Servant, Savior, or…?

Hey every one. I got this idea for a story and decided to see where it went. Most of the charters are kinda' sorta' basically the same but the scenario is entirely different. And some of the charters are quite OOC, anyway enjoy. P.S. I am still working on "A Second Chance." It is just taking some time.

Ranma would stare at the stars every night. Even when it was winter and so cold he would end up trying to open doors with numb hands. He didn't know the names of the stars, or even the constellations, but the countless tiny lights shining far above his head always calmed him. It was almost as though they would take the pain form his problems upon themselves, and leave him feeling refreshed. So he would spend his spare time watching the night sky, staring up and dreaming.

He dreamt of her, as always. She would walk by in her summer Kimono, and glance over and notice him standing there. She would wave and smile, and maybe even come over to talk to him. They would chat and laugh and everything would be perfect. And for once no one would interfere; it would be the perfect moment. And then…

"Ranma!"

Ranma sighed, couldn't they at least let him dream in peace. Again a voice called out to him, it was in the kitchen, probable Kasumi. Oh well it could be worse. Ranma moved swiftly and arrived just before she called him a third time.

"Oh there you are."

"Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, the garbage is getting full, would you take it out."

Ranma heaved an internal sigh of relief; yes it could be much worse.

"Of course, Kasumi-dono." He said with a slight bow.

"And as long as you are going, could you empty the rest of the trashcans in the house?"

Ranma silently cursed his luck. Still, it was hardly as bad as it could be.

"Ranma."

Now it was.

"Ranma, clean the rest of the house after that, after all we have an important visitor coming soon."

Ranma's fist clenched involuntarily. "Of course, Soun-dono."

He turned towards the closet that held the cleaning supplies and his body froze, and in an instant all his anger was gone. Coming down the stairs with her grin of success was the one Ranma spent much of his free time dreaming about. Akane turned toward Ranma and smiled, she and Kasumi were the only ones who would smile at him, and Kasumi's were more out of pity than happiness.

"Hello Ranma."

"Hello Akane, you seem to be in a good mood."

"Yep, I finally finished my homework, and it isn't even that late. Hey, do you think we could spar for a bit? I want to try that aerial kick we were working on yesterday, I think I got it down."

"I would love to, but I'm pretty busy now, how about tomorrow?"

"Ok, see you later then."

Ranma couldn't help but stare as she left, and then turned and opened the closet of supplies. He found himself grinning and hoping tomorrow would arrive quickly.

Ranma wiped beads of sweat off his forehead and took a deep breath. He glanced at the clock and smiled, the house had been cleaned and it wasn't even that late, or that early, depending on how you looked at it. He walked towards the stairs, went down and left the house. Ranma couldn't help but look up as he walked to the dojo and then around the back of it. He opened the door to a small room hastily built onto the rear wall and stepped inside. After rolling out a worn futon and blanket he lay down and stared at the stars through the only small window on the room. And this time no one interrupted his dreams until he fell asleep.

Bright rays of sun warmed him as Ranma headed home from the market. He was almost temped to stop and enjoy the sunshine, but he knew it wouldn't be worth the lecture, or worse, once he got back. He sighed once again and this time he cursed not only his luck, but his lineage as well. Why did he have to be born to such a stupid father? He started grinding his teeth, 'What kind of an idiot would…' He cut himself off. He had promised that he wouldn't think about that man any more. Ranma sped up slightly, shifting the bags in his hands to get a firmer grip.

He was used to doing the shopping for the Tendo family, and almost enjoyed it. It was, after all, one of the less tedious tasks he was assigned to. And carrying the purchase back gave him ample opportunity to train. He would put everything in one hand and run as fast as he could along the fence to improve his balance, or would see if he could complete combinations of kicks without upsetting the contents of the bags. His father had trained his balance by making him jump with full buckets of water and land on thin bars. It was one of his more effective and less insane training routines. Too bad the old man had left before he had completed his training. And that 'training' scroll he had left with his mother was hard to understand, and harder to read. It was apparent the old master had taught him to write.

His train of thought was interrupted as he passed the front gates of the high school. This did cause him to stop. Ranma glanced at the buildings in front of him longingly. It wasn't that he wanted to enroll because he thought he would enjoy school, learning anything that wasn't related to Martial arts, or her, was boring and more or less useless, in his opinion. After all a Martial Artist should be able to support himself on his ability alone, like any other artist. No, the reason he wanted to attend was that it would give him an opportunity to be close to her, to Akane. And he would do anything to spend more time near her.

Ranma looked at the giant clock on the school, he still had about twenty minutes to get back, and after all one of his duties was to protect Akane and the other girls, so checking to see if she was safe certainly seemed justified. Right, he would just go peek in her room, only to see if she was still there and in one piece. After all who knew what Kuno or any of those other kids might be up to. Of course after the 'discussions' Ranma had with them after he had heard that they attacked Akane it wasn't really likely that they would try anything. Ever. But that was a fact Ranma chose to ignore at the moment.

Ranma hopped off the fence and onto school grounds and, after looking around for any students or teachers he stashed the bags of food and other miscellaneous products he had bought and ran towards the main building. It was only ten, so she would be in her gym class. Ranma slipped around the side of the building, and swiftly made his way across the track field that separated the main school and the gym and locker rooms. He hopped off the rough concrete wall of the gym, rebounded of a tall pine tree growing a few feet from the wall and clung to the thin edge on the outside of the of the window hanging about ten feet off the ground. He grinned proudly at how little sound the maneuver had made. He pulled himself up until his eyes just barley peeked over the edge and into the large room. There were groups of teens doing stretches and in one corner the kendo club was practicing, various groups were talking and playing games all over, making the room fairly crowded. But Ranma's attention was immediately drawn to a group around the balance beam. A girl with short black hair was flipping and twisting and once she made it to the end she pushed off with here hands and landed on her feet about a yard away on the thick padding laid out on the floor.

Ranma smiled to himself. Just a few months ago Akane wasn't able to go faster that a slow run on the wall of the dojo, and she had no ability to land after anything more than a modest jump-kick. It looked like his lessons were working after all, her balance was improving. He almost couldn't believe his great fortune when her father had given him permission to train her. Of course there weren't many other options for her teachers. Soun himself had long since been out of practice, and there was no way he would allow some outsider to train Akane. After all she was the heir to the Anything Goes School of martial arts; that was the style she had to learn. It was out of the question that Happosi would be allowed to train her, he wasn't even allowed to see her. The only other practitioner of anything goes was Ranma's father and he was long gone. Ranma himself wasn't exactly a master, he had been forced to stop his training When Genma ran off, but he was well along and it would be quite a while before Akane was at his level. He was confident he could figure out what little he hadn't been taught long before she would be in a position to learn it. So that never really worried him.

Of course, he might never get the chance to teach her the last secrets of the school. Especially not if her father went through with this engagement. Again Ranma's fist clenched. How could he marry Akane off? Especially to a person with a reputation as bad as that worthless jerk's.

Ranma noticed he was very nearly snarling. He took a few deep breaths before dropping to the ground. He checked his watch again a groaned. If he wanted to make it back in time he would have to sprint.And there was no way he would be late and get one of Soun's lectures about responsibility.

"Hey, you! Stop!"

Ranma turned his head to the side and saw one of the new 'school security officers' running towards him. They had apparently been hired to prevent delinquents from coming and going as they pleased. Apparently the school was having a problem with one person in particular. A boy who would show up and stare in the windows of class rooms, sometimes for hours. Ranma had barley been able to keep a straight face when Akane had gotten home form school and told him that. Soun didn't know about his checking up on Akane, and that was the way he wanted it to stay.

He was sorely tempted to stay and relive some stress on the rent-a-cop, but he was already cutting it close time wise, and after all these new guards weren't all that good, it wouldn't be very honorable to beat up someone weaker that him. He was already over the wall and gone by the time the guard was halfway across the campus.

He was almost halfway home when he realized honor was one of the justifications for not fighting the guard. His mouth formed a snarl once more. What good was honor? It was what made him little more than a servant to the Tendo family, and what it was the excuse his father had used to escape the life Ranma now dealt with. It had never done him any good. And yet for some reason it just wouldn't leave his mind. Ranma once again made himself relax as he came up to the Tendo dojo, and he was wearing an expression of calm as he opened the door.

"Good, you're finally back," Soun said as he stepped out of the living room. Ranma nodded as he placed the bags on the kitchen counter. "After you're done putting the groceries away I need you to make the guest room presentable. Our guest will be arriving a bit earlier than planned and I need to make this house the best it can be for him. Those in his class won't put up with the level of tidiness I have to bear." Soun was turning to leave when Ranma started to speak.

"Soun-dono, may I say something?"

The older man stopped, but didn't bother to turn around.

"I, well… I don't think it is a good idea to go through with this marriage."

That caused Soun to turn around. His voice, which was normally monotone or one of a superior when talking to Ranma, was now cold, and more than a bit irritated. "What was that?"

"Akane is still only in high school, that's far too young, and besides, everyone says this Ryoga Hibiki is no good. He is violent and short tempered, and he is said to be a fool."

"What?"

"Why else would he get lost so easily? People say it is a curse on his family, but it seems far more likely that he is just feeble minded. And even if it is, would you want your daughter marrying into a cursed family?"

"You know, it's funny you should mention curses." This time both Ranma's hands formed fists. "After all you know, first hand, quite a bit abut curses, don't you? And that was the reason your father was too ashamed to be near you and left." Ranma could feel his fingernails cutting into his palms. "But lucky for you, I was able to remove that curse, and I was even generous enough to give you a place to live while you pay off that cure." It wasn't just his hands anymore, now Ranma's arms were tightening, so much so that they were starting to shake. "And even after all that I did for you, you would be so ungrateful as to question me and to doubt that I have the best interests of my daughter in mind? Is that what you are saying? Well if you dislike my house hold so much I'm sure your mother would be willing to complete your service in your place. Is that what you want?"

Ranma was angry. The kind of anger that boils the blood. So angry that it was all he could do to keep from attacking the man in front of him.

"Well?

"Of course not, Soun-dono." He said in a tight voice.

"That's what I thought."

As Soun walked away Ranma moved quickly up the stairs and into the guest room. Almost before the door shut behind him Ranma's body started shaking, the look on his face would have had the most hardened of warriors considering a career change. He walked into the center of the room and took a few deep breaths. But it didn't seem to be working. He was getting madder and madder, and was at the point where it was almost beyond his control. Ranmas mind shifted from what Soun had said about him and his family to what his decision was on Akane's fiancée. As soon as he did he felt something inside him snap, and all the anger washed away in an instant. Then he slumped down to his knees and let his chin come to rest on his chest, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

After a few moments he muttered, "Isn't there any chance for me to…?" his voice faded out.

Soon he was on his feet and cleaning the room at a furious pace. A look of grim determination on his face. He would do what he had to save Akane from this Ryoga person. No matter what it took. That bastard wasn't even worthy to say the name Akane and there was no way Ranma Saotome was going to lose to him.

Ranma smiled as a foot struck the air where his head had been less than half a second before. "You're defiantly getting closer; I actually had to try that time."

The two teenagers had been training for almost an hour now. After a few stretches and kata Akane had started practicing her kicks. Her first few efforts would have put her out of commission for the day if she wasn't so tough. That was one thing Ranma had to admit that she had over him, she could take a beating like it was nothing, not even stopping her attacks. Of course Ranma had been toning down his blows against her quite a bit, but still, it was impressive.

Akane landed behind him and turned to show him, to his surprise, not the cocky grin which Ranma had become accustom to when he paid her a compliment during their sparing sessions. Instead her mouth was tipped slightly down at either end. Before Ranma could comment on this Akane started advancing again.

"But next time focus more on speed than force, even the strongest"

"'Even the strongest blows don't matter if they are avoided,' I know. I know all your little sayings." She sounded a bit annoyed. She leapt at him again. This time she pushed more back with her feet, gaining more forward momentum and striking faster, but well below the target. Ranma caught her foot and pushed back. He was always amazed by the amount of force Akane put into her blows, but today she was striking even harder than normal. She flipped in midair and landed well out of striking range. Ranma held up his hand as she started to advance.

"Hold on."

Akane stopped short. "What is it?" Her voice was calmer than it had been, but it still didn't have the tone it usually carried when they practiced. Normally she was cheerful to be learning more in the art and it carried over into her voice. Ranma figured eventually he would have to tell her not to let her emotions show during a fight, but he had decided that could wait, for a long time.

"What's bugging you Akane?" He cut her off before she could answer, "and don't say 'it's nothing' because it isn't."

She paused for a moment and her face turned down and to the side. "Is it that obvious?" Ranma raised his eyebrow.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" Akane shrugged for a moment. She started to say something, stopped, started again, and stopped again. After a few more false starts she started.

"Can I tell you a secret, Ranma?"

Ranma blinked for a moment before he started over to Akane, who was still staring at the polished floor of the dojo. "Akane I've told you before, There isn't anything you can't tell me." Despite the reassuring words and smile Akane was hesitant to say anything. After a few moments she started to speak.

"You know I have been engaged to a man named Ryoga Hibiki." Ranma tensed, but this time it wasn't from anger. He finally had his chance. "Well, that is, from what I've heard he isn't a good person. I know that it is important to my family to have a connection to the Hibiki line, and I have been told for years that I was going to marry a martial artist my father decided on, but I really don't want to marry someone I don't even know. I, I don't know what to do."

"I'm surprised. This isn't like you at all Akane." Ranma paused to see the slightly surprised look on Akanes face. "In all the time I've been here you've never acted like this. The Akane I know is strong, and stands up for herself, not some indecisive child who goes along with what others want just because they say to."

Akanes surprise quickly wore off. "I know that, but this is different! If I don't marry Ryoga we won't have enough money to keep the dojo running. The anything goes style will disappear."

"I'm pretty sure that would happen anyway if you ended up married to him."

"What? But his family already agreed to support the dojo once we are married."

"Sure," Ranma said with a nonchalant look on his face, "I'm sure the Hibiki Dojo will be a big hit. After all the dojo will end up being part of your dowry, why wouldn't they support their school?"

"What do you mean? Why would father give them the dojo?"

"Well, no offence, but there isn't a lot of money in this family anymore, not since your dad quit teaching. And since the Hibiki family is rich they are sure to demand a good sized dowry. The only two things Soun could offer are the house or the dojo, and they need the house to live in."

"But he said that if I married Ryoga the Tendo school would be saved. If not then why would he arrange the marriage at all?"

"Like I said the Hibiki's are wealthy. If Soun could get one of his daughters married in to them I'm sure he could get some profit off the deal."

Ranma was looking at the house so he never saw the hand flying toward his face. "How could you say that? He is my father! He isn't selling me off for a profit! If he needed money he could just take up teaching again!"

Ranma looked over at Akane. The tears on her face hurt far more than the half hearted slap and were nearly enough to stop him, but he reminded himself this was his only chance. "Your father gave up martial arts a long time ago, few people would be jumping out of the woodworks to have him as a sensei, and besides he hasn't even practiced in years, at least since I got here. He isn't in any shape to teach again." Ranma paused, "Listen Akane, I know this is hard to hear, but you needed to hear it." The look on her face hurt him more than any blow he had ever taken, but he plowed on. "But there is still a way out." Akane just stared at him, but the question was clear in her eyes.

"Akane, I've been working for Soun for nearly three years. There is no way the cure he gave me is worth that much. And every time I ask when it will be paid off he just says he'll tell me when it is and gives me more work. I'm not stupid enough for him to fool me, and I won't be a slave for the rest of my life." Ranma paused; he seemed to be preparing for something. "I'm going to leave."

Akane's head snapped upward and focused once more on Ranma. "What? But Ranma, you,"

Ranma cut her off by waving his hand, "I'm sorry Akane, but I have to get out of this house. I can't stand the way your father looks down on me, or the way Kasumi pities me or Nabiki, well, at all. You were the one person I this entire town who made it livable for me, and now that you're going to get married… well I, I don't think I could take that."

"Ranma, I, I mean I'll still be able to train with you, and I can visit you here, and I'll even make sure that my dad is nicer to you, just please don't go."

Ranma lowered his head, "I'm sorry Akane, I'm leaving tonight, as soon as Soun is asleep. Take care of your self." And with that he lest the dojo and headed to his room.

Akane stared after him for a long time before going to her own room and laying down, though she doubted she would be getting much sleep tonight.