Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2, and am not making any money off of this. Though if someone wants to give me a job writing original stuff I'll be in the office Monday!"

Ranma-Papa, Shampoo-Mama

Chapter Eight

"I am really not convinced this is a great idea." Ranma muttered, staring at the Nerima junior high school. "I mean Himeko's dad can get to her way to easy when she's here. At least at home or the Nekohatten he has to get through pop or the old ghoul, and I doubt Cologne would even work up a sweat."

"But I want to go to school!" Himeko, standing between Ranma and Nodoka. She was afraid she admitted to herself, but she really wanted a chance to make friends. She loved Shi but wanted someone to talk to about stuff that wouldn't be distracted by a piece of yarn.

"Yeah, but it's not safe! What if your old man shows up, huh? You can't defend yourself!"

Himeko, Nodoka saw while shaking her head, was getting very annoyed with Ranma. Ranma was wonderful with her, like a big brother with a beloved little sister, but when he thought something was 'dangerous' he'd get excessively overprotective. That, mixed with her son's ability to annoy anything with an X chromosome pair conspired to cause even the relatively passive Himeko to grow very angry.

Actually, she had once punted him into a wall like Akane or Ukyo were prone to doing. Ranma later said he wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

"Ranma dear, rather you wish her to go or not the child welfare department requires it." Nodoka explained, for the third time that day.

"And Shampoo plans to visit school often, to keep Shi in line if nothing else." Shampoo, who along with Shi had accompanied the Saotomes to the special meeting with the Junior Highs principle said. They had been summoned 'due to problems with the girls records'.

Ranma frowned. "Yeah, and pop said he'd be hanging around sometimes too. I'm just worried okay!"

"I am not a little kid, and if my father shows up I know better then to fight him. Isn't that why you've been running me over roofs and stuff?"

Shampoo giggled. "Saotome Special Technique!"

"Oh! Can I learn the special technique too?" Shi asked, causing both adult women to start laughing outright.

Ranma just glared and yelled "What?" while the girls watched in confusion.

"Sorry... son." Nodoka caught her breath. "But 'Run Away' isn't really a technique. Often a good idea, yes, but not really a special move." Shampoo just nodded in agreement while still laughing.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get this over with." He took a step forward just in time for a car to run through a puddle splashing him. "Oh come on! It hasn't even rained all week!"

The women behind the now female Ranma all laughed as the young redhead opened a thermos she had up her sleeve. Thanks to one to many fights with Mousse she had picked up a little of the hidden weapons style. Without preamble she dumped the hot water over her head."

"Really." He muttered. "Ya don't have to laugh so..."

"CAT!"

He spun around and yelped when he spotted a small calico kitten at his feet. "C...CAT!" Both Ranma and Himeko took of running, fortunately heading towards the school.

Sighing, Nodoka picked up Shi-neko and her clothes. "I'll get Shi some water, would you mind..?" She gestured after the fleeing pair.

"Yes. Ranma should keep better track of water." She said, bouncing after them, still giggling.

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I'm sorry Shi!" Himeko said. They were sitting between the group of adults on vinyl chairs waiting to see the principle.

"Fine. Just stop running away from me! You know I wouldn't hurt you!"

"I know... But when you're a cat..." the older girl shuddered.

"Maybe you can get used to Shi and Shampoo." Nodoka suggested. "I know how deep the fear goes, but maybe you can adapt to these two at the least. If you get caught in the rain or a hot drink gets spilled then you can help them out."

"How?" All four of the others, including Ranma, asked.

"Let me think about it." Nodoka said.

"The principal is ready to see you now." The secretary said, interrupting their conversation. The group rose and walked into the office. What they found froze Ranma and Shampoo, who hadn't read their letters very closely. "Ms. Hinako!"

Hinako Niomia looked up from her desk with a big smile, her child like form as irredeemably cute as ever. "Hello Mr. Saotome! Hello Ms. Shampoo! Are you here to visit?"

"Um. No." Nodoka looked around the office. "Where's the principal."

"She is, probably mom." Ranma said. "She's that teacher Akane and me told you about."

'Oh... Okay." the older Saotome answered cautiously. "She'd learned to accept a lot over the years, and had long ago stopped doubting her son's wilder stories. Still, the girl looked Shi's age! "We're here because we got a call about Shi and Himeko's entrance exams?"

"Oh yeah, I remember! Did you know neither of them has been in school before? At least, not for very long."

"Yes. That's why they both had to take those tests."
"Oh. Right. Well they both did well considering their lack of real education. My problem is, first, does anyone know Shi's real age?"

"Um... No?" Shampoo replied.

Hinako shrugged. "Okay." She moved on. "Why is Himeko listed as 'at risk of abduction' then? There aren't going to be aliens here are there? We can't have people flying around everywhere and electrocuting each other!"

The sudden flipping of subjects, and rather strange commentary involving aliens, made Nodoka a little dizzy. "No... Um, it's because of her father..."

______________(AN: I am not typing that explanation again. You all read the first chapters anyhow)_____

"I can not believe such worthless scum as that actually exists! I'll drain his Ki dry then stick his shriveled butt in the post for Santa!"

"Whoa..." Ranma muttered, watching Hinako's battle aura flare.

"Shampoo sense fighting spirit." the Amazon inadvertently quoted.

Nodoka, nodding and somewhat awed, said "She's quite... descriptive isn't she." The two young girls just watched the teacher glow in amazement.

"Very well then!" Hinako yelled, causing the others to jump. "Shi and Himeko will be in grade seven, class C! They have lunch when I'm watching and English in my class. I'll get that... That... That pooh head if he comes here!"

"Wait! Shi's a bit young for that grade!" Nodoka said, then winced as she realized the kitten girl was likely only about five months old.

"But she scored higher then Himeko in everything but mathematics! Her English was fluent too!"

"Well...that is true..."

And no one seems to know her exact age, right? I'm sure she'll be fine! I expected a fight over Himeko being to old, actually."

"Naw. She's gonna have to catch up. We all knew that."

"I don't mind." The girl said.

"Okay. Good then! What do you think Shi?" She smiled, then blinked when she realized the girl had fallen asleep. "Um... Right." She was feeling a nostalgic urge to drain Ranma at the moment, that reminding her of... something... but fought it off. "Well. Class starts Monday. See you then!"

"Thank you Ms. Hinako. They will be here."

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Hiokai Makashi jumped out of his tree, having watched the Saotome's and Amazons leave the school with his daughter. He had returned, knowing that the schools would open soon and that was the best place to grab his daughter. No one there would fight him when he came for her, at least not fight and win.

He had lucked out, hearing his older sister talking to his nephew while they were leaving the Saotome home. He over heard the name of the school, the public junior high to his relief since some of the private schools had decent security which could slow him down. He had tried to tail them, but had lost track thanks to a simple train separating them. He had then rushed directly to the school, arriving in time to see them run in apparently fleeing something.

He had waited for his family to get out of sight, and took a chance to look over the grounds of the school, the entrances and exits before leaving the compound to check out possible escape routes. "Soon I'll have her back, and I can clean up the sloppy emotional crap they fed her." He muttered.

AN: First off, I know this one is a little short, and I'm sorry. I'm beginning a new arc the next chapter that will focus on the girls and their school friends, meaning I have to think up their school friends. To a certain extent this is going to be old flavor Ranma 1/2 (Senseless battles, one shape shifting curse SO FAR, ect...) but the 'Adult' cast is still going to be getting into adventures of their own. If anyone has suggestions for schoolmates I'm open for suggestions. Fair warning, I'm involving a Kuno! If a father can appear out of no where, then why can't a younger child eh?

I'm also thinking about a Hibiki, but I'm not sure what to do with that.

Hope ya liked it! Keep reading, keep reviewing!