Chap 1

Darkness. 'Where am I?'

'How did I get here?' just when he asked that question suddenly scenes flashed before his eyes. 'Hey I know this. I remember.'

Ranma was shown random scenes that happened to him. The first scene was when he learned his first martial arts kata. Genma was there patiently showing him how to do it. 'Man, pops was very patient back then. I wonder what turned him into a baka?'

'Now I remember.' the dreaded cat fist training flashed quickly before him.

The first time he beheld Jusenkyo was later shown. He felt pain and anger build up inside him when he saw Jusenkyo. 'If only pops never took me to that accursed place then things would be different. Akane and me would've gotten along better. Meeting like we did kinda ruin everything.' he paused. 'Akane..'

Then he remembered everything. 'Oh Akane.. I'm soo sorry I failed you. Please give me another chance..'

He started wailing loudly and then screamed. 'AKANE!..'

--

'Ranma what's wrong?'

He looked up and saw his mother's face full of concern. 'Akane, she's dead. I couldn't save her.'

'There, there now. You're just having a nightmare.' she tried soothing him. 'Akane's not dead. I'm sure she's fine.'

Ranma wasn't paying attention. He was overwhelmed with self-contempt and hate. But then suddenly his mother's words registered in his mind. 'Akane's not dead?' he asked softly but with a hint of hope.

Ranma looked around and made a quick survey of his current location. He was in a room. His room in his mother's house to be in fact but slightly different. For one thing he was on a bed, he didn't have one he usually sleeps in a futon.

'Of course. She's not dead. You told me you talked to her yesterday.'

'How? But in china. At Jusenkyo she wasn't breathing and.. And I checked her pulse.'

'China? Jusenkyo? What are you talking about? You've never been to china.'

'Huh? You know, the guys and me went over there to save Jusenkyo and somehow Akane got kidnapped and I tried to save her. Didn't pop told you anything?'

Now his mother was really concern. 'Ranma, your father has been missing for years now.'

'What?!'

'I don't know about this china nonsense. You got home yesterday badly bruised. You were beaten up badly by those awful kendo goons of Kuno because you talked to Akane at lunch.'

'I got beaten up? By Kuno? What are you talking about?'

'They really hurt you badly. I must have a word with that principal of yours. How could he tolerate this kind of behaviour in his school?'

Ranma's mind was in a buzz. 'What's going on?' he thought.

'Mom, can you tell me what happen yesterday? I kinda forgot.'

Nodoka looked at him worried. 'Oh no. They must have hit your head too hard. You might have amnesia. We better get you to a doctor.'

'It's ok mom. I just want to know exactly what happen.'

'Ok. Yesterday you approached Akane and tried to congratulate her on how well she took care of the hentai horde that's been hounding her for a week now. Anyhow, someone informed Kuno that you tried to talk to Akane and so he sent his goons to beat you up for breaking his stupid rule that none can date Akane unless you beat her.'

'But that doesn't explain why I got beaten up. I mean a couple of kendoists can't be that too tough to handle. I mean I could take them on my sleep.'

'But Ranma you don't know any martial arts?'

'What do you mean I don't know martial arts? I am the best of my generation!'

'Son, when your father left. You had no one to teach you martial arts. I even visited dojos and tried to enrol you but they won't teach you.'

'They won't teach me? Why?'

'Strange, they all had the same reason and that was they won't teach a son of a pervert. I never did understood what they meant.'

It took a few minutes before everything his mother said slowly starting to sink in.

'Umm. I need to be alone now. Thanks mom I feel much better now so no need to worry.' he lied. 'I need to be alone to think things through and have better grip of my present situation.' he thought to himself.

'Are you sure?' Ranma simply nodded. 'Fine. But better get ready you have school today.'

Nodoka quietly left the room leaving Ranma alone with his thoughts. Everything is so strange to him. From what his mother told him, he doesn't know martial arts and his pop is missing and Kuno can beat him and Akane is still alive. The lost thought brought a smile to his face. 'Akane is alive and that's all that matters.'

He chuckled and slowly he began laughing. 'Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!' he was chanting between laughs.