Prologue:

Ranma sighed, "The stars sure are bright tonight."

Happosai nodded from his spot next to the youth, "Maybe you will get to see them up close and personal someday."

Ranma smiled sadly, "I would like that."

Happosai sighed, "Listen…"

Ranma turned her sad eyes to him, "No, gramps. I am sorry I messed up."

Happosai shook his head, "You couldn't have known what would happen."

Ranma glared at him, "But despite your perverseness you don't do anything without a reason."

Happosai sighed again, "Listen, Ranma, I have lived a long time, but you are my only student who has always managed to either beat me or royally mess up my plans. Please don't let this break your spirit."

Ranma shook her head, her dual toned red and pinkish-white hair dancing about her in the breeze, "There are worse things that I could be stuck as."

Happosai grinned, "That is certainly true, but that isn't what I was referring to. You possess an inner fire that has burned from the moment I met you, even shortly after your birth you were a determined youngling."

Ranma raised her eyebrow at him, "I can't remember past the neko-ken."

Happosai sighed, "I still have to punish Genma for damaging my heir like that. Though it seems this new form has eliminated your fear."

Ranma sighed, "There is that, but my physical strength is through the roof now, without enhancing myself with ki I can smash boulders with a half-hearted punch. Not to mention my ki reserves now dwarf even the likes of Herb. I can't risk hurting people gramps, but my entire life is just one big fight for survival. Heck, if I wasn't basically invulnerable now my own mom would be having me commit seppuku because I can no longer fulfill my 'manly duties' to Akane."

Happosai hmmed, "That kind of talk right there is what I was talking about. I tell you what, we will go on an extended training trip away from here. You will use the time to figure out what it is you want to do, and I will train you in every last technique of the anything goes school."

Ranma glared at the diminutive pervert sitting on the roof with her, "Why would you do that for me?"

Happosai smirked, "You are my heir, and it is now very unlikely that you will regain what was lost. I won't be having my heir trying to kill herself in grief."

Ranma smiled at him, but before she could express her gratitude another wizened old voice spoke up from behind them, "Is there room for one more on this training trip of yours."

Ranma whirled around in astonishment, and Happosai smiled at the newcomer, "I was wondering how long it would take you to show up, Cologne-chan."

Cologne shrugged, and then carefully looked over Ranma, "When I heard what happened with the Jusenkyo cask and Ranma at the failed wedding, I couldn't just stay away."

Ranma stood up to her height, which was now a little taller than her former male form, "What are you doing here? Where are Shampoo and Mousse?"

Cologne held up her hands in the universal sign of peace, "Easy there, young-one. I am not here to cause harm."

Ranma looked between the two elders suspiciously, "Than what are you here for."

Happosai smiled at the twinkle in Cologne's eyes, "I am going to train you in the Amazon Techniques and in how to be a woman."

Ranma glared at her, "I ain't becoming no girly-girl and why would you share your secrets with me."

Cologne raised a wizened eyebrow, "Do you take me and Shampoo for girly-girls?"

Ranma winced, "Errrrr…"

Cologne smirked, "How about Ukyo and Akane? Do they seem like girly-girls to you?"

Ranma sighed, "No…"

Cologne sighed at the tears now leaking from the girl's eyes; she hopped up on her cane and wiped the tears away with a gentle thumb, "Betrayal is always hard to get over, young one."

Ranma almost whimpered, "The 'cure' was sent to me, and she conspired with the fathers to keep it away from me."

Cologne nodded, "I know, but all anyone can do is move forward. As for why I am offering to train you? You bring life and excitement to these old bones of mine. There is also the small matter of my village's laws."

Ranma blinked her sparkling blue eyes still slightly red from the impromptu cry, "What about them?"

Cologne sighed as she got down from her cane and sat on the roof of the Tendo Dojo, "With you being fully girl now, the kiss of death goes back into effect for Shampoo."

Ranma's eyes widened in astonishment, "So shouldn't you be helping her and not me like usual?"

Cologne shook her head, "I haven't been able to seriously train with that girl since she came to Japan the second time. I also don't help her as much as you seem to think. If she comes across some trinket she thinks will help her get you, that is up to her. I just have fun watching the chaos unfold. I have known since the cat's tongue that she would never be able to corral our resident wild horse. She isn't stupid, but as seems to be the case with you youngsters, she has become rather single-minded in her pursuit of you to the exclusion of all else."

Ranma snorted, "I am not single minded."

Cologne smirked as Happosai piped up, "You are when it comes to your pursuit of betterment in the art."

Ranma whined, "That is different."

Cologne shook her head with a chuckle, "Not by much, at least your pursuit is admirable and usually straightforward and honest, but before I continue to explain myself, why are you studying the art?"

Ranma tilted her head in confusion, "To be better at it and to protect people."

Cologne nodded sagely, "Those are good goals, but if they are your goals then we have much to do to break you of the habits ingrained into you by your father and this city. As for where I was going in my explanation, Shampoo didn't have to give you the kiss of death that day. There is another option she could have gone with, but my great grand-daughter is unfortunately hot-headed and prideful because she was the best of her age group in the village. She could have given you the hand of sisterhood."

Ranma raised her eyebrow, "Hand of sisterhood?"

Cologne nodded, "And that is the hand I now extend to you, it will make you an Amazon if you decide to take it."

Ranma gave her a half-lidded stare, "Would I have to follow those stupid kissing laws?"

Cologne shook her head with a chuckle, "It is optional for any amazon to perform the kisses. Shampoo is just a hothead."

Ranma growled her hand clenching and glowing slightly, "So you are telling me that Shampoo didn't have to do all that she has done?"

Cologne shook her head again, "No, I in fact tried to advise her in the art of husband catching, but she thinks herself to know more than me. The thing with the kisses though is that they are honor promises, so if Shampoo ever returned to the village with anything less than your head or your hand in marriage then she would be disgraced. She does genuinely like you, though even I have a hard time figuring out whether she wants to just hop in bed with you or actually start and keep a family with you."

Happosai smirked, "You do remember how we used to be, don't you Cologne?"

Cologne actually blushed slightly, "You be quiet Happy."

Ranma smirked at their interaction, "Do I need to give you two room?"

Cologne glared at her, "No you do not. Anyways, if you accept the hand of sister-hood then you will be my new heir, I am tired of trying to coral that girl and her admirer. It is my hope that, while we are gone, they will figure out their differences and learn how to be mature and responsible."

Ranma's eyes widened, "You would deny Shampoo her right of being your heir?"

Cologne nodded, "I have told her before that if she didn't get her act together then there would be consequences, and these are those consequences. Because I am an elder, my hand of sisterhood supersedes her kisses, and in the eyes of the Amazon's you become part of my family. Do you accept this gift I am giving to you?"

Ranma turned to the stars in thought for about a minute, then she got on her knees and reached down to the diminutive elder's outstretched hand and pulled her into a hug, tears of happiness leaking from her eyes, "I accept, elder."

Cologne sighed as she wrapped her hands around the young girls neck, "Then welcome to the family, young one."

Happosai smiled as he placed a hand on Ranma's back, "Let's get you packed. I doubt people will be happy when they find you gone in the morning."

Ranma looked at him in surprise, "You want to leave now?"

Happosai nodded, "A clean break is what you need, Ranma. So hurry up and let's go."

Ranma smiled at both of them, "Thank you, thank you both."

They watched as she leapt down to her room and vanished from sight, Happosai shook his head in fond amusement, "Getting a thank you out of her used to be like pulling teeth out of a dragon."

Cologne nodded, "This change is good for her. Having this happen has already broken down a few of the macho walls she put up."

Happosai grinned at Cologne, "You mean like the ones you used to have."

Cologne growled at her fellow elder, "Shut it, Happy."