Ranma: A Saiyan tail. 
	
	Akane jogged around the corner in her morning routine. She smiled
as she passed a neighbor and waved politely. She turned into the gates of
her home and stopped as a crash could be heard. "What is it with that
family anyway?" she mumbled to herself.
	Nabiki came barreling out of her home with a camera in her hand
and a huge grin plastered across her face. "Akane come quick, you've got
to see this!" she cried.

	Ranma stood across from his father and smirked. Goku was standing
on the other side of the koi pond smiling cheerfully. Soun stood watching
from the porch. Akane stopped and frowned as Nabiki stood with her camera
ready. 
	"What's the big deal?" she said unimpressed.
	"Ready squirt?" asked Goku. 
	"Sure pop," chirped Ranma.
	"Round two! GO!" cried the elder Saotome.
	Goku shot into the air ten feet over the pond and Ranma engaged
him just above it. The two exchanged blows and Ranma gained the upper
hand quickly.
	"They are pretty good," muttered Akane.
	"You don't know the half of it yet," said Nabiki excitedly.
	Akane began to realize something was wrong immediately. Those two
were in the air way to long. 
	Ranma kicked his father back over the Dojo roof and Goku stopped
and smirked at his son in mid-air. Ranma smiled proudly over the koi and
said nothing. 
	Akane's jaw fell as if it was made of lead. 
	"Pretty cool huh?" said Nabiki as she kept the camera rolling. "I
knew I recognized these two."
	Akane didn't hear her, "He's flying?" she muttered.
	Ranma was sent into the pond with a loud splash. "Stupid old man!
You can't win without teleporting!" she cried angrily to her laughing
father.
	Akane felt weak, "No way," she whispered.
	"Ranma! Mr. Saotome! Breakfast!" called Kasumi from the table.
	"All right!" cried Goku happily.
	"Hey wait up! Don't hog all the pickles pop!" cried Ranma as she
pulled herself from the water.

	"School?" said Ranma in surprise. 
	"Well, we are going to be here a while," said Goku cheerfully.
	"Yea, but only a few months right?" said Ranma obliviously.
	"Uh, no son. We are moving in with them, your mom is madder than
I thought. I'd send you to live with her, but you still don't have enough
control to live alone with her," said Goku apologetically.
	�What about, Uncle Kurillin?� asked Ranma.
	�Well, I would but your not engaged to one of his daughters. He
doesn�t even have any,� answered Goku with a shrug.
	Ranma just frowned a moment and then cheered up. "Maybe I can get
to know my fiancee better?" he said hopefully.
	"That's the spirit son!" agreed Soun.
	"You'll be going to the same school as Akane and me, see ya!"
said Nabiki as she rushed off.
	"Hey Nabiki! Wait up I'll walk with you!" cried Akane as she
chased after her.
	"What do you mean? Ranma is your fiancee, you should walk him to
school," said Nabiki as she kept going. Akane turned and glared at the
smiling Ranma, he was dressed in a school uniform and cheerfully standing
with a large simple looking grin on his face. His tail was poking out
from behind his pants.
	"What are you so happy about?" she muttered. "Lets go."

	Akane walked briskly along the sidewalk with Ranma perched atop
the fence keeping time with her. Akane glared at him when she realized
that he was mimicking her pace and steps exactly.
	"When we get to school we don't know each other all right?" said
the angry girl.
	"Huh? But Akane, I do know you," said Ranma.
	"I know that! Just pretend you don't!" said Akane.
	"Why?" asked Ranma obliviously.
	Akane snorted out loud and glared at him. "Just forget it," she
said in frustration.
	"Forget what?" said Ranma as he cheered up again.
	Akane just clenched her fist and grit her teeth, she kept
walking.
	"Now what's wrong?" asked Ranma as he floated off the fence and
down beside her.
	"Could you not do that?!" said Akane as she was taken by surprise
and almost had a heart attack from the fright.
	"Su-" Ranma walked directly into the path of an old lady emptying
out a pail of water onto the street.
	"Great, now I have to be a girl all day." she muttered.
	"All you need is hot water right? Come on." sighed Akane.
	
	Ranma stood just outside a small clinic and frowned as she waited
impatiently. She didn't want to be late for school. What did it matter
which form she was in? Akane had said something about her being
embarrassed and it was perverted if anyone found out about the engagement
that way. "I didn't know being engaged was perverted," muttered Ranma to
herself. She spun around as a tall man with glasses neared her. 
	The man looked surprised, he had a skeleton in his arms and was
wearing a brown gi. He laughed, "I guess I couldn't sneak up on you."	
	"Why would you want to do that?" asked Ranma cautiously. The
man's voice sounded strangely familiar but he couldn't place his finger
on it.
	"As a joke, I must say, I'm very impressed," said the man. "I'm
Dr. Tofu. Is there something I can help you with?"
	"No thanks, Akane said we should stop by for something," said
Ranma cheerfully. The man did not appear to be a threat.
	"Oh, You know Akane?" asked Dr. Tofu.
	"Yea, she's my fiance..." Ranma was stopped as Akane covered her
mouth and laughed nervously. 
	"Oh, Hi Dr. Tofu, I just needed to borrow some hot water for my
friend here," she said as she blushed badly.
	
	A few moments later Ranma was walking again with Akane. "Now what
did I do?" he asked dumbly. Akane had seemed flustered and angry since
they left the Doctor's office.
	"You jerk! Don't tell people I'm your fiancee when your a girl!"
cried Akane angrily.
	"Why?" asked Ranma.
	"Because it's perverted that's why!" retorted the angry girl.
	"I just don't understand girls at all," said Ranma as she hung
her head and followed quietly.

	As they neared the gates of Furinkan high Akane became more tense
by the moment. Ranma noticed this and said nothing. He hung back and
waited. Then he saw the crowd massed at the gate. "What the?"
	"Akane! I love You! I'm doing this for you! Be mine!" cried
various boys in the crowd. Akane growled and charged into it.
	Ranma just stared and floated up to the wall to watch Akane clean
up the boys easily. He smirked and turned to see Nabiki in the window.
	"Ranma, get to class or your going to be late!" cried Akane's
sister.
	"But, what about her?" asked the dumbfounded boy.
	"She'll be fine, this happens every morning," said Nabiki
reassuringly.
	"Oh, OK," said Ranma as he jumped down next to Akane as she
finished up. "Wow, that looks fun! Can I try tomorrow?" he asked her.
	"What? Are you insane?" she said angrily. She never got an answer
as she had to turn around and catch a darting object from the air. She
frowned as a few petals fell from the rose that had been tossed to her.
	"Ah, what fools these mortals be, But fools I hold them not. for
the prize far exceeds the payment. They fight for the honor of your
company should they defeat you Akane Tendo," said a strange voice from
behind a tree.
	Kuno was about to turn around and face his beauty when someone
stood in his way. "Cool! Can I talketh Like that?" asked Ranma. 
	Akane almost fell over in shock.
	"Fool! Who are you to address the blue thunder of Furninkan high
in such a manner?!" roared Kuno angrily. He turned to see Ranma standing
innocently beside him. "Humph, I shall allow this transgression this once
because you are obviously new to these hallowed halls. I am the rising
new star of the high school fencing world, the sound of my voice sends
fear into the hearts of my peers, They call me the blue thunder of
Furinkan High! Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen," recited the boy he raised
his butoken to the sky dramatically and the lightening rolled behind him.
	
	In the steadily growing crowd forming in the windows Nabiki
watched with her two associates. "Last I heard he was calling himself
'Shooting star," said one of the girls.
	Nabiki smiled, "I'm afraid Kuno-chan is in, way, -way-, over his
head this time." 
	"What?" said the other girl in shock.

	"Wow, that's a pretty big name, is it OK if I just call you
Kuno?" asked Ranma.
	"No! You must call me Kuno-sempai!" said Kuno arrogantly. "Now
stand aside ruffian so that I may gaze upon the fair Akane Tendo, and
graciously give her the chance to date with me!"
	"OK," said Ranma as he turned and walked back to Akane. "So, um,
you know this guy?" 
	"Whelp! Who said you could speak to Akane in such a familiar
manner?! Or at all for that matter!?" cried Kuno.
	"Why shouldn't I? We�re engaged," said Ranma dumbly.
	Akane was beginning to think he was trying to embarrass her. The
windows of the school had long since filled and the student body gave a
collective gasp.
	"It isn't true! Our parents..." stammered Akane lamely.
	"Of course it's true," said Ranma. "We got engaged last night
remember?" said Ranma in confusion. Akane turned and was about to pound
him when Kuno finally stopped gaping at him and sprung to life. 
	"What?! I shall never allow it!" he roared.
	"But, I don't need your permission," said Ranma looking more
confused than ever.
	"I challenge thee!" cried Kuno as he charged with his butoken
raised over his head. 
	Ranma understood that, "I am Ranma Saotome of the Anything goes
school of martial arts and current champion of the Tenka-Ichi Budokai,
and I accept your challenge," said Ranma as he jumped back to avoid the
Kendoist blow. He landed in a ready position.
	Everyone including Kuno froze in place. The students became
silent and Nabiki smirked. "Feeling the pressure now eh, Kuno baby?"
	
	"Ah, at last the gods send me a worthy opponent! Surely I shall
smite thee and prove that none can surpass my skill!" cried Kuno as he
looked almost, elated. 
	"Now your reaching," said Akane, she was still in shock from
Ranma's proclamation. No wonder he had beaten her so easily, if he was
good enough to even compete in that tournament he was leagues away from
her skills, as much as she hated to admit it. I mean she really hated it.
	Kuno rushed forward and slashed at Ranma. The boy simply floated
up and stood against the side of a tree. He stayed there and Kuno looked
up angrily. "Be still so that I might smite thee!"
	"But that wouldn't be very smart," said Ranma as he finally
floated down as Kuno slashed through a large branch.
	"Silence fool!" Ranma saw the drops of rain beginning to fall
around him and frowned. He would not lose this challenge. He punched Kuno
quickly in the head and the Kendoist staggered as his eyes could not
follow the movements of Ranma's hand. All he knew for sure was it was
more than one strike. He slumped down and looked to see Ranma and Akane
had vanished.
	"You dare run away!?" he roared.
	"Kuno baby, They didn't run. You lost," said Nabiki as the crowd
turned away from the windows to go to their classes.
	"Never! I do not concede defeat! I will never accept this
travesty, this false hood of an engagement!" cried Kuno. He rubbed at the
sore spot on his forehead and staggered into the building.

	"So Mr. Baka. What do you think of my sisters fiancee now?" said
Nabiki smugly as she sat and watched Kuno poke at the Kanji that Ranma
had placed on his forehead in confusion.
	He desperately looked for some flaw in the scrawl. None was
there, the strokes were perfect. Kuno growled. "I shall never accept it,
the boy will learn the true terror of the Blue thunder of Furinkan high
soon enough."
	"Give it up Kuno baby, He's the world champion, your just some
pathetic regional champ from a high school. His dad won it eleven times
himself. You don't stand a chance. I always knew you were a fool, now you
have it tattooed on your forehead." said Nabiki with an evil looking
smirk.
	"You dare!? I will free Akane Tendo from this villain who has
used his powerful title to win her heart and the heart of your father. I
shall defeat him in honorable combat and reclaim her heart once again!"
cried Kuno dramatically.
	"Again?" asked Nabiki.
	An eraser shot through the air and struck Kuno dead in the face.
"Kuno! Go stand in the hall!" cried the teacher.
	"Yessir." mumbled Kuno.

	Ranma stood in the front of the class room and smiled. "Well
class it seems we have a bit of a celebrity in the class. His name is
Ranma Saotome, world champion martial artist. It seems he has just
returned from a long training trip to China. Lets all give him a warm
'Nihao' welcome.� said the teacher cheerfully. 
	Akane was the only one to notice Ranma tense up at the phrase
'Nihao'. "What's that all about?" she wondered.
	"This does not however excuse them for being late, go stand in
the hall," said the man.
	
	"What was that all about earlier, can I try it tomorrow?" said
Ranma suddenly as he held both buckets on his tail easily.
	"No you can't!" growled Akane.
	"I'm sorry I didn't mean..." stammered Ranma at the sudden anger.
	Akane sighed. "Look, it all started at the beginning of the
semester, Kuno gave this stupid speech..."

	A flash back with Kuno standing at a podium on a large school
stage. A banner with "Furinkan High Speech contest" was hanging on the
wall behind him.
	"The vengeance of heaven is slow but sure, If you wish to date
Akane Tendo, you must defeat her in combat! I will permit no other terms.
Am I making myself absolutely clear?!" said the boy to the gathered
students.

	Ranma just looked down the hall in a daze. 
	"Hey! If your gonna ask, you could at least listen!" cried Akane
angrily.
	"Here he comes," said Ranma flatly.

	Kuno was barreling down the hall with his bokuten raised. He was
dressed in his full Kendo garb and had a bucket in his hand. "I will
never allow this engagement!" cried the boy as he slashed at Ranma and
Akane.
	Ranma blurred and Kuno doubled over as he appeared with his elbow
planed in the kendoist stomach. Once again, Akane hadn't even seen him
move.
	"Watch it jerk! Are you tryin to hit Akane too?" said Ranma
looking annoyed.
	"S-silence fool," coughed Kuno as he recovered from the blow and
slashed wildly at Ranma.
	"This is no place to fight Kuno, if you want to fight follow me,"
said Ranma as he ran down the hall.
	"That I shall!" cried Kuno as he complied. 
	Ranma noticed an open window and dove through it. Kuno followed
blindly.
	"Idiot! This is the third floor!" cried Akane as she looked
towards the pool and saw Kuno fall into the water.
	"So what?" asked Ranma from just above her field of vision.
	Akane jerked back in shock. She collapsed onto the floor and
clutched at her chest.
	Ranma floated down and saw Kuno staggering out of the water.
"Jeez you jerk, what's the big Idea challenging me when you can't even
fly?" 
	"Silence fool! I see now that thou art a dark sorcerer! I will
smite thee and free Akane Tendo from your dark grip villain," he coughed
up a fair amount of water as he said this.
	"Whatever, I'm goin back to class," said Ranma as he floated back
up to the school. Most of the crowd that had followed Akane had
dissipated when he started back towards the window. A few watched until
he landed next to Akane.
	"Ranma you jerk! Kuno could have been killed!" cried Akane as she
slapped him hard.
	"What? How was I supposed to know he couldn't fly?! He's a
martial artist isn't he?" stammered Ranma in a sort of hurt confusion.
	"No body can fly! Just you and your stupid dad!" cried Akane
angrily.
	"Almost everyone I know can fly Akane. Mr. Piccolo, Mr. Kurillin,
Master Roshi, Master Happosai, Yamcha-kun, even Oolong. Aunty Bulma can't
but she's not into martial arts," Ranma was obliviously ticking off names
to the ever more impatient Akane.
	"Look! I can't fly, no one here can fly!" said Akane with tears
welling up in her eyes. Ranma was impossible to talk to, how was she
supposed to marry someone like him?
	"Your dad didn't teach you?" stammered Ranma with a look of shock
on his face.
	"No! My dad can't fly! He's a normal human being!" cried Akane in
anger again. Tears of frustration ran down her cheeks. Ranma was growing
desperate, he had no idea what to do. Had he caused this?
	"Sure your dad can fly! How do you think he and my pop got around
when they were training together? Pop used to tell me stories about that
all the time! I could teach you if you want, it's not hard," said Ranma.
	"NO! My father is normal you freak!! Leave me alone! I hate you!"
cried Akane angrily. 
	Ranma reacted as if he'd been slapped. "I just wanted to be..."
he stammered looking hurt.
	"Just go away, I never want to see you again," said Akane coldly.
She turned to see Ranma had fallen to his knees, he was clutching himself
in pain and his teeth were grit together.
	"Ranma?!" she gasped forgetting her words. She rushed to his side
pushing through the other students who had gathered around the fallen
boy. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it!" she gasped as the look on his face
told her why he had collapsed. "I..." 
	"GET AWAY!" cried the boy as he shot through the roof and high
into the sky, he became a speck and then vanished completely.
	"Ranma?" said Akane in confusion, she mentally kicked herself. He
was just trying to be friendly, and she had shoved it in his face. She
knew he was only acting like he had because his honor demanded that he
marry her. Still, she had placed all the blame on him. She looked through
the hole and cried again, for her own actions this time. 
	That was when a brilliant burst of pure energy lit up the sky,
the flash left Akane blinded even in the daylight. She shielded her face
and looked again, it was gone.
	"Ranma?"

	Goku frowned and Soun stood from the Shogi board. The two of them
had been playing to kill the afternoon. Goku had not been cheating like
Soun had and he was still winning.
	The flash shocked the both of them and Goku got a worried look on
his face. "Tendo, I have to go," he said.
	"What was?" started Soun.
	"Ranma," replied Goku.
	"Ranma?!" Soun was still in shock. That blast was huge and high
enough that he had not heard it. 
		
	Goku found his son sitting on the roof of the high school an hour
later. He had a sullen look about him and just watched the city quietly.
	"What happened?" 
	"Akane said she hates me, I've never had anyone tell me they hate
me before," said Ranma simply. "It's weird."
	"Akane doesn't hate you," said Goku, "She just needs time to
adjust." 
	"How would you know?" asked his son.
	"Because, The same thing happened to me when I first left the
mountains. I was young enough to not understand that people were
disgusted and afraid of me. I thought it was funny how they reacted. I'm
glad I didn't understand. You weren't so lucky, at least you had some
experience with other people before we left," Goku looked genuinely
unsure of what to do. 
	"It's OK pop, she apologized. I'm kind of over it, just happened
a little too late. That's what scared me, that's why I'm here," said
Ranma with the sullen look returning.
	"Oh, I see," said Goku his gaze became more certain and serious.
	"What if it happens when I can't escape? What if I can't hold it
long enough to get away? I could...I could," Ranma was looking at his
hands and trembling as he said this.
	"It's OK son. It just takes time, you'll get the hang of it,"
said Goku reassuringly. He never said so, but he was beginning to have
his own doubts. "Maybe he needs more than just extra training," he said
to himself.
	"I don't want it to happen again, once was enough. I was just
lucky last time," said Ranma as he looked off into the school yard as the
bell rang and the students filed out.

TBC...
	Yes, I spelled 'Tail' like that on purpose in the title.
	"Last time?" ominous, he isn't talking about Jusenkyo folks. Got
lots of stuff planned for this now, been brain storming. Happosai was
never imprisoned in this version by the way. That gets explained as well
as his whereabouts later. Hoi-poi capsules and the Capsule corp. exist
here as well by the way they'll show up from time to time, I just haven't
had any real opportunities as of yet to mention them. Anti gravity
vehicles and such are not do exist but are not as common. Goku�s
relationship with Soun will be exsplained as well. He is in his late
thirties now, he met Soun and Happosai after the Dragon ball stories. Why
he bothered being Happy�s deciple will be exsplained. This is about
eleven years after when �Z� would have started.
	As I said before, the Saiyans will show up, but not for a long
while. I have to get through most of the Ranma characters and figgure out
a way the Saiyans can be more menacing. Goku wouldn�t have much of a
problem with them right now.
	Next time, Ranma and Akane have a confrontation. Akane is really
bugged by Ranma's oblivious naivet�. He has allot of his own problems to
deal with though as his powers seem to be rather like Gohan's; powered by
his extreme emotions.
	As for Ranma, I believe he would end up a rather pure person if
Genma had not corrupted him. Especially with a role modle like Goku,
Ranma's a pretty decent guy deep down. Genma drove that down with his
shifty nature and machoism attitude. He's still got a bit of Cannon Ranma
in him as you can see from this ch. {Especially his reaction to the
challenge by Kuno.}
	See you next Ch. 
	Ja! Catbert25
	C&C to Catbert24@juno.com


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