Ranma was dreaming, he dreamt that he was five years old again only he had a family that loved him, a mother who didn't care for a stupid contract and just wanted her child, a father who was honourable and loving, let his son do what he wanted to do and only taught him the art as a hobby. However, when Ranma looked at their faces they were not that of Genma and Nodoka, the woman had long brown hair and cyan blue eyes and wore a blue kimono, the father had a head full of black hair, and wasn't obese but rather muscular and looked like he put the effort to keep himself in shape, he didn't wear glasses and brown eyes and no facial hair to speak of.

They were in a small cabin in the woods, it was raining outside but none of them cared for it, the room was lit with candle light, they may not have been rich but they were happy, when the door was swung open and lightning struck the ground revealing the intruder to be a man in his late twenties, he was overweight not yet obese and wore a bandana and a mask to hide his face he then pulled out a gun and shot them with a silver bullet each that he had borrowed from a man he met in the urban jungle areas of Japan, he then ran to the child and knocked it out with the handle on the gun before hitting several pressure points on his body and forcing a mushroom down his throat. The man then took the child that was now that of a new born baby and headed home where he would show his wife the baby he had 'found' lying in the street.

Ranma woke up and bolted upright, sweat sliding down his cheek from his forehead before dripping off his chin 'that dream again, what does it mean?' Ranma thought to himself not even daring to imagine that his dream was his past. He looked outside to see the sun rising and so decided he might as well get up now before he was soaked either by Akane or the sleeping panda. He headed down stairs once he was dressed in his usual Chinese attire, his dream haunting his thoughts, normally he would forget about it as soon as he woke up as it would have faded into another dream if not a nightmare.

Ranma heard the sound of pots and pans in the kitchen and was surprised to find Kasumi already up, making breakfast and ready to start her day, Ranma knew she got up early but just how early did she get up Ranma had even began to doubt she even went to sleep since she would be cleaning well into the night after whatever that days chaos had brought here and then would be up early getting cleaned and dressed before starting breakfast.

Kasumi hadn't noticed Ranma's presence and was still making breakfast "You want some help?" Ranma asked hoping he could help with something for once before whatever deity made his life miserable and filled with chaos noticed he was awake.

"No that's okay Ranma I'm fine why don't you just relax or practise or something" Kasumi responded in her usual sweet tone.

"No it's not okay Kasumi me and Genma have been freeloading off you and your family for nearly two years now and all we've done is attract more chaos and make things harder for you so please let me help you just once" Ranma pleaded.

Kasumi was shocked by Ranma's words, she knew he was smarter than he would let on, that he noticed things others didn't but she didn't know he had noticed the obvious, not even Nabiki had, Kasumi did pick up on the fact Ranma had called Mr Saotome by his first name instead of pop but decided not to comment, thinking it was best to not tempt the chaos.

"Okay Ranma why don't you cut some vegetables" Kasumi said, glad that someone would help her in the kitchen and not destroy it and the food, but she knew it wouldn't last.

An Hour Later…

Everyone else was up and were surprised to see that Ranma didn't need to be woken up in the cruel manner he normally would. Ranma stayed silent throughout dinner, trying to work out what his dream meant, he knew it meant something as he'd been having it all his life, though sometimes it would fade into the Neko-ken nightmare. Genma noticed 'his son' was in deep thought and began to worry that whatever he was so focused on could distract him from the art and from working towards his retirement.

"What's on your mind boy?" Genma asked as he tried to steal a pickle from Ranma's plate only to have it stopped by Ranma as he acted on pure instinct.

"Just a dream I've been having for a long time" Ranma replied as he ate the pickle Genma had been aiming for.

"Oh, what kind of dream?" Nabiki asked, looking for a way to 'earn' some money.

"Pervert" Akane responded in spite.

"Shut up Akane I aint in the mood for you today…" Ranma responded with a glare before proceeding to tell the others of his dream, hoping Nabiki may have some insight to what it might mean, it was then he noticed Genma stiffen and sweat as he finished talking.

"What do you know Panda boy?" Ranma asked as his voice filled with anger and impatience.

'Don't look at me I'm just a cute panda' Genma's sign read as he slipped on his panda mask, Ranma then gripped his GI growling in the process and lifted him off the ground.

"Just tell me" Ranma yelled in a gruff voice before letting out a roar of anger, that sounded like that of a tiger, Ranma then froze and dropped Genma and felt his throat before catching sight of his hand, his blunt nail had become long, sharp, black claws, he then looked at Genma, who had dropped his mask.

"What's happening to me?" Ranma asked, getting slightly scared.

Everyone turned to look at Genma with questioning looks and Genma knew he wasn't going to get out of this with the panda act (like that ever worked).

"The truth is…I tried to defend you son…but you were cursed…by none other than the dreaded…Seaweed Chicken Fairy" Genma announced before both he and Soun had a weeping competition. The three Tendo girls dead panned and sweat dropped, however, the excuse only caused Ranma's anger to rise he then gripped Genma's neck stopping his tears before slamming him on the floor, his head going through the floor boards.

"Tell the truth before I tare you limb from limb…or better yet invite mom to stay for a bit" Ranma replied as his voice became mockingly sweet for the last part.

"You wouldn't dare" Genma replied as he stiffened and began to sweat.

"Oh wouldn't I?" Ranma asked as reached for Nabiki's mobile, that had been on the table and began to dial in the numbers and Genma instantly forgot Ranma didn't know Nodoka's number and spilled the beans.

"Okay I'll talk…you're not really…my…son…you belonged to a family of monsters that lived in a cabin in the forest…I liberated you from them" Genma replied shaking with fear, Ranma froze.

"You killed them" Ranma stated his voice barely a whisper.

A/N Please don't flame me, this is just an idea I had hope you like it, this won't be a Ranma Kasumi fic.