Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ use it merely for entertainment purposes.
Ranma was deep in thought as he walked back to the Tendo Dojo from his Mother's house in the morning. It was Sunday so he did not have school so he was not in any rush to go anywhere. What Ranma was thinking about was the question Nodoka asked him after dinner last night. She asked him if he would like to move back in with her. Ranma was caught totally off guard by the question. He figured that his Mother would want him to return home at some point and expected her to say as much. So that part was not what caught him off guard, it was the fact that he actually had a choice. For as long as he could remember anything more than minor day-to-day decisions were not his choice, he was told what to do and was expected to do it. So the fact that he had a choice like where he was going to live was a foreign concept to him.
Because of that Ranma could only tell his Mother that he would have to think about it. And so here he was thinking about either staying at the Tendo Dojo or going to a place he had not lived in for well over ten years. He began to way the pros and cons of each location. On hand if he lived with his Mother he would have to commute to school and that would take a lot of time to accomplish and cut into times he now set aside to study. On the other hand without people interrupting him every five minutes the assignments would not take as long meaning just about equal time on studying. If he stayed at the Dojo he would be close to his friends: Ukyou, Daisuke, and Hiroshi. On the other hand he would not have to deal with a jealous Akane as often. Cooking did not factor in because his Mother and Kasumi were dead even in his opinion. Then finally came the Art, the question was where could he learn more, at the Tendo Dojo or his Mother's. As he contemplated this he realized something very important, he did not really learn much at the Tendo Dojo. Most of the techniques he learned were learned outside the Dojo. With that thought Ranma came to a decision he would take his Mother's offer and move in with her.
His decision made Ranma increased his pace and headed to the Tendo Dojo to pack his stuff and inform everyone there his decision, including calling his Mother. Not more than fifteen minutes later Ranma reached the Dojo and entered over the back wall. He noted the time and figured that most people would be up. Ranma knew that Nabiki would not be up until late morning; she never like getting up early so took every opportunity to sleep in. As he entered the Dojo he was caught in the combined glare of Akane, Soun and Genma. He already knew what was going to happen so he just sighed and waited.
He did not have to wait long, it was Akane who got everything started, "I knew you were cheating on me!" she accused, once again with no evidence.
"Saotome how could you raise such a dishonorable Son?" Soun wailed. "He should marry Akane at once so the School will be joined!"
"Yes Tendo!" Genma agreed, "We should have the ceremony today, I'll go call the priest!"
"I am not marring that two timing pervert!" Akane screamed. Ranma for his part was just waiting for the inevitable to come. Eventually like clockwork Akane's temper reaches critical mass and she shouts, "RANMA NO BAKA!" She then pulls out her mallet and runs at Ranma.
Ranma anticipating the mallet this time moves out of her way and she misses. Everyone looks on incredibly stunned, even the newly awaken Nabiki and P-chan just coming into the yard, for Ranma has never dodged Akane's mallet. Taking silence as an opportunity Ranma begins to explain, "After Akane malleted me yesterday I ended up near Mom's. I spent the night there. After dinner she asked me if I wanted to move back in with her, I decided that I would." He moved to the stairs before he continued, "I'm here to get my stuff and then I'll be going back." He then turned to Kasumi and said, "Kasumi after I'm done packing can I use the phone to let her know my decision."
"Oh my yes of course Ranma," Kasumi answers coming out of her daze.
"But you can't leave the Schools must be joined!" Soun whined coming out of his own daze.
"Tendo's right you can't leave!" Genma supports his friend.
"Fine you tell Mom that you're not letting move back," Ranma retorts.
This caused Genma to freeze at the idea of the Saotome honor blade. He then dumps a bucket on his head and holds up a sigh that reads, "I'm just a cute little Panda."
Akane too stunned to speak picked up P-chan and ran off up the stairs past Ranma then Nabiki. While he was being carried Ryouga squealed at Ranma, "You dare turn you back on Akane!" of course no one understood him because he was a pig.
Finally Ranma reaches Nabiki and the only thing she can say is, "What about your debt?"
For a brief moment sadness crosses Ranma's eyes but it quickly passes, "We can talk about that at school." Nabiki nods absently as Ranma walks past.
Near the Kuno Mansion Aishia is coming over the wall with a relieved and disgusted look on her face. She is relieved because Kuno is definitely not the boy she is looking for. She is disgusted because of the sheer insanity that was displayed with in the grounds, "I swear that idiot has no concept of what a real Samurai was. And that Sister was even worse; though I don't know how she got all those potions I think it's better if I not think about it. And I don't know how he caught me but their father was the worse trying to give me a hair cut." She then smiles, "At least he won't be able to threaten anyone for a while with those clippers, hard to hold them when all his figures are broken."
Making her way further away from the Mansion Aishia thinks, that's one down. I'll go back to the Tendo Dojo and check in Saotome. I'm kind of hoping that's him it would be too hard to train the other one with him getting lost all the time."
At the Neko Haten Shampoo and Cologne were talking about the Nerima's newest addition, Aishia. "Great Grandmother Aishia look for others like her. Could Airen be him?"
"Only Aishia could answer that one and only after she finds the person she's looking for," Cologne replies. "Still if Son-in-Law is one," Cologne thought, "Then that changes the rules slightly. Our agreement with Aishia's people will either come into conflict or strengthen our ties. And that is assuming that he's not driven feral by his new powers."
Cleaning a near by table Mouse only hears a piece of their conversation. The part about Ranma being part of Aishia's people. "Oh no!" he thought. "If he is like her I'll never beat him, the punishment for attacking one unless attacked first is death. I have to beat Ranma before he turns so I can marry Shampoo." Seeing the two other Amazons distracted Mouse sneaks out the back and heads toward the Tendo Dojo.
Still inside Shampoo asks, "What kind do you think Airen could be?"
"As I said before only Aishia could tell you," Cologne answers. "But if he is one of them you must be willing to accept to give up your claim on Son-in-Law."
Shampoo became stunned at that, she never thought she would here her Great Grandmother say that, "But Great Grandmother the law…"
"The agreement between the Amazons and Aishia's people is almost as old as our entire history," Cologne said firmly. "It is more important than any Kiss of Marriage." Shampoo become visibly dejected at that. Cologne sees that and her face softens a little, she knew how much Shampoo actually cared for Ranma. Shampoo would pursuit Ranma with the same vigor she does now even without Kiss of Marriage. "Nothing has been confirmed yet and there is a high chance Ranma is not one. And even if he is she may accept it to strength our ties so do not despair child." Shampoo nods but the thought of actually loosing Ranma makes her field rather cold inside.
At her restaurant Ukyou was rather bored. For some reason not many had been coming in today so she did not have much to do. She was about to go over her inventory for the fifth time with in past hour when the door opened and Ranma-chan came in. Ukyou brightened immediately upon seeing her fiancé and put a pot on the stove with water in it so Ranma-chan could change back. "Hey Ranchan what hit you this time, car going through a puddle, kid with a squirt gun or was it that old ladle lady again?"
Ranma-chan grumbled, "All of the above." Seeing the confused look Ranma-chan went on to explain. "I was walking past that Old ladies house when a car drove by and splashed me, then she throws water on me and apparently her grandson was visiting thought it would be funny to shoot me with water." Ukyou had to bite the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing. "I dry for a day and a half and I think my curse is making up for lost time."
Ukyou reached for the pot and through it at Ranma-chan changing her back to t guy, "So what else can I do for you?"
"Two okonomiyaki specials to go please," Ranma orders.
"Too go?" Ukyou asks then notices Ranma is wearing his travel pack and guesses, "Going on another training trip Ran-chan?"
"No actually I'm moving," Ranma answers. This causes Ukyou to drop the batter she was about to turn over and look at Ranma with a mix of fear and surprise. Ranma missing the look continues, "I'm moving in with my Mom and I'm heading there right now."
"Oh ok," Ukyou sighed with relief, "So where's your father then?"
"Probably still at the Tendos'," Ranma answers. "I really don't care where that Fat Panda goes." Ukyou then shrugs and continues to cook while Ranma waits. After a few minutes the okonomiyaki is done. "Thanks Ucchan I always love you food. When you have time come by my Mom's house."
"Are you sure she'll want me around?" Ukyou asks, "I mean we really didn't leave on the best terms last time."
"I'm sure she's forgiven you for that," Ranma assures. "I have so you shouldn't worry." Ukyou nodded reluctantly doubt still on her face, "Well I'll see you at school tomorrow Ucchan."
"Yeah tomorrow Ranchan," Ukyou replies.
Back at the Tendo Dojo everyone was reeling from Ranma's sudden exit. Akane was out in the Dojo breaking bricks and punching training dummies working out her frustrations, the Fathers were drowning their sours in sake, Kasumi was in the kitchen trying to distract herself with making dinner and Nabiki was in her room wondering what to do.
In her room Nabiki was pondering her feelings over Ranma's departure. In all reality she was not loosing an income source because Ranma had told her he would pay off his debt and still help with the expenses at the Dojo, they would just have to talk more at lunch during school. In fact without feeding one Saotome her balancing of the books left a lot more room for emergencies, factor in the less damage caused by Akane's malleting and the collateral damage caused by Ranma rival's the expenses would be cut in half at least. So in reality Ranma leaving but still willing help out was one of the best things that happened in recent weeks. Still she was feeling rather upset at not having the gender changing Martial Artist here. At first she could not understand why but when she looked at a picture someone took of her congratulating him in an out of Nerima fight it hit her. Ranma at the very least had become one of her closest friends, maybe more. How much more she did not know. She did know that she was already missing him greatly.
In the kitchen Kasumi while cooking up a storm could not distract herself from thinking about Ranma not being here. Unlike Nabiki who could see Ranma at school Kasumi knew that she would on only very seldom occasions get to see him. Ever since Dr. Tofu had disappeared Ranma had begun to fill the whole he left. Kasumi was one of other people that noticed change early on and encouraged his development. She always knew Ranma had a good heart and that was one of the reasons she liked him as a friend. After he started showing signs of maturing Kasumi felt even more drawn to him. She was not sure when but she found herself becoming more attracted to Ranma and with Tofu gone there was nothing to keep the attraction at bay. She was beginning to become fearful that Ranma would leave just like Tofu something she did not want to think about.
Outside the Dojo Ryouga was still in his pig form trying desperately to find his way back inside so he can change back and hunt Ranma down. In his hurry to find the furo and change back he ended up outside and was now stuck not knowing which way to go. Ryouga was about to run off down some alley when a voice behind him caught his attention, "I was coming to Saotome to see if he was the one I was looking but I guess I found out who my real target was, eh Hibiki?"
Ryouga spun around to the voice and saw a strange woman bending down to pick him up. To slow to get away the woman lifted him into the air all the while he was thinking, "Ranma you have no honor you told this woman I turn into a pig!" He then started to shake to free himself but the woman's grip was like iron.
After hosting the Ryouga up the woman spoke again, "I guess this explains the pig scent I wonder if anyone knows it wasn't in the file." Shrugging she continues, "Anyway your Jusenkyo Curse is not why I'm here." Ryouga stopped shaking to free himself and looked at the woman, "My name is Aishia, and I've been looking for someone, apparently you for a couple of days now." This confused Ryouga an it appeared on his pig face. "Confused?" Ryouga nodded. "Let me ask you, for a couple of weeks now have you been getting stronger without knowing why or maybe your senses have been sharper. You know colors brighter, sounds louder, smells stronger that kind of thing," again Ryouga nodded. "I can explain the reason for that and train you how to use this new strength you just got to come with me for a couple of weeks. Do we have a deal?" Ryouga thought for a few moments, he new Ranma needed to pay for hurting Akane but if what Aishia said is true then she could make him even stronger and Ranma would pay not just for hurting Akane this time but for all times as well as all his defeats. Finally Ryouga nodded, "Good, the first thing we're doing is getting you some clothes. Then I carry you as you are to where we'll be training." Ryouga let out a squeal of protest, "No arguing you get lost too easily and I don't want to spend two weeks looking for you, and you'll stay as you are until we reach our destination or you don't get trained." Clearing not liking Ryouga nodded anyway as Aishia carried him off to near by clothing store.
As he was being carried Ryouga squealed, "RANMA YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS HUMILIATION!"