Chapter 2


"Auntie Noduka! I'm so glad you're here," Kasumi said over her shoulder while leading the Saotome matriarch into the dining room.

"Hi Auntie!" Akane said sitting down and reaching for her bowl, she started filling her plate before the human garbage disposals know as the Saotome's noticed that the food was quickly disappearing before breaking from their usual morning food fight. For some odd reason, Akane felt unusually hungry, more so than normal. She felt that she could eat the same amount of food Ranma usually ate.

Faster than anyone would have thought possible, Akane selected a bowl of rice, two fish and a bowl of miso soup. Akane started doing her impression of a human vacuum cleaner. This caused everyone to stop what they were doing and glance in her direction. "Mmmph, wha?" Akane mumbled around a mouthful of food as she glanced around the table.

"Hey Akane? Didn't you eat lunch?" Ranma asked her as he punched Genma into the wall as he tried to snatch Ranma's rice bowl.

"Yeah Akane, are you feeling alright?" Nabiki asked her while she eyed her little sister pack away all that food faster than Ranma usually ate his breakfast.

"Mmmphfine!" Akane replied while she continued to stuff her mouth with rice while watching TV. Every few minutes she absently reached out her chopsticks towards another bowl of food to bring to her plate.

"Oh my, Akane must really be hungry. Look everyone, she finished the huge bowl of beef Yaki Udon for us," Kasumi said with a smile on her face as she pointed out that everything on the table had disappeared.

"ACK! Akane why'd ya go a finish all the food for? I'm still hungry!" Ranma complained to his fiancée, guarding his plate before she decided to take anymore off of his. Akane had stolen a few things off of Ranma's plate without realizing it.

Akane burped quietly then smiled her cutest smile at Ranma. The one that always made him back down and feel guilty and said, "But Ranma, I was so hungry. I didn't eat lunch because there were no more leftovers.

"Oh, I left a plate out for you Akane. Didn't you see it?" Kasumi asked her as she started cleaning up the dishes.

"No. There were no plates of food out anywhere, Kasumi," Akane replied, stretching her arms over her head to relieve the tension from her back. As she stretched, Ranma's eyes almost popped out of his head because while she did this, it thrust out her less than ample chest, making look like she had more than usual.

Blushing, Ranma glanced away quickly before anyone noticed that he was looking, especially Akane. "If Akane had noticed me looking at her, she'd more than likely punt me into the koi pond and accuse me of being a pervert," he thought to himself.

Akane noticed Ranma's father trying to sneak out of the room. He looked very guilty all of a sudden. Apparently Ranma noticed as well. Akane watched as he kicked Genma into a wall while yelling, "Pop! You're the one that ate Akane's lunch!"

I was hungry, boy! Genma growled before he continued, Besides, it was just sitting there and no one was touching it!

"Man, I can't believe you, Pop! You never bothered to ask who it was for did ya?" Ranma balled his hand into a fist before punching his father on the head and muttering loudly, "Stupid old man."

"Ranma, I'm sure your father didn't know that it was left for Akane. After all, I didn't put a note on it like I usually do," Kasumi said as she leaned down to pick up another empty bowl.

Kasumi glanced up and giggled at what she saw. Ranma was too busy yelling at Mr. Saotome to notice Akane stealthily reaching out her chopsticks to snatched the last of his fish right off of Ranma's plate.

"Yeah, I guess so, but he should have asked anyway!" Ranma replied while glaring one last time at his father before sitting down again and absently shoveling more food into his mouth. After two bites he glanced down at his plate, Hey! Where's my fish! he yelled before glaring at his father. Ranma growled, Didja take my fish, Pops?

Kasumi tried to hold it in, but she couldn't and clutching her stomach she burst out laughing,

"What's so funny Kasumi?" Ranma asked curiously.

"You should have seen your face Ranma, when you noticed that your fish had disappeared," Kasumi replied, giggling between every other word.

"I know, Pop took it," Ranma replied while eyeing her as if there was something wrong.

"No. Your father didn't take the fish. Akane did while you were distracted. You didn't see it on her because she hid it behind her back...and when you glanced at your plate....Akane quickly ate it," Kasumi said then grinned when she saw Ranma's jaw drop open in surprise.

Recovering quickly, Ranma snapped his mouth closed and started muttering Stupid panda!stupid tomboy Ranma sulked and glared at them.

Akane glared back at Ranma and asked, What was that! I didn't hear you, Ranma! Would you care to repeat that!

Ranma noticed Akane's stormy expression and stamered,

"Akane, Ranma.now is not the time to argue. Ranma, you apologize to your fiancée right now!" Noduka growled as she glared at her son

Ranma grumbled for a second before he sighed,

Smiling in satisfaction, Noduka turned her gaze towards Soun to see if he was ready to begin. Soun nodded in her direction so she cleared her throat and began. "You are probably wondering why I'm here today. So I will explain. Today is the day that we are celebrating the birth of Ranma and Akane to our clans." Noduka said before turning her attention to her son and his fiancée. "Ranma, Akane? I would like to congratulate you on your birthdays...which is today.

Thanks, Mom! Ranma smiled.

Yeah! Thanks Auntie! We weren't expecting any type of celebration, Akane replied at the same time as Ranma.

"Have you experience anything unusual in the past few days?" Noduka asked curiously.

"No mom, not that I'm aware of. Although, Akane's been eating a lot more than she usually does," Ranma said thoughtfully.

"Are you saying that I'm FAT!"" Akane yelled, raising her fist to pound him.

I didn't say that....why do ya gotta keep jumpin to conclusions! Ranma yelled as he scooted backwards a few inches incase he had to make a fast exit.

Noduka ignored the bickering from her son and future daughter-in-law to comment, "Our families are very special in the fact that when a select few of our children turn seventeen...their true gifts emerge. The selected few are marked by a very special symbol."

Kasumi asked as she too ignored the argument between Ranma and Akane.

Yes, Kasumi, Noduka replied as she placed the book down next to her.

What do these marks look like? Kasumi asked as she started serving the rice.

Well, they look like half of a yin yang symbol, Noduka replied.

How do you know that, Auntie? Nabiki asked between bites of food.

It's on the inside cover of our ancestral book, Noduka replied, smiling.

What ancestral book and where is it? Ranma asked curiously.

We used to have it but...I'm not sure where it is now, Noduka replied sadly.

Well that's nice to know what they look like, but I'm not so sure I want to be one of those heroes, Akane muttered. While talking to Noduka, she reached for more rice, six portions of sushi, three octopus puffs, two pork buns and a cup of tea.

Ranma watched her from out of the corner of his eye, his cheek muscle twitching, while trying not to be too obvious about protecting his bowl. Every time her chopsticks came towards his bowl, he quickly grabbed a different plate and placed it in their path. So far she had managed to grab two pork buns from his plate. Now on any given day this would be deemed as normal if it was Ranma reaching for the food, but today it seemed that this mornings breakfast hadn't put a dent in her increased appetite. Akane! Watch what you're doing will ya! Ranma muttered loudly as her chopsticks came towards his bowl one more time.

Akane finally turned around and noticed his hunched over position. "Ranma what are you doing?

What does it look like Akane? he replied as he straightened to a sitting position and proceeded to eat his food.

Umm, it looked like you were guarding your food, but no one is stealing it, Akane said glancing around the table and taking note of everyone's shocked expressions. What? Why is everyone staring at me?

Akane dear you were the one taking Ranma's food. He tried to keep you from taking it all, but you were too fast. Every time you reached towards this end of the table, Ranma tried to put another dish in front of your chopsticks. It was all my son could do to try to intercept you. Look, Noduka said while pointing towards Akane's plate.

Yeah Akane, you should have seen Ranma's expression as he tried to guard his bowl from you. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen! Nabiki said, leaning over the table and laughing so hard that tears were running down her face.

Akane mumbled, glancing down and noticing that she had more food on her plate than she could eat in a week. Blinking several times, Akane tried to figure out why she had taken that much food when her stomach started rumbling. Akane's eyes glazed over as the scent of the food reached her nose. Akane mumbled, turning her attention back to the heaping mound of food and started eating like it was her last meal. Everyone slowly started inching away from the table while taking their plates and bowls with them. Ranma was too busy trying to out pace Akane in her eating habits to notice the amount of food he was putting away was twice the amount that he normally ate. Glancing over towards Akane, he noticed that she had grabbed everything off of the table and was now, reaching towards his plate. Hey! Cut that out Akane, or you'll never catch a husband with manners like that!


Ranma realized about two seconds too late that this was not one of the smartest things he could have said when Akane suddenly grabbed the book next to her and lifted it over her head screaming,

Now wait a minute Akane.that didn't come out right! he stammered while making pain warding gestures with his hands.


Just as Akane was about to hit him she experienced a sharp burning sensation on the inside of her upper shoulder. she cried out and clutching the spot she sank to her knees in pain and the book held close to her stomach, forgotten.

Akane, What's the matter? Noduka asked, concern for the youngest Tendo clearly visible.

Waaaaa! My baby is hurt, Soun started sniffling before turning his attention towards Ranma. Just as the Tendo patriarch was about to yell at Ranma, Akane moaned in pain once more.

Ooh! It hurts! Akane cried, clutching her shoulder harder as if to make it go away. Akane rolled into a ball while moaning, Feels like my shoulder is on fire! Suddenly, light started pulsing from between her fingertips and with each pulse, Akane moaned louder until Ranma couldn't stand it any longer.

Ranma called as he quickly crawled over to her side. Reaching out, he pulled her hand away from her shoulder and gasped, there on her shoulder was the yin half of the yin-yang symbol.

Oh, my! Kasumi exclaimed as she saw the glowing mark on Akane's shoulder.

What the hell! Ranma yelled when he saw it. He couldn't believe his eyes so he reached out his hand and touched it. Suddenly, Ranma cried out and toppled to the floor clutching his own shoulder. The pain he felt was an intense burning sensation that increased each time the light pulsed. Mimicking Akane's actions, he hissed as another wave hit and curled into a ball.


"Ranma!" Noduka gasped, crawling closer towards her son she hesantly reached out a hand and touched his shoulder. Gasping, she quickly pulled it away, Ranma's shoulder felt seringly hot to the touch and she wondered why it hadn't burned his t-shirt.


"I'm ok, mom," Ranma gasped out.

Slowly, the pain faded and Akane uncurled her body to lay gasping on the floor. Moving gingerly, Akane tested her shoulder to see if there was any risidual pain. Nothing. Sitting up, Akane didn't notice when the book fell to the floor with a soft thud. "Great!" she muttered before touching it with a finger tip, there was no pain so she quickly turned her attention towards Ranma and saw that he was just recovering as well. "What the hell happened!" Akane yelled while pointing towards her shoulder and then Ranma's.

"I don't know," Soun replied gazing towards Noduka and Genma. Each of them shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders, completely baffled.

Ranma sat up, glancing at his shoulder he saw half of the yin-yang symboy on his shoulder. "This is just Great! What the hell is this!" he growled while poking it gingerly. Recognizing it for waht it was, he glanced back and forth between his and Akane's symbols and sighed. "Apparenly," he muttered. "I just got the yang symbol that symbolizes male while Akane has the female half, yin....but why?"

When Noduka glanced towards her son and then Akane, she spotted a book lying next to the youngest Tendo daughter. "Akane, please let me see the book that's lying next to you," Noduka said, holding out her hand expectantly.

Akane handed Noduka the book. "I found this in the attic, but I couldn't get it open. I saw both of our family crests on it and I'm very curious as to what's in it," Akane said.

"Hmm, I wonder," Noduka said, absently fingering the necklace hidden ny the folds of her komono. Reaching into her kimono, she pulled out a key. Quickly, she inserted it into the lock and turned it, she was rewarded with a *snick* the lock fell away and Noduka opened the cover to the first page. "This is the book of our family history. It tells about a great evil that once roamed this earth. It will come again. It contains a prophecy of two saviors that will appear within our family lines, each with a mark hidden on their bodies. That mark appears on their seventeenth birthdays, Noduka said seriously as she ran her gaze from her son to his fiancée.


We leave immediately for our ancestral estate, Soun said firmly.

What ancestral estate? Akane said with a puzzled expression on her face.

Yeah, what do ya mean by that? Ranma asked curiously.

It would be best boy that we don't say where it's located. Just in case someone is listening, Genma said as he stood up and walked out of the room.

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