I don't own Ranma ½ or any of the characters. I only own this story and the characters not in the anime or manga.

Back in the future, everyone was having their own problems. The kids had been gone for a week and there was still no way to bring them back. Cologne had arrived from China and had spent all of her time looking for a way to bring the children back with the help of her great-granddaughter and Mousse.

Akane and Ranma had looked through some of the old books lying around the dojo, but still found nothing. Kasumi, Nabiki, Genma, Soun, and even Dr. Tofu were helping the martial arts couple try and find anything that could be useful in bringing back Ranko, Akio, Ryo, and Conditioner to the present.

Even with everyone working together, it was still no good. Some, like Ryoga and Ukyo, had begun to wonder if the kids would ever come back. It took all of the master chef martial artist and her husband's strength just to keep eating and maintaining the restaurant.

Ai had had enough of watching her parents and the rest of her family wallowing around, acting like the world was about to end. She missed her brother and the other too, but she wasn't going to take it sitting down. She was going to find a way to bring back her brother and his friends even if she had to walk to the edge of Japan to do so.

Ai waited outside of her family's restaurant. She had thrown on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt instead of her normal cooking uniform because she was going into town. Now all Ai needed to do to get going was for Tatewaki to arrive. The young chef had invited the boy to go with her to the library to help her look for any books that would have been useful. Ai had convinced herself she had only invited Tatewaki so she could find the information she needed faster, but part of her didn't believe that.

Before she had any time to think about it, Tatewaki came running down the street, dressed in normal clothes. Tatewaki stopped running when he was at the entrance to the Okonomiyaki Ucchan's restaurant.

"Sorry I took so long Ai. My father wouldn't let me go until I finished my kendo lesson. I rushed over here as soon as I could. Now why do you want us to go to the library?" asked Tatewaki.

Ai felt she could trust Tatewaki with the truth, so she told him.

"Look, my brother and his friends really aren't at a martial arts tournament in America. This might sound farfetched, but they really are lost somewhere in the space time continuum. To make a long story short, Ranko, Akio, Ryo, and Conditioner were in the park with this old book about forbidden martial arts techniques. They used this techniques called the Time Dance and are now lost somewhere in time. You can call me crazy and leave if you want, but I'm going to the library to try and find something that could help bring my brother and his friends back to this time. I could really use your help to try and find some valid information." explained Ai.

Ai had expected Tatewaki to either be laughing at her or calling her crazy or both. But he did none of that. In fact, from what Ai could tell, Tatewaki looked like he actually believed her crazy story.

"Alright, then let's go to the library. I'm sure we can find something to help your brother and his friends. Don't worry Ai. I'm sure we'll find some way to help them. I promise." honestly said Tatewaki.

Ai was surprised by what Tatewaki had just said. Never before had Ai ever seen Tatewaki act this way. It was almost like he was a different person than the boy who had been stalking her for two weeks before Ryo and the others disappeared. Perhaps there was more to Tatewaki Kuno Junior than he was willing to let on?

The two teenagers began the long walk to the local library. Neither of them talked as they walked towards their destination. As they walked, Ai couldn't help but stair at Tatewaki from the corner of her eye.

"It's hard to believe I'm actually spending time with Tatewaki of my own free will. But he seems a lot different than when he was stalking me all those weeks ago. Maybe the whole stalking and flirting thing was just an act, or this whole nice routine could just be an act for me not to think he is a stalking flirt. I don't know what to think anymore. The next thing I know someone's going to tell me my parents and their friends can change into animals or something. I really hate how complicated my life is becoming." thought Ai.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, an extremely short, bald man, dressed in a brown gi, bounded towards Ai. Ai recognised the man in an instant. It was Happosai, the old pervert who hit on any and every hot young girl he saw.

Ai was getting ready to defend herself from the old pervert, when Tatewaki stepped in front of her. Tatewaki took on his stance and waited for the moment to strike. When Happosai was in the right position, Tatewaki sprung forward and struck a powerful kick to Happosai's abdomen.

Happosai got up from the ground. The old pervert martial artist looked at the young man who had kept him away from Ai Hibiki.

"Hey kid. What's the big idea?" complained Happosai.

Tatewaki frowned and glared at the extremely short old man.

"I'm not going to let you near Ai. Everyone at school knows who you are and how you are around teenage girls. I won't let you do that to Ai or any other girl." swore Tatewaki.

Happosai got a better look at the teenage boy in front of him. Instantly, Happosai recognised the teenager.

"You're that boy that's been keeping me out of the girls' locker room. Now that I know who you are, this just became personal. Prepare to defend yourself." declared Happosai.

Happosai lunged at the teenage male martial artist. Tatewaki didn't move. He waited until Happosai was right in front of him, and he striked. Tatewaki repeatedly punched Happosai in the same place five times. Happosai fell to the ground immobilised.

Ai was completely speechless. Never before had she seen Tatewaki fight so well. Normally, when she saw Tatewaki fight, he would be beaten up or lose his footing, but he had done neither of that.

Tatewaki turned to Ai. He could tell by the look on Ai's face that she was confused.

"I'm not as bad a fighter as I look. I can handle myself pretty well, I just don't compare to your brother and his friends. No matter how much training I do I can never catch up to them." confessed Tatewaki.

Ai thought about it and realised she had only ever seen Tatewaki get beaten up or lose his footing when he was fighting against Ryo, Akio, Ranko, or Conditioner. The few times Tatewaki had fought someone else, that Ai had seen, he had always beaten his opponent. Come to think of it, Tatewaki was more skilled at fighting and martial arts than Ai first suspected and he seemed a whole lot nicer than he let on.

"Is what Happosai said true? Do you really try to keep him out of the girls' locker room?" wondered Ai.

Tatewaki nervously squeezed his arm. He looked down at the ground, trying to hide the blush growing on his face.

"I do try to keep that old pervert away from the girls' locker room, but I don't do it all that often. We better get going. He'll only be paralyzed like that for a few more minutes. And I don't think we want to be around when he can move again." nervously responded Tatewaki.

Ai and Tatewaki quickly left the paralyzed Happosai in their tracks. The two teenagers continued to make their way to the library. When they reached the library, Ai and Tatewaki split up and looked through all the books to try and find a way to bring Ryo, Conditioner, Akio, and Ranko back from the past.

Even after two hours, the two had still found nothing. Ai was about ready to give up, when Tatewaki found something.

"Ai come over here. I think I might have found something that could help us." called out Tatewaki.

A few people shushed Tatewaki to be quiet. Tatewaki sheepishly grinned and apologised for his outburst. He quickly made his way to Ai's side, trying his best not to disturb anyone else.

"What did you find?" wondered Ai.

"This might not be important, but you might want to see this." began Tatewaki.

Tatewaki handed Ai the book he had found. Ai looked at the book. The book looked old and worn out, but also somewhat familiar.

"I think I might have seen this book before. I just can't remember where I have seen it." said Ai.

"Look who the book was donated by. I think things will start to make a lot more sense once you see it." insisted Tatewaki.

Ai opened the book and looked at the name of the one who had donated in to the library. She couldn't believe it. Ai recognised the name of the person who had donated the book and knew who it was.

"Conditioner donated this book. And from the looks of it, this might be one of her great-great-grandmother's old books that Cologne left in Japan. I remember Ryo telling me something about a book donation that was going on a few months ago. And I recall Conditioner asking her parents if she could donate some of her great-great-grandmother's old books. I remember her asking Mousse and Shampoo if she could donate some of the books because I was at the Cat cafe helping her and the others gather books to donate to the library. If this is one of Cologne's old books, then this might be able to help us. Thank you, Tatewaki. You're a life saver." exclaimed Ai.

Ai gave Tatewaki a hug. Both teenagers were caught off guard by what Ai had just done. Ai quickly let go of Tatewaki and turned away from him, a red blush growing on her face.

"We better go check out this book. Thanks again for the help. I don't know if I could have found this book without you here." nervously thanked Ai.

Now a red blush was beginning to bloom on Tatewaki's face. He nervously turned away from Ai, but still looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"It was no big deal. I was happy to help." replied Tatewaki.

Tatewaki looked at the nearest clock and realised what time it was.

"I better get going. My father will be wondering where I am soon. Goodbye Ai. It was nice spending a little time with you." stiffly said Tatewaki.

Ai could sense the pain and sadness in Tatewaki's voice. It was just then that Ai realised she felt sorry for Tatewaki. He didn't have a mother, his father was never around, and he had absolutely no friends. Perhaps Tatewaki didn't stalk her, Conditioner, and Ranko because he was a flirt, or get into fights with Akio and Ryo because he wanted to prove how superior he was, maybe he did those things because they were the only ones willing to pay any attention to Tatewaki at all.

"Tatewaki, wait." unconsciously said Ai.

Tatewaki stopped and looked back at Ai.

"I was hoping we could hang out again sometime, you know as friends." told Ai.

Tatewaki's face instantly light up.

"Sure Ai. I'd like that." honestly replied Tatewaki.

"Then why don't you come by the restaurant tomorrow after you're done training? We could go see a movie or something. I'm pretty sure Cologne is going to take a bit of time to find whatever she needs to bring Ryo and the others back from the past. It shouldn't hurt if we spend a bit of time together before them." suggested Ai.

Tatewaki smiled and nodded.

"I'll see you then. Goodbye Ai." happily said Tatewaki.

"Goodbye Tatewaki. See you tomorrow." replied Ai.

Tatewaki left the library, a large smile upon his face. Ai checked out the book and ran to the Cat Cafe. Hopefully, the book would bring everyone one step closer to bringing the children back from the past.

Sorry about the late update. Comment if you like the story.