Chapter 1

It's just a normal day in Nerima, Japan. The sun shines brightly on the Tendo Dojo and birds chirp happily in the background. The serene sounds of the morning are only shattered by a young man's horrified yell.

"AHHHHH! I'm late again. Akane, why didn't you wake me?"

Silence answers the young dark haired martial artist as he jumps the last few steps of the stairs leading to the front door of the Tendo house. He grabs the bag by the front door and flings the door open only to stop and cock his head to one side.

"Akane...?"

Ranma shakes his head as confusion hits him for a moment and walks into the dining room. He only sees Kasumi, Akane's older sister, cleaning off the breakfast table. Ranma's stomach growls and he realizes that he hasn't eaten anything since before he went to bed.

Kasumi looked at Ranma as he enters the room and smiles sweetly at him, "Akane and Nabiki tried to wake you up already but they both said you slept right on through it. Akane was very upset and stormed out, Nabiki looked happy about it though. I made you a bowl for breakfast that you can take with you to school. Akane already left for school in a hurry, she said that she had an assignment today."

"Oh No," Exclaims the dark haired boy, "I forgot that our big assignments were due today. If I don't turn it in on time I'm gonna fail and pops will kill me!"

Ranma grabs the bowl from Kasumi's hand and bolts for the door wolfing down the breakfast that the eldest Tendo daughter made without even tasting it. On his way out the door he grabs his satchel and leaves the bowl balanced on the peg where his satchel was.

"Oh my," says Kasumi grabbing the bowl and heading for the kitchen, "I hope he makes it."

As the young martial artist leaves the gates of the Tendo Dojo behind he thinks to himself, 'If I hurry I might still make it before the Late Bell sounds.'

Ranma races as fast as he can through the streets of Nerima towards school and for the one of the few times in his life wishes that he had thought to splash himself with a bucket of cold water to gain the extra speed of his girl form. He rounds a corner and sees an old woman scattering water on her walk to keep the dust down and instinctively dodges to the other side of the street. As he jumps on the fence bordering the street to avoid the other pedestrians, he realizes that he just missed a chance to change into his girl form. Ranma begins to chide himself as he sees a large panda throwing a bucket of water on the dusty ground in front of Dr. Tofu's office. Jumping off the fence he darts underneath the water as it falls towards the ground. The panda jumps back in surprise as the handsome pig-tailed boy suddenly becomes a very cute red headed girl.

"Thanks Pop," she cries as she runs quickly down the street looking back at her dad.

The panda holds up a sign that has 'YOU'RE LATE' written on it.

"I know that old man that's why I needed the boost of speed. See ya at dinner pop."

Ranma smiles as she thinks about how much faster her girl form is compared to her boy form. 'Not only that but it gets me free eats too,' she thinks to herself as the pavement flies underneath her.

The red haired martial artist grins as she sees the face of the school's clock up ahead and it reads that she still has 2 minutes. Ranma gives another burst of speed and sees that Akane is just halfway through the courtyard.

As she passes the violent young girl, Ranma grins at her, "Hey, slowpoke. I figured you would still be dragging your feet, but then what could you expect from someone who's built like a brick,"

Akane's face turns three different shades of red from anger, "Ranma, why do you have to be such a jerk!"

Ranma smirks at her as he runs into the building and towards the Men's Bath. As he rounds the corner towards the mens bath he sees that there is a line forming at the door. 'Damn, I guess I'll have to use the Girl's Bath; it looks deserted.'

Flinging open the door to the girls bath Ranma fills the sink up with hot water and douses his head with it. Smiling at his male reflection in the mirror he reaches over to the wall for a towel when he hears the first bell ring. He reaches for the handle when he hears a girls voice from the other side. The now male Ranma quickly looks around the room feeling cold sweat running down his neck. He sees an empty locker hanging open a little and dashes inside closing the door behind him. Ranma watches as the girls Field Hockey team enters the Bath and begins to open their lockers and change for the baths.

The trapped boy smacks himself on the forehead 'I forgot that the team started practicing early this week and that's why the Bath was empty. I hope I didn't pick anyone's locker.'

Ranma sighs as he sees that all the girls that had come in have already opened their lockers and are changing for their baths. He would just have to wait until the girls clear out to leave. 'I hope they go quick.'

After a minute or two there were only a few girls in the locker room next to the baths, he figures he can chance it. He slowly opens the locker and starts stepping out when he hears footsteps coming into the Bath. Quickly stepping back in the locker and shutting the door he watches as the girl who picks the equipment up off the field enters into the Bath and starts to walk towards the locker he's hiding in. She waves at some of the other girls and reaches for the handle of the locker. Ranma grips the inside of the handle so it wouldn't open. Sweat drips down the trapped boy's neck as he holds the door closed.

'Man it's hot in this locker,' the boy thought to himself holding the door closed with all of his strength.

The girl on the other side's brow knitted closer together as she tugss on the door harder and harder. The locker rocks back and forth as she pulls on the handle. Sweat continues to drip down the martial artist's arms and back as he held on for his life to the door. Ranma's eyes bulge as he notices that sweat has slicked his hands and his grip losens just enough that the girl on the other side can yank the door open. As the locker rocks back into place the end of the struggle to open the door, dislodging a pair of the girl's underwear which falls onto Ranma's head.

Ranma cringes as a scream erupts from the young woman's mouth, "Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Pervert!"

The last thing that Ranma hears just before he is ejected from the window is the footsteps of over a dozen girls coming in from the bath to pummel him. When the young martial artist comes to he is hanging from his pants in a tree on the school grounds. Looking up at the clock he sees that he's twenty-five minutes late for class.

"Awwww Man! Pop's gonna kill me. This is great all I do is try to get to class on time for a change and here I am hanging from a tree late. What else can go wrong?"

"Ranma, Honey!" Ranma cringes again as he hears that all too familiar voice call to him from the gates.

He looks up from the tree as he sees the figure of a brown haired woman with an enormous spatula slung across her back trotting up to him. She looks like she is carrying a bag and a small wrapped box. Ranma waves at her from his perch and smiles, 'Great this is all I need.'

Ranma tries to wiggle free for a second but after failing miserably at the task decides to play it cool with her. "Hey, Ukyo. Whatcha doin by the school?"

"Oh I was headed to the store for more okonomiyaki supplies and I thought I would bring you lunch too sugar," the brown haird cook says smiling at Ranma.

"Gee, thanks Ucchan," Ranma said as the smell of the okonomiyaki hits him and makes his mouth water.

"Hey Ranma Honey... what are you doing up there," the young okonomiyaki cook said with a puzzled look on her face.

The pig-tailed martial artist looks at the tree thoughtfully, "You wouldn't believe me if I said bird watching would you?" He glances down at Ukyo and slumps his shoulders at her frown.

Ranma opens his mouth to tell her the truth when she cuts in, "Akane put you up there didn't she? I swear that girl has a mean streak a mile wide. Here I'll help you down."

As Ukyo is helping him down Ranma thinks about telling her the truth but then decides to take a page from his father's book and keep his mouth shut. 'Besides telling her that I was thrown out of the Girl's Bath will probably only get me pounded again, and Akane does hit me most of the time she sees me so what harm is there.'

Back on the ground Ranma thanks Ukyo for lunch and dashes in to get to class. When he gets to his class he sees that Miss Hinako is sitting at her desk looking over the assignments that were just turned in and the students are all at their desks reading their books. Akane glares at him with a smug look on her face. Ranma walks into class with his shoulders slumped trying to figure out how he'll tell his dad that he failed school this year. He can see the picture in his head...

He walks into the dining room at the Tendo Dojo where his father and Mr. Tendo are playing Shogi. He looks at his father in deep concentration as he lays a piece on the board. Looking at the board Ranma sees that it's only a few more plays till Mr. Tendo beats his dad.

"You're playing quite nicely into my little trap Genma," the Tendo patriarch says laughing.

"I'm not out of it yet Soun, in fact... good lord is Kasumi’s on fire,” Ranma’s father points to the kitchen with a horrified look on his face.

Mr. Tendo jumps up and begins towards the kitchen while Ranma sees his father spin the board around so that he his now winning. Mr. Tendo is halfway to the kitchen before Kasumi steps out.

"Is there anything wrong father," she asks in that sweet tone of hers.

"No Kasumi just old men playing tricks on each other."

"Oh father, you aren't that old,” the eldest Tendo daughter laughs as she goes back into the kitchen.

Soun comes back to the Shogo board and glares at Genma for a second before he smiles and looks down at the board. Soun's eyes bulge as he sees that Genma has gone from losing horribly to winning in a matter of seconds.

"Well it seems to be my move Soun, I told you not to count me out,” Genma says laughing.

'Great,' Ranma thinks to himself, 'he's in a good mood. I might live through this'

"Hey Pops. I need to talk to you."

"Ranma my boy. Come in, I was just showing Soun how to play Shogi,” Genma said smiling.

Ranma figured the best way for this would be quickly like pulling a bandage off. Ranma took a deep breath and let go, "I was late for school this morning cause I had to change back into a guy and was knocked out a window by the girls Field Hockey team and couldn't get into class and now I'm gonna fail the school year."

Ranma stood there nervous as Mr. Tendo and his father blink at him. They look at each other and then him and stand up. As they approach Ranma they seem to grow to twice their size and loom over the poor martial artist.

"Ranma you are a disgrace to the Saotome School of Anything goes Martial Arts! I can't believe that you are this thickheaded. You know what this means,” his father's expression was one of complete fury.

"But Pop..."

Genma looked at him hard "I have no son."

The words struck hard at Ranma and he collapsed to his knees. He looked up at Soun Tendo for assistance but recoiled at the anger he saw in his eyes.

"My family has harbored you for a very long time and has put up with your nonsense for just long enough. Leave my house now vagrant!"

Ranma shook his head from the mental scene and walks into class with his shoulders slumped. He walks straight up to the diminutive teacher's desk and hands her his paper that was due today. He looks at her with the most pitiful glance he can muster.

"Mr. Saotome you know that it's too late for you to turn that in. I said at the beginning of class today and it's been class time now for over twenty minutes, take your seat,” Miss Hinako said in her childlike voice.

Ranma began walking to his desk like it was the last few feet on Death Row. He takes his seat and looks over at Akane. Her expression had changed from smug laughter to compassion and worry. Ranma shakes his head and wonders why she cares if he passes or fails, if he fails then he'd be out of her life and she could be happy.

Miss Hinako came around to the front of her desk and began giggling. She looks at the class and begins to speak, "Well class it appears that since we're all here now I can tell you the good news. We as a class have been accepted for a field trip, and not just any field trip. Remember last month how we were talking about some of the newer fields of science that have come about in the last few years dealing with genetics?"

Most of the class was nodding their heads in memory. Ranma had no idea what she was talking about; all he remembered from last month was trying not to get his head caved in by some animal man on that danged island they were trapped on.

"Well it seems that I was able to talk Principal Kuno into allowing me to take you kids on a trip to see one of the leaders in these fields, Dr. Reed Richards. Some of you may know him as Big Brain of the Fantastic Five,” she pauses as some of the kids whisper among themselves about the group.

One of Ranma's classmates raises his hand and asks, "But Miss Hinako, the Fantastic Five operate out of New York City, in America."

"Yes they do Mr. Sonatta. That means that we are all going to America to the Fantastic Five's Tower to see a demonstration of this Neogenics that Dr. Richards has perfected. It also means we will be going to a foreign country and we must all behave as ambassadors of Japan. Now we are going to spend the next month learning a little bit more about America before we leave. You will all take that time to ready your passports and get together any spending money you would like for the trip."

The class erupts into a buzz of excitement and happiness. Ranma starts mentally rehearsing the speech to his father about why he failed the assignment.

"Class, settle down. I'm not finished yet. Principle Kuno wishes to have proper supervision on this field trip so we need some parents to volunteer for this trip. The trip includes the plane ticket, lodgings, and two meals a day for all chaperones. Also as an added incentive, and Mr. Saotome you might want to listen to this, any student whose parents decide to come on this trip will receive extra credit that will pass for their lowest grade in this class."

Ranma's eyes grew twice their size as he listened to Miss Hinako. He glanced over at Akane and smiled at her. He starts thinking about how he can get his dad to go, then decides to tell the truth.

Miss Hinako continues with her speech as Ranma thinks, "I already have a few volunteers to help chaperone including an upperclassman who agreed to come along."

Miss Hinako gestures to the door and everyone’s attention falls on the smiling female upperclassman with reddish-brown hair. "Hi Kids,” the middle Tendo daughter says to the class

Akane stands up and stares at her sister, "Nabiki, what are you doing?!"

Miss Hinako frowns at Akane's outburst and steps forward. "Akane, your sister volunteered for this trip when I asked her teacher if anyone would like to accompany our class. I think she's being a big help here. There is no reason for you to go shouting at her."

Akane was taken aback by her teacher's remarks. "Yes, Miss Hinako," she said and took her seat.

"Now I also have another volunteer from town. Miss Cologne who runs the Cat Cafe has volunteered with her Granddaughter,” Miss Hinako tilted her head curiously at the groan that escaped Ranma's lips. "Though this is all the chaperones I have now, I am hoping that this changes in the next month."

There is a bit more discussion about the trip in the class. Ranma finds out that they will be staying at an apartment complex in Manhattan during the trip. Throughout the day Ranma thinks about talking his dad into going and wondering if the trip will be as boring as it sounds. At lunch Akane sits with him as he eats Ukyo's lunch.

"Isn't this exciting Ranma, being able to go to America and see New York," the violent young woman says with excitement.

"Awww I dunno Akane, it seems pretty boring to me, all that science stuff. But at least I'll be able to make that grade up if I can convince Pops to come along," he says stuffing the last of the okonomiyaki in his mouth.

A frown crosses Akane's face for a second and Ranma prepares to argue with the girl but she stops and smiles at him. "Let's see if both our fathers can go."

Ranma looks at his fiance puzzled. "Huh? You don't need for your dad to go. You make great grades in Miss Hinako's class."

Akane looks sheepishly at him, "Well actually I was still late this morning and couldn't hand in my paper."

Ranma looks at Akane and laughs at her. Akane's face clouds over and she glares at Ranma as he continues laughing at her.

"Ranma you JERK!"

Akane balls her fist up and uses it to smack Ranma in the jaw sending the martial artist flying through the air for the second time that day. As Ranma lands, Akane storms off towards class.

* * *

At the Tendo house that evening the whole house was a buzz over the school trip. Nabiki had gotten home early that afternoon and already told the household. Genma was actually volunteering to go, unusual till you thought about the free room and board and free meals. Soun easily agreed to go as well but insisted on taking Kasumi as well, he couldn't see leaving his eldest daughter alone in the house while everyone else is in America. The house was busy that night with plans for the next month.

Ranma finally felt as though things were going well for him when Akane began to work out how to take her pet pig P-Chan with her. Ranma spent an hour that night trying to convince her to leave him here, but she wouldn't listen. Ranma felt sorry for Ryoga trapped in that pig's form until he was doused with hot water.

While Ranma was preparing for bed, once again having been turned into a girl by sparring practice with his father over the pond in the back yard. Ryoga enters into his room.

"Why do you have to be so mean to Akane, Ranma?" the boy in the bandanna said to her.

"Awww what do you know, Mr. P," the red-haired girl quipped at him.

Ryoga looked quickly around to see if anyone was near, "Quiet you. Look Akane wants me to go to America with her. Why can't you just let her take me?"

"She doesn't want to take you, she wants to take P-Chan."

"I know but if I have to sacrifice being me to be next to Akane I will. You just stay out of it, Ranma,” Ryoga said pointing at the redhead.

Normally Ranma would pound the living daylights out of Ryoga for this but she was tired and wanted sleep. She nodded at the young man and lay down for bed. "All right Ryoga. I'll stay out of it," she said yawning.

The next morning was about the same for the Tendo household as Akane and Ranma left for school. After making it inside Miss Hinako accepted their permission forms and chaperone reports from Ranma and Akane and two of the other students. Miss Hinako was still in her child-like form as she took the papers.

"This is great. I was hoping for about this many chaperones from the family. With all that I received from the community we'll be able to go to America. Miss Kuonji from town will also be going with us as a chaperone. Most of you should know her. She runs Ucchan's the okonomiyaki restaurant downtown."

Ranma felt a jab at his ribs from the boy behind him. He turned to look at him. "Hey Ranma, doesn't that mean all of your fiances are coming on this trip?"

Ranma felt a cold sweat run down his back as he nodded. 'Well maybe this trip isn't going to be as boring as I thought.'