Chapter 1

Ten years later

"It'll bring in the money we need…" Soun Tendo whispered in a low voice. They once lived in a grand mansion, but now, they hardly had enough money to eat.

"But father," Kasumi said in a concerned voice "Akane's not a piece of property you can sell. Besides she'll never agree." Kasumi remembered that the few men who had proposed to her youngest sister had been rejected right off the bat. She was still waiting for Ranma…

"I know Kasumi, but…" Soun looked away, shame in his eyes.

Kasumi gasped "Father! Please tell me you didn't already agree!" Kasumi's eyes were focused on her father's face.

He gave a sigh "No Kasumi, I didn't agree but…" He trailed off his eyes staring at something far away.

"Father…" Kasumi prompted.

"Ranma's ship crashed the same day it set sail…no survivors were found…" Soun could still remember the tall lanky boy that ran into him on the way to his old home. He'd been distraught as he told Soun of the ship and the crew's fate. "I couldn't bear to tell you all that Ranma was dead."

Kasumi's hand was over her mouth and tears filled her eyes. "But…but…" Kasumi stammered. No sentence could form pass the lump in her throat and the block in her brain.

"Even if he was picked up it would have been by pirates," Soun paused "and I'm not sure what's worse. Ranma killed in an accident or picked up and slain by pirates."

Kasumi stood, tears rolling down her face. "This will kill Akane… She lost him once; she won't survive losing him again."

"I know Kasumi, but…" Soun looked away, his eyes filled with tears. "but…this man is a lord and will take care of her, and the dowry money I get from him for Akane will make it to where I can feed and find husbands for you and Nabiki. I don't like using Akane like this but if the outcome is the best then…"

"I understand father." Kasumi said on a shaky breath "would you like me to bring Akane in?" Kasumi held her breath.

"No, dear, I'll go find her." Soun stood and placed a hand on his eldest daughter's shoulder. He smiled weakly and turned to leave.

"She's out in the garden!" Kasumi called before racing off to the room she shared with Nabiki.

As Soun walked down the halls of his small house he chewed on the ends of his mustache. He remembered how Akane had cried for two days straight after Ranma had left. She'd sobbed and whimpered, wanting him to be home. His daughter's heart had broken that day; she'd pieced it back together with hopes and dreams. How could he destroy that? How could he run his daughter's fantasy world? Soun looked out at the garden with steely determination. She can't live in a fantasy world forever.

Soun walked and stood directly behind his daughter. Her blue-black hair was short and served as a deterrent for most males, and a reminder of how she looked when Ranma left. She was curvier now, not that anyone could tell from the deep blue nun like dress. Other than her face and hands, you couldn't see an inch of skin. Her face was very expressive, but her eyes never showed and emotion…Soun knew that was a lie. Her eyes showed one expression, pain. His daughter was in constant pain.

That was what made men want her. To them she was a hurt creature that needed to be comforted, if only they knew the truth.

Soun tapped Akane's shoulder and the girl slowly looked up at her father. "Hi, daddy." She said softly.

The moment those big, brown, pained eyes set on him he felt his resolve waver. How could he add to that? He swallowed. "Akane, I need to talk to you…" It took all his strength and resolve not to start blubbering. He swallowed again. "It's about Ranma…"

Akane's Face lit up with joy, even her eyes brightened…then she saw the look on her father's face. The joy she felt disappeared. Something's not right. Daddy looks kinda of sad… One and only one thought came to her mind. Tears filled her eyes. NO! No! No! No! He can't be… He isn't… "Daddy…" She whimpered.

"I'm sorry, baby girl, Ranma's dead." As soon as the words left her father's lips Akane blacked out.

The next few days the Tendos felt like they were living with a zombie. Akane was lifeless. She hadn't cried or even passed out, her face and eyes became devoid of emotion and she had continued staring at the flowers. She ate and slept, but never uttered a word. They couldn't burry Ranma and they didn't want Akane buried in an unmarked grave. Both Kasumi and Nabiki tried to get her to talk, but Akane's suborn nature refused to let her be coerced into conversation. Soun just watched.

On the fifth day of Akane's zombie like behavior Soun pulled her aside.

"Akane, I know you don't want to but…" Soun swallowed and starred Akane in the eyes. "you have to move on. Staying here sulking isn't going to bring him back. You've lost ten years of your life waiting for him." He laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure he'd understand if you moved on. You know Ranma would want you to have a life…"

"I know daddy, but…" Her words cut off. She remembered Ranma sneaking into her room the night before he left. "If I don't come back, I don't want you to waste your life on a memory…" She looked down. Alright Ranma, if only to keep that promise. She looked up at her father. His long black hair was streaked with grey; he was far too young to have grey hair. "alright, daddy, did you have someone in mind?"

Soun looked away. "Yes…"

He didn't elaborate and Akane didn't care. "Okay daddy."

One of her father's eyebrows arched. "You're agreeing to marry him?"

"Yes…" Akane stated flatly.

Soun nodded and lead his daughter back inside wondering what his daughter was planning on the poor man.

Just off the coast a red head with blue grey eyes smiled into the sunset. "Fate works in odd ways." She whispered as she tossed her pigtail over her left shoulder. If the damn thing kept hitting her in the face she was going to cut it off. I wonder if she remembers. The girl thought idly as a duck, wearing a pair of glasses, with a letter tied to its leg flew onto the deck. The girl grinned and spent the next ten minutes chasing the damn bird. Once she caught it she tied it to the mast. She read the letter and smiled all the while. "Shampoo!" The girl called.

A pretty purple haired girl raced out from bellow deck and stood in front of the red head. "Shampoo here!" The girl said holding the two large mace like objects to her side.

"Change Moose back, I'm leaving for a bit, so tell Ucchan that she's acting captain till I get back." The red head slipped below deck with a smile on her face.

*I just wanted to make a comment about the unmarked grave. In old world England if a person committed suicide all their possessions were taken and their body was buried in an unmarked grave and no prayers were offered. Their soul was left to wander earth.*