Disclaimer: I still don't own Ranma1/2.

A thank you goes out to K.M. for pre reading for me.

Summery: AU. Things took a strange turn at Jusenkyo. Ryouga falls from the cliff and knocked his head on an outcropping. Not only that, but he fell into the spring of drowned Musk girl as well. Now undergone a total story change.

And we're finally out of China and back in Japan. Around 2 weeks has passed since the last chapter. Ranma now lives with the Tendo's, is engaged to Akane and attends Furinkan High School.

[Sign]

(Thoughts)

*SOUNDS*

++++++++++Flashback

Chinese


Furinkan High School was completely quiet, which was a enormous feat since a great deal of the students were standing in the school yard forming a semi circle around the 3 persons standing in the center of it. Well there were four, but since the one dressed in a kendo outfit was out cold, he didn't count. What did count was that all eyes were locked on the 3 persons, 2 girls and one guy, and judging from the blue glow surrounding one of the girls, things were going to get ugly.

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An Unexpected Turn

Part V

Full Moon Fever

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Akane leveled a glare at the young girl who had finally lifted her head to stare at her. The purple pink hair fell down and hid most of her face, but Akane could still see the tears of happiness flowing down her cheeks. "What's going here?" It was a fair question; she was Ranma's fiancée, no matter how much she may despise it. 

Ranma waved his arms around at the sight of an angry Akane towering over them. "Uh, it's not what it looks like." Shrinking away from the towering girl, he looked down at the girl hugging him. Large hazel green orbs looked up at him as tears flowed from them.

"Oh, then what is it?" Pointing at the still hugging Ryona, she snarled as her school bag fell to the ground. "Just who is that girl?" Stepping closer, the air began to crackle around her.

Ranma looked down at Ryona and gently pushed her away. "Her name's Ryona, we met at Jusenkyo, she's just a friend." Ranma almost yelled as he stepped back from both girls, ready to bolt if that damn mallet came near him.

Stomping closer she looked at the two of them. "From the way she hugged you, I'd say she was more then a friend."

Ranma growled and crossed his arms. "Well at least she's not a major tomboy." 

Ryona scratched her head and looked back and forth between the two arguing teens. "Um hello." She mumbled as she stepped closer, hoping to get a word in. Her only response was a doom filled glare from Akane. Eeping, Ryona stepped back from them. Standing a good space away from them she followed the growing argument.

"RANMA!!"

"What do you think you're doing boy?"

The three turned to find Soun and Genma standing at the edge of the crowd of people, Soun looking like he could throw a crying fit and Genma growling as light glinted off his glasses. "Ranma my boy, you are engaged to Akane. You can't waste your time with that girl!" Genma finished his sentence by pointing at Ryona.

"Wha?" Ryona blinked as Genma loomed over her, shrinking back she looked at Ranma for help.

"RANMA, are you cheating on my daughter?" Soun's demanded as he pushed Genma out of the way. "You're her fiancé son, I won't let you run around with other girls until you have married my daughter." Soun roared as his head loomed over the 3 of them.

Looking from the looming form of Genma to Soun, Ranma felt a vain pop. Why did stuff like this always happen. Looking at the two girls he nodded and flicked his pigtail over his shoulder. "Ryona, Akane. We need to talk." At the sight of the entire schoolyard moving in closer he felt another vain pop. "ALONE!!" Several students looked around the schoolyard as they whistled. Grabbing both the girls arms Ranma began to march off towards the fields behind the school.

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

Ryona looked around the small green area they were in. One could barely see the large school building for the trees lining the grass field. Akane was standing next to Ranma and glaring at both of them. She had lost the blue battle aura but she still had that look in her eyes that spoke of the desire to hurt someone.

Ranma looked around the place with a lot of suspicion in his eyes. Finally, feeling that there really wasn't anyone besides them, he sat down and stared at the two girls who looked back at him. One had a lost look on her face, and the other one of pure anger. "Akane meet Ryona, Ryona meet Akane." Both girls looked at one another. "We met in China, at Jusenkyo. Pops found her when he tried to hide from me. He dragged her back to the guides hut and dropped her off."

Akane looked at Ryona as the other girl blushed under her intense glare. "So what is Ranma to you?" It was a simple question, after all if this girl loved Ranma, then maybe she could get out of this whole engagement trouble and return to her normal life. At the same time a small part of her was screaming that Ranma was hers, and no one could just show up and take him away. 

Ryona looked back and fourth between the two teens, looking mostly at her friend Ranma in confusion and trying to avoid the intense glare of the black haired girl. Finally she looked at the ground. "Ranma's my friend." It was true and her voice showed it clearly. "He helped me when I woke up, told me about Japan and where I might be from. I got lost when we had to escape the Amazons." Looking a little lost she clenched her hands waiting for the other girl to yell at her.

Akane looked at her fiancée. "She got lost and you didn't even go back to look for her?" The blue glow was back and so was a very large wooden mallet. Towering over her fiancé, Akane lifted the mallet and snorted, "How could you do something like that?"

"It was pops fault, whenever I tried to go back, he would come up with a lame excuse or some other thing would get in the way." A dozen angry villagers, farmers and soldiers flashed before Ranma's eyes, a purple haired Amazon holding a sword was next, and finally, the constant rainstorms that seemed to follow him around.

Akane dropped her mallet and stared at Ryona "How did you find him anyway?" Staring at the two of them, she shook her head. She knew how large China was from school, and the idea of someone tracking another one across such a large distance was unbelievable to her. "You crossed China, just to find him."

Ryona blushed as she dug the tip of her worn Chinese slipper into the ground "He was my only friend, the only one I knew." Blushing she looked away from them "Besides, I did get some help along the way. All I had to do was ask for a mister Saotome and I would get chased in the right direction, others let me stay over night if I did some work."

Ranma and Akane sweat dropped. Genma had seemed to be a bit untrustworthy, and had a poor idea of what was his and what wasn't hi.s "Stupid old man." Ranma grumbled as he stood up. "I can't believe him, doesn't he have any moral codes at all?"

"Of course I do boy."

All three teens turned to see Genma walk up to them, glasses gleaming in the sunlight "It wasn't always that easy to get along on the road. You should be proud of the sacrifices I made for you. Why if I hadn't gotten us food and something to drink we would have starved to death." Stopping in front of them, he looked at Ranma "Now come along boy, you and you're fiancée shouldn't deal with the likes of her." The last word dripped with venom as he pierced Ryona with a hate filled look. 

Ranma growled as Genma openly insulted his friend, and clenched his fist and swung back to launch the old idiot into high earth orbit. Before he had even finished his swing, a large mallet slammed onto the head of the elder martial artist, as he staggered back Ranma's fist hit him perfectly and the old man went sailing over the rooftops of Nerima.

Akane dropped her mallet "I can't believe him!"

Ranma grumbled as he followed the light speck that had formed as Genma vanished beyond the horizon "I can. He was always insulting the ones I was hanging out with. I lost a lot of people that I cared about because of him." Looking away from all of them, he shut his eyes, "Told me that a real martial artist didn't need friends. That I was better off not trusting anyone."

A soft sob made them turn around. Ryona looked at them with a tear falling off her cheeks, as she lifted up a hand to rub her eye "Why doesn't he like me? What did I ever do to him?" Openly crying, the purple-pink haired girl crumbled onto the ground and shook with her tears.

Ranma looked at Akane before he looked at Ryona. Akane slowly sat down besides the crying girl. "Don't mind him. He just a big jerk, that's all." Holding an arm over the shoulder of the crying girl, Akane ran a hand through the purple-pink hair to comfort the crying girl.

Ranma also sat down. "Come on, where's that happy girl I met in China?" Smiling he put a hand on Ryona's shoulder, and looked into the slightly red eyes partly hidden under the purple-pink hair "Don't listen to what he says. You're my friend and I don't care what he says. "

Looking at them, Ryona smiled as he felt them hug her. It had hurt more then anything else when Genma had glared death at her. It hurt to know that someone didn't like you because you were friends with his son. She didn't know why, but that feeling really hurt her, more then she understood, it had hit something she couldn't remember. "Thank you." She mumbled out and began to hug them back.

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

The sun had begun to set, as the 3 teens walked through the compound gates and into the Tendo yard. A koi jumped out of the pond as Ryona looked at it. Looking at the house, she was surprised by the size of it alone. "You live here? This place is so big." Akane smiled and nodded, she still didn't trust Ryona on the Ranma situation, but at least they could try to be friends. Ranma snorted as he looked at what he thought was the most important thing about a house, the dojo

The Tendo family looked up from what they were doing, as Ranma, Ryona and Akane walked in through the door, Soun looked up from his newspaper and stared at the nervous young girl, then he shifted his eyes to stare at Ranma and Akane. Dropping the paper he stood up and walked over to them, putting his arms on Ranma's shoulder he looked into his eyes. "Ranma, remember your engagement. Don't betray Akane with every girl you meet." The last was delivered as he broke into a crying fit "WAAHHH My poor baby, tossed aside by her fiancé before she was even married. How could you do it son?"

Ranma sweat dropped, as Akane started to glow blue again. "DAD, we're not married. As far as I concerned, we NOT ENGAGED!!" Roaring out the last words at her father, Akane stomped through the house and into the common room. Behind her, her father broke into another crying fit at the fact that his youngest daughter had yelled at him. Ranma tried vainly to disengage himself from the unstable elder.   

Nabiki smirked, as she looked the newcomer over. Long purple-pink hair, pointed ears and Chinese clothing. She would make a killing if she could get any pictures of this girl. The strange elf girl, Kuno would beg her for pictures of this one. All she had to do was learn her name and take a few pictures. Nothing too wild first, one never gave away the good stuff first.  Yen signs formed in her eyes as the sweet music of cash registers chinging began to play in her daydream while yen notes fell from the sky. She found that she had the strange desire to laugh out loud.

Kasumi looked up from putting down the teacups and noticed the new face. "Oh my, I guess I had better get an extra cup" Standing up, she smiled at the girl as she smoothed out her dress. "Hello, my name's Kasumi Tendo. What is yours?" Unnoticed by anyone, she looked at her father with a strained look before masking it over with her happy facemask. "Father, Ranma-kun can't breathe. Besides Mr. Saotome wanted to see him in the dojo when he got back, remember?"

Soun stopped crying in an instant and stood up. "That's right son, your father and I would like to talk with you right away" Dragging Ranma out the door he began cry in happiness. Behind them, there was a collective sweat drop as they vanished around the corner.

Turning back to the guest in the house, she blinked as Nabiki stared out into space with a blank look on her face, and drooling slightly from her mouth. Regaining her composure she looked at the girl. "Oh my, I'm so sorry about that. Please don't think badly about our family. May I ask what your name is?"

Ryona blinked and shook her head. "Sorry." Bowing formally she looked up at the elder girl. "Greetings, my name is Ryona. It's a pleasure to meet you all." Standing up she bowed to Nabiki. "I'm sorry if I have come in a bad time." Nabiki snapped out of her daydream and waved Ryona off.

Kasumi frowned and sat down at the table. "Please don't misunderstand me Ryona-san, but what's your family name?" Picking up a teacup, she looked over the steam coming from it. Since her father wasn't here, she had to play the host. But she also had to look after dinner, but it was also very rude not to give your family name to someone, and she didn't want to start of badly with anyone. Nabiki leaned in over the table and grinned, any kind of information on this one was more than welcome. 

Ryona looked up from her place at the table and blushed. "I don't know. Mr. Saotome found me in China, I can't remember who I am or where I'm from." Looking down at the table, she shot a look out from under the colorful bangs of her hair. "All I have that can tell me who I am, is half way ruined."

Kasumi looked at the girl as she told her story and felt the mother part of her reach out to this girl and hug her. Just like she had tried to do with Akane and Nabiki when they had lost their mother. Staring down at the girl in her arms she smiled. "Don't worry, I'm sure our father will be more than happy to help you." Releasing the girl she held a hand to her muoth "Oh my, dinner."

Nabiki followed her older sister as she walked out into the kitchen. As the curtain fall back down over the entrance. She turned back to look at the girl continently sitting across from her. It was time to grill the girl from what she did know, and what she didn't know, she could have her contacts find out for her. "Hello. I'm Nabiki. I couldn't help but heard that you were looking for info on yourself. Maybe I could help you? For a small fee that is." Yes, there was nothing like making money. 

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

Ryona looked up at the tiled ceiling as she felt the warm water wash away her weariness. She couldn't believe how much dirt had been in her hair. It had taken a good time to wash all of it out. Sitting back in the water she shifted around and stared at the black haired girl sitting on the chair next to the bath. "Hey Akane, why is it that everyone says that you and Ranma are engaged?"

Akane looked up as she washed out the last of the shampoo in her hair and sighed, "It was our stupid father's idea. I didn't even want to be engaged, but my sisters didn't want to be either, and pushed me forward. You can guess the rest."    

Ryona ducked back down under the hot water and resurfaced to face the other girl again. "You don't want to?"

"No. All boys are perverted jerks, and why would I marry someone who turns into a girl half the time" Standing up, Akane slid into the warm water of the bath and sighed as the coldness left her body. "Still, he not as big a jerk as Kuno is. Talk about a warped mind there."

Ryona looked at the black haired girl with a puzzled look "Kuno?"

Akane grumbled and looked at her "He's a good martial artist. But he has this idea that if he beats me, I have to date him." Closing her eyes she leaned back against the wall. "I've beaten him every time, and he still can't understand that I won't date him." Leaning her head back, she fell into a deep silence. Ryona looked at her for a moment and then relaxed as well.

"Ryona, wake up!"

Ryona opened her eyes and looked into the brown eyes of Akane Tendo. "Wha?" Her mind was really slow as she felt herself yawn.

Akane giggles as she held out a towel to the other girl. "You fell asleep in the bath." Turning around she finished toweling her hair and began to redress in some clean clothes. "Come on, Kasumi told me to put out a futon for you in my room. I have some clothes you can borrow."

Freshly dressed in a pair of pajamas that Akane had lent her, she looked at Akane as she finished lying out a futon for her on the floor. "Okay, we'll share the room tonight and then we'll talk with my father tomorrow. He might be able to help you." {If we can get him away from that shogi board, that is.} Smiling, she looked at the other girl. "Try to get some sleep, you look like you could need it." Closing the door as she left, Akane sighed as the feeling that her life was headed towards more trouble then she wanted washed over her.

Ryona looked around the room she would be sharing with Akane for a while. Sitting down on her futon, she sighed at the idea of sleeping inside a house again. She really needed to improve her camping skills if she should wind up on the road again. Turning to only window in the room, she stood up and looked out though the glass. Lifting a pink lock of hair away from her eyes she looked up at the bright night sky and closed her eyes to feel the evening breeze on her face. Opening her eyes she looked at the bright yellow moon that was rising in the horizon. Closing her eyes again she leaned back her head and howled at the ceiling.

In the distance a few dogs answered her. Dropping down onto the floor, Ryona sniffed the carpet and began to follow it around the room. She could smell herself in the room, the black haired girl and the boy with the pigtail. They had to be her pack. Not feeling them nearby she lifted her head and howled again, telling them that she was lost and that she wanted to be back with her pack.

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

Downstairs, Akane looked up from the TV and stared up at the ceiling. "Did you hear something Nabiki?"

Nabiki looked up from her magazine and looked at her. "Just Bess howling at the moon again."

Blinking, Akane looked up as a series of loud thumps was heard from upstairs. Looking around the room she spotted her sister folding up the last of the clean clothes near the kitchen, and her father and Mr. Saotome playing the same game of shogi that they been playing since the Saotome's moved into the house. Ranma also looked up at the ceiling with a puzzled look on his face.

Standing up from her place, Akane left the common room and walked up the stairs. Walking over to her door, the strange sounds she had heard became clearer. "Ryona?" calling out, Akane turned the door handle and looked into her room. Gazing at the sight that met her she turned her head and looked down the hallway. "RANMA!!" A few seconds later, Ranma stopped next to her and looked into the room as well.

Ranma and Akane stared at Ryona as she sat on the futon that had been set up in Akane's room, with disbelieving looks on their faces. They were mostly concerned with the way her eyes had gone all reddish in color, and the way she was sitting on all four in front of them. Swinging her head from side to side, she sniffed the air around her as she walked closer to them.

"Ryona, what's wrong with you?" Ranma asked as he walked towards the girl who looked up at him with eyes almost empty of intelligence. Turning around and sniffing at the air, she swung her head to face Akane with a low bark. Walking closer, she sniffed Akane's hand as the black haired girl stood completely still with a frightened look in her eyes. 

"Ranma?" Akane was scared, not that she would admit it, but no one should act like that. She may have just met Ryona, but she had seemed like a normal girl, if you looked away from the monster strength, in human endurance, and claws for nails, not to mention the strange pointed ears. Not one with a mental problem that made her start acting like an animal. It was down right scaring her to the bone. She stepped back, and then she took another one when Ryona followed her.

Puzzled, though not showing, and a little concerned, Ranma grabbed Ryona's shoulder and fell back when her head snapped around and she jumped up onto his chest knocking him down onto the floor, hard. Looking from his position on the floor he blinked as Ryona looked down at him with a look of admiration in her eyes. 

Glaring death, Akane stomped over to pull the other girl off, when Ryona's head spun around and she jumped through the air towards her. Swinging out her hand she met nothing but air as she felt something land besides her. Looking up, she noted that Ryona was glaring at something that was behind her. Turning she spotted her father and Genma-panda looking puzzled at them through the door opening.

A tearing sound followed as Ryona's nails ripped through the surface of the carpet as she tensed.

[Boy what's going on here?]

Ranma stared at the sign, and then back at the girl staring at them, mostly she was staring at the panda while growling. Ranma barely saw the movement, but the next second Genma-panda stood with the remains of a sign in his hands. Staring at the girl who had done it, the panda paled, well you couldn't really see it for the fur, but the way he froze spoke of it. Crouched on all fours, Ryona began to edge her way towards Genma-Panda almost like an animal stalking her prey. 

Akane took a step forward and grabbed the smaller girl around her shoulders and held her back. "Mr. Saotome run, I don't think she likes you?" As Akane finished the sentence, Ryona tore free of Akane's hold and made a jump for the elder martial artist. Genma-Panda ducked under it and rushed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. The sound of claws on wood was heard clearly from the inside.

Ranma grabbed Ryona and pulled her from the door and held onto her. "Dammit, what the heck is wrong with her?"

Looking at them, Akane kneeled in front of Ryona and gazed right into the other girl's eyes. "Here girl, come to Akane." Mumbling the words, Akane reached out a hand and ruffled Ryona's pink hair. Ranma blinked, when Ryona relaxed in his arms and simply stared at Akane with wide eyes, then she tore herself free and jumped on Akane. "Hey!" The rest of Akane's words were drowned out as Ryona jumped to the other end of the room with her ribbon. "Give that back." 

Ranma stared wide-eyed as the two girls ran around the room, one in a strange way on all fours, the other on two legs, both trying to get the yellow ribbon away from the other. Unseen by anyone, Nabiki was outside the window taking pictures of the two girls, with yen signs in her eyes. Dropping the ribbon from her mouth, Ryona jumped on Ranma tumbling around with him on the floor.

"What's going on?" Akane mumbled as she pulled Ryona away from Ranma, only to get knocked down instead of him.

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

Akane stared at the eyes looking back at her from the floor, it had taken a long time but Ryona had finally stopped her wild behavior and was now lying on her futon and staring up at her. Her eyes still showed no sign of the shy girl she had met earlier that day instead there was this wild and playful look in them. Her ribbon lay off to the side, ruined by the sharp canine teeth of Ryona, and over an hour of tug war for it. At least she had calmed down enough to let Ranma leave the room. Dropping her head down onto her pillow, Akane reached for the light switch. "Night Ryona." Darkness overtook the room and Akane closed her eyes.

Ryona looked up at Akane and watched how her face relaxed and her breathing became deep and completely calm. Lifting herself up on all fours, she tip toed towards the bed and looked over the edge of the bed at the sleeping girl. Sniffing the air she smiled and crawled up into the bed, curling up next to her.

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

Akane blinked her eyes as she heard her alarm clock go off. Moving out a hand, she brushed it past something soft and hit the snooze button. Burrowing deeper into her bed, she decided to enjoy the warm comfort of the blanket. Turning over to fit in better with the other one under the blanket, she blinked as something purple with pink highlights filled her vision. Under the purple mass of hair was a happy face of someone still sleeping soundly, Akane smiled to herself, and closed her eyes. {Wait, purple-pink hair?} Opening her eyes, she stared at the mass of hair right in front of her.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

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

TBC in:  Ryona, child of the Musk    

AN: Well, another chapter is written and posted. And while I decided what going to happen in the next chapter, I would really like it, if someone did some fan-art for An Unexpected Turn. If I get any, I'll put it up on my site.

Dak.