Discclaimer:
My first crossover. Timeline is about after when Sasuke leaves Konoha.
I do not own either Ranma 1/2 and Naruo, this is a simple work of fan fiction so watch where you aim those lawyers
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"Didn't it all matter? Was it not worth anything? All the pain, the agony, I even murdered for you" Akane". I tried to regain my full body for you, it was all for you. No more, I am tired of you, if you cannot appreciate, to even a small extent, what I have done for you than it is better that we never met. You do not want to know a baka-pervert than very well, as my last gift to you I will give you what you wished for: a life without me, the half-girl pervert". Ranma's eyes had tears in them as he penned these words before sliding the note under Akane's door. The same door with the yellow duck, the door that to Ranma was unreachable.
Ranma placed his pack on his back. It did not contain much, just a few items of clothing's and some basic items of his. He did take one item though, just a picture, just one photograph of the Tendo and Saotome clan's together. The night of the picture was magical: there was no fighting, no groping and no transforming. Even the mega pervert Happosai was behaving. So his mind set on doing something with his life, his heart set on forgetting Akane and his legs walking to an unknown location. Where would he go? Why was he going? Every step out of the door, he questioned his motives. Then his mind was brought back to the events of last night. The night of the failed marriage…….
"Why Ranma? I thought you loved me? Perverted Baka, half-women, you are still up to your old tricks, I HATE YOU", the youngest Tendo stormed out of the makeshift marriage hall completely oblivious that Shampoo and the other fiancées were latching on to Ranma without his consent. Was it then when Ranma's heart broke? Was it when he heard Akane weeping in her room? Well it did not matter. All Ranma knew was thought he had lived enough for everybody else and not enough for himself. That night Ranma kept a happy face but if you looked closely enough you could still notice the tear streaks on his tanned face. His face a mask that hid his real feelings. It would not be untrue to say that the last of Akane's "I hate you's" had killed of a piece of Ranma, a piece hanging on by a small strand of hope.
Well he decided that at the Tendo dojo, nothing could happen. No more, he would have to leave the place of his home after many a year. For Ranma though, no place embodied home quite like the Tendo Dojo and no matter how old he grew, that place, creaky floorboards and all, would always be considered his home. That night Ranma did not sleep. His old man had drunk like a fish and was sleeping like a log. Genma Saotome was a man of no moral value and even less common sense. He was one of the reasons that all this had begun. Genma was a bad father plain and simple, Ranma had a thousand and one reasons to make this statemen. Neko-Ken, multiple fiancées to name a few. No, where Ranma was going Genma could not know. Nabiki Tendo? She was to Ranma a mercenary, someone necessary to a country but not to a friend. Did she have a heart, any compassion? Did she hate Ranma? Ranma would never know. She was smart, able to wheel and deal but Ranma would never forgive her, she was the one who invited Ranma's other suitors. She was the sole reason that Ranma and Akane were not wed.
Soun Tendo? He was a sad depressed man ho could not let go of the past. He and Genma were cut from the same block. Kasumi? She was the only person Ranma considered as true family. She was the perfect big sister. Ranma would miss her soft voice and outstanding cooking. He sat outside, on the rocks encircling the koi pond. Akane's window in sight. His feelings for Akane were the main reason he left. He could not let her suffer. If she wanted him gone then fine. He decided to at least leave a letter behind for her. She needed to know that her life was back to normal now.
Where would Ranma go? Should he go to China to cure his curse? Did he want to cure his curse? In the end Ranma decided that his female side was part of him as much as his male side. As he left the Tendo gates he heard from inside "Rama-kun, wait", the soft voice belonged to none other than Kasumi. Ranma watched in surprise as Kasumi approached him and of all things, she kissed him, on the cheek, as a sister does to her kid brother. "Ranma-kun, I know what you are doing and while I am not unhappy I will not stop you. Just always remember that the Tendo Dojo is open for you, Sayonara Ranma-Kun", with that Kasumi embraced the young martial artist whom she had long since regarded as the brother she never had. She thrust a bag into Ranma's hand and ran back into the dojo, tears trickling down her soft features. Ranma was taken aback by the show of affection by the eldest Tendo daughter. So all matters resolved he walked down the road, having no idea of where he was going. It all seemed surreal to him, he was finally taking matters into his own hands, and he was finally in control of his own life.
He walked and walked, trekked and traveled over mountain and plain. It had been 3 months since he left the Dojo, the money and food in Kasumi's parting gift proving very useful. In all that time he had spent on the road, not one day did he not want to run back to the Tendo Dojo, to good old Nermia but he knew that that part of his life was over. He would never again be the same Ranma after all that he saw on his travels. Though the strangest incident happened not more than three weeks back….
The rain was blistering in its pace and it was not a night fit for man or best. Ranma's torn clothes were muddy and weighed him down terribly. His tear streaked face held high against the might of the rain. He suddenly slipped and fell into the squelching mud his martial arts training deserted him. He had no food in his belly for a whole week. His vision was beginning to blur as his body was pounded by the elements. He could not get up; his shoes long since lost the grooves one needed. There he lay, his mind in a daze. He knew that his life of folly was at an end and as he felt that sleepiness come over him, the deafening rain now reduced to a whisper he gratefully accepted the lull of sleep. As he slipped into sleep one word drifted from his lips, his greatest joy and his greatest regret "Akane".
Ranma was sure that he had died back then but he woke up some days later in the home of an old man who had nursed him back to health. A kindly old man that reminded Ranma somewhat of doctor Tofu back in Nermia. This old man who, Rama learned was a retired soldier, put Ranma up in his home, nursing him back to health for 2 weeks. Ranma felt that he had imposed too much on this poor old man. He thanked the man for his kindness and was about the walk out the door when he thrust into Ranma's hand an old sword, ruined with age.
Ranma then tried being noble and saying that he could not accept it but the old man pushed it into his hands with a warning: "the fire country is a dangerous place, between here and the Konoha borders, be on your guard". Fire country? Konoha? "Excuse me but where is Tokyo", Ranma asked hoping to get his bearing straight. "Sorry traveler but I have never heard of this 'Tokyo' but Konoha is about 3 days journey from here", the old man replied with a brief twinkle in his eyes. "Never heard of Tokyo? Senile old man.", thought Ranma to himself. So with thanks he accepted the sword and went in the direction of this 'Konoha'.
For three days Ranma went in the direction of this place but could not find it. His martial arts skills had not deserted him so he scaled up the tallest tree he could find until he had a good vantage point. He surveyed the land before him and what caught his eye was a giant wooden gate. "Here in the middle of nowhere there is a giant gate, now this is freaky", thought Ranma to himself. Ranma needless to say felt his old curiosity setting in and he ventured forward until he could actually see behind the gate. And what he saw took his breath away. Ranma had seen phoenix demi gods, he had seen 300 year old people and he saw magic on a regular basis but what was before him astounded him still: an entire city behind the gate. A small city that seemed to be bustling with activity. It was soon approaching nightfall so Ranma decided to lodge there for a while. Whistling to himself Ranma approached the gate when all of a sudden his senses went wild on him, he turned around to be faced with 3 people with animal masks.
Ranma thought that maybe this was some amazon village like the one in China. "What is your business stranger, from what village and what clan do you hail," the front one said. Ranma was puzzeled, what the hell did he mean: clan…village? Ranma's foot in mouth reflex was still not gone so he promptly said "I am from Nermia, Tokyo and am part of the Saotome clan", the three masked-men looked at Ranma like he was an idiot. "Saotome clan, nermia", you expect us to believe that, you are from the Sound aren't you?" the leader said again. Ranma was about to argue again when suddenly one of the three men moved his hands into some weird but familiar hand movements. All of a sudden Ranma felt dizzy as the man hands were surrounded by a blue light. Ranma then collapsed and was dragged in an unholy heap to the village beyond the gates: Konoha.
Back in Nermia:
"Baka, dummy, why?"
the youngest Tendo was weeping as she read the letter. It had been
months since Ranma left and she missed him everyday his nonchalance,
his immatureness, his strength and most of all his very presence,
that presence that made her feel safe and secure. She knew that she
had thrown it away due to petty jealously. Every word in that note
hurt her, the realization of what she had done hurt her so much that
sometimes t was unbearable, but the one word that caused her to weep
like a small child, the word was cancelled of and the ink was smudged
by what she guessed what Ranmas tears over the half-hearted
cancellation of the word:
'aishteru Akane'.
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Thank you for reading this tale. I did not like the way Rumiko Takahashi ended the series, nothing was resolved and poor Ranma was still left hanging. Please read and review. Look forward to chapter 2 when Ranma will meet other members of the cast.
