Dragon's Hope Spring

Chapter One:

Spring Time

Ranma one-half, I

Do not own. It belongs to

Takahashi-san.

These are thoughts

This is the story

This is draconic

"People talking to one another"

Telepathy

Here we have Chinese

Thinking in Chinese

Thinking in draconic

Telepathy in Chinese

Scattered around the world, on every continent (yes, even Antarctica), for every culture, hidden in remote places, are various enchanted springs. If you are reading this, you should have at least heard of the Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo in China, but if you believed those to be the only magical springs in the world, you were sorely shortsighted, for, dear reader, there are many others.

There is, for instance, the Spring of the Leprechaun in Ireland, where whosoever falls in will suddenly have an urge, for the rest of their life, to repair shoes and hide their money in high-tech safes at the ends of rainbows. There are various springs of Drowned Girl and Boy throughout the world, and numerous animal springs, though the largest collection anywhere is the Springs of Sorrow, at Jusenkyo.

This story, however, dear reader, begins at a very proper Japanese home, kept by a very proper Japanese wife, who knew her duties to her warrior husband. Saddened as she was by the necessity of her husband taking her small son from her to train for years and years on the road, she saw the need for it.

I hope that seppuku contract keeps Genma in line. I'd hate to think what would happen if he raised Ranma to be weak, or if he abused my son, Nodoka thought to herself as she watched her husband take her young son away. Oh, what am I worried about? I'm sure Genma will write to me, and he swore he'd make Ranma a man among men! What could go wrong?

The years went by, and Ranma Satome grew. He underwent the terrifying neko-ken training, learned the fine arts of stealing food off of his father's plate at mealtimes and eating at speeds no human body should be able to reach. He met his good friend Ukyo, but had to leave "him" behind. He met his good "friend" Ryoga, but was dragged to China by his father three days after the fateful challenge should have taken place, but one day before his directionally challenged rival arrived.

He mastered various martial arts. While in China, he learned various meditation techniques. He also began to regularly defeat his father in their morning sparring sessions.

Then came the fateful day. The day that forever changed the course of his destiny. The day that, possibly, should have gone a little different than it did. The day they came to…

"Welcome to Jusenkyo, honored customers!"

Ignoring the guide, Genma gestured to his son. "Here we are, boy! Jusenkyo! One of the most dangerous training grounds in all of China!"

"Doesn't look like much, Pop," Ranma commented, already taking in the bamboo shoots over the innocent-looking pools of water.

"Ungrateful boy! It is said that those who leave Jusenkyo sane are much wiser and more powerful than they were before! All that is needed is to train at this place, just once, and you will be forever stronger."

"Pop, where did you hear this rubbish?"

"Oh, no, honored customers! You should not be training here! Is very bad to fall in spring."

Still ignoring the guide, Genma leapt onto one of the bamboo polls. Ranma shrugged and followed suit.

Why do the customers never listen to me? Could the springs be calling to them? Nah, they're probably just thickheaded idiots who think they know better than me. Or that magic is just superstition. Might as well stick around to explain to them when they fall in the springs.

The stout middle-aged man and his well-muscled son began to spar on top of the bamboo polls, jumping from one to the other and getting amazing hang-time as they fought each other, trying to knock their respective family member into the water.

This has to be one of the most exciting things I've ever seen, the guide thought, They've both come so close to falling in, only to find some way to reach the bamboo. And they've jumped all around the springs! Which ones will they fall in? Even I cannot hazard a guess. Too bad I don't have something to snack on while I watch the show.

The show continued for several minutes until Ranma got in a solid blow, knocking his father into one of the springs.

"Honored customer fall into Spring of Drowned Panda! Many year ago, panda drown in spring, very tragic tale. Now whoever fall into spring take body of panda!"

Body of panda, huh? Ranma pondered. Better move, then.

Instead of taunting his father the way he normally would, some hitherto undiscovered sense of self-preservation caused Ranma to turn and leap onto another poll, and continue on toward the edge of the springs farthest from their point of entrance, intending to get down before he got wet. There's something I don't like about these springs. Kinda creepy, and a martial artist always listens to his gut instincts.

"Growf!" Genma shouted at his retreating son. What? Never mind. The ungrateful boy's running away. If I have to get wet, so does he.

The panda gave chase. As he caught up to his as-of-yet uncursed son, he gave a mighty battle cry. "Growf grrr!"

Wha? At the very edge of the training ground, Ranma turned to look at his father. What he saw, of course, was a panda wearing his father's vest. His eyes bugged out, he was totally unprepared for the kick he was dealt.

Genma, however, had actually figured out that it might not be best to kick his son into one of the springs that were so obviously a part of the training ground. He did, however, want to give the ungrateful boy a scare. That one should do!

The guide watched in horror as the younger honored customer soared toward THAT spring. Oh no! What do I do? That's the only spring that…I hope that boy wasn't too dead-set on keeping his humanity, because not even hot water will return him from that blessed form. Though…falling into that spring before the age of one hundred isn't the best of ideas, really.

Of all the springs around the world, what most people fail to realize is that the idea of springs to change the form of whoever falls into them was inspired by something the dragons of the world did in order to protect themselves from extinction. All around the world, brave dragons created powerful springs that would transform anyone who fell in who was "noble of heart and kind of soul, selfless and strong" into a dragon.

All dragons have the ability to shape shift. Originally, they only have their "true form" which continually grows, as they get older. Then, there is the "mini" or "chibi" dragon form, which is a miniaturized true form, and, while a lot weaker, is about the size of a large cat, and there are things to be said for that. And finally, many dragons have the ability to take on human form, which is useful because of the wide range of sounds it can make, in addition to the opposable thumbs.

Unfortunately, dragons do not get their breath weapon until they are fifty years old, are unable to fly before the age of thirty, and a sixteen-year-old dragon's shoulders come up to about four feet above the ground. Worst of all, though, no dragon, no matter what it may have been before, is able to articulate any human language before the age of one hundred, even in human form. Understand, yes; speak, no.

"Oh, no! Mister customer is making very tragic mistake! Possibly." The Jusenkyo guide called to Genma.

"Growf?" the panda asked.

"Honored customer is kicking other honored customer into Dragon's Hope Spring! Whoever falls into Dragon's Hope Spring becomes dragon in reality, with strength, nature, and life that means! Is no way to be human ever again!"

No, no! What have I done? Nodoka will kill me! I swore to her I'd bring the boy back a man among men, and he's not even human anymore!

As Genma despaired, a wet, bedraggled, and very confused red dragon climbed out of the spring. What the hell? Ranma asked. Pop, what the hell was that? The newly changed dragon shook himself and swept his tail around, then he squeaked in surprise as his wings moved when his tail did.

The guide rushed over to explain. "Mister customer, please be not panicking! Remember you human body, what it feel like, how it move, and concentrate!"

Well, why not? Ranma thought, and did as the Chinese man directed. He felt his body shift, his tail shrink and vanish, his wings do the same. His bones reshaped themselves, his body shrank and twisted, the teeth changed, his front legs turned into arms, his talons into fingernails. All in the span of a few seconds.

Pop, said the very young red dragon, I don't know whether to thank you or strangle you, so I'm going to wait and figure out exactly what you've done.

The panda in question swallowed, hard. This…this could be very bad.

"Please follow," the guide told them both, "I is explaining all at hut."

"Growf."

Wha? I…I'm not speaking Japanese, am I? Great, Pop, you'll be lucky to survive what I'm going to do to you later! Ranma growled to himself.

After cautiously avoiding any and all springs on their way to the hut at the other side of the training ground, and making their way inside, the guide put some water to boil and gestured for his guests to make themselves comfortable. He then got a bowl and filled it with cold water, and poured the contents of a packet into it.

He dumped the water all over himself and nothing seemed to happen.

"You see, honored customers," he began in flawless Japanese, "each and every spring here in the Jusenkyo training ground has a curse because something or someone drowned there at some time in the history of this place. From then on, whosoever falls into that spring is cursed to become what they would have been if they had been born that way, or their mind will change to accommodate the change, depending on the spring."

Here he paused to let the information sink in.

So…Pops turned into a panda because of the spring. But, I didn't fall into a spring in the training ground, it was outside it. What does that mean? Ranma rumbled.

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand draconic," the guide informed them. "Unfortunately, no dragon under the age of one hundred can speak any human language, your body simply isn't developed enough for you to pronounce our words. I have an amulet for events like this, please wait here while I go find it."

As the guide walked off and began searching for the elusive amulet, Genma began to glance around. Fortunately, he decided that there was nothing of value present.

"Ah! Here it is!" the Jusenkyo guide announced as he slipped the amulet around his neck. "Now, I would like to continue my explanation. When a customer falls into a Jusenkyo spring, the affect can be undone with hot water," the kettle whistled, and the guide removed it from the fire. "However, the first splash of cold water will reactivate it."

Like an on/off switch?

"Yes, younger honored customer has it right. Cold water turns the curse 'on' and hot turns it 'off'."

The guide poured some of the water onto Genma, who sighed in relief.

"So," the panda man began, "will this allow my son to speak again?" the foolish father took the kettle from the guide and poured the rest of the water onto Ranma.

Idiot. Ranma muttered.

"That he seems to be," commented the guide.

"Wh-why didn't anything happen?" Genma demanded.

"Because, honored sir, your son did not fall into a Jusenkyo spring. The Spring of Dragon's Hope, or Dragon's Hope Spring, is not a Jusenkyo spring. He is no longer human, he is a dragon, and a very young one."

"What do you mean by that?" the stupid panda demanded.

"Young sir," the guide turned to Ranma, ignoring Genma, "how old are you?"

Sixteen.

"Very well. As you are now a dragon, that means that you are basically and infant, with all the helplessness that implies."

WHAT? I am not helpless!

"By the standards of dragons, you are. Fortunately, your human form is just as strong as it was before your unadvised swim. You just won't be able to pronounce any human languages for another 84 years, because your body is unable to produce the sounds for anything other than draconic."

So, what…I'll have to write people notes saying 'I'm mute'?

"Something like that. It also means that you, sir," he turned to Genma, "will have to handle any and all people you encounter, and do the talking." He broke off as Ranma made a choking, gagging sound like he was going to be sick.

"What, you have a problem with that, boy?"

Ranma nodded his head, vigorously, in response.

"Too bad!" the panda crowed. "So, guide, is there any place where I can learn more about this curse I'm under?"

"Yes, yes. I was going to lead you to the Amazon village, anyway."

"Amazons?"

"Yes. I have an agreement with the Joketsuzoku Amazons. I bring those who are cursed by Jusenkyo to them whenever possible, and they provide me with food and protection. I have agreements with all of the local tribes, because Jusenkyo is an important part of the local culture, and I know Jusenkyo's secrets."

So, what? We go to these Joketsuzoku Amazons, and they just answer all our questions? No catch?

"You'll have to be very careful not to fight one. Their laws dictate that any outsider male who defeats a female warrior in battle is married to the warrior he defeated, and any outsider female who defeats a warrior must be hunted down by that warrior and killed."

"But…my son isn't even human anymore! Why should they be interested in him now?"

"They might be. The Joketsuzoku are very strange. I will guide you to them, however, because I enjoy their protection in return for leading all Jusenkyo victims I can to them."

So…these Amazons have turned the springs into more of a trap than they were already?

"Yes, sir."