An unusual disclaimer: Ranma ½ is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. And Son Turned Daughter was originally written way back in 2002 by the FanFiction author Tangent, and his characters Megumi, Yasushi and Ayane have, likewise, been borrowed without permission. Please see the first two chapters of this story under his pen name. This story is written for non-commercial purposes only.

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The kuroko are puppeteers and stagehands who appear in traditional Japanese shows. The audience does not want to be distracted from the show itself, so they learn to ignore them. This makes them 'invisible'. In Urusei Yatsura, by the same creator as Ranma ½ (by my interpretation) everybody is so conditioned to ignore them, there are as good as invisible.

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C,C,C -No! She wasn't a black...one of those! Those things don't walk on two legs! Don't talk! Man! That hood was getting to him! It was just a hood!

He had flinched! He couldn't let his mom seeing him being a coward! He wouldn't even let her see him tremble!

Ranma did the unthinkable: He ripped off the mask of a kuroko!

Suddenly, a long-haired woman appeared before those of the martial artists who hadn't been paying enough attention. She was about Sasuke's own size and age.

"Romeo Saotome, what have you done!" It was Sasuke that was most surprised.

But Ranma spoke to the woman, "You made the mistake of talkin'. Kurokos don't talk."

She glared up at him, "It was because Sasuke Sarugakure was my boyfriend!"

And she turned to the ninja, "Why betray my trust?!"

"It was because Miss Ranma and Miss Akane showed me kindness in recognizing and speaking to me as a human being. I have never dealt with an attack like that before!" he admitted ashamedly. And, then, his voice became softer. "And because I hardly see you."

"Kuroko are not meant to be seen! Even on center stage, a kuroko is at their best when ignored - Like a ninja, fool! Mistress Asuka is right, it's better to kill boyfriends!"

And she grabbed her mask.

But Ranma wouldn't let it go. "You're stayin' where everybody can see you."

Giving up the fight before it began, she became a blur of speed and ran out the open shoji doors and over the wall of the yard.

"I was right about you, Sasuke," Ranma said him. "You are a man of honor."

The short ninja put his arm up to cry into his sleeve. "That is the nicest thing anybody has said to me!"

When he blew his nose and lowered his arm, he said, "I will still have to try and kill you, if one of my masters commands of me."

"I understand. You hafta honor your Ninja Code. But you can still be a friend. Only an enemy friend."

"They're called "frenemies", Ranma," Nabiki told him.

"Really? I like opponent better. Learnin' martial arts the way I been taught, we practice intensely and it can seem like we're enemies, instead of friends." And he really hadn't been given the time to become real friends with hardly anybody. So, it was like he had more enemies than friends. It was what he was used to.

"I am honored to be your opponent, Romeo Saotome," Sasuke bowed.

He rose and said, "I must return to my masters before they know I am gone." And he, too, was gone in a blur.

"Now isn't that stupid," Nabiki said. "Honor will do that to a person."

"Honor isn't something you would understand, Nabiki!" Akane told her.

"Now, Akane, your sister has more honor than she is willing to admit," Kasumi said. "For one, she refuses to lie."

"But she'll blackmail and pull dirty tricks!"

"There's dirty and there's filthy, underhanded and low," Nabiki answered.

"Hey, my mom's here!" Ranma reminded them.

"Oh, that's alright, Ranma. She sounds a lot like your father," Nodoka said, looking at her husband.

Genma only trembled at her gaze. And fought against his rising manhood.

"I'm sure Nabiki has more honor than Uncle Saotome, Aunt Saotome," Kasumi smiled warmly.

"And I'm not an idiot," Nabiki said.

"Well, Ranma, is your father an idiot?" his mom asked.

Ranma had difficult saying what he really thought of his pop in front of the mother he just met.

"It's alright. I knew that when I married him. Isn't that right, Husband?"

Another something came in through the doors. Ranma automatically caught it.

It was a bouquet of white lilies(?)

"Throw!" Akane screamed! "Duck!" cried Nabiki!

Before his consciousness could, his training had flung them!

And he was following them! "Mom!" was his one thought.

They exploded before they had reached the door!

He knew the technique. But he had never tried it. It was too difficult! Too dangerous!

He used it because he had to!

His battle aura shot out and captured the concussive force...and brought it into his - and only his - body!

The man fell.

Asuka Saginomiya had won. She had seriously damaged a boyfriend. He may even be dying.

"My son!" Nodoka wept! ; "Son-in-law!" cried Soun. ; "My heir!" Genma screamed.

"I won't let you die! I won't!" yelled Akane. She ran to where he lay bloody, bruised and scorched. "I'll heal you! I have some healing power! I have to go beyond any I've ever used!"

Kasumi looked at the scene, her heartbreaking. Surely, her guardian angel would…. No. Heaven interfered only when Heaven felt it was necessary. Heaven could seem so cruel and uncaring at times.

"Stop being in shock, Idiots!" Nabiki yelled. "You're experienced, advanced martial artists! If anybody has the healing abilities to save Ranma, it's you! Do it!"

First Soun, then Genma rushed to Ranma. Genma was the first to reach his son.

But Soun pulled him away. "Akane! My daughter Akane is the best vessel! She showed the first determination!"

Genma nodded and gave his hand to his old friend. And the man put his hand on his daughter. The ki was drawn from them and into Akane and, then, into Ranma.

Then something disturbed the flow of energy!

But only for the time it took for Nodoka to put both hands over her husband's.

There was an extra surge of energy in the flow!

Ranma felt maternal feelings. Ranma felt how his pop felt about him. And Mr. Tendo.

But most of all, he felt the growing friendship and affection Akane felt for him. For some reason, it brought back memories of the last time he had felt something similar. It had come from his old childhood buddy, Ukyo. But this, this was not child-like. It was more intimate. And. better, more immediate.

The first thing Ranma saw on opening his eyes was Kasumi. She was praying for him.

Then he turned his sore neck and head to see, "Akane." He reached out to touch her face.

"No movements!" his mother told him. "We must determine the extent of your injuries."

"I'll be fine, Mom. Please, I don't want you to worry. Not no more. For me, please, don't worry."

Genma placed his hand over the hand still on his other hand. "She is a strong woman. She has to be, to be the wife and mother of martial artists."

"That's the first time you ever said I was strong, Hus...Genma." And she began wiping her tears away.

"My problem was that you have always been too strong for me." And he didn't mean it in a good sense, this time.

[][][]

Kasumi, the Tendo's resident nurse, gave Ranma a quick assessment, and it was her opinion he would be fully recovered soon. "80 percent of healing is mental attitude, and Ranma certainly has that."

"Sometimes, too much attitude," Nabiki said.

Then she had a new thought, "Why wasn't the first attack followed up with a second? It makes no strategic sense."

"Perhaps, it is for tactical reasons," Genma said.

"Perhaps, she ran out of flowers," Kasumi suggested.

"You saw how many Asuka has behind her back like a peacock!" Akane said. Even though the peahens had no such tails.

Then the answer is quite simple," Soun said. "The mistress of the little kuroko wasn't with her. She did have to suddenly chase after that little ninja boyfriend of hers, did she not?"

"And she wouldn't like having to reveal to her mistress she had revealed the plan," Nodoka said.

"The little ninja, Sasuke, said they were after me, but they didn't care if others got hurt! I gotta get away from Mom and Akane and everybody!" And before they could stop him, he ran-

And broke the tripstring the kuroko had boobytrapped the way to the outside. Dumbbells fell down on Ranma and his head.

"Not again!" his mom cried.

But Genma stopped her from getting any closer. Then he cursed himself. He was showing her far more care than he wanted.

Letting them roll off of him, Ranma was up and ready, again. "I can't go home with you, Mom. Not until I make sure movin' back home with you won't end up hurtin' you because of me! I'm gonna find this Asuka and her personal kuroko and make sure they don't hurt others again!"

And he was gone!

"My how very manly!" Nodoka was impressed.

"He has to be. Man or woman, Ranma has to be a hero, Aunt Nodoka," Akane said, moving closer to her. "It's his curse."

"Call me…." No, not "Mom". The time wasn't right for that. "Call me Nodoka-san." And she placed her hand on the girl who had saved her son's life.

[][][]

How do you find a kuroko? As long as she was still without her mask, she could be found. Without the black mask, she was left wearing the unusual, black costume. He didn't have to sight her directly, at first. He just needed to do rooftop leaping and find people looking at something they couldn't ignore.

Ranma's search was soon rewarded. Unlike ninjas, kuroko were used to others' ignoring them and had poor stealth skills. In the long shadows of the late afternoon, she was darting between them. She would pause, figuring out which shadow to go to next. She ignored those not ignoring her.

He could easily take her. But that would be the tactical thing to do. Like with Sasuke, he understood her. As a servant, she was doing the bidding of her mistress. It was her mistress, Asuka, he had to first takedown! If, after he had, the servant still wanted to make trouble, then she, too, would have to be dealt with!

So, Ranma followed. And, staying above her vision, he was ignored.

It turned out the kuroko had to rebel against being ignored sometimes. She was a practical joker. And the jokes were at least as ancient as the kuroko tradition itself. But she was skilled at them.

She would toss marbles where people could slip on them. Or she would use a makeup compact to flash the glare of sunlight into a person's eyes at just the wrong moment, so they failed to avoid something, like a bottle in the street or another passerby. With string, she would lasso something like one of the garbage bags waiting to be collected and make somebody trip.

Ranma jumped down, collected the marbles and used them warn people by hitting them with them, far from any spot that could hurt them. He broke the strings when she wasn't looking.

Then she did a prank that was just as ancient, but with a tool that was modern and a skill that was remarkable! She used an emergency, glass-breaking hammer to make holes in a restaurant's glasses, turning them into dribble glasses. Ranma was now even more wary of her.

No one had stopped her yet, though. When it looked like they might, Ranma had plunked them with a marble as a warning.

She left the shopping street and approached a place in Nerima that had tall buildings.

Then, Ranma heard explosions! He leaped ahead of the kuroko!

He found a parade float blocking an intersection. It was decorated with white lilies, of course, with only their green stems the only other color. Again the pale-skinned woman in white was picture perfect behind her frame.

But hers was a static display. Full of attention-demanding movements were the ribbons of Kodachi that managed to keep a flurry of black rose petals in the air around her in her leotard. And Sasuke was there with a flower peddler's cart full of more black roses.

"Ostentatious! Gaudy! Tacky! That has always been your problem, Asuka! Your penchant for still life has made you a weak martial artist!"

And her ribbon sent a single, black rose at a passing man who dared look at her rival. Boom! And the man was no longer looking. He wasn't conscious, at all!

"Martial artist? Please! You flaunt your half-dressed body in the hopes at least a pervert will notice you, Kodachi!"

And she waved a white lily towards a man who was caught looking at the gymnast's uncovered legs. Boom! Now, he, too, was no longer staring!

Or, perhaps, these men were like some of the others who had stopped to gawk at the ongoing scene out of an action movie or manga. So many, too many to Ranma, were treating this threat with stupid interest! Some were on phones! Some had cameras out and were taking pictures! A handful was making drawings in their sketchbooks or whatever piece of paper was handy, including a newspaper.

One was even painting Kodachi! Boom! She wasn't any longer! Yes, she! There were also women staying to watch this disaster! She was, though, the only woman to be accused of admiring the beauty of one the opponents over the other. So far.

Despite their stupidity, Ranma had sworn by the Code to protect the weak! But more important, he had to stop these madwomen now! For the sake of those he loved and cared about.

He snagged a black rose on his way to the ground - And he tossed it at white lily that was headed for another standing bystander. They exploded on contract with each other! The concussive force was twice as large as from a single flower. But at least it was far enough away from anybody to cause them real harm.

"Kodachi! Asuka! Stop this right now! I won't let this go on!"

"Romeo!" Kadachi cried. Still remembering the kiss that had stolen her will, a shiver of delight that went through her! This caused her to lose control of her ribbons, and her black petals floated to the ground around her.

"So, this is Romeo? This is your boyfriend, Kodachi?" Asuka said, raising out of the chair on the float.

"I ain't her boyfriend! I ain't nobody's boyfriend!"

"That means you can still become Kodachi's boyfriend! I cannot allow that!"

"Watch out, Romeo," was all Kodachi would do to prevent what was about to happen.

A door in the float opened and out shot a steel bear trap!

Ranma stepped back from the fierce weapon at the end of a chain.

When he saw it was headed for Kodachi, he grabbed the chain. But the trap and chain were magnetic enough to attract each other, and the momentum of the trap sent it around Ranma's arm, catching him its chain!

"I call this my Man Trap," Asuka said.

"And I call this one, my Coup de Disgrace!" And from another door came another trap on a chain.

This one chomped down on Ranma's buttocks! "Aaa! This hurts you know!"

"Yes, I imagine it does. Oh, poor boyfriend, you will make a poor choice of a boyfriend with your tight, male buttocks mangled."

"Romeo can heal!" Kodachi told her rival. "He's a true martial artist! His handsome physique will prevail!"

"When I am done with him, no one shall consider him handsome! Then I won't care if you continue to date him, Kodachi!"

The kuroko woman had arrived. Her string was now a cats cradle! She wrapped it around Ranma's face until it was contorted out of shape in a painful way!

"Romeo! Be a martial artist worthy to be my boyfriend!" Kodachi told him. "Don't let them play with your handsome looks!"

"Enough!" he cried, first breaking the string off his face! He took the chain wrapped around his other arm and used both hands to pull! His strength dragged the float towards him.

With her control, Asuke released the chains. Her float stopped at an odd angle in the intersection.

Reaching behind his back and between his thighs, Ranma was able to free his butt from the other trap.

He kept the other trap and chain as an anything-goes weapon. "Stop hurtin' people! Or I'm gonna bust up that thing of yours, Asuka!"

She looked at her magnificent parade float covered all in her trademark flowers. Her complexion went from pale to almost as white at her lilies.

But she was a proud beauty. She dared him to do it. "Their explosion would break all the windows in the buildings around here, and leave a crater that, I would say, rupture water and sewage mains. How disgusting!" The man had forced her to say "sewage"!

Ranma growled. He had no doubt she was so thoughtless about others' safety that she would have all those flowers be explosive.

"Here, Darling Romeo!" Kodachi gave him two bouquets of her trademark flowers. "You can defeat her with these."

"I ain't gonna throw explosive flowers into explosive flowers!" Kodachi was as crazy as Asuka, but Ranma thought she was at least sane enough not to want herself blown up!

"They're explosive roses, Darling. They're poisoned roses!"

"I ain't gonna kill her for you!"

"Oh, dear, you're not?

"Sasuke! Bring some paralyzing roses!"

When Ranma saw the ninja's apologetic face, he knew that, yes, they would paralyze. Ranma now faced a dilemma. This was not how martial artists fought! Even non-martial artists, the weak, could use chemicals. (Just look at Makoto's brother!)

But it would stop the threat these two were!

Hmm, two. If he used the roses on the one who gave him them, that would be justice, karma. And it would show Asuka Ranma Saotome was not Kodachi's boyfriend!

The problem was the Something! It was treating the flowers not as a weapon but as a gift! She had given them to him of her own free will. But, Ranma argued with the Something, it was only so he would carry out an attack! The rules of the game Kodachi and Asuka were playing didn't allow them to directly hurt one another!

But his internal argument proved to be taking too long and be too distracting.

"Ro- Mistress!" Sasuke warned.

Ranma didn't see it, but could well believe that a bouquet of white lilies had been thrown at them! He jumped, grabbing Kodachi and Sasuke.

And there was a large explosion!

The concussive force propelled them into the flower peddler's cart! Ranma's training had him absorb most of the impact.

But not all of it. Sasuke and Kodachi lost consciousness.

And Asuka was so lost in such a great, loud, annoying Noblewoman's laugh, she failed to notice that Romeo had suddenly disappeared.

In his place was the pigtailed redhead, Ranma. To keep the flowers fresh, the cart had had containers of water.

Ranma roared! Her secret was revealed! Only idiots wouldn't put two and two together, now! She was wearing the same clothes as "Romeo" had just been wearing!

She leaped! She landed on the float and grabbed Asuka by the part of her dress between her boobs. She felt the tight fit compress those boobs, hopefully painfully! She was ready to mess up her face as she had tried to mess up hers!

But she couldn't. The Code wouldn't let her. And, more importantly, her girl brain wouldn't let her.

There had to be something she could do to this bitch to hurt her!

Her girl brain gave her a most wicked idea. A delightfully wicked idea! And Ranma grinned.

And she continued to grin as she started plucking the flowers off of the float! She leaped down and caught one or many, and hopped, skipped and jumped to one man after another in the gathering. "Here! Asuka wants you to have this!" , "You, too!" , "Hey, don't go away without a white lily!" , "That's what she calls herself, The White Lily!", "But her real name is Asuka, the Fake Princess!" , "She wants you to be her boyfriend!" , "And you, too!" , "Asuka can't have too many boyfriends!" , "She wants to set a record of having the most boyfriends!" , "Come and get your picture with her!" . "Vote for Asuka!" , "Let everybody know how many boyfriends Asuka has!"

"Asuka's going to be famous!" And as there were still more flowers than men about, Ranma threw the exploding flowers up against each other in the air. They became like fireworks. "Asuka! Asuka! Asuka! Everybody, all Asuka's boyfriends, cheer her on!"

And they did! They weren't as stupid as they had seemed. They understood what the little redhead was trying to do to the evil girl. Or, at least enough of them to do it and, so, encourage others. Even the women joined in! "Asuka, Every boy's girlfriend!"

Her float and her reputation ravaged, Asuka jumped down from her float and fled, crying great sobs of humiliation. She was so devastated, she forgot to take her picture frame with her.

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Ranma was gone before Kodachi and Sasuke had recovered enough of what sense they had to understand what had happened. It probably didn't matter, though. They would learn from the people in the crowd that he, Romeo, had turned into the girl. They would have to be self-centered, snobs not wanting to mingle too long with the commoners not to find out from those same peasants the truth.

Her butt still hurt, and since hers had a greater surface than he did, the pain was more widespread. But she was still able to leap from rooftop to rooftop on the most direct and fastest course back to her mom and Akane and the others.

"Ranma!(?)" Nodoka cried at the sight of her, still finding it hard to believe this girl was also her son.

"Mom!" the redhead cried, too, landing before her mom and hugging her, glad she was safe.

"Things should be okay, for now."

"Oh, I'm afraid not! Your father...and Mr. Tendo...they've been injured!"

"What!? How?!"

"Boobytraps! That Asuka girl and her kuroko had already set them. And it was the men who were the unfortunate ones to trigger them!"

It became harder and harder to hear what her mom was saying as there was an increasingly loud chopping sound coming down from the sky outside.

Finally, the rush of air from the helicopter entered through the open shoji doors. It brought back memories from yesterday!

And, sure enough, it was another one from NHK Broadcasting, only this one smaller. It was so low to the ground, Mr. Toru, Dr. Tofu's brother, was able to jump out unaided.

"Tofu told me about the problem and I volunteered to help!" the man said, holding up his phone. "I won't make the call to him until Kasumi is where he can't hear her!"

They could barely hear him over the noise and rush of wind. But Ranma understood. He thought he understood Kasumi enough by now to know where she was. She started for the Mr. Tendo's room. A gesture brought a nod from his mom. So she went.

Kasumi was already on her way out to investigate. "Oh, my!" she said when she saw what was the cause.

"Kasumi! I need your medical help!" Ranma said loudly as the helicopter rose back into the air, leaving.

"You do?" she asked, even as she watched a vaguely familiar-looking stranger pass her and head down the hall.

"Yes!" Ranma said, blushing in embarrassment at the thought of pulling down her pants in front of her mom and revealing the trap bite mark on her butt.

"What is that noise?' Akane asked, limping in. "Ranma! You're back!" And she limped faster.

"Akane! What happened to you?!"

"I tripped on a helmet from a suit of armor, if you can believe that!" she said, no longer quite so happy.

"That's great! See, Kasumi? Akane needs your medical help!"

'But-"

"Mr. Toru has the Doc on the phone in your dad's room…"

"But I'm more needed with him! Transferring so much of the healing ki into Ranma has weakened father's and Uncle Saotome's and they're having trouble healing themselves!"

It took some gentle effort to keep Kasumi away. But it was Nodoka that won the "battle". Though not understanding why it was important to keep the young woman away from her father and Genma, she did understand Kasumi's role in her family.

"Since I'm not allowed to be of any medical help, I'll clean up after the disaster while you tend to others, Kasumi."

"Oh, my, no! I can't allow you to do that. You're our guest!" This was a challenge to her domain. Kasumi was too polite to order or prevent the more mature woman from cleaning her house, but she did feel she had to work to do more of it. It became a competition between the two housewives!

Meanwhile, Burin-chan came in (after hopping over dumbbells) through the shoji doors. "Burin- I mean, Ryoga!" Akane rushed to pick him up. "I'm glad you could find us!"

"And so soon, too," Ranma said. "I told you had tracking ability!"

"Is this Akane's pet?" her mom asked as she came in with an arm and a leg of medieval, European armor.

"Naw! He ain't nobody's pet. He's cursed like me, mom. 'Sept, he turns into a pig. We call him Burin-chan when he is a pig. But his real name is Ryoga, uh,...something. He'll tell you when he has some hot water.

"Oh, yeah! I need hot water, too!"

"Kasumi and Akane told me to keep a teakettle on a hot burner."

"Thanks, Mom." She took the pig away by his bandana. "Come on, Burin, you've had your fun snuggling up to Akane."

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The redhead, and, then, Ryoga, were in time to lift the refrigerator back up from the floor for Kasumi.

Strangely, Ranma didn't have to go into the living room and get some Men's Sizes women's apparel. Ryoga came back into the common room fully dressed in his usual clothes.

Ranma, though, wasn't able to become a Men's Size. The teakettle had been on the stove too long and too much had been steamed away for her to have enough to change after Ryoga had used it.

"Mom, this is Ryoga Hibiki," the redhead said.

"Mrs. Saotome," he bowed to the woman making a neat, out-of-the-way pile of dumbbells.

"Hibiki, you say? Have you considered dating Nabiki?" she smiled.

"Mom!" Ranma groaned. "If that was a joke, it was bad."

"I don't get it," Ryoga said.

"Nabiki Hibiki," Akane said the name. She wasn't amused, but she thought, "There could be worse names."

"So, how long have you known, Ranma?" Nodoka said, standing.

"That all depends. Ranma and I go back to junior high. But I only really got to know him yesterday," Ryoga smiled at his frenemy.

"Hey, Ranma. Is it alright if I sleep with you again, tonight?"

Nodoka almost lost her balance. "You slept together, Ranma? I hope you weren't like this."

"I have the photographic evidence," Nabiki said, leaning against the other door.

Ranma suddenly remembered the photo she had Ryoga tear up. Nabiki didn't lie, so she probably did have a duplicate of that one, where the right picture at a wrong moment caught her and Ryoga looking like they were doing something other than battling in their sleep.

But Ranma had been getting to know Nabiki. She may just have one like it but one where Ranma was still a guy.

Akane had an idea, "It's getting late, Mrs. Saotome. Why not sleep in my room? I'll get a sleeping bag and I and Ranma and Ryoga can sleep here, in this room, for the night."

"That solves this night's problem," Nodoka said. Her inner rebel had a naughty threesome thought. But her traditionalist didn't approve of the thought at all.

But she put it aside. Her reunion with her child was too new to dwell on thoughts like that, either pro or con.

Besides, the man with the phone had come back from helping her husband and his friend.

"Tofu, thinks Mr. Tendo and Mr. Saotome will be alright after a night's rest." An odd look crossed his face as he said, "In fact, Mr. Saotome insisted on it."

Nodoka was greatly disappointed. It had been ten years since she had last seen her husband! There was a lot of lost time to make up! And what better way to punish her Bad Boy.

[][][]

Mr. Toru assured them all that he was an able assistant to his brother, the real doctor. "Our father was also a doctor. I was interested in becoming a doctor myself, until Drama Club. I discovered I have a talent for speaking. I have even done some voice acting."

"Does your family approve of you not following your father's and brother's example?" Nodoka asked.

"No. They don't. That's been part of our problem. I was reminded of that after meeting these two fine young women, yesterday. Today, I am able to continue my campaign to win their approval."

"I see," Nodoka smiled politely.

Ranma was nervous having the broadcaster staying around. And Akane, his mom, and even Ryoga picked up on it. "You must be goin' now, right?"

"Yes, I do. I am waiting for the car they're sending for me. It's been delayed because of an incident in the Nerima Manga District."

"Oh, my!" Kasumi said. "I had completely forgotten!"

"Manga District?" Ryoga's eyes lit. "Mangas are made here?"

Mr. Toru gently laughed. "After daikon radishes, mangas and anime are what Nerima is most famous for.

"And, now, with our comics and cartoons being popular outside Japan, that's what Nerima is internationally famous for," Nabiki said.

"What happened happened in a place where what happened will be made world famous?" Ranma felt sick.

No one present knew, yet, what had happened in the "Manga District". Ranma hadn't had the chance to tell them. But, Akane reached out her hand, "Dr. Tofu and Kasumi could have an answer."

"Maybe I can help. I've become something of an expert on mangas and animes at NHK," Mr. Toru said.

"Really?!" Ryoga, clueless, was delighted. "I wanted to become a martial artist because of mangas and animes I saw as a kid!"

But his mood took a downturn. "Because I'm seldom home, I can't collect them."

Now an upturn, "When I am home, I read the ones I do have!

"I sure would like to visit this place where they make mangas and anime!

"Only, I'm sure I won't find it. Even when I'm this close to it."

"Sounds like there's a dramatic story there," Mr. Toru said.

"Would you be interested in dramatic stories?"

"Nabiki!" Akane cried.

"What? I'm talking fiction."

"Well, that's not really my department down at the studios. However…"

The front door slid open. "Mr. Ono?! Excuse me, but is there a Mr. Toru Ono, here?! I'm here to pick him up and drive him to his assignment!"

"May have your business card?" Nabiki asked.

"Oh, where are my manners! I should have given you all my business cards." And the broadcaster gave a small stack to Nabiki to pass around. "Now, excuse me, but I do have to be leaving. Sayonara! Until we meet again!"

"A somewhat informal professional," Nodoka said after he had left.

"Formality doesn't cut it on TV," Nabiki informed her. "Unless it's expected in a given situation."

"I think he's very much like his brother," Akane said. Was she transferring her crush on Dr. Tofu over to Mr. Toru? But what about Ranma?

[][][]

"You don't have to help me prepare supper, Aunt Saotome," Kasumi said. Again, her domain had been invaded, "You are our guest."

"But I would love to help. For ten years, I have been making meals only for myself and a few friends. I do want to be able to cook, again, for my child ...and even my husband. This will be our first meal together after all that time apart."

"Oh, my! You're right, Auntie Saotome! Here! I'll leave and let you do all the cooking!"

"Thank you, Kasumi!" Nodoka bowed to the younger woman. "Thank you, so very much!"

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"Oh, my! Now I don't know what to do!" Kasumi fretted at the loss of something to keep her busy. The boobytraps had all been cleared, put out of harm's way, and the damage at least made tidy. And Aunt Nodoka and she had raced to see who could finish the most chores.

"I'm done getting my room ready for Mrs. Saotome," Akane announced, limping only a little, now, with her ankle wrapped.

"You, too? -Oh, I know! Ranma's taking a shower and a bath! After he's finished I can clean in there!"

"I took care of that for you!" the black-haired boy said, back in his Chinese clothes. "I want to show Mom how responsible I can be! After all, on the road, it was me, not Pop, that did the chores."

"Oh, my!" Kasumi sighed. Idle hands did not suit her.

She was forced to sit down at the common room table and do nothing. "So, Ranma, you're going back home with your mother?"

"Not until I'm sure the boobytraps aren't gonna come after me. I ain't gonna let Mom get hurt! Not 'cuz of me!" His concern broadened. "And I shouldn't stay here, too, and let you and the others get hurt, Big Sister."

"Hey! You don't care if I get hurt?" Akane frowned.

"You're a martial artist. I think you can handle risks and overcome dangers."

"Oh, Ranma!" tears welled up in her eyes. He, the best martial artist she had ever met - her sensei! - said that! Her Romeo did not treat his Juliet like a damsel in distress.

"I'm going with you, Ranma! I have a sleeping bag, and there's Dad's old travel pack in the attic!"

"Akane, I said you can meet the dangers, I didn't say I want you to! I want to think of you as safe!"

"That will only be a want if you don't let me come! I'll put myself at risk! Remember that horde of hentais I fought every morning."

"Oh, my, Akane's getting stubborn, again," Kasumi sighed. "Ranma, does Akane have the battle potential to be a great martial artist?"

"Sure. With the proper trainin'-"

"But I've never had the proper training! I haven't even been on a training trip!" she screamed her frustration. "Except for the basics, everything I know, I had to teach myself!"

"Whoa! Really. Then you are a natural, Akane. You can do all that bein' a rank amateur?"

"If you and she go, I have to leave here, too," Ryoga said. "You're the only reason I can stay here."

"We'll all go on a training trip!" Akane smiled at the adventure, finally, awaiting her.

Just, then, Ranma's mother appeared with the first part of their first supper together after ten years! He was reunited with his mother. He had found a second family.

He would not say goodbye to them. He would just leave.

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Mr. Toru Tofu is not part of the original Ranma ½ mythos, of course. He is a character I added.