Disclaimer: Ranma1/2 and all related characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz inc. No money is being made from their use in this work of fanfiction.
To follow the ten thousand yen horse
By
Robert K. Hackney
Chapter one: Here come the Saotome brothers
It had just finished raining in the Nerima ward of Tokyo. That was nothing unusual in and of itself, for it was the rainy season in that part of Japan. What was unusual was the sight of a teenage girl with red-hair tied in a pig-tail (rare in Japan-the red hair, not the pig-tail) being chased down the water streets by a giant panda (even rarer in Japan) that was carrying two backpacks over it's shoulder.
"No way! I don't want any part of this, you old fool!" the girl cried as she ran. The panda, heavy as it was, caught up with her and swatted her backside, sending the girl skidding towards the intersection.
The girl, however, turned as she skidded and, when she came to a halt, took up a battle ready stance. "Oh, so that's how you want to play, eh Pop?" The panda growled in reply, took up a similar stance, and swung at the girl. She dodged effortlessly and swung back at her furry opponent.
"I still say the whole thing sucks! The redhead shouted as she dodged and punched at the panda, "Picking my fiancée for me without even asking!" A small crowd had gathered to watch the scuffle, and jaws dropped when to everyone's surprise, the girl grabbed the panda's right forepaw, twisted around, and flung the exotic beast over her shoulder. The panda landed with a thud, knocking down a street sign underneath it.
The girl took several short breaths then picked up one of the backpacks the panda had dropped. "I'm going back to China now," she declared. "I don't care what you and my brother do."
As the girl turned away from the panda, somehow the street sign it had knocked over floated up and whacked the girl on her head. "Sorry about that, little bro," a mysterious voice called out, "but I'm wet and tired and I want a hot bath and at least one night on a dry futon. We can figure out what to do later."
The panda got up on it's hind legs-apparently it had only pretended to be injured-scooped up both the backpacks and the girl, then growled at the onlookers. The spectators, all suddenly remembering that they had business elsewhere, immediately dispersed.
Soun Tendo stretched out his arms as he went out to get the afternoon mail. This particular shower had lasted from early in the morning until fifteen minutes ago and he hadn't been outside all day. He hadn't been an especially active man since his wife died several years ago, but he hated to be cooped up inside.
The mail was the usual-the phone bill, the gas bill, the electric bill-nothing out of the ordinary-until he came to a postcard illustrated with a panda eating bamboo. He flipped it over and saw that it was postmarked "China."
"Am returning from training in China," read the postcard. Bringing both Kinma and Ranma with me. Saotome-kun."
Tears slid down the face of the longhaired mustachioed man as he read the last sentence. "At last, Kinma and Ranma are coming. And soon, very soon, Kinma and Ranma will both be here."
A nineteen-year-old woman with her chestnut hair tied back into a ponytail that hung over her shoulder was in the Tendo kitchen, stirring the soup she was cooking for dinner. She was about to lift the ladle to taste when all of a sudden she heard her father call her name. "Kasumi!"
Kasumi poked her head out of the kitchen. "What is it, father?"
Another girl, this one seventeen and with her hair in a short bob, was lying stomach down on her bed, reading a magazine. "Nabiki!" Soun's voice cried out.
Soun went through the house. He found his two older daughters, now he was looking for the youngest. "Akane!" he cried as he went from room to room. "Akane!" No answer.
"Blast it, where is that girl?
The girl in question was in the Tendo family dojo, dressed in a yellow gi bound at the waist by a red belt, her long blue-black hair held back in a thick ponytail. She breathed in and out as she laid the blade of her right hand on a pile of cinderblocks. Slowly, she brought up her hand and suddenly, without warning, smashed the pile to bits.
"Whew," Akane Tendo sighed as she stood up and wiped her forehead. "That felt pretty good."
"No wonder the boys all think you're so weird, Akane." Akane turned her head and saw her sister Nabiki standing in the dojo doorway.
"So what, she replied curtly." Not everyone thinks that the whole world revolves around-" she spat out the last word as though it were an obscenity-"BOYS!"
Nabiki crossed her arms and gave a smug smile. "Then I guess this news Daddy has won't interest you at all."
"A friend of your's is coming?" Kasumi Tendo asked. The three sisters were in the family dining room and kneeling down at the table with their father.
Soun Tendo nodded and smiled at his daughters. "Yes, Genma Saotome; we trained together in our secret art, just after Akane was born." The head of the Tendo household continued, "He will be bringing with him his two sons Kinma and Ranma."
The three sisters reacted differently to that last bit of news. Kasumi thought about how much extra she would have to prepare for dinner, Nabiki-who handled most of the Tendo finances-thought about how three freeloading houseguests would affect the family budget, and Akane was just plain angry about the thought of two teenage boys sleeping under the same roof as her.
"There's one more thing," Soun added, worming up to the subject. "If one of you girls were to marry either Kinma or Ranma, and carry on this training hall, then the Tendo family legacy would be secure."
The three girls all looked at each other. They dearly loved their father, but knew he wasn't exactly the brightest of men. Since their mother had died more than ten years ago, he had slacked in running the Tendo family school of "Anything-Goes" martial arts; in the past two years his only student was Akane. If not for the Swiss bank account and fifteen shares of Sony stock that had been the late Mrs. Tendo's dowry-and managed by Nabiki-the Tendos would have lost the dojo and been out on the street years ago.
"What are these two like?" Nabiki finally asked. "Are they cute?"
"Are they older than me?" Kasumi asked. "I don't like younger men."
"I don't want any part of this at all," hmmphed a grumpy Akane. "Besides, how do we know if they're any good?"
"Oh, they should be," Soun chuckled. "My friend has been taking his sons on a voyage of training around Japan for the past ten years; recently they crossed into China."
"Oooh, China!" Nabiki crooned.
"Who cares if they hiked all the way to China?" glowered Akane. "I bet I could beat them both up with one hand tied behind my back!"
"We'll soon find out," Soun smiled. "They'll both be here any minute!"
Suddenly, there was a knock on the entryway door, and some muffled high-pitched screams. "Oh, someone's at the door father," said Kasumi.
Nabiki was the first to get up and head for the door. "Oh, it must be Kinma and Ranma!"
"At last!" Soun cried as he got up and followed his daughter. Kasumi came after him, gripping the cross she wore around her neck and praying that at least one of the prospective fiancés was older than her. Last came Akane, staring down at the floor, not excited in the least to meet either of the sons of her father's friend.
"Saotome-kun, old friend-" Soun rushed towards the door, then stopped when it opened. At the door and walking straight into the Tendo hallway was a giant panda carrying a small person and three backpacks over its shoulder.
"So father, is this your friend?" asked Kasumi.
Soun shook his head franticly.
"Oh, so this panda just decided to visit, it that it?" sarcastically chimed in Nabiki.
The panda stared down at the humans for several seconds, then dropped the backpacks and placed the small person it was carrying right in front of them.
Soun looked at the person, who had red-hair. "You wouldn't be-
The red-haired person looked up at Soun and answered in a very high-pitched voice, "I'm Ranma Saotome. Sorry about this."
Nabiki looked at Ranma. "He IS cute."
"At last you're here!" Soun cried out as he grabbed his future "son"-in-law into an enthusiastic hug-and backed away in shock. "You're-you're-"
Nabiki peered over at Ranma and ran her hand over two VERY ample mounds underneath the red Chinese shirt Ranma wore. "'He' is a girl."
Ranma blushed. "Please, I wish you'd stop that."
Soun blinked, then stared for several seconds. "A-a g-girl!" he cried out, right before he fainted.
Soun woke on the floor of the family dining room. His daughters and Ranma were kneeling over him with the panda behind them.
"This is all you're fault Daddy?" Nabiki looked down at her father. "Don't you know the difference between a boy and a girl?"
"Well, Genma told me he had two sons!" Soun shot back, then suddenly thought to himself: Two sons?
"Does this look like a boy to you?" Nabiki squeezed Ranma's right breast. "Does it?"
"Please, I wish you'd stop that." Ranma said in a low voice.
"Why don't you leave her alone?" Akane asked her sister. She was in a better mood now; learning that at least one of the boys was really a girl had cheered her up considerably. "A guest is a guest."
Two sons. Soun Tendo suddenly stood up and looked at Ranma. "Where's Kinma?"
Ranma looked down at the floor. "He'll be along shortly," she said, adding "he's already closer than you think."
Nabiki looked at Ranma. "'He' isn't a girl too, is he?"
"No." For some reason Ranma's face turned crimson. "Whatever else he is, Kinma's 100 guy."
Soun brightened up. "Good, then we'll be able to carry on our plans as we'd hoped!"
Akane looked at her father and shook her head, then at Ranma. She felt sorry for the girl; obviously the day had been rough on her. And the way Nabiki was fondling Ranma's chest certainly had made thing better. She walked over to Ranma and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hi," she said as the redhead looked at her. "I'm Akane, want to be friends?"
Ranma looked at her and nodded. "Sure.
The two girls stood facing each other in the dojo. "You study kenpo, right?" Akane asked.
Ranma nodded "A little," she said nervously.
"Well why don't we have a little match, then?" Akane got into a stance, then smiled as she saw Ranma squirm. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."
Akane punched with her left. Ranma dodged to the right, then left at Akane's second punch, and jumped as the bigger girl gave a swirling kick.
Akane took several breaths. Why am I missing her, she wondered, is she reading my moves? "Alright," she declared, "this time I'm not going to hold back!" Akane pulled back her arm and swung hard-and her fist crashed into the wall.
"Huh?" Akane felt a poke at the back of her head. She pulled the fist out of the wall, turned and saw Ranma staring at her.
"Hahahahaha," The redhead laughed.
"Hahahahaha," Akane laughed as well. "You're pretty good. Is your brother as good as you?"
"Nah," Ranma said casually. "I've been nailing Kinma since I was seven and he was eight. He is pretty good with a bo staff though, and not bad at Kyodo. But unless he's got a weapon of some sort, you could beat him with one hand behind your back."
"Well," Akane shrugged, "I'm just glad that you're a girl."
"Huh?" Ranma asked as Akane turned towards the door.
Akane looked back at Ranma. "Its just-I'd really hate to lose to a boy!"
Ranma just stood there, staring as Akane walked out of the dojo. "You're going to have tell her sooner or later, little bro." a voice called from behind Ranma.
Ranma jerked her head around and saw nothing. "Oh Kinma, I hate it when you do that!"
While Ranma and Akane were having their sparring session, the panda got on all fours and walked towards the bathroom. Everyone else was busy; Kasumi was back in the kitchen, Nabiki was outlining the next month's budget, and Soun sat at the table, thinking of what to say when Kinma arrived. No one paid any attention as the big, bear-like cousin of the American raccoon entered the bathroom and got into the furo filled with hot water.
Ranma followed Kasumi to a small-unfurnished room at the far side of the upper floor of the Tendo household. "Here you go Ranma," Kasumi said, "You can use this room." Ranma sighed as she laid down two backpacks she was carrying. For such a small girl she sure is strong, thought Kasumi. "Now, would you like a hot bath before dinner?"
"Uh, no thanks," Ranma said, red coming to her cheeks.
"Please, I insist," Kasumi said as she handed over a bunch of towels. "You must be all sweaty from your workout."
"Okay," Ranma reluctantly nodded.
Ranma entered the bathroom, took off her clothes, and splash herself with a bucket of water. "Brrrr," she chattered through her teeth, "that's cold!"
Another bucket seemed pick itself up and upturn, the spilled contents formed a partial outline of a man. "Yeah, sure is little bro." The outline turnedit's head and even though it didn't show, Ranma was sure it was grinning. "Or should I say sis?"
"I'm warning you, Kinma, if you poke me like that girl Nabiki did, you're gonna be in a world of pain." Ranma snarled, holding up a fist.
"Okay, okay," Kinma held up his arms and backed away. Turning to the furo, he looked down and saw bits of black and white fur floating in the hot water. "Looks like the old man was here."
"Yeah and he's probably down explaining everything to them now." Ranma shrugged, then added. "C'mon, lets get normal."
"Alright, little bro."
Tears ran down Soun Tendo's face as the man across the table from him told his story. "So that's how it is."
The stranger nodded. He was an average height, middle-aged man, heavyset with muscle that was beginning to go to fat. He was dressed in a white gi and sports glasses. A white towel was wrapped around his head, perhaps to hide the fact that he had recently gone bald.
"How I suffer for you and your boys." Soun turned his head out towards the open sliding door that led to the family courtyard. "The path of a true martial artist is fraught with perils."
Ranma and Kinma sat across from each other in the furo. Ranma had now changed from a small busty redheaded girl to a medium sized well-muscled young man with black hair. Across from him sat a young man a little taller and somewhat heavier than him, his own hair tied back a simple ponytail.
"Well, you've had your hot bath Kinma," Ranma put in, "now what are we going to do?"
"Well, like you said, Pop's likely told them everything," Kinma said. "We'll figure out what to do from there."
"I don't care what you and Pop do, I'm going to find a cure!"
"Ranma, remember what the guide told us," Kinma said in what was meant to be a reproachful tone. "There is no known cure for what happened to us. We have to accept we may be like this for the rest of our lives."
"Easy for you to say!" Ranma turned his head from his brother. "When you get wet, you're still a guy!"
"Ranma," Kinma started then rested his head on his hand, "I feel bad for you. Really, I do. And I don't like this arranged marriage thing Pop told us about anymore than you. But if we stay here awhile, maybe-" his head lowered and his eyes began to water-"maybe we'll finally get to see Mom again."
"Yeah." Ranma lowered his head as well. "At least you remember her a little. When Pop took us on this training journey those years ago, I was so small, I can't remember her at all."
Kinma nodded, sharing a moment of empathy with his brother. "And Pop rarely talks about her. All he ever told me was the reason he took us from her on this training journey was to make men out of us."
Ranma snorted sardonically. "Great job he did there."
Akane came up to the bathroom. She'd gone for a short jog after her sparring session, thinking about the way the day had gone. She had just met someone better at martial arts than her; at least that person was a girl. She'd always prided herself in being a better fighter than anyone else, including the boys. But Ranma seemed more than willing to be friends and told her she was better than her brother. And Nabiki had shown some interest in the possible engagement; with luck she'd be the one marrying Ranma's brother.
She entered the changing room got out of her clothes. She began to place them in the hamper when she noticed two pairs of baggy black pants and two Chinese-style silk shirts. One was the red shirt Ranma had been wearing, the other dark blue. She wondered just who the other's shirt that was, then shrugged, grabbed a towel, and opened the door-
Ranma and Kinma began to rise out of the tub. "Might as well go out like we are," Ranma said nonchalantly.
"Yep," Kinma agreed. "Pops probably explained everything to them right about-" Suddenly the two brothers looked at the door and saw Akane Tendo standing there with only a towel covering her nakedness.
Akane closed the door to the furo, dressed into her jogging clothes, and stepped out into the hallway. Once she closed the bathroom door behind her, she let out a long, loud SCREAM.
Soun Tendo and the strange man looked up in surprise as Akane ran into the dining room, still screaming. The two men quickly grabbed they're drinks when she suddenly grabbed the table and and yelled "I'll drown them BOTH in the bathtub!"
Nabiki and Kasumi came into the dining room. "What's the matter Akane?" Kasumi asked.
"They are TWO perverts in the bathtub!" Akane roared back.
"Well gee, Akane, why didn't you just clobber them then?" asked Nabiki.
"Because I got scared. Is that all right?"
Ah, excuse us," a voice called from the hallway. The three sisters looked behind them to see two teenage boys wearing the clothes Akane had seen in the bathroom earlier. The taller boy spoke "I'm Kinma Saotome and this is my BROTHER Ranma. Sorry about this.
All seven people were now seated in the dining room. Soun looked at his daughters. "Perhaps we should start again." He motioned towards the bespectacled older man, "This is my dear old friend-"
"Genma Saotome." The stranger waved a hand at the two young men sitting next to him. "And these are my sons-"
"Kinma." The taller boy bowed his head. He looked somewhat like his father in the face including the sports glasses, but half a head taller and whipcord lean where Genma was heavy. His long hair was tied back in a ponytail.
"Ranma." The shorter boy gave his name. His hair was long like his brother's, but braided into a pigtail.
Kasumi looked at Ranma. "Are you really her? The same girl we saw before?"
Ranma's face clouded before he nodded. "I am."
Nabiki peered over at Ranma. "Are you a crossdresser?" Ranma's face turned red as Kinma suppressed a giggle. Nabiki then looked at the older Saotome brother. "And you? How did you get in the house and into the bathtub without us seeing you?"
"How do I begin?" Genma rubbed his chin. "Ah, I know." Before anyone could say anything he grabbed his two sons by the neck, and tossed them both out the sliding door-and into the koi pond.
Instead of Ranma or Kinma, however, a red-haired girl wearing the same clothes as Ranma emerged from the pond. "Whadya do that for!"
"Yeah Pop, that was rude!" Kinma's voice called out from next to the girl.
"Oh my." Nabiki said.
"Ranma's a-girl now," added Kasumi.
"And Kinma's-" Akane began, then stopped, "Where's Kinma?"
"I'm right here!"
"I think he's invisible," said Nabiki.
Genma walked out towards the pond he had just thrown his sons into. "I'm so ashamed," he cried out as his now-female younger son climbed out of the pond. "I cannot bear to see either of my sons like this." Suddenly some unseen force-Kinma-shoved his father, sending him smack into the pond.
"Who are you to talk?" the voice of the unseen Kinma cried out. The three Tendo daughters all gasped when instead of Genma the panda they had seen earlier emerged.
"Yeah," Ranma crossed, his, or rather her, arms across her chest. "Our old man's a panda!"
"Father, you certainly have some unusual friends," Kasumi said as the panda, began fighting with the girl and invisible boy.
"They didn't use to be like this," Soun insisted. "It was training in China that did this to them. Let us give them all a chance to come back to themselves and tell their story."
After the brief fight-and one quick hot bath-Genma and his sons were their normal selves and again seated in the Tendo family dining room. "It all began after Ranma's sixteenth birthday two months ago. We had crossed into China, and after three weeks, in the Quinhai province-
"Here sirs," the fat man in the green Chinese Communist party outfit said in broken Japanese as he led his three customers, "we come to the famous training ground of cursed springs-or as it's called in my native tongue, Jusyenkyo.
Genma Saotome looked at his two sons. Both were dressed in white gis like their father's and had just let down their back packs-although Kinma kept his bo staff.
Ranma looked out at the training ground. It was basically a series of small springs with long bamboo poles sticking out. "This place doesn't look nearly as bad as I thought it would be."
"Oh, but it is," the guide interjected. "There more than one hundred spring here, and each have own tragedy happen-" Before he could finish, Genma jumped on top of one of the poles. "Kinma, Ranma, get up here!"
"Right behind you!" both Kinma and Ranma cried as they jumped up and landed on their own poles.
"Sirs!" the guide cried out, "you have to listen! Very bad you fall in spring!"
The father and sons ignored him. "I won't go easy on either of you!" Genma cried out.
"That's just how I want it!" Ranma shot back.
Kinma hefted his staff. "Me too."
"Sirs! I must tell you-" the guide tried to call out then shook his head. His customers always had to learn the hard way.
Genma leaped at Ranma and swung. Deftly dodging, Ranma sent a kick to his father's stomach. Genma flew backwards at his older son who quickly pitchforked his father with his staff, and sent him splashing into the spring below.
"That wasn't so hard," Ranma said.
"No, sure wasn't little bro," Kinma agreed, then looked down at the spring. "Pop? Are we done yet? Pop?
All of a sudden, a giant panda leaped out of the spring, and onto the pole between the two brothers "What the-what the hell is THAT?" they both cried out at once.
"You send him into Spring of Drowned Panda." The guide called out from the ground. "There very tragic story of a panda that drown in the spring 2000 year ago. Now whoever fall in spring take body of panda! I try to warn you!"
The two brothers were so overcome with shock neither noticed the panda that had been their father jump and swing first at Ranma, and then Kinma, sending them splashing into different springs below.
The guide walked first over to the spring where Ranma had fallen. A head emerged, with red hair tied back into a ponytail like Ranma's. "Ah too bad. You fall in Spring of Drowned Girl. Very tragic story, of young girl who drown in the spring 1500 year ago." Ranma gulped as he felt his chest. "Now whoever fall in the spring take body of a young girl."
Ranma carefully opened the top of his gi and gasped as he saw his new bosom. "See? Now you young girl!"
"Where am I?" a voice called out from the spring Kinma had fallen into. "WHERE am I? I can't see my arms!"
The guide looked in the direction Kinma's voice came from. "Oh, you fall in Spring of Drowned Invisible Man. Very tragic story, very tragic, of invisible man who drown in the spring 1250 year ago. Now whoever fall in the spring become invisible!"
"I'm-invisible?" Kinma's voice asked. The guide nodded. "Cool."
Genma finished his story, and then looked at his hosts. Soun and Kasumi both had looks of sympathy, Nabiki amused indifference. Akane however seemed furious. What had made her so mad?
"The legendary Training Ground of Cursed Springs," Soun said flatly. "I've heard of it. It's true horror has always been shrouded in mystery until now."
"Whaddya mean 'true horror?'" Ranma said angrily. "What was the big deal, bringing me and Kinma to that place?"
Genma grabbed his son by the neck and picked him over his head. "Ranma," he said as he tossed his younger son a second time-"you sound like a GIRL!"
SPLASH! Into the koi pond went Ranma-kun, and out came Ranma-chan.
Genma just stood at the doorway, not caring to go out to the pond this time. "Where you not prepared to lay down your life for the sake of the Art?"
"My life yes," Ranma-chan said angrily as she got out of the pond, grabbed a bucket full of water, and ran towards her father. She leaped up and splashed Genma, activating his panda curse. "But not my MANHOOD!"
The two of them began fighting again. "You just had to take us to that training ground," Ranma-chan said as she dodged a punch, then sent one of her own, "even though you don't speak or read a word of Chinese."
Genma-Panda growled in reply, then suddenly yelped as Soun poured hot water from a teakettle onto him.
"So," Soun mused, "when doused with hot water you return to human form."
"Well, that was just a little too hot, thank you." A red Genma said weakly.
"When doused with cold water you become invisible-" Soun looked at a still-visible Kinma, then at Ranma-chan, "and you become a girl." He lifted the kettle to pour on Ranma. "But hot water turns you back into a boy."
Ranma-chan quickly dodged the pouring water. "Hot water, not boiling!"
Soun put the kettle down. "Well this was certainly and interesting day, wasn't it?" he chuckled, and then looked at his old friend. "Of course, there's still that other matter we have to discuss."
"Of course," Genma nodded. He looked at his sons and adjusted his glasses. "Kinma, Ranma, "I've spent the last ten years training the two of you. While you're both very good, Kinma, your brother is the better fighter-"
"I've known that since I was eight, pop." Kinma said in a voice that was more amused than jealous.
Ranma-chan smirked. "And don't you forget it!"
"-and because he is," Genma continued, "he shall be the one to carry on the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts."
"Oh I'm so happy!" Soun cried out as he placed his hand on Ranma-chan's shoulder. "Here," he motioned towards his daughters, "my oldest daughter Kasumi. She's nineteen. My middle daughter Nabiki; she's seventeen. My youngest daughter Akane; she's sixteen. Pick any one you want; she'll be your fiancée.
Kasumi placed a hand on Akane's shoulder. "Akane would seem the wisest choice."
"Couldn't agree more," added Nabiki.
Akane looked from one sister to the other. "Me? Why would I be-"
"Well, you hate boys," Nabiki said.
"Well you're in luck Akane. Ranma's half girl." Kasumi said.
"Well, it's settled." Soun then looked at Kinma. "And now there's you."
"Wha-" Kinma cried out.
"Yes," Soun nodded his head. "The agreement your father and I made was that there would be two marriages between our children. One couple would carry on the Saotome School and the other would carry on the Tendo school, and since your brother's the one picked to carry on your own family's school, that leaves you for the Tendo School. So pick which of my other daughters you'd like."
"I think Nabiki would be a good choice for him," smiled Kasumi. Nabiki looked at her sister with a look of shock and betrayal. Sure she thought Kinma was handsome in a rugged sort of way, but he looked more like his father than Ranma-which would mean when he got older-"No way."
Akane nodded in agreement. "No way I'm marrying that pervert!"
Ranma-chan glared at Akane angrily. "Hey, what do you mean pervert!"
"You saw me in the nude!" Akane then looked at Kinma. "You both did!"
"Hey! You walked in on us!" Kinma said angrily.
"Oh yeah? Well, it's different when a girl looks at a guy. Perverts!"
Soun and Genma just laughed. "They're already fighting like a couple!"
Akane angrily cried at her father, "He's a couple by himself!"
"Well, goodbye." Ranma-chan said as she walked towards the hallway.
"Ranma, where are you going?" Genma said in a stern voice.
"Back to China," Ranma shot back. "I have to find a way to change back for good. This is no time for fiancées."
"I'm coming with you," Kinma walked over to his female brother. "I don't care about getting cured like you do, but I'll try to help you. Besides, I'd rather do that than marry the stick-lady here," he glanced at Nabiki.
"And by the way," Ranma-chan said as she looked at Akane, "I noticed you took a pretty good look at me too. Besides, it's no big deal for me to see a naked girl; I've seen myself plenty of times."
"Yep. And my little brother's better built than either of you." Ranma-chan looked at Kinma, then the two started laughing. They laughed so hard neither noticed Akane and Nabiki pick up the table-until they brought it crashing down on their new fiances' heads.
Genma looked at the prostrate bodies of his sons and shook his head. "Now THAT they had coming."
End of chapter one
Authors note: In case you're wondering about the title: 'To follow' is one possible translation of Nabiki's name into English, while 'Kinma' means 10000 yen horse. At least I think it does. I don't really know Japanese; I'm relying on reference books.
I started this fic after readind several Ranma fanfics that had a Spring of Drowned Magical Girl, Spring of Drowned Pokemon, Drowned Chicago Cubs Player-but never one of a Drowned Invisible Man. So I figured, why not write one myself?(Of course, there could also be a Spring of Drowned IRS Auditer-wouldn't that be tragic?)
If you want a description of Kinma, he's a year older than Ranma, so he naturally remembers Nodoka better but doesn't know about the seppuku pact. He enjoys martial arts but doesn't have the same passion as his brother-that's why he's not as good, although he is a force to be reckoned with the Bo staff. And unlike Ranma he actually likes his curse-but then, being able to turn invisible would be pretty cool.
The first couple of chapters follow the basic story but start to diverge in the third. There will be other new characters besides Kinma and Ranma won't be the only one with multiple fiancées.
Kyodo: Japanese archery
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