Ranma-chan: Genie of the Ring

                                CHAPTER 1
                       

      Sitting cross-legged in his room at the Tendo home, Ranma held a 
gold ring with a ruby inset. Holding the ring between his thumb and 
forefinger, he carefully studied it,  occasionally glancing at the 
letter addressed to him from the Jusenkyo guide that had accompanied 
it..  Suddenly the door slammed open and Akane was standing there.

 	"RANMA!!" Akane yelled, "What do you think you're doing?  We're going 
to be late for class!"

     	Ranma looked up and a glazed look slowly cleared from his eyes.

	Akane noticed the ring he was holding, and asked, "What is that ring, 
and why do you have it?"

	Ranma twitched and started stammering.

	"Err. Um. This ring just arrived from Jusenkyo.  The letter that 
accompanied it said that it relates to my curse somehow.  I've been 
trying to figure out how ever since it arrived"

	"When did it arrive?"

	"Yesterday afternoon."

     	Akane rolled her eyes and said, "Study it later;  we've got to 
leave for school."

      	Slipping the ring onto his right hand, Ranma thought to himself, 
*Maybe this will allow me to switch back just by thinking about it.*

	Ranma glanced at the ring, hoping that it would free him, at least 
partially, of his curse.  For some reason, having the ring on made him 
feel a bit better.  It felt like he was charged with energy.  Akane 
impatiently stamped her foot, thinking that Ranma was going to be 
disappointed again. 

	Ranma looked at Akane and said, "I'm coming, Akane."
 
	After a quick breakfast the two rushed off to school.  They had just 
passed the length of the fence when, out of nowhere, Ranma was splashed- 
once again- by the old lady cleaning her sidewalk.   She grabbed her 
head with both hands and groaned like she was in pain.

      	"Ranma," Akane asked worriedly, "are you all right?"

      	"Just a headache, Akane," Ranma said weakly, while waving her off 
in an attempt to show that she was all right.  "I'll be fine,"

      	Looking closely at her face, Akane responded, "I don't think so.  
I think we'd better get you to Doctor Tofu's."

      	Ranma-chan looked up sharply, "I'm fine Akane.  I'm-"

      	Ranma's words got cut off as the ruby in the ring flashed a 
bright red and Ranma vanished.  The ring fell to the ground with a tink 
as it landed in a small puddle of water. 

	"Ranma?"  Akane called while looking around nervously.

	Akane first thought that Ranma might be playing a joke on her.  That 
idea soon vanished, when she replayed in her mind how Ranma disappeared.

	"Ranma, where did you go?"  Akane said, nearly crying.

	Akane spotted the ring that Ranma had been wearing.  It was damp from 
lying in the puddle.

	*What happened?* Akane thought miserably, while picking it up.	*Maybe 
this had something to do with his vanishing.*

	*Ranma where are you?* Akane thought sadly while drying the ring, by 
rubbing it with the hem of her skirt.  

	Red smoke poured out of the ring and coalesced into the form of 
Ranma-chan.  Ranma's clothes had undergone an alteration.  Ranma was 
wearing a red harem girl's outfit.  The silk pleated pants were slightly 
transparent.  She was wearing a red silk halter that just had enough 
opaqueness to remain decent.  A very abbreviated short sleeved vest that 
was more for decoration than covering, was also worn.  Ranma-chan had 
her ears pierced with small ruby earrings.  Each of her wrists had a 
gold metal bracer firmly clamped around it, and her slippers were made 
of red velvet.   Around her neck was a pendant necklace.

      	"What is your wish, master?"  Ranma-chan said involuntarily, a 
glazed look in her eyes.

     	"Ranma?!?!"  

	Ranma looked down at herself and then at Akane.  Ranma put her hands on 
her face and groaned.

	"What happened to me?"  Ranma said, disgustedly "Why am I in this 
outfit?  Is this the lech's doing?"

	Ranma looked around nervously, painfully aware that the clothes she was 
now wearing showed a lot more of her form than she was comfortable with.

	Akane just stood there dazed for a second, before speaking.

	"I wish I knew what had happened to you," Akane whispered, but loud 
enough for Ranma to hear..

	Ranma's eyes glazed over as she felt power building inside her.  Her 
eyes flashed red as she released the energy to grant Akane's wish.

	Ranma-chan, roboticaly, said, "Granted."

	Information came flooding into Akane's mind about what had happened to 
Ranma and what Ranma could do.

	*Ranma, I'm sorry for this,* Akane thought and then said, "Ranma, I 
wish that you were back in your normal clothes, and I wish that we were 
in our classroom."

	Ranma felt the power once again building within her.  Her eyes turned 
the same color as the ruby as she released the magical energy.  

	As soon as she released the energy, Ranma said, "Granted."

	After a flash of ruby light, Akane and Ranma found themselves in their 
classroom.  Ranma shook her head to clear out the fuzziness she was 
feeling and looked down at herself.  She breathed a sigh of relief when 
she saw she was in her daily clothes and not that weird get-up.  Akane 
thought about removing the ring and putting it in her desk for 
safe-keeping, but decided against it.

	Ranma went outside the classroom to find some hot water.  Trying her 
best to put that incident out of her mind, she failed miserably.  After 
Ranma changed, he was challenged by Kuno.

	"Foul sorcerer, Saotome," Kuno spouted, while raising his bokken, "I 
know not what foul magic you used to get past my loyal servant, but know 
this: I shall smite thee none the less and free Akane and the pig-tailed 
girl."

	Ranma, annoyed, said, "Kuno, I'm not in the mood for your hot air."

	"You will address me with respect, knave," Kuno said while raising his 
bokken.

	Ranma yelled, "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken," while unleashing several 
dozen punches at Kuno, in under a second.

	Kuno lowered his bokken and said, "That didn't hurt."

	Kuno fell over unconscious as Ranma returned to class.  The rest of the 
students either walked around or over Kuno.  To them it was just a 
standard day. Ukyo, however felt differently.  Ukyo's plan to get Akane 
mad at Ranma before school started had failed.  She was still fuming 
over what happened last Saturday.

	She wondered how Ranma and Akane had beat her to school.  Ukyo entered 
the class and took her usual seat, while shooting a hostile look at 
Akane.  Akane stared back while clenching her right fist.  Both of them 
were still mad at each other, over what happened last Saturday.  Soon 
the class started and the glaring contest between Ukyo and Akane was 
broken.  For the entire class, Akane kept her right hand out of view as 
she pondered Ranma's situation.  How had the ring turned Ranma into a 
genie?  If that was what he was now.  Oh, that jerk.  What kind of mess 
had he gotten them into now?  She would have to talk to him privately 
after school.

	Ranma, himself, was thinking about the morning incident as well, 
*Granted?  Master?  I must be really losing it if I'm saying those 
things to Akane.  I'm glad Kuno didn't see that costume. Arrgh.  I can 
just imagine what he would have thought about both my sides if he saw me 
this morning.  Why did it feel like every one of Akane's words had some 
sort of force behind them?  It stopped after I changed back into a guy, 
but still...*

	Once school let out, Akane tried to think of someplace private where 
Ranma and she could talk.  She saw Ukyo following them and tried to 
think of some way to lose her without being too suspicious.

	Ukyo followed the pair, unaware that Akane had spotted her.  Ukyo's 
thoughts were whirling.

	*I don't know what you're up to Akane, but Ranma is MY fiancee,* Ukyo 
thought.

	Ranma, walking beside Akane, noticed that Akane was being very quiet.

	"Yo, Akane.  What's the matter?  You sick or something?"  Ranma asked.

	"Why are you asking me that, Ranma?"

	"I don't know.  It's like you're out of it today."

	"I am not out of it, Ranma," Akane said, a bit miffed.

	Ranma and Akane continued on, with Ukyo following.  Akane spotted a 
bucket of water near a corner that they would have to make a turn at, to 
get home. Seeing that, Akane decided to use her own nature to help her 
out.

	"I think I'll see if Kasumi will allow me to help in the kitchen 
tonight," Akane said.
	
	Ukyo, hearing that Akane was going to try and attempt to cook, quickly 
ran off to have a special meal ready for Ranma.  Ukyo also needed time 
to figure out a plan to have Ranma come to her restaurant and not the 
Nekohaten. 

	Ranma winced and said, "I'll think I'll head over to U-Chan's or the 
Nekohaten tonight."

	"What do you mean by that Ranma?"  Akane said dangerously, while she 
picked up the bucket of water.

	"I'm saying that your cooking is toxic and that you should stop trying 
to poison us with it,"  Ranma responded and then thought, *When am I 
going to learn to keep my mouth shut?*

	Akane splashed Ranma with the water in the bucket and yelled, "RANMA, 
YOU JERK!!!"

	She grabbed the front of Ranma's shirt with her left hand and delivered 
an uppercut with her right.  Once Akane managed to tag Ranma with the 
ring, Ranma turned into soft red smoke and was pulled inside the ring.  
Akane suppressed her shudder of seeing Ranma vanish like that to keep up 
her act.

	"Ranma, you jerk!" Akane said to the ring while continuing on her way. 
*I'm not letting you out until I can find someplace secure.  What a mess 
that jerk has gotten himself into now.*

	Akane arrived at home and stormed inside, pausing only long enough to  
remove her shoes.  Her family and Genma saw her face, and figured that 
she had had another fight with Ranma.

	Kasumi asked, "Where's Ranma?"

	"After he insulted my cooking, I decked him.  I haven't seen him 
since," Akane angrily stated. 

	"Oh my.  I'd better save some food for Ranma then,"  Kasumi said, 
"He'll be hungry when he gets back."

	Akane stormed up to her room and flopped down on her bed.  She held up 
her hand and stared at the ruby.  Akane went over what she would say to 
Ranma, after she released her from the ring again.  A sad look swept 
over her face as she thought about Ranma's plight.

	*ARRGH.  If anyone sees me wearing this, they'll think it's an 
engagement ring.  But I can't take it off, because Genma and Happosai 
might steal it so they can have a bit more money,* Akane thought to 
herself.

	Akane pretended to take a nap while listening to the noise downstairs.  
She heard the phone ring and Kasumi answer it. 

	"I'm sorry, Ukyo.  Ranma hasn't yet arrived," Akane heard Kasumi say.

	A few minutes later, Akane heard the sounds of Shampoo's bike pull up.  
Shampoo received the same information that Ukyo had received.  Akane 
took a peek to see Shampoo riding off, no doubt hunting for her 'airen'.  
A small flicker of a smile passed across her face.

	*Father and Genma will be heading to the park soon.  Nabiki will be 
leaving to sell more pictures to Kuno and Kasumi will be heading to the 
market. I'd better do this in the attic, just to make sure.  Kodachi and 
Sasuke might be around.*

	Akane waited until everyone had left before she headed up to the attic.  
Before she went, she filled a kettle with water, heated it, and took it 
with her.  Akane closed the attic door once she was inside.  Taking a 
deep breath, Akane rubbed the ring.  Red smoke poured out of it once 
more and reformed into Ranma-chan wearing the red costume of that 
morning.

	"What is your wish, master?"  Ranma-chan asked

	Exasperated, Akane said, "I wish you'd stop saying that every time you 
come out of the ring."

	In a monotone, Ranma answered, "I can not fulfil that wish since my 
magic can not directly affect me.  You can have me say 'yes, master' 
instead."

	Akane thought, *Great.  I was going to wish Ranma free of both his 
curse and the ring.  Now it looks like Ranma will have to live with 
this."

	Ranma came out of the trance with a shudder.  She looked down at 
herself and saw she was back in the weird costume.

	*My magic won't work on me?  I'm back in this thing again and I'm 
calling Akane, master.  What's going on?* Ranma thought.

	Akane bit the top of her lip before saying with a quivery voice,  
"Ranma?  There's something you should know.  I'm not sure about it, but 
what I remember from some old stories that I've read it seems true."

	*Of course there is that wish I made earlier, that gave me most of my 
information,* Akane thought to herself

	Ranma waved a hand in front of herself and said, "What?  Can it explain 
this?  Can it explain why I just called you 'master'?"

	Akane held up her right hand, with palm turned towards her, and said, 
"This ring that was sent from Jusenkyo.  It apparently turned you into a 
genie.  You know, like the ones out of storybooks."


	"Don't be stupid Akane.  There are no such things as genies."

	Bristling with anger, Akane stated, "Fine, you don't believe me.  I'll 
prove it to you, and I'll go for 'yes, master'.  It'll save time."

	After making her statement, Akane touched Ranma with the ring and 
brought her back out several times.  Every time Ranma came out she 
addressed Akane with a 'Yes, master'.  Before Akane touched Ranma again, 
Ranma's shoulders slumped in defeat and she held her hand up.

	"Enough, Akane," Ranma said with head bowed.  "What is with that master 
stuff anyway?"

	Pity flashed across Akane's eyes as she responded, "You are the slave 
of the person who wears this ring.  Any wish, any command that does not 
go beyond your abilities you HAVE to carry out."

	"No I don't.  I can resist.  I am a trained martial artist," Ranma said 
defiantly.

	"Oh really?" Akane asked as a mischievous thought crossed her mind.  
"Ranma, I order you to dance."

	"Akane, you're nuts if you..." Ranma's voice trailed off as she 
realized that she was dancing.

	Ranma used all her will and chi to try and stop dancing, but could not. 
after enjoying the spectacle of Ranma finally admitting her new 
condition, Akane called a halt to the session

	"Okay, Ranma.  That's enough," Akane said, "Why don't you see if you 
can change your clothes back to normal.  There's something I want to 
test."

	Ranma stopped dancing and wondered what Akane was going to do.  
Remembering the feeling of power that she wielded that morning, Ranma 
called up the magic that was now part of her.  The amount of energy she 
could pull up on her own was a lot lower than it had been when Akane 
made her wishes.

	*Guess that means, Akane has to make a wish before I can do anything 
spectacular,* Ranma thought. 

	Ranma concentrated on her clothes.  Ranma's eyes flashed red as she 
released the magic.  A red flash of light and Ranma was back in her 
standard clothes of a red shirt and black pants.  Ranma felt relieved to 
be out of that silly outfit.  
	
	*This is just great,* Ranma thought to herself, *What else can go 
wrong, today?*

	As soon as Ranma's clothes had changed Akane poured some hot water on 
Ranma turning him back into a guy.

	Ranma looked at Akane curiously, "Okay.  Now what?"

	Akane said nothing and touched Ranma with the ring.  Ranma flinched 
when he felt the cold gem touch his skin.  He shuddered with relief when 
he realized that he hadn't been pulled into the ring.  A sudden thought 
came to him.

	"Akane, why don't we just destroy the ring now?" Ranma asked.  "That 
way I won't have to worry about it."

	"Ranma, do have any idea what would happen if a genie's device is 
destroyed before the genie is free?"
	
	"No.  What?"

	"I have no idea, but I don't think it would be very healthy for you," 
Akane responded.

	"Well, we could hide the ring," Ranma supplied.

	"What if Happosai got it and found what power it has over you?" Akane 
countered angrily.

	That thought caused Ranma to go very pale.  He decided to change the 
subject.

	"So if my female form is a genie, I can grant wishes?"

	"Only to the person who wields this ring, Ranma,"  Akane said, while 
showing the ring to Ranma.	

	Ranma sighed and looked at the ring with a mixture of disgust and 
resignation.

	"Is there anything else I need to know about?"  Ranma asked

	"Not that I can think of,"  Akane said

	Ranma headed for the door, but tripped over the kettle.  The water in 
the kettle had cooled down enough so that it triggered Ranma's change 
into a girl.

	Ranma looked back at Akane and said, "Well at least I'm still better 
looking than you."

	Akane fumed for a few seconds, before speaking.

	"Okay, Ranma," Akane ground out, "Just for that, I'm going to make a 
couple of wishes."

	Ranma-chan tried to leave, but her body locked up.  Since her master 
stated she was going to make wishes, she had to stay to hear them.

	"I wish that when I try to swim, that I will not be in danger of 
drowning."

	In her monotone voice, Ranma stated, "Granted."

	"I wish that my cooking tasted as good as Kasumi's."

	Ranma mentally shuddered as she heard the wording of that wish, but 
still had to grant it.

	"Granted."

	Akane said, "That's it.  I'm done for now."

	After hearing that, Ranma was able to move freely again.  Ranma looked 
at the genie ring, and finally accepted in full what her new state was.

	"Great.  Just great.  Here I am granting wishes to a tomboy,"  Ranma 
muttered dejectedly, not realizing Akane had heard her.

	"OOOHHH!!" Akane said while she slapped Ranma with her right hand.

	Ranma turned back into smoke, and was promptly sucked back into the 
ring.

	Akane glared at the ruby and said, "Fine stay in there.  See if I 
care."

	As Akane left the attic she thought to herself, *Ranma, you jerk.*

	Akane brought her hand up so she could examine the ring.  After a 
second she clenched her right hand into a fist and swung her arm down to 
her side.  An itch had developed under the ring. 
 
	"Why did he have to say that?" Akane asked herself. "I know he's upset 
about the situation, but..."

	Akane's words trailed off as she pondered what her reaction would be if 
she found herself in a similar situation.  Her anger dissipated towards 
Ranma while she continued towards her room.  She thought of the other 
problems that Ranma had and sighed deeply.

	*It would be so easy to just wish away all the fiancees and rivals, but 
it wouldn't be fair to Ranma,* Akane thought to herself sadly.  "Why am 
I so concerned about that jerk?  I can't be..."

	Akane's stopped just outside her room and a slow smile came across her 
face. She opened the door and quickly prepared herself for bed.  She 
went to sleep with her left cheek resting on top of the ring.

	Inside the ring, Ranma was thinking, *Great.  I'm the slave of that 
uncute tomboy.  Well, let's see what other options are there. ARRGH!!! I 
have to wear this crazy costume while I'm in here.  Now that I admitted 
that I am a genie at least I'm not going into a trance.*

	Ranma remained silent for a second, before she realized something, 
*Well at least here's one good thing about this entire mess.  It's 
peaceful in here.  Maybe I can practice my martial arts in here without 
being interrupted by Shampoo's 'Wo de airen' and Ryoga attacking me for 
the slightest provocation.*

	Ranma-chan looked around her environment and decide to start with basic 
katas to get the feel of her new home.  She looked up at the red sky, 
that was over the walled-in field that she was in, and hoped she would 
be up to the new challenges facing her.

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