Final Approach Ranma

by Trimatter

Thanks to a government project, Ranma gets engaged to someone new a very nice boy. A Ranma Futaba kun Change crossover fusion whatever with a touch of Final Approach thrown in. [Completed]

5. Chapter Five

I don't own any of these characters or situations. They belong to someone else. Also this is done purely for fun, not profit. Any resemblance to persons living, dead, yet to be born, or visiting from other dimensions is purely coincidental. I'm doing this for fun.

Constructive criticism is always welcome.

I would like to thank the following, in order of appearance, from FukuFics 'dot' com for their input an pre-reading: Anchoku, J. St.C. Patrick, Gate, and Pale Wolf.

If I missed listing anyone, or misspelt their name, I apologize.

WARNING: Some angst ahead, but it gets better. Think of it as the darkness before the dawn.

Boldly going where others had gone before and meekly going where few have been.

- o - o - o - o -
- o - o - o - o -

Final Approach Ranma

Chapter 5

A Ranma/Futaba-kun Change crossover/fusion/whatever with a touch of Final Approach thrown in.

- o - o - o - o -

"Ranma!" Kasumi said merrily as she ushered the redhead and her friends into the house. "You look wonderful! Come in, come in!"

"Hi Kasumi," Ranma just as merrily replied, letting Kasumi's happy nature rub off on her. "Let me introduce you to my fiancé, Futaba Shimeru, and this is a friend from school, Misaki Shima."

"How do you do," Kasumi greeted them with a bow. "Please be welcomed into our home."

Ranma's two friends returned the greeting and followed Kasumi to the family room. When they neared their destination, Ranma caught the tail end of a conversation. The voice was unmistakably her mother's. "... worry, I'll be sure to talk to him about it."

Kasumi led the guests into the room and Ranma's quick eye noted that it was Akane walking away from Nodoka, to take her spot at the table. She studied her mother and noticed a look in her eyes that made her feel a bit uncomfortable. Then again, Ranma had always felt uncomfortable around her mother. Sighing internally, Ranma tried to prepare for whatever storms might come.

Everyone was then seated around the table with Ranma seated next to her fiancé on her left, with her mother and father on her right. Misaki sat across from Ranma, next to Nabiki and Akane. Soun Tendo was seated at the head of the table and across from Kasumi. Introductions were made and soon everyone was making small talk.

"So how are you doing my - girl," Genma said somewhat grandly. "Can't wait to come back?"

Ranma blinked at the question, then shrugged her shoulders. "Not really," she confessed. "I kinda like it where I'm at."

Silence fell among those at the table as everyone digested that bit of news.

"So... are you keeping up with your training? I hope you're not slacking off," Genma asked in a slightly fearful way.

"Yeah, I've been working out," Ranma answered while passing a cup of tea to her fiancé. He rewarded her with a smile that just warmed her heart. Ranma smiled back at him before continuing. "Ryoga's showed up once and we had a good workout. I'm getting worried about him, though," Ranma paused as she sipped her tea. "He said he got lost in Kuno's room for two weeks and he seemed a little - unnerved by it."

"You weren't picking on poor Ryoga again, were you?" Akane asked in an accusing way.

"Some things never change," Ranma sighed internally. "No," Ranma answered very evenly. "He did his usual threat and attack jag. Heh, It was a good fight though, but I still beat him."

Akane opened her mouth to say something more, but Nabiki spoke first. "When you say you are worried about him, what did you mean?"

Ranma lowered her cup. "I mean he was talking like Kuno - except worse, if that's possible. Sometimes I worry about that guy, though. He wouldn't be such a bad guy if he wasn't so obsessive about stupid stuff."

"Or if you didn't pick on him so much," Akane added pointedly.

Ranma cocked her head and thought of how to handle this. Before, Ranma would have said something like, 'what would you know about it, you uncute tomboy', but those days seemed long ago and far away. Selecting several avenues of attack, Ranma chose to try and disarm Akane.

"Perhaps," Ranma thoughtfully conceded before pointing out, "but you have to admit that his reactions to every slight, real or imagined, are always too excessive."

Akane opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it shut. She blink-blinked at Ranma. This was not like him, her,... whatever.

"I mean, trying to kill someone because he himself was four days late to a duel he set up," Ranma said in a way that seemed rational. "A duel over something as stupid as bread. I hate to say this, because I consider him a friend of sorts, but I think he needs some professional help."

All attention was focused on the redhead who was back to sipping her tea daintily. Futaba and Misaki were sipping theirs as well, ignoring the stares that were directed at their friend.

- o - o - o - o -

"What do you think?" Futana asked the portly man sitting across from her.

"Genma Saotome is the head of the clan," he said, looking over his black rimmed glasses. "If you can get him to sign this with corroborating witnesses, there would be little that he could do to contest it."

"What about the mother, Nodoka?"

"Well, she could try to contest it, but Genma is listed as the head of the clan," the lawyer answered while shuffling papers. "Even if she did challenge it, she would have to answer for her husband's actions and her lack of involvement in her son's life. Also the suicide pact that was forced on Ranma when he was only..." he leafed through the binder, "... five years old would draw into question her fitness as a mother."

Futana smiled. "Thank you," she said as she gathered up the papers. "That's all I needed to know."

- o - o - o - o --

"Ranma," Nodoka said while rising. "I would like to speak with you, please - alone."

Ranma blinked at the unexpected request, but nodded in consent. "I'll be right back," she said reassuringly to her fiancé and friend as she excused herself from the table. Ranma followed her mother up the stairs, all along wondering what could be so private that her mother felt the need to pull her aside.

"Could she have seen through our act?" Ranma worriedly thought. "Maybe she thinks I'm not being 'womanly' enough - god I hope not."

Nodoka led Ranma up into the guest room, that she and her father used to share when they stayed with the Tendo's. Upon entering, Nodoka closed the door behind them and moved over to the window. She stared out the window for a brief moment before turning to face her offspring.

"Ranma, what happened between you and Akane last weekend?" Nodoka asked. "Akane came home from shopping and was very upset with you."

Ranma blinked at what was asked and was truly surprised by the question. The incident at the department store was burned into her mind by the frustration of Akane's accusations, but afterward, Ranma had gotten over it and put it behind her. She wasn't expecting her mother to know about it, much less dredge it up. Still, Ranma should have figured her mother would have found out and asked about it.

Ranma looked at her mother with measured eyes as she spoke. "I was shopping with some friends of mine for some new underwear," Nodoka's eyebrow rose at that, "and I saw Akane with some of her friends and I stopped and said 'hi' to her. Akane then started to accuse me of doing - dishonorable stuff and I left."

Silence fell between the two women as Nodoka waited for her son turned daughter to continue. When it was evident that nothing was forthcoming, Nodoka prompted Ranma. "What did she accuse you of?"

"The usual," Ranma answered almost off handedly, "being a pervert and picking up girls."

"Were you?"

Ranma's eyes widened slightly before narrowing. "No I was not," she firmly answered. "I was just out shopping with my friends." Then she added with a mischievous smile with hoped of lightening the mood, "As far as picking up girls goes - I am an engaged woman you know."

"I... see...," Nodoka thought aloud and missing the humor that Ranma tried to project. "So what did you say to her after she accused you?"

Ranma sighed, sensing the mood wasn't going to change. "Nothing much."

"You must have said something, what did you say to her to upset her so?" Ranma's mother pressed.

Ranma shook her head slightly. "I told her all I wanted to do was to say 'hi' to her and if she was going to be a jerk about it, then fine. After that I left the store."

"That's all?"

Ranma looked at her mother and shrugged. "Yeah, basically. I said 'hi and she flew off the handle and started accusing me of stuff that I never did. I got tired of it, called her on it and left."

"She's saying that you were very rude and embarrassed her in front of the whole store," Nodoka said a little pointedly.

"Mother," Ranma said evenly, hiding her irritation. "She was accusing me of dishonorable acts and embarrassing me in front of my friends and strangers. I do have some pride, you know."

Nodoka studied Ranma in silence for a few heartbeats.

"Still you shouldn't have upset Akane like that," Nodoka finally said in a scolding way. "I don't think Akane really meant any of the things she said and you should make allowances for her."

Ranma stared at her mother, then folded her arms. She was not liking where this was going. "Well, if you don't believe me why don't you ask Misaki and Futaba? They both were there."

"It's not a matter of belief," Nodoka said as she waved a hand in a dismissive manner. She also filed the fact that Futaba went shopping with Ranma for underwear away in the back of her mind for later. "Just apologize to Akane and everything will be put right."

Ranma stood there and looked at her mother with a mixture of shock and defiance. "Why should I apologize when I am the offended party?" Ranma ground out as her frustrations with her mother were barely kept in check. "Akane's the one that needs to be apologizing - not me."

"Ranma!" Nodoka admonished somewhat sternly. "You have to learn to get along with her, you may end up married to her."

Silence fell once again between the two women as Ranma digested that piece of news.

"Wha-what are you talking about?" Ranma managed to work out. "Didn't the Emperor dissolve all the engagements?"

Nodoka sighed. She didn't want to spill the beans this soon, but she felt it important for Ranma to know why she had to apologize, after all keeping the peace with a prospective daughter-in-law was important. "Yes, that's true, dear," she said placidly. "But that doesn't mean that new arrangements can't be made if the engagement between you and Futaba doesn't work out."

Ranma was stunned speechless as she continued to stare at her mother. After a few quiet seconds, she managed to find her voice. "What?"

"Yes, we have decided that if the engagement between you and Futaba doesn't work out, you are to marry Akane."

Ranma stood there with renewed speechlessness at her mothers words.

"That's why you must apologize," Nodoka continued. "We have decided that if things don't work out with you and Futaba, you will marry Akane," she reaffirmed.

Inside the stunned exterior, Ranma wrestled to control emotions there were raging. "How can they do this to me!" Ranma's outraged thoughts shot repeatedly through her brain. "How can they do this to me!"

Ranma broke from the mantra and focused on controlling the building frustration within her towards her mother. No, frustration wasn't the word for it, but Ranma didn't want to associate that emotion with her mother. This was her mother for gods sake! And it wouldn't be right to hate - no - best not think about that now. Ranma drew a calming breath - it didn't help, so she drew another. "You want me to marry...," her voice then trailed off.

Ranma's breath grew ragged before she managed to control it. It won't do any good to lose control now. "This is a fight!" her mind latched onto. "This is a fight - I gotta concentrate on the fight. My personal honor is at stake. 'Soul of Ice'."

During Ranma's mental exercises, silence filled the room. Nodoka eyed her offspring, wondering what could be the matter with her ordinarily very dutiful child. "Ranma -" she began somewhat gently.

"No," Ranma suddenly and powerfully said. "I will not apologize for things that I am not guilty of. Akane's the one that needs to apologize to me."

It seemed to take a few seconds for Ranma's words to sink into Nodoka.

"RANMA!" Nodoka said loudly, not expecting her child to openly defy her. "You WILL apologize. What happened at the store wasn't an important affair, so let it go. Apologize to Akane - it will make things easier on both of you in the future."

Ranma began to fume. Wasn't her mother listening to anything she had said? Couldn't she understand that this was no 'little affair'? Couldn't she see that something was amiss and this was a sign of something deeper being wrong between Akane and her? Why couldn't her mother be more like Futaba's parents?

What about honor?

"Shouldn't honor and truth be something that's interconnected?" Ranma questioned herself before theorizing on her mother's actions. "My mom doesn't care about the truth, she didn't care about what is right. All she cares about is smoothing Akane's ruffled feathers so that Akane would be more inclined to marry me."

Ranma's stubborn streak, her newly emerging sense of honor and the earlier biological 'happenings' of the week, chose that moment to combine and assert itself.

"Without truth, there is no honor," Ranma mentally concluded.

"Ranma, did you hear me?" Nodoka asked, bringing Ranma back to the here and now.

"Yes I did, and the answer is still no," Ranma repeated calmly, clearly, and precisely. "I will not apologize for things I did not do."

"Ranma," Nodoka said dangerously with a slight shake in her voice and not liking Ranma attitude one bit. "If you don-"

"My personal honor will not allow it," Ranma said firmly, interrupting her mother while looking at her in the eye. "In fact, I considered the way Akane acted toward me dishonorable. I will be polite to her, but any engagement or any other arrangement between me and her will not be considered until she apologizes to me."

Ranma's mother stood, speechless at her child's words for a few heartbeats. She then narrowed her eyes in anger at her rebellious child - a child that she would soon teach the folly of her ways. Nodoka wordlessly stared down at the younger redhead, trying to assert, dominate and crush Ranma's will by her sheer presence alone.

"This is a battle," Ranma's mind pointed out to itself. "Keep thinking of this as a battle."

Ranma locked eyes with the older woman who was attempting to destroy her will, her spirit - her soul - and didn't flinch. The seconds ticked by, turning into minutes, as the two women's wills clashed silently. The tension rose and built to, what would be to anyone else, unbearable levels and still mother and child silently fought each other for dominance. Ranma and her mother were like statues staring at one another, neither backing down.

For Nodoka, this was an effort to bring her wayward child to heel. For Ranma, this was a fight - a different type of fight than she was used to, but a fight none-the-less for what she believed was right. Nodoka was about to learn that Ranma Saotome never loses.

- o - o - o - o -

Downstairs, the people made light conversation, ignorant of the silent battle occurring overhead. Misaki was putting a fifth heaping spoonful of sugar into her tea as Kasumi picked up the teapot.

"So how are you and Ranma getting along?" Kasumi asked polity of Futaba while offering to refill his cup. Misaki was stirring the thick morass that was her tea, satisfied that she finally had enough sugar in it, before taking a test sip. She smiled at what she thought was the perfect amount of sugar in her tea.

"We're getting along just fine," Futaba answered while accepting another cup of tea. "She's a great girl."

Akane nearly spit out her tea and started coughing. Nabiki started to pat her back, trying to help her clear her throat. "You mean -cough- that -cough- you two -cough, cough- are -cough-"

"Yes," Futaba answered the unfinished question. "We're getting along just fine. She's a great girl to have around."

Genma fell over onto his back while Soun snapped off the handle of his teacup. Akane resumed her coughing in earnest as Nabiki up the slaps on her back. Kasumi's ever serene smile broadened somewhat.

"Oh my, how wonderful," Kasumi merrily commented. "It's nice to know that someone appreciates Ranma."

Futaba and Misaki just blink-blinked at the antics of the Tendo's.

- o - o - o - o -

After a few more minutes it was painfully clear to Nodoka that Ranma wasn't going to budge, much less back down.

"Ranma," Nodoka finally said, breaking the silence, but not the tension, using the same dangerous voice she'd used earlier. "Family honor-"

"Doesn't have a damn thing to do with this and you know it."

Nodoka reared back, anger clearly written on her face. "Do not interrupt me again!" she shrieked. "You are MY child and you WILL do as YOU are told. Do I make MYSELF clear?"

Ranma continued to lock eyes with her mother - unblinking, unflinching and not showing any signs of backing down. If anything her mother's reaction made her dig in her heels further. The 'Soul of Ice' that Ranma was using made those heels deep and sharp.

"Very well," Ranma said in a cool manner letting a touch of her 'Soul of Ice' seep into her voice. She then bowed toward her mother - not a deep bow and an obvious slight toward the older Saotome. "Then we have nothing more to discuss. If you change your mind, you'll know where to find me."

No sooner then Ranma turn to leave, she was stopped by the rasping sound of a sword being unsheathed. "You will not turn your back on or disobey me," Nodoka said evenly. "If you'll recall the contract that you and you father signed before leaving on your training trip. Now you'll do the manly thing and apologize - understand?"

Ranma's anger flared and was just as quickly suppressed. "No! I mustn't lose control! This is still a fight! 'Soul of Ice'!" Ranma slowly turned to face her mother. "This is a fight," Ranma reaffirmed herself. A fight that did not involve fists or martial arts moves - yet, but still a fight. Ranma faced her mother, who was holding the family honor sword, half-drawn from its sheath. She looked upon the woman who gave birth to her with hard eyes that were getting harder and colder by the second.

"I thought you said that I already met the terms of the contract," Ranma pointed out with contempt leaking into her voice. Ranma stared at her mother with her eyes narrowing further. "Unless you are going back on your word or were lying when you said that - two more things which I consider dishonorable."

Nodoka trembled with rage as anger clearly defined itself on her features. She stood and shook, as if she were fighting to control herself, but was uncertain as what to do. The absolute anger in Nodoka's eyes was enough to make a normal person run screaming into the streets, but for Ranma that look just fueled her 'Soul of Ice' more. Nodoka stood, shaking in fury for a dozen heartbeats.

Ranma was unsure what her mother was going to do. Different parts of Ranma's mind went to work: One part wanted unconditional love of her parent, but now knew that was impossible so remained silent. Another part wanted to renounce her family name - honor be damned - and become ronin, but having a name was still important to Ranma so that part wasn't allowed to go very far. Ranma still wanted honor for herself, if nothing else, so other parts were engaged in exploring diplomatic paths of actions...

... and still other parts of Ranma's mind had already thought of five different ways of disarming Nodoka if it came to that.

"Well mother?" Ranma said in a half-taunting way. "Are you saying you're no better than pops - always going back on your word?"

Nodoka shaking increased to the point that Ranma thought that she was either going to attack or shake herself apart. She did neither.

"GET OUT!" Nodoka roared as she forcibly re-sheathed her sword. "GET OUT! And don't you dare come back until you are ready to apologize to Akane and me."

Ranma was still looking at her mother with unflinching eyes. "I'll gladly leave, but I'll leave after I'm through visiting with the rest of the Tendos. I am a guest here like yourself," Ranma said as she warily exited the room. "And only they can ask me to leave - not you."

Ranma exited the room and closed the door on her mother before the older woman could even form some type of response, verbal or otherwise. Out in the hall, Ranma exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding, before turning and heading back down the stairs.

She felt as if she won a battle, but for some reason didn't feel the high that usually comes with victory. Exhaling again, Ranma pondered what the cost of winning was.

- o - o - o - o ----

"Hello, dad?" Futana said into the phone. "I just called to tell you I think I can help Ranma."

She stopped and listened to her father as he spoke.

"Don't worry, I think I have that covered."

Pause.

"I wont go through with anything until Ranma says so," Futana said. "I'll get everything in place and leave the final decision up to her."

She listened to what her father was saying and a smile crept over her face.

"Don't worry... but expect a large bar tab," Futana said, "and I'll try and be home early."

- o - o - o - o ----

Ranma neared the foot of the stairs and stopped. She took a few more deep calming breaths and regained control of her hands that had started shaking half way down the stairs. She was upset and angry at her mother and needed to steady herself before rejoining the others. After a few moments, she felt a little more in control of her emotions and finished her descent.

"Don't think about it now," Ranma thought as she pushed the confrontation with her mother out of mind. "Gotta stay focused on other things."

Ranma reentered the family room and everybody was where she'd remembered. Moving over to Futaba she sat dutifully next to him and across from Misaki. The conversation continued unabated as Ranma further gathered herself, smiled and relaxed.

The mood was as light as the subject matters that were being discussed. After about twenty minutes and in the midst of conversation, Nodoka came storming down the stairs. She stopped and looked over the room, pausing to stare daggers at her child before announcing, "Genma, we're leaving."

"But, dear-" Genma began to protest while thinking, "we haven't broken out the Sake yet."

"Now," Nodoka said, cutting off her husband. She then turned on her heel and left the room without further delay.

Genma started to sweat heavily as everyone watched him as he quickly rose and followed his wife, who had already exited the house, as quickly as he could manage. Everyone blink-blinked in the wake of this turn of events.

"Oh my," Kasumi commented. "Mrs. Saotome seemed awfully upset. Do you think she is all right?"

"She'll be okay," Ranma said offhandedly as she mentally steeled her emotions for later. "Something didn't agree with her - she'll get over it."

Nabiki arched an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Akane felt that Ranma did have something to do about Auntie Nodoka leaving and wasn't afraid to press the issue. "What did you do to your own mother to upset her?"

Ranma placed her cup onto the saucer and looked at her ex-fiancée in the eyes. "What happened between my mother and I is of no concern of yours. Let's just say we had a disagreement and leave it at that."

Kasumi nodded as if she understood. Nabiki looked nonplused, but Ranma could tell she was deeply curious as to what happened. Akane looked rather cross and wasn't afraid to show it. "You did do something! How could you do that to your own mother. You idiot!"

Ranma sighed and tapped again into her 'Soul of Ice' to calm herself. She had realized that dealing with Akane was going to be like dealing with her mother. "What exactly did I do to her?" Ranma questioned.

Akane stared at the redhead and opened her mouth to say something, but lacking any facts nothing came to mind. Lacking facts didn't stop the train of logic that Akane had acquired through dealing with Ranma. She just switched to a tried and true method: Blame Ranma. "You had to have done something," Akane insisted. "You're always doing something to make people mad at you and now you've done it with your own mother!"

Ranma cocked her head and looked at Akane. "Really?" she asked quizzically, then smiled. "Well, since you have no idea what you are talking about, I'll give your accusation all the attention it deserves - none." With that dismissal, Ranma turned to Nabiki. "So Nabiki how's everything at Furinkan? Is the old True Blunder still making a fool of himself?"

Nabiki blinked at the abrupt change of subject, but collected herself enough to respond. "Yes, he's still at it and from what I understand is trying to-"

"Don't you ignore me!" Akane exploded to her feet, making Futaba and Misaki back away from the table. "Don't you dare ignore me! I asked you a question, I expect an answer! What did you do to your mother!"

Ranma stared at the irate tomboy who was staring down at her, locking her eyes with Akane's. "She's acting... like a child," Ranma thought. "She's being ignored and she's throwing a fit. Now... how to handle this?"

Smiling thinly Ranma made her decision. Instead of speaking to Akane, Ranma looked around Akane, who was still looming over her, and addressed Soun at the head of the table. "Mr. Tendo," she stated clearly. "I am a guest here and I don't appreciate being treated this way. Please control your daughter."

"Yes, you're being very rude," Kasumi gently scolded Akane. "Ranma has never done anything dishonorable that we know of, so there's no reason to suspect her now - and she is a guest."

Akane stood frozen, open mouthed, and unsure as to what to do.

Soun looked between Kasumi, Akane and Ranma with nervous eyes. Seconds ticked by. All eyes were on the Tendo patriarch as he fidgeted in his seat and started to sweat lightly. Soun's nervousness intensified as the seconds started to grow into a minute.

"He's trapped," Ranma realized. "He doesn't want to make Akane mad, but doesn't want to go against Kasumi. I wonder how'l he'll get out of this one?"

Soun swallowed and let a cautious and nervous laugh escape before falling silent. He then nodded to himself before speaking. "So Nabiki, what were you saying about that Kuno boy?"

"He's a coward!" Ranma concluded. "He is not interested in what's right or honorable, just what is easy for him to deal and live with."

Kasumi let out a sigh that only can be described as disappointment. Akane sat back down with a 'hrumpt' and crossed her arms and Nabiki blink-blinked at her father.

"Ahh... yeah," Nabiki said as she turned her attention to the redhead. "There's rumors that Kuno-baby paid a good sum of money to meet you Ranma."

"Oh? Arranging a challenge? I don't see that as a problem, I'll just stomp him like I always do," Ranma idly commented.

Nabiki shifted a bit. "Um," she was still not used to not charging for information. For her, this made conversation a little difficult. She did learn to fear Nodoka however, and that alone was enough to reconsider going back to her old ways. Not to mention Ranma resembled a younger Nodoka and Nabiki didn't want to test if she acted like one if Ranma's ire was directed toward her. "It's not a challenge."

Ranma cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "Not a challenge? Then what?"

Nabiki looked at Ranma and at the other guest that were there. Ranma caught on to the hidden meaning.

"It's okay," Ranma reassured. "They know all about me."

Nabiki looked lightly shocked before quickly composing herself. "Your father accepted a good chunk of money to allow Kuno to meet and date...," she stopped and took a deep breath, "his daughter."

All was quiet, except for a small 'Oh my' from Kasumi. Ranma tapped more of her 'Soul of Ice' to help contain her growing rage. Ranma's eyes narrowed. "He wouldn't," she finally said.

Nabiki nodded. "I'm sorry," she said.

Ranma's temper went up a notch and she drove deeper into the 'Soul of Ice' to compensate. If this kept up, Ranma feared she'd turn into a block of ice. She exhaled a shaky breath as the others watched, some worriedly, some dispassionately, and a few with concern.

"He sold me out again?" Ranma asked dangerously and gave Nabiki a look that reminded her of Nodoka in a rage - Ice Queen be damned, it was something to be feared. "Just like my mother," Ranma added mentally with a great deal of bitterness.

Nabiki only responded by nodding.

- o - o - o - o --

Ranma was quiet on the way back to the Shimeru's, something that didn't go unnoticed by her companions. As they stood, for all the seats were taken, Futaba and Misaki watched over the brooding Ranma as the bus swayed back and forth as it made its way through traffic. Ranma was beginning to come out of her 'Soul of Ice' and was trying to deal with the feelings that were assaulting her. So lost in her own thoughts and emotions, Ranma ignored her surroundings - even to the point of allowing a groper to take a quick, but meaty, feel and get away with it.

Ranma stared off into space, moving only with the sway of the bus, nodding and shaking her head occasionally as she sorted her troubled thoughts. "What the hell does my father think he's doing!" she thought irately. "With Kuno!"

She unconsciously gripped the hanging strap a little tighter to steady herself as the bus bumped along the road.

"And Akane! She acting like a... a... kid who didn't get her way and...," Ranma drifted back to recent memories of her behavior when she stayed at the Tendo's. "... I really wasn't much better. I guess she was expecting me to be the same. Have I really changed so much in so little time?"

She sighed heavily and shook her head.

"I really did act like a jerk at times when I was living there," she thought depressingly. "I mean always insulting her or trying to be 'Mr. Macho' because...," she paused as her mind gathered the right thoughts before continuing. "I was compensating for the curse," Ranma realized. "I was trying to hang onto something that...," she looked over at where Misaki and Futaba were standing close together, staring back at her with worried expressions, "... maybe wasn't as important as I first thought."

The bus turned sharply causing Ranma to press up against someone behind her as a shorter girl leaned into her from the front. The bus straightened up and everyone went back into their original positions.

"My mother," Ranma thought darkly. "What in the hell is her problem? She always acting like honor is important and everything, but when it gets in the way...," Ranma sighed and controlled her emerging emotions. "She's no better than pop. She wants me to give up what dignity I have, what honor I have, for what? So the tomboy would marry me? What the hell about my honor and my feelings? Don't they count for anything?"

Ranma gripped the hanging strap tighter in her frustration and warring emotions.

"Dammit!" Ranma swore to herself. "I'm her son! Shouldn't that count for something!"

She brought her frustrations under control.

"I'm only sixteen for crying out loud! Why in the hell is she in a hurry to marry me off so fast? So she could have grand kids! She gave me up when I was five to my idiot father and now she's trying to get rid of me..." Ranma closed her eyes in her effort to control herself. "I hate-, think I don't like mom too much."

Ranma's mind decided to close down on that thought, fearing where it would lead her.

All too soon they made it to their stop and Futaba had to gently nudge Ranma into some state of awareness before she moved. As they stepped off the bus, Misaki and Futaba each took a side and flanked Ranma as they walked along. By doing this, they were able to steer the quiet girl in the direction of the house, which was good - because Ranma spent more time looking at her feet than the way ahead.

After a few blocks of nothing but silence, Futaba looked over to the brooding redhead. "Are you all right?" Futaba asked tentatively, his voice deep with concern. "You've been very quiet."

Ranma stopped walking and sighed. She was almost out of her 'Soul of Ice' and had started to truly feel the effects of what she'd just been through. It wasn't good.

Misaki studied the redhead carefully and noticed that she was trembling. Whether she was crying or shaking in anger was unknown because Ranma still had her head down, obscuring her face. Outside the trembling, all that was coming from the redhead was the raspy sound of her breathing.

"Ranma?" Futaba softly ventured again.

Ranma looked up at her friends - those she considered her real friends with a face that was wracked with emotion.

"Ranma!" Misaki exclaimed and put a comforting arm around the shorter girl. "What's wrong? What happened back there?"

Ranma stood and shook her head, unable or unwilling to speak at the moment. Futaba motioned for Misaki to lead Ranma into a nondescript fast food joint, the type that is found in any crowded city, and steered her toward an isolated part of the eatery. They found, and claimed, a corner booth near the back, away from most of the people. While Misaki stayed with Ranma, Futaba left the girls to place three orders of soft serve ice cream and returned soon after with them. He set one down in front of each girl, before sliding into the seat next to Misaki.

"Ranma," Misaki said in her gentle way. "What's wrong? It's about what your father did, isn't it?"

Ranma sighed. She needed to talk, to figure out if what she did was the right thing to do, but she didn't want to burden her friends either. She felt lost, she was trying to find her way, trying to find out what was honorable and might have blown it for all she knew. Futaba lightly nibbled at his treat, not really in the mood to eat. Misaki ignored hers in favor of her friend sitting across from her.

"Ranma," Misaki said again in the same gentle way. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Ranma echoed with a bitter laugh. "Too much sometimes... my whole damn life - that's what's wrong."

Futaba and Misaki remained silent, waiting for Ranma to continue.

"You know what the sad part is?" Ranma asked with bitterness seeping into her voice. "The sad part is I thought that my life was all right, or at least somewhat normal. After being around you guys, I know it's anything but."

Futaba and Misaki blink-blinked at the redhead.

"Um... Ranma," Futaba said carefully. "We don't exactly have what you would call normal lives here."

"That's not what I mean," Ranma tried to explain. "I mean you guys listen to me, you try and help me get things right when I get them wrong and...," Ranma eyes lowered until she was studying the melting ice cream in front of her, "... not as a thing to be traded to the highest bidder."

The three fell silent as Ranma visible got her emotions under control. After a few brief moments, she continued. "I mean look at my family. Look at them! My dad has bartered and sold my guy side out to most every girl he'd run across for something as little as food and drink, and now he's doing with my girl side. My mom was expecting me to... to... to..."

"Be a jerk," Misaki interjected.

"Thank you," Ranma said, " to be a jerk and have a bunch of illegitimate kids running around - something she'd threaten to kill my pop for if he did the same thing, and now..."

Ranma sighed heavily and shook her head.

"The thing is...," Ranma said in a heavy voice. "I thought it was all normal, I mean I thought that it was normal to have parents like that, I mean look at Mr. Tendo, and Ukyo's dad and..." Ranma's voice trailed off as she shook her head again at some thoughts that were traipsing through her mind. "But I must have felt something was wrong with it all to begin with," Ranma said in a lost way. "I mean, I always thought what my parents did was wrong, but I couldn't figure out what. Now I know."

Silence visited the table again. Futaba reached over and placed his hands in Ranma's. "Ranma," he said drawing her attention away from her thoughts. "I wish I knew what to do to help you."

"You could marry me so I won't have to go back there," Ranma thought as she looked into Futaba's eyes. She pushed that idea into the back of her mind quickly. "Idiot!" she berated herself. "He loves Misaki!" The uncomfortable feelings she'd been having swelled up inside her again. This time it was more powerful than before. This time she knew what it was: Wanting and jealously.

Ranma bit her lower lip as she brought those two warring emotions under her control. "You know what I really want in my life?" she asked rhetorically. "I want someone, anyone, who could love me for what I am instead of what they can get out of me."

The other two looked at Ranma before slowly nodding in understanding.

Ranma drew a big breath, then spoke nervously. "I'm going to be honest with you guys, you're my friends - probably the only real friends I've had in my life - and I feel you need to know... that... I've been feeling kinda... jealous of both of you. I'm trying not to be, but it's like... I wish I had what you have." Ranma head sank down further.

"Ranma, it's okay. We understand," Futaba said reassuringly.

Ranma head shot up. "You do?"

Both nodded. "You don't hide your emotions very well," Misaki pointed out. "We kind of figured it out a while ago."

Ranma exhaled a breath the she didn't know she was holding and the three shared a quiet moment before Misaki asked, "Ranma, what did your mother do to you?"

Ranma sighed and looked at the still melting ice cream in front of her. "My mother ," she finally worked out darkly.

Ranma took a deep breath and opened her mouth before closing it. She did this two more times in an effort to control the raging emotions that were associated with her mother. Emotions that she was ill equipped to handle. Spending most of your life on the road away from people tended to make handling such things difficult. After the fourth breath, Ranma stammered out.

"M-my mom, is no better than my pop."

Futaba and Misaki exchanged worried looks. "What happened?" Futaba asked gently.

Ranma swallowed. Hard. "She doesn't care about honor. She doesn't care about truth. All she cares about is getting me married so she came have a bunch of grand kids running around."

Futaba and Misaki sat in silence, looking at their friend with concern etched on their faces.

"She sold me out, like pops did," Ranma continued, looking at Futaba. "She said that if it didn't work out between me and you, that I would marry Akane."

Silence continued around the table for a few seconds as Futaba and Misaki let that sink in.

"She didn't!" Misaki exclaimed, holding a hand over her mouth. "I mean you... you told us yourself that you and Akane had a lot of problems to work out. Why would your mother do such a thing?"

"Because she's no better than pop, that's why!" Ranma said somewhat loudly. Ranma's fists visibly clenched so hard and Futaba feared that she would draw blood with her fingernails if she didn't let up. "My pop was always doing stuff like this to me, never asking me what I thought or felt. Whenever he wanted something... Now they're both doing it to me."

"Are you sure?" Futaba asked carefully, but respectfully. "Could you have been mistaken?"

Ranma shook her head. "No. When she called me upstairs to talk with me..."

- o - o - o - o --

Futana, in male form, leaned back against his seat at a bar with a small group of friends and one business associate of his father's. The place, to put it mildly, was a dive. The air was stale despite the feeble efforts of the ceiling fans, and the smell of beer, citgerettes and alcohol lingered in the air.

"Are you sure that he'll be here tonight?" Asked one of his accomplices.

Futana nodded. "According to the report, he goes drinking every night with his friend," he explained. "They have overdue tabs in every bar in the area except here. If he's going to be anywhere, it'll be here."

"So what do we do while we are waiting?"

Futana smiled and placed a pack of cards on the table top. "Anyone for poker?"

- o - o - o - o ---

"... then I came downstairs and you know the rest," Ranma concluded.

"I don't believe your parents," Misaki commented after hearing Ranma's account of the discussion she'd had with her mother at the Tendo's. "How can they do this to you?"

"That's what I thought," Ranma said with a slight edge. "I just couldn't believe it at first."

"There's more isn't there?" Futaba asked. He moved his hands over one of Ranma's and gently, but firmly unpried one fist then the other. Once opened, he held on to Ranma's hands, he looked her in the eyes. "What else is there?"

Ranma looked into Futaba's eye's and was momentarily lost in them. "Why can't I have someone like...," she thought as she let out a deep and heavy sigh at seemed to deflate her. "I shouldn't... feel like this," she began before her voice trailed off to nothing.

"Ranma," Misaki said, adding her hands to Futaba's, lending comfort. "What shouldn't you feel?"

Ranma looked as if she were going to burst into tears. "I shouldn't think-, I mean I shouldn't feel this way. It's wrong. It's wrong to feel this way. My mother..."

The two friends looked upon the redheaded with concern etched on their faces. Ranma was trembling with emotion. She eventually looked away from them.

"What are you feeling?" Futaba asked while giving Ranma a reassuring squeeze drawing Ranma's attention back to the conversation. "What else about your mother?"

Silence returned to the table as Ranma's two friends continued to gently squeezed her hands as a show of support. Both patiently waited for Ranma to continue. Tears were now starting to flow from Ranma's unblinking eyes as she faced the two people across from her.

"I hate her," Ranma whispered out, with great effort. A pained expression flooded over her face as she realized what the price of victory was over her mother: The knowledge that she was unloved by her. Ranma sank lower into the booth, her head drooping further down to hide tears that were flowing unchecked. "What kind of son am I, to hate his own mother?"

With that, Ranma's head continued to lower until it rested on her now folded arms. Once there, she began to weep in earnest.

- o - o - o - o ----

Genma was sitting across from Soun in the Little Shogun Bar, drinking another round of Asahi beer. The bar itself wasn't very special. It was small, barely bigger than the Tendo's living room, with three booths along one wall opposite the bar with its stools and about six small tables scattered about the floor. Also it was one of the - make that the only - place that they hadn't maxed out their bar tab - yet.

Though sake was the usual drink for the two, they decided on sticking to beer that night. It was a switch, but they had heard that variety was the spice of life. So what if they liked all their spices wet? Besides it was cheaper.

"I tell you Tendo, we have to do something about that worthless boy of mine," Genma said while readjusting a fresh bandage. Nodoka was still fuming when they made it home and took her frustrations out on her husband. "He's turning into a self-centered, honorless and disobeying boy. I can't have that! You have to help me."

Soun mused over this turn of events while staring at his glass of beer. It seemed that Ranma not only didn't like the idea of being married to his little girl, but insisted that Akane apologize. He should know better than that. What on earth could be the matter with the boy?

"We can't do anything too overt, " Soun pointed out. "If we do anything that would call attention to the government, it could be looked on as sabotaging the experiment."

Genma nodded. "True. Nodoka tried her hand at throwing a monkey wrench into the works by being overly helpful in teaching Ranma how to be a woman." He took a swig of beer and sat the glass down on the table with a clunk. "But this! I don't understand! Soun, old friend, what could have possibly happened to the boy to make him act this way."

"You don't... you don't suppose that Ranma is... is in love with this Futaba, do you?"

Silence fell between the martial arts masters as they contemplate that thought.

"It's possible... I guess," Genma ventured. "Ranma has never stayed a girl for as long as he has. Maybe the curse has affected his mind in some way."

The silence resumed.

"In any case, we must let Ranma know the error of his ways," Genma said pompously. "Maybe I'll visit him and try to talk some sense into him. If not, I'll beat some sense into him."

Soun shook his head. "It probably wouldn't be a good idea to try and discipline him that way at the moment," he said while thinking, "besides, Ranma's much better than you are, old friend." Soun cleared his throat, "He has always been a reasonable young man, perhaps getting a cooler head involved will help."

"What do you mean?"

"I was thinking about sending my daughter, Kasumi, to speak to Ranma," Soun said while motioning for more beer. "Ranma has always respected her, maybe she'll get to what is the matter with the boy and help him."

Genma thought on that and then nodded. "Yes Tendo, you are right. If Kasumi can't get through to that worthless boy of mine, nobody can. I have no doubt that she'll get him turned around in no time. Let's drink to the success of the plan and the joining of the houses!"

"Here! Here!" Tendo joined in on his friend's celebration.

- o - o - o - o --

Ranma came back to herself with the sensation of being gently rocked. Blinking her eyes she discovered that her was being held with her head resting against something soft. Sitting up, Ranma realized that the side of her face was resting against Misaki's breast. Panic gripped her momentarily.

"I'm not a pervert," Ranma defended herself as she scooted away from Misaki. "I'm not-"

"Ranma!" Misaki gently chided. "It's okay. We know you're not a pervert."

Ranma was about to say something before sighing. "Sorry. Habit."

"Ranma," Futaba said, drawing Ranma's attention. He was sitting where he was before Ranma's emotional outburst. "I really wish there was something I could do to help you."

Ranma stared at Futaba and then at Misaki sitting next to her. "You guys," she said with a sad smile, "have done more for me in one month than anyone else has in my entire life."

Silence fell among the three.

"I just wish," Ranma paused in thought before continuing. "I wish I knew what to do now. The only thing I do know for sure is, that I can't go back to the ways things were - I just can't."

Silence returned to the table.

"Well...," Futaba ventured, "you could take up my father's offer. That will take care of money."

"What offer?" Misaki asked.

Futaba looked at Misaki and explained his father's offer to try Ranma out on modeling.

"That's an excellent idea!" Misaki beamed. "Why don't you go for it, Ranma, you'd be great."

Ranma thought about it before slowly shaking her head. "I don't think I could do it," she said. "I'm a martial artist - I don't know nothing about modeling."

"You can try," Futaba said. "It would be the first step at getting away from your folks - they wouldn't be able to hold money over you."

Ranma pondered that. It was true, if Ranma had her own money there would be very little that her pop and mom could do. "What if they disown me?" Ranma asked in a small voice. "I don't want to be ronin."

"So you make your own name," Futaba said. "If they disown you then it'll probably the best thing for you. They couldn't force you to do anything."

"Besides," Misaki interjected, "I don't think they'll disown you, no matter how much they threaten. They have too much riding on you."

Ranma blinked at her friend. "What? Wha'cha mean? What if pops kicks me outta of the school? What am I going to do then?"

Silence descended once again around the table. Misaki screwed up her face as she pondered want to do, looking rather cute Ranma thought. It was Futaba that spoke first though. "Ranma," he said. "Didn't that old guy, the master... what's his name... Hippi... Hoppod-"

"Please don't say his name," Ranma said half pleadingly. "I can't deal with him today."

Futaba nodded like he understood, but didn't really. "Anyway, didn't he already name you his heir?"

Ranma blink-blinked at that.

"Yeah," Misaki added. "And what about your training trip? You told us of all the stuff you learned from different dojos, temples and training grounds, but hardly mentioned anything that your father taught you."

Ranma blink-blinked again. "Yeah," Ranma said to herself. "He just taught me the basics. Anything he tried to teach me that was higher than that, always ended in disaster. Everything else, the stuff that I really learned came from somewhere else."

"It seems to me that he can't kick you out of a school that doesn't exist," Futaba said with self satisfaction. "If most of what you learned was from somewhere else, stuff he doesn't have a claim to begin with it."

Ranma blink-blinked repeatedly. "Yeah. Yeah. You're right. I never thought of it that way." Ranma grinned broadly before the smile waned a bit. "But want about my mom? What do I do about her?"

Silence revisited the table as the three pondered that.

"Look at it this way, your mother wants grandkids right?" Futaba asked.

Ranma nodded.

"There is no way that your mother or father can hope to get what they want if they don't have you," Misaki point out, seeing where Futaba was going. "Your are the... the... keystone to their plans. Without you they don't have anything."

"Misaki's right," Futaba said with excitement slipping into his voice. "They're depending too much on you to see their dreams come true. Without you, they have nothing."

Ranma sat and thought on that with an open mouth. It was true. Everyone was depending on her for their dreams, and in doing so, crushing what dreams she might have. "I... I have the advantage." Ranma whispered out. "Without me, they have nothing..."

Futaba and Misaki smiled at the redhead, Misaki adding a nod.

"Okay," Ranma said with a smile returning to her face reflecting her changing mood. "I have the advantage - how do I use it?"

"First," Misaki said, glad that her friend's mood was brightening. "You need to get your own money. That's really the only thing they can threaten you with. Take away that, you'll be untouchable to them."

"Wait," Futaba realizing something. "Ranma is still a minor, what if her parents don't want her to model?"

"Then it will probably go to court," Misaki theorized in the dark. "I'm guessing that the Saotome wouldn't want their dirty laundry aired."

"If you don't know just say so," Futaba gently chided. "But my dad would know. Let's go talk with him."

Ranma smile. Her day was starting to look up.

- o - o - o - o -

"'Another round!" a slightly tipsy Soun Tendo called out.

The barkeeper shook his head. "Sorry," he said, "your tab is maxed out. If you want to drink, you have to pay."

"P-pay?" Soun asked as Genma 'humpt'. "How much?"

"Your monthly tab for you and your friend comes to...," the portly barkeeper paused to look at a sheet of paper with many markings on it, "forty one thousand yen."

"For-r-r-t...," a wide eyed Soun stammered out, sobered by the amount.

"A-huh," the barkeeper said. "Now, how are you going to pay."

"I don't have any money on me," Genma slurred out. "Wash about you?"

Soun shook his head, sending his hair flying about. This didn't go unnoticed by the barkeeper or another interested party.

"Now look here-," the barkeeper began, only to be interrupted by a blond haired young man.

"Problems?" the man from a nearby table asked in a voice that barely concealed guile.

Soun and Genma blink-blinked at the young man who seem interested in the goings on. Genma smiled inwardly, seeing a way out of their dilemma. It was an old game for him and he could do it in his sleep. "Yes. I'm afraid we've been cursed with..."

Later...

"... woe is me to have such a disrespectful child."

"Well I wish I could help," the blond man said with dramatic seriousness after hearing Genma's tale of woe. "But I'm a I businessman, there would be nothing in it for me."

"Well... I'll tell you what," the stocky marital artist said. "I have a... daughter, a very beautiful daughter. If you take care of our small tab here, I'll agree to engage her to you."

Silence fell for a brief moment. The blond seem to ponder that.

"An interesting proposal," the man replied while taking a swig of beer. The other two men looked on greedily. "Do you have a picture of her?"

"Of course I do," Genma said with flare. "Buy us a round and I'll show you."

The blond man looked at Genma and smiled. "Certainly. We can't discuss business with dry mouths, can we?"

"Here, here," Soun said in jovial agreement.

Soon three drinks appeared before the men. Genma drained half of his before putting the glass down and reaching into his gi. "Here," he said as he produced a photo. "Isn't she a beauty?"

The man studied the photo and smirked. "I don't think so, she looks to much like a boy to me."

"Huh?" Genma asked stupidly as he accepted the photo back. "Oh, wrong one, that's my worthless son."

Groping around inside his gi, Genma eventually produced another photo. Checking to see if it was the right one this time, he handed it to the blond man. "Here," he said in triumph. "Isn't she a beauty."

The blond studied the photo of the redhead and smiled. "Yes she is. Are you sure you want to betroth her for so little?"

Genma waved off that concern. "It becomes a matter of honor if you take care of this tab for us. She's a fine girl. Trust me."

The blond man nodded.

- o - o - o - o --

Walking back to the Shimeru's, Ranma's spirits lifted considerably. In fact she was almost giddy. She had the advantage! That one concept just boggled her mind. Not only that, Ranma was applying that line of thought to encompass everyone who tried to use her or blame her for things that were beyond her control. If she'd thought like this before, even Nabiki would have been nothing more than a nuisance indebted to Ranma, not the other way around. This was great!

Of course Ranma realized that this would only work if the other person was halfway intelligent. It wouldn't apply to people with thick skulls or one-track minds like Mr. Tendo or her pop. Probably wouldn't work against her mom, unless she really pushed it. It definitely would not work on someone as dense as-

"WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW!"

Bingo.

Ranma sighed she didn't want to deal with Ryoga right now - especially if he started talking like Kuno. Kuno... now that was the densest person she ever met. Ranma shook that off and focused on the looming threat of pig-boy.

"Excuse me miss? Can you direct me to the Tendo dojo?" The lost boy asked of Misaki.

Misaki blink-blinked at the strange boy. "Ahh... yeah," she tentatively answered. "You-"

"Go down that way mister," Ranma interjected sweetly while putting on a very cute act that included batting eyelashes over wide innocent eyes and tilting her head in just the right way. Ryoga staggered over the onslaught of feminine charm and was lost. Ranma poured on the charm and pointed down the street. "Until you come to a large body of water, head north along the shore until you see a fish in the sand. Then go inland and it should be right there."

"Th-thanks m-miss," Ryoga stammered out before he went in the direction opposite from that Ranma had pointed to.

The three watched the lost boy wander all over the sidewalk as he made his way. Misaki blink-blinked as the realization of something. "Ranma," she ventured. "How can he find his way with those directions you gave him?"

Ranma shrugged her shoulders. "With his sense of direction, it won't matter."

"Oh."

"C'mon," Ranma said with a smile to her two friends. "Let's get home so we can talk to your pop," she said excitedly.

Futaba and Misaki nodded. It wasn't until they hit the front door of the Shimeru's that Ranma realized that she referred to this place as 'home'.

- o - o - o - o --

"Just sign right here and that will cover all the beer you have drunk, my friend," the tall blond haired man said. "And if your friend signs right here," the man pointed to the said spot on the form, "his drinks will be covered as well."

"Sounds good to me," Genma said as he signed the topmost sheet of the stack on the dotted line.

The papers were pushed over to Soun's side of the table where he picked them up and tried to focus on the words.

"Wash dis?" he asked drunkenly.

"Just a form to cover the beer you and your friend drank, that's all."

"No srings?"

The blond man blinked at the inebriated martial artist before he realized what was said.

"No strings other than what's on there," the man answered.

"Fine," Soun announced happily as he added his signature to the form under Genma's.

As soon as Soun affixed his signature on the form, six other men who were sitting with the blond man came forward and signed their names to it as witnesses.

"Thank you gentleman," the blond man said before turning to one of his companions and said, "Here you go."

The blond's companion then affixed a seal to the bundle and stamped and signed it himself. Upon completion he rose and bowed to the still seated blond.

"I'll have certified copies sent to you as soon as they are prepared," he said. "I'll wait for your call before I file them like you asked me to."

"Thank you," the blond man said with a nod before turning his attention to the two drunk martial artists. "Now remember," the man cautioned. "This just covers the beer you drank up to now, any more and you'll have to cover it."

Genma just waved the man off as Soun nodded, trying to look sagely.

"Then our business is concluded," the blond said as he rose from his seat. "I bid you all a good day."

Upon exiting the Little Shogun Bar the blond man quickly hailed a cab and hopped in. The driver didn't even notice when a dark haired woman paid the fare after the twenty minute ride.

- o - o - o - o ----

Elsewhere in Tokyo...

A strong, well-built young man walked with purpose. On his back, he carried a heavy looking backpack with an equally heavy looking umbrella strapped atop it. His eyes were focused and determined as he waded through the sea that was Tokyo, looking for anything familiar.

Ryoga kept his mind focused on the task at hand: Finding the Tendo dojo - and if he was lucky enough, he'll be curled up next to Akane tonight. He smiled openly at that thought as he kept an eye out for the landmarks that the extremely cute redheaded girl had mentioned when realization hit him.

Redhead.

Cute.

Girl.

Ranma.

"THAT BASTARD!" he mentally roared. "I bet he sent me the wrong way, so I'll never find my way to the Tendo's!"

Anger built up until he thrust a fist into the air and began his declaration, "RANMA! THIS-"

"Why Ryoga!" A very feminine voice interrupted him in mid-rant. "What are you doing here?"

"Huh?" Ryoga said intelligently as he took in his surroundings and noticed that his was in a small closet with many cleaning implements inside. He turned to face the person who addressed him.

"Kasumi?" Ryoga said, not believing his luck. "This isn't Yokohama?"

Kasumi smile gently at the lost boy and prodded him out of the broom closet so she could put up the whisk broom she was carrying. "You're in our broom closet, you big silly," she explained gently. "Have you been in there long?"

Ryoga blinked at Kasumi. "You mean, I'm at the dojo?" He asked as Kasumi answered with a nod. "I don't believe it," he whispered in wonder. "I actually got here. How'd did I do that?"

- o - o - o - o ---
- o - o - o - o ---

Notes:

None really this time. Just hope everyone enjoys this and a thanks to those who left a review.

My other story is only about eighty percent roughed out. I'll stuck on one scene, but I'll figure it out.

Thanks for reading.