Nvus blushes at all the wonderful reviews. "Awww...You guys..." Nvus' head swells two times its natural size. Sorry about taking so long to post this chapter, I've been busy.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to Ranma 1/2.

Chapter 6

Akane checked over the grocery list for the hundredth time, as she walk along the road leading to the Amazon village. "Hmm...fish, eels, squid, bread, and Kasumi gave me some extra money for clothes and stuff that I may need when I go on that trip with Cane." She shuddered. "I can't believe I have to go on a training trip alone with that...that...uncivilized brute." She pushed that thought out of her head it was too depressing to even think about.

As she approached the village, she could hear the sounds of the people yelling, and scurrying about. She froze. It was at that precise moment that she remember the fact that she couldn't speak two words in Mandarin, while that's all these people spoke...She shrugged it off, there has to be someone who can speak Japanese. She went into the village.

When she began walking past the merchants' she realized something strange was happening. Everyone no matter what they were doing, stopped everything to bow and wave at her. 'Wow,' she thought 'a person could get used to this.'

She walked over to a display that had beautiful hand made pottery. One in particular caught her eye. On it was a battle scene, a bloody one, several bodies were drawn expertly around the base of the vase. Only one figure was standing, with a staff raised above their head that was streaming off green lightening. On closer inspection Akane realized it was supposed to be Cane, but that was not what caught her eye. The staff in her hands, with the funny designs was the same one Cane described in her story. 'That doesn't make sense. The scary guy in the story said no one but himself could touch it.' She shook her head. 'I must be mistaken.'

The old women who made the pottery suddenly came out and began speaking rapidly.

"I'm sorry," said Akane. "I have no idea what you're saying."

The women refuse to back down and now she was bowing rapidly along with what ever it is she was trying to say.

Akane began to get flustered. "I'm not Cane!"

The women ignored that as well.

Akane reached into her pocket to pull out the money, not knowing how much the vase was worth she held out the full amount to the women.

The women just shook her head thrusting the money back at Akane.

Akane realized that she must want her vase back, but the women wouldn't let her put it down. Akane was now close to tears, not knowing what the women wanted. "I don't understand!" she said desperately.

"She wants to give it as a gift to Kasumi, apparently Dr. Tofu saved her daughter's life."

Akane gasped and looked behind her. It was Mousse! She'd never been so happy to see a familiar face in her life, even if he was talking to a statue of Buddha. "Tell her ,thank you, and that I'll make sure Kasumi gets it."

Mousse relayed the massage.

The women cried with happiness, as she returned to her seat.

Akane grinned at Mousse. "So...you haven't changed much."

He blushed. "Come on, I'll help you with the rest of your shopping."

"Thanks."

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Ranma walked up to the door and knocked quietly upon it. "Akane-chan, its Ranma." He knew that she should be asleep, but he could hear her crying downstairs. Everything had seemed fine at dinner. She had been an endless bundle of energy, talking excitedly to Nabiki, who in return, blatantly ignored her.

The little girl from behind the door sniffled a couple of times before she invited him in. "Hi." She murmured sadly as he walked in and shut the door behind himself.

"Hey," He said gently. "What's wrong?"

She threw herself on the bed with renewed sobs. "This isn't my room!" She cried. "Everything's weird!"

"Of course, this is your room." Said Ranma. "Didn't you see the ducky on the door with your name on it?"

"But I don't have a ducky I have a kitty!" she wailed. "I want my Mommy!"

Sighing Ranma leaped onto the bed and sat beside the distraught little girl. "Your Mommy's not here, remember? She went on a trip to Australia."

"That's a lie! My Mom hates to travel that's why we didn't go to China like Dad wanted." She gripped his arm urgently. "Please, tell me the truth." She turned and pointed to the dresser. "Why do I have high school trophies?!"

Ranma gulped. 'Maybe she's not so dumb after all.' He pulled her into his lap. "I'll tell you the truth, but you're not going to believe it."

"I don't care." she muttered stubbornly.

Ranma sat back and rested his head against the head board. "Well, it all started this morning, while on the way to school..."

************************

Cane sat contently on a boulder and laid her feet on a foot rest, sighing with supreme happiness, she crossed her arms behind her head looking very much like the cat that ate the canary. "Mmmmm...What a lovely afternoon this turned out to be. The birds are singing, the sky is blue, the sun warm...*sigh* What do you think?" She didn't get an answer to her question, so in irritation, she ground her heal into her soft foot rest.

It groaned. The foot rest formally know as Shinosuke nodded. "Pretty..." he wheezed.

Ryoga groaned as he regained conscience. "Wha'ca hit me for?"

Cane shrugged. "You brought him. So your responsible for dick weeds actions." Getting up she reached down and dragged Shinnosuke up by the back of his shirt. She stared him in the eye. "Besides, I doubt you even remember what happened between us."

Shinnosuke turned bright red as he sweat dropped. "Who are you again?"

Cane nodded. "Yeah, its better that way." She let go of him and he fell to the ground. She walked a few paces towards the forest. "Follow me guys I'll get us home."

Ryoga got up and quickly caught up with her. "So how's 'Nawa, has he been behaving himself...?"

The two walked ahead leaving Shinosuke to follow behind. The forgetful boy stared hard at Akane's back. 'I don't know who you think you are now, Akane, but you're not the girl I fell in love with. But it doesn't matter. I'll find that girl again...she's inside you somewhere...' His mind drifted to the day Akane came to him crying, upset because it was her first Christmas away from her family, and she made a vow not to return until she was a true martial arts master. On her back was a statue of Ranma, which she took with her wherever she went. She had needed comfort, and he gave it to her. Even if she regretted her actions later, she belongs to him, and he won't give up until she's his again.

Cane and Ryoga walked along grinning and laughing like old friends. She pointedly ignored the jerk lagging behind them. As far as she was concerned. When she had needed help and was emotionally distraught, he had taken advantage of her. Of that, she'll never forgive him. No matter how hard Ryoga tried to get them together. "Hey, Ryoga..."

"Yeah?"

"Why is it that all married people won't rest until their single friends are hitched?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Uh...misery loves company?"

She laughed. "Thought so."

He smiled. "Now that you mention it," He gestured at Shinnosuke who was slowly catching up. "Did you know, Shinnosuke is still single? He's not a half bad martial artist either. Eh? " Ryoga nudged her with his elbow.

She groaned. "Can't you just give it a rest? I love Ranma!"

"Ranma is a statue, and you and I both know there is no cure for his...condition. Besides, If I recall correctly you once told Shinnosuke that you could learn to love him, remember?"

"O.k., that was when I thought he was going to die. I was trying to be nice, besides that was before..." she was suddenly quiet.

"Before what?" Said Ryoga.

She turned her face from him. "None of your business."

He sighed. "Why must you be so difficult." He reach out and grasped her arm, stopping her. "I care for you, and I won't rest until your happy again."

"I am happy, you sentimental fool." she said affectionately. "I'm an accomplished martial artist, I have lots of friends and family who love me, I'm constantly surrounded by rugrats who idolize me, I'm the leader of the Amazons, for crying out loud! What makes you think I'm unhappy?"

"You cry at night when you think no one can hear you, Kasumi says its because of your broken heart. What do you think of that?"

"What I think, is that Kasumi talks to much and is just as bad as you are. My life is my business!"

They two just stood there glaring at each other when Shinnosuke joined them. "Are we there yet?"

Neither answered.

Shinnosuke raised his eyebrows. "O.k. then. Pretend I'm not here."

Cane eyes drifted from Ryoga to Shinnosuke. "Um...How's your back?" She said. 'I'll try, Ryoga, That's all I can do is...try.'

Shinnosuke blushed. "Its good."

She nodded at him.

He nodded back.

In a way, they had reached a silent agreement and the three began to walk together. It wasn't long, though, before Ryoga and Cane got in a fight at a fork in the road. Both decided that they knew the best way to go, while Shinnosuke, for the life of him, couldn't remember who Ryoga was...

*************************

Akane fingered the silk Chinese outfit she was wearing. "Wow, Mousse, this outfits absolutely gorgeous!"

The half blind martial artist blushed. "Didn't I say my sister was the best in the biz'?"

She grinned up at him. "I don't know how to thank you enough for all your help today. I would've been totally lost."

He shrugged. "Nah, Even if I hadn't come along, I know you would've figured out what to do eventually."

The two walked on in companionable silence. Only to speak briefly to each other about the weather and other asinine topics. It wasn't until they were about half way to Cane's, that Akane spotted a part of the woods she recognized. She turned and gripped Mousse's arm.

"What is it?" He asked curiously.

"Um...there's something I want to do in the forest. Can you go on without me?"

He nodded. "Sure if that's what you want. Would you like me to take the groceries on home?"

"Oh, yes. If you don't mind, that is."

"Of course, I don't mind. Here..." He reached out and took bags she was holding, and shouldered them.

"Thanks again for all you've done!" She called. Waving, she disappeared into the forest.

Mousse waved to her retreating figure. "Bye."

Akane ran through the bush excitedly. This was were she had chased Cane that first night.

Sure enough, she broke through some trees and saw the small structure that held Ranma. She walked inside.

She stared mystified at the beautiful scene before her, Ranma sat in the middle of the room draped in bright, warm sunshine, dust danced in the golden rays. "Hello, Ranma..." she murmured shyly. She went over and kneeled before him. "I'm Akane, but I'm not your Akane. And I...feel so stupid talking to a statue..." She looked up at his eyes as they stared helplessly towards an invisible assailant. "I wonder what its like...to be frozen in time. Do you hear what's going on around you, or are you asleep, oblivious to what's happening...I know it doesn't mean much coming form me, and Lord knows, Cane's probably said it millions of times...but...I'm sorry. I swear that I will do whatever it takes to keep history from repeating its self."

She got up and approached the icon, hesitantly. Reaching out she placed a hand against the warm surface of his cheek. Gently she began to trace his features with her fingertips. "Its amazing, in a way you feel so real." her fingers, lovingly drifted down to his throat. What she felt caused her to gasp in awe. "...a heartbeat." Her eyes filled with tears, falling to the ground, she began to cry. Life sucks.

***********************

"Let me see if I got this right...I'm ten years in the future, and Nabiki and Kasumi are my sisters." She looked at him curiously. "And you're my fiance`?"

He blushed. "Yup."

She shook her head. "Weird..."

"Yeah I know, time travel..."

"No," she interrupted. "I mean about you being my fiance`." She crinkled her nose. "Are you sure Mousse isn't my fiance`."

"Yes!" snapped Ranma. "Mousse is not your fiance`!"

She frowned. "Sheesh...bite my head off why don't you. Besides, I think Mousse would make a good fiance`, he's so nice, and tall, and handsome, and..."

"Blind, and stupid..." supplied Ranma in a huff.

She put her nose in the air. "That just makes him even more adorable, in a, clumsy Peter Parker, sort of way." She sighed. "Don't you believe in love at first sight."

He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. "There's no such thing, anyways you're way too young to be falling in love with anyone, especially Mousse!"

"Humph!" She said. "Well I don't care I love Mousse and I'm going to marry him and that's finale!" she threw a pillow at him.

He caught it...with his face. He held out his hands as if he was going to throttle her. "Why you little..." He charged her.

She yelp and quickly dodge his grip.

The two ran around the room crazily, totally forgetting that it was the middle of the night. Yelling insults at each other, breaking things and causing quite a ruckus. It wasn't long before Nabiki and Kasumi joined them.

"And just what do you think you are doing to my... niece, Ranma." Ask Nabiki in an annoyed tone.

"Uh..." Ranma looked at the seven year old he had suspended in front of him by the front of her shirt.

Kasumi came over and took the child from Ranma's grip. She hugged her gently. "Really Ranma," she scolded. "She's just a baby. I hope you don't plan on treating your own children in such disregard."

Ranma looked at Akane. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Gee, Kasumi, I don't know what came over me." He said through gritted teeth.

Kasumi left with Akane tucked tenderly in her arms.

Nabiki looked at him in sympathy for a moment before she remembered that it was all his fault in the first place. She glared at him. And as she left slammed the door for good measure.

He groaned. 'Better and better. Will this nightmare ever end?' He thought about what the little girl had said about marring Mousse. He shuddered.

End Chapter 6

I tried to get this out quickly. I probably could have made a better ending for this chapter, but I'm going out of town so I figure I might as well get this out now, because I don't know when I'll be able to update next.