In the cool breeze of a slow summer’s day, Cologne looked outside for potential customers, though few were forthcoming.  As she made to return within, a sudden stroke of lightning flashed in the clear sky, striking among the trees in the hills, followed by distant thunder.<br/><br/>“Aiyaah!” called Shampoo from within as she brushed the curtains aside to peer.  “What this?  Lightning in middle of day without cloud?”<br/><br/>“An omen,” Cologne answered sombrely with creased brows and ominous portent, “something new comes to our neighbourhood...”<br/><br/>**************************************<br/><br/>It was several days later when the eldest daughter of the Tendo household was walking back from having made the weekly shopping for the house.  It was early enough that the midday sun had not yet reached its peak, but late enough that Akane, Nabiki, and Ranma had already left for school.  She blinked in amazement at the sooty figure that lay face-down not some yards from the very front door of her house, though there was no evidence to show what had struck him down.  Dark and wild of hair, he wore robes of white and sandals, like that of a travelling monk.<br/><br/>“Are you alright?” she asked in her sweet voice as she approached tentatively, but the figure did not respond.  In his outstretched hand, a partially charred piece of paper was still clenched in his fist with only two legible words to be seen on it: TENDO DOJO.  Raising a slender hand to her mouth in mild shock, she pondered briefly on what to do.<br/><br/>“Otou-san.  Saotome-san.  We have a guest!” she called out cheerily with a smile.