Different Circumstance

"I'm going to be late!"

Akane sped towards the school building as fast as her legs could take her, a pile of boys at her heels.

"Akane! Will you date me?" "No, date me" "Come back so I can ask you properly"

At the head of the swarm was captain of the Kendo club, Kuno Tatewaki, bokken at ready.

"Akane, I will defeat you and then finally allow you to date me. The Blue Lightening of Furinkin High will prevail!"

With a quick strike launched himself at Akane. With a quick side step Akane swept her foot up and kicked Kuno hard in the cheek, sending him flying. Taking a few boys with him he slammed into the side of a tree. Taking one last look at her, he made a goofy smile and passed out.

Making quick work of the remaining boys, Akane sped to class. As soon as she was 4 steps away from the door, the bell rang. Shit! So close. If only the teacher wasn't so strict. Walking into the room she apologized and took her seat. Sitting there she waited for her punishment, but it never came. Hmmm…must be a new kid today. I wonder who it is. No sooner had she thought that the teacher audibly cleared his throat.

"Class. We have a new student for the year."

Motioning to the door a boy walked in. He was about 5' 11" and well built, with rich black hair done in a ponytail. He had a red Chinese tunic and black training pants. He's gorgeous. Resisting the urge to groan or sigh, Akane shifted in her seat.

"His name is Ranma and he will be a student here from now on. Ranma? Do you have anything to say?"

Shaking his head, Ranma walked down the isle and looking at his feet and avoiding all eye contact. Akane noticed that everyone was staring at him. Open closer inspection Akane realized that they were looking at something in particular. It was a scar that ran down the right side of his neck and seemed to continue down his chest. Ranma took a seat behind Akane and hid his face in his arms on the desk. All stares were on him and he knew it. Continuing to keep his face in his arms, the teacher finally spoke.

"Ok class, today we are learning the Pythagoras Theorem."

Removing his face from his hands he took out a notebook and started to take notes. The class followed suit. A few minutes had passed without a problem but the stares continued. The students would look up from their notes from time to time and stare at his scar. When the bell rang, he rushed out of the room before anyone could talk to him. Odd. I have heard of people being shy but... Akane left the room and went outside to see her friends with their lunches.

"Oh! What did Kasumi make for you today? She always makes the best lunches" This caused Akane to flush with anger a bit. Just because I suck at cooking doesn't mean you have to poke fun at me. Damnit! She ate her lunch in quiet for a bit while listening to them gossip about the events that had occurred in class.

"I hear he is from China" "Well I heard he just came from China from a training mission. He is Japanese"

"Training mission", Akane spoke up. "Where did you hear that? Does that mean he know martial arts?"

The girls looked at her for a second and then spoke up. "It's just a rumor but it is possible" Now Akane's curiosity in the new boy had been peaked. He's good looking and a martial artist. No wonder he had such a well toned body. I just hope he won't become part of my welcoming committee. Looking around the sitting area Akane noticed another new person to the school. A red headed girl, who she hadn't seen before, was eating by herself. What was really odd was that she was eating in a tree. The bell rang; Akane turned her head in the direction of the bell for a split second and then looked back at the girl, who had vanished. Now even more confused Akane stood up and left for the remaining hours of class. Usually the first back to class Akane strolled in not expecting to see anyone else. To say the least, she was quite surprised to see Ranma there alone with his head down. Not wanting to bother him she took her seat and waited for the start of class. When everyone got back no one seemed to notice Ranma. It was as if he had disappeared to them. When the teacher showed up everyone finally quieted down and went into work mode. Unfortunately for Akane the lesson was on geometry.
"Ranma can you tell me what the answer to question number 4 is?"

He stared at the book and shook his head.

"Then how about number 6? Number 7? 8?"

To all of the questions, Ranma just stared at the book and shook his head.

"Can you answer any of the questions?" Ranma nodded. "Then why don't you answer them?"

Ranma just stared at his book. "Well if you aren't going to answer me then you are going to have to stand in the hall with buckets of water."

As if used to it Ranma stood up and walked out of the room. His silhouette could be seen holding the pails of water. The class continued without another interruption. When the bell rang everyone rushed out. The teacher followed them and began to talk to Ranma. Akane was with the crowd down the hall and couldn't hear anything but she could see everything. The teacher looked angry at him and was questioning him vigorously. It wasn't for a while until Ranma removed an envelope out of his pocket and gave it to the teacher. The teacher seemed frustrated and hastily opened the letter and began to read. No more then a few seconds into the letter his facial expression changed. He looked like he was sorry, or was full of pity. Then what he did next was even weirder. He started to bow to the boy and, from the looks of it, apologize. Ranma just looked at his feet and nodded at the teachers unknown words. Nodding again and bowing Ranma took his leave in the opposite direction of Akane and the rest of the crowd.

At the Tendo house hold everyone seemed to be in a rush. Kasumi was making food while Nabiki was cleaning her camera extra well. Soun was taking out his shoji board. Someone seemed to be coming to visit.

"What's going on? Is someone visiting?"

"Oh Akane! An old friend of father's is coming to visit today. The reason why Father won't tell us; says it's a surprise."

"A surprise?"

"Yes. Quite odd isn't it?"

"Hmm, it seems today is full of oddities."

"How do you mean?"

Akane informed her of the day's events at school from the morning ritual to when she left. Kasumi just nodded during the whole conversation. At some point Nabiki stopped polishing her camera and listened along.
"I heard about some strange underclassman down the grapevine. Should have researched it more. Could have made a decent amount."

Kasumi just frowned and shook her head. "I don't think that would have been nice. He's just a shy person. Let him be"

It was at that point that Soun came in with a big smile on his face. For some reason Akane dreaded that smile. "My daughters', how are we this afternoon?" Everyone turned to look at him.

"Oh nothing father. We were just talking to Akane about a new boy at school." Soun frowned at that remark.

"I hope you don't have anyone in mind Akane. You may be engaged soon."

"WHAT!"

No soon had she yelled the door rang. "Oh! It's him!"

Soun pranced towards the door and threw it up. It had started raining suddenly outside, hard, without any notice so Soun expected to see the person dry with an umbrella or completely soaked. What he didn't expect to see was a young woman in a kimono holding a katana. She was quite beautiful and looked no older then 30. Behind her and almost out of view was a young girl around the age of 16 with rose colored red hair done in a single braid.

"Hello, may I help you?"

"Yes you may Mr. Tendo. I am here on behalf of my husband, Saotome Genma."

"Oh my! What has happened to him?"

"If you would permit it, may we speak in private?"

"Of course." Soun stepped to the side to let both of them through. The red headed girl didn't follow them that far. She came in enough to get out of the rain and then seemed to hide in the corner. As much as she tried Akane still saw her. She leaned over to Kasumi and whispered silently. "That's the girl from the tree."

"Maybe you should go talk to here. That is, since you go to the same school."

Slowly, Akane made her way to the girl. She seemed to be very shy since she backed up a bit.

"How are you?" Silence. "Um, do you go to Furinkin high as well?" She didn't say anything again and Akane was getting impatient. Then an idea came to mind. "Um…do you know martial arts?"

Almost instantly the girl perked up and nodded. Smiling, Akane lead the way to the dojo. Walking to the back she pulled out a gi.

"Do you want to change into this?" The girl shook her head. Shrugging, Akane started to change. When she started to remove her school uniform the girl blushed and turn away. Shrugging it away again she finished changing and moved to the center of the dojo, the girl close behind.

"Ready? I won't go easy on you. I'm pretty good." Both moved into sparring position. After staring at each other for some time, Akane to the initiative and sprang towards the girl. She easily dodged and side stepped. Akane recovered fast enough to send a few punches at her. Each was dodged with ease and no effort was made in retaliation. For 30 minutes the spar continued like that until Akane became frustrated. Tired and out of breath, Akane sent one last punch. It was slow so she didn't expect it to connect but then another odd thing happened. The girl was about to dodge when she moved. She moved into the punch, which sent her flying. Skidding to a stop at the end of the floor she stood up, winded.

"I think we should stop now." The girl nodded and moved towards Akane.

"I didn't get your name before, can you tell me now?"

The girl shied away again and looked at the floor.

Akane tried to change the subject. "Hmmm…when did you start to go to the Furinkin High?"

Again, the girl said nothing to her. A little unnerved, Akane tried something else.

"Well I don't like to be in my own sweat for too long. You go take a bath and I'll take one after you"

The girl nodded and walked to the bathroom. Akane walked to the kitchen to let her sister know that Mrs. Saotome's daughter was in the bath. When she was about to go upstairs she changed her mind. Why take a bath later when I can take one now. After all, we are both girls…

The girl walked into the bathing room started to remove her clothes. Her body was petite and full of curves. Moving to the wash station she washed the sweat from her body in silence. After a thorough washing she moved to the big bath at he end of the room. Completely submerging herself in the water, she came up no longer a she. A young boy around the age of 16 with raven black hair done up in a single braid. He had a scar that ran from the right side of his neck to the middle of his chest. Ranma sat up and relaxed against the wall. The memory of the day's events came to mind and it put him at a panic. What am I going to do? I can't get married. Not with this body. Not like this. God, what am I going to do. Sitting in the bath, Ranma continued to ponder his situation. Then he heard the sound of the door opening and closing. In a panic, Ranma searched the room for a towel. Seeing one across the floor he leaped up to try to get it but was too late. Across from him, right next to the towel, was the youngest of the Tendo sisters in front of him, completely naked and staring at him. Ranma, despite the embarrassment and shame, looked Akane over from head to toe. A slight blush crept over his face. Akane took in all of his features as well. From his hair to his scar and then further down his waist. During her inspection she went through many emotions. From shock to curiosity; then after a quick blush, anger. Without further thought he dropped back into the water and hid. Akane just stepped backwards out of the door, shut it, and screamed.

"There is a pervert in our bathing room!" Nabiki and Kasumi came into the hall.

"A pervert?"

"Yes, and he's that boy from my school"

"What?"

Akane made her way upstairs and picked up 2 dumbbells. With a dumbbell in each hand she raced down the stairs to the bathing room. When she reached the foot of the stairs, Mrs. Saotome had showed up.

"Hold it right there."

Akane turned around, bewildered. "Why? I am going to kick that guy's ass"

"That GUY is my son"

"That's your son? That pervert! He was peeping at me. And what about your daughter? She was in there before."

"Technically, she still is."

"Huh?"

"Ranma and my daughter are one in the same."

"Ranma is a cross dresser?"

"No…he is...cursed." This made Akane drop everything and listen. "He turns into a girl when he touches cold water, and changes back to a boy when he touches warm water. The bath just made him revert to his normal self"

Akane just stood in place and absorbed as much as she could. "If what you are saying is true, then why didn't' he tell us that."

"Because…because he can't talk." Akane thought for a second.

"What do you mean by 'he can't talk'?"

The bathing room door opened and a fully clothed Ranma stepped out. His head was hanging lower then anyone there had ever seen and his eyes were shut. He looked like he was waiting for a killer blow from an oncoming enemy. Just waiting and allowing it to hit him. He had such sadness in his eyes.

"He's mute"

This is my second fan fic. I have decided what i am going to do with it and what i mean by that is whether the perspective will switch from Akane to Ranma or will it be like this in the 3rd person. I want you to decide. Leave me some reviews on this and when i get the First Person view verson finished review that one. Let me know what you like best. Looking forward to it. Thanks ;D

Ok. This is the newly updated version. I fixed it up to work with my other ideas and did a really quick proof read so the spell is updated. Hope you like the story later on. I will be updating it when i have the chance.

-Unspoken Flame