chap 2

'My curse!' he got up and went swiftly to the bathroom and got a bucket of cold water.

He closed his eyes. 'Here goes nothing.' he dumped the bucket's contents on his head and then opened his eyes and looked in the mirror.

'Yes! No more stupid curse!' he was doing his version of the happy dance. He took off his shirt and looked again at the full-length mirror. What he saw made him stop his dance.

'Ugh! I'm fat!' he touched his belly to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He looked at his arms and noticed they were bigger. 'No way! How could this be?'

'But at least I'm still male.' he tried consoling himself.

'Ranma are you all right? I heard you shout.' his mother called.

'Nothing mom.' Ranma reassuring his mother. 'Man, this will take some time to get use to. Better get dressed for school' he thought.

He checked his closet and was looking for his favourite Chinese outfit, the communist worker's uniform. He couldn't find it; in fact, he didn't recognize any of the clothes inside his closet.

'Mom! Where are my clothes?'

'They're in your closet, dear.'

'But where are my regular clothes? My Chinese clothes aint here.'

'Chinese? Not again.' Nodoka thought. 'Ranma, you don't wear Chinese clothes.'

'Oh, that's right. hahahha.'

'I forgot that I am a complete loser in this world. Beaten up by Kuno, what a loser!' Ranma thinking wryly.

'So what I'm gonna wear to school?'

'Your school uniform, silly.'

'Ok thanks mom!' he frowned and said quietly. 'Stupid uniform.'

He finally got dressed and went to the dining area. His mother already set the table. Ranma looked over the table and gave an approving 'mmh' at the large breakfast before him.

'Ok lets eat!' his mother giving the signal to start.

Ranma ate like he always does, lightning fast. A few minutes later he was done.

'Well I'm glad that you haven't lost your appetite dear.'

'Mom, that was delicious!' Nodoka beamed at his son's compliment. 'Now I know why I got so fat.'

'What was that dear?'

'Nothing mom.'

'Better to stop thinking out loud. Ok one mystery solved. I've gotten this fat because of mom's delicious cooking and compound that with me not practicing martial arts which translate me not getting enough exercise.' he reflected.

'Mom, can I ask you something?'

'Yes dear.'

'I am still fuzzy about some stuff. Can you tell me about pop?'

Nodoka not expecting the question was taken a back but quickly composed herself.

'What do you want to know, dear?'

'Why and when did he left us?'

'It was about ten years ago; he was planning to take you with him on a long training journey. But a week before you and him were to leave, he had a nightmare. He was saying something about evil has awakened and he must make sure. He left the next day and told me he was visiting his old training partner and he said he would be back soon. That was the last day I saw him.'

'I tried to track him down. I searched also all over for his training partner but no one has heard of him.'

'Mom, what was this partner's name?'

'Segara Soun.'

Ranma taking this all in. 'Segara Soun? She must mean Mr. Tendo. When he married he must have taken his wife's surname. I'll pay a visit to the tendo dojo later.'

'Is there anything else dear?'

'No nothing. That'll be fine. Oh, mom I'm gonna go to a friend's house after school. So I'll be late.'

'Fine dear.' Nodoka made an attempt to hide her surprise. 'Ranma doesn't have friends? What is going on with you son?' she thought.

'Ok I'm off!' Ranma got up and then grab his bag and ran outside. Only a few meters from his house he was panting and stopped running. 'I'm so out of shape. Better fix this condition soon if I want to stop being the school loser.'

He started running again but stops every now and then to catch his breath. At last after a dozen or so stops he reached furinken high.

He then heard shouts. 'Akane I love you! Please date me!'

'Jerks! I don't want to date any of you!'

Ranma's eyes widen. There was Akane bulldozing her way against the lovesick crowd. Ranma's heart leaped with joy. He forgetting completely that Akane doesn't know him. He charges towards her.

'Akane! You're alive, I'm so happy!'