Destiny

Prologue

"Hey Pop!" Ranma yelled upstairs.

"What?"

"I just got a letter from Okashi," Ranma said waving the letter.

Genma walked down the stairs, "Really? How is she?"

Ranma looked at the letter, "It says that she is doing good and her father is doing well also."

He started to chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"She said she is as strong and as fast as me in martial arts."

"I believe her."

"You always believe her!"

"That's because I like her. She is the daughter I never had."

Ranma blinked at his father. "Uh huh. Anyways. She said she is starting on a journey and may stop in if she goes by the town."

Genma nodded his head and said, "OK."

"Ranma! Mr. Satome! Dinner!" Kasumi yelled.

They looked at each other and dashed to the dining room.

Chapter 1

*Knock*

*Knock*

*knock*

Akane looked up from her book, "Ranma, can you get the door?"

"Sure Akane," Ranma replied, getting up off the floor and headed toward the door. He opened the door to be greeted by a beautiful young girl standing in front of him. She smiled at the sight of Ranma.

"Ranma!" The girl screamed, dropping her pack and grabbed on to Ranma, giving him a hug.

"Uh… Do I know you?"

"You don't recognize me?" The girl replied, as she let go of Ranma, slightly offended.

Ranma shook his head in response.

"It's me. Okashi!"

"Okashi? Is that really you?"

She nodded happily in response.

"Oh my god, you've grown!"

"Hehe. You haven't changed one bit Ranma Satome!"

Ranma grinned.

"Is Uncle Genma here too?"

"Oh yeah. Come on in and meet the family."

"OK!"

Okashi picked up her pack and continued inside the building. Ranma closed the door behind her. Okashi looked around as she waited for Ranma to show her where to go.

"This way, Okashi."

"OK."

She followed Ranma into the living room. She noticed there were a few people in there. She started to fiddle with her hair. It was a habit that she normal does when she got nervous.

"Hey everyone. I want you guys to meet someone."

He turned to allow Okashi to step in front of him.

"Everyone. This is my cousin, Okashi. Okashi, this Akane, Nabiki, Akane's father, Soun, Kasumi is in the kitchen and you know my dad!"

"Hi everyone! Nice to meet you all!"

Genma got up and walked over to Okashi. He stared down at her and than gave her a hug.

"You look like your mother, Okashi. How have you been? We missed you."

"I've been good, Uncle Genma and you?"

"Uh, well, I've been good."

"That's good!"

Akane walked over to Okashi.

"Hi Okashi."

"Hi! Are you the same Akane that Ranma writes about?"

Akane looked at Okashi questioningly and than looked at Ranma. Ranma had turned a slight shade of red and quickly piped in.

"Yes she is."

"So are you really engaged to Ranma?" Okashi asked.

"Yes I am," Akane replied.

"That's really great!" Okashi exclaimed. Akane smiled at her. Okashi smiled back at Akane. She than realized something, she didn't have a place to stay. "Hey, I was wondering if I could spend the night here?"

"Why not," Akane said. "You can stay in my room."

"Really?"

Akane nodded happily, "Yeah. How long you staying?"

"Oh, I can only stay one night."

"What? Why?" Ranma asked.

"I want to continue my journey, Ranma."

Ranma looked at her and you could see deep down in his eyes he was searching for a reason for her to stay. He looked to Genma for help, who just shrugged.

"Well, why don't you come upstairs and get settled in. My sister is preparing dinner," Akane said.

"OK!"

Okashi followed Akane up the stairs and into her room. Ranma looked at Genma.

"She has to stay."

"Why?"

"I don't know. We haven't seen her for, what? Ten years? I want to spend a little more than a day with her."

Genma nodded, "But how do you suppose we convince her to stay?"

"School," Nabiki suddenly joined in.

"Huh?" Ranma replied.

"School's starting soon. Have her stay and go to school."

"That's a great idea, Nabiki! She can stay for the whole school year. But, what about us, pop?"

"What?"

"Our 'condition'. Do you think we should tell her about it?"

Genma shrugged, "I guess we'll have too."

Ranma began to think about his problem. Okashi has always looked up to me. If she finds out about this she'll probably lose all respect towards me. Ranma nodded his head as he came to his decision.

"I'm not going to tell her."

"What?!" Genma and Nabiki asked in surprise.

"I'm not going to tell her."

"Oh and you think you are going to be able avoiding being splashed by cold water, boy? Face it, you better tell her or your going to hurt her."

"I'm not going to tell her about my condition. You can tell her yours. I can avoid cold water. And if I do get hit and she doesn't see me change than I'll pretend I'm not me."

Nabiki shook her head in disbelief. "Have fun you too. I'm not going to tell her."

With that, Nabiki walked into the kitchen.

"Do you really think you can pull it off?"

Ranma nodded.

Genma shrugged. "Well I guess I'll try too, but we have to tell her sometime."

"Like I said before, you can tell her about your problem. I am not telling her mine."

"Whatever son, just remember this. It's going to hurt her more if she finds out on her than you telling her."

Ranma looked to the ground at this as his father left the room. He knew his father was right but he didn't want Okashi to know. I will pull this off, Ranma thought. With that thought he went out to the dojo.

* * *

"Thanks again Akane for letting me spend the night in your room," Okashi said as she helped set up an extra cot on the floor.

"Oh it's no problem!" Akane said.

Okashi went over to grab some blankets to put on the cot when she screamed.

"What's wrong?" Akane asked as she ran over to Okashi.

"What is a pig doing in your room, Akane?"

"OH! That's P-Chan!" Akane said as she picked up P-Chan.

"P-Chan?"

Akane walked over to her bed and sat down.

"Yeah, I found him one day and decided to take him in. Isn't he so cute?"

Okashi looked at P-Chan and smiled. "Yeah he is! His eyes remind me of someone I haven't seen in years!"

"Really? Who is that?"

"One of Ranma's old friends. I don't remember his name though. He was really nice."

"Oh."

Silence settled down upon the two girls as they both pet P-Chan. A slight squeak would come from P-Chan every now and than.

"So what does Ranma write to you about?"

"Oh, not to much, just how much he missed us. I have the letters with me if you want to read them."

"Ok."

Okashi gave P-Chan one last pet as she jumped over to her pack. She opened a compartment and took out a bunch of envelopes. Akane went wide eyed.

"Did Ranma send all those to you?"

Okashi nodded as she walked over to Akane.

"Yeah."

"When did he start writing to you?"

"Um… well actually he wrote more but these are just from a year ago. I needed the return address on the envelope so I could find the house."

"He wrote all these in a year?"

"Yeah. He mostly talks about you, Akane."

Akane turned a slight shade of pink, "Ar-are you serious?"

Okashi nodded.

"He probably told you how tomboyish I am and how much he hates me."

"Actually… you should read this letter," Okashi said pulling out one of the envelopes and handing it to Akane.

"Huh?" Akane asked, as she excepted the envelope.

"Read it. It's the exact opposite of what you think he thinks of you."

Akane looked at the envelope for a moment. She than slowly took the letter out. It was rather obvious that the letter had been read quite a few times. She unfolded the letter and began reading it.

Dear Okashi,

How are you? How's your father? I'm doing good, so is pop.

I have a problem Okashi. Remember how I told you I was engaged? Well now I have three! It is weird. Do you remember Ukyo? Yeah, she found me and now insist that she is my fiancée. Than there is Shampoo. Oh Okashi, I screwed up this time! I don't like Shampoo or Ukyo as much as I like Akane. As much as I say I hate that tomboy I have to admit that she is cute, and in her own way, kind and sensitive. The only reason she beats the crap out of me is because I make her mad. Why do I do that? Every time I try to tell her what I truly feel I screw it up. Now she thinks I don't like her. Well, actually, I don't even know if she likes me so I guess it works out. I just hope I can figure this all out. Well, I'll talk to you soon, Okashi. Say hi to your father for us!

Ranma

Akane stared in disbelief at the letter. Okashi just watched Akane, not uttering a word. She knew Akane had finished the letter a while ago but it was taking time for everything in it to sink in.

"D-did he really write this?" Akane finally asked, looking up at Okashi.

Okashi nodded her head, "He loves you, Akane. He never wants to lose you."

Akane looked down at the letter again. Oh Ranma…