A/N: Alright first of all, I'm sorry for all of my chapters taking so long to be posted...I write ½ then I forget about it, then I find it again a while later and write another bit and so on and so forth. 2nd point, if you didn't read the review I posted for the 3rd chapter, I suggest you do. But if you you're lazy, the gist of it is that it will all start getting detailed in this chapter, and all the previous chapters I tried to sum up fast just to get to Jusenkyo. Well, now that that's taken care of, on with the show!

.mostly Akane's. emphasis -or- sound effects **new scene** flashbacks

Chapter 4: Jusenkyo and other Misfortunes

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**Jusenkyo, Quing Hai Province, China**

It was six o'clock in the morning and the Jusenkyo tour guide was woken abruptly by a loud thumping noise outside his door. This particular tour guide's nerves were completely numb due to past occasions, so, after hearing the noise he calmly got out of bed and went to check it out.

Lying on his doorstep was a girl. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were rolled back into her head. She was lying on her side, in a position that seemed to indicate that she had made an effort to knock on the door but didn't make it. "Oh dear," said the tour guide, "I guess I bring girl inside, yes? She in bad way."

He hefted the girl over his shoulder and proceeded to walk into his small hut. The furnishings consisting of only a bed, a small stove and a little table with the single most important belonging of the tour guide, the Jusenkyo guest book. He placed the girl on his single pallet and checked her over. "Ah, I knew so! Girl step in poison bush outside training ground! Very bad for you, good thing I have cure, yes?"

As he busied himself with preparing the cure for the poison, the girl, (Akane Tendo)'s eyelashes fluttered open. She had a very high fever so she was sweating profusely and muttering animatedly.

"Kansatsu.Ranma! Jusenkyo." The tour guide's ears perked up despite all his wishes to remain partial towards his visitors. The tour guide-who was now listening intently-began to pour the curative elixir/herbal tea into the corner of Akane's open and moving mouth.

"Naniichuan! Ranma.love.provemyself.Kansatsulove.Argh!" The tour guide jumped up startled, so quickly that he spilled the rest of the tea all over his lap. Akane was now sitting bolt upright looking around madly and frenzied as if she didn't know where she was.which in fact she didn't.

"Ahh.you must be healthy girl, yes? That mighty faaaast recovery!" said the Tour Guide appraisingly. "Who are you? Where am I? Am I close to Jusenkyo? What happened?" Akane cried out increasing speed with each question. "I am Tour Guide of Jusenkyo. You in my house. Which in Jusenkyo. You black out on doorstep, poison plant.

"Jusenkyo?! Praise Buddha, Thank the heavens! I've been travelling for 3 months now trying to get to this hell hole." Akane exclaimed. "Please calm down.what bring you to Jusenkyo?" asked the Tour Guide politely.

"My fian.my friend, Ranma-" "Ah I knew so!" interrupted the Tour Guide as he hurried over to the little table in the corner of the hut. He picked up the book, flipped to the second last page an read aloud in a monotone voice,
"Name: Ranma Saotome;
Visited: July 18th last year;
Fall in; Spring of Drowned Girl
Reason; didn't listen."

"Sounds like him alright. Hey.could I see that book for a few minutes?" asked Akane cautiously. This book obviously meant a lot to the Tour Guide, "I think yes." Said the Tour Guide. Akane took the book from the Tour Guide and flipped it open. An entry caught her eye.
Name: Unknown;
Visited: July 18th last year;
Fall: Spring of Drowned Piglet;
Reason: Negligence.

Akane continued to flip through the book. A certain pattern was evident in the entries of the Tour Guide. Under reason of fall, 9 out of 10 were "didn't listen" the other reason was "Negligence". Akane handed back the book.

"I need to see the Spring of Drowned Boy, or Naniichuan, could you take me there tomorrow? By the way, my name is Akane Tendo." Akane stated getting right to the point. "I see no why nots." Said the Tour Guide reluctantly, "tomorrow, oh I not tell my name to no one I not trust full."

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** Next Morning **

"I would just like to say thank you again, you didn't have to help me." said Akane for the 3rd time that morning as her and the Tour Guide trekked though the maze of springs in the morning sunlight. Akane strayed over to one of the bamboo training poles.

"These poles." said Akane as she grabbed it with her hand. "Fine!" yelled the Tour Guide suddenly, "Climb on pole! Jump, train like all guest say! Fall! Blame!" the Tour Guide was standing expectantly at Akane red in the face due to yelling. "What I was going to say, these poles.maybe if you painted different colours you could draw more tourists. Why are you just standing there? Let's keep going!" and Akane walked past the bewildered Tour Guide.

After a long hour of hiking over the narrow strips of land in between the accursed springs, Akane and The Tour Guide had finally made it to spring of Drowned Boy. Akane couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Naniichuan! She had finally reached her goal. "Careful please." Said the tour guide noticing her eagerness to reach the spring.

Akane reached into her backpack and took out two canteens. One with the letter N and the other with the letter W. She put away the water container and took the empty canteen she meant to fill with the cursed water. Akane took of the cap and carefully made her way down the slope.

But, being her clumsy self, she promptly tripped on a loose stone. All that she could see of her impending fate was the sparkling green water rushing towards her face as she fell toward the pool. Suddenly, she stopped speeding towards the water. The tour guide had caught her in mid air. Her nose was only an inch away from the water.

"Th-thanks." said Akane shakily, unconsciously brushing her pants free of invisible dirt. It was something she always did when she was embarrassed or nervous. She once again carefully leaned over. Filling her canteen to the brim, Akane felt a wave of satisfaction wash over her.

"Umm could I stay with you for another night.I'm still feeling kind of weak from my trip and I have another long trip ahead of me." said Akane tentatively. The Tour Guide's answer was an offered hand to help her up and a broad smile across his usually worried face.

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**The next day**

"Thank you so much for everything you've done for me Mr. Tour Guide. You really didn't have to, I could've managed and-" The Tour Guide silenced her with a waved hand.

"Akane, you only person who ever listen to me. You took water to help not use training place for selfish choices and actions. I trust you Akane Tendo. My name Chen. Ping Wo Chen." And with that, Ping Wo pulled Akane into a tearful hug. "I miss you. Be careful, yes?"

"I will.Ping Wo Chen." Akane waved one more time and begun her long trek to Japan. First she would stop at Zhangzhou and visit Uncle Oji. Then she would return home. *sigh* home.

**One week later, somewhere in between Jusenkyo and Zhang Zhou**

Akane was content. She was finally on her way home. She reached into her pack for her water canteen. She unscrewed the cap and brought it to her lips. The she noticed the N on the side. She violently ripped it away from her face.

Then she tripped. She was walking all of a sudden all she could see was blue sky and a metal canteen raining water down on her. Then the canteen hit her in the fore and she knew no more.

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A/N: There! The next one will be faster I promise!