Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi

Tribe of One is owned by TSR

"So he should be here in a few days?"  Soun asked his old friend as he placed a go stone.

"With any luck, yes..."  Genma replied.  *If Nodoka doesn't kill him.*

Soun looked out into his back yard, watching the sun rise in the horizen.  

"It promises to be a beautiful day, eh Saotome?"

"Yes, Tendo... and soon, our families will be joined together."

Soun turned back to the game board and studied Genma's latest move.  

"Hmmm... Which one of them do you think he will choose?"  He finally asked.

"I really don't know Tendo.  I don't know what kind of girl he likes."

Soun glanced at Kasumi who was setting up the dining table for breakfast. *A house wife?*
He then turned towards Nabiki was yawning as she leaned forward on the table.  
*A career-minded woman?*  He then turned towards the Dojo where he could the sounds 
of bricks being smashed.  *A martial artist?*  

"Well, which ever one he picks, he will be getting a good wife."

Genma nodded his head in agreement.  "You have done a very fine job of raising them Tendo."

"Thank you... Where were you and Ranma BEFORE this recent trip to China?"

"Uh... Er... Well, this trip to China was recent for ME, Ranma has been there for
that last ten years."  Genma replied.  *Please don't take this the wrong way!*

"Really?  So Ranma has been learning a lot Chinese styles, eh? "

"Uh.. yeah.  hehehe... Um... But he has also learned Anything Goes; from my sister, Ryoko"

"Sister?  I didn't know you had a sister!"

"Well, she left home to... perfect her skills a long time ago."  

"Well, it's good that Ranma has learned from her then."  

The two men sat in silence for a moment and then Soun finally asked,

"Are you sure he'll agree to this?  I mean, he does know about what we planned, right?"

"Of course, Tendo... The boy knows his duty."

"Good, because things might get difficult if he is of two minds on this subject..."

*You don't know the HALF of it*  Genma thought morosely.



   *****************************************
   *     *
   * Raoh the Conquorer presents *
   *     *
   *    A Story of Ranma 1/2  *
   *     * 
   * A Stained Glass Mind part 5 *
   *     *
   *****************************************


"I can't believe Daddy is forcing us into something like this!"  Akane said
as she wiped the water off another plate.  

"Well, it's not that bad _yet_ Akane, after all, he might be cute.  Right Kasumi?"  Nabiki
asked, standing in the kitchen doorway watching her sisters work.

"Well, he's younger than me... So I can't marry him."  Kasumi replied.

"That's a weak arguement Kasumi." Nabiki chirped.

"And what about that stupid curse?  He turns into a girl!  He's gotta be some kind
of a freak or a pervert!"  Akane fumed.

"Well, then he's perfect for you, right Akane?  After all, _you_ don't like boys.."

"Nabiki!"  Akane said as her face turned a bright shade of red.

Before Nabiki could further embarrass her younger sister, someone knocked on the
front door.

"Oh!  That might be Ranma!"  Nabiki exclaimed as she turned around and headed towards
the front door.

"Come on Akane, we should greet our guest."  Kasumi said, drying her hands.

"Oh... OK."  Akane replied.

Before they were able to exit the kitchen, however, Genma came barreling in and hid
behind Kasumi.

"Pleasedon'tletherhurtmepleasedon'tletherhurtmeplease-"  he gibbered.

"What the-"  Akane started to ask but was interrupted by a loud yell.

"HUSBAND!  COME OUT HERE AT ONCE!"  

"Oh my!  Is that your wife, Mr. Saotome?"  Kasumi asked.

"Pleasedon'tletherhurtmepleasedon'tletherhurtmeplease-"  he gibbered.

"Oh please!"  Akane said, exasperated. 

She grabbed Genma firmly by the hand and dragged him out of the kitchen.  Genma was
too paralized with fear to fight back.  When Akane reached the living room she saw
a woman wearing a kimono who had a sword drawn.  Standing next to her was a boy
with a red chinese-style shirt with long black hair that was tied back in a
pig tail.

The woman with the sword stalked angrily up to Akane and the girl flinched when
she looked at the woman's eyes.  When she reached Akane she suddenly smiled and
said,   "Thank you dear, I'll take it from here."

She then firmly grabbed a hold of Genma's ear and dragged him outside of the
house saying, "We have MUCH to discuss.  Husband." 

Akane stared at Nodoka's retreating form and then turned to her father who
was huggging the boy with the pig-tail.

"Uh... Dad?"  Akane asked.

Soun let go of the boy and turned around to face Akane, his eyes brimming with
tears and a smile plastered all over his face.  He kept one arm over Ranma's shoulder.

"Oh Akane, good you're here.  Kasumi!  Nabiki! Gather around please."  

Kasumi followed Akane out of the kitchen and Nabiki walked downstairs with a camera
in her hand.  

"Girls, " Soun began, "I would like you to meet Ranma Saotome.  Genma's son."

Soun turned his head towards Ranma and said, "Ranma I would like to introduce you
to my daughters.  There is Kasumi, age 19, my middle daughter Nabiki, age 17, and finally
my youngest daughter Akane, age 16.  Pick any one you want. She will be your wife."

Ranma looked at each of the three girls in turn.  Kasumi was slightly smiling and
had a vapid look on her face.  Nabiki was looking at Ranma with a speculative gleam
in her eyes.  Ranma shuddered;  the girl looked like a predator.  Akane was glaring
at Ranma with undisguised hatred.  He didn't need to be a telepath to know what SHE
was feeling right now.  It took a lot of will power to keep Shade down when Ranma 
looked at Akane.  There was nothing but hostility there.

<Ranma>  *Guardian.  HELLLLLLP!!!!*

<Guardian>  *All right Ranma, just calm down and let me up.*

Guardian took control and started probing the minds of all the people in the
room.  

<Guardian>  *OK... Kasumi is a gentle, sweet, airhead who thinks that we are too
young for her.  Besides, she is a bit uncomfortable with the curse.*

<Ranma>  *Wait a minute!  How did they find out about the curse?*

<Guardian>  *Hold on a second...* 

Guardian started a deeper probe and then started laughing.

<Ranma>  *What's so funny?*

<Guardian>  *Father came here as a panda!* 

<Ranma>  *What?*

<Bitter>  *hahaha... Sounds like something that idiot would do!*

<Lyric>  *Pop's a panda, pop's a panda, pop's a panda!*

<Guardian> *Please, not now...*

<Ranma>  *Guardian, go on...*

<Guardian> *Yes, well, father changed back, scaring everyone half to death I
might add, and explained everything to Soun and the girls.*

<Ranma>  *OK, what about the other two?*

<Guardian> *Nabiki doesn't really care about the curse, but she doesn't want
to marry us either.  She is more concerned about how much money she can make
off of us.  As for Akane... well, she hates us.*

<Ranma>  *What?  Why?  What did we do to her?*

<Guardian>  *Ranma, she's upset about the possiblity of an arranged marriage, she
hates boys our age, the curse scares her, AND she's in love with someone else...
We are the primary cause of all her stress right now, regardless of who thought of this
idea.*

<Ranma>  *Well, I guess I'd better say something.*

While Ranma was doing his mental 'research', it had seemed to the girls that he
was staring off into space, trying to make some kind of decision.  Soun looked 
expectant and a bit excited as Ranma turned towards him.

"Mr. Tendo, I- I don't think that any of your daughters want to marry me.  Am
I wrong?"  Ranma asked turning towards the girls.

"It's not that you don't seem like a nice young man, but I think you're too young 
for me."  Kasumi said with a smile.

"I have a lot of plans right now, and marriage, just wouldn't fit right now."  Nabiki said.

Everyone turned towards Akane and she blushingly said, "I hate boys."

"Hmmm... "  Nabiki hmmmed as she walked into the kitchen, filled a glass with
cold water and walked back out.  She casually threw the water at Ranma and watched
the transformation.  Ranma, because of the shock of the water and the transformation
lost control and Bitter came up.  

Ranma/Bitter calmly wiped her face and said, "I assume there was a point to that?  Or
perhaps you prefer this body better, eh Nabiki?"

Nabiki blushed for a moment then smirked, "Actually, I did it for Akane, since she
hates boys, but you're just too cute.  We could find a nice, handsome man
for you easily."

Ranma/Bitter glared at Nabiki for a moment then started laughing.  

"I could get to like you."  He said with a sigh.

Nabiki just winked and smiled mysteriously.

<Guardian> *Bitter, be careful what you say!*

<Bitter>  *Oh, no harm done, but I do like her. I need someone intelligent to
talk to once in awhile.  I've always like the thrill of a good debate or
arguement.* 

<Lyric>  *Bitter and Nabiki sittin' in a tree!  K-I-S-S-I-N-G!  First-*

<Bitter> *Oh shut up! young whelp!*

Soun looked like he was going to cry.

"You- You don't want to marry ANY of them?" he asked in a stricken voice.

"I don't KNOW any of them, and besides, they DON'T want to marry me.  I won't
force a girl into a marriage, Mr. Tendo." Ranma/Bitter said.

<Guardian> *Very smooth... If I didn't know better, I'd say you sounded almost noble*

<Bitter>  *Oh please...  This is just an arguement, like any other.  I'll use
any means necessary to win it.*

<Ranma>  *I think you'd better let me up, now.*

Before Soun could respond, Nodoka walked back into the house, (her sword was
on her back this time), with a meek Genma walking behind her.  

"It was rude of me to leave before introductions, but there were some things
that needed to be settled."  Nodoka said as she smiled at Akane and Kasumi.

"My name is Nodoka Saotome.  You already know my husband, and I see that you
have met my son."

"Hello Auntie Saotome! "  All three girls said in unison.  

Nodoka smiled and got down to business.

"Now, about this arranged wedding between our families.  I want you to know that
I am not against it, but I do know that my son is NOT ready for marriage yet.  I
assume you girls feel the same way?"

All three girls nodded mutely.  

"Well, that's settled then.  Don't worry too much Tendo-san.  Ranma will start
attending Furinken High school tomorrow. Genma tells me that two of your
daughters go there as well.  Our children will have a chance to get
to know each other, and hopefully become friends.  Anything else that develops,
well, that's between them.  Understood?*

This time it was Soun and Genma who nodded mutely.

<Bitter>  *God, I love that woman.*

<Ranma>  *High school?  Oh man...*

<Play>  *Aw... It'll be fun!  We'll get to met lots of new people and join
some clubs, maybe go on a few-*

<Bitter>  *We have to study and do homework as well...*

<Play> *Ha!  I'll leave that to you since you enjoy it so much!*

"Well, " Nodoka continued, 'I guess that's everything.  Genma, pack up your
belongings, you have a home to return to."  

"Yes dear."  Genma replied, starting to walk upstairs.

"Oh Auntie please, you must, at least, stay for lunch!"  Kasumi said.

"Why thank you dear, we would love to.  I'll help you in the kitchen."

"But you're a guest! I-"

"None of that!  I'll help."  Nodoka said as she followed Kasumi into the kitchen.

Nabiki snapped off a few pictures of Ranma-chan and walked upstairs.

"Well, I got some homework to do... It was nice meeting you, Ranma-kun." Nabiki said.

Ranma nodded in her direction while Genma and Soun sullenly returned to their
game of Go.  This, of course, left Akane and Ranma-chan standing alone together
in the living room.  

"Uh... well.."  Ranma-chan began uncomfortably.

"You practice Kempo, right?"  Akane said suddenly.

"Sure... a little."  Ranma replied, not knowing where this conversation was heading.

"Let's have a little match then.  Nothing major, just sparring."  Akane said, sporting
her first smile of the day.

<Ranma>  *She is rather cute when she smiles, isn't she?*

<Guardian> *I wouldn't know.*

"OK... Actually that might be a good idea, I'm not used to fighting in this form yet."  

Ranma and Akane both headed off to the dojo, neither one noticing the slight grins on
their fathers' faces.


"Nice Dojo."  Ranma said as they walked inside.

"Thanks.  Shall we get started? Or do you need to get warmed up?"

"Naw.  I'm ready to go."  Ranma replied.

Akane stepped back from Ranma-chan and took a deep breath.  She suddenly jumped
forward and tried to hit Ranma with a right jab.  Ranma simply dodged to the side,
grabbed Akane's outstretched arm, and flipped her over.  

Akane, not used to being on the receiving during her fights, painfully stood
up and faced Ranma-chan again.  She was more than a little angry at herself
as she attacked again.  She charged towards Ranma with a yell and jumped
into air, her foot out-stretched towards Ranma's face.  Ranma-chan smiled and
jumped _over_ Akane as she started her descent.  Ranma-chan quick turned around
as she landed on her feet and promptly kicked Akane in the back who had still
not found her center of gravity after her jump kick.  Akane stumbled forward
and and fell, face-first, onto the dojo floor.

<Lyric>  *WooHoo!  And we have a face-plant, ladies and gentlemen!*

<Ranma>  *Shut up Lyric!*

Ranma-chan walked up to Akane and knelt down beside her, a concerned look on her face.

"Hey, are you OK?  I'm really sorry about that..."

Akane turned herself over and glared at Ranma-chan, but with a grudging look
of respect on her face.

"You're pretty good."  She said after a while.

Ranma-chan sat down on the Dojo floor and said, "Thanks, I've been training for a
long time."

Akane sat up, rubbed her nose and said, "Your dad said that you were in China..."

"Yeah... I've trained with my Aunt Ryoko there in a small village for the 
past ten years."

Akane sat quietly for awhile and just looked at Ranma-chan.  

After a while she said, "I'm sorry... for not being more hospitable earlier.  I'm
usually not that rude to guests.  I just got upset over that wedding thing..."

"I understand.  I don't want to marry you, you don't want to marry me.  No 
problem.  Besides, you already like someone, right?" Ranma-chan said with a smile.

Akane blushed and looked shocked at the same time.

"H-How did you know? " She finally asked.

"I'm psychic."  Ranma said with a perfectly straight face.

Ranma's head was filled with mirthful laughter.

Akane just smiled back and shook her head.  After a few minutes, Ranma-chan closed
her eyes, and Lyric took over.  Slowly Ranma/Lyric starting singing.  Akane
looked up in surprise as she listened to Ranma.  After a while, she too closed
her eyes and relaxed as Lyric's song vibrated through out the dojo.  

*Well, maybe he's not such a freak after all...*  Akane silently thought to herself.

****************************
END chapter 5

Next:  Kuno!  'nuff said!
****************************

I have to apologize for this chapter....
it reads a bit like a filler episode and I guess
it is.  Ranma's first meeting with Tendo's  
went relatively well, (except for the minor slip
from Bitter to Nabiki).  Ranma entered the situation
without any misunderstandings because he was in complete
control of the situation.  This is _slowly_ changing.
He lost control when he was first cursed, and he lost
control when Bitter was talking to Nabiki...  It will
happen more often in the chapters to come... Ranma will
be in for some major catharsis, but not _too_ soon.  The
tribe is not used to so much external stimuli and will exert
their individual will as time goes on. Thanks for reading!

until next time,

namaste.

-anand