Disclaimer:Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Except Toshi, who is a character of my own imagination

Family Ties

The Tendo Family and the two Saotomes sat down to dinner. Ranma, looking insanely hungry, Akane sitting down in her usual chair. Nabiki after counting the yen that Genma had just paid her (paying off his loan, along with interest) and with a contented smile, sat down. Genma eased into his chair, sadly missing the sensation of money that sat in his pocket (A/N: if he has pockets). Soun sat down in his chair, no expression at all. Kasumi walked in, carrying plates of food."I hope everyone enjoys this! I decided to try out a new recipe today!" Kasumi said and smiled happily, knowing that no one would complain. Kasumi seemed to be the only one who could make decent food in the household, after the death of Mrs. Tendo, Kasumi seemed to fill the roles of housekeeper, peace-keeper, and cook. Ranma gazed hungrily at the food as Kasumi set his plate in front of him. He immediately began to wolf it down.

"Knock knock" there was suddenly a rapping at the door. Everyone looked to Kasumi, who always seemed to answer it.

"Well?" she asked.

Silence.

"Won't someone get the door? I'm quite busy at the moment." Kasumi said as she passed plates to Nabiki, Soun and Genma.

"-sigh- I'll get it." Akane rose from the table to answer the knocking. She walked across the floor in her stocking feet, and pulled the door open.

"Is this the Tendo residence?" asked a female voice. The face was downcast, and hidden by a huge hood.

"Yes..." Akane answered in a questioning tone. "Who wants to know?"

"Does Saotome Genma stay here?" The figure asked. Akane looked her over. The girl was dressed in shapeless clothes. She sounded young... at least younger than Akane.

"Who are you?" Akane asked bluntly.

"I am Saotome Toshi." Akane gasped loudly as the girl looked up. She was a mirror image of Ranma. The girl had two black pigtails, one sticking out from each side of her head. She had the same eyes, well almost the same. Her eyes were green. She even held herself the same. She stood to her full height, and shone confidence, and yet humility at the same time, that was something Ranma, at times, lacked, though.

"May I come in?" She asked pointedly, knocking Akane out of her stupor.

"Sure..." Akane answered and stared at the girl blankly.

"Should I set another place?" Kasumi asked as she walked into the living room.

"Oh my." Kasumi jaw seemed to drop at the girl's resemblance to Ranma.

"What is it?" Toshi asked. She cocked her head to a side.

"It's just that... oh my" Kasumi repeated.

"Come on in. Genma...Someone's here to see you." Akane said as she took Toshi by the shoulder and led her into the kitchen.

"But I'm EATING!" Genma said, mouth full. He chewed quickly and swallowed. Akane led Toshi in.

Genma was awestruck. "Toshi?" He asked, astonished.

"Who else would it be Pop?" she asked, lightening up. Genma got up, and uncharacteristically, ran up and glomped Toshi. He burst into tears.

"Pop, who's this? Why're you cryin'?" Ranma asked, as he had stopped eating long ago.

"And I expect this to be Ranmi-chan!" Toshi shouted as she broke away from Genma.

"RANMI-CHAN?" Ranma stood up suddenly. " POP WHO IS SHE?" he asked before he was silenced by a glomp.

Genma wiped his eyes, sniffed and beamed, " Boy, this is my little girl! Shi-chan!" He glomped Toshi, "My little girl!"

"Not so little anymore is she, Saotome?" asked Soun as he stood up.

"Wow." Nabiki said. She was surprised that she had never known, "Toshi, I'm Nabiki." she said as she stood up to shake hands with the girl who had currently un-glomped Genma.

"Pleased to meet you Nabiki!" Toshi took Nabiki's outstretched hand and pulled her into a glomp. Nabiki gasped and tried to desperately take in air while enclosed in Toshi's powerful embrace.

"Wait up! Some girl just comes out of nowhere who's s'pposed to be my sister and you all just accept it?" Ranma tried asking, but was drowned out by the bedlam of glomps, greetings, and tears on Genma's part. Even Akane and Kasumi had joined in, Kasumi hovering over Toshi like a mother hen, offering Toshi food and making preparations for her stay.

"How exciting! A visitor! She's probably hungry!" Kasumi murmured as she hovered.

"STOP!" Toshi yelled! Everyone froze. She walked over to Ranma.

"So... Ranmi-chan... I'm your little sis." She smiled. Ranma froze. He had been standing trying to put a word in.

" Maybe we should talk. Take me to your room." Toshi said. Her steel blue eyes gazed up into his seriously. Ranma, was very weirded out, so instead of arguing, he complied.

"C'mon." He said and led his sister up the stairs to the second floor, as the family stared after them. He opened the door to his room and led her in. Before starting, he turned and locked the door.

"So... -swallow- Toshi..." He sat down on the floor and began.

"Please Ranmi-chan, we're bro and sis! I'm Shi-chan to you!" Toshi said playfully and hit Ranma on the shoulder.

"... Shi-chan then. How'd you get here? And how're you my sister? How old are you?" He asked, counting off his questions on his fingers. Toshi looked round the room.

"Nice place. Well, I'll start from da beginning. I'm 14, almost fifteen. When I was like... 5, Mom hid me from Pop for awhile so he wouldn't take me on a training trip off somewhere. After you guys left, I was entered into school like a normal kid. She never wanted me to learn the Art. Too bad for her... Coz when I was 6, I started to hang out with the boys who studied it. They taught me in secret. When I got really good, I beat up this one guy... Hurt him really bad..."

Ranma processed this. After about five seconds after her pause, he asked, "Why'd you do that?"

Toshi grinned sheepishly, "He called me a tomboy. I really liked him too. I got suspended from school."

Ranma was surprised at this. It sounded strangely familiar, he shrugged the feeling off, "How long ago was that?"

"Oh..." Toshi looked up as if the answer was written on the ceiling. "I think... half a year passed. Because of that, I ran away and ever since then, I've wandered from dojo to dojo, from Master to Master. Anyone willing to teach, I've been taught by... I'm pretty good."

Ranma rubbed his chin in deep thought. Six months ago! Half a year! Mom must miss her...

"Did Mom talk about me a lot?"

"All the time. Always." Toshi smiled slightly.

He smiled. Ranma wished he could see his mother again... but it was way too risky.

"You know the Art, right?" Toshi asked.

"Like the back of my hand." Ranma answered cockily. He looked at Shi-chan suspiciously. "Why?"

"Let's spar." She stood up suddenly. "Now." She looked down at the sitting Ranma, her eyes taunting him.

"I don't fight girls" Ranma said and stood up to his full height to intimidate his sister. She stood erect and confident.

"Afraid you'll get beat?" She asked, mock-innocently, batting her long eyelashes.

"No. You couldn't beat me if you tried."

"We'll never know if I don't." Her logic was irrefutable.

"Fine. Just don't cry when you get hurt."

"I don't cry." Toshi replied matter-of-factly. Before Ranma could question that, she yelled, "Race you to the dojo!" as she flew out of the door.

"You don't even know where it is!" He called after her.

"At the rate you're going I could ask for directions and still be there before you!" She yelled up at him. Ranma smiled to himself and chased after her.