Changing the Past

A Ranma ½ and Rurouni Kenshin Crossover

Chapter 5

On to Kyoto!

Disclaimer: Why don't I own Ranma ½ and Rurouni Kenshin? Money…

A/N: Alright people! After some weeks of hard writing and writer's block, I have finally finished this freakin' chapter! And once again, anyone who is actually reading this, PLEASE REVIEW! And any and allflames shall be given to my brother for the Asian art of origami…

"Ok Akane," said Ranma, sounding absolutely serious. "First off, we're gonna need ta work on your balance."

"My balance is perfectly fine!" yelled Akane.

Ranma sighed. "No, it isn't. Look." Ranma suddenly shot out a leg and tripped Akane. "See?"

"Well, why don't you help me then?" Akane glared at him from her position on the floor.

Ranma sighed again. "That's what I'm tryin' ta do here!"

"Then why don't you hurry up and do it!"

"I'll do it at my own pace ya stupid tomboy!"

"Insensitive jerk!"

"Kawaiik-" Ranma stopped in the middle of the insult, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Akane and he always got into pointless fights like these; it would do no good to get into another one when they were trying to train. Ranma opened his eyes again.

"Listen Akane," began Ranma. "If ya wanna get better, you're gonna hafta be more patient with me, kay? I know I'm not that patient too, but you're gonna just hafta listen to me."

"Alright Ranma," said Akane, calming down. "Let's try again…"

In the next couple of hours, Ranma had solidified Akane's balance to a nice level (through much tripping). He had also built up her speed(throwing baseballs at said Akane)andfilled in gaps inher defense (by hitting her and pointing out where her weak points were, not that he liked hitting her). After all the workout, Akane slumped down against the dojo wall. Ranma however, was still active.

"Tired?" Ranma looked at Akane with some concern.

"Yeah, a little."

"Well, just sit back and watch me do a couple of katas."

With Akane as his audience, Ranma took up a loose stance and began. Kick, jump, turn, chop, punch, spin, land, sweep, backhand, Ranma was flowing through the motions like a river. As time progressed, the kata became more complex. Side kick, roundhouse, split kick,high jump, punch, punch, punch, kick, kick, turn, block, snap kick, flip, land. Ranma's "ki-AI!"s and "hi-YA!"s were heard throughout the dojo and some of the Kenshin-gumi even came to watch.

Yahiko and Kaoru were standing in sheer obfuscation. Sano was looking on in amazement, while Kenshin was impressed. Akane just sat there and smiled at his fiancée.

However, Ranma didn't notice the additional spectators and just kept on going. Spin kick, punch, slam, elbow, jump and…

"KACHUU TENSHIN AMIGURIKEN!"

Ranma's fist blurred as he punched at impossible speeds. After about three seconds, he landed and then let out a big breath. Only then did he notice four stupefied faces and one happy face looking right at him.

"Nice job Ranma!" Akane was beaming.

"Uh… When did you all get here?" said a confused Ranma.

"Wha-wha-wha…" Yahiko was stunned into silence.

Kaoru was just mouthing out unidentifiable words.

Sano stood there with eyes the size of jumbo sushi rolls (with extra wasabi!).

And Kenshin…

"Oro?"

Within the next few days, the gang was on the road. Leaving Tokyo, the Kenshin-gumi, Ranma and Akane headed east, staying quite parallel to the shoreline. Ranma and Akane marveled at the beautiful nature that would be destroyed by the expanding Japanese population in the future. Camping out wasn't too difficult, as Ranma had spent ten years on the road. However, Akane…

"Eeep!"

"What is it Akane?" said Ranma sleepily.

"I thought I saw something!"

"Wha?"

"O-over there…" Akane pointed in the direction of Kenshin.

Ranma yawned. "That's just the shadow from Kenshin's hakama…"

"B-b-but…"

"Just go ta sleep…"

The next morning…

Ranma woke up to the peaceful sound of birds chirping. And…

"RANMA!"

Ranma jumped up and ran towards Akane, who was on the ground in a ball pointing at something. Ranma looked in the direction she was pointing and found…

"It's just a stupid bug!"

Ranma held up a long centipede.

"But, but, it's all big and long and creepy!"

"God Akane no need ta get all creeped out 'cuz of a stupid bug!"

"Well, excuse me!"

"Kawaiikune!"

"Baka!"

And so, the Kenshin-gumi woke up to the sound of Ranma and Akane fighting. Again.

After they were able to separate Ranma from Akane, the Kenshin-gumi and co. set out again. This time, being used to it, the going was a lot easier for Akane. After a few days of traveling, they came upon a small town. Tired and weary, the gang took a much-needed rest at the town's inn. Splitting into men and women, the group took a relaxing bath.

"Man!" said Ranma, letting out a breath as he settled into the big furo. "Haven't hiked like that since I was trainin' with Oyaji..."

"You never did tell us much of your travels with your father, Ranma," said Kenshin.

Ranma let out a short, harsh laugh. "I'd hardly call those ten years 'travels'!"

"Oro? What did you and your father do?"

"I doubt you wanna know."

"Try us." Sano had just joined in the conversation.

Ranma sighed. "I doubt this is gonna be good for the kid." He said, looking pointedly at Yahiko.

"HEY!" replied Yahiko. "I ain't no kid! And I've seen a lot of stuff!"

"You ain't got nothin' on my childhood," replied Ranma with a stern glare. "But if ya wanna know… Don't blame me for your nightmares."

And so, the horror stories began. And he was right, they did have anything on Ranma's childhood.

Over in the girl's side (no perverts allowed)

Akane relaxed in the furo. Three days of traveling had really taken their toll on Akane. She was about to doze off when Kaoru slid in beside her.

"Hope I'm not intruding Akane," said Kaoru.

"Oh," replied Akane. "Not at all."

"Nice isn't it?"

Akane sighed. "Yeah… Nothing like home…"

"Are all the… stories you and Ranma told us true?

Akane giggled. "Well, yeah, but they are kinda hard to believe, ne?"

"I've never heard of such chaos before. Why doesn't someone do something about it?"

Akane laughed. "I doubt even the army could stop all the weird stuff happening! Besides, everyone's used to it now, it's no big deal."

"I see…"

The two girls relaxed until a voice startled them.

"HOTCHA!"

Oh, not him…

Back on the men's side

"And then there was the Neko-ken…"

Ranma was still telling his childhood stories. So far, he had gone through the firstfive years of his life and everyone was already amazed that he hadn't gone insane.

"Neko-ken? Cat fist?" asked Sano. "What kinda dumb name is that?"

"The name may be dumb," replied Ranma with a sad face. "But the technique is unstoppable."

"Unstoppable?" asked Sano. "Teach me man!"

Ranma closed his eyes and shook his head. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and gave such a glare of anger and anguish, that everyone in the room, even Kenshin, gave an involuntary shudder.

"You wanna learn? Try being shoved into a pit of hungry cats with fish sausage strapped around you and no defense at the AGE OF TEN!"

Everyone around stared in shock at Ranma. Even with what they had gone through, none of them had ever heard of such a torture.

"What kind of freak idiot would do that to a mere child?" asked Kenshin, utterly disgusted.

"You wanna know who?" asked Ranma, his eyes blazing with anger. "That pathetic slime ball that calls himself my father! That's who!"

"Your… father?"

"YEAH! THAT GODDA-" Ranma stopped in the middle of his insult, and visibly calmed down. "No…"

"Oro?"

"It's not his fault," Ranma replied, his eyes sad. "He didn't know better. He was just following the training techniques of his master."

"What kind of master would teach such a horrible thing?"

Ranma's eyes became hooded with anger. "Happosai…"

"Hey, you never actually told us what he looked like," said Sano. "He look big or strong or muscular or something?"

Ranma stared. And then laughed. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard since I came here!"

"Huh? What's so funny about that?"

Ranma was still laughing. "Hahahaha… Happousai is two feet tall and looks like a gnome's great-grandfather."

Suddenly a scream erupted from the girl's side. Followed by an earsplitting cry of "PERVERT!" Ranma's eyes hardened.

"And, if I'm not mistaken, that's him right now…"