Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, I only rent him.

Chapter 2 Facing yourself.

Nabiki walked up to Ranma and Akane as they were aproaching the school gates. She called out for them to wait and then walked up to Ranma. Nabiki then pulled out the money she had been given earlier that day and placed it into Ranma's hand.

"That's yours Ranma. It seems we've got a problem."

Akane turned to her sister with a concerned look. "What kind of problem?"

"It seem's that Ranma's got a look alike running around. I saw him myself earlier and he wants to talk sometime tommorrow."

Ranma looked at the money in his hand and then turn to his would be sister in law. "So you're paying me to be your bodygaurd or something?"

"Not exactly Ranma-kun. It seems that this guy has taken an interest in my bussiness, at least the part that deals with you it seems. He appearently fought Mousse yesterday, but when one of my people worked the bets for the fight the guy was shaken down for the profits. He gave back about 20 and said it was to go to you. I don't know what's going on, but I do know one thing. This guy isn't some clone or copy of Ranma. When I saw him earlier I noticed a couple differences. For one, he looks more my age than yours."

"So, what do you want me to do?"

"I'd like you there when I talk with this guy. It seemed like we could both have an interest in him."

The three walked home talking about plans for tommorrow.

ooooo

A clearing in the woods

Yoshi looked up as his brother entered the clearing where they had decided to stay.

"Did it go well? I hope you aren't scaring the poor girl Nakama."

Nakama looked at his elder brother and shook his head slightly. It always amazed him how Yoshi could always find the good in people. Their adoptive grandfather included. Nakama breathed in the wonderful aroma that was Yoshi's cooking. Yoshi had learned some cooking skills from their mother before she passed away.

Nakama had to pause for a moment to gather himself when the thoughts of lost loved ones threatened to overwhelm him again. Nakama had mastered the ways of power and control in their families martial arts style. Yoshi had mastered the way of misdirection and defense. Their younger brother had just soaked up styles like a sponge. It was true that he hadn't truely mastered any one style to the extent of his older brothers, but what he lacked in detail he made up for in versitility. Yoshi could hold back any enemy, Nakama could overpower and outwit any enemy, but if was the youngest who could truely defeat any obstacle. Even when it cost him his own life.

Nakama paused again andthen started to serve himself some of the wonderful dinner that Yoshi had made. He decided to answer his brother's questions. "It went as well as can be expected. As long as we avoid the elders I think we can make out pretty good here before we move on."

Yoshi looked at his brother eating. "You know, maybe we should just tell them. They might actually believe us. They do have magic running around all over the place here. Like Ranma's curse for example."

Nakama sighed. They had had the same conversation several times in the last couple of weeks. "You know why. They may look like who we think they are, but they aren't them. We're nothing more than strangers here and it would just complicate things it interfere too much with their lives."

"Like talking to Nabiki and making her change her deal with Ranma?"

Nakama stopped eating and looked at Yoshi. "You went to see them again, didn't you?"

Yoshi turned away. "I needed to buy some food anyway. I've already told you that I wouldn't ask where you're getting your money, but we need to eat."

Nakama looked at Yoshi. He was actually hiding something. Nakama knew his brother too well to be fooled. "What did you do, Big Brother?"

"Kasumi is such a sweet girl. I just wanted to say hi. She tripped and I caught her. It's not like she recognized me, unlike you."

Nakama smirked. "Yeah, I do look like that pigtailed guy, don't I?"

"His name is Ranma, you can use it you know."

Nakama's face went emotionless again. "I left Ranma buried in the family grave with our father. I'll help this guy out, but he's not our little brother. No matter how much you wish he was."

"Or you?"

The two brothers stayed silent for a while. Finally they got up and began their nightly training rituals. When they could barely move again, they went to bed.

ooooo

Tendo dojo

Kasumi started to wash the dishes when she was startled by another set of hands helping her. Nodoka looked at the girl a little worried. Kasumi had been thinking about something all night. "Kasumi-chan, are you alright? You've had you head in the clouds all afternoon."

"I'm sorry Auntie, it's just that something happened at the market today. There was this guy."

"Ah, so it's a young man who's on your mind."

Kasumi blushed when she realised what Nodoka was thinging. "No, it's not like that. He caught me when I almost fell, and even knew my name. But I could swear that I've never met him before in my life."

"Do you want to see this gentleman again?"

"Auntie! I'm not that kind of girl. Besides, a guy like that is probably already dating or married. I just wish I knew how he knew my name."

Nodoka watched as Kasumi slowly became lost in thought. This must have been some guy if one meeting could do this to Kasumi. Nodoka smiled, she just had to meet this fine young man. This had been the first time that Nodoka had ever actually seen Kasumi act like the teenager she was. If this young man was available, Nodoka would put hooks into him and drag him to this girl. Kasumi had given up much for her family, and deserved anything that brought even the slightest joy to her life.

They finished the dishes together and both went into the livingroom where Ranma was actually having a talk with Nabiki of all people. Nodoka had been a little afraid that they would never become friends. It just wouldn't do for Ranma to not get along with either of his future sister in laws. Nodoka decided to listen in since Akane was listening just behind Ranma.

"So you're saying that you've felt like you were being followed and this guy used the Umisenken? That's impossible. Me and pops are the only guys who know it. Not even Ryu learned it."

Akane decided to chime in. "Could Ryu have learned it from watching you during your fight?"

"Maybe, but why try to pass himself off as me again? What could he have done to make his face look like mine anyways?"

Nodoka decided to interupt. After Ranma and Genma revealed themselves to her, Nodoka had decided to have long talks with her husband while Ranma was at school. She had learned many things and now understood more about why Genma needed to take Ranma away from her. She didn't like much of what she had heard, especially about the cat fist, but she could see the fruits of Genma's labors everytime Ranma had to fight to protect a loved one. One of those talks had been about Ryu Kumon. When she heard the name it had all made sense to her. She truely wished she could see him again. But that was for another time.

"Ranma, I don't thing Ryu would do anything like that again. He swore to seal the senken styles. Besides, he didn't know everything he needed when he came last time. If I had known who he was and what he wanted, I would have given him the scroll instantly."

"What? But why? Why would you do something like that? That was pops sworn style that he had chosen to seal."

"Your father chose to unseal it for the Kumons after Ryu's mother died. It was a gift that was suppose to bring them a better life."

"By stealing? And why would pop be so generous? I thought the Kumons had nothing that would interest pop. What could pop possibly gain by unsealing something so dangerous for strangers?"

"Honor, and family. You never asked your father why he gave the one scroll to Ryu's father. Did you?"

Ranma got a blank look. "I never thought about it."

Nabiki had had enough. Here she was being threatened by a Ranma wannabe and everyone was talking about someguy she never met. This Ryu wasn't who she saw. Nabiki knew disguises enough to spot one. This guy's real face matched Ranma's, for the most part. "What does it matter that Genma gave a scroll to this guy's father. He isn't exactly the posterboy for honor and family."

"Because Nabiki, Ryu's mother was born Minaka Saotome before she married."

Everyone in the room fell silent. This was the point when the kami decided to have Genma come inside from practicing in the dojo. All eyes turn to him. Nodoka decided to speak first. "Hello dear. I was just telling Ranma about your sister."

Genma stopped. "Nodoka, I asked you not to mention her name again."

Nodoka got a slightly angery look. It was the first one Ranma had ever seen on his mother. "Genma Saotome, Just because your sister went and married the poor man she loved instead of some rich man she didn't, doesn't mean that she deserves this kind of thinking. You never forgave her, even when she died in childbirth."

"IF SHE HAD MARRIED THE RICH GUY SHE WOULD HAVE HAD PROPER DOCTORS THERE WHO COULD HAVE SAVED HER LIFE! Now I will not discuss this again!"

Everyone was shocked. Genma was a coward. Genma was supposedly soulless. Genma had never yelled at anyone like that, not even Ranma let alone his own wife. But the most shocking part were the tears in his eyes as he went back outside to work off some steam.

"Mom?"

"Your father blamed your Aunt's choice of husband for her death. Ryu is the boy she died giving birth to. Genma gave Ryu's father the Yamisenken as an apology to his sister, since he never got the chance to apologize to her in life."

"Mom, maybe we should talk about this later. We've kanda got another problem that doesn't really sound like Ryu anyway. There's some guy running around that looks like me, but he's got the look wrong."

"How so dear?"

Nabiki decided to take over. Besides, she had a couple of questions herself. "Auntie Saotome, this guy looks slightly older than Ranma. About my age in fact. He also has a trimed hairstyle and wasn't wearing Ranma's trademark chinese clothes. But his face did look a lot like Ranma's. Does Ranma have any cousins from your side of the family?" Nabiki decided not to ask about any brothers right now. Her instincts were telling her it was majorly bad timing.

"This guy does sound interesting, but I'm an only child. I don't think I have any cousins with a son fitting that description."

Akane decided to voice her opinion on the whole thing. "Just great. What'd this guy do, fall out of the sky?"

ooooo

Author's Notes.

Another chapter down. Please keep the reviews coming.

Ryan: I have seen the summeries of your work. I don't want to insult, but I'm alergic to pokemon crossovers, but out of professional consideration I'll look into getting a vacine and check it out.

Pat: I like to hide the clues... Col. Musterd's holding them in the billiard room at the moment.

Innortal: Sup buddy. Love the praise, it keeps me writing.

Imortis: HAVE YOU BEEN LOOKING AT MY NOTES! Just kidding. You're close, but a little off. hehe

I laugh maniacly now: BWA HA HA HA HO HO HO HO HO HO... Did I just start channeling Kodachi?

Ok, no more laughing for me. I think I'll read up on a little William Shakespear...Nah.