Our minds are not the only part of our body to hold memories dearest to us. Though are minds may forget at times, our hearts hold on to those memories like a scared child will cling to his mother. The child will kick and scream and still cling if he's being ripped away from her. So to will our hearts if someone tries to take our most precious of memories, good or bad, away from us. Whatever happens to our minds is inconsequential. However, the most traumatic episode in a persons life can have the reverse affect on a person's heart, closing it off so that no one may near it. Few events have ever had such an affect on a person's life; especially a martial artist. But for one who had been taken from a dying father, such an event had occurred.

A Lost Heart

Chapter 1

The Last Memory, Nerima

It was a rainy day in Nerima. The city was renown for it's strange occurrences and the citizens had learned to just ignore most of what was going on. A young woman walking by herself was easily ignored, unless you were the one being stopped by her sad green eyes and being begged for you to tell her where the Tendo Dojo was. Yes, it was very hard to ignore those eyes, since even in the rain you could see she was crying.

A few pedestrians later and not only did she have directions to the dojo but also a cup of ramen, an okonomiyaki, sushi, and some pork dumplings. She ignored the rampant angry grumbling of her stomach. She approached the dojo and whipped her red pigtail behind her back before knocking. She knew that she didn't look in the best of shape but what harm could straightening your hair do, couldn't make you look any worse.

A young woman with long brown hair and a wispy smile opened the door and the words, "It's been eight years since both Genma and Ranma died and I still feel so lost" could be heard coming from an older woman. The brown haired woman who'd opened the door let out a loud, "Oh my." Footsteps could be heard coming down the hall with a yell of, "Kasumi is something wrong?" The disheveled pigtailed girl held up the bag of food, "Sorry about... intruding." She looked up with pleading eyes and as the woman named Kasumi took the bags the red head fainted.

The newcomer awoke and tried to get the sounds of maniacal laughter and screaming out of her head before getting her bearings. Had she made it? Or did she randomly go up to somebody's door and knock knowing that she wouldn't last much longer? She stood up on shaky leg's and made her way to the door. Upon opening it she heard several voices.

"Who is she?"

"I don't know, but how did she know about my Dojo?"

"Father, should we take her to the station after she's recovered and find out if she has any family?"

"Sister dear, I can do that myself you know that. With the way she looks I think we should make her as comfortable as possible first."

"Wow Nabiki. I think that's the most concern you've shown for anyone." Then there was laughter.

Everyone looked up as the visitor walked down the stairs, everyone could see she'd been through hell. Holes dotted her red silk Chinese shirt and a pants leg was ripped off, a hole was in the knee of the other. She looks like she hasn't shaved for a month. Hair had come out of her pigtail and there were several cuts and bruises on her face and arm. To say she had it rough was an understatement.

She bowed low while saying, "Thank you everyone for the hospitality." As she stood back up she asked in a concerned tone, "Is this the Tendo Dojo?" The reply was several heads nodding. Tears started forming in her eyes she slumped down saying, "Thank god." It was several moments before she looked up from the floor, "Please, do you know who I am?" This shocked everyone, their shock broke as she started to sob but no one moved save for Nabiki who got up and walked over to her and kneeled. She was rather startled as the young woman grabbed onto her shirt and broke out into a full out balling fest.

Nabiki looked at everyone, cluelessness smeared her face as Kasumi smiled, "There's no need to cry. You're holding onto the best investigator, I'm sure Nabiki can find out who you are. Won't you join us for tea and dinner, I set aside what you brought over and can add it to what I've already cooked. We'll have a feast in honor of your arrival."

The red head couldn't seem to cry anymore as she listened to Kasumi's voice. "Th-thank you." She looked back at Nabiki, "I'm sorry for getting your shirt wet."

Nabiki just smirked, "It's no problem really, it's Akane's anyway."

"Hey!" This came from a cute midnight blue haired girl in a gi. It also caused the red head to jump and back herself into a corner cowering.

Nabiki swung her head towards Akane, "Nice going princess."

The elder woman stood up and slowly walked towards the frightened child, "Shhh, it's ok child. They don't yet have the wisdom to know what those tears really meant. I believe that those tears were a cry from your heart, a need for someone to hold you and for you to find some comfort from a friend." The girl looked up as the woman continued, "No one here will hurt you, my name is Nodoka Saotome," she then pointed around the room and to the kitchen naming off the rest of the member's, "That is Soun Tendo, owner of this house and dojo, that is Nabiki Tendo, Soun's middle daughter who you cried on, that is Akane Tendo, the youngest daughter who's shirt you cried on, and in the kitchen is Kasumi Tendo, the eldest daughter.

The red head repeated the names and once again looked downtrodden, "It's a pleasure. I'm sorry I don't have a name to give you."

Nabiki seemed to think for a moment, "How about until we find out who you really are we give you a name to go by, kinda like a pseudonym. What do you think Auntie Nodoka?"

Nodoka nodded, "Excellent idea. Do you know what you want to be called young one."

She thought for a second, "There was a monk who kept calling me Ranko, apparently it was his daughter's name and I reminded him of her."

Nabiki walked over and held out her hand, "Well Ranko, welcome to the Tendo Dojo. Now let's get you a nice hot bath and a change of clothes." Nabiki looked at Akane, "Don't worry, they'll be my clothes."

After Akane's "Hmph" and "Remind me to go through your closet later," Nabiki led Ranko to the bathroom, "I can't remember the last time I had a hot bath."

This came as little surprise to Nabiki, though she truly wondered what the girl had been through as she filled the furo with hot water. She came back to the changing room and pointed to the wastebin, "You can toss your clothes in there or we can burn them later, you're choice. Tomorrow I can stay home from school and take you clothes shopping." Always being one step ahead of everyone she put up her hand before Ranko could protest, "My treat. I've got a lot of allowance saved up so it's no trouble at all. I'll go get you some clothes and set them here." She patted the washer not sure if Ranko knew what it was. She wondered quietly to herself whe she was suddenly being so nice but pushed it away for a later time.

As Nabiki was leaving Ranko was climbing into the furo. No sooner did Nabiki close the door that she heard a scream. What she failed to notice was the voice was male. She flung open the door to a very naked and frightened male with stark blue eyes and jet black hair tied up in a pig tail. A quick glance around showed no other clothes and no sign of Ranko.

It sounded like a herd of elephants as the rest of the family came racing down the hallway.

Akane was the first to the door, and also being the first to jump to conclusions she started to yell, "PERV-" and was stopped by Nabiki's hand.

Everyone stared as Nabiki pointed at the waste basket which still held Ranko's clothes and then to the dirty laundry basket which was empty. Nabiki walked forward even with Soun protesting at how inappropriate it was to be in the same room as a naked man. "Ranko?"

Ranko only gave a nod before asking, "What's wrong with me?"

Nabiki shook her head, "Nothing is wrong with you, don't ever think that." At this point she was again wondering why she was being so nice but pushed the thought aside. "Daddy," she turned around and looked at Soun, "Do you remember those stories of Jusenkyo you used to tell us?" Soun nodded and Nabiki grabbed a bucket, filled it with cold water, and then dumped it onto Ranko immediately making him into a her again. "One mystery down, five to go." A very cold and very nude female Ranko stood before everyone, tears falling down her face. Nabiki turned on everyone, Nodoka already trying to usher everyone away but with the look Nabiki had no one needed ushering. She turned back to Ranko, "Do you remember what gender you were born as?"

Ranko thought for a second, "Female as far as I know. Does this make me a freak?"

Nabiki only smiled at her, "No Ranko. Just special. I'll go get your clothes." She started back toward her room thinking to herself, Did I just smile? Why am I finding it so hard to keep playing the 'Ice Queen' around her?

Everyone was talking in the dining area, Soun was explaining the curse as he'd learned through various scrolls and Nabiki listened from around the corner. "According to the scrolls I read, the curse is activated by cold water, hot water reverses it."

"Well either your scrolls are wrong or Ranko is wrong. Either way I think we keep that little secret to ourselves until she's more comfortable with us. Ranko thinks she was born a she, and right now she's also very scared that we won't accept her, she feels like a freak." Everyone nodded, "Good, remember, not a word that she might not be female. Oh and daddy, I'm taking the day off from school tomorrow to take Ranko shopping for some clothes. I guess I can pick up some clothes for myself while I'm out." Soun nodded and Nabiki went to her room.

She started rumaging through her personal clothes and decided on a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt, "I don't think any of my other clothes would fit her well." She slammed the clothes down on her bed out of frustration, "And why the hell am I being so nice to her. She's not family!" Nabiki resigned herself with a sigh, "To late anyway, I already said I would."

Nabiki made her way back down to the bathroom. She could feel shocked eyes following her and decided to ignore them.

Dinner time wasn't as much of a fiasco as everyone believed it was going to be. Ranko's stomach cried out much to her embarrassment but she showed great self control in eating slowly. Soon after dinner and during tea they discussed Ranko in as full detail as possible. Nabiki and Nodoka seemed to be the only two who caught on that Ranko was hiding something but didn't pry.

Next Kasumi helped Nabiki set up the futon in Nabiki's room, "Nabiki, do you think it wise? What with Ranko being able to turn into a guy and all."

Nabiki just smirked, "I don't think I have to worry to much sis. Ranko opened up to me, for some reason she trusts me. And if you hadn't noticed immediately all my barriers go down around her, I can't keep a straight face and I plan on finding out why. There's also something she's not telling us yet and it's probably so bad that there's no doubt in my mind that she'll more then likely have a nightmare or two during the night. And for some reason I have it in my head that I'll be the only one who can comfort her." At Kasumi's nod Nabiki embraced her sister, "But thanks for worrying about me sis." Nabiki's thoughts however were still troubled, Great, and now I'm giving out free hugs. I usually reserve those for birthday's or christmas.

Kasumi smiled brightly, those hugs were few and far between and she cherished every single one of them.

Ranko and Nabiki stayed up most of the night talking about the manga's Nabiki had and moved on into girly talk like what they enjoyed wearing (though this was a short topic on Ranko's part having only one set of clothes) to what kind of guys they liked (stopped short by Nabiki's part due to the uncomfortable look Ranko had). Even while they talked Nabiki's thoughts troubled her more and more, and it started to sound like a second voice had joined in as well urging her along, telling her everything was ok and to open up her heart to the person in front of her.

Nabiki didn't even realize she had fallen asleep until she awoke to a sobbing and twitching Ranko. As Nabiki moved next to Ranko her joints punished her for having fallen asleep against the wall. Nabiki held onto Ranko and pulled her closer as she laid down. The scared red head almost made Nabiki tear up as well as she once again clung onto Nabiki's shirt and let loose the flood gates onto it. What's going on? Nabiki's thoughts once again conflicting with each other. No, I'm just a shoulder for her, nothing more. I closed myself off to those feelings long ago. The last time I let myself feel anything I was betrayed and I won't let it happen again. Even as she told herself this, Nabiki ran her fingers through Ranko's soft red hair.

Whatever this girl went through, thought Nabiki, it couldn't have been good; and if I was any better at pointing out the obvious I should have people start smacking me. After a while, Ranko eased up and relaxed with Nabiki following her back to sleep.

Ranko woke up one more time, but this time it was because something shifted underneath her. Nabiki woke up too but faked still being asleep. She wondered if Ranko was comfortable being in a bed with another person so she didn't keep a tight hold on the slender female in case she wanted to move to the futon.

She noticed that Ranko had started whispering, "Nabiki, I don't know if you'll remember me saying this. Of course, I'll be a little embarrassed if you do," Nabiki inwardly smiled at that, "when I first saw you I knew immediately that I could trust you yet I have no idea why. You are the only person I feel comfortable with around here and it's odd that I should feel so close to someone I don't even know. Thank you Nabiki."

Nabiki smiled and still faking sleep, turned putting her other arm around her and pulled as if sleeping next to a stuffed animal, Just to comfort her, Nabiki thought to herself. The odd thing was she felt something touch her lips, and upon opening her eyes she realized that Ranko had tried to kiss her cheek. But when Nabiki turned that plan failed. They pulled away from each other and in the darkness it was remarkable to noticed that Ranko was glowing from her blush. Of course she could only imagine how she looked. Nabiki decided the best thing to do for now was go back to sleep and deal with it in the morning. She placed a finger on Ranko's lips before pulling her back down into a cuddle, Ranko positioning her head to lay it in the crook of Nabiki's shoulder.

From the author: This is my second attempt at a fanfic, if any of you finished my first I'm sorry if you're dissapointed at the ending. I had this idea screaming in my head ever since I finished the 5th chapter and it just wouldn't leave me alone until it got some attention. Also, I realize that while I might be new to this site and also to writing fanfic, I am in no way shape or form new to creative writing. Please, Be Kind, Rewind, and then review. Anything is acceptable as long as it's written constructively.

Disclaimer: I in no way shape or form own any character's from Ranma ½ nor the manga, anime, breakfast cereal or flamethrower associated with the works of Rumiko. You can tell what i've made up, it usually has a horrible name.