Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, I only rent him... But I'm currently looking to steal/borrow someone else's disclaimer. Any offers?

Chapter 18, A Father's Lagacy.

"Mr Saotome? Your son is here to see you."

"Remind Kanji that he's suppose to call first."

"It Genma sir."

Genma watched and listened as not another word came over the intercom for a few minutes. Finally the secratary was about to ask for a response when the other person spoke quietly.

"Send him in."

Genma stood straight. He knew he was in for a fight. He was actually worried. He walked through the door to the office and strolled over to the chair in front of the desk. The old man behind the desk simply watched Genma in silence. Both just looked at each other for a minute. It had been close to twenty years since the last time the had seen each other face to face.

"Hello pop."

"Genma, you're looking well."

Genma took a deep breath. This just wouldn't do. It was time to end this crap. There were more important matters to deal with.

"Pop, how much do you actually know? I wanna know where I have to begin."

The old man looked into Genma's eyes and was about to lie. Instead he saw something in Genma's eyes he couldn't place. He decided on the truth instead.

"Jusekyo, China, the Tendo's, That you adopted Hikaru's Daughters, and that you have Ryuu staying with you. I also know that Nodoka added a Chi Tsu to the Saotome clan record. I haven't learned anything about him yet. He seems to have come out of thin air."

"I see that you have been paying your detectives quite well for that kind of detail."

"It was a mild interest. Yumi was worried. So what are you here for?"

"I'm going to be adding Ryuu to the Saotome clan record as well."

"So you're adopting all of Hikaru's children. I guess his soul would rest a little easier."

"I will be adopting Ryuu, but I was going to add him by adding his father to the roster as well."

"Genma I have tolerated add these children to the clan, but I will not let you discrace the dead bring dishonor to the clan."

"What discrace? What dishonor? I loved Hikaru. He was my brother, and my first training partner. There isn't anyone around who didn't know he was your son. You loved him too. I didn't come here for your permission. I wanted to give these children a clean slate of honor. I want nothing in their pasts that could be used to hurt them."

"Genma..."

"Pop... I know that Hikaru turned you down when you offered this to him before, but you know he wasn't one to look too far into the future. It got him into a lot of trouble. He did his best to keep the Saotome name out of it. He would want this for his children."

"You walked out on me eighteen years ago and now you walk back because of this? You want me to make you a part of my family again?"

"No. I honestly couldn't care less. We've both grown too old to forget the past. I'm not a company man, I'm a Martial Artist."

"Huh? Then what are you doing here? You could have just tried to place your brother's name on the family record without telling me."

"I came to invite you to dinner tomorrow night."

The old man just looked at Genma as if he had grown a second head.

"Genma, what are you not telling me?"

"Pop, somethings coming. It's something that is my family's responsibility to fight. It might not go too well. I'll die before I allow any of my children, Ranma or the others, to be harmed. I'm here because I wanted them to know their family. All of it. We can argue 'til the end of time for all I care, but these kids deserve to meet their grandfather and the rest of our family. They deserve to know that their lives have a choice. I've been stealing the choices from Ranma for so long and I never really noticed it. I was only doing what I thought was best for the boy. At least you gave me a choice, father."

The old man looked at his eldest son. He remembered the day he gave Genma the choice to either join the family company, or live as a starving Martial Artist. He never wanted to admit that his son had been born with a gift for their family's traditions when he had not. He had chosen the modern world when he showed no skill for the traditional Arts.

He had built an empire on the long held respect for the honored Saotome name. And he had wanted to share it with his children. It broke his heart when Genma chose the way of his ancestors, instead of the comfortable life that was waiting for him. He remembered the injuries that Genma had endured traiming with his Grandfather. Genma's father had actually been a little relieved when his father passed on and could no longer teach Genma.

He had thought Genma would then chose to take his place in the company. Nothing could have prepared him for when Genma declared that he would seek out a new master, the most skilled master in Japan. When Genma had started following Happosai's teachings, He had given his son one last chance...

Genma had walked away, he had made his choice.

"Genma, what if Ranma chooses to forgo the art for the family bussiness."

Genma snorted.

"The chances of Ranma walking away from the art are worse than mine. But if Ranma chooses a comfortable life for the sake of his wife, then I won't hold it against him. Pop, these kids deserve to know where we came from and that it's not all one sided. Ryuu heard me tell my wife about his father. He wasn't ashamed and asked to join my family.

"Your grandsons have found themselves a couple of beautiful women to share their lives with and your elder granddaughter has her interests in a young man that is a very promising martial artist himself. Kurumi is only starting to get to that age for dating."

The old man just sat for a moment. Here before him sat his eldest son as well as almost twenty years of bad history. He didn't know if it could be mended or if he could even take this one little step. Fortunately the choice was taken from him as he was about to answer.

"We'll be there Genma. Tell your wife to expect about eight so make food for about thirty."

The old man just glared at his intercom. He was going to have a talk with his secritary after Genma left. He looked up to see Genma smile and change his posture as if another weight had been taken off his shoulders.

"Thank you Mother."

"You're welcome dear, but I still never married your father. And I never plan on it. Go home and tell your wife the good news."

The old man watched as Genma got up and left. He waited a few minute and then pressed the intercom button.

"Miss Innou, could you come in here?"

"In a few minutes dear. I'm on the phone talking to Tira right now. She wants to know what do you want for dinner tonight?"

Sigh... "Yumi..."

"Tira, hold on. Goucho, you will be going tommorrow. I've seen you look at those photos. It nearly killed you when you couldn't find those girls yourself. Your wife, rest her soul, would have my hide if we didn't make you try to bridge the gap in our family. I do mean we, Tira thinks it's a great idea herself. Now, do you have anything else to say dear?"

"... Could you have Tira lay out my blue suit tommorrow?"

"You'll be wearing the black one tommorrow Tira says."

Goucho Saotome sat back and smiled a little. He didn't know when they had taken over his life, but by now he wouldn't have it any other way. He loved them dearly...

ooooo

Miyo's mother came home ad went to the library. She was a little surprised to find almost half the books off the shelf. Her eyes widened as she saw a couple lights dancing around the room. They looked a little like glowing fairies or living balls of light. She knew what they were, but she wasn't prepare to discovered that Hikaru had learned the spell so quickly.

She walked around the pile of books to congratulate him on his efforts and stopped when she saw what was laying on the floor behind him. They were spell ingreadients, very specific ingreadients, for a very specific spell. It looked like Hikaru was going to try the stupid spell unprepared. He was currently just sitting in front of the items in a meditative state.

"Hikaru, I don't believe you did this. Pulling down the books was one thing, but trying this spell when you don't know what-"

"The spell is designed to use a small sample of my lifeforce and warp it until it matches the lifeforce of my other in the alternate world. Once this is acomplished those life forces will then be used for a secondary spell that will create a dimensional bridge. The bridge will take the form of a crystal orb and will open a portal at the point where the crystal is broken. My current life force potential is dramatically less than what is accuired, but the spell needs to be completed in one week's time."

Hikaru finally open's his eyes and the lights disappear.

"I have read every book that I have down. I now understand what you hid from me and why you want me in your family's blood. I understand your secrecy, but I need your help. This is a two person spell on either end. That was why Miyo recieved the dreams to, she was suppose to help. But you're more versed in magic."

Hikaru got up and walked over to Miyo's mother. He hands her the book that had been on his lap as he meditated. He doesn't stop as he walks out of the room.

"Miyo's home."

The mother reads the cover of the book and decided to eat out for dinner tonight, her daughter would be elsewaise busy.

The book's title? 'Tantric Magics and Powers'

ooooo

Miyo was depressed slightly. Hikaru had not shown up today for some reason. Maybe she could by him a cellphone as a gift.

She looked up after taking her shoes off and saw her fiancee standing there smiling at her.

"Hikaru!"

Gosunkugi found himself suddenly placed against the wall with an amourous Miyo feeding him passion by way of her lips. After several minutes Miyo came up for air and looked into Hikaru's eyes. There was something new there, a newfound strength. She was about to ask what he was doing when he leaned forward and started whispering into her ear.

"Hello dear heart. I had another dream last night. I found out what they were all about. I came over this morning, but you had already left for school. I had your mom explain what it meant before she left for work. I stayed to study in your library. You know what I learned?"

He said all this in a quiet and silkly voice. At her nod, he leaned forward again. He told her what he had learned and what his plans were for tonight. Now he would see if she would allow such a thing. He was asking a lot of her, and if she agreed then there would be no going back for either of them.

Miyo looked at Hikaru in shock. He had admitted to using a slight confidence enhansing spell, but was still leaving the choice to her. Miyo had once read the spellbook Hikaru was refering to out of curiosity, but here was a natural Magi who wanted to share that power, and other things, with her.

Miyo pressed her lips to Hikaru's again, but this time they started making their way to Miyo's bedroom. Miyo was content with the thought that she had been saving herself for that special someone. Well here he was, and he was offering her quite the reward.

Miyo's mother waited until she saw Miyo's door shut before she came out and walked out the front door. She'd bring the lovebirds some takeout later.

ooooo

Kodachi stared in shock as her perspective mother in law sat in her mother's lap. She could barely follow the two as they suddenly started talking at warp speed. It was a talking speed reserved for old girl-friends to use to catch up on the years gone by. It got faster the longer they were apart. For them it had been about twenty five years.

Catching bits and pieces Kodachi put together that her mother and Mrs Saotome met in kindergarden and were best friend threw middle school. They seperated to go to different high schools and had lost touch. They had seen each other as sisters.

It was about the time that she figured out the sisters part that she caught them planning her and Ryuu's wedding to join their families faster. The date mentioned was tommorrow morning.

"MOTHER!"

"Yes dear?"

"We're still in high school and we wanted to try taking it slow."

"So you want to wait until next week then?"

Natsume and Kurumi were smiling like crazy. This might be the happiest they'd seen their new mother. They were also enjoying the look of discomfort on Ryuu's face. Until Nodoka spoke again.

"You know, Natsume, we could get Taro fitted and make it a double wedding. Imagine the grandchildren!"

Natsume and Kodachi both froze up at that comment. Ryuu fainted. Kurumi walked over and pushed Kodachi over so that she was laying in Ryuu's arms. The two teens came to their senses and smiled at each other until they saw their respective mothers watching them with that smile on their faces.

ooooo

Nabiki relaxed in the bathtub of the Kuno estate. She admitted that she might have been a little more comfortable in the buff, but she was in a bathing suit because of her pool companion/back support. She leaned back into Tatewaki's arms and smiled. She had finally found a peace in her life that she would have never believe before a few weeks ago.

Her trips with Kodachi these last few days had brought the girl onto the same level as Kasumi and Akane in Nabiki's mind. While Nabiki loved her birth sister's to death, Nabiki found that she just had many similar tastes and interests with the younger Kuno sibling. Kodachi had taken one look at Nabiki's closet at home, turned to Akane, told her to take her own clothes out, and the burn the rest of Nabiki's clothes.

Akane had thought Kodachi was kidding or crazy, until she dragged Nabiki home with a couple shopping backs each... and their respective boyfriends with several dozen bags a piece. And Kodachi had loved every minute of it. It had been just like their first shopping trip except they had taken their boyfriends as pack mules. Nabiki had ordered Sasuke home when Tatewaki had tried to pass the work onto him. She then proceeded to borrow her boyfriends credit card as punishment and then started buying Kodachi things.

That had been two days ago and this day had been a way of asking for a little forgiveness from her boyfriend. She was currently forgiven and was working on being naughty.

Life was good.

ooooo

Chi sat in the only chair in the room that Ranma was sleeping in. Cologne had said that it would be about a day or two before Ranma woke up. It was because of the strain that Ranma had recently placed on his soul in some ritual that was suppose to help Akane in some way.

Chi had snuck up here on his break and had used a healing art to place a part of his strength in Ranma. Ranma had left last night before Taro had arrived so he didn't know that the Amazons were so close. They needed Ranma awake now.

Cologne had sensed what Chi was doing and stopped Chi before he drained himself into Ranma's place. Ranma was now expect to awaken any time now, but he would still be weak for a day or two.

Chi raised his head when he heard Ranma groan. He was finally waking up. Chi smiled and kicked the floor three times. The others would be here soon after closing the restaurant early.

"What's up, bro?"

Ranma looked over at the voice as he finished waking up.

"Hey Chi. How long was I out?"

"About twenty hours?"

"I thought Cologne said at least three days?"

"She did. She had meant it to. I kinda cheated and used a little of my spirit to jump start yours waking up."

"Why the heck would you do something that crazy?"

"Taro showed up last night. It seems he was working as a spy for Happosai. The master's been doing a few other things he says, but he ain't talking. He wants them to be a surprise he says."

"If Taro was a spy, then what's he doing here?"

"Marrying your sister."

Chi couldn't help but laugh at Ranma as he picked himself up from his face-fault.

"What!"

"I'm kidding. He says that the Amazons are on the move and are going slow. Cologne and him guess about a week until they arrive. It all ends in seven days, good or bad."

Ranma sat and thought about everything. He still felt weak, but could feel his strength slowly returning. The important thing was that it was done. If the Amazons were expected in a week, he'd give his surprise to Akane tonight. He wasn't taking any chances.

"Did Cologne tell you what I was doing?"

"No, I didn't Ranma. I thought that it would be better if you surprised her yourself. I have it downstairs locked in it's box again. It seems as eager as you usually are."

Everyone looked between either Ranma or Cologne. They were all about to ask what the secrecy is when they all stopped.

Their senses had gone off like an atomic bomb. Something had just awakened.

ooooo

Nabiki felt her fiancee tense up. She couldn't tell what was wrong, but she could just barely feel it herself. There was something in Nerima, something powerful.

"Tate-chan, do you know what that is?"

"I have no idea my love, but I don't feel anything evil about it. Maybe one of the others has found a way to increase their power. It could be Ranma."

"I don't thing so, it doesn't really feel like Ranma. It actually feels a little familiar."

"I noticed the same thing, but for some reason it seems like something I overlooked before."

The couple tried to return to their relaxation. They would find out in due time.

ooooo

Nodoka and Sakura watched as their children stopped their respective rough housing and seemed to be looking for something. They both had also felt something just now.

Something important was happening, they just didn't know what.

ooooo

Konatsu stopped dressing Katsunishiki in the special suit that he and Akari had made for him. One quick glance let him know that the pig had also felt the same thing.

Konatsu shrugged. He had a match tomorrow to help Katsunishiki with. Konatsu would just have to find out later what was going on.

He wouldn't let any harn come to his Akari. His Akari, he loved the feel of his thoughts. She had become his last night. She would have given him everything last night if he had asked for it. Konatsu chuckled slightly, so this is what being a man was like. He liked it, he liked it very much.

His thoughts drifted back to kissing Akari again as he finished up.

ooooo

Genma stopped walking. What the hell? Who the heck was that? It had been years since he had felt an aura like that, and that Arua hadn't had this kind of power.

Genma narrowed his eyes slightly. There was a Magi in town. If it wasn't one of the Amazons, then there was a player in the game unaccounted for. This was bad.

ooooo

Xien Mao looked towards the distance. Cologne had never mentioned a Magi living in Nerima. Either she had been hiding this, or she herself hadn't known. This did not bode well, a Magi could be a wild card.

She looked to the other elders with her and then the warriors with them. They had all felt it as well. This wasn't looking like it would go very easy, but they had to succed. It was the only way to save the village and the lives of their families.

Ranma Saotome had to die.

ooooo

"No..."

Ranma turned to Chi. Ranma noticed that Chi had a look on his face that suggested that he knew the source of this power. He was shocked to see Chi actually get a look of pure rage on his face. It was actually the first time that Ranma had seen Chi truely angry since he had arrived. Everyone in the room was shocked when Chi turned and attacked to souce of his rage.

"You son of a bitch!"

Happosai had actually been caught off gaurd by Chi's first punch. If Chi hadn't weakened himself healing Ranma then his punch might have actually injured Happosai severly. Happosai found himself hard pressed as it was under Chi's mysterious assault.

"Bastard! Why! I wanted her out of this. I promised that I wouldn't do anything that could harm her. You killed her you son of a bitch! HEY! LET GO!"

Happosai and Ranma watched as Cologne, Mousse, and Shampoo restrained Chi. Ranma was annoyed that he hadn't been any help. He saw the Amazons let up when Cologne struck a parralysis point on Chi's neck.

"Now boy, please calm down and tell us what Happosai has supposedly done."

"He just killed Gos."

"What are you talking anout? I haven't killed anyone. Who is this Gos?"

"Gos was my bestfriend. Her father's name is Hikaru Gosunkugi. I always just called her Gos. She's a Magi. She got her power from her father."

Now Ranma was confused. He knew a Hikaru Gosunkugi, but he sucked at magic.

"Chi, who is this Hikaru Gosunkugi? Maybe he could help?"

"Not likely Ranma. You know Hikaru now. He hadn't awakened his power. That was him just now. I'd know his Aura anywhere. Why? Why did you do it Happosai?"

"Chi, son. I don't know what you think I did, but I didn't do anything involving Hikaru Gosunkugi. The letter I recieved hentioned his power in the future, but it said that he wouldn't awaken his power for several more months."

"He was going to Awaken next year. Gos once told me the story. His power awakened the night her parents first made love. Gos's mother became pregnant as a result..."

"And if they're a year early, then it might not be Gos who is born in a year."

"And there won't be anyone to help her. When we met as kids, she was always getting picked on because she was so different. She could just do things sometimes. She was so alone. Being a martial artist, I wasn't exactly like everyone else either. Me and Mina walked up to her in the park one day and just started playing. The three of us were pretty much inseperable when we were kids."

"Chi, if it's not Gos this time, maybe she'll come around next year with their next child. SHe'll just have an older sibling."

Chi lowered his eyes to the ground. He started crying softly. Although his next words were little more than a whisper, everyone in the room heard him.

"Gos's mother died in childbirth. Gos always blamed herself, now she'll never be born. I didn't wanna hurt her. I wanted her safe."

Chi looked to see Ranma and Mousse putting their arms around him. They could only imagine what this could mean for Chi. He had already thought that he had lost his father once, a man he had never met. But this was someine who was a part of Chi's heart.

The war had somehow claimed it's first casualty...

ooooo

Later that night, Miyo looked over to Hikaru. Through out their... awakening... they had recieved a few more visions. Miyo knew that she would be pregnant come morning. She also knew that in a world away she would not have shared Hikaru's gift like she now did.

Where once they had come together in ignorance of the conciquences, now they had come together and had been prepared for what was to happen.

Miyo could feel herself actually glowing. So was Hikaru. They were both bathed in the power of the world. Hikaru had truely become Magi, but this time he had brought Miyo with her.

She now had a gift that hadn't been in their family for centuries. And it was all because of the man who was currently holding her in his arms. She looked up to see the glazed look in Hikaru's eyes.

Maybe she had over done it a bit.

Miyo smiled as she drifted off the sleep, dreaming of things to come.

ooooo

Author's Notes:

Innortal: Don't tempt me my good man. I hope you like what I have planned coming up next.

Jace3: Next time I open the floodgates. It'll be easier to looke for who ain't a Saotome, blood or marriage.

Tuatha De Danaan: Here you go.

Flameraven1: Yes, and he has a couple more dirty tricks planned. But as you can see, you can't plan for the unexpected.

Well, first off I must say that I love the new format for maniging stories that has now.

A few things that are up next. A family reunion. Some truths about Genma's past. Konatsu sees if his training with Akari's pigs are worth it. And the Amazons get closer.

For anyone wondering why Ryouga and Ukyo didn't react, they were um... I ain't rating this thing M by telling you the details. You could say that Ukyo was veeeeeeeeeery happy that night.

Until later, and remember please review.