Akane yawned and stretched, stood up and made her way to the kitchen, where Kasumi was busy making breakfast. Kasumi gave Akane a warm smile when she noticed her little sister walking in.

"Good morning," Kasumi greeted. Akane smiled back, though not fully awake.

"Morning!" She replied cheerily. "What's that sound?"

"All three Saotome's are in the back training," Kasumi said, gesturing to where the pond was.

Akane raised her eyebrows and walked out to the back. Just as Kasumi had said, they were training. Ryoga and Ranma had just landed after exchanging blows in the air and Genma sat on the porch shouting instructions. Akane plopped herself next to Genma and watched the two fight with amazement. The two were far above her; they both were so perfectly balanced, Ranma with his speed and Chi manipulation, and Ryoga with his endurance and strength.

"Sometimes it's hard to believe that we've all been together for so long," Genma said, taking a break from yelling and focusing on his future daughter-in-law.

Akane raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Ryoga's been with us since he was about five years old." Genma replied. "Sometimes it just feels strange when I think that he doesn't share my blood."

"I've always thought of family as people who act like it more than someone sharing genetics," Akane shrugged. "I've got some cousins that I don' teven know, but some friends that are like sisters to me."

A loud cry from Ryoga and a splash indicated that Ranma had won, but the beast that rose from the pond was angry. Now Ranma had an even more difficult fight, but Genma decided to end it before it got too rough. He threw the kettle next to him above Ryoga and fired a Chi-blade to cause the demon to return to a boy.

"Ryoga!" Genma bellowed, standing up. "Never attack your own brother out of anger! Especially in your demon form!"

Ryoga bowed his head, ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry dad, but you know how hard it is-"

"Yes I know the rage that comes with your cursed form!" Genma interrupted. "But you're stronger than that, you need to control it! Give me fifty jumps with one hundred pounds attached to your left foot!"

Ryoga sighed and went inside to grab the weights.

"That was a little harsh dad," Ranma said, walking over to where his father was sitting. Akane had excused herself and went to shower and get ready for school.

Genma sighed. "He needs this," He said. "When you two fight you don't think about property. Remember what really happened at the amazons village?"

"I remember," Ranma said quietly, rubbing the gold ring on his right hand. "Ryoga couldn't control his temper and we ended up fighting, the ring is the only reason I could beat him."

"And that power almost killed Ryoga and you," Genma said. "Even though the power you gained makes it seem a bit better, the whole thing shouldn't have happened. Even now, with the power of that ring on our side, I don't want to risk anything."

Ryoga came back out, carrying the chain and ball and then tied it to his right foot. His right foot was his weaker side, so Genma had assigned it for the leaping, and he couldn't use his left foot while it was attached to the chain.

"Good morning Saotome!" Soun called out, poking his head outside.

"Morning Tendo!" Genma greeted.

Soun gestured inside with his thumb. "Breakfast will be ready soon."

"We'll be right there." Genma said. Soun nodded and went back inside.

"Let's go you," Genma said to Ranma, he turned to Ryoga. "You come in when you're finished."

Genma and Ranma walked inside, Akane sat at the table with her father and Nabiki. Ranma sat in the open space next to Akane and greeted her. Genma sat across from Soun and made sure a space for Ryoga was next to him. Kasumi walked in with the food, placing it on the middle of the table. Ryoga walked in, panting, and sat next to Genma. They all were served a portion by the eldest sister and as Genma waited, he handed his Ranma some papers. Ranma flipped through it curiously, the words Furinkan High School stood out on one of them.

"School?" Ranma asked. Ryoga stopped eating and looked over at the paper he held out in front of him.

"Both of you will be attending high school with the Tendo's," Genma explained. Before any could protest he cut them off. "A martial artist should take any advantage to strengthen the mind," He said. The other Saotome's sighed and finished their meal. Nabiki looked at the paper curiously.

"You'll be starting today!" She exclaimed. "You two better get ready, we'll be late otherwise."

Ryoga and Ranma dashed to go get ready, leaving upturned bowls of food. Genma, Soun, Nabiki, and Kasumi all sat at the table still, finishing their food.


Ranma walked on the fence next to Akane, stretching a sore muscle in his left arm. Ryoga had gotten ready first and left with Nabiki.

"You okay?" Akane asked, watching Ranma carefully.

He nodded. "It's just sore," He said. "I'll have to give this arm a break when we train later."

Akane looked at her watch. "We still have some time, let's make a stop at Dr. Tofu's."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "A doctor?"

Akane nodded, a smile on her face. "Yep! The best there is, he'll fix you up in no time."

"Whatever you say darling," He joked. Akane gave him a mock glare before leading him to a nearby building.

"He's in here," She said as they walked in. "Dr. Tofu?"

A man wearing glasses and a medical gi walked out of a room nearby. "Akane?"

Akane smiled at him. "Good morning Dr. Tofu!"

He rubbed her head playfully. "You haven't been by lately. No new injuries?"

Akane shook her head and pointed to Ranma. "I'm with him. His arm's hurting and it'll interfere with his martial arts training."

Dr. Tofu studied Ranma for a second, the poked Ranma's arm. When Ranma winced Tofu smiled, then he shifted Ranma's arms into several different positions. "So what's your story?" Tofu asked, continuing the exercise of Ranma's arm. "How do you know Akane?"

"I'm - Augh!- staying with her -ouch! - family," Ranma explained, the pain of Tofu's treatment caused little shouts.

"Oh?" Tofu asked, letting Ranma go. "Why?"

"We're ... visiting," Ranma said to Tofu. "Mr. Tendo's and old friend of my dad's."

"Well you're free to go Ranma," Tofu said, then he noticed Ranma's ring.

"Could I see that?" Ranma nodded and held up his hand, Tofu took it and examined the ring. "The keeper of truth shall find the Light of Angels." Tofu read out loud. "The Divine Ring? I never thought I'd see this!"

"How'd you know Doctor?" Ranma asked.

"Dr. Tofu works as an archaeologist on the side," Akane explained.

"The last I'd heard, a tribe of Amazons had this," Tofu said thoughtfully, not noticing Ranma's expression of nervousness. "But the book I read about it in was several hundreds of years old, it could have been wrong."

Akane looked at her watch. "Ranma! We're going to be late!" She grabbed his wrist and pulled him from Tofu's grasp.

"See you later Doc!" Ranma yelled. Tofu waved good-bye. "Tell Kasumi I said hi!" Tofu said.
Ryoga walked behind Nabiki. They reached the gates, only to see hundreds of boys lined up in the courtyard. Ryoga looked up at Nabiki with a confused expression.

"What's with all these guys?" He asked.

"Ignore them," She said through gritted teeth. "They're about to get the crap beaten out of them anyways."

Ryoga nodded, still confused. The boys looked at Ryoga curiously, but other than that they ignored him.

Ranma ran next to Akane, the school was in sight. Ranma put an extra burst of speed, running past Akane and into the school, not fully noticing the boys until he heard Akane's cries. He turned around and saw that hundreds of boys were attacking Akane, he leaped into the center and helped beat them all off of her. She nodded her thanks to him, but he was still confused.

"What was that about?" He asked, before catching an object thrown at him. A rose?

"I see you have excellent reflexes," A man wearing a kendo outfit said, carrying a wooden sword in his hand. Ranma stood in front of Akane protectively. "Hm...a White Knight? If you would, White Knight, give me your name?"

"Well my name's-" Ranma began. "Is it not proper introduction to give one's name first?" the man said. "I am the same as the ancient samurai's, protecting the weak against the strong. My strength is immeasurable, and my swordsmanship is unrivaled. I am named Tatewaki Kuno, but am called Kuno."

Ranma stared at Kuno in surprise. Was it possible for someone to be so egotistic? "Um.. well.. I'm...my name's Ranma Saotome," Ranma said after regaining his composure.

Kuno nodded his head and pointed his sword at Akane. "It is our time to dance Fair Akane," Kuno said.

Akane stepped from behind Ranma, but he held out his arm to stop her.

"You ain't fighting her," He said. "It's me or nothing." Kuno raised an eyebrow in surprise, but nodded. Ryoga and Nabiki watched from a window, knowing better than to interfere with Ranma's fights. The rest of the school watched as one of the new guys got ready to fight the strongest at their school.

"Go inside Akane," Ranma said.

Akane looked at him angrily. "This is my fight Ranma!" She seethed.

Ranma and Kuno both fixed their gazes on her. "Not anymore," Ranma said.

"This is between me and your knight," Kuno said. "Now leave us."

Still angry, Akane walked inside. The two men faced each other, measuring their opposites with their senses.

"I see I won't have to hold back," Kuno said with a smirk. Ranma returned the expression.

"I agree," He said. Then they both launched themselves at each other. Ranma dodged the sword with amazing speed, but Kuno's sword left an incredibly hot trail that hurt to touch. Ranma was forced to leap back as all areas had become too painful to dodge in, and if it was just the blades swings causing the air to burn he didn't want the actual sword to hit him. No matter what, this fight was going to be hard.

"Who do you think is gonna win?" Nabiki asked Ryoga. Ryoga shrugged. "I dunno," He said. Rain poured from the skies, causing Ryoga to back away from the window.


Enjoy! Review! Hopefully you'll do both!