Lesson One:     PRIDE AND POWER.
================================

Ranma gritted his teeth and braced himself as the ground got closer.

Ranma:  <All I said was that I didn't want her food, hell, I did't even
        get a chance to say that I expected it to be awful...  and for
        that I get kicked across town... again!>

The crash of Ranma's landing shook the area, but the echoes soon died away
and stillness came again.  For a while silence held sway, then a groan rang
out and Ranma dragged himself to his feet and looked around.

Ranma:  I think that tomboy's kicking harder these days.  Now, where am I
        this time?

Ranma took in the dingy alleyway he had landed in, while typically dirty,
there were no piles of rubbish or collections of bins.  One side of the
alley was a featureless brick wall, the other side seemed equally blank
until you neared the end of the alley.  Set straight into the brick wall
was a single window, with a solid wooden door beside it.  The window was
mostly opaque, but clearly printed on it was "The Answers Shop" with "Old
Books" below that and through the window the outlines of what might have
been bookshelves could be made out.

Ranma:  A Bookshop?  <Strange place for any sort of shop.>

Ranma shrugged and turned to leave the alley, then paused uncertainly and
looked back at the bookshop.

Ranma:  <Akane's going to give me hell when I get home.  If I bring back a
        recipe for her, she'll smile... and this dump might even have one
        that She can't ruin.  God knows, modern shops don't.>

Ranma walked hesitantly up to the door and tried it.  It swung open smoothly
and silently, Ranma stepped in and looked around.  The shop was well lit,
better lit than Ranma had thought from looking in the window, and seemed
fairly clean.  There was a counter set back opposite the entrance and
shelves marched off on either side of the counter.  The old man at the counter
looked up with interest as Ranma entered.

Old Man:        A customer?  Welcome, welcome.  What can I do for you?
Ranma:          Ah... Do you have any Recipe Books or books on How to Cook?
Old Man:        How to Cook you say?

The Old Man rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then pointed off to the right.

Old Man:        The culinary section is 3 Shelves that way.
Ranma:          Thank you. [Turns in the indicated direction]
Old Man:        But..
Ranma:          Eh.. [Turns back to the Old Man]
Old Man:        I would never have guessed that you were a chef.
Ranma:          A Chef?  Me?
Old Man:        Why else would you want a cook-book?
Ranma:          It's for my fian... for a friend. [Turns away]
Old Man:        Then you should leave.
Ranma:          What! [Stares at the Old Man]
Old Man:        This is a bad place to buy gifts.  Try your local Newsagent
        instead.  It's safer.
Ranma:          Safer?  What's dangerous about a cookbook?
Old Man:        Why does your... friend need one?
Ranma:          She's a special case... her COOKING is dangerous.
Old Man:        Really?  Send her here then, you won't be able to pick out
        the book she needs anyway.
Ranma:          Send her...  What do you mean "The book she needs"?
Old Man:        Books hold answers my boy.  Your friend has a problem with
        cooking you say, but, do you know WHY she has a problem?
Ranma:          Ah...
Old Man:        If you don't know the reason for the problem then how can
        YOU pick out a book that contains an answer?
Ranma:          An answer?
Old Man:        All problems in life have many answers.  The books in this
        shop hold some of those answers, not all, and not always the best
        answers.  But no matter what the problem, there is an answer
        somewhere in this shop.  IF you know the reason for the problem.
Ranma:          Maybe I should be going now...
Old Man:        But you haven't picked out a book yet.  I mean, do you have
        a problem you'd like an answer to?
Ranma:          Do I have problems?  Hah!  How do I pick the best girl from
        the mob chasing me!  How do I get rid of the Jusenkyo Curse!  Will
        they do for starters!?
Old Man:        Well now, Girl problems...  to be honest with you kid, for
        this, no answer out of a book is going to be a GOOD answer.  Just
        follow your heart.  It's a hassle at times, but it works out better
        than any other method.  But curses... that I can help you with.
Ranma:          You can?
Old Man:        Certainly.  [Points to the left] Magic section, 4 shelves
        that way, then go through the door in the back wall.  But one book
        only, so pick carefully.

Ranma looks in the direction the old man pointed, hesitates, and looks back
at the old man, who waves at him to get on with it.  Moving slowly to the
left Ranma counts off 4 sets of shelves, then spots a door that seems to
lead further into the building.  Going through it Ranma finds himself in a seven
walled room, 6 walls are covered in bookshelves while the seventh holds the
door he came through, in the centre of the room is a reading table.  Ranma
hesitates then starts to examine the shelves.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some time later Ranma returns to the counter, carrying a book with him.  The
old man looks up as he approaches.

Old Man:        Found what you wanted?
Ranma:          None of the books in there open.  But the title on this one
        makes me think of Martial Arts.
Old Man:        Open?  Of course they don't.  Opening books of magic is
        dangerous and I don't allow it in my shop.  Give me a look at your
        choice.

Ranma hands over the book.

Ranma:          <Opening books is dangerous?  Sure!  What am I doing here
        anyway... all I wanted was a peace offering for Akane.>
Old Man:        An interesting choice.  Did you think about the mob of girls
        giving you problems while you were in there?
Ranma:          Eh..  Mind your own business! <Interfering Old Geezer...
        Why am I putting up with him anyway...?>
Old Man:        Suit yourself. [Reads the Title of Ranma's book]
        "PHYSACALITY: Ye Arte of Powyr from Physicale".  This book is
        intended to teach you how to do magic, if you manage to learn enough
        from it, you'll have the ability to get rid of that curse you
        mentioned.  This a good enough answer for you?  You up to learning
        magic?
Ranma:          You sure it'll work?  I don't have money to waste.
Old Man:        Money you say.  Tell you what, take the book.  Study it.  If
        you complete all 13 lessons and get your answer you can visit me and
        pay me what the books worth.  No money needed at the moment.
Ranma:          Are you serious?
Old Man:        Sure.  A word of warning though, this is a book of MAGIC,
        once you start studying, you won't be able to stop, you won't be able
        to unlearn what you know.  If you aren't good enough to complete the
        13 lessons, or are too weak to reach the final lesson, you'll be
        studying forever.
Ranma:          Good Enough!  I, Saotome Ranma of the Anything Goes School of
        Martial Arts, am up to anything!
Old Man:        [Quietly] How about modesty?
Ranma:          What was that?
Old Man:        Never mind. [wraps up Ranma's book] Here you are sir.  See
        you when your study is done.

Ranma takes the book and heads for the door.  He hesitates at the door and
looks back at the old man.

Ranma:          You sure about this?  Do you have enough custom to be able to
        afford it?
Old Man:        Sure.  Business has been brisk lately...

Ranma starts to open the door.

Old Man:        ...You're the third customer I've had this decade.
Ranma:          What? [Ranma twists to stare at the old man]
Old Man:        I'm fine lad.  Be off with you, it's time you were home.

Ranma tries to straighten himself up, but somehow loses his balance and
finds himself falling through the half-opened door.  Tumbling backwards
Ranma hits the ground, for a second he lies there dazed, then he forces
himself back to awareness and levers himself into a sitting position.
Instead of the alleyway he expected to see, Ranma found himself staring
into the eyes of the rest of the Tendo household as they sat at the dinner
table, apparently half way through dinner.

Soun:           Ranma!  How..?
Genma-P:        [sign] You're late.
Nabiki:         You doing Ninja training or something Ranma-kun?
Kasumi:         You should take your shoes off before coming inside,
        Ranma-kun.
Akane:          ... uncouth jerk.  Jumping out of nowhere that way and
        startling everyone.

Ranma stood up and looked wildly around himself.  There was no sign of an
alley, or of the bookshop.  It was the Tendo living room, with five curious
people looking at him and everything else exactly as it should be, except
for the wrapped up book at his feet.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma found the dancing Panda to be very distracting.  After a bit of
trouble getting a word into the conversation, Ranma had managed to get out an
explanation of how he had come to appear in the doorway.  Ranma had serious
doubts that anyone had caught the full story, but the Panda had gotten the
key point.  The book in Ranma's hand offered a cure.  This was evidently
worth a dance.  Everyone else thought it good as well, in the Tendo's living
room happiness and good cheer abounded.

Soun:           Ranma!  My boy... soon you will be a man and can marry
        Akane with honour!
Akane:          Father!
Genma-P:        [Sign] I'm going to be cured!
Kasumi:         Aren't parties fun.
Nabiki:         I hate to be a spoilsport. [everyone looks at Nabiki] But
        you're all missing something.
Soun:           What is there to miss?  Ranma reads the book, learns the
        magic and all is fixed?
Nabiki:         Learn, as in study hard and diligently.  From a book no less.
Akane:          Hmmm.. I see what you mean Sis.  This is Ranma we're talking
        about.  Mr. Sleep-in-class himself.
Ranma:          Hey!  I heard that!
Akane:          So?  It's true isn't it?
Nabiki:         Lets face it Ranma.  As a Martial Artist you're hot stuff,
        as a student you're awful.
Kasumi:         That's harsh Nabiki.  Ranma does well when he has to.
Akane:          And ONLY when he has to.
Ranma:          Hey!
Nabiki:         This learning magic...  it's not a bad idea, but I can't see
        Ranma sticking with it.  He'll notice some new Martial Arts
        technique halfway through and drop everything to chase after that instead.
Genma-P:        [Sign] My son, the failure.
Ranma:          You...
Soun:           [Crying]  My poor Akane, doomed to marry a cursed and
        uneducated failure.
Akane:          Who's doomed to marry!! [looms over Soun]
Ranma:          ENOUGH!!

Everyone stops and looks at Ranma.  Ranma strikes a dramatic pose.

Ranma:          I am going to study this book.  I am going to learn how to
        deal with my curse.  I am going to complete what this course and
        make certain people [looks at Akane and Nabiki] admit their mis-
        judgement. [Looks at Genma-panda] And if any others expect to benefit
        from my efforts, they'd better not steal any more of my food!
Genma-P:        [Sign] But...
Ranma:          [Staring at Panda] But what?
Genma-P:        [Sign] My son, the successful magician.

Ranma picked up the book and looked around the room.

Ranma:          I'm going to start now.
Akane:          [Quietly] No one doubts that you'll start.
Ranma:          [Looks at Akane, who blushes] I'll finish too.  [Ranma's
        face shows some anger]  I swear by my honour as a Martial Artist!
        [A blue Ki aura outlines Ranma]

Silence grips the room as Ranma leaves and starts up the stairs.  Ranma
enters his room and closes the door behind him.  He holds up the book and
looks at it, then he sighs.

Ranma:          I wonder if I'll be able to open it now?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Half an hour later Ranma crept down the stairs, face red, book in hand.

Ranma:          <I had to open my big mouth.  I had to swear I would learn
        this stuff.  I had to get myself in deep before I knew what I was
        promising.  Oh man...  I'm an idiot at times.>

Ranma reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around.

Ranma:          <So far, so good.  Let me get out of the dojo and I'll lose
        this damned book.  I'll tell them Ryouga and Mousse teamed up to
        fight me.  Yeah.  They've done it before and the two of them
        actually stand a chance against me.  And in the "Fight" the book can
        "accidentally" get lost in the canal.  Good scheme Saotome... Good..>

Ranma approached the door of the dojo, moving silently, but as he got there
the door swung open, revealing Akane and Kasumi.

Ranma:          <Oh No!>
Kasumi:         How nice.  Ranma came to the door to meet us.  Even though
        he looks terribly ill.
Akane:          Why have you gone white Ranma?
Ranma:          Ah... ah... <Don't mention the book, tell them anything but
        don't mention the book.>
Akane:          [Looking at the book in Ranma's hands]  Did something go
        wrong with your magic?  [Sounds worried]  This isn't dangerous for
        you is it?
Ranma:          <Only if you find out what it involves....>

Nabiki, Soun and Genma hear the conversation at the door and come out into
the hall to see what's going on.

Ranma:          <Gah!  I'm doomed! I'm doomed!>
Nabiki:         What are you doing there Ranma?  I didn't hear you come down.
Ranma:          Ah...
Nabiki:         You're acting very, very suspiciously you know.
Soun:           Now, now Nabiki.  I'm sure Ranma has a good reason for being
        here. [looks at Ranma] Right Ranma?
Ranma:          Yes.  Good Reason. <What do I say?  What do I say?>
Akane:          What is it then?
Ranma:          Ah...
Nabiki:         You're hiding something from us Ranma-kun.
Ranma:          Me?  <I'll get you for this Nabiki!>
Akane:          Yes you. [Akane's expression has hardened]  You're acting
        like we caught you sneaking out or something.
Ranma:          Sneak?  Me! <Next time I use the window, hell, why didn't I
        use the window this time?  I'm an idiot!>
Nabiki:         But why would you want to sneak out?  [looks at the book in
        Ranma's hands]  Part of your "magic", perhaps?
Ranma:          Ah.. <what now?  I'll never hear the end of it if they find
        out what's in the book!> [Notices the shopping bag in Kasumi's
        hands] Yes.  My magic.  I need to get some things.  I need... things
        for my magic study.
Kasumi:         Of course.  Tell me what you need Ranma.  I know most of the
        shops in the neighbourhood.  I can tell you where to get the best
        bargains.
Ranma:          <Not now Kasumi.  What now?  What now?  What did the
        introduction say I'd need again.>  Um.. I need, that is.. well...
Nabiki:         I can give you the name of a good lawyer.
Ranma:          Lawyer?  <There wasn't a lawyer on the list was there?  Does
        Nabiki know something I don't?  Why would I. want. a. lawyer.>  Very
        funny Nabiki.
Akane:          What do you need then?  Or have you already decided to give
        up magic?  Is that it?
Ranma:          Give up?  I never give up! <But just this once I'll quit if
        I can get the chance.>
Genma:          Of course Ranma isn't giving up.  My... Our cure is too
        important.  And he swore on his honour as a Martial Artist.  I'm sure
        Ranma wouldn't let a trivial thing like learning magic put him in a
        position where he had to commit seppekku to regain his honour. [Stares
        at Ranma]  Would you Ranma.
Ranma:          <When did this become a matter of Seppekku?  Well, I did
        swear on my honour, but to learn this...>
Soun:           Oh so noble Ranma, to volunteer for seppekku when you're
        unable to fulfil your solemn word.  We'll give you the finest of
        send-offs.
Ranma:          <I think I'll delay my quitting to another time.  People
        need to cool down a bit first.  And when did I volunteer anyway?>
Akane:          [Trying not to laugh at Ranma's expression]  Well Ranma?
        Are you quitting?
Ranma:          Quitting? <Why did I have to swear on my honour?  I'll never
        hear the end of it now.>  Don't be silly. [Opens book and flips to
        one of the early pages]  I'll need... <I've got it!> a room to
        myself for starters, I'll need somewhere private and undisturbed to
        lay out magical tools and carry out rituals.  [Stares at Nabiki,
        Genma and Soun] And I'll want people to promise not to enter or spy
        on the room without my permission.  I don't want people interfering
        with any magical stuff I have lying around.  Understand?  <They'll
        never accept these terms.  There isn't a spare room anyway.  And
        even if they work out something they'll never keep their promise
        about staying out, all I have to do is catch one of them breaking
        that and I have an excuse to drop the whole thing.>
Genma:          Your own room?
Nabiki:         Promise not to spy?
Soun:           There aren't any spare rooms Ranma-kun.
Akane:          We could put Mr Saotome in with father.
Kasumi:         Father does have plenty of space in his room.
Nabiki:         Promise not to spy?
Soun:           Share with Saotome-kun?  But he snores!
Genma:          It's for a good cause.
Ranma:          <They're giving me a room to myself?  Make them promise,
        I've got to have an excuse to back out!>  What about the promise?  I will
        need total privacy. [Looks at Kasumi]  <This will convince them> I
        won't even want you to clean up Kasumi, I'll need to do that myself.
Akane:          Fine by me.  I promise.
Nabiki:         No spying....
Kasumi:         I can promise Ranma-kun, but I'd like to look in occasionally
        to see that you keep the room sort of clean.
Nabiki:         [Pulls herself together and stares at Ranma]  OK Ranma. I'll
        promise, but I expect to see proof that you're studying.... magic.
Ranma:          <Proof?  Oh great...  how am I going to do that?...>
Genma:          For my... ah.. our cure, I promise as well.  [Genma gets
        nervous as Ranma stares at him] No Spying, I promise. [Ranma keeps
        staring] I won't touch any of your things. [Ranma stares] WILL YOU
        STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!
Ranma:          Ah.  OK.  <He promised?! But... but...>
Akane:          What about you father?  Everyone else has promised.
Soun:           The snoring. [Everyone looks at Soun]  Oh all right, I
        promise.  [Soun looks pleadingly at Ranma] This won't take too long
        will it Ranma?  It'll only be a few weeks won't it?
Ranma:          <Proof?  How will I fake something to keep Nabiki happy?>
        Eh... how long... the book says about a month or two per stage and
        there's 13 stages...
Nabiki:         So. No more than 2 years you say.  Hmmm...  actually sounds
        like a real course then.  Will surprises never cease....
Soun:           Two Years!  The snoring, the snoring, I'll be back to the
        bad old days with the master...
Ranma:          <Come on!  Veto this idea!  Let me off the hook, please....>
Genma:          I'll buy you a set of ear-muffs old friend.
Ranma:          <ear-muffs?  I never thought of that...>
Genma:          [Turns to Ranma]  I'll need to borrow some money off you.
Ranma:          But... <Great... buy someone else earmuffs with my money>
        I'll need the money to get...

Swallowing his trepidation Ranma began to read off the items the book
recommended he obtain for the study of magic, save for a few objects of
a very personal nature.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma looked around his room and wondered what to do next.  All the items
the book recommended he get that could be bought openly were here - and
everyone knew it.  When he had been reading out the list of things the
book recommended, Nabiki and Akane had soon pushed him to one side and
looked at the book themselves, causing a momentary panic for Ranma - but
they soon discovered that they could only read the book if Ranma was
touching the line they were looking at.  This both relieved and bothered
Ranma, he was relieved that he could control what others got to see of the
book, and the reminder that this was real magic, potent magic, was...
disturbing.  Ranma could handle his curse, though he didn't like to admit
it, and the minor charms Shampoo and his other fiancee's liked to use on
him were also easily faced and overcome.

The Book was different.  Ranma looked at it and wondered at his best course.
He had tried finding an alternative book of magic and had a few reference
works now sitting beside the Book to show for his efforts, but he had found
nothing that he thought would serve as a replacement course of study, he had
found no other magic that he believed in.  And he was running out of time.
He had compiled the list of items in front of everyone, the nature of the
book doing much to convince them all that Ranma was being serious with his
requests, and everything on that list was here.  He had told everyone that
there were a few more things that he had to make himself, which was true,
but could not pretend to be making them for much longer.

Ranma:          <Decision.  I need to make a decision.  Dad's made it clear
        that he expects me to go through with this to the end.  And it's no
        good telling him or Mr Tendo what's in the book.  They'd just force
        me to marry Akane, to use Akane.  The conniving old fools would
        probably think that this was a good thing.>

Ranma stared at the pile of items, then slowly walked over to them and began
to sort them and prepare them for use.

Ranma:          <The first step isn't... too bad.  I can do it alone, and,
        hell!  What's involved I do of my own accord often enough.  And it
        should give me some tricks I can do to placate Nabiki and convince
        the others that I'm going somewhere.  Then I'll have a couple of
        months to find an alternative to the second step.>

Ranma started moving various items into the configuration the book laid out
for him and considering what would be necessary to deal with those that were
too difficult to set up without preparation, such as the mirror that needed
to be attached to the roof somehow.  As he moved things around Ranma's mind
also prepared a checklist of other things he needed to do, before... there
were a few meditation techniques to study, a few exercises that should be
mastered - nothing that a martial artist needed to worry about - and then
there were the items Ranma had not wanted to admit to publicly, he would
need to get some of them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma moved through a series of kata's, reviewing his situation.  In the
past few days matters had gotten worse.  Mousse, Ryouga and Shampoo had
found out about the Book and his studies, they'd all said much the same
thing - that they would try to avoid bothering him while he was studying
magic, and that they looked forward to him becoming good enough to cure
them.  Ranma suppressed a shiver.

Ranma:          <I have to learn some magic now, if I don't, Dad will
        want me to commit seppekku, and if I don't commit seppekku, I'll
        probably have a much more painful death to look forward to when
        Mousse and Ryouga get hold of me.>

Ranma finished his exercises and stretched before heading for the bathroom,
pondering his options as he walked.

Ranma:          <I've finally gotten everything I need for the first... step.
        My room is set up, and, most importantly, I'm running out of excuses
        for Nabiki.  She already suspects me of some scam with this magic, if
        she works out the truth... I'll be blackmailed for the rest of my
        life.>

Ranma thought back on what it had taken to acquire everything he needed for
the first step.  Given his usual luck it had gone remarkably well, as far as
he knew no one had recognised him in his disguises and no one was too likely
to follow up on the "incidents" he had caused.  Things had been embarrassing
while they were happening, but at least they didn't seem to have had any
consequences that he needed to worry about.

Ranma entered the bath and began to wash himself, trying to lose himself in
the relaxation of bathing.  It didn't completely work, but Ranma was feeling
a little better when he finished.  He got out of the bath and took a deep
breath.

Ranma:          <I've got to do it.  I've backed myself into a corner without
        any good choices.  First that stupid oath... but I could probably
        have lived that down... then I had to set conditions that everyone
        accepted and, worse yet, seems to be keeping.  And to top it all off
        I let myself be talked into accepting the things needed for this as
        a "gift" of the dojo... why didn't I say something before the money
        was spent?  Idiot!  I'm an idiot!>

Ranma looked at himself in the mirror and shook his head.  He turned away,
then faced back to the mirror and slowly reached over to the cold water
tap.

Ranma:          Why not? <My curse got me into this and it doesn't matter
        if I'm a guy or a girl for step one... and I'd rather look at the
        girl me in the mirrors.>

Ranma sprayed the cold water over his body, then dried herself off and
pulled on some boxers before heading to her room.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma walked down the corridor to her room feeling totally embarrassed,
she'd done this plenty of times before in exactly the same state of dress without
the slightest hesitation, but the knowledge of what she was going to do in
her room ruined her self-control and amplified every little thing into a
major nuisance.  She gave a sigh of relief as she reached her room and
almost jumped in, her sense of shame welcoming the privacy it offered.

Her breathing was ragged as she stood in the centre of the room and eyed the
floor, avoiding looking at the mirrors she had so laboriously positioned in
preparation for her... studies.  Ranma found herself examining the mystic
circle she had laid out earlier, almost unconsciously she went over the
symbols and their positions, seeking a flaw, seeking an excuse to delay
what she planned.  There were none that she could find, a slight feeling of
pride for a job well done swept over her, then vanished beneath her
trepidation over what came next.

Ranma looked up at the Book on it's shelf and cursed herself once more for
being a headstrong idiot.  The Book sat there, almost mocking her with it's
apparent normality, it's appearance of being nothing special.  Ranma
swallowed and let her eyes be slowly dragged to one of the mirrors.  She
looked herself over, noting the blush on her face that came close to
matching her hair, then her eyes wandered down to her breasts where her nipples
jutted firmly out.  As she watched one of her hands came up and gave a
nipple a gentle tweak that caused her to shiver with shame, desire and
anticipation.

Ranma gazed at the mirror and wondered if she had done the right thing
making herself female for this.  She was beautiful and sexy, although
she hated to admit it, even to herself, but her memories of the handful of
other times she had pleasured herself as a girl came rushing in, arousing
her further with remembered pleasure and reminding her of how different
female ecstasy was.  Of how she was always scared of... something... when
she recovered.  Ranma shoved the memories aside.  This time was different, had
to be different.  She focussed on the mirror once more and lowered her hands
to the band of her boxers and began to remove them.

Ranma watched the boxers slide slowly down the image in the mirror and tried
to ignore the breeze that suddenly seemed to be caressing her pussy.  The
boxers in the mirror reached the floor and Ranma watched herself step out of
them with a detached sensation, as if the Ranma in the mirror were the real
Ranma, the Ranma burning with desire for more.  Ranma took a deep breath to
calm herself, to return control to the real her.  It succeeded, sort of, the
sense of detachment faded, but the sight of her thrust out breasts added to
her arousal and ate further at her self-control.

Ranma stepped quickly to the shelf holding the Book and opened it to the
section on spells.  The way the art of PHYSACALITY worked had initially
puzzled Ranma a little, the spells and the power for the spells were
separate things, a concept she had found difficult to relate to.  But with
a little study a few things had become clear, to use the spells she had to
have the power, with no power the words and gestures of the spells were
meaningless - and to wield the power she needed to cast the first spell, the
spell of Accessing, at the one time every person touched the fringes of the
power of PHYSACALITY.  She had to control herself well enough to cast a
spell at the moment of orgasm.

Ranma walked back to the circle she had readied with the Book balanced in
one hand and a few cushions in the other.  Her breathing came in short bursts,
as she anticipated the pleasure that was to come, between her legs Ranma
felt a faint dampness and a fire that was building towards an inferno of
desire.  She placed the Book towards the edge of the circle and knelt on a
cushion, her eyes scanned over the Book then moved onto a mirror, where they
watched as her hands went to her breasts.

The touch of her own hands sent an electric thrill through her as she
started to fondle herself.  Her hands squeezed and kneaded her breasts, then moved
to her nipples, pleasure warred with shame as she gasped and moaned, but
her need drove her on.  In the mirror Ranma noted that her hips had started
to move, seemingly of their accord.  She lowered one of her hands to her
thigh and began to stroke her inner legs, strokes that started just above
the knee and worked their way closer and closer to her wet and hungry pussy.
Her other hand worked hard on her breasts, tickling, squeezing and exciting her
in ways that threatened to overwhelm her with pleasure.

Ranma watched herself in the mirrors, almost mesmerised by the lewd and
wanton display she was putting on.  Her body was moving to a rhythm of
arousal beyond conscious control, her breath came in short gasps or low,
hungry, moans.  Her hands wandered over her body following the paths of
pleasure that her nerves traced out and she could feel, and see, the
glistening wetness that marked her pussy and mound.  She moved her hand to
her burning pussy and, as she watched in the mirror, sent a finger probing
inside herself.  She cried out...

Ranma:          Yesss! SO GOOD!  SO Gooooddd..!

She moved her finger around a little, then began to pump it in and out.  In
the mirrors she watched her hand and hips move in time, to the rhythm of the
waves of ecstasy that washed through her.  Almost absently she noted that
her hand at her breasts was acting as a counter point to the fire in her
loins, trying to stimulate her when her pussy was at it's lowest ebb.  She
moaned some more and slowly turned her eyes away from the mirrors, with
their enticing and arousing displays, to the Book she had placed so
carefully within the magic circle.

Ranma licked her lips and focussed her remaining self-control.  She began to
chant the spell, making her gasps and moans of pleasure as much as part of
the spell as she could.  She speeded up the pumping action of her hand at
her pussy and managed to slip a second finger inside her, the resultant
wave of pleasure almost undid her, but she managed, somehow, to keep her
cries within the bounds of the spell.  She exerted herself, and changed the
rhythm of her thrusts into herself to match the cadence of the spell.  Her
eyes drifted back to the mirrors as she did this, the spell was safely
memorised - Ranma had no doubts now that she would say it correctly, she
just wasn't certain that she would have the timing spot on.

The chant of the spell merged with the rhythm of Ranma's pleasure, and Ranma
felt the first stirrings of the ultimate pleasure within her.  She pumped
her hand furiously in an effort to quench the fire in her pussy while the
tingling pleasure in her breasts danced on the edge of pain as a hand that
could crush rock sought to excite her swollen and hardened nipples further.
As she began the final verse of the spell she felt a strange current wash
through and over her, adding to the fire that raged within her.  She watched
herself writhing in the mirrors and felt mildly proud of her ability to
still speak the words of the spell so that they were recognisable.

Ranma felt the explosion building within her, along with an almost electric
current she had never felt before and forced herself to hold off
on the final thrusts into her pussy as she gasped out the last few words of
the spell.  As the final word came to her lips Ranma jammed one hand hard
into her pussy, finally letting her palm brush her swollen clit and with the
other hand twisted an aching nipple as hard as she dared.  Ranma screamed
out the final word as her body writhed in ecstasy, then she gladly let
herself go and mindlessly pursued the pleasure that wracked her body, revelling in
the wave after wave of orgasmic release that tore through her, her cries
becoming wordless indicators of ecstasy, her pleasure fuelled by the unknown
current that she had called into herself.

As the overwhelming need for pleasure faded and the ecstasy slowly became a
sensual lassitude, Ranma opened her eyes.  She was lying on her back,
looking up into the mirror she had had such difficulty attaching to the roof.  The
image in the mirror stared back and Ranma smiled at the wanton picture she
made at the moment, her hand between her spread legs, her glistening juices
plainly visible.  As Ranma stared at the picture she made in the mirror, she
noticed her eyes.  Her blue eyes.  Her glowing blue eyes.

Ranma:          <My eyes are glowing?  The magic... it must have...>

Ranma sat up and turned to the Book.  She carefully flipped the pages until
she reached the simplest spell she had found, the spell of light.  Ranma
stared at the page for a second and then began to speak the words as her
hand moved in the prescribed gesture.  She felt the current she had noticed
during her 'session' move within her, could feel it shaping itself to the
pattern her words were setting, then she was staring at a small ball of
bluish light that floated over the palm of her hand.

Ranma:          It worked...  I've done it...  I...

Ranma climbed to her feet, still staring at the ball of light in her hand,
a memory of one thing the old man in shop had said coming to her:

Old Man:        A word of warning. This is a book of MAGIC, once you start
        studying, you won't be able to stop, you won't be able to unlearn
        what you know.  If you aren't good enough to complete the 13
        lessons, or are too weak to reach the final lesson, you'll be studying
        forever.

Ranma clenched her fist and shut off the ball of light and then stared into
one of the mirrors.

Ranma:          <I'll find another magic.  I'll finish the lessons, just not
        in this type of magic.  I have to.  I can't... I won't... drag...
        Ak... anyone else... into my mistake...>

============================================================================
                E N D - O F - L E S S O N - O N E
============================================================================