"Run! A boar!" A farmer screamed as he ran for his life, being chased by a wild boar bigger than a horse. Other farmers saw this and ran out of the way too. One person didn't run though. Instead he stood there and used his umbrella to force the boar to stop, by catching then throwing it into the air like it weighted nothing to him. The farmers were quite impressed.

The young man was approached by the farmers, curious to see if he had been so much as scratched. Unharmed, he asked them one question. "Where is Furinkan High?"

Ch. 7 Ryoga Arrives

"Ranma, stop right there!" Nabiki ordered as she and her older sister were chasing down the boy currently in female oni form. And it wasn't easy trying to catch someone who could fly, or zap you if by chance you did catch them.

"I told you I'm not wearing girl clothes datcha!" Ranma shouted back.

At this current moment Ranma was a girl and couldn't use the furo just yet since it was occupied by Akane. She had to wait, but since her clothes were in the wash she had nothing to wear but a spare bathrobe and an extra set of boxers. Oddly enough, whenever the clothes Ranma wear change because of his curse, his boxers and pants both change together without any plausible explanation. Kasumi suggested that Ranma wear some of the Tendo girl's clothes for the time being, at least until his own clothes were dry, and naturally Ranma didn't think that was a good idea.

"Ranma we've been over this." Kasumi told her when she stopped at the end of the hallway and just hovered.

"But I'm a guy."

"You're a guest too and it's not right for you to go around in your birthday suit like that." Kasumi added.

"Besides, we're not telling you to enjoy it." Nabiki added. 'Oh, if I can get a picture of that, I could get so much out of him. If he doesn't destroy the camera that is.'

In the end, all three of them got into Akane's room and were finding something for Ranma to temporarily wear since her size was logically the closest to the oni girl. Akane came in wearing pajamas and was told the situation, her one question being 'why mine?'

"I'm not wearing a skirt!" Ranma insisted, hoping it wouldn't fall on deaf ears.

"This should be good." Nabiki said as she found some clothes that fit whatever standards she had in mind for just then.

Ranma got dressed and stood there wearing a short sleeve bright yellow shirt that didn't cover all of her stomach, and a set of dark blue shorts that showed off her thighs well. (Think what Lum generally wears when she's not wearing her bikini or school uniform)

"Wow, it's perfect." Akane said, quite impressed by how fitting it appeared.

Ranma looked it over in Akane's mirror. "Not really. The chest is too tight-tcha."

Akane's left eye ticked while Nabiki got next to the gender bender. "Really? How's the waist?"

"Room to spare." Ranma answered, pulling out the sides to emphasize her claim.

Even more bothered by the unintentional insult, Akane grabbed Ranma by the shirt and pulled her in close. If not for the glare, it would almost look like they were going to kiss. "Trying to say something?"

"Umm... I guess my measurements are different-tcha." Ranma sputtered, just barely avoiding putting her foot in her mouth.

Akane let her go, willing to overlook this and hopefully avoid getting shocked if she actually tried to hurt the lightning wielder. But that didn't mean she wasn't bothered.


One week later Ranma, in male form, and Akane were leaving the school chatting like good friends. Most that saw them whispered that they almost looked like a real couple. If the two were holding hands just then the image would be complete.

Before they left school grounds, Ranma thought he noticed something wrong and got cautious. That would prove to be a good thing because the next instant he saw a shadow descend on him. "Ranma prepare to die!" His quick reflexes allowed him to get out of the way, and fortunately he was able to get Akane safely away too.

When the dust cleared the first thing everyone looking noticed was a strange new boy wearing a yellow shirt with brown pants and a yellow-and-black headband around his brown hair. He had a full backpack strapped on and a bamboo umbrella in his hands pointed down. And underneath him was a shallow crater where he landed. Ranma knew he knew this guy, but for some reason couldn't put a name to his face just then.

"I've finally found you Ranma Saotome." The newcomer stated angrily as a crowd drew around him.

"Who is this guy Ranma?" Akane asked.

"Not exactly sure. I know I've seen him before, but I can't remember his name." He cautiously told her.

The newcomer frowned more. "Can't remember me huh? It's because of you running out on our duel that I've seen hell!"

Something clicked in Ranma's mind just then. "Oh yeah, you're Ryoga Hibiki, my old friend from my last school."

"I'm not your friend Ranma. I'm your executioner."

"What gives?" Akane asked Ryoga, wondering what this was about.

"We had a duel and he ran out on it." Ryoga answered like it was reason alone to start World War III.

"Ryoga, I waited for you for three days straight." Ranma clarified.

"Well, when I showed up on the fourth day, you were already gone like the coward you are."

Ranma sighed. "Ryoga, let me ask you something. Why did it take you four days to get to a lot about 500 yards away from your house?"

Ryoga growled. "Do you think I was just out for a stroll those four days? I was trying to find the place every waking moment!"

"Boy, he must have a horrible sense of direction." One of the guys in the crowd casually mentioned, loud enough for the three martial artists to overhear.

Ranma crossed his arms. "So you came all this way just to finish our match?"

"Not at all. This is revenge!" Ryoga replied before he threw his open umbrella like a frisbee. Instinct took over and everyone got out of it's way as it flew in a circle and returned to the lost boy like a boomerang. "Ranma, I vow to destroy your happiness."

'My happiness? Am I happy?' Ranma asked himself.

Akane fumed. "Now hold on just a minute bub!" Now if she had been hostile or even indifferent to Ranma, she probably wouldn't have said anything just then and let the pigtailed martial artist handle this on his own. But since she viewed Ranma as a friend and probably the most decent guy she knew outside Dr. Tofu, she wasn't going to just stay out of this. "What the hell are you so ticked off at Ranma for? What did he ever do to you?"

"Because of him I've seen hell!" Ryoga shouted irritably.

Akane didn't look sympathetic. "Be more specific than that."

Ryoga scoffed. "I don't owe you any explanation. This is between me and Ranma."

Akane crossed her arms and stood confidently. "Alright then, but tell me this. Ever since you missed out on the original duel, you've been trying to track Ranma down right?" He nodded. "So if the duel was so important that you're willing to do all that, why couldn't you have ensured you were there on time in the first place?"

Some of the students in the crowd started whispering to themselves about similar thoughts before Ryoga could say anything. "It wasn't my fault. I got lost."

"And yet you couldn't ask someone to lead you there? Or try to get there early? Tell me, who chose the site, Ranma or you?" Ryoga stayed silent and glared. "I thought so. Any martial artist knows you show up on time or not at all."

"That doesn't matter! I've suffered because of him!" Ryoga defended himself hastily.

"Did he make you late? Did he give you a bad sense of direction? Did he tell you to track him down? No, you did. Anything bad that happened was your own damn fault." Akane countered, making many onlookers nod.

Now Ryoga looked even madder, as if the youngest Tendo had struck a nerve. Before he could actually do anything to her, he made himself face Ranma again. "Ranma, this Saturday you and I are going to settle this once and for all!"

"Three days from now? Trying to give yourself some time to get lost and have an excuse to be mad and insult Ranma some more?" Akane reprimanded before her fiancee could reply. "If this match is really that important to you, then settle it here and now rather than delay it." She then smirked fiendishly. "Unless you're afraid you'll lose and are just trying to sound big but have a way out of it."

Ryoga practically foamed at the mouth. "Fine then. Here and now it is!" He then lunged at Ranma, who was already ready for this.

Ranma may have looked like he was trying to get out of the fight, but all his jumping and dodging was really just to lead Ryoga away from the crowded part of the field. Irregardless, Akane and most of the crowd followed to watch.

Ryoga was in a bad mood it seemed and punching like crazy, no rhythm right for a martial artist. It was easy for Ranma to dodge, but not get a word or punch in edgewise. So he settled for blocking and trying to get this guy worn out. Easier said then done because Ryoga had pretty impressive punches. Nothing Ranma couldn't handle, but he would have to check for bruises later on.

Ranma ducked and skidded off to the side so he could sneak-attack his opponent. However, Ryoga grabbed his umbrella and tried to hit Ranma with it like a lance. He missed, but and made a huge dent in the pavement. Forgoing the umbrella for a moment, Ryoga tried to ambush Ranma again in a brawler style attack. Ranma got a kick in to Ryoga's front and jaw to keep him away.

Akane watched the whole thing in awe, for this was the first time she really got to see Ranma fight as himself. The brief battle with Kuno on the first day was too short to be that impressive, and most other instances were in his oni form. as she watched, she found herself admitting he was very good and wanted to see more. Luckily she stopped herself before her thoughts could take a more perverse direction. And a classmate's cry helped out too.

"Augh! This thing weights a ton!" One of the boys in her class Akane didn't know the name of shouted as he tried to move Ryoga's umbrella. But he looked more like he was trying to lift a steel beam barehanded.

'But that Ryoga guy could throw it singelhandedly. That must mean..." Akane thought in horror before looking to Ranma. "Ranma watch out! He's got the strength of a monster!" The shout distracted Ranma just long enough for Ryoga to put a scratch on his face that bled.

"Heh, you found out too late." Ryoga commented.

"I can still fight since you won't let me stop." Ranma responded in a defensive position.

"Of course I won't let you. You need to suffer just like I have." Ryoga all but shouted as he resumed the attack.

'So that's what this is about.' Akane thought with a frown. 'That sore loser made a bad choice, got himself in some bad spots, blames Ranma for the whole thing, and wants to pick on him to make himself feel better.' Right then she wanted to butt into the fight and hit Ryoga with a mallet for being such an unlikeable male, but the reminder about his abnormal strength made her legs refuse to take her closer.

Sadly Ranma's legs didn't feel the same way since he had been taught never to run from a fight. The only exception being of course the Saotome secret manuever. Strange how that for a martial arts master like Genma, most of the techniques he had left to teach were for getting out of a fight rather than winning it. But Ranma couldn't worry about that right now. His focus was getting Ryoga out of his foul mood without getting anything destroyed or having to resort to oni form. He decided a good punch to the jaw might be enough to end this, hopefully.

Before Ranma's fist made contact, Ryoga took off one of many bandannas he wore for situations like this and caught his rival's wrist, preventing a blow or an escape. "Got you now, coward!"

"How many bandannas are you wearing?" Ranma asked before he used his momentum to make Ryoga flip over himself and make a jab with his free hand. Ryoga took off several more bandannas, and yet there was still some more on his head, and threw them like shuriken. Even odder, they felt like shuriken too as one of them cut the front of Ranma's shirt. The rest bounced off the ground and flew towards other targets, cutting metal poles even. Fortunately no one was hurt. "Hey! This was my favorite shirt!" Ranma complained once he noticed the damage.

"Quit yer griping! You sound like a girl when you say that." Ryoga thoughtlessly insulted as he regained his umbrella.

One of Ranma's nerves had been struck and he certainly showed it. Part of it was because Genma always used that as the best insult on his own son, and another part was because of his curse. "Who are ya calling a girl?" Ranma angrily shouted back as he got ready to knock Ryoga's lights out as soon as possible. He was attacking so hastily that Ryoga was the one trying to back up and get some space this time. He even jumped over a wall but Ranma followed.

Ranma then made a strong kick that broke the ground, and sadly one of the water pipes under him. A huge geyser of cold water was inevitable. Ryoga used his umbrella to deflect the water and ride it up and out, soon landing on a brick wall. Ranma still kept up the attack, unaware he can become a she. "I said who are ya calling a girl?"

Ryoga was certainly not expecting to see a good looking girl in a two piece swimsuit pop out of the water instead of Ranma, and certainly didn't react in time. Ranma's kick landed a good blow to the lost boy's face, and the fact this form always wore calf-high tiger stripe boots with heels made the blow sting more. Ryoga fell down but was still coherent and got a look at his rival's new body. He noticed the shape, the attire, the hair, and had a small nosebleed. Luckily Ranma's top wasn't torn as badly as the shirt had been, just a small nick on the edge, otherwise Ryoga's nosebleed may have been worse. "R-R-Ranma?"

"You want a fight so bad you've got it pal-tcha!" Ranma stated as she got ready to punch him some more. Apparently the feminine voice didn't filter thru her mind, but the sudden presence of lightning around her fists did. "What the? When did I...? Oh yeah the water burst."

Akane caught up before anyone else could and saw this new situation. "Crap. Ranma you might want to get out of here. Everyone else is coming and I'm sure you don't want them to see you like this."

Ranma grumbled, hating the fact she was right about that. "We'll have to take care of this later Ryoga. If you can find me that is-tcha."

"Wait. Ranma, what the heck happened to you?" Ryoga asked, already having a good idea for personal reasons he'd rather not admit, but wanting to actually hear a confirmation.

Ranma gave the lost boy a bothered narrow-eyed look, as if she could strike him with lightning just by doing that. "Ryoga, I don't know what the hell yer problem is, but you're not the only one who's had bad times since we've parted-tcha. Look at me, cursed with this body, and yet I still find reasons to be nice to people. I don't go around trying to clobber others so they feel as miserable as me-tcha."

Before Ryoga could reply, Ranma already flew off, not wanting to risk getting spotted anymore. Akane then walked right up to the lost boy and sternly crossed her arms with an angry glare. "I suggest you get lost on purpose this time. Or else I'll fight you, and I'm used to fighting men."

Ryoga, not used to interactions with women but considerate enough to not knowingly fight them, did as told and wandered away, not looking where he was going. "What a violent girl. Good luck getting a boyfriend with that attitude miss." He then looked to the sky. "Ranma, whatever may have happened to you has only delayed your inevitable demise, not prevented it. You will suffer even more than I have. But for now, where am I?"