Ranma ½

Chapter 11

Arrival of the Lost Boy

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave.

I find that if I let things sit for a while in my head; I can play them out farther. Plus by trying and keeping my chapters between 2500 and 3000 words, it helps keep me from making the story slide out of control, turning a diamond to a pile of shit.

I also plan to start sending these out to have someone else proofread them before I post them. Volunteers are welcome. I have found a website #ranma1) where the moves have been listed. If I spell them incorrectly, then I apologize, as this is my guide.

If you need help, have questions about why my plot is turning out a certain way, or would like some help to bust through your own writer's block or write a new story on your own, tell me either through e-mail or reviews. I'm glad to help when I can.

Now, on with the show.

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Fate or free will?

The fact that any single decision can affect the lives of all those around you are a difficult decision for any person to understand, but proves the validity of free will. The knowledge that if you do nothing; events will play out a certain way is comforting, but destroys the illusion of free will. But to know you can change the events you took for granted; your very desire to make things better can make them much worse.

But that is what I am trying to do, alter the past for the hopes of a better future.

I do not want my sister Kasumi to wither away inside the kitchen for the rest of her life, condemned to being a housewife since the age of nine. She deserves to go to college, to grow into a beautiful woman, to live the life she would have had our mom not been taken from us by the hand of fate. I could have understood our father being the way he was for a year or so after mom died, we all took her loss with great sadness. But he simply gave up on life. It was because of me and Kasumi that we didn't starve, that we still had a roof over our heads. We both ended up doing things neither of us were ready for or wanted to do, but we did it to save what was left of our family.

My sister would live freely, even if I had to use the threat of Akane cooking for the rest of his life to get him to let her go to college, to be a free spirit again like she once was.

I do not want my sister Akane to end up like she was either. She had won a man many had dreamed of making their own, someone who had killed a god just to save her own life. But her anger, her inability to grow cost her everything. She lost that man, preferring to be with his rival, addicted to the jealousy she invoked in both, but hated to feel when others wanted her man. She had grown addicted to the anger, the jealousy. Maybe that's why she lost Ranma. I just hope I can make her a better person, not like the bitch I saw her become.

My father, my father was a man who probably died the same day our mother did. I remember watching him and the fat panda making their plans to get Akane and Ranma hitched as soon as possible, like if they were together for too long, they might not want to spend the rest of their lives together. He became a selfish man, more interested in his own imaginary life than what he was leading, an empty shell of the man I remember growing up, who took his pride from the happiness of both his students and his family. I often wished we had that man back as I was forced to do more and more things to keep our family afloat, while he just sat there acting without a care in the world. Maybe I could get him back as well; maybe I could get the man who made me proud to be a Tendo.

I don't really give a damn about Happosai or Mr. Saotome. They could burn in hell for all I care, forever being chased by Auntie Nodoka and her honor blade.

But Ranma, Ranma deserves the most help I can give. The first time I saw him, he was a she. And when the curse was explained, my own fears got the better of me. Despite what he thought, it hurt me a little to use him the way I did. The Ice Queen of Furinkan High did have a heart. I tried to help him and my sister get together, even sabotaged the wedding in hopes that they would bond over it. But when my sister cheated on him with Ryoga, I refused to help her anymore. Ranma deserved better than that, and for a while after he disappeared, I knew he deserved better than me. So I trained hard, hoping that if he ever returned, it would give us something in common, prove that not just Kasumi could be there for him.

But he never returned, was never found, so eventually, I began to lose hope as well.

But not this time. This time Ranma would not have to carry the heavy burden my family and his father placed on him on his own. I know eventually I would have to talk to Auntie Nodoka and try and show her that even with the curse, Ranma was still a man among men, a person any mother should be glad to call son, even if I had to tell her I was pregnant to stop her from trying to enforce that damn agreement on him. After all, even when he is in his cursed form, he is still more of a man than his own father. That I know is what hurt him the most, I myself never knew what she would have done to him if he hadn't waited to tell her after the wedding. He deserves to know his mother without the threat of his own death hanging above him.

I can at least give him that, even if I can't keep all the fiancées away.

Even if in the end, I can't have him.

I owe him nothing less.

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The trio walked towards the school. Ranma was walking along the fence, his hands behind his head with his eyes cast upwards towards the sky. Nabiki was beside him walking along the ground, her eyes looking upwards as well, but her hands were behind her back. Akane was beside her, constantly shifting her gaze between the path in front of them and the couple beside her.

What is it with these two? First my sister starts back into martial arts, showing me moves I've never heard of before, treating me like a damn novice, telling me how to improve, ME! Then that damn pervert shows up, and she immediately flips for him, defending him after he saw me naked in the bathroom.

You did walk in on him and he did help stop those fights. Thanks to him, Kuno is putting almost all of his attention on Ranma rather than you.

He shouldn't have been in there.

You weren't too upset at the time. You even played along with their little plan. Now why are you mad?

Because I could still have beat them.

Akane turned once again to stare at the couple. Those two have become so lovey-dovey the last few days it's almost sickening. She puts on this whole act, trying to convince him that she is this caring, kind girl who cares about him, when she spent the last ten years being the mercenary girl. What's up with that?

She told us she wants to grow, wants to be like she was. We were once happy like that as well. Besides, she's happy, why are you upset with that?

Akane shook her head quickly, hating the fact that ever since Nabiki had been helping her through her anger, and now she was ending up fighting herself in her own thoughts. She knew that this Ranma had helped her, but those fights had been her's to stop. He wasn't taking her seriously in her fights, he was always holding back, and had tricked Nabiki into believing that he respected her as a martial artist.

And Nabiki, she had totally changed. A few weeks ago, she thought of nothing more than simply reading some mangas and running her betting pools. Then she had this sudden urge to become a martial artist, showing moves and katas like she had been practicing all her life. Then this mysterious illness creeps up on them all, reminding the family of how their mother was taken from them. Now she's acting like she isn't even worried about it anymore, and Ranma just stands off to the side, not trying to keep her in her bed resting, not trying to keep her from exerting herself, just letting her go off and do what she wants to.

And he is supposed to marry her. For Akane, she doubted that the pervert even cared for her sister.

Even if he did carry her all the way to the hospital.

Even if he did stay beside her bed throughout her coma.

Even if he did care for her with all his heart.

He still isn't right for her.

And the sooner she realized that, the better off she would be.

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Nabiki sat in the classroom for the last few hours, finding it impossible to listen to the teacher. Her mind was a constant buzz, going over possibilities in her head.

Ryoga is supposed to show up at lunch time, followed by that fight. Ranma runs off to get the bread, thinking it's all about a bread feud, not knowing Ryoga is pissed because he never got to fight Ranma and is now cursed to be P-chan. During that second fight, Ranma changes to his girl form and Akane, in her infinite anger, interferes and loses her hair.

There is no way I'm strong enough to take Ryoga out before he gets here, and even if I could, I am eating lunch with Ranma. He seems to be afraid that if I disappear, he'll find me passed out again from a seizure.

Well, it's not like I can tell him the real reason I had passed out then, let alone why I know I won't be having them again.

Back to the fight, it will have to happen. I have a couple thermoses of hot water for when Ranma changes. With my speed training in the Kachü Tenshin Amaguriken, I might be able to avoid or even catch those damn bandanas and even that weird belt. The umbrella is out of the question, blocking that in my current state would easily break something, and I do not want to end up in the hospital, especially with Shampoo coming, Kodachi bound to make her appearance, that weird food delivery bride who should be here in another two weeks, and if I am lucky, be out of the cast just as Ukyo shows up. That doesn't even include the other dozen assholes that'll be coming to challenge Ranma, the dojo, or deal with Genma stealing from them.

OK, I can try and get Ryoga to see he is to blame for his own mistakes. I mean, he set up the match and knowing his own curse leaves for it the moment it is to begin. Not very bright of the pig-boy. I could make a comment that when I look at him, I seem to keep getting the image of a small black pig, which should confuse him a little, but will probably just enrage him more at Ranma and put more people at risk. That's the last thing we need. He would just blame any injuries to civilians on Ranma for not standing still.

OK, so I let Ranma fight him, keep some cold water handy if he gets out of hand, and try to keep people from getting hurt. Akane will undoubtedly try to step in, thinking herself the best to stop those two, blaming Ranma for starting a fight he had nothing to do with, since Ryoga doesn't know those two who knocked him into the spring were actually Ranma and Genma. Maybe I should let her get injured just to teach her to control herself.

But she is too much like Ryoga: all temper, everything wrong with their lives is someone else's fault, jumping to conclusions faster than the speed of light, and the other is always innocent from doing anything wrong. If the little jackass makes it inside the house this time, I have to remember to spill some tea or cold water on his ass, depending on his form and make certain Akane is nearby to see her pure P-chan or friend Ryoga turn, since there is no waterproof soap.

I really hope both of them can control themselves and learn not to be so angry.

As the bell rang signaling the end of the class period, she went to grab her lunch and hurried downstairs. Ryoga would be here soon.

The time for thinking was over.

The time for fighting was now at hand.

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The trio; Akane, Ranma, and Nabiki, sat under a tree in the schoolyard, eating their lunches. Ranma was eating much slower than he normally does, as was so with Akane. They kept placing glances towards Nabiki, who was eating even slower than they were, her eyes constantly scanning the yard for Ryoga.

Where is the little bastard, he should be here by now!

Calm down, this isn't the same Ryoga. You learned to stop treating Akane like you did her future self, you have to do the same for Ryoga, even if he is a pompous, disgusting, perverted…

"NABIKI!!!"

She stopped her musings and raised her head towards her lunch mates. "Sorry, I was busy with my thoughts. What's up?"

"Sis, why are you so nervous? You act like you're waiting for someone to jump out at you?"

"Yeah Nabiki, are you feelin' OK? Is someone out ta getcha?"

She smiled at their worries. I got to remember to calm down; otherwise they'll wonder how I knew…

"RANMA SAOTOME, PREPARE TO DIE!"

Oh great! Now the idiot shows up!

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Nabiki stood by the sidelines. She had watched as Ranma and Ryoga talked, watched while Ranma ran off and got Ryoga some bread, each one exactly what he beat Ryoga out of. Then he finally mentioned the dual. She couldn't hold in her anger anymore. This guy is blaming Ranma for everything! How much I'd like to make a eunuch out of his pig ass! "So let me get this straight. You made the time and date for the dual, and even knowing how bad your lack of direction was, you left only a minute before the dual, and expected Ranma to wait forever without food or water for you to show up to the lot behind your house. How the hell is that his fault?"

Ryoga looked at her, a little stunned. "It is his fault, he ran away and because of him, I've seen hell."

Nabiki just stared him down, anger growing in her eyes; she was forcing herself not to start punching the Jusenkyo pig with everything she had, not caring if she made him any dumber. Not that such a thing is possible in his case. "It is not his fault you missed your own damn dual! And from what I've heard about your sense of direction, I believe you may have seen hell. Tell me, are the demons really all walking around with tridents in their hands, or was it snowing when you finally arrived?"

Ranma and Akane both started laughing at that joke, each one forgetting momentarily how angry Nabiki had looked a few seconds ago.

Ryoga was just getting more upset. I know this is all Ranma's fault. I can't tell them about the curse, they'd just laugh at me. Enough of this! "Saotome, I challenge you to a dual, right here, right now. Do you accept?"

Ranma's answer was easy to see. He hopped back from the group and assumed his fighting stance. But before anything could begin, Nabiki called a halt to the fight.

She turned towards Ryoga. "Disarm now! He is fighting you with bare hands, you should do the same. After all, there are too many people around here who could get hurt if you do otherwise. Unless of course, you are so unsure of your own skill you need such things?"

Ryoga grumbled as he removed all of his bandanas and his belt, throwing them against his backpack. Ranma was beginning to get worried. At first, it had appeared that Nabiki was simply trying to make the guy understand that this wasn't Ranma's fault. But as the discussion went on, it became clear that she was trying to taunt Ryoga into a fight. Though his sparring with her, he knew she was in no shape to take on Ryoga, assuming his skills were still close to Ranma's. But for some reason, she appeared to have a deep hatred for the Eternally Lost Boy.

When Ryoga had finally removed the last of his hidden weapons, the fight began. Nabiki watched as the two fighters squared off, each one trying to find a weakness in the other. She noticed that Ranma's cockiness was a weakness he hadn't gotten over yet. I guess you need your ass kicked with little effort to begin to get over that. Ryoga still had openings, though she knew she was nowhere near fast enough to take advantage of them. To him, it would look like she was telegraphing her hits.

So she just stood there with Akane, between the fight and Ryoga's backpack. She knew if he got angry enough, he wouldn't care about the rules and come after them to get to use on Ranma. She was hoping that standing between them would make him think twice about trying to use his weapons. He has a weird, deformed sense of honor, like Kuno. But he sticks to it, no matter what.

Still doesn't mean I won't expose his weakness in a second; especially when and if he shows up tonight to attack Ranma.

The fight continued on past the lunch bell, but the student would not leave watching this fight nor would the teachers try and break it up. So the fight continued, well past the point it had original gone. Nabiki knew the bests would have been great; her crew would make a ton of money, as a draw was not a likely outcome, the students would all bet on Ranma, seeing how he always took out Kuno with no effort. The last time, the students had all placed their money on Ranma. Now, an easy victory for Ranma was out of the question, and judging by the looks on her former crew's face, it looked like they would clean up.

Finally the two landed a solid punch to the other's face, sending them both flying away. Ranma landed against the school wall while Ryoga landed in a fountain. Nabiki looked over to the fountain for a second before she began to whisper to her sister. "I think you need to go over there and get that black little pig from the fountain." This ought to go better than I thought.

"Why?" her sister asked, not knowing how her sister saw anything near the fountain.

"Because I think I figured out why Ryoga kept insisting he saw hell." With that, she made her way over to Ranma to see if he was OK while Akane made her way to the fountain, finally seeing the little piglet but not really understanding why her sister said what she did.

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If I messed anything up, then let me know including typos.

Any suggestions on how I should continue the story or improve it would also be accepted.

Also, if you have any suggestions for how this should go, let me know. My own imagination, while vast, always enjoys a new thought. Also, catch me if you don't think I am making the characters true to form, or a way to make them better.

By the way, if you need any help with your stories or would like a fresh idea on what to write about for Ranma or Love Hina, let me know. I would be glad to help in any way I can.