Ranma and the Tendo family had experienced many strange events, so the bizarre experiences of the Master PC was just one more oddity added to the list. With reality restored, the household was back to normal, or at least as normal as their household could ever hope to be.
Sparring in the backyard one day, Ranma and Akane were suddenly interrupted by a portal appearing in the air. "Ranma Saotome?" said a deep voice coming from a shadowed figure seated inside the portal. "Greetings."
Ranma assumed a defensive posture. "Now what? Yes, I'm Ranma. Who are you?"
"For now, you may call me Mister Dark. And I am here to invite you to a challenge. A competition with a prize you will find most valuable."
Although Nabiki had very little martial arts training, she was suddenly outside and standing beside Ranma and Akane. "Prize? Did you say valuable prize?"
"Not now Nabiki," said Ranma. "What type of competition?"
"A competition of various challenges, which only the most skilled will pass. The contestants are all martial arts experts and all have fallen victim to the cursed springs of China. Specifically, springs in which females died. All the contestants change into women when splashed with cold water, as do you."
"How do you know that?" Ranma asked. "And there are others cursed like me?"
"Of course," replied the mysterious Mister Dark. "You and your father are not the only ones foolish enough to train at the cursed springs. And the pool you fell into is not the only one that changes its victim into a female."
"What about the prize?" asked Nabiki.
The shadowed figure chuckled. "Greedy. An admirable quality. I'm sorry young lady, but the prize is only one Ranma will find valuable. The winner of the Girly Girl Competition will regain his manhood. Forever. The curse that changes him into a woman will be removed."
"And what happens to the losers?" Akane asked suspiciously.
"Simple. The losers remain females and become my property, to do with as I please."
"I knew it!" said Akane. "It's a trick!"
"Not at all," replied Dark calmly. "The stakes are very high, but it is no trick. I have told you what the winner gets. And what the losers get. If Ranma loses, she will belong to me. If Ranma wins, then he will never again have to worry about transforming into a woman. The contest is a week from today. This scroll contains all the information needed to reach my island. Whether you choose to enter is entirely up to you Ranma, but it is unlikely I shall offer such an event again."
The mystery figure tossed a scroll through the portal, then the doorway vanished. Akane picked up the scroll and examined it. "Ranma, you can't go to this."
"For a chance to be free from my curse? I have to."
"But you heard what he said! If you lose, then you're this guy's playtoy!"
"That's if I lose," Ranma replied. "I'm a master of Anything Goes martial arts. Plus since being here I've been in more bizarre contests than I care to remember. I can win at anything and I'm going to win this."
"Fine!" Akane yelled, throwing the scroll at Ranma. "You do that. And when you're stuck as a girl and dressed as a french maid and serving this guy his breakfast, you remember who warned you not to go! Baka!"
Wed Feb 13 18:42:07 2002