Chapter III

Ranma swam to the edge of the canal concrete wall and reached up. He climbed out of the canal, over the enclosure fence, with Ryoga in tow clutching the back of his shirt, and then the pair flopped on the ground. Ranma took a few breaths and was soaked to the skin.

Ryoga shook like the animal he was now, then growled at Ranma. P-Chan clenched his teeth.

Ranma eyed him with disdain. "Oh, yeah? C'mon! This is your fault!" he accused. "And now my order is ruined. It's already paid for, you know? Stupid, stupid, stupid, Ryoga!"

With a sneer, and a deeper, angrier, hateful growl, P-Chan lunged at Ranma's face. HIs tiny paws, claws out, whisked wickedly fast and began to scratch Ranma's face. Ranma let out a girlish scream. He was a girl now.

"Hey, ow! Stop it, you idiot! That hurts! Get off!"

Someone heard Ranma's scream, because a stranger suddenly grabbed P-Chan and pulled him off. P-Chan's little legs wiggled in free air until, trying to get free. He couldn't. He was being held by the bandana Ryoga always wore around his head, but was now a collar around P-Chan.

The stranger, a young, red-haired, male, wearing what appeared to be a priest's attire with a white collar looked at P-Chan face-to-face. "Are you hurt, miss? Did this wild piglet scare you?"

Ranma looked up. The guy was handsome, for a guy. The stranger extended his other hand and Ranma took it, getting to his feet. "Thanks, and no—I wasn't scared of this…" he began, then stopped himself in mid-sentence. "But I am in mood for some fried pork."

P-Chan growled at him. P-Chan managed to wiggle out of the man's grip and then landed on all fours, then backed away, to a safe distance. He knew he was no match for Ranma right now.

"I'm glad you're okay," the young man said. "I'm wondering if you could help me? I'm on my way to a medical conference. I may look young, but I'm a certificated medical doctor from a remote village, and I've come to learn a few new things to help my village. I'm also a priest. I seem to have lost my way. I've never been to this town before. I'm looking for the Tendo Dojo."

"Yeah, I live there," Ranma said. "So, you're here for that conference, too? There are so many people already here for it. The Tendo Dojo is the main gathering hub, but the attendees stay in hotels for the night. Nice to meet ya! I'm…Ranko…and this annoying pest is P-Chan."

P-Chan stuck out his tongue.

P-Chan then cocked his head momentarily as he gazed at the stranger. Ranma noticed P-Chan's stare, almost like in he was in recollection. He turned his attention back to the medical priest. Ranma directed him to the Tendo Dojo. The priest thanked him and went on his way.

Afterwards, when they had changed back to their normal selves, Ryoga mused quietly. They sat near the canal, but on a bench. The okonomiyaki was safe, but the order from the Cat Cafe was in the canal water. Ranma knew it was a lost cause, but he did have to jump back in to retrieve Ryoga's clothes that just luckily happen to get stuck on a steel rod that stuck out of the wall.

"What's on your mind, pig-brain?"

"Shut up! I'm thinking," Ryoga said, then said, "I know that guy…" he continued. "I knew that red hair was familiar. He lives in a village I visited where I learned my new technique."

"You mean the new technique that you haven't a clue how to use?"

"Shut up, but essentially—yes," Ryoga agreed, "with the Hellfire Technique, that I could use to crush your bones, Ranma."

"Sure, whatever…" Ranma said.

"Anyway, that guy mentored under the head doctor at the village, and he knows the technique," Ryoga said. "He knows how to do it even better that the doctor. It was said to be slated to take over as the village physician when the doctor retired. I think his name is Brimstone."

"Brimstone, huh?" Ranma shrugged. "Who cares! Now what about my order?" Ranma went over and gripped the cage of the canal enclosure. "I can't afford to pay for another order from the Cat Cafe. So, here's what's going to happen. I'm takin' you order from Ukyo and you'll take the fall."

"No way! It wasn't my fault you dropped your order. Take responsibility for your failings!"

Ranma gripped Ryoga by his shirt. "Let's settle this like men, Ryoga. Time to show me this new technique of yours. I'll be your guinea-pig. But I'll you this much, you're not gonna touch me!

To be continued...