Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½, or anything else you may recognize. Not a dime is being made of this story and is for entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!

A/N: I'm turning this into a crossover with Tenchi, but I needed to set some things up first. Technically you won't really even see Tenchi for a few chapters yet, but it is coming. The worlds will be crossing before you meet Tenchi.

Chapter 4

"Son, where are you going," Nodoka asked noticing Ranma's pack as she entered the Tendo compound.

"Anywhere but here," Ranma replied making Nodoka frown.

"Why would you be doing that son? It's not very honorable to walk out when you have an engagement to this family," Nodoka said.

"Considerin' the fact I caught Akane cheatin' on me with Ryoga tonight it's safe to say the engagement is off," Ranma told her with a stone face. He knew with his mother's warped sense of honor that this probably wouldn't come out good.

"Weren't you being manly enough for her," she asked fingering her katana as Ranma expected.

"Why would I wanna be 'manly' with someone who takes every opportunity to hit me when I ain't done anything wrong," he asked her seriously.

"If you have been she wouldn't have gone seeking elsewhere," Nodoka reasoned.

"I ain't gonna touch someone who won't trust me, hits me all the time, and treats me like a piece of property," Ranma told her calmly. He had learned a few things from his dealings with Nabiki and knew of a way to deal with his mother if she attempted to enforce the seppuku pledge for this, not that she really could anyway, but that was beside the point. It wasn't his fault that Akane cheated on him, and it wasn't his fault that his 'father' was an honorless panda.

"Then I'm afraid I'm going to have to judge you as," Nodoka said as she began to unsheathe her sword.

"You try pullin' that sword another inch and I'll go to the police for child abuse and neglect," Ranma threatened making Nodoka stop in shock.

"You would shame the Saotome name by bringing our problems to the public," Nodoka asked as if it were the worst sin that could be committed.

"If it's between that and killin' myself, yeah, I ain't gonna kill myself for someone who loves honor more than her own son," Ranma told her. He was putting half his concentration into maintaining the Soul of Ice now because this conversation was hurting him more than he'd like to admit. He didn't want to think that woman who raised him, albeit not that long, didn't care about him, but the proof was right in front of him, she would rather have him dead than happy.

"I see then perhaps you would rather have your father throw you out of the clan," Nodoka asked.

"Sure, if you want the family Art to die with him. He has been forbidden to teach Anything Goes for using it so dishonorably and failing ta uphold the honor of the school," Ranma remarked coolly. He wasn't going to play his final card yet, not if he didn't have to. Nodoka looked quite shocked. She knew Genma wasn't perfect, and granted, she hadn't heard much about the training trip, but to take away his ability to teach the Art?

"Why would Happosai do such a thing," she asked in shock.

"He didn't, I did," he told her, "I won the right to the title of Grandmaster from Happosai tonight in an honest duel."

"Why would you do that to your father," Nodoka shouted.

"Maybe it's because he threw me inta a pit of cats when I was a little kid so many times I lost count! Maybe it's because he sold me to so many families I doubt even he knows how many fiancées I have," Ranma shouted in return. Nodoka looked at Ranma in disbelief at what he was telling her but he wasn't done yet, "MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE HE TOOK ME TO CHINA WITHOUT KNOWING A WORD OF CHINESE AND GOT ME CURSED!"

"He may have gotten you cursed but I cannot believe your father would have sold you to any other families than that Kounji family," Nodoka replied coolly.

"What about Daikoku family? He sold me that time for a bowl of rice, a fish, and TWO DAMN PICKLES," Ranma told her, "He tried to add Kodachi Kuno to my list of fiancées when she offered a bunch of money and objects as a dowry! Every time he's asked he avoids the topic as if you're standing behind him with your katana out!"

"I will not stand here and listen to you bad mouth your father," Nodoka told him sternly.

"Why not," a voice called from the side before Ranma could comment, "It's not like he's lying; besides Ranma can't lie to save his life!"

"Who's there," Nodoka called out, not yet being familiar enough with the people around her son to recognize them by their voices. Ukyo came into what little light was available to the now trio and glared at Nodoka. "You won't believe a bad word against Genma eh? So the fact that he stole the dowry that was supposed to be mine and Ranchan's when we wed while leaving me on the side of the road is okay I guess, considering you've heard that story before and didn't dispute my claim."

"Genma is an honorable man," Nodoka claimed, clutching her sword tighter to herself. It was once again wrapped, but now it appeared she was using it more for comfort than as a threat.

"I don't think he even knows what honor means," Ukyo replied while looking at Nodoka with disgust, "Did she plan on using that on you Ranchan?"

"She was gonna, but I talked her outta it," Ranma replied calmly. Ukyo noticed the faint light blue/white glow around him that usually was associated with the Soul of Ice so she had no doubt that this conversation was more emotionally draining than he was letting on.

"Genma…" Nodoka began only to be cut off.

"Face it sugar, your husband isn't anything but a thief, a spineless coward, a drunk, and a dishonored martial artist," Ukyo told her.

"Why are you so hung up on believing pops is an honorable man," Ranma asked curiously.

"The man I married was honorable, kind, brave, noble, manly, and most of all loving," Nodoka replied with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Well between when you got married and when he took me on that trip he sure as hell changed," Ranma said with a snort, "Unless you consider it kind to toss the boy you raised into a pit of cats to teach him a banned technique that could kill him or make him insane? Do you consider it loving to constantly tell him that his mother was dead and that he was a weak girl? To never show any compassion for his son when he needed it?"

"Please, no more," Nodoka begged falling to her knees just as Kasumi had done earlier.

"Ranma, why'd you say it that way," Ukyo asked curiously. She knew Ranma probably better than anyone and noticed the way he said 'the boy you raised' instead of 'your son'.

"Because I ain't even on the Saotome register, ain't never been, she ain't my mom and Genma ain't my Pops," Ranma replied while looking at Nodoka angrily as she gasped. She looked astonished that he finally found out, she had intended for him to never know.

"Saotome, I suggest you find out exactly what your husband has been up to since he left instead of blindly believing he's the man you married. There's probably hundreds, if not thousands, of charges of theft outstanding on him and Ranma. If you look at the descriptions the ones for Ranma will probably match for Genma, and you should get those changed to Genma, even if I doubt you will," Ukyo told her before getting in one last parting shot, "And you best hope that when Ranma tracks down his real parents that they don't press charges against the both of you for kidnapping and child endangerment." With that said she lead Ranma out of the Tendo compound.

"I'm glad that's over," Ranma commented breathing out a sigh of relief but not dropping the Soul of Ice.

"So is it finally over between you and Akane," Ukyo asked. After she received a nod she nearly shouted, "Thank Kami!"

"You don't have to sound so happy about it," he replied dryly.

"I don't know how much longer I could go on pretending I wanted to marry you," Ukyo told him, "Not that there's anything wrong with you Ranchan, but it'd be like marrying my brother! I'm glad we worked that out before that whole Herb mess."

"Me too Ukyo, thanks for everything," Ranma replied before breaking down. His tenuous hold over the Soul of Ice had broken and all the feelings that he had been holding back were rushing forth. He clutched Ukyo and cried into her shoulder after she hugged him and he started mumbling about catching Akane in bed with Ryoga, and not wanting to hurt anyone. He mumbled that he looked up the Saotome register to find more family and instead found out he had never even been on it. He started asking why nobody cared except her, she knew it was rhetorical, but she still answered him. She whispered into his ear that everything would be fine, and that others cared about him, and that it had to be done eventually. She told him to let it all out, and that he'd feel better once he did. It took a full 10 minutes before he finally calmed down, but once he did he had a small smile on his face.

"Feel better sugar," she asked.

"Yeah, thanks, you better get outta here before Konatsu thinks you're leaving him," Ranma told her with a smile. She gave him a small hug before walking away, completely forgetting the fact she didn't know where he was staying tonight.

(Break)

"There he is," Ranma said to himself. He'd been waiting for Ryoga to leave the dojo because he wanted to use to porker to get himself lost. He didn't know how Ryoga managed it, but that got could get anywhere within a week, although it usually wasn't where he wanted to be, he could get there.

"Don't forget Ryoga, you have to be here in two weeks, if nothing else have someone lead you here so you're on time for our wedding," Akane told him seriously. Her father hadn't been too happy about her relationship with Ryoga when he'd gotten home from watching Ranma win against Happosai, and he was even less pleased when he was informed he no longer had an heir to the dojo. He immediately went about telling them that the wedding was going to be in a fortnight whether they wanted it or not, in his words, "If you like each other enough to be intimate then you like each other enough to be married."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure I'm here, nothing could keep me from you," Ryoga told her happily. He was happy that they no longer needed to hide their relationship from everyone, but the reception he got from Kasumi and Nabiki this morning was less than pleasant. He assumed with Nabiki it was only because she hadn't known before, but with Kasumi he was at a complete loss. Akane told him to just give Kasumi some time to come around and she'd be fine with it all, so he let it drop.

Once Ryoga took off down the street, with intentions of finding his home so he could tell his parents about the upcoming wedding, Ranma alighted the rooftops and used a fishing pole to snag Ryoga's bag. He knew with how fast the boy got lost that just following him wouldn't help at all, he needed a sure fire way to stay with the moron. Once he was hooked Ranma jumped to the ground quietly and reeled the line in so he was far enough behind Ryoga to remain out of sight, but close enough that the line wouldn't catch anything. He definitely got his wish about getting lost, less than a mile later he saw Ryoga walk into a void without noticing apparently, so Ranma proceeded to follow him in quickly.

"Boy, you sure do get lost well," Ranma commented to Ryoga once he came out the other side of the void. He saw architecture he'd never seen before, but the basic structure belied a palace of some kind.

"RANMA SAOTOME, BECAUSE OF YOU," Ryoga began to yell only to be interrupted.

"Don't call me that," Ranma told him coldly.

"Huh," Ryoga said confused.

"I'm not, and I ain't never been a Saotome," Ranma told the lost boy. Before either could comment any further alarms started blaring around them and guards flooded the hallway.

"Look, that kids back," one of the guards shouted.

"Arrest him," another shouted charging towards Ryoga making the lost boy high tail it and get lost again. Once Ryoga was out of the picture the guards turned their attention to Ranma who sweatdropped before getting into a loose fighting stance.

"I ain't here ta fight," Ranma told them hoping to actually avoid fighting for once.

"What are you doing in the Royal Palace," a guard asked him while edging closer.

"I was just followin' that moron and ended up here," Ranma retorted, "I didn't mean ta come here!"

"He's lying, he's here to assassinate the Emperor," a paranoid guard shouted causing all the remaining guards to attack simultaneously. Unfortunately Ranma was outnumbered 20 to 1 so he only took out 5 guards with ki blasts and chestnut fists before dropping into the Umi-sen-ken in hopes of getting away. It worked, because the moment he disappeared they immediately ran down the hall in the direction Ranma had been facing. They assumed he had just run really, really fast.

"Glad I read those scrolls," Ranma commented quietly before he began sneaking around looking for an exit so he could get out of the palace. Unfortunately he decided to trust his senses and began walking backwards down the hallway so he could keep an eye out for the guards that had chased him thus far. When he reached a corner he ended up knocking into someone and stumbling forward releasing his hold on the Umi-sen-ken and ultimately revealing himself before he even had a chance to see who he bumped into. When he turned around he saw two women in regal looking robes, one with black hair and a stern looking face. She seemed to be frowning at him. The other had light blue hair and her hands were clasped in front of her and her whole face was lit up with a smile. It didn't take long for Ranma to figure out that, one way or another, he was in trouble.

"YOU'RE SO CUUUUUTE," the light-blue haired one yelled before throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing, effectively cutting off his air supply.

"Can't…breath…world…going…dark," Ranma rasped out.

"Misaki, let the poor boy breath so we can find out who he is and why he is here," the woman with black hair said to the other, who was presumably named Misaki.

"Isn't he just adorable Funaho," Misaki asked as she released the hug and grabbed Ranma by the shoulders to get a better look at him. Ironically it was the only thing keeping him up at the time.

"What is your name young man," Funaho asked sternly.

"R…Ranma," he said as he tried to regain his breath.

"What is your family name Ranma," Funaho pressed.

"Don't know, just found out that my parents aren't my parents," Ranma commented. He figured it would be better to be honest at this point since he didn't want to have anything to do with the Saotome name at any rate.

"Where are you from Ranma," Misaki asked with gleaming eyes. She looked like she was ready to ball any second now.

"Nerima, Japan," he told them standing up a little straighter. He had finally gotten his breath back and wanted to make a slightly better impression, but he wasn't sure why. It was just the presence that the two of them exuded that he shouldn't be disrespectful.

"Japan, isn't that on Earth," Funaho asked.

"Japan is where our children are," Misaki said excitedly, "Do you know Yosho, Ayeka, or Sasami?"

"Um…nope, sorry," Ranma said with a sweatdrop hanging from his head.

"How did you get to Jurai from Earth," Funaho asked. She realized that Misaki asking any important questions at this point wouldn't be possible so she should move the interview along.

"I was just followin' a guy I know that tends ta get lost a lot, figured I could get myself lost for a while and sort through some things," Ranma explained, "Followed the guy right through some kind of tunnel or somethin' and ended up here. Didn't know he could get that lost…"

"Young man, Earth is three months travel by ship alone, do you expect me to believe that you traveled here on foot," Funaho asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Huh? I'm not on Earth anymore? What're you talking about," Ranma asked confused. This made Funaho sweatdrop and Misaki only glomped onto him tighter.

"Ranma, are you seeing anyone," Misaki asked excitedly.

"Um…not at the moment," he answered hesitantly.

"What are you thinking Misaki," Funaho asked worriedly before watching Misaki drag Ranma off as if he were a stuffed toy. "This isn't going to turn out well."