Unwanted: a Ranma Alteverse

by Dragon Knight1

What if Ranma's Ego was widdled down instead of boosted with events of his childhood?

Unwanted: A Ranma Alteverse.

By Richard Marshall(DK)

A young boy with a ponytail runs along the streets. His Father, giving chase. "Ranma! Hold on a minute, give your father some time to rest!"

The boy gone unheeded into an alley slipping into the arkness. (Why did she not want me? Was I bad? How come mommy sent me away?) The little boy's thoughts blurred as his face became wet.

(Blasted boy! Why did he run like that? I guess taking him this early was not too smart.. ) Genma shook his head (What m I saying!? If I didn't get him out of there, Nodoka would have smothered him for sure!)

"Kansai eh?" Genma looked at the map in his hand a small growl in his stomach triggered something. "I heard there was a good okonomiyaki chef around here. . ."

+ +

A man and his daughter served Genma a special okinomiyaki. "So your son ran off eh?" The man shook his head with feeling "Sorry to hear that, I don't know what I would do without Ukyo here."

With that the three were alarmed by the banging of a neary trash can. "Ow!" Ranma yelled out. Genma ran over to his son, and picked him up.

"Its ok, Ranma, its just a bump."

Ranma nodded and set his face as he was set down near the food cart. The man behind the grill placed a steaming hot Japanese pizza in ront of the boy who gobbled it up as fast as his father did.

Ranma nodded a thank you as he swallowed the last bit and smiled.

"This is my son, Ranma."

"Cute kid, I see you are training him in the arts." The man indicated the gi.

"Yes, I believe h has the potential to be the best."

The two men laughed heartily for the next few moments.

+ * +

Ranma peeked around the corner. It was early morning and his little hands stretched over the brick wall while he crept trying to make as little noise as e could. Soon he heard the familiar sizzling sound of batter hitting a hot grill to warm it up.

"Pop, why do you let Ranma get away with the okonomyaki? He's such a jackass!" He heard Ukyo's voice and winced.

"Hey, watch your mouth, and he seems nice nough to play with you."

"He's a jackass that beats me up every day, you think that's playing?" Ranma could see Ukyo bouncing on one foot then the other."

"Didn't I say watch your mouth?" He flipped the pastry. "And its what kids do you know."

Ukyo rowned "No matter what, he's still a . ." She was stopped by a palm from her father and sulked off.

(Ucchan doesn't like me?) Ranma scooted away from the wall and walked back to camp.

+ * +

Genma hefted the cart handles and was running down the stree. In a huge basket a small ponytail can be seen sticking out from it. Ukyo is running behind them "Come back here?! Jack ass! What do you think you are doing!?" (Maybe all those bad things I kept sayin 'bout Ranma wasn't such a good idea..)

From with inthe basket Ranma looks to his hands (Why are we leaving? Did I do something bad again?) He sniffed.

+ * +

Ranma looked to his father near what appears to be a door to a closed up well. "Hi pop. What are we going to learn today?" Ranma's Martial arts ket him buoyed most of the time. It certainly got him the praise and admiration he thought he'd never have.

He still didn't understand all the moving about. He kept wondering if he did something wrong to make him and his father leave so quickly. Genma alwys seemed to make new friends at the towns, like that okonomiyaki cook. Why couldn't he keep one?

"Ranma, I'm going to teach you a very powerful technique. So powerful many dare not even go through with the training."

Ranma nodded "Ok." Genma began totie the fish sausages to his son "Pop those stink! Do I really gotta wear this stuff?" Ranma's face contorted as he sniffed. (Dad sure has funny ways of training. . .)

"Its necessary son." Genma smiled at his handy work (That should hold.) "Here we go!"Genma lifted up the "door" on the floor and shoved Ranma into the pit.

"Ahh!" Ranma landed then rolled. When he looked up he saw Genma smile and close the door. "Pop..?" his eyes watered a moment then sulked his head staring to the floor. (What am I doig in here? Is he going to leave me, too?).

His head snapped to attention as he heard the walls move. His eyes peered into the darkness. Then as the his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw them. Cats, must have been dozens upon dozens of them. They mewe hungrily. He smiled nervously "Nice kitties. . ." He then remembered the fish sausages. (Oh no!) "POP!"

They took that moment to strike. Tearing at the fish and him. (What am I doing in here?!? Did I do something wrong?!?) He sobbed out. (This hurts. .!) He felt a pain within his stomach (Why did pop put me in here?) He closed his eyes fighting the cats off (Why..? What did I do?)

From outside Genma looked to the "door" (Hmm he's been in there an awfully long time.. Should I. . ?) His train of thouht was obliterated as the "door" splintered into pieces and a dazed Ranma burst through them and ran. Ran on all four limbs. (Damn!)

+ * +

The next day Ranma looks to the pit and shivered (Oh no Not again. . .) "Pop, don't make me. . please!"

"Come n son, we need to get rid of this weakness! It's not good to be afraid of anything!" Genma rationalizing this, he tossed his son into the pit.

+ * +

Ranma looked to the lunch crowd near the cafeteria lady. It was a small like a zoo and sounded like it.The crowd roared as the last Curry bread was tossed over the crowd.

A boy not too far from Ranma leapt up "I got it!". Ranma leapt up with him and used the other boy's head as a stepping stool and caught the piece of bread in his mouth. "Hey, that's mypiece of bread.. Who are you!?"

"Ranma Saotome"

"Who!? I am Ryoga Hibiki, and you will *pay* for this!"

Ranma faltered a little, but similar scenes repeat daily.

+ * +

(I can't believe him, He said to meet him here yesterday!) Ranma looked to thefloor. (Maybe he thinks I'm not worthy to fight yet.. Maybe I'm too weak. . .) The blackness in the pit of his stomach resurged in the lack of his confidence. Ranma bit his lip trying to quench the urge to fall to his knees. He was suppose to be strong an the feeling and his inability to fight it made him suffer even more.

Ranma had to again straighten his legs before they fell from underneath him. His heart pounded as he stared at the ground the languishes of the wait made it feel worse. He wanted to fght, that made the hurting go away.

+ * +

Ranma looked to the pools before him. (This doesn't feel like a very good place.) Ranma's thoughts blurred into his mind as Genma leapt onto one of the poles. With a sigh Ranma took his position opposite him. Te guide said something but he wasn't paying much attention as he was focused on his father.

With a leap Genma attacked Ranma who met him in the middle. Speedy and agile they somehow landed on other poles without a faulter. The second pass, however, was ot so lucky. Genma was caught a little surprised as his son grappled his belt and slung him down. (He's getting better.)

Splash! Ranma looked at the pool Genma fell into (Geeze those are deeper than they look.)

". . .Sir fell into spring of drowned anda!"

Ranma's eyes darted to the guide "What?"

As his attention was averted the giant panda leapt forward and bore down on the young boy.

"What the heck is that!" were the first words that came out of his mouth as he fell into a nearby spring. Witha quenched breath Ranma emerged from the water.

"Oh, so sorry, sir you fall into spring of Drowned girl, legend say that a girl drown in spring 1500 year ago." The guide sighed as Ranma looked puzzled. "Now whoever fall in spring take body of a young grl.

(What!) Ranma screamed into the back of his mind and looked down at himself (No.. No.. no..) He wouldn't believe it; he couldn't be.. He opened the top of his gi and screamed "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" And promptly feinted. Luckily for the Guide, she faintedwith her head on shore and pulled him out.

Genma suddenly appeared behind the guide and swatted the guide into a nearby . . .boulder. Genma growfed at getting the information a little too late.

+ * +

With her panda/father Ranma trudged across the valey. Along her side a slightly battered guide walks with a limp. "Here sirs is Joketzuzoku." Ranma lifted her low gaze to the entrance to the village.

(Maybe they will let us have some food.) Her direction of travel turned as did the guide's and Genma's.

+ * +

With in the village Ranma and Genma sit at the first available seats, which has food available upon it. With the tournament proceeding, the two devoured the food before them. Unbeknownst to them that they made a serious "no-no" until the Championthrew a warning bonbori at the two Soatomes.

"Oh sirs what you do there?" The guide looked to the two and scooted back to let the champion through.

(Wow, she's pretty cute.) Ranma caught herself looking to her and frowned with the anger she saw in hereyes.

"You eat prize, it amazon pride to win such a tournament and have huge dinner with friends." The guide quipped to the two.

The girl spoke in Mandarin, confusing the two.

"She say you hurt her pride and she wishes payment."

"Well," Ranma begn softly trying to gather her confidence, "Then I challenge you."

The guide turned to the Amazon and spoke to her in mandarin. The Girl nodded and proceeded to the fighting log.

Ranma's mind went through all her training. This was going to be the firs challenge other than her father in her knew form. She set her mind pressing back her innerself and looked across the way. The Amazon looked confident with her Bonbori.

With in a second Ranma's eyes saw the lavender hair leap towards her with the bonbori (Gah! What the-) Ranma reacted and caught the girl under the chin with his foot before the bonbori could his her head. With that the Ranma looked down to the girl who seemed rather hurt by what just happened. Ranma leaped down to the ground and looked stnned as the girl got up and headed towards her.

Ranma stood stunned as the lavender hair brushed her cheek as the girl kissed her on the jawline. The color threatened to appear on her cheeks as she felt kind of relieved (So my curse won't stop girls fro liking me.)

His thoughts were short lived as the guide grabbed Ranma and the panda running for the south exit. "You sirs in big trouble! That one give you kiss of death."

"What!" Ranma exclaimed her stomach churning the pit that was in his center.

Is very bad you win over Amazon. Very prideful."

+ * +

Ranma looked to the floor. He had found a relatively quiet place in Bangkok. It was a warehouse and the business was closed for the day so Ranma stared at the crates before him. IT wasn't long befoe the rains came and he wanted to be a boy for a while. His eyes closed as the feeling inside of him threatened to make a more physical sign on the turmoil of his emotions.

Over time his lost friendships and the unwanted feel he got towards those that aw him either too good or unworthy made his emotions rather hectic. It was as if the word other than his father really knew him. He never got to make friends and those that did decide to make friends with him he soon left, wondering why and when he would et back.

+ * +

Ranma followed the panda in the streets of Tokyo. Ranma watched the ground before her. She was unsure that the place they were going. This worried her. Genma had mentioned something to her the other night but what.

She racked her memry. It was a night where she was pooped and she barely remembered she went to bed. (Why can't I -) Ranma's eyes opened wide "Engaged!"

She look to the panda who turned at her exclamation and held up a sign #Yes engaged#.

Ranma took a step back. Her eys darting around a few moments as this ran through her head. (Do I wanna get married?) She felt something fall apart in her pit as a light smiled on her. (Someone wanted to marry ME!). Ranma's eyes sparkled for a moment before she felt the herself slip ino a feint. Genma growfed, putting the sign back in place, picked her up, and taking her to the Tendo Dojo.

+ * +

Ranma opened her eyes as she was led into the house. (Nice place.) Ranma smiled to herself as she was placed before the three girls and theman. (I wonder which one is going to be my Fiancée?)

The man hugged her "Oh happy day. Glad you made it!"

"Oh he *is* cute" One of the girls said with a smile.

"I'm uh Ranma Soatome."

Ranma's pigtail lifted from her neck as the man squeezed a litte too hard. With a jerk the man studied her and traced her shoulder. The one in the kimono walked over and poked her chest.

"Ranma's not a boy, he's a girl!"

Ranma blinked. "huh?" She was then distracted as Mr. Tendo feinted.

+ * +

With in the roomRanma watched, with the others, as Mr. Tendo awoke. Mr. Tendo looked to Ranma with a puzzled face. "I thought My Friend Genma had boy."

"Well get your eyes checked daddy cause she is a girl." Nabiki squeezed the closest breast for emphasis. Ranma groane.

"Could you please stop that?"

"Quit that Nabiki, can't you see you're upsetting her?" Akane stood and smiled to Ranma who returned it. "Wanna be friends?" She asked. "How about a spar?"

Ranma nodded and stood up following Akane into the Dojo.

"Yu know Kempo right?"

"Alittle." Ranma answered.

"Then how about a little match then?" Akane responed lightly.

The next couple of moments passed as they stood opposite each other and bowed. Akane smiled and rushed in sending a punch to Ranma's head. he sidestepped it as Akane punched to her side. Ranma smiled softly and dodged Akane's offence.

Her dodges were smooth and elegant. Akane questioned her resolve and lack of offence as she faced the girl with heavy breath. With Determination Akane sent hr fist straight and fast at the girl who merely flipped over her in the time it took to shatter the wallboard behind her.

Ranma tapped Akane on the back of the head and chuckled lightly, the first one she had chuckled in a long time. She was feeling goo. Akane joined in for a few moments before heading to the door. "I'm glad you're a girl."

"What was that?" Ranma froze in her place. (No.. please..)

"Oh, just I'm really glad you're not a *boy*." Akane said as she left the dojo.

Ranma's stomach chured within him. The black pit that lurked there latched onto the comment. Seeping into his pores the sadness quelling inside of him. (They. . ) Ranma's mind felt turbulent as the muscled in her stomach squeezed each breath. (They. . Don't like me as a guy.. .)

She fell to her knees. Tears held back from when he was a child flowed through her eyes. Curling into a little ball. She felt like dying under the massive pressure of the world. Huddles within herself she wept in fetal position. Her body stung withsadness. Sadness of being accepted for something she is not. . .

A *girl*.

Part 2:

Kasumi took down the laundry from behind the house. Her eyes rifted to Nabiki as she exited the house. "Oneechan, didn't Ranma and Akane have a match in the dojo?"

Ksumi blinked "I think so, why, Nabiki?"

"Well not to be critical but I just saw Akane in the living room and I haven't seen Ranma since before." Nabiki spoke as she walked to the dojo doors. There was a pause in her step as she looked into the Dojo. "Onechan!"

Kasumi looked up from her folded towel and walked to Nabiki. "What is it- Oh my!"

A curled up Ranma-chan sobbed into her hands. She did not notice them in her pit she let overwhelm her. With each sob quaked a path through her body; she froze a she felt a hand on her shoulder. Slowly but surely the outside world found its way into her mind and she heard Kasumi fill her ear with her soft voice. "Ranma, are you alright?"

Ranma looked to the soft concerned face of the older girl then to the faceof the middle daughter. She had a similar expression. Her eyes lifted gain to the eldest. "I . ." her voice cracked. Her eyes drifted down.

"What's wrong Ranma?" Kasumi looked the girl over "Are you hurt?"

"No. . .No. . . That's not it." Ranma's lips uivered as she watched Nabiki leave. Her voice still strained and quiet.

"Then what?" Kasumi's face gave a soft reassuring smile and Ranma closed her eyes under the pressure of it.

Ranma suppressed a sob and opened her eyes. Some time had passed. She hook her head, and Kasumi seemed to have a worried look on her face and she looked to them both. "I'm not hurt.. or nuthin." She wiped her eyes. Slowly she stood and looked to the girls. She smiled inwardly at their concern, then realized that she was a grl to them and felt her knees come close to giving.

Kasumi looked to the red head with a serious look as she stood. (Ranma looks so. . hurt.) She felt a pang of motherly affection towards the girl.

Nabiki studied the girl. She sighed softly (This is nteresting.)

"Kasumi, need any help in the kitchen?" Ranma tried to lighten the mood, unsure of whether to tell them yet or not.

"Oh, my not right now Ranma." Kasumi looked to the towel in her hands and then handed it to her. "Here, Nabiki will show yu to your room while I draw you a nice warm bath. You look like you need to relax a bit."

Ranma took the towel and felt its softness between her fingers. "Ok." Ranma thought inwardly (Maybe I'll tell them after the bath. . .).

+ * +

Ranma sat down. icking up the bucket of sold water and dumping it over her head. "Oh cold.." She shivered. She shook her head as stood up her body wobbling from the coldness of her skin.

With a relieved sigh she sank into the hot bath. His eyes closed letting the heatenter his now male body. His thoughts turned inward as his mind relaxed its barriers. His stomach churned slowly in the it of his stomach as his memories began to surface. His mother, Ukyo. . .

The door opened slowly. Ranma sat unnoticing of the new peron in the bathroom. His face slightly wet from his tears. Akane looked into the furo "Ranma are you in there?" (I could have sworn I saw her clothes in the hamper. . .) Her thoughts froze as she saw Ranma in the bath. A very MALE Ranma.

"Ahh!" She yelpe as she stumbled back.

"Huh?" Ranma jumped "Ahh!" Ranma echoed Akane and covered himself up. "What are you doing in here!"

Akane scrambled to the door, unheeded of his word, stuffing her arms into her gi top and fastening her belt. "There's a pervert n the bathroom!"

Ranma's eyes widened as he heard this and hurriedly got dressed. His face flush and his eyes fogged.

+ * +

Akane ran into the living room where Soun and Genma were sitting. "Help, there's a. . ." Akane's voice trailed off as she saw anma standing in the door to the yard.

"I'm Ranma Saotome, Sorry about this."

Silence echoed the walls. Until Kasumi broke through "Are you really Ranma?"

Ranma closed his eyes and looked to Akane then Kasumi then Nabiki. His fists clenched under thir confused gazes and nodded softly. "I am."

Akane felt her self disbeleiving and huffed softly into her face. "Let me explain." Genma positioned himself and Ranma on one side of the table "I am Genma Saotome and this is my son."

"Ranma"

"I have noeasy way of saying this so. . ." Genma caught Ranma off guard and tossed him into the pool.

Ranma landed with a splash. Her eyes gazed down herself as she stood solemnly. "We have these curses." She said softly walking to the others and picking up a hotkettle presented by Soun and dowsed herself with it. With a heavy breath Ranma let out "hot. . ."

Ranma again knelt beside Genma who looked at him cautiously before continuing. "While we were in china. . ." Genma began his story.

+ * +

A short whil later Ranma and Genma looked to the Tendo Family as Soun nodded softly. "So it looks like your curse isn't that bad after all, you can still communicate and practice the art normally." He then motioned to the girls. "This is my eldest daughter, Kasumi, se's 19, my middle daughter, Nabiki, she's 17, and my youngest daughter, Akane, she's 16"

Akane looked to the boy in front of her. She couldn't believe the story if she hadn't seen the evidence. ("I'm just glad you aren't a *boy*" oh gods.) "I'm sorry Rana." Akane was the first of the sisters to reply to the story.

The other two looked to Akane then to Ranma "What do you mean 'you're sorry' Akane?" Nabiki asked.

"Earlier, I told Ranma I was glad he wasn't a boy. . ."

"What?!" Kasumi and Nabiki chorsed, bringing stared from the two fathers.

"We need to talk." Nabiki motioned her sisters to follow her upstairs. Leaving the three by themselves. Ranma had his eyes closed. This was hard. His mind kept churning. (What are they going to talk about? Do tey hate me now that I'm a boy?) Ranma's eyes stung with unshed tears. His mind drifted inward as time seemed to slow down.

+ +

Nabiki stepped into the room with her smug expression "We have made a decision and that is that we don't want Ranma and his urse." She spat at the ground before the three men. Behind her were Kasumi and Akane with similar expressions of venom and disgust.

+ +

His eyes snapped open as Genma shook his shoulder, and out of his daydream. He looked up to see the three girls siting on the other side of the table. "We have come to a decision." Nabiki began and settled her gaze to Ranma who twitched slightly at the coldness of it. She blinked at the reaction.

Akane looked to the boy and felt guilty. Her off handed statement had roken this martial artist. She couldn't help but feel guilty because of it. She noticed the little twitch as Nabiki looked at him. She knew that her business face was a bit iced, now she caught a slight glimpse at the turmoil this boy was going through.

To Nabiki's left was Kasumi, who was looking at Ranma with a motherly concern. She winced inwardly as she saw him twitch. (Even father was able to shrug off the icy cool stares of Nabiki. . .) She thought to herself as Nabiki continued with her statement.

"We decided that for now, it is in our best interest that he be not engaged to any of us, just yet." Nabiki saw Ranma look to the floor and sighed quietly. "Please let us all be betrothed and if the time for marriage is with us then we shall." Ranma's ees never left the floor. Nabiki made a mental note of that fact.

Ranma stared at the floor as Nabiki spoke her words. It wasn't easy for him to just sit there. He wanted to run; he wanted to run far. But he stayed. Stayed and listened. The blow wasn't a harsh as his mind depicted but the answer was similar. None of them wanted him. Not his mother, not Ucchan, nobody wanted him. Now that he is cursed, no one will ever want him.

+ * +

Ranma looked at the book on his lap his mind wandered through the da's events and he was certain the girls didn't much like his curse any more than he did anyway. With that he began his writing.

(I know that the Tendos mean well. But how long will it be before they get fet up with me or this curse. Pop said we will be hee for a while, but I don't know. Its not like I knew what I had done before to make me leave my home, I hope I don't do that again. These people seem nice. Akane is a bit leery of me since she found out about the curse. Kasumi sees to go out of her way totreat me like nothing has changed. Nabiki. . . She's a bit cold sometimes and that scares me. I don't know why but I think she may be mad at me for some reason. What else does she have to look at me like that earlier? I don't know what I am going to do. Ijust don't know.)

He closed his book and slipped under the covers of the mattress. His eyes closed as his head hit the pillow and soon he was asleep. His dreams not coming to him easily.

+ * +

Ranma awoke with the dawning sun streaming into his room He had been doing so ever since he could remember and now a days his father slept in on occasion and he was left to wake up on his own for the most part. His thoughts turned in his head as he picked up his training gi and stretched the weariness from hismuscles and into the top and bottoms before tying the belt around his waist.

He walked passed the other's rooms silently as to not disturb them in their slumber and found that Akane's door was ajar an inch so he decided to close it just in case.

His ace was in a face breaking yawn as he walked into the dojo and began his kata. Letting his mind focus on the art and only the art. He closed his eyes to get better focus.

+ * +

Akane jogged up to the dojo gates. Her early morning run had given her a ful breath of the morning crisp air. Her hair whipped behind her as she jogged to the front door.

She heard the familiar sounds of exertion from the dojo and walked to the door with a silent query to the wind. Her gaze floated through the dojo and landed n Ranma in a complex kata. His movements were graceful of one trained heavily in the art. His eyes closed, she could see. She shook her head slightly and walked into the house "I'm home!"

Her call was answered by Kasumi "Breakfast will be ready soon, plase get Nabiki, would you?"

Akane nodded and walked up the stairs near the front door. She stopped before the door with the duck with Nabiki's name on it and knocked. Her eyes rolled as she knocked again with a little more force.

The third knock was ccompanied by, "Nabiki! Its time to get up!" She huffed and opened the door. She froze as she noticed that the bed was empty. (She's up? At this time?)

+ * +

Akane walked to the table with a shrug and sat down. Her eyes caught the shadow coming into th door and looked up to see Nabiki with a raised eyebrow.

"What's with the face, Akane?"

"You're up early." Akane's eyes studied her sister.

Nabiki waved it off and stared back coolly "I had an errand to do." She gave the look of someone who wished nt to continue the line of conversation so Akane let it drop.

Soun and Genma soon joined them from the dojo entrance "Yes, Genma, he is a fine practitioner of the art." Soun looked to is daughters "He will make a fine addition to the Tendo Dojo."

Both grls rolled their eyes at the bantering and their eyes stopped seeing Ranma walk into the room. His head being batted by a towel. Ranma unnoticing of the stares sat at the table and nodded to the others "Morning Mr. Tendo, Nabiki, Akane"

Akane and Nabikimumbled their "mornings" as Kasumi came in with breakfast.

+ * +

Ranma looked to his panda father who still had a bucket resting over his left ear from an earlier accident. "What do you mean I gotta go to school? I ain't got the supplies!"

A book bagwas then thrusted into his hand. With a curious look to the open door he saw Nabiki wave it off and was passed him "We need to hurry or we'll be late. She walked to the front door.

"Wait for me Nabiki!" Akane rushed after her sister who was waiting by te gate with Ranma. With a puff of air they started on their way to Furinkan high. Ranma walked behind them.

+ * +

As they approached The school Ranma noticed the large number of men waiting at the front area of the school with a puzzled expression he cught Akane's sentence "I really hate these *Boys* !" He winced slightly but let it slide as he saw the attack.

"What the-" Ranma began and Nabiki cut in.

"Don't worry this happens every morning."

"Every morning?" He could not comprehend the facts a it were displayed before him Akane was in the middle of a brawl and winning. Her moves were fast and furious usually taking out her victim in one or two strikes as she fended the others off with her book bag and dodges.

Ranma shook his head and walked nto the area as it was cleared. Nabiki watches him for a moment then ran into the building "You have Classes with Akane! See you at lunch!"

Ranma nodded in return. His eyes drifted to the last opponent as he hit the ground with a thud. "Wow, Akane, thishappens every day huh?"

"It's a bit bother some but yea-" She suddenly caught a rose that was thrown to her. She groaned out "Kuno."

"What a boorish lot these mortals be. Lest they know that the lovely Akane Tendo be not for unworthy eyes?"

"Hey Akae can you understand this guy?" Ranma inquired, hoping he wasn't too obtrusive. She shook her head and he spoke again.

"Who are you that which speaks with Akane so knowingly?" Ranma opened his mouth and Kendoist began again interrupting "Ah but is it no the custom to give ones own name first? Fine then I shall give it." The boy took a breath "I am the rising star of the kendo world! I am Tatewaki Kuno, junior, age 17, but my peers call me 'Blue thunder of Furinkan High!'" A thunder boomed over head.

anma blinked at display and felt unsure of himself and tossed Akane his bag "Hold this a sec!" Ranma looked to the boy and with a step into fighting stance he replied " I am Ranma Saotome of the Saotome school of Anything Goes Martial arts!"

"Such a lon title for a loathsome creature" Ranma didn't like the sound of that. "How is it you know Akane?"

"I'm staying at the Tendo dojo."

"You under the same roof as the beauteous Akane! Never!" Kuno lunged at Ranma with striking speed.

Ranma ducked just i time and slipped back towards the wall. Kuno saw this as an opening and sliced down onto Ranma who dodged just in time to see the wall behind him crumble. With a quick kick to Kuno's chest Ranma hopped out of the way. "I don't have time for this!" Ranma ooked to the kendoist.

"So you admit your weakness!"

Ranma halted in his steps. Akane noticed the hurt look in Ranma's eyes as he turned. With blinding speed Ranma placed a side kick into Kuno's chest. Kuno was rocked back and in the surprise of the ttack was left wide open for the well placed hook kick Ranma placed on his jaw with interest. Kuno felt his world dim as Ranma picked him up.

He saw Akane place her hand on his shoulder and say something to Ranma. Kuno could not hear it over the ringingin his ears before he passed out.

"That's enough, Ranma." Akane said placing her hand on Ranma's shoulder "He's not worth it." With that Ranma let Kuno go and followed Akane into the school.

+ * +

Nabiki looked on from her class room window "Kuno fals again. . ." Her words were a bit uneven as she wondered what Kuno had said to get *That* kind of retaliation out of Ranma.

+ * +

part 3:

Ranma looked to the buckets in his hands. With that little excursion with Kuno he was a few minutes late, he ad Akane that is. The hall was quiet as the normal school day progressed. His eyes fluttered over to Akane who seemed to be not too happy with the events.

With a sigh Ranma turned his arms, rotating the buckets to more evenly spread out the weight, not tat he needed it for comfort, more of an entertainment device. He felt the back of his head cloud over what the Kendoist had said ("So you admit your weakness!") His eyes closed in a distorted way. (How, does he know I'm weak? I sure showed *him* who's wea.) He said to himself.

(It wasn't fair, you had shown that you were going to leave. He never saw it coming.) He berated himself. With that he hung his head slightly lower (Great, even *I* think I'm no good.)

Ranma felt his knees go weak. He strained aainst his emotions, trying to get a hold of them. A tear streamed down his face before he straightened and sighed as he collected his thoughts. In his mind he went through a few katas improving on the old and improving on his knowledge.

He nearly jumpe out of his clothes as he felt a hand brush the tear away. "Nabiki!" Akane whispered in amazement. "What are you doing out here!"

"I was just with Kuno, the teacher sent me to make sure he was there. He won't be waking up any time today, he is out like light." Nabiki looked to Ranma. "You gave him some pretty good chin music, Soatome."

Ranma gulped. "Is he gonna be fine?"

"Don't worry he should be up and about by tomorrow." Nabiki absently brushed her hair back and looked to Akane then to Ranma. "B the way what did he say to make you do that?"

Akane watched Ranma open his mouth and Ranma's voice was strained "I. . .don't want to talk about it now."

Nabiki looked coolly at Ranma for a moment trying to see his face, but the shadow of his hair hidhis eyes. The traces of emotion from them were wiped away by her hand not too long ago. She knew better to push to hard on him, her years studying people told her that.

With the quietness in the halls Nabiki looked over to Akane and whispered "Ja ne." Bfore walking to her class.

+ * +

Lunchtime came and Ranma sat in the shade of a tree. Akane sat with her friends and Nabiki sat with her Associates not too far from Ranma. Ranma picked at his food gently nibbling on it ever now and then, as if in thougt.

"Ranma watch out!" Akane yelled out as a water-balloon flew by (Where did that come from?)

Ranma blinked and ducked under the balloon. His arms covered his head quickly. Akane watched as he was covered with the falling water and shrink. Her eyes idened and she ran to him and pulled him into the sports shed with a heavy sprint.

Nabiki watched this and soon went got her thermos out.

+ * +

Ranma sulked in the sports shed. Her head doused with the water and a chunk of the balloon was imbedded ito her hair. She looked down at herself and sighed in self-loathing. She didn't like being a girl. She looked up as she felt hot water pour over her head in a relatively short fashion.

"Hot. . ." Ranma looked up to see Nabiki holding the thermos and noded "Thanks. ."

"Don't mention it Saotome, this time it's for free." She had a glint in her eyes before she turned to Akane. "Well, the bell should ring in a few minutes. I'll see you two at home."

"You're not walking with us?" Akane asked.

"I have sme things to do after school." Nabiki took a moment to think and looked to Ranma. "And besides being a martial artist I think you two should see Dr. Tofu to get acquainted."

Akane nodded. "Yeah. I'll take him there after school."

+ * +

Ranma looked o the skies. They were clear for a change. He felt that the gods loved it to let the rains come unexpectedly and sometimes they even splash him with a long dousing storm.

This morning was close. If he stayed and fought Kuno full out he would have been dused and he *really* would have been late. Ranma sighed to himself and looked ahead to where they were headed. There was a slight pause in the path as he was doused with cold water. Confused he looked to his right and saw an old woman using a ladle and a ucket to clean the sidewalk. With a sigh she continued.

With in a few minutes she saw the small clinic sign, "Dr. Tofu Ono" it read. She looked at the quaint little office building and walked into the sliding doors with Akane.

Akane called out "Good fternoon!" into the building. The small waiting room was empty and the walls were plain. Akane looked over to Ranma and blinked "How?"

Ranma shrugged her shoulders and sighed "It was someone cleaning the sidewalk. . ."

"Let me get you some hot water."Akane walked into one of the doors.

Ranma looked after Akane as she went into the other room. She sighed softly again. After a few minutes a skeletal hand tapped Ranma's shoulder. "Ahh!" Ranma leapt up and spun around looking to the young doctor and th skeleton.

"Hi there, sorry this is my skeleton, Betty." The young man smiled.

"Doctor Tofu!" Akane rushed over and handed Ranma a kettle.

"Hi Akane, I thought I heard you come in." Dr. Tofu smiled to the teen. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Ranma."Akane motioned to the now male Ranma.

"Weren't you a girl?"

"Long story. . ." Ranma hesitantly answered.

Akane girlishly giggled "Sorry about barging inn like that."

"No trouble at all, Akane, by the way you haven't been around here much lately."

Akane looked to the floor and sheepishly replied "I haven't had a reason to, I mean. . I haven't been doing much to hurt my self or anything."

Ranma looked to the Doctor then to Akane piecing it together and stepped into the afternoon sun and waited fo Akane.

+ * +

Ranma slid into the dojo his eyes looked around in an inspecting way. His face settled onto the wall with the shrine and smiled softly before closing his eyes and standing into ready stance.

Ranma started his routine of katas from the bginning of his training to the end. His movements traced each variance with ease and agility.

+ * +

Nabiki watched Ranma from the east entrance of the dojo. Careful not to intrude the space and get caught. (He is very. . . Good isn't he.) She thought t herself. (No trace of the girl we found yesterday.) She began to stare slightly as Ranma flipped from one end of the dojo to the other.

"Oh Nabiki, what are you doing?" Kasumi popped out of nowhere.

Nabiki jumped and turned to Kasumi with a breathles voice "Don't *do* that!"

Kasumi looked puzzled and nodded softly "Alright, but what are you doing?" Kasumi's innocence showed through her expression and looked into the dojo.

"Just-" Nabiki began as Kasumi cut in.

"Watching to see if Ranma is ok?" asumi smiled "That's nice of you Nabiki."

Nabiki numbly nodded "Yeah."

"Tell him dinner will be ready soon, will you?" Kasumi looked to Nabiki who gave her a nod and she walked back to the house.

+ * +

Akane plopped onto her bed, she saw Ranma go t the dojo but decided not to follow this time. Her thoughts were on Ranma and his reactions toward Kuno. She remembered the face that he made and felt terrible. "Oh gods, I'm sorry."

Her thoughts went to the discussion she and her sisters had the day beore.

+ +

Akane looked to her sisters who sat in a triangle in her room. It was quiet for the first few minutes and Nabiki looked to Akane. "Sis, now I know you weren't at the dojo after the match but did Ranma say anything to you?"

"N-not really, We ad the match and I told her, what I said I was sorry for."

Nabiki nodded "Kasumi and I found her in the dojo." Akane nodded slowly " She was on the floor. Showing what appeared to be a fit of depression." Nabiki sighed. Akane gasped lightly. "Now I knowthat you are sorry for the words you said earlier. I feel that he is suffering inside. Like we were when . . ." She trailed off and got confirmed nods from her sisters.

Kasumi and Akane looked to Nabiki as she continued. "Now we know about the curse. I hink we can look at our own thoughts on that matter. I know I am not ready for marriage just yet, and I know Akane, you have your reservations on boys. Kasumi you are older than he is by a good three years, which leaves us to stay friendly to him until wefigure out *if* we like him."

"That sounds like a good plan, Nabiki." Kasumi nodded "I hope we can adjust with him and his father here."

Akane pressed her stomach with her hand and nodded "We'll just have to see what happens, ne?"

+ +

"see what hapens. ." Akane spoke to the thin air in her room. "Right now, I hope Kuno keeps his mouth shut and not pick on Ranma again."

+ * +

Nabiki looked to the hallway. She was feeling slightly worn from the day's events and Dinner would be ready in a few minues. She shook her head and went to the bathroom to clean up for dinner.

She opened the door and froze as she stood face to face with Ranma. She looked up to him and spoke softly "So, Ranma, getting cleaned up for dinner?"

Ranma looked a bit peeved by he comment also a little hurt "Yeah, Nabiki, its not like I don't know nothin about manners or nothin."

Nabiki looked to Ranma again this time with a softer expression. "Sorry about that, I was just surprised."

Ranma blinked and let Nabiki into the bahroom before walking into the dinning room.

+ * +

Later that night Nabiki walked into the garden. It was a peaceful night and she was restless. (It's the middle of the night and I am out in the garden in my pajamas) Nabiki shook her head.

She sighed ito the night air, what once was a peaceful mind was now wrought with turmoil. Her head swam in a pattern of question she was sure her sisters were going through. (What happened to Ranma to be this way? How can I help?) Her eyes looked into the distance an she shrugged her shoulders. (I better get back to bed.).

With a small look to the koi pond she walked back onto the porch. With a terrible splash something landed in the pond. She jerked her head around and walked to the pond to find Ranma pulling herslf out.

"Ranma?"

Ranma looked to her and scratched her head and wrung out her pigtail. Her eyes almost automatically went to the floor in a gesture of inadequacy. "Sorry about this. . ." Ranma started to walk passed her.

Nabiki looked to Ranma and fowned softly. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "Let me get you some hot water."

+ * +

Ranma looked up from her spot on the porch as Nabiki motioned her into the room. "The water heater must be turned off. So you'll just have to stay this way tll we get the gas working again."

Ranma nodded. "Sorry about falling in like that, I was trying to get some sleep under the stars."

"Don't worry Ranma." She waved her hand softly dismissing the subject before walking to the stairs. "See you in the moring."

"Night."

+ * +

Ranma picked up his journal before sliding into bed. His lamp turned on and a pen in his hand.

(I know I thought Nabiki hated me for a while but now I get the feeling she is finding me more of a friend then she had in a long tie. Akane seems to walk on egg shells around me sometimes, but I can't blame her sor that can I? So far they have been extraordinarily nice to me. Coming from some of the school students Nabiki can be very cold to everyone, and Akane can be very easily angred. But so far this hasn't happened. I don't now what to think anymore. They don't want to be my fiancee bt they are willing to be friends? This is going to be strange. . .)

His pen slowly fell from his hand as he drifted to sleep.

+ * +

The next moning started off normally with Ranma and his father fighting over the koi pond. Nabiki scratched the back of her head as she watched the two fighting. (how do they do it?) Nabiki sipped from the steaming cup next to her and waiting for breakfast.

+ * +

The three ran to the schoolyard. Where as expected the gang of boys rushed Akane when she reached the gates. Ranma perched himself on the wall as he watched the fight. Nabiki shook her head and walked to her class.

A pattern of events began to unfold asAkane trampled through the morning crowd and Ranma stomping Kuno for his idiotic speeches and harsh words.

Part 4

Sunday came and Ranma yawned slowly as his day of rest was opening his eyes. With a start, he noticed he was huddled into the corner of te room. He slowly stood and thankfully could not remember the dream from the night before. His mind floated in the fog of early morning tiredness as he mechanically went to the kitchen and got himself some water.

Kasumi turned and went to the cupboard a Ranma passed her and unconsciously turned off the over boiling pot on the stove. Kasumi turned and saw Ranma and smiled her usual smile "Why thank you, Ranma. That was very thoughtful of you."

Ranma blinked softly and looked to his hand and nodded "Nota problem. . . Say, can you use a hand in the kitchen for breakfast?" Ranma looked almost pleadingly to the eldest daughter and she smiled.

"I don't see why not." Her eyes gazed over his face and noted the unspoken appreciation.

To her surprise Ranma ut on the spare apron, without all the fringe and walked to the fridge pulled out some ingredients and began to cook. She smiled and noticed the care he took in making the meal.

Ranma cracked the eggs on the side of the bowl and started to make omelets hile Kasumi watched. Her thoughts were cluttered with the fascination that this young boy could cook. Almost as though he were taught at a school yet his lack of measuring told her it was by experiment that he acquired such skill. She let herself relax fo once in the morning. (He is such a nice boy.)

+ * +

Ranma sat back watching the others eat the food he had prepared. Along side him sat Kasumi also watching the food disappear. His eyes turned to the pond as he excused himself and walked into the gardn. With his back to the people in the house he stared straight into the pond. His mind finding the delicate peace rewarding for the good meal he and Kasumi made.

"I heard you helped with Breakfast this morning." Ranma turned to see Akane standing on theporch.

"Yeah I did." Ranma spoke the words as he turned.

"It was good, thanks."

("Thanks") Ranma repeated the word in his head. "You're welcome Akane."

Akane nodded and walked back into the house. Ranma's eyes drifted after her before he walked t the dojo.

+ * +

Ranma jumped into the air executing a graceful flying axe kick before twisting and sending his foot into a new angle thrusting a standing side kick before his latest kata was through. He wiped his brow softly and scooted to the wall ashe heard a familiar voice from outside the dojo.

+ * +

"Where is Furinken High school!" Ryoga threatened a boy in uniform. His glasses nearly fell off his face as he pointed feebly in the direction of the school. "Just you wait Ranma!"

"Wait for what"

Ryoga "Yipped" hearing the voice from the wall he was next to.

"Ryoga? Hey how's it go- hey!" Ryoga chucked his umbrella at the pig-tailed boy.

"You will pay for your crimes!" Ryoga leapt up and charged Ranma on the dojo wall.

"Hey-" dodge "what" sidestep "did-" flip "I do-" duck "anyway!"

"As if you didn't know!" Ryoga thrusted his weapon as Ranma put his hand up. This caused the boy to stop in his track and drop the umbrella. "huh?"

Ranma's face was one of hurt confusion "What are you so agry about?"

Over head the clouds dimmed the sun and thunder cracked over the two.

Ryoga stepped back. (He didn't know?) Ryoga paused in his steps and turned "We'll meet again Saotome!" With that Ryoga vanished into the alley. Ranma looked up to find hmself in the middle of a new down pour.

"Great, just great." Ranma sulked and jumped down onto the ground picking up, after a couple of tries, the umbrella (Geeze this thing is heavy.). She walked into the house and placed the umbrella next to the door,causing it to bent under the new pressure.

She looked to those in the room that were looking at her with a slight pensive expression. Almost expecting them to make fun of her or just plain stare. After a few moments he found Kasumi next to her with a staming kettle and looked at it in a numbed stare. Her face clouded softly as the water was poured over her head and he was now standing there. With a frustrated sigh he walked to the stairs and into his room.

+ * +

Ranma sat looking to his journal and pn. His thoughts were jumbled as he thought of Ryoga and the anger in the boy's voice. He tossed his book in its place under his pillow and stood up. His face looked as though the whole incident was harsher than it really was.

Something dribbled into hishead. It was no time before she looked up and realized that a new whole in the roof had just found its way into her room. With a sigh she stood up. She caught something with the corner of her eye. It was a dark shape and really fast. She darted her head t the sides and then she saw it. A small black piglet with a yellow and black bandana. Her eyes looked at it curiously and shrugged.

She walked over and it darted out of the room "Hey!" she cried out as the thing went down the hall. With a huff she proppd a bucket under the leak and walked out of her room just in time to hear.

"Hello, aren't you cute!" Ranma looked to see Akane cuddling the little piglet in her bosom and walked to Ranma. "I wonder how he. . . " Her words stopped as she realized the boywas a girl at the time and nodded "Well, since you need a bath take him with you."

Ranma made a muffled "huh?" as the pig was thrust into her face. The piglet squealed softly in confusion as well.

+ * +

Ranma walked into the bathroom and stripped whle holding the little pig. The Pig struggled as Ranma walked to the furo and held it above her head. With a splash the piglet hit the hot water and froze.

Ranma blinked as the piglet formed into Ryoga, who was very much nude. "Gah! Hey don't look at me! Ryoga covered himself up as Ranma looked at him in confusion.

"Ryoga?"

"Y-yeah?" Ryoga averted his eyes "How do you know my name?"

"It's me, Ranma, you don't remember me?"

Ryoga looked to her and gulped again before turning to look at the wall. "he *Ranma* I know is male."

Ranma looked to herself and frowned. "You went to Jusenkyo, Right?"

Ryoga looked at her again this time focusing on her face and nodded. It slowly dawned on him as he saw the saddened face of the girl before him. "You fell n a pool?"

Ranma nodded sullenly. "Looks like you did too, what were you doing there?"

"I was chasing after you!"

+ +

A rather confused Ryoga walked into the light "Where on earth am I now!" Ryoga desperately yelled into the skies. With an exhaustd breath Ryoga walked to the edge of the cliffs seeing the many pools of the cursed grounds of Jusenkyo.

A rustle of bushes caused Ryoga to turn to look as A Chinese guide emerged from them. "Ah sir, it not my fault! I try to warn you!" He was soon follwed by a huge panda with a sign in one claw and a make shift sling in the other.

#Get back here!#

Ryoga sidestepped the guide and was plastered by a flying sign. #No hot water huh!# Ryoga staggered and barely regained his balance as a red head ran aftr them, currently with her gi top without a belt. Her hand holding it closed but barely.

"Hey pop! Let him go! Gimme back my belt!" Ryoga froze and fell backward over the cliff.

"Ahhh-." ^Splash!^

+ +

Ranma studied the boy for a minute. "A red haied girl and a giant Panda?" Ranma thought a moment and sighed softly. "It must have been us. . ."

Ryoga looked to Ranma again as if for the first time seeing the red hair atop her head. Ranma stood softly and turned to the door, opening it in time to se his father/panda coming through the other side of the changing room. #Pardon me# he signed and walked out of the room.

Ryoga sat staring at the door Ranma had left. He shook his head and stood up walking out he remembered he didn't have any clothes. Sohis alternative was splash himself with cold water and make his way out. Of course he turned the wrong corner and he walked straight into Akane.

"Oh there you are!" Akane picked him up and cuddled the pig as she walked into her room as he feinted in herbosom.

+ * +

Ranma looked to his journal. His pen in his hand as he thought.

(Ryoga came by and he was sincerely mad. I can't believe he came all the way to china just for a bread feud. I dunno what made him come to Nerima, but trying to figure his ense of direction would be futile.

It seems that me and pop sorta is the cause of his new chip on his shoulder. Yeah he fell into a spring apparently and now he wants to get even. Akane has him now.. . .)

Ranma closed the book at the middle of his thught and stuffed it into its place under his pillow and laid down.

+ * +

Ranma looked forlornly at Akane the next morning. His head slightly damp from the kettle next to him as he watched the girl feed the little "p-chan" in her lap. (Great.. . One of y potential "fiancées" is treating a pig better than me.) Ranma shook his head and finished his breakfast.

"Here you go, Ranma." Kasumi handed him a lunch box. Ranma smiled his thanks and walked to the door where Nabiki was standing.

"Time for school Ranma." She guilelessly said before turning to the stairs "Come on Akane its time!" she yelled to get the youngest Tendo to the door. Her face set in a worry for time as the three ran to the school again.

Part 5:

Ranma walked off the school grounds stetching his arms over his head with Nabiki and Akane in tow. "Geeze, school can get boring."

"Well Saotome, its not like you've got much to go against, seeing as how you plan to be a martial artist." Nabiki smiled softly.

"Well, I uh. . ." Ranma traild off as they turned the corner of the street.

Nabiki let it pass and looked to Akane's moving bag. "Sis, what's with your bag?"

Akane turned red as she looked to the item in question and held it up. "I kinda brought a friend to school today." This cased Ranma to look back as Akane lifted up the bag and unbuckled the top letting a relieved pig snout out and taking a deep breath.

"You brought that pig with you to school?" Nabiki found it a little appalling to bring such a thing and lock him in the ba. "He must be hungry being cramped in a bag all day."

Akane looked down feeling guilty, but quickly looked to Ranma as he snatched the pig from her bag. "Hey! Leave him alone!"

Ranma flinched slightly under the tone and looked to Akane. "I'm gonna seeif he is ok." Ranma leapt from his spot onto the nearby fence and ran off. Akane sighed softly, not being able to be mad at Ranma too long seeing his flinch.

"Don't worry, I don't think Ranma will hurt him."

"I know, I just wish he would have asked fist." Akane and Nabiki walked down the street heading for home.

+ * +

Ranma quickly plunged Ryoga into the hot waters of the communal bath. His eyes looked to the lost boy with a question "What are you doing to Akane?"

"huh? Well, I. . ." Ryoga scoote back. "She picked me up and. . . You're not going to tell her, are you?"

"And why shouldn't I tell her? She's letting you sleep with her! That's not honest!" Ranma looked to the boy with rage.

Ryoga scooted away a second time and raised a hand. "I..I dunno.. Ranma.. Please just. . . let me tell her!"

Ranma relented a bit and nodded "Ok, Ryoga. . ." Ranma looked to the ground "I'll keep my mouth shut, but If you don't tell her soon, I'll tell her."

Ryoga gulped and nodded "I will.."

+ * +

Ranm looked up from his stance and sighed, "It was a long day. . . I needed that workout." Ranma's face beaded sweat from his forehead. His eyes darted to the door. "Nabiki?"

Nabiki stiffened at the door. "Ah, Yes, Ranma, its me."

"What are you doin here" Ranma looked to the floor "I mean in the dojo."

"Well, I decided to check up on you. Is that ok?"

Ranma watched Nabiki walk into the Dojo. He nodded "Sure, I don't see nothin wrong with that."

Nabiki nodded quietly before bowing to the shrine on te wall and looked to Ranma. "Oh, Akane wants to see you in a bit. To study for that test you guys have for tomorrow."

"Oh yeah the test." Ranma said forlornly. "Well I guess I'll go now and get as much studying as I can get."

Nabiki looked after the rtreating figure of Ranma before he disappeared from her view. She smirked softly before making her way to the house.

+ * +

Ranma looked forlornly ahead of him. His eyes focused and unfocused on the target before his vision.

"Come on, Ranma. It won't e that hard, I've seen you clobber bigger ones." Akane's voice drifted from the side.

"Easy for you to say, this one looks weirder than the other ones."

"Honestly, Ranma, its only geometry." Akane chided him softly.

Ranma looked to her in a gentle anoyance to the chiding. His eyes floated to the window and he shrugged defeatedly and resigned himself back to his work.

Akane watched him with a curious look on her face. She smiled inwardly as he finally picked up the pencil and began to work the probem.

+ * +

Ryoga looked to the mirror of the Tendo bathroom, his eyes were strained as he tried to summon the courage to tell Akane the truth. (What am I gonna do?! She'll kill me if Ranma tells her or worse hate me for life!) He bunted his head againstthe surface of the mirror. "Stupid.. Stupid.. stupid.."

"Who is stupid?" A voice floated over to him.

Ryoga spun to see Kasumi looking to the him with a questioning look. "I.. uh.." Ryoga could not make his mouth move under the pleasant aura of the oler sister to Akane. "Well.. that is."

"Did Ranma bring you over for dinner?" Kasumi asked with her usually pleasant manner.

"Uh.. yeah.." Ryoga thought aloud and Kasumi smiled before leaving. (She bought it! .. Phew..)

"One other thing, I think the ipe must be a bit clogged, I thought I heard the pipes banging." Kasumi's voice trailed off as she went to the kitchen.

+ * +

Ranma picked up his pen and his journal while he sat silently in his room his thoughts flooding through his mind as he walks trough the days events. (Well, I guess the day is through. There was this weird sick on the way home from school today. She talked funny, kinda reminds me of Kuno.) *Shiver* (She really liked dressing the part of a gymnast, but she was beating up on peoplethat were obviously not as good or prepared for her assault. I stopped her, and now she's sorta mad at me. .) Ranma sighed softly (Then as we were studying for math the girls I saved came and asked Akane to help them win the Gymnastics tournament, and getthis, it's a martial arts tournament!) Ranma looked to the pen in his hand before he finished. ( I don't know how well she will do in the gymnastics, but I hope she learns quickly, it starts next week.)

With that Ranma fell asleep, hiding his book unde his pillow.

+ * +

Ranma woke up early Saturday morning and went down to breakfast. His face was taught in a yawn that took up most of his facial features as he sat next to the table. A short black piglet, a.k.a. p-chan, a.k.a. Ryoga, sat and stared had into a wall. Ranma looked to the lost piglet. "Hey *P-chan*, What's the matter?"

The pig looked into the face of Ranma and he could see the fear apparently written on the face of a pig.

"Whoa, what's the big deal? Did you tell her or what?"

"Tell er what, Ranma?" Akane walked into the living room with a platter of steaming food ((Well as close to it as she can manage at this point)) and sat next to the pig.

Ranma froze as he saw her. A moment of shock really. As his nose hairs curled under the fmes of the platter. With a smile Akane looked to her unsuspecting victim in the eye. "Well are you going to try it or not?"

(Try.. it?) Ranma looked to the platter finally. His brain stopped seeing the charred remains of .. of.. something that could hav been edible at one point. "Ah.. what is it Akane?"

"It's scrambled eggs with vegetables and cheese." Akane said "I guess you never had them that way before, huh?"

Ranma nodded silently lying as to not hurt her feelings. "Right. . ." Ranma pushed a fok into the lighter colored areas and spoke aloud "So what about training for the match? Has the squad given you any of the supplies?"

"Yeah.. I thought I would try it after breakfast seeing as Dad, and Mr. Saotome left this morning for some odd reason."Akane looked to Ranma and saw the mixed emotions he was giving to the egg and phrased "Hey, maybe you can give me a few pointers."

"Sure." Ranma said taking a bite and choked it down "Lets start now!" He picked himself up and pulled Akane to the dojo, a Ryoga left for the bathroom.

+ * +

Ranma looked to the youngest Tendo in her yellow leotard and swallowed audibly. "Are you sure you need to wear that thing?"

"Yes, I have to get use to it you know?" Akane pulled at the fabric.

Ranma sat on one sid of the dojo as Akane picked up various items from the floor and began. Akane clumsily stumbled through the different exercises, her eyes flashed softly with irritation as she broke the hoop. "I can't get this right!" Akane huffed with anger as she lookedto Ranma with a slightly daring look. "Aren't you going to help me?"

"Well, Akane, I don't know nothing about this 'Gymnastics whatcha-ma-callit martial arts'." Ranma gave up and sighed "Sorry.."

Akane's anger dimmed at Ranma's dejected tone. "Its ok,Ranma, its not like you've heard of it till now."

"But I have." Ryoga pushed the door to the dojo with a smirk, his fang glinting in the light. "I can help you with the match Akane."

"Would you, Ryoga? That would be so helpful." Akane looked to him thn Ranma who looked to Ryoga.

"Since when did you learn this stuff?"

"I get around a lot." Ryoga rubbed the back of his head " And I picked up a few things here and there."

"I bet." Ranma nodded and sat back against the wall. "Whatcha waitin for? Tran her already."

"Right." Ryoga walked into the dojo.

+ * +

Nabiki looked to the dojo's closed doors from her spot in the living room of the house. She felt a twinge in her stomach and shook it off as she tapped her pencil on the table. "I hope my litle sister can do this." Nabiki looked to the wall of the garden then back to the dojo without much thought of the matter. "I also hope Ranma is ok in there. . ." Nabiki said softly almost inaudible."

"Something wrong, Nabiki?" Kasumi's voice startled he.

"Uh nothing why do you ask?"

"Well I came in to set the table for lunch and saw you looking out the window.. at the dojo?.. And thought there might be something on your mind, you have been acting a little strange lately." Kasumi placed a small tray n the table before her.

"Well. . . Nothing's wrong Kasumi, just worried about Akane with her little match next weekend and all."

"That's nice." Kasumi smiled and placed the mats and chopsticks on the table. "Please tell them in a little while that lunh will be ready, will you?"

"Sure thing, Oneechan." Nabiki nodded.

Kasumi looked to her sister with a smile of appreciation and a little small smile of knowledge as she walked into the kitchen once more.

+ * +

Akane massaged her muscles as she opend her door "Phew, 2 days already and my arm is sore from all those ribbon techniques." She sighed and sat on her bed running her hand through her long hair with a smile before lying back onto the bed. "Ah.. huh?"

Akane blinked as she saw a girl purched n her ceiling with a giant mallet. It took that moment for her to move out of the way as the leodarded girl plastered the pillow where Akane's head used to be.

"Who the heck are you?"

"I am the black Rose of Saint Hebereke." The girl charged Akane onl to be blocked by the girl and thrown across to the door where upon she leapt toward Akane. This time Akane grabbed her assailant by the hammer and rolled back tossing the Black rose out the window. "Ahh!" The girl screamed in surprise as she hit the koi ond.

Akane fingered a piece of glass and sighed. "So that's who attacked the others before the match! Oh! I'm not going to let her beat me *now*!" Akane clenched her fist and pulled her drapes closed before returning to her bed and lying down. "Humph!"

+ * +

Part 6

The Day of the tournament has come. Akane is definitely ready for this confrontation with the Black Haired Gymnast from the other night. Akane balled her fist in her hand.

"Ranma! Wake up, Ranma!" she called trough the door to Ranma's rom.

"Wha..?" Ranma opened the door with a drowsy face and yawned.

"It's the day of the fight, did you forget?"

Ranma felt something fall to the floor, his book, from his hand and he checked the clock. "Aw geeze!" Ranma hurriedly grabbed the book an closed the door. "I'll be out in a sec ok?" Ranma's voice was muffled through the door.

Akane looked to the door then to the floor (I wonder what that book was.. Certainly not a text book.) Akane shook her head and shrugged as she went down the hall.

* +

Ranma looked to the book in his hands and sighed "that was close." His eyes went to his closet and nodded as he placed the book under a pile of shirts as he got dressed. Dawning his red shirt and black pants Ranma walked to the door.

"I have thisfeeling I am forgetting something." Ranma shrugged and walked into the hallway.

+ * +

Ranma, Akane and Nabiki arrive at the Saint Hebereke School for girls' gym. Akane looks at the vast complex, while Ranma fiddles with his fingers. Nabiki just steppe forward and greeted the "black rose".

"Kodachi Kuno. . ."

(Kuno?) Ranma and Akane thought at the same time.

(That explains a lot.) Akane nodded to herself. I mean who else would be so obsessive with calling themselves "Black Rose" or "Blue thunder". Kodachi set her hand out to shake her opponents hand. Akane smirked to herself as she turned the hand of Kodachi's over revealing the thumbtacks between her fingers. "And what's this?"

"Oh, How on earth did those get there?" Kodachi sweetly replied.

+ * +

"Akane?" Ranma nervously asked through the door to the dressing room.

"Yeah, what is it Ranma?" Akane spoke back in the middle of stretching material over her.

"You sure you want me as your corner, I mean.. I didn't much help.." Ranma looked own.

"Why not Ranma? You will be able to think quickly if anything goes wrong. . . Not that it will. Besides, Ryoga has disappeared again and I need a corner."

"Ok Akane, I'll try." Ranma pushed off the wall he was leaning against and sighed as he waied for her to come out.

+ * +

Ranma walked with Akane to the ring Akane had on a nice dark blue leotard that made no one doubt her femininity. Ranma was a step behind her as Akane pulled her hair into a tight ponytail to keep it from her face. "I surehope she plays fair.." Ranma said as an after thought.

+ * +

Ranma stared at the book in front of him. His pen in his hand and the blank page with the date stared at him. The match went as well as it could with a biased ref and the tricks Kodachi playd.

(Man that girl is. . . treacherous. A simple fight as she pulls out the bombs, razor hoops, spike pins, and steep ribbon into the fray. And the fact that I had no idea about strategy.. didn't help.. she won though.) Ranma looked to his writing. Thins had changed since the first time he sat in this room with this pen and this book. His heart pounded slowly with a strong beat that made him realize that he had been there about 15 minutes without writing.

He slowly closed the book and looked to the oom. His eyes flowed over the small table and the closet. Other than the mats it seemed pretty barren, like he was going to leave it any time soon. (This room seems. . . empty.) He stood letting the book sit on his pillow and walked to the window. (The Tedos are real nice to me. . .) he placed his head against the cold glass. The cool evening chilled the air slightly.

He closed his eyes, his face warmed at the thought of the Tendos as friends. Soon though his thoughts turned inward. (Mother. . .) his mid raced to the first day away from the house. A hot beaded tear slid down his cheek. Soon followed by another, and another. Ranma choked back a sob, his uncontrollable fear and pain churned his stomach. With a thud he fell to his knees. His eyes never opeing as his familiar thoughts clouded his head. (Unwanted.. So unwanted. . . Not even mother wants you . . .) his hands covered his face. (She'll never want you like this. . . Cursed!) His eyes squeezed shut.

Ranma shivered slightly as the breeze flowed ver his tear-streaked cheeks. The world becoming clearer as the pits of his soul released him enough to feel the draft. With a dulled sensation he wiped the tears from his eyes and stopped as he looked at the back of his palm. Blood seeped from an opened ound at his knuckle. (How..?) his eyes fluttered to the breeze and noticed the hole in the glass of the window a droplet of blood clinging to the shard of glass.

"R-Ranma?" A voice trailed to him from his door. He froze.

With a slow turn his glistenedeyes turned to the door and with his good hand wiped the tears from his face to see the person who said his name. His blurred vision was no help as he ground his palm into an eye to clear them.

"Nabiki?" He said softly as she came into the room.

Nabik nodded quietly and stopped when she saw the blood on his hand "You're hurt.." She went to him and helped him to his feet. Not commenting on his blood shot eyes as she led him to the bathroom.

+ * +

Kasumi looked to the broken glass and the blood on th floor "Oh my. . ." her eyes pulled away from the blood and gathered the broom dust handle pale and rag from the hall closet. She had heard the noise and thought it might have been a stray baseball but the blood told her otherwise.

Her brows furrowed sftly as she cleaned the small mess. Her eyes then looked to the book on Ranma's pillow. With a love for novels She picked up the book and noticed the leaflet and pen fall to the floor. With a rhythmic motion she picked it up and looked at the doodles on te small sheet of paper. (Oh my Ranma's an artist. . .) She looked over the sketches: one of her, Nabiki, and Akane. She smiles in her own way and opened the book figuring it as a sketch book and placed the paper between the first page and the cover as shenoticed what it was.. his journal. (oh my. . . I shouldn't be looking at this.) Her thoughts were steady as she placed the book down. And left the room. Not without a furtive look back at the door before heading down the stairs though.

+ * +

"Now Ranma . ." Nabiki began to bandage Ranma's knuckles. "Would you like to talk about what's going on?"

Ranma looked to the Middle Tendo sister and "What do you mean?"

Nabiki sighed inwardly "This is the second time I found you in a very.. . vulnerable state."

Ranma looked down "Sorry. . ."

Nabiki looked to the martial artist and shook her head "Why not tell me what the problem is?"

"Its nothing Nabiki. . ." He looked into the incredulous face of the girl "I- er- look. . . I'd rather not talk about it." H said softly as the bandage was resumed.

Ranma looked to the Furo door as it opened revealing Akane with little more than the towel in her hand. Ranma blinked and looked down quickly.

Akane backed away from the door and slammed it shut causing the soud to vertebrate through the floor. Ranma winced at the sound. A heavy thud from behind the door was heard.

Nabiki rolled her eyes a bit then shook her head. Ranma looked to the ceiling then to Nabiki and Nabiki turned her head to Ranma again. . . They foze. . .

. . . Their noses were about an inch apart as they felt each others breath in the cool bathroom air. Nabiki thought she could see his blue eyes searching hers for a moment then they broke apart. Nabiki looked to the finished bandage first and odded to herself. "Ok Ranma. I'm not going to push you into telling what's going on in that head of yours right now."

Ranma nodded "Thanks."

"Get going so Akane can get dressed" Nabiki ushered him out and looked back to the door seeing the crack of th door open up. "You can come out now."

Akane opened the door and casually went to her stack of folded clothes and dressed. She was in thought as Nabiki said something. "Huh? What?"

"I said. Are you mad at him?"

"No. . . It was a mistake" Akane noddedto herself.

Nabiki blinked. (Akane actually accessing the situation before attacking?) That left her a bit unguarded as Akane looked to her.

"So oneechan, what happened?" Akane picked up the bandage and put it away in the medicine cabinet.

"He hurthis hand on the window."

"Oh." Akane looked thoughtful a moment. "Then why are you blushing?"

This statement made her aware of the burning in her cheeks, as they burned hotter by their recognition and shook her head and gathered some water. She splashd her face. "The blood, kind of made me uneasy." She looked to Akane.

Akane shook her head softly and turned to the door. "I'll go make sure he's alright." She smiled inwardly as she left her sister in the changing room.

Continued..

Unwanted

Part: 7

Ranma's eyes focused on the pen he had in his hand. Everything was different now. He had become good friends with Akane, and Nabiki; Kasumi was his motherly figure he never really had for a long, long time. He sighed inwardly. His mind was blank for sometime now. His day had gone fairly well, a B in math and so forth. He was jarred from his reverie when a knock came at the door.

Akane's voice came through the door "Hey Ranma you in there?"

"Yeah Akane, what is it?" Ranma walked to the door leaving hi book on the pillow with the pen tucked as a placeholder between the pages. He opened the door to Akane's smile and blinked.

"You want to come with me and Nabiki to the Ice-cream parlor?"

"uhh... Sure." Ranma nodded. "Let me get ready ok?" Akane nodde and walked down the hall. he quickly put the journal away and headed down to meet Akane and Nabiki at the Tori.

+ * +

Ranma sat in the booth across the two Tendo sisters happily gobbling away at the Ice-cream Sunday. "Tell me again why you are eating hat as a girl?"

"Because guys don't eat this kinda stuff." Ranma said with a stuffed face.

"Says who?" Akane looked At ranma incredulously.

"Uhmmm.." Ranma's ears perked as the television announcer spoke.

"We're here in Joketsuzoku China. Where thre is an actual Amazon Tribe, living amoungst the mountains of china... Hey what the heck is that!?!"

The wall the monitor was mounted on exploded inward. The customers quickly vacated the dust cloud filled business.

Akane and Nabiki were the only one still in their seats as the dust settled around them. Ranma was huddles under the table as a high pitched and cute voice came through the hole in the wall.

"Ranma I kill you!"

+ * +

Ranma sat at the family table in the Tendo dojo and sighed to himsef. (Oh boy she's here. . .) His thoughts were tracing back to the days of cat and mouse in China. (I thought we lost her when we went across the sea of japan.. I guess she is smarter that she sounds.)

"Nihao!" The familiar ring of feminine voice trailedinto the living room. As the door was opened the lavender haired girl found it odd that a boy was cowering under the table along with the panda owned by a certain pigtailed girl.

"Where Ranma?" She looked to Kasumi and Kasumi smiled softly and pointed t Ranma under the table.

"There."

Ranma cringed at the sweet innocent remarks of the eldest tendo girl. Ranma suddenly found himself in sitting position and the Girl rubbing her hands over his chest "Ranma?"

"Uh... Yeah?"

"You no girl, Shampoo lookfor girl type Ranma, Not boy type Ranma!" Shampoo shouted to the stunned boy "Where she?"

"Uh.. no where around here.. right now.."

"You no hide girl type Ranma, Shampoo kill!"

Ranma gulped inwardly.

Akane and Nabiki took this poinent pause to wal into the room. "You!" Akane stomped her foot "What Are YOU doing here!"

"Shampoo looking for girl type Ranma, You friend of Ranma, You no hide her from Shampoo!" Shampoo stood up and produced two large orbs of steel on the end of sticks (Bon bori).

Rnma stood up from his position. "now wait a minute, don't go around trying to hurt no one ok?"

"Boy type Ranma stand in Shampoo way?" Shampoo turned to the boy. "Obstacles are for killing, and Akane is obstacle, hiding girl type Ranma!" She without a seond thought turned and swung at Akane with her bonbori outstreched, but as it decended the shaft was broken by a swift kick just below the metal ball. Forced the attack to halt and the ball to fall ontop of the lavendered head of the amazon.

"Aw geeze!" Ranma backed up.

"Now this has gotten even more mixed up." Nabiki walked to the unconcious Shampoo.

Ranma was in the middle of back-peddling as Kasumi came in with the tea tray. "Oh hi Ranma-kun, Your father brought home a guest. Oh my what happened o her?"

"I didn't beat her again if that's what you mean."

The amazon slowly stood and shrugged off the offending ball of steel and looked around with a searching eye. Her eye settled onto Ranma and she stood. "Boy type Ranma. . ."

"Uhmm it was a mitake!"

"Now she'll try to kill both of them. . ." Akane spoke with Nabiki in the back ground.

"Ahhh! No No It's a big misunderstanding!" Ranma back-peddles into the wall as she closed the gap. His eyes clenched shut as he could feel the eminent doom hat the air around him and felt the girls arms rap around him and she gently kissed his lips. "Huh?"

"Wo ai ni.." the purple haired girl said.

"You I love?" Nabiki spoke aloud and Ranma feinted. Nabiki looked to the Amazon smothered Ranma on the floor."Hmmph!"

Akane looked bedraggled as Soun burst in "What's all the ruckus?"

Kasumi tried her hand at the explanation "I don't know all the details but. . . Well, Ranma and his father has brought over a girlfriend from china-"

"WhAT!" Soun yelled out s his face became red.

"Geeze sis, its not that bad, daddy." Nabiki said as Genma was pressed into the wall. "She is here to kill Ranma."

"Oh that's different, then." Soun said offhandedly. All but Kasumi, Ranma and Shampoo face-faulted.

+ * +

Ranm awoke with a jabbing to his ribs. His eyes opened to see Akane's face looking down at him "Come on Ranma, we need to talk." Akane spoke to him with an urgent tone.

"Wha?" Ranma croaked outand realized a mass of warmth on his arm. His eyes looked and wih dismay he saw the amazon clutching it with a loving grip. "Aw man whats goin on?" Ranma's brain muttled (Shampoo's hugging me like. . .) Ranma's eyes fluttered and he was poked again. "Ow!"

Akanes eyes made him flinch and she softened the look "Ranma lease tell her to stop."

"Shampoo, w-will you stop p-please?" Ranma pleaded to the lavender hair. She released his appendage a minute later.

"Wode airen. . ."

"My Husband?" Nabiki intergected

"huh?" Ranma looked wide eyed at the middle Tendo.

Nbiki shook her head breifly "We need to have a meeting, Ranma-kun." Her eyes motioned to the livingroom table where all were sitting.

"Right.." Ranma took his place next to Akane and Shampoo sat with him. "So, what exactly is going on here?"

"That is hat we'd like to know son." Soun looked to the young Saotome.

Ranma looked stupified at the people around the table. And then to shampoo as she pulled out a book from her ample cleavage. Ranma's eyes almost popped out before he jerked his gaze to the boks title.

"Book of Amazon Laws." Soun read aloud. Shampoo passed it to the elder tendo and he began to read it.

"Whats it say tendo?" Genma now human asked his friend.

"You know I can't read Chinese." Souns replied sending the book to the table were Nabiki took a look at the book.

"lets see. . . Ah yes. If an amazon Female loses to an outsider femal she was give the kiss of death and persue the outsider until she has killed the offender. . . If the outsider is male she must then marry him to bing honor to the village."

"I didn't know you could read Chinese Nabiki." Ranma looked ot her amazed.

"I can't." Nabiki put the book down as the others almost face faulted "its written in Japanese down here."

"And I missed that Completely?" Soun ooked bedraggled. Shampoo merely smiled and grabbed onto Ranma.

"Come-on Shampoo stop it!" Ranma looked helpless at the amazon.

+ * +

Ranma sat in the bath of the tendo household. At least he got some privacy in there. (Man that Shampoo. I don't uderstand her at all. Her Laws and junk. . .) Ranma's eyes drifted closed as his mind summoned a memory of running through the town Chine, he could not remember the name if he was told what it was.

++

"Tell me again how this happened?" Ranma asked theguide who looked at the young female Ranma. "why does she want to kill me?" Ranma's words were wavering from the emotion of someone wanting to end his life.

"Well sirs. . . Amazon's very honorable, they see you as threat, sir." The guide gave his usual response.

"Growf!" Genma pulled the trio under a parasol as Shampoo bounded over them.

++

Continued .

Part 8

Ranma awoke to a commotion from outside the hall. He looked to the clock on the small table and sighed. "Its 4:30 in the morning what ould that be?" His eyes wandered to the dozing Panda and with a dismissed wave stood up. With slitted eyes he journeyed to the door in the half-lit room. His hand went to the door as it opened. "Shampoo?"

"Aya! Husband wake? Is too too early no?" Her fae was lit up with a beaming smile that was just too cheerful at this time of the morning.

"Yes.. What are you doing here?" Ranma spoke softly.

"I come and sleep with Husband."

Ranma's eyes turned to saucers as he realized her simple remark she meantwith him. "Uh.. Look that's not a good Idea." His eyes went to hers as her smile weakened.

"Husband no like Shampoo?" She said softly.

"It's not that!" Ranma hastily replied and Shampoo stepped forward with a leisurely step.

"Then what then?"

"It' just not right ok, Shampoo? Lets get everything straightened out fir-" She kissed him, full on the mouth and was that tongue he felt?

Ranma's body fell limp onto the floor as the amazon looked to him. (He re-acts like Mousse sometime.)

+*+

The next orning he found himself awoken by a series of urging nudges. It was Nabiki. His mind cleared as he noticed that he was still next to his door. Nabiki was not a morning person, with her hair all sticking into a multitude of disarray. His initial shock was n his face and Nabiki pulled back.

"Ah!" his chest heaved the awkward position of his form left him heavy chested.

"Nice to see you too, Ranma-kun." Her voice was soft. "What happened?"

"Oh no it wasn't you I.." Ranma said and thought.

Ranma loked around the room and shook his head "I had a visit from Shampoo earlier."

Nabiki's cool façade twitched slightly. "Shampoo. . .Was here?" Her voice trailed as the purple haired amazon stepped through the window. "Is here."

Ranma looked to the diretion Nabiki was looking and stood up. He saw that she wasn't wearing much and looked to the floor. "You're still here?"

"Shampoo get shampoo for hair. Husband sleep in door way I no disturb happy sleep." Her cheerful voice made the two at the door to asently check their teeth for new cavities.

Ranma sighed, "I'm going to go see if Kasumi will need any help with breakfast." He turned, "See you later Nabiki."

Nabiki watched Ranma shuffle into the hallway and then looked to the Amazon. Her face was caculated and cool, the look on Shampoo's face was similar.

+*+

"Ranma Prepare yourself!" Genma used this as an alert as he threw his fist at Ranma's head. Ranma looked to Genma as he back peddled across the yard of the Tendo residence.

"You're gettin slow pop!" He goaded the elder Saotome.

"I'll show you who's slow!" Genma said as he leapt and anticipated Ranma's dodge. Ranma sidestepped and ducked under the flying foot of his father. Ranma blinked as he ran into the waiting arms of his father and as thrown into the pond.

"Husband?" Shampoo stepped from the house just in time to see Ranma-chan emerging from the water. "Girl type Ranma, You I kill!"

Ranma blinked and instinctively pulled her head back as the metallic gleam of the polished surfae of Shampoo's saber came to bare just inches from her nose. Ranma Barely had time to flip from the pond as Shampoo twisted her wrist for a second swipe at Ranma's read headed neck.

Shampoo missed the look of down cast emotion on Ranma, but Nabiki nor Aane didn't. Akane ground her teeth and Nabiki sighed inwardly as Ranma-chan ran from the amazon.

+*+

Ranma made it into class just as the tardy bell rang. He took a deep sigh and sat at his desk. "So got away huh?" Akane looked to him.

"Just barely, hope I lost her back there." Ranma looked out the windows "Don't want to make things worse in school."

Akane nodded and looked back to the head of the class where the teacher was eyeing the two chatters before he continued the lesson.

+*+

Nabiki metthe two for lunch in the cafeteria. "Hello you two." Nabiki sat silently across them. "Glad you could make it to class today."

"Funny Nabiki, do you have a way to reverse this yet?"

"No, sorry, I looked at that book back and forth, unless you find a fghter that is stronger than her and is female her ties to you are going to stick , unless of course you were already married, but you weren't."

Ranma sighed tiredly "Great news." Sarcasm filled breath.

"Well at least she isn't bothering you here." Akae said "and that's-"

Akane was abruptly stopped by a crashing noise outside of the building, which was soon followed by another and another that seemed to be getting closer. "why does that not make me have a warm and fuzzy feeling?" Nabiki spoke out as he room shook now with the oncoming explosions.

With a dust cloud the flanking wall, near Ranma, burst inward. His instincts brought him to his feet as the familiar sound of a mandarin greeting came from the gaping hole "Nihao!"

"Aw geeze!"

"Haven'tyou ever heard of doors?" Akane spat out.

"Doors too much time, Shampoo bring too too delicious pork for Ranma."

Ranma leaned back as the amazon presented a silver domed serving platter and opened the contents to reveal a platter of what looked like abroiled black piglet. Ranma's eyes got big and he snatched it up from the platter and began to start reviving it. "Ryoga! Come-on man. . . snap out of it."

The little black piglet squealed and ran off away from the amazon and the school. Ranma looked puzled as the piglet left the scene in post haste (Maybe it wasn't him?). then his eyes looked to the amazon "Look shampoo you can't just barge into school like that."

+*+

Ranma sat in the Tendo dojo looking at his meal. His mind raced on the amazon and te amount of affection she showed him. He cast his eyes aside remembering the hatred she showed when he was a she.

Akane and Nabiki watched Ranma with interest as his body showed his thoughts and as though they could read his mind they felt sorry for him The two looked to each other as they noticed each of their looks.

"Ranma, Shampoo here to see you!" The Amazon burst in through the hallway wall and produced a small package, containing edible stuffs, if one were to open it.

"Can't you use a door?" Nbiki said off-handedly.

Ranma looked to the amazon with trepidation. He slowly stood up as shampoo closed in on him. Shampoo grinned felinely and placed the box on the table, ready to pounce her mouse if he tried to run. Which of course he did "Uhmm Shapoo what's that look on your face?" She sprang.

Ranma leaped back as she landed where he was. "Ranma no like Shampoo?" Shampoo said and smiled.

"It's not that. . ." Ranma walked into the back garden of the Tendo residence. His emotions tugged at him, she likes me but she wants to kill me. . .)

Shampoo lunged forward into Ranma who ducked away with a ghostly speed. "What wrong then?"

"Shampoo." Ranma began, his lips dried slowly. (This is going to be messy. . . But I can't go on like this, next tie she might actually manage to hit me with that sword.)

Shampoo stood in the light of the dojo, her hair wisping in the wind as a look of confusion was on her face. Nabiki and Akane stood at the near by doorway, waiting.

"Look, I gotta tell you somethng, now, before it's too late." Ranma picked up a bucket on the ground and stepped to the koi pond. Shampoo tilted her head slightly and brushed an arrant lock of hair from her face. "You see I. . ." Ranma scooped up a helping of water and dumped it over er head. (That should be it. . .)

Shampoo stood aghast, her eyes blinked a few times as she whispered "Girl-type-Ranma." She cringed inwardly at this revelation. She felt the tears burn her eyes, (All this time and I never knew. I am so dumb, it's not fir, I love him.) "HiYA! I KILL YOU!"

Ranma stumbled back in surprise. "Wha!" (Not according to plan!) She dodged the amazon's attacks until she caught a stone on her heel. With a cry of startlization Ranma-chan fell into her back. Shampoo raised her blae to strike Ranma down. Ranma closed her eyes and waited for the impact. She heard her heart pounding in her ears as she sat there.

Nothing. She felt nothing as the moments passed. She slowly got the courage to open her eyes and saw a hand on Shampoo's houlder. Shampoo was crying as she stood there, her sword raised high. The anger and betrayal she felt was evident and also the confusion, the confusion of Ranma.

Ranma looked to the owner of the hand and it was Nabiki. Nabiki had an unusual mask of conern on her face as she held the amazon back. Not a forceful holds just a hand on the shoulder. Shampoo's own reluctance in the final blow helped the hold. Ranma stood up and looked into Shampoo's watery eyes.

"Bie-ra. . . Ranma" Shampoo turned to the fa wall and leaped from view.

Ranma looked back to Nabiki and saw that she too watched the amazon leave. When she looked to him he caught an unguarded look of relief. For the briefest second he could see her care for him in her eyes.

She hugged him then He hugged back; their hug was one of two people finding a branch in the midst of a stream. It was a tale of things to come and a song of two people finding something to truly live for.

The End. . .

Author's notes:

I hope you enjoyed this piece of Rana Fanfiction as I did writing it. It was a rough start but I managed to complete it. Well as you can see I used the first season of the videos to convey my views, since I haven't truly read through the manga's I felt that the videos would suffice. This wa something originally planned for a single one piece with just the first part, but I got so many requests to continue it I did. Heck this was just the first season, who knows I might start on the second.

Thanks to those that send me encouraging emails tocontinue. And to those that filled out my guest book. I really appreciated it.

To further add to the story and why I chose things the way I did, you may want to read my paper on Nabiki Tendo on my page. There is my own personal analysis of the middle Teno daughter.

And if you are asking your self "Why is Akane being like that? She apologized?!?" I have to say this: I in no way tried to change her character from the norm, I chose things in such matters as to how she treats Ryoga, she truly doesn't want o be mean its just that she has a bit of a temper and a quick tongue same as Ranma in the original Cannon. Thus is why they are so violent to each other.

There I have said my piece, and thanks for listening.

Comments and Criticism are welcomed at: Knighdrg1@aol.com

Richard Marshall (DK)