Okay, here's my prolude. By now, Zack had gotten a good enough grasp of the language to finally speak to people. You would to after a while if no one spoke english. So assume that all quotes are in Japanese this chapter.

As for the disclaimer...please don't sue me for my use of copyrighted characters! It not for profit and I don't have the imagination to come up with my own. All of the guys are trademarks of their respected owners and so on. Please, don't make me grovel. Oookay...it's time to start the show!

The night slowly crept away as the sun decided to show it's bright, shiny face. Zack had slept in Ranma's room. It was crowded between the two of them and the panda. Genma had splashed himself the night earlier saying something about fur keeping him warm before hand. Zack then groaned at the sound of footsteps, just loud enough to disturb his slumber. His head then turned after hearing a light closing of the door. Awake now, he opened his eyes, sat up, and looked around. He noticed that Ranma was gone, but curiosity didn't strike until Zack saw that Genma wasn't there either.

"Where is everyone?"

Zack scratched and stood up. There were loud noises coming from outside Ranma's door now. He trudged over to his stuff, the wooden floor was cold with the morning air. Out he pulled some extra clothes to change into after taking his morning shower. The door then suddenly slid open, revealing Ranma behind it. His look of excitement paralyzed Zack who was use to his motionless mornings.

"Great! You're up! Zack, we're short a player today for out baseball tournament."

"Baseball Tournament?"

"Ya, It's a thing my friend Ukyo sets up every month."

"I don't know..."

"C'mon! We need ya!"

"All Right," Zack sighed, "I'll do it. I'm good at giving into pier pressure."

"OK, just put on this baseball uniform and be ready in a quarter of an hour."

"Uniform? What is this? Professional Baseball?"

"Ukyo for some reason had bought all of the uniforms. She said, 'It makes us work better as a team.' She plans out the game every year, too."

It was still early morning. Ranma had left to finish getting ready. Ranma's red Baseball uniform stuck in his head. The annoying chirping of birds hung everywhere outside. Zack's shower was hurried, with little thought of how he looked as he jumped into and out of the tub. By the time he made it to meet up with Ranma his hair was still wet and he was still munching on breakfast that he had grabbed at the table...leftover okonomiyaki, yummy.

"Follow me, Zack. I'll show ya the way to the field we're playin' in." Ranma motioned Zack. Ranma now carried a baseball glove. He long brimmed had shielded his eyes from the now harshe sun that previously seem to be an innocent speck in the sky. Now it was like fire on a frying pan, causing the pavement below their feel to heat up.

As he baked, Zack's attention was drawn to footsteps behind himself, as if he was being followed. He looked to Ranma, who payed to heed to it. Finally, Zack whipped around to see who it was before it was to late. To his astonishment he saw the Tendo girls, Soun, Genma and Happosai close behind. All wore baseball type uniforms, even Kasumi. It looked like a huge gang.

'Why am I doing this?' Zack thought, turning back forward. His fear that was, was not nonexistant. His face lowered to that his eyes were stuck looking at the sidewalk. "I don't even like Baseball."

"We're here!" Ranma shouted, interupting Zach's thoughts.

Zach's eyes zipped up from the ground, that was now soft grass and dirt. A group of people wandered the messy looking baseball field. The grass was torn up in all sorts of places and the bases were scattered into many pieces. Talk about playing hard ball. A few of the people on the field really perked up when they saw Ranma, others furied back at him. Soon everyone was rallied together, though, to start either way.

"Same teams as last year?" Ranma asked.

"Yup. I see you have an extra person." commented Ryoga.

"I got him replacin' Tsubasa on your team after he was beat up by Akane last weekend."

"He doesn't look like he could swing a bat!"

"Nor did Tsubasa, it's perfect!"

Ryoga growled, turning away. He give a few seconds to cool down his temper. He thought, "This is not the time to fight! I'll get him on the field this time." He then turned back, hurling as Ranma the words, "We're going to beat you bad this time!"

"Just try it!"

Ryoga grabbed Zack by the arm with a firm hard grip. He turned him around to meet the rest of the team in the similar yellow uniforms. It was obvious these banana colored people were suppose to represent a team and diverse were the fruit.

"Okay, this is our team, Zack." Ryoga starts naming people off as he went across the line, one by one. "Here's Akane, which I'm sure you know. There's Shampoo, Genma, Kasumi, Kuno, Lin Lin, and Cologne."

"I believe the only people I haven't met already yet are Shampoo, Lin Lin and Cologne."

"Now that we're all aquanted let's get this game started!"

Ranma called from on deck, "We're up to bat first!"

"Zack, you're the catcher," Ryoga instructed, "Get on you're stuff."

Zack jogged over to home plate where all the gear was all sitting in a pile. Tsubasa's catching gear didn't fit that badly, just a bit snug. It was colored red, ironically. Sanding up, he positioned himself for the first few warm up pitches, feeling like a strawberry banana drink. Ryoga was the pitcher as he could see from his position through the mask. Shampoo was on third, Akane was on first, and Genma was on second in panda form...still. His uniform seemed to be ripping at the seams.

Ryoga's first pitch came in. It was easy enough to catch. The throw made it back, too, after bouncing on the ground a few times.

'Saotome,' Ryoga growled, 'you gave me someone who can't even throw!'

Luckily, after a few more the kinks were worked out of his arm. If it hadn't, Zack probably would have had to face Ryoga's wrath. Anyway, Ii had been a while since he had played the all-american sport.

A loud, "Play ball!" was then shouted from Dr. Tofu, who was right behind Zack. Everyone's attention then focused to the game.

Ranma strolled up to home plate. He swung his bat in an arrogant way, like he was the best baseball player in the world. He even wore his helmet backwards until he was ready to hit. Pointing his bat to left field, Ranma made a prediction just like how Babe Ruth would.

Ryoga clenched the ball hard, it was obvious by his facial expression as well as his shaking that he was nervous. He paused for a moment, making up his mind on the pitch.

The pitch came in, with Ryoga pronouncing the words, "Shishi houkouden!" The ball went so fast that it appeared to glow with fire. In fact, when it hit Zack's glove it did catched on fire, soon spreading to his mitt! He threw off his baseball glove immediately, then stomping on it. Carcinogen covered, it smelled like burnt leather, which it was.

"Strike!" called Tofu.

"That wasn't right! We agreed energy balls ain't fair! Ryoga gave me hell last time I did that!" Ranma displayed his severed bat in the air for everyone to see. Half of it was gone.

Zack mumbled, "I'm lucky enough to have my hand still!"

"I can let it slide this time, but I don't want anymore of it!" Tofu commanded.

Ranma grinned, grabbing an aluminum bat this time which would hopefully hold up better than the wooden one. Ryoga pitched the ball, with not so much of a movement made by Ranma's bat from it's perched position. Ryoga continued to sweat, feeling the pressure mounting. All he could do was snarl at Ranma's demeaning gesture.

On the third pitch, a curve ball, Ranma took a small piece of it. The ball landed into right field. It wasn't a home run, but still a good hit.

Lin Lin ran for the ball, throwing it in her quick fashion. Ranma by that time had crossed first base and was going onto second. Realizing the obstacle ahead of himself he attempted to stop but it was too late. Ranma bumped into the giant panda, sticking into his body.

"Oyaji! Don't stand on base!"

Genma growled and moved to allow Ranma to be safe. He completed his purpose off base after catching the ball and passing it back to Ryoga. The hit was a double.

Next up came Happosai. The little guy wasn't even taller than his club. It seemed amazing that clothes were actually made in his size. He walked slowly up to the plate and took one great spit across. "Bring it on!"

Ryoga threw and the bat connected on the first try. It punched low through the air just past second base. Happosai ran with immense speed, leaping as he neared first. He landed directly onto Akane's chest.

"Why you pervert! You're supposed to go for the base, not me!"

Akane ripped him off. As the ball came flying to her from the panda, she delivered Happosai back to him with one of her drop kicks. He landed conveniently on the base, safe and sound and temporarily fazed. Akane held the ball in her hand, sighing at the bad move.

Ranma shouted from third, "Thanks, Akane!"

Needless to say, she fummed, but held ground on her assigned position. Her clenched hand still shook at Ranma's comment. 'We'll beat you Ranma!' she thought with her held up aggression as she passed the ball back to Ryoga.

Ryoga then asked, "Who's up next?"

Up stepped Ukyo. She wielded a funny bat. It was somewhat flat, similar to her okonomiyaki spatulas. She held a look of determination and confidence. Her practice swings proved to be powerful, too.

Ranma cheered, "You can do it, Ucchan!"

The pitched came and Ukyo delivered, she walloped it over the head of the left fielder, Cologne. She was agile for her age, though, and got the ball back infield before Ukyo could get to second. Happosai was busy glomping Shampoo. She fought him but still didn't wanted to play fairly in hopes of getting Ranma's attention at her effort. Ranma had made it home and was sitting on the benches, glaring around at the happenings. Everyone prepared for the next hitter, whomever that may be. The score; Ranma 1, Ryoga 0.

It was Soun! He stepped up with bubble gum in his mouth, looking serious. He swung his bat surly enough to look like he could hit. The ball came, and he hit...nothing. It was strike one. Down came the next, a fast ball. That time he hit and landed it onto shortstop where luckily no one was passing by. Ukyo ran to second and Soun was safe on first. Happosai, however never moved from third. He was still glomping Shampoo so the bases were loaded.

Next up to the plate was Mousse. Ryoga grinned, thinking this would be an easy out. His fangs showed his relative joyfulness compared to the dreary beginning this game had had. Mousses spectacles were not with him, so he was fumbling around. Zack grabbed him, aligning him with the batter at the plate. Mousse then finally reoriented himself and pushed his help away. Ryoga threw a fast ball, crossing Mousse without him even noticing and bat down. This time he focused his ears to the sound. His hearing was incredibly good, enhanced by his lack of vision. The second ball came, being a slow ball. Mousse swung and connected.

It bounced along the first base foul line. Akane slid over, catching the grounder. She then turned to see that Happosai still hadn't moved. In a dead run, she covered first base, tagged Soun, and then throwing the ball to Genma at second. That got Ukyo out who was stuck between third and second. In that simple chain of events three outs were made. Sounds complicated, doesn't it.

Ranma complained, "Who came up with our batting arrangement!?"

As Akane passed by she mentioned, "Don't you remember? We agreed to have someone outside the teams decide it at random and we chose that Lizette girl. You know, the one that doesn't know anything about baseball?"

"Oh ya..." Ranma answered, regretting his earlier decition.

By a few minutes everyone was in position. The red team was now out and about. Ryoga then stepped up to the plate then. He bat gleamed in his hands as he swung it around. "She had good luck in choosing the team's captains first."

Ranma took the pitching mound. He held the ball and glared at Ryoga as he tossed it in the air, catching it repeatedly. Through his head streamed thoughts of which kind of ball to throw. It finally came and Ranma winded up. Ryoga wasn't a fast hitter but he had a lot of power. He beat the ball with ease over the home run line when it came.

Next came the victory run...the long victory run. Ryoga often appeared in left field, the pitchers mound, and just about everywhere else but the bases he was suppose to land on. He did eventually pass them all, going from first to third to second to home. On home he made a small hop to illustrate his joy in showing up Ranma.

Zack asked, "What was that?"

Ukyo looked perplexed, "Can he go threw the bases in that order?"

Ran Ran then said, "Look up in rule book!"

Mousse walked over to Ran Ran on third base. He said in a comforting voice, "I'll look it up for you Shampoo."

"Stupid! Shampoo on other team!" Ran Ran worked with Amazon reaction time, punting him back into left field within seconds. She was about to look though her consealed book on how to play baseball what she was stopped.

"Just let him have it!" Ranma cried. "We should feel lucky that he made it around period. I don't want to wait days for this!"

"Okay," Dr. Tofu yelled, "It was legal. Next batter!"

Kasumi came up to bat. She didn't seem the most ample in instinct with the tool, but she still held it with determination. As you can imagine, Kasumi looked out of place. About that time, Dr Tofu went to one of his spazzes.

"Kasumi-chan! Let me clean the base off for you!"

Tofu, toppled over with Betty-chan in hand.

"Why, thank you, Sensei." Kasumi readied to hit the ball. She took her stance and looked forward for the pitch.

Ranma threw lightly this time, illistrating that he didn't want to hurt Kasumi. This was stupid, though, because she got a good hold of the ball, sending between first and second. She had more power than what appeared at first sight. With her graceful, girlish way Kasumi skipped to first base.

Next up, Akane. She harnessed the bat with her built up anger. She was ready to kill the ball. The ball came, she swung. It popped up way out of the foul line. It was luck that Mousse was too blind to notice it. Next, Ranma sent a slow ball, throwing Akane off guard. She missed it completely. By now Ranma had a huge grin with two strikes under his belt. Akane's rage grew and as it grew more and more, she became better focused upon the ball. This time Ranma's fast ball was caught by her bat and flew into his face. He was temporarily stunned but recovered quickly. Akane dashed madly to first with the ball on her tail. She barely arrived there the same time as it had.

"I got her!" Ranma said.

Ryoga dissented. "No, she's safe!"

"No way, I was on first base and saw everything," Ukyo added, "She's out!"

Everyone looked to Dr. Tofu. The one person who could make sense out of all of this was this calm man. He seemed to be about ready to answer when he paused.

"Tofu-sensai, is Akane safe?"

"Yes! Of coarse Kasumi!" Dr. Tofu started jumping up and down. "Akane's safe!"

"That's not fair!" Ranma complained.

"Yeah," Ukyo agreed, "Kasumi's using Dr. Tofu! His Judgment can't be trusted!"

"Doctor Tofu's right! I am safe!" Akane then started to note how Dr. Tofu was dancing with Betty-chan now. She started feeling embarrased.

Ranma turned to Akane. "Baka! You should even be able to see you're out!"

His voice echoed in her ears. Akane broke out of her timidness, abruptly slapped him. The action caused a wide scale battle between Ranma's rivals to break out.

"Yeah!" Zack cried, "This is what baseball is all about!"

Shampoo took a moment before engaging in the chaos after Ranma to look at her rule book to make sure she was doing the right thing. She flipped to the last page reading, "At the call of 'fight!' a battle normally enrages between the two team over a call of the empire. At this point you either fight or RUN!" That was a simple decision for Shampoo who then instantly hopped on on the action.

After about a half an hour, a huge energy blast that looked like a bomb going off covered the whole area. After the light disapeared, the whole dust cloud that had came with the fighting dissipated. Bodies were laying all over the ground, tired and hurt with battle. The Baseball field somehow looked worse than it did before which didn't seem to be possible. Very little of the green grass that once had grown there still stood. Barren it seemed to gaze at the sight.

The only people who still stood where Soun, Genma, Nabiki, Kasumi, and Dr. Tofu. They all held their heads low.

"It's a shame that the baseball field had to be destroyed." quoted Soun.

"Yes," Genma seemed to agree, "my training for Ranma hasn't been hard enough! He should have won!"

Nabiki walked up, all upset. "How am I suppose to make money off of these fights if no one wins?"

Tofu stood where he was, concentrating on some great task. His mind within deep thought. It was clear probably because he couldn't see Kasumi within his view. "How am I going to treat so many patients?"

It was hours later until all of the fight victims were finally transported to Dr. Tofu's place for examination. It was even longer until they all got the medical treatment they needed. It was nearly night, Ranma, Akane and Zack were all stuck in the same room, home now and in the living room.

Ranma adorned a body cast. His arms and legs were completely unmovable because they were suspened up in the air. Numerous bumps covered his head too, as if many blows had been taken by it. Overall, he seemed to be the most uncomfortable out of the three.

Akane had the lightest injuries. Her ankle was sprained and she had broken an arm. She could actually still walk around, though. She sat in a chair, meditating. She tried anything to focus her attention to anything but her pain.

Zack...Oh, Zack. He broke a few bones in his left arm and leg. He didn't seem that unhappy, being on high doses of medication. Actually, He seemed slightly out of it. A smile smile could be seen drawn acros his face.

"Baka!" Ranma murmured, "This is all your fault for starting that brawl!"

"My fault!" Akane then hobbled over to Ranma, breaking her meditation. She grabbed Ranma's broken arm and jerked it just enough to cause extreme pain. She then returned to her seat, disgusted.

After recovering from the pain, Ranma then said, "At least we made it through half a innin' this time. Just enough to get our score passed yours."

"Oh, shut up, Ranma."

Out of the blue, Zack said, "Hopefully we'll be better by next week so we can finish the game."

Ranma would have face faulted if he could've. He just said, "I think the meds are getting to him. We don't have that much time between episodes."