I decided to work on another chapter of this fic before I work on redefining honor because I had a few idea's after I got back from the bar last night.

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Kasumi was nervous. This feeling of uneasiness came from the looks her father and Mr. Saotome had been giving her ever since they came back from looking for Ranma. For the past few years, she had been feeling that something had been off in her life, It was as if her family was not quite her family.

Several years ago she had went though her family's photo album. That search had shown her that their were only scarce pictures of her mother and her from when she was a baby. There was only one picture of her mother Nabiki and herself. The oddest thing was is that her father did not appear in any of the photos until a year after Akane was born.

She also had misgivings about Master Happossi being her actual grandfather. She always felt uncomfortable around him, sure, he never really groped her or stole her underwear but every now and then, he would give her a look when she felt that he thought that she was preoccupied. She felt that those looks could not possibly come from ones own flesh and blood. These feelings were amplified whenever she saw him grope her youngest sister Akane. She thought, "Why would he grope Akane and not me and Nabiki, after all we are all sisters and if you are going to grope one of us why not all of us." These thoughts had always disturbed her so she had never gone through great lengths to think about it before. However, yesterday that changed.

Yesterday she noticed that her shelf liners in the kitchen cabinets were getting old and in disrepair, so she decided to go to the store to get new ones. After getting back from the store, she had started to exchange the old ones with the new ones she had just bought when she noticed a picture fall out onto the floor.

This picture was one of her mother and a young shorthaired attractive man sitting on a couch with her and Nabiki on their laps. She stared at the picture for a few minutes before turning it over. Gasping out an, "Oh My." She pocketed the photo, but not before reading the short note written hastily on it.

It read.

Kasumi or Nabiki, remember I love you and your sister. I do not have a lot of time, I want you to know that the man in the photo is your and Nabiki's father. I know that this will raise many questions but you need to know, Soun is not your father. Do not trust him; he is planning something with a man named Genma and his master Happossi. Your fathers name was Jiro, the man holding you in this picture. I have to go now Soun is coming remember I love my two little girls.

After pocketing the picture Kasumi went upstairs to the furo, grabbed her so-called father's hairbrush, and headed out to the train station to catch a train to the Minoto ward.

----------------- That night at the Masaki household ----

It had been along day for Nabiki Tendo, after spending a few hours going over the truths revealed to her by Tsunami, she then had to help formulate a plan to rescue Kasumi before her so-called-father and cohorts got suspicious of their absence. The plan was simple Tenchi, Ayeka and Ryoko were to approach Kasumi when she went out to do her shopping and give her a letter from Nabiki. After that, they were to escort her to the shrine taking a train in the opposite direction in an attempt to throw anyone who might be following them off. Once they had traveled far enough Ryoko was going to signal Ryo-ohki to their location to be picked up and brought back to the shrine. While they were gone, Washu was working on improving her sensor range around the grounds so they would know if anybody approached the shrine. That left Sasami and Katshuhito to help her take care of Ranma and Nodoka. Unfortunately, neither Nodoka nor herself had any clean clothing. That meant that tomorrow they would have to make a quick shopping trip to pick necessities. It was unfortunate for Ranma though because he had wanted to come with, but until they were able to guarantee his safety everyone felt that he should stay at the shrine. This had sent Ranma off pouting until Nabiki and Nodoka promised to bring him back a few treats. After that, Ranma Had asked to go outside and practice until dinner was ready.

----------An hour later ------

Nabiki was still discussing with the others about what they should expect Ranma to be going through when Sasami came in and announced that diner was ready. Nabiki got out of her seat on the couch and said, "I think I will go get Ranma and get him washed up for diner."

Nodoka had been listening patiently to Nabiki explain what was going on with her son. There was a lot that she could not remember from the past twelve years and what she did remember was hazy at best. The clearest memories she had were of the past few days. She knew that she had not seen her son for over ten years and that her son had been put through hell by a man that had convinced her that he was her husband by using drugs and potions. She felt sick and disgusted with herself over allowing the imposter to use her and Ranma. As the memories started to unscramble themselves, she started to sink into depression. It was only her fathers comforting embrace that was keeping her aware of the current conversation. When Nabiki announced that she was going to go get Ranma that she decided that her son had been neglected enough and disentangled herself from her father and said, "Wait up, Nabiki I want to go with you."

Nabiki had noticed how hard every thing had been affecting Nodoka and asked, "Are you certain? I will be back in just a moment; Ranma knows not to wander off."

"Yes Nabiki I am sure, for the past ten years I lost my son and before that I only remember bits and pieces, I intend to try to make it up to him now."

Nabiki sighed and said, "Aunty, Ranma loves you. There is nothing for you to be upset with yourself for, it was not your fault." Seeing the grief in the older woman's eyes Nabiki walked over to her, took her hand and said, "Well come on your son is probably starving right now, he always has had a large apatite." With that, the two women went outside to retrieve Ranma.

--------------- Outside in the skies above the masaki shrine-------

Mousse was flying in duck form scouting for signs of Saotome, he was about to turn around when he saw Nabiki and Ranma's mother leaving a house. Deciding that they might be able to lead him to Ranma he followed from the distance in the hopes that Saotome was not too far-gone mentally so that he could help him escape from the old ghoul.

----------------With Nabiki and Nodoka---------

Nabiki had expected Ranma to be right outside; after all, she knew that before when Ranma was reduced in age he still acted like a teenager. Stopping in her tracks she smacked her forehead with her hand and said, "I can't believe that we let him go outside by himself. I am so used to Ranma being somewhat responsible that I forgot that he thinks that he is a five year old right now." Noticing that Nodoka was starting to panic Nabiki gave the older woman's hand a squeeze and said, "He is probably near the shrine." The two women increased their pace and started to make their way up the stairs to the shrine.

Upon reaching, the top of the stairs leading to the shrine Nabiki and Nodoka both failed to see Ranma practicing. Both women started to panic Nodoka more so than Nabiki.

Nabiki called out, "Ranma are you out here? Dinner is ready." Hearing no immediate response Nabiki walked around calling out for him. After a few minutes of walking Nabiki swore that, she heard something coming from behind some trees. Upon walking closer, she noticed that it was indeed Ranma and that he was currently crying. Getting worried about his condition Nabiki called out, "Aunty, I found him he is over here."

Nabiki ran the remaining distance to where she heard Ranma crying, after going past the last of the obstacles in her way she stopped dead in her tracks. The sight before her could not be described in words. Ranma sat huddled against a tree crying, his arms had several large gashes and burn marks on them. When she knelt down to get a good look at him, she saw two black eyes a swollen lip and several nasty looking bruises that could easily be mistaken for one bruise that covered his entire face. Feeling panic well up within herself, she scooped him up and started to run back to the house.

Nodoka had been searching for Ranma for a few minutes when she came across three headstones. Kneeling in front of the one in the center, she started to cry. She could not help but feel an overwhelming emptiness in her heart, she knew her sister had died but to stumble across her grave as well as her owns and Ranma's, only reinforced those feelings. Reaching forward her hands brushed up against a finely polished class case, the object inside brought forth several memories. She opened the case and took out the object, holding it to her hear she said, "Oh, Tsunami-sama how could I ever forget." After a minute she brought the object away from her heart ant examined it.

It was a large heart shaped gold locket with several small sapphires and rubies forming a smaller heart outline. With her hands, shaking in emotion Nodoka opened up the locket and saw two pictures. On one side was a picture of her holding a one-month-old Ranma sitting next to an attractive black haired man. The other picture was of the three of them a year ad a half later; it was taken on their third anniversary the day before her husband disappeared. She was so distracted that she failed to hear Nabiki calling for her until she felt herself being pulled on to her feet and dragged away running. Snapping out of her depression Nodoka asked, "Nabiki, what's wrong?" Not hearing a reply, she turned her head and saw Ranma in Nabiki's arms. Gasping in shock she said, "Wwwhaaatt happened to him?"

Nabiki was running hard and short of breath, even with her newly gifted strength and speed she still was winded, because of that she failed to answer Nodoka's first question after hearing the second one though she decided that she did need to say something. She managed to huff out, "Aunty I don't know what happened, I just know that it is not safe out here right now."

-------------------------- Inside the house----

Sasami was bringing out all the dishes for dinner, if one were to look into her eyes they would have noticed that there was something wrong with the usually cheery princess/eventually merged with a goddess/young girl.

Noticing that Sasami seemed upset about something Katshuhito asked, "Sasami, what's wrong?"

After Katshuhito spoke the people gathered at, the table stopped talking and turned their heads to the girl.

Sasami was about to speak when the door was flung open, causing every one in the room to jerk away from the table and position themselves for an emanate attack. What they saw brought forth new definitions to the word enraged. Nabiki and Nodoka looked disheveled and were panting in exhaustion, Katshuhito took one look into Nabiki's arms and asked with a deadly calm," What happened?"

Nabiki stood there with Ranma cradled in her arms looking around and seeing every one staring at her with various expressions of rage (Although it was not directed at her.) As she started to walk over to the couch she said, "I am not certain Ranma has been badly beaten by some one. This is how I found him."

As Nabiki spoke, Nodoka went over and was trying to comfort her son.

Katshuhito seeing that Sasami was getting bandages and Washu was typing away at her computer took Tenchi aside and instructed him and Ryoko to go search around the area to see if they could find who attacked the boy.

Ayeka was upset, this child was a Jurainian prince and to be beaten as such could not be tolerated. She knelt down in front of Ranma, grasped one of his small hands, and asked in a soothing voice, "Lord Ranma, could you please tell us what happened outside?"

Ranma who had been crying up until he entered the house had finally regained control of himself. He was afraid that his mom would think he was being unmanly, that is what the bad man had always told him. Holding back the rest of his sniffles he said, "I'm sorry." He then decided that it would be for the best if he just stared at the floor so he would not be able to see everybody look at him with disgust.

Nodoka heard her sons meek reply and was not satisfied with his answer, especially after realizing that he was acting like he was ashamed. Cupping her Childs chin with her hands, she brought his face up to face her own and said, "It is okay Ranma, you have nothing to be sorry for. Now please tell us what happened."

Ranma shifted uncomfortably on Nabiki's lap and muttered, "Pops and me were sparring."

Washu who was close enough to hear Ranma's reply looked at her computer again and double-checked her scans. After a minute during which the entire household was in an uproar she interrupted and said, "Are you sure about that? My scans are showing that you were alone up there."

Ranma nodded his head to affirm his answer just as Sasami reentered the room with the bandages.

As Sasami knelt down to attend to Ranma's injuries Ranma started to glow slightly, more specifically his injuries. As everyone in the room looked on, all off the bruises and cuts healed.

As Ranma's wounds healed themselves the room fell silent, until Nabiki exclaimed, "I think I know what happened."

Nodoka asked with worry evident in her tone, "What do you think happened?"

Giving Ranma a hug that caused him to squirm uncomfortably she stated, "Tsunami told me that he would have some type of flashbacks from all the time that he spent with Genma. I thought that they would be nightmares but apparently these so called flashbacks are going to manifest themselves physically."

After a few more minutes of conversation, Nabiki heard Ranma's stomach cry out for attention, looking down at he young boy she said, "I think Ranma needs to get cleaned up before he eats. So if there are no objections I will take him to the furo and get him cleaned up." She then looked down at herself, noticed all the dried blood and dirt covering her, and added, "Just save us some dinner if you would, I need to get washed up myself." After seeing Sasami nod in agreement, Nabiki took Ranma to the furo after they stopped off to get some clothes.

--------- The furo ---

Nabiki dumped a bucket of water over Ranma's head ad tried to wash his hair, but for some reason Ranma was not cooperating. The young boy kept squirming around and moving his head as if he was looking for something. Getting frustrated with his antics, she decided lot let him wash his own hair while she cleaned herself off.

Instead of washing his own hair though, Ranma got off his stool and started to crawl around on the floor frantically searching for something. Nabiki failed to notice Ranma's desperation until he shoved his head underneath her legs. After muttering of the mantra, "He is just a kid now he doesn't know what he is doing." She then said, "Well I can see why Akane would mallet you, if this is what you do in the bathroom."

Ranma was brought out of his search after catching the last of what Nabiki said. He responded, "Huh, What? Who's Akane?"

Nabiki sighed and said, "Never mind, what are you doing down there?"

Ranma quietly said, "I lost something."

Nabiki stared at him for a minute trying to figure out what he could have possibly lost in the furo, when she noticed for the first time that his hair was now red. It was not as noticeable as usual because of all the dirt and mud that covered him. With a frustrated sigh she said, "Come here and sit on my lap while I explain a few things to you."

Ranma did not comply at first because he was worried that if he did not find his missing equipment that his mom would be upset with him.

Nabiki saw her hesitation, pulled the neo girl onto her lap, and positioned her so that they would be able to face each other. Sighing again she started, "Ranma you didn't lose anything."

Ranma whined, "Yes I did, it's not here, if I can't find it mommy might not want me anymore."

Nabiki thought for a bit, "If I tell him it's a curse he probably will not be very happy, but what can I do? It is definitely not normal. This is definitely something that her mom will have to work out with her. What to do? Well I need to calm her down because she is starting to cry. Dammit this is not fair, Ranma already had to go through all this crap once before, why must she relive it." after brushing a few tears away from Ranma's eyes she continued, "Ranma, what you have is a gift. It is reversible, all you need to be a boy again is to get splashed with warm water."

Ranma looked at her with confusion and asked, "Really, I can become a boy again? You mean right now I am a girl. But I can't be a girl, they're stupid and icky."

Nabiki nearly growled at her, calming herself she chanted, "Only a kid." a few times before saying, "Am I stupid and icky?"

Ranma blushed and meekly said, "No."

"What was that?"

"No. But you are not a girl."

Nabiki raised her eyebrow and asked, "If I am not a girl then what am I?"

Ranma started to redden further and stammered out in a soft voice, "A goddess."

Nabiki started laughing; sometimes Ranma just managed to say the right things and not realize it. Her clueless ness was one of the most endearing traits that she had. In between giggles she said, "Well sit still and let your goddess wash your hair."

-----------------Far away in space------

"You summoned me my lady."

"Yes, I have something important for you to do."

"What do you ask of me my lady?"

"I need you to got earth and speak to some mortals for me."

"Is that all? My lady."

"No, you are to bring them to me, offer them power or whatever they want. Just bring them here."

"Yes my lady, it will be done."

------------------Akane's room ----

Akane lay on the bed frustrated over Ranma skipping town. She missed her Ranma-chan. With a sigh, she got out of bed, lifted up a floorboard, and got out a small chest. With the thoughts of, "Well if I can't see the real thing might as well look at these, now where are the batteries."

---------------Masaki shrine the next day -------

It was early afternoon at the Masaki shrine, Tenchi, Ayeka and Ryoko were off on their way to Nerima to pick up Kasumi. Nodoka, Nabiki and Sasami were out shopping and should be back shortly. That left Katshuhito and Washu to watch over Ranma. Currently though Katshuhito was at the shrine attending to a visitor, so that left Washu watching over Ranma.

Washu was sitting in an oversized lawn chair brooding over Ranma not wanting to go to her lab. Currently she was watching Ranma dig a big hole in the yard. When she inquired about what he was doing, he had responded with training. Thinking that it was some kind of endurance thing she had just written his actions off as quirky martial arts training. After an hour had passed, Ranma had finished digging the hole and had managed to cover it with a few planks. That caused Washu to face fault, she had no idea where there were any loose boards around the shrine and the kid had no tools. Putting away her computer, she started to watch him with interest

She saw Ranma running around after Ryo-ohki, after a few minutes he would catch her and deposit her into the hole. Then Ryo-ohki would phase through the planks unnoticed by Ranma and run away. The moment Ranma saw the cabbit again, he would chase after it and put it back into the pit. He continued doing this for a half hour or so during which he had caught the unlucky cabbit twenty times. Ryo-ohki had finally given up trying to escape the pit and was just sitting in there waiting for Ryoko to summon her. While she waited Ranma had disappeared and ran off into the house. After a few minutes, he was once again standing before the pit with food tied all around him, deciding that Sasami might not be too happy with her if she let Ranma waste all the food she got up and started to make her way over to the boy.

Nabiki, Nodoka and Sasami had just gotten back from shopping and decided to go around back to check on Ranma. Turning the corner Nabiki saw Ranma standing before a few planks on the ground. Looking closer she saw that he was covered in something and in the process of tying himself up. Squinting her eyes she thought, "What could he possibly be doing. Wait a second, there is a pile of dirt right there next to him. Dirt, hole in the ground, that's food that he has wrapped around him." Recognizing what he was doing Nabiki dropped her bags, took off running and exclaimed, "Oh, Kami-sama no, not this, he can't possibly be doing this."

Nodoka watched Nabiki run off and called after her, "Nabiki what's wrong?" Not hearing a response but thinking that there was something really wrong she turned her head to Sasami and said, "Dear why don't you go inside while I find out what's wrong."

"Okay Aunty."(I know that technically Sasami is Nodoka's)

After seeing the young girl run off into the house Nodoka took off and ran over to Ranma who looked like he was about to jump into the pit.

-----------------In the skies above---

Mousse was confused; the enemy of women and his only chance for human existence was not here. Ranma's mother was here as well as Nabiki, there was a small child that every one was calling Ranma but unless they fed him age altering mushrooms how could he of becomes so young. Then there is the fact that this child they called Ranma acted just like a small child and aging mushrooms do not change their users mentally.

--------------a few miles away in the forest. -------

Cologne sat with her great-granddaughter in a small clearing impatiently waiting for Mr. part-time to return.

Shampoo was getting frustrated; Mousse had tricked her into giving Ranma a potion and then not told her the effects and omitted the fact that he needed to be captured before the potion was used. With a sigh she said, "Great grandmother, I think we should go out and look for stupid Mousse."

Cologne bopped the girl on the head with her can and said, "We will wait here for a few more hours, I know where Mr. Part time is. I feel that he has found your errant Airen and has been watching him since last night. There is something off about son-in-law though, I can't place my finger on it but he feels different.

----------------Nerima ----

Ryoko, Tenchi and Ayeka walked around the shopping district looking for Kasumi Tendo; so far, they had covered all the stores twice and still have not come across her.

Tenchi looked over at Ryoko and Ayeka, seeing that Ryoko was getting impatient he said, "We will walk around for another half hour and then head over to the dojo. If we do not find her there, I do not think that we will find her.

---------------Masaki shrine----

Nabiki was running trying to get to Ranma before he jumped into the pit. Closing in she started to shout, "RANMA, STOP." The boy just continued as if he were in some sort of trance and jumped in right as Nabiki lunged for him.

Washu had been walking over and was wondering what could possibly be wrong enough for Nabiki to be acting as she was afraid of Ranma going into the pit. Hastening her pace, she hurried over to the pit.

Halfway to the pit Nodoka realized what was wrong; the events seemed eerily familiar with something Nabiki described as the Neko-ken. With the shout of, "NO, NOT MY BABY." she increased her pace.

------------Notes---

Right now, I am waiting for Netflix to deliver a movie so I can get a little better grasp on how the tenchi crew acts.