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- SIGNS
" " - Japanese
* * = Thoughts

++++ = Flashback
-------- = Change in Time
***** = Another place

************ Ranma no more : Lonely Quest *************

Ranma walks out the front entrance to the hospital, laughing extremely hard every time he looked over his shoulder. Hotaru was next to come out of the entrance, wearing a pair of scrubs given to her by the nurses. Ranma turned around and started laughing even harder as Hotaru blushes and looks around nervously "It isn't funny Ranma! That guy was like three times my age!"

Ranma started chuckled yet even harder as he looked at the blushing Hotaru "I know! That is what makes it so damn funny!" He dodged a playful punch from her and smiled before turning around "So where do we go from here?"

She pouted cutely, gaining looks from the male population that were walking by "We should head home, I think Setsuna-mama will be worried about me" she looked at Ranma's grinning face and pouted again before smiling "Also they want to meet Ranko."

Ranma immediately sobered up and sighed out loud "Fine, Fine, I just have to stop teasing you huh?" She nods and gives him a cute smile "Don't try playing cutesy with me, I know when girls are just faking"

Hotaru giggled and walks ahead of Ranma, her arms behind her back as she twirled around and smiles at him "So,... Are you hungry?"

Ranma looked at her, but couldn't find a trace of joking around or other intentions "Sure, I don't see why not. Why are you?" Hotaru blushed and looked around self consciously "I'll take that as a yes.... why can't you just say so if you are. I know what you think, and no one cares whether or not you eat"

Hotaru stared at him for a short while before giving a tired sigh "I guess not huh?" She turned around and looked down the street, looking for a restaurant "How about that one over there? I haven't had Chinese cooking in a while"

Ranma looked where she was pointing and nodded to himself 'Of course,... why wouldn't she choose the only place I don't want to make an appearance at?' He noticed her looking at him intently before he put on a false smile "Sure, I don't see why not"

She regarded him for a moment and gripped his arm tightly "If you don't want to go there, just say so. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable"

Ranma looked at him and started laughing again, only to laugh harder when she pouts more "ahhh..... You know, your the first girl to ever care about what I want?"

Hotaru blushed as he stared at her appraisingly "Why wouldn't they ask you what you want?" She then remembered Soun and Nodoka's actions when she was there "Ah, never mind. I just answered my own question" She gave him a sheepish smile before they started toward the restaurant.

Ranma gave her a warm smile, one that hasn't been seen by the fiancée patrol "It's not problem if we eat there. I will just make due with the troubles it brings."

She giggles as she pulls him toward it "You act like your walking in front of a firing squad or something"

Ranma looked at her blankly for a moment before grinning "No, that would be a hell of a lot less painless." He looked at her horror stricken face before laughing a bit "Before you ask, no I am not kidding"

Hotaru turned and looked at Ranma, slight shimmer in her eyes "I'm sorry Ranma... I didn't know that you felt that strongly" Ranma blinked a few times before raising an eyebrow "Hey, Ranma.... Let's go home. I will make us lunch"

Ranma watched her as she turned to walk away, her whole body just radiating sadness "No way. Your cooking probably stinks. Let's go into the restaurant, I wanna be conscious to meet your folks." Ranma turned away from her and started toward the nekohatan.

Hotaru sniffled slightly and looked at Ranma's back, and with a small smile she ran over to him "Thank you Ra-Chan" she wrapped her arm around his and pulled the now blushing Ranma toward the restaurant. Ranma in the mean time, noticed all the envious looks he was getting from the single guys in the area. Ranma chuckled a bit before sighing as he allowed himself to be pulled toward his doom.

Walking into the restaurant, Ranma allowed Hotaru to enter first, guiding her by the small of her back "Welcome!" Shampoo looked at the group that entered and became pleasantly surprised "Aiya! Airen!" She hopped over a couple tables before gripping Ranma in a powerful hug "Airen come to date Shampoo?"

Ranma sighed and tried to pry the over zealous Amazon off of him "Shampoo, I just came with a friend to get some lunch...." He motioned to his side as Shampoo looked, and tried to contain her anger. After all, wouldn't it be good for him to choose her, if she let him do what he wants?

Nodding her head slightly, she emotionlessly turned around and showed them to a table "Enjoy meal" she handed the menu to Ranma and threw the other into Hotaru's face "So sorry" She then walked away from the two in a huff.

Ranma watched her as she left and couldn't help but sigh, then looking at Hotaru's questioning look "She is one of my fiancée's. She's from China"

Just nodding her head, Hotaru was still rather confused at why Shampoo showed such hostility toward her "I.. I can't believe she doesn't like me...." Hotaru stared at the swinging doors that Shampoo disappeared through and sighed "I didn't do anything to offend her did I?.... I'm not trying to!"

Ranma stepped out of his chair and gripped Hotaru's hand gently, before pulling her onto her feet "Let's get out of here...." Ranma turned his head toward a whistling noise that rang out in the restaurant, just in time to grab a staff top.

Cackling slightly, Cologne removed her staff from Ranma's grip "Getting better I see, Son-in-Law" Cologne looked at the girl and smiled a false smile "Well, Well,... What have we here? Adding to your collection?" She narrowed her eyes at Ranma and sighed "While it's not unheard of for a man to marry two women, but I don't want Shampoo to have to go through that" Lashing out with her staff once again, she brought it down toward Hotaru's skull.

Sensing the attack, Ranma pulled hard on Hotaru's wrist, and out of the staff's way as Cologne's staff shattered the table into splinters "Old Ghoul, you've hit an all new low. Even for you"

Shrugging her shoulders as if she didn't even care about nearly killing a human, Cologne smirked slightly "Ranma, you've danced around this for far too long. Either you marry Shampoo and come back to our tribe. Or your little friend here will die a painful death, one that will put your own to shame"

Looking between the scared Hotaru and then to the old prune, Ranma smirked "Is that all you have to threaten me with? I did something not even your entire tribe was able to do, and I did it by myself. Don't think for a second, that I will allow you to boss me around anymore." He pulled Hotaru tightly against him, earning a blush "You touch one hair on her head, and I will obliterate your entire tribe"

Cologne narrowed her eyes at Ranma as he threatened her past, present and future "Ranma,.... Indeed you have grown a spine, but you don't have the power to back it up. We all know that you won't hit a woman"

Ranma's eyes glazed over as his forehead glowed dimly for a second, as his fighting stance changed into a passive form "While that was who I was in this time, I have no quarrel in beating a threat to mine, or my friends existence." Then his eyes changed colors, from a sea foam blue, to a majestic purple "That includes little Hotaru here. If you even come close to harming her,... nothing will save you"

Hotaru's mouth was agape as Ranma defender her, a slight blush on her cheek "R-Ranma?" She put her arm around his and pulled on him, trying to get him out of the restaurant, and into the street "Let's go"

Ranma's eyes never left Cologne's as he backed out of the store "Good bye, old Crone" He then shut the door as Hotaru wrapped her arms around him and embraced him in a tight hug "What's wrong Hotaru-Chan?"

Hotaru looked into Ranma's eyes and sniffled slightly "N-Nothing... I don't want you to get in trouble over me" She then blinked, thinking her mind was playing tricks on her, when Ranma's eyes switched back into the blue they were before "Um... Ranma?"

Smiling slightly, Ranma took her hand into his own and started down the street "Let's go to your home... I want to meet the people who did a good job raising you" Seeing her nod slightly, they started down the street, all the while Ranma's eyes were rather empty 'W-What was that.... I've never felt so... confident... before.' He then looked over at Hotaru and sighed happily 'I don't know what it is about this girl,... but something in me wants to protect her...'

Cologne watched in a somewhat fearful fashion as Ranma walked down the street 'H-He was serious.... He would have done it if I threatened her... Who is that person?' Just then Shampoo bounds out of the kitchen and looks at Cologne "Shampoo... We go back to China tonight, get ready" Before she could say anything else, Cologne hopped out of the dining room and up the stairs into her own. Looking around the messy room, Cologne shoved some books aside before finding a tightly bound leather book and opening it 'I know I have seen that symbol before.... but where?' She flipped through the random pages that featured various different designs and looks until she settled on one, causing her eyes to widened. Shaking her head in dismay she backed away from the book 'I-I can't believe this... H-How?!?'

Back on the street, Ranma and Hotaru were walking calmly through the tightly packed streets, as they headed toward her home. Hotaru glanced at Ranma through the corner of her eye and couldn't help but smile. Turning his head slightly, Ranma looked at Hotaru as she was staring "What is it? Do I have something on my face?" Ranma brought up his hand, trying to push away the thing that was occupying his face.

Hotaru giggled gently before smiling wide, causing many of the passing people's hearts to melt "It's nothing Ranma. I was just thinking of how much better my life has become in this past ten hours. I've never had any true friends... with the exception of Setsuna-mama, Haruka-papa, and Michiru-mama"

Tilting his head slightly, Ranma looked at her curiously "You have two moms and a dad? How does that one work, I thought multiple marriages were illegal in Japan"

Hotaru stopped for a moment before looking up at the sky, tears finding their way down her cheeks "They aren't my REAL family.... more like an adopted one... remember, my dad died..." Ranma stared down at the ground, mortified. She looked back up at Ranma, a smile ringing through the tears "But that is okay. They love me like their own daughter, so I can't complain."

Ranma sighed to himself and wrapped his arms around the crying girl, whispering comforting noises into her ear "There, There Hotaru-Chan... It's okay." He knelt his head down and rested it on her shoulder gently, before gripping her in a more powerful hug. His hair changed tints as it morphed from a black into a light purple, and his pupils shifted into the same "Come now, little one. Tears don't suit your beautiful face" Tracing a finger along her cheek, Ranma smiled genuinely at her.

With tears flowing down the side of her cheeks, Hotaru cried against Ranma's chest "It isn't fair!" She sobbed gently as her hands came up, and pounded against Ranma's chest "Why did you go! Why did you leave us alone!" people that passed by were delivering looks of anger at Ranma, as the girl cried against him.

Ranma looked away from her before sighing and bringing up a finger to dry her tears "I didn't run... My old man gave me two alternatives. Go with him, or never see my mom again. If I knew any of this was going to happen, I would never have left you alone. I can't apologize enough for my actions, but I can't take the anger away either. Nor would I try to, considering that everything that happens in life, is proof of our existence."

Hotaru looked into Ranma's eyes as she sighed "I guess your right,.... but I can't help but feel angry" She blinked for a second as Ranma's hair shortened and turned black "Dang... Ranma are you playing a trick on me?"

Blinking slightly, Ranma looked at Hotaru and wiped away the tears "Hey,... you stopped crying. I'm proud of you Hotaru" He smiled at her as he wrapped his arm around her neck, pulling her closer. Hotaru blushed slightly as she stared at Ranma as they walked down the street "So, how far are we from your home?"

Looking around, Hotaru noticed the signs and the houses before giggling gently "Actually.... We're here" Giggling some more when Ranma looks at her confused, Hotaru takes his hand and pulls him toward the house "Let's get in before somebody sees us" Hotaru opens the door and peaks around the corner, looking for anyone suspicious.

Giving a small nod, she pulls him into the house and tries to sneak up the stairs "Hotaru-Chan... aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Hotaru's head slowly turned around and looked at the tall beauty, who's green flowing hair matched with her beautiful eyes as they stared at them intensely "Ah,... Setsuna-Mama... how long have you been here?" Raising an eyebrow at the girl, Setsuna looked her up and down "T-There's a good explanation for this....."

Trying to sneak out the door, and not be noticed, Ranma slowly crept "please, stay for a while... won't you?" Turning her attention onto Ranma, she gave a small smile "And who might you be?"

Putting his hand behind his head, Ranma launched into a nervous rant like laugh "Ah... I-I'm Ranma Saotome" he bowed before her, trying to show respect, and planted his face against he chest. Pulling away as quickly as they touched, Ranma warded his hands out "W-Wait! It was an Accident!"

Setsuna was blushing, and how, as Ranma's face was placed against one of the few places where no one has been in a while "Y.... Y... YOU PERVERT!" she reared back and slapped Ranma, hard, across the face. She watched as Ranma fell on his butt and held his cheek, staring at her. Giving a slight humph, Setsuna whirled around and stomped back into the house 'stupid pervert......'.

Hotaru watched Setsuna's backside, as she stomped into the house and further yet, into her room "Whoa.... talk about weird"

Ranma got up from the ground and brushed off his backside before responding to her question "What's weird? I get hit all the time for doing stupid stuff"

Blinking slightly and figuring it to be a stupid question as to why, Hotaru sighed "Not you Ranma. Setsuna-Mama usually doesn't show any emotions... especially around new people, like yourself"

Ranma shrugged it off before rolling his eyes "Nobody can keep their emotions in check for long. They will just return with a vengeance.... and I assume hers was on me" He grumbled slightly about 'big breasts tomboys' and then cracked his neck slightly. Hotaru giggled at his dilemma, as he chuckled along nervously.

----- dark realm ------

A clawed hand was circling a baseball size orb, which glowed with a luminescent blue as he focused on Ranma and Hotaru. Giving a cackle slightly, he dropped the ball onto a nearby velvet pad "It seems that Saotome has met up with the Tomoe girl. This will work to our advantage. Proceed with stage one of operation, Overkill" A blur in the shadows was all the confirmation he got, as his 'allies' sped off to do his bidding "Yes... Soon Saotome... Soon you will be gone from my sight..... FOREVER!" The cackling voice boomed for miles around a baron castle, which was long forgotten in the realm of magic and mortals. However, it seems that this one person, was about to make himself known once again. A trickle of light shone in from one of the windows as we see a piece of red clothe on the ground.

TO BE CONTINUED____________

sorry.