Once again, I own nothing but the plot and anything that I create. Got it? Capeesh? Good.

I decided to not discontinue this story and here is the next chapter.

"Mom, when is Ranma going to get here?" asked Ash impatiently.

"He'll get here when he gets here, Ash," replied Ms. Ketchum, for the fiftieth time that morning.

Ash wandered out of the kitchen where she was making lunch and resumed his post out by the fence, waiting for his big brother to come back for Ash's birthday. They had received a letter saying that he would make it back home for Ash's tenth birthday. So Ash had taken it upon himself to be the look-out for Ranma.

Ash never saw the shadow on the roof across the street, looking down at him, just watching. The figure slowly faded into the deepening shadows as it started to get dark.

"Happy Birthday, Ash!" shouted the assembled guests later on that night.

Ash's smile wasn't very convincing as he was disappointed that Ranma had never arrived. Ash's mom came over to him.

"Look, Ash, I know that you're disappointed, but I'm sure that Ranma has a really good reason for not being here," she told him softly.

"Who said that I wasn't coming?" came a voice from the doorway.

Everyone turned to look at who it was and everyone was shocked by what they saw.

"Ranma?" asked Ash hesitantly. "Is that you?"

There in the doorway was an adult Ranma, with chiseled features and a long pony-tail going down to his butt. He wore his usual red shirt with a black leather jacket, along with his black pants. However, he no longer had jeans, he had instead had a custom set of pants made for him that were made out of a new material that was as tough as Kevlar, but was as soft as silk. His face sported a few scars that gave him a ruggedly handsome look. The most noticeable scars were three scars running parallel to each other, starting near his left temple and going diagonally across his face to his lower right cheek.

"What happened to you?" asked Mrs. Ketchum as she approached Ranma.

"Huh? Oh, the scars? They're from a close encounter of the Charizard kind," Ranma said dismissively as he dropped his backpack near the door. Immediately, Raigeki hopped out and ran over to Ash.

"Raigeki!" shouted Ash happily as he caught the electric rodent as it leapt at him.

"Traitor," muttered Ranma with a smirk. He then got serious. "Sorry I'm so late, but Ashy boy's present wasn't ready until about two hours ago," Ranma said as he gave his mom a hug.

"You got me a present?" asked Ash excitedly as he pet Raigeki.

"Yup, but you're not getting it until later," Ranma laughed at Ash's pouting face.

"Ranma, why do you look so old?" asked Professor Oak curiously.

"Growth spurt?" said Ranma nervously. "So did I miss the big event?"

"Not yet," said Professor Oak slowly as he eyed Ranma suspiciously.

"Later, Professor, later," Ranma whispered as he passed by him.

"Let's get this show on the road," Ranma said as he lifted Ash onto his shoulder easily as he walked to the dining room.

After everyone had eaten their fill of cake and ice cream, Ranma helped his mom bring out Ash's presents. Ash immediately started tearing into the presents, causing everyone to laugh at his eagerness. In the end, Ash got a new backpack, two new jackets, new shoes, and ten pairs of underwear (from his mom). After he had finished with the presents he had gotten, he turned to Ranma.

"Can I have my present now, Ranma?" asked Ash eagerly.

"Sure thing, Squirt," Ranma said as he pulled a small box from behind his back.

Ash snatched the box and took off the top. When he saw what was inside, his jaw dropped.

"A pokéball!" shouted Ash as he took out the ball.

"I hope you don't mind me giving Ash his first pokémon, Professor," said Ranma as Ash studied the ball.

"Not at all, Ranma," replied Professor Oak.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" asked Ranma as he nudged Ash slightly. "Open it."

"Pokéball go!" Ash cried as he tossed the ball into the air. There was a flash of light that materialized into a…

"A Pikachu!" exclaimed Ash as he ran to pick up his new pokémon.

"Careful Ash or he'll…" Ranma started to say.

ZAP! Thud!

"Shock you," finished Ranma lamely.

"I noticed," groaned Ash from the floor.

Sorry for not updating for so long and for saying that I was going to discontinue the story. I know that this chapter is short, but I wanted to get something out for my readers so that they all don't go away.