." She winced slightly over the word tender, but anything that would keep the pervert from her was well worth doing. She did however wish she'd worded that a bit differently, especially after seeing the look of death in Nabiki's eyes.
The Ice Queen was about ready to rip the head off her youngest sister. There were just some comments that should never be made, especially after what her poor virgin eyes had been forced to endure for a full ten seconds in the bathroom. It wouldn't have been nearly so long except for the fact that Ranma was built, the doll added shock value, and well, she was expecting to be greeted by a friendly-faced young girl, not a fine specimen of manhood with a doll. She opened her mouth to retort to Akane but was cut off.
"Well then, let's all have some tea then I'll make lunch." Kasumi could see the tension brewing between her sisters, then passed a smile towards Ranma. There was just something about the boy that made her smile, maybe it was just the doll, but it didn't matter, she thought it was sweet.
Ranma in the meantime, sat at the table in shock. Suddenly, he had a fiancé, his father never informed him of the reason for their visit to the Tendo dojo, merely that they were going. A moment passed and the shock wore off before Ranma looked down to his doll. "What has pops gotten us into Chise-chan?