Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½ but I do own Ikuyo and Koyaga.

A/N: I have a policy: I will not answer reviews unless I really feel like it. I think, personally, it's a waist of room. People don't read it, only the person it's answering. I don't care if I get flamed, that's the persons' problem if they don't like the story, I just get really pissed and continue my story no matter what they say, humph. Okay, let's continue with the oh so unpopular story.

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Chapter 1: Always Ikuyo

"Welcome to the Kijota Instrument repair and Lessons store. Can I help you?" she said as she finished wiping down a flute with a silk cloth.

"Long time no see Ikuyo." Koyaga's voice said from the front.

She looked up from her work and smiled a happy smile. "You came?!" she cried as she ran up to him and hugged him.

"Yep. I wanted to see if this Ranma was good enough for you." He said with concern.

"He's good." She said reassuringly. "No need to get all high and mighty around me. Look, have you been taking care of the dojo?" she asked.

"No, your mother has." He said confused.

"Mother? I don't have a mother. She died when I was two." She said with confusion dripping from her words.

"Your father…I know why he sent you off!" he said loudly.

"What?" she asked calmly.

"He wanted you away so he could marry Kiyoja happily." He explained just as calmly.

"He tricked me?" she asked.

"Basically." He said sympathetically. "I wish was able to stop the wedding to keep that monster of a woman out but…I wish I could've don't something." He said sadly.

"Of course you do." She said quietly as she put her hand to his cheek. "Go back and don't come back here. If one of my old enemies were to follow you then that would be through for Japan."

"Okay." He said obediently and walked out of the store.

Ikuyo sighed as she grasped the counter for support of her shaking legs. "Mother. That monster of a woman." She echoed the words she had heard. "I hated her. Why did he go along with her manipulation…?"

"Hey Ikuyo-oh…" Akane said as she saw the state of her friend. "Are you alright?"

"Kiyoja, married to, father wanting to get rid of, monstrous woman, Kiyoja." She said the sentences in jumbles as Akane helped her sit down.

"Are you alright?" she asked again.

"Horrible news." Ikuyo said as she closed her eyes and let the anger flow out of her in an instant through her mouth.

"I'll get you glass of water so you can tell me." Akane said softly as she walked to the back sink and grabbed a glass from the cabinet which was filled with reeds, cleaners, and varieties of instrumental equipment. She filled the glass with water and walked back over to the shaking girl who had drawn her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them as she cried.

Akane handed the glass to her and rubbed Ikuyo's shaking back.

"He married the monster woman whom I had vowed to kill. She sent away my sister to Japan, killed my brother and got my mother arrested for attempted murder on her which she hadn't even placed a finger on her. She's horrible, that's why my father sent me off so he could marry the demon peacefully. I have a new hatred for that woman." She said as she took shaky sips of the water.

"You poor thing. Why did he—"

"Ikuyo. Are you here?" Ranma's voice interrupted her.

"Yeah." She said shakily.

Ranma stepped in and looked from Akane to Ikuyo. "What's the matter with her Akane?" he asked.

"Bad stuff at home." Akane answered simply.

"Oh…" he said.

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"Ikuyo, you live by Ukyo's?" Kasumi asked as she offered her a cup of tea.

"Thank you. Yes, I live about five buildings away. I have an Instrumental school which is rather popular. I'm surprised to say."

"What school do you go to?" Kasumi asked.

"I'll be going to Furinkan High School." She said with a smile.

"That's where Ranma and I go to." Akane said happily.

"Good. Now I'll know someone." She said.

"Do you have your uniform?" Kasumi asked.

"No." she said sadly.

"You can borrow one of Nabiki's or Akane's." Kasumi offered.

"You can borrow mine. I think where the same size." Nabiki said as she got up from the table.

"Thanks Nabiki." Ikuyo said as she got up and followed the older girl.

"No charge right Nabiki?!" Akane called after her sister.

"Whatever." Was the reply.

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Ranma and Ikuyo walked along the fence, Ikuyo behind him talking to Akane.

"So…this school. You always have fights with the principal and this Kuno guy and all the other boys that are after you?" she asked.

"Well, just Kuno and his dad. You see, since Ranma came the other guys gave up on me so now I don't need to fight them anymore. Kuno loves me and his father is always trying to cut off Ranmas' hair." She explained.

"You still wear a ponytail?" she asked.

"Yeah? So what?" he snapped.

She laughed and pushed him over the fence playfully making him fall off and right into the water below.

"What was that for?" he yelled up.

"Girl?" she asked as she looked down at him.

"Whenever Ranma falls in or gets cold water on himself he turns into a girl, whenever he's doused with hot water he turns back." Akane explained.

"Wow! You went to Jusenkyo?" she asked as she jumped down the wall and helped Ranma out.

"How do you know about Jusenkyo?" Ranma asked.

"My father fell in one, whenever he's doused with cold water he turns into a cow." She said and giggled.

Akane growled as she watched the two laugh and talk as Ikuyo helped him over the wall.

"We need to get you some hot water. I know! My shop has a bucket full in front. I needed it to soak some instruments." She offered with a warm smile.

"Thanks Ikuyo." He said.

"I can't stand this! We're going to be late!" Akane yelled.

"But…Ranma shouldn't be girl when he goes to school, now should he." Ikuyo said with a slight frown.

"Fine. But I'm coming with you guys." She said hotly.

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"Here Ranma-kun." Ikuyo said as she poured the hot water over him. "Let's go. The bell is about to ring I think." She said as she checked the clock on the wall of her shop. She turned the sigh to closed and started walking down the street. She had on Nabiki's old uniform with her clarinet on her back and her reeds across her chest.

"Aren't you happy? Yet another cute fiancé." Akane said to Ranma. She didn't even look at him.

"Oh, c'mon Akane. You shouldn't be jealous just because all my fiancé's are cuter than you." He said from the fence.

She growled but stopped herself from hitting him off the fence. "It' always Ikuyo isn't it?" she asked softly.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You're always talking about her now. Is she your best friend or Ukyou? I can't tell." Akane said.

"You're makin' no sense." He said as he jumped down next to her.

She started to run, leaving him confused to follow her.

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"Class, this is Ikuyo Kijota. She comes from Mianyang China." The teacher said. "Please take a seat."

Ikuyo walked down the isles and took a seat next to Ukyou. There was an odd feeling coming from her. She dared to glance at her to see that she was giving her a thoughtful look. She passed her a paper.

Ikuyo took it and opened it. Trap? She thought as she opened it:

Ikuyo,

Meet me at Ucchan's. I want to ask you something.

Ukyou

Ikuyo looked at her raised a quizzical eyebrow. Ukyou just winked and went back to her work.

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"So, Ukyou. You wanted to talk to me about something?" Ikuyo asked as she entered the okonomiyaki restaurant.

"Yeah." Ukyou said from behind the counter. "There's something I can't shake about you. There's a familiarity that annoys me." She said as she poured the okonomiyaki batter on the grill.

Ikuyo smiled and sat at the counter. She put one elbow up and rested her chin on her palm. "I see you noticed too. It annoys me too. This feeling like we've met before. Well, I'll have the usual." She said.

"Shrimp." Ukyou said. She gasped as she dropped the spatula in her hand.

"What?" Ikuyo asked.

"My…father's best friends' daughter's name was Ikuyo. They mastered in Instrumental Martial Arts." Ukyou said in disbelief. "You can't be her. But, then again, she always loved to eat shrimp okonomiyaki."

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I want to thank my first reviewer who was nice.

SumDumGuy

Thank you thank you thank you! I'm so very happy!

I have the will to continue even more!