Chapter I
A rain storm seeded the town of Nerima with a heavy downpour during an early afternoon and it was too much for the aqueduct in the middle of the town to bare. The roaring water splashed over the sides into the streets.
The streets became flooded and soon there was a power failure across half the town.
Luckily there was enough light for everyone to see until power could be restored to deal with their water issues. Crews were in the streets and up electrical poles working as fast as they could even in the rain to restore full power.
The Tendo household as not only listening to the heaviness of the rain hitting the roof but they were kept occupied with its constant leakage.
Ranma was supposed to fix a hole in the roof yesterday, but forgot. However, with this storm, they soon learned there was more than just one hole. It was like the roof was a giant strainer. Now Ranma wished he had fixed the known hole, at the very least, because it was causing the most damage inside dropping water from the second floor and flooding the lower level using the stairs like a waterfall.
Just a few minutes ago Ranma was drenched with cold, freezing water as a portion of the roof collapsed and dropped water directly on top of him. His Jusenkyo curse activated instantly, turning him into his female equivalent. He cursed himself openly for not fixing the hole. But with this much water, turning into girl was a given circumstance.
There was an even bigger problem and one he himself had to deal with.
Ryoga had arrived just before the rain started and was now trapped in the house like everyone else until it stopped. If he was P-Chan, the rain wouldn't bother him. But as a human, it was a major concern for him. He attempted to help in anyway he could, but he had to stay away from the water and that was a major feat in of itself.
He was scared that he might change into P-Chan right in front of Akane. The rest of the family knew about his curse, however. Ranma was trying to avoid that and sent him to places where the water wasn't so bad. He even gave Ryoga a raincoat and a hat to help prevent his curse from activating. Ryoga appreciated Ranma's efforts, but even so, Ryoga was no help at all.
"When is this rain gonna stop?" Ranma complained, moving another bucket under a dripping portion of the roof in the tea room.
The upstairs was partially flooded and the ceiling was dripping water. After the rain stopped, there would be some major work to be done to fix up the house.
"We're all trying to make the best out of a bad situation, Ranma," Akane said harshly. "You don't see any of us complaining, do you?"
"Please," Kasumi began, helping out. "Don't argue now, we need to work together."
"Kasumi's right," Nabiki chimed in, trying to avoid the water. "Put your differences aside for once. You can fight some other time. Although if someone only fixed the roof like he was supposed to, this flooding wouldn't be so bad."
"Thank you, Nabiki dear," Soun Tendo said.
"Ranma," Genma said. "Stop fighting with Akane."
Ranma snorted. "Is everyone against me? At least I can count on Ryoga in a pinch."
"Where is Ryoga?" Akane wondered, looking around.
"I think he's upstairs," Ranma said lying. He was actually hiding in a closet. It was the safest place from the water. There was no leaking where he was. "He said he's gonna try to fortify the ceiling to stop the water from coming down."
"Doesn't look like he's doing a very good job," Nabiki said.
"Nothing's changed since he's been gone."
"Ranma! Go check on him," Akane demanded.
"Trust me," Ranma said. "He's perfectly safe. He's in no danger."
"Check on him anyway, Ranma," Akane said adamantly.
Ranma rolled his eyes and sighed.
He/she went down the hall, away from the others, no one saw where he went, and opened the closet door where Ryoga was hiding, and found him huddled in a ball, his knees up to his chest.
"Help me Ranma, please!" he said. "I don't wanna change in front of Akane."
"You won't as long as you stay outta the way and this is the safest place."
"But I feel so guilty cowering in the closest like this. I know I could be useful."
"You'd only get in the way no matter what the situation, you're too clumsy. You'll better off stayin' here until the rain subsides. And from the looks of things you're in for a long wait."
"I'm not clumsy," Ryoga retorted defensively. Then said, "Too bad we don't have some of Shampoo's Chinese water proof soap. It might've only worked for a brief time, but I'd feel much better having it with me right now."
"You're such a wimp, Ryoga. Things are under control. You worry too much!"
"I…" Ryoga thought for a moment, then said, "Maybe stayin' out of the way and preventing my curse from activating from happening is the best option."
Ranma slammed the door on him.
"Hey!" came Ryoga's voice through the door.
Ryoga burst out of the closet and jumped on Ranma in a fit of anger. "What was that for?" Ryoga demanded.
"I think you fell into a spring that changes you into a chicken," Ranma said.
"I AM NOT A COWARD!" Ryoga shouted.
Akane suddenly came around the corner. "I thought I heard voices," she said.
They looked at her.
Akane's brow rose. "Ryoga? Ranma said you were upstairs?" Then she saw Ryoga on top of Ranma wearing a yellow rain coat. "Are you two fighting again? Now? Honestly! Stop it and help us. There's lots of work to do 'round here, Ryoga!"
"This isn't over, Ranma," Ryoga said, getting off his rival.
"Anytime, bacon breath!" Ranma said.
Ranma and Ryoga followed Akane to the tea room. Ryoga watched carefully for any dripping water and avoided it. The ceiling was dripping water in several places into buckets onto the main floor, but as long as he avoided any deluges that changed Ranma into his female form, the raincoat should protect him.
"We need buckets emptied," Akane said.
"Okay…" Ryoga hesitated, but he didn't want to appear cowardly in front of Akane and braved the peril. But as soon as he went to pick up a bucket of water, a deluge of water fell near him and he panicked. He jumped, screamed, and Ranma caught him in his arms.
"Wimp!"
"I'm not a wimp!" Ryoga rebuked, getting off Ranma.
To prove he wasn't a coward, Ryoga picked up a bucket of water and carried it out to the open porch door under a secure part of the overhead terrace. Here he dumped the water out where it added to the flooded backyard. The pond was completely submerged and the water was almost up to level with the house. It was a good thing the house was elevated with support beams, or the entire main floor would be completely submerged like the backyard.
Ranma joined him outside. He dumped a bucket of water. "Now that is alotta water," he remarked. "It'll be a shame if someone fell into it." He smirked maliciously at Ryoga.
"Not funny, Ranma! You wouldn't dare!"
"Chill out, will ya!"
"Sorry, but I'm very nervous with all this water around."
Suddenly the rain began to subside like it had listened to Ryoga's concern and then stopped altogether. Water dripped from the overflowed gutters. The sun beamed out from parting clouds.
"Looks like it's over," Ranma said, smiled. "Your bacon-butt is saved once again from the evils of water."
"That's not funny, Ranma," Ryoga said.
"Jeez! Lighten up!"
They were just about to return to the tea room when thunder rumbled violently, and both boys looked up at the sky; thick, black clouds still hovered in one spot.
"Sounds like it's not over quite yet," Ranma said. "The last hooray?"
Ryoga took a step back, but accidentally slipped. He grabbed Ranma by the arm as they both fell into the flooded backyard.
"Hey!" Ranma shouted.
At the moment they fell in, the water was struck by a bolt of lightning. The water erupted like a bomb went off and water splashed everywhere. Both Ranma and Ryoga become submerged.
"OH MY GOD!" Kasumi shouted, and the others looked at her. The family ran out into the back porch.
"Kasumi! What happened?" Akane asked.
Kasumi looked shocked, her arms over her mouth. "Ranma and Ryoga just fell into the water in the backyard and it was just struck by lightning!"
To be continued...
