Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, I only make him mow my lawn. What do you expect? He owes Nabiki money.

Chapter Nineteen: Hurray for Saotomes

They say hindsight is 20/20. After a few late nights chatting with Ranma, Mousse truely felt like kicking himself. Ranma truely would have been his greatest ally if Mousse could have truely thought about it. Ranma had even offered him as much when Mousse first arrived. If only Mousse hadn't asked Ranma to throw the fight, that was one thing Ranma couldn't do. Ranma had even protected Mousse's nefew Chi with his life in another time.

Mousse looked down at the young man who had brought him his greatest heart's desire, Shampoo. Chi had given Mousse the chance to truely prove his love beyond a shadow of a doubt. Chi hadn't hesitated to mess with anyone's potential future as he was working towards the best possible future. He had tried his best to lead them to a happy life. There had seemed to be no one that was imune from his influence, no one he wouldn't risk.

But there had been one. There had been one person that Chi had refused to endanger. She had been his best friend and closest confidant. She had been like a sister to him. Now, now it seemed like she would never even exsist...

Mousse narrowed his eyes.

"No."

"Huh?"

Ranma looked at Mousse. He could tell that the duck cursed boy had something on his mind.

"What's up?"

"I find it a little too convienient that this Hikaru Gosenkugi could suddenly find a girl a whole year earlier than he should have, especially since the only two people that have been influencing the future both are here and both claim to not be guilty."

Realisation dawned in Chi's eyes. His aura started to form. It was soon joined by Ranma's and a couple others in the room as Mousse's meaning sunk in. There was someone else tampering with the future.

"I'm going over there to beat the snot out of Hikaru-"

"No."

Ranma looked at Chi as he had been cut off by his younger brother.

"What? Why not?"

"I want to go ask his. I have always held the highest respect for Hikaru Gosenkugi where I'm from. He'd have no chance to fight someone's manipulations, but he might be able to tell us who it is."

"Wise words, young warrior. Considering how you said his Awakening worked, I believe that you should wait until the morning to speak with him. He may be more willing to speak freely then."

"Alright Cologne. Hey, how did it go? You think I can give it to Akane yet?"

"I don't see why not. Do you mind if I join you? I don't wish to see the look on her face when she realises just what you are about to give her."

"Not a problem. I want everybody to see this."

Ranma got up and walked downstairs. He found the box waiting on a table in the dining area. He moved to the phone and dialed the dojo, he figured that she would have gone home last night after he disappeared. It only rang for a moment before it was picked up and answered by Akane's father.

"Hello?"

"Hey Mr Tendo, is Akane there?"

"Ranma? Where the hell are you son? Akane was worried sick when she-"

"RANMA!"

It was obvious that Akane had been near and must have just grabbed the phone out of her father's hands. He smirked slightly at her excitement.

"Hello dear. I hope you slept alright without using me as a pillow last night."

"I had a horrible night sleeping. You see there just happpens to be a little band of Amazons coming to kidnap my husband and he aslo just happened to disappear last night. Now, where the FUCK are you!"

"I'm sorry Akane. I'm heading to my house now. I'll explain things there, I had to get something for you fixed last night. I was hoping-"

"Go. Now. If I beat you there and you're not waiting for me..."

Ranma hung up the phone and ignored the looks into his back from the others who had just come downstairs. Ranma grabbed the bax and started running. He didn't doubt that he'd beat Akane to his house, but he wanted to see her as well.

OOOOO

Fung Ti looked over the camp. There were tewnty five amazons total on this trip to Japan. That was including five elders besides Cologne, and it was believed that Chu Li was already there.

It was current thought that she was there with her only living relative left mourning the lose of her other great grandson.

Fung Ti walked over to Xien Mao.

"Xien, I don't like this. It doesn't feel right."

"We have already talked and we have taken a vote. Even without Kuh Lon and Chu Li's presence, we had a magority vote. It is decided that this Ranma Saotome is too dangerous to the tribe to live."

"He practcally cripple Saffor and I have heard that he might have even bested the Musk prince Herb."

"And that is why I asked for there to be this many warriors as well as five elders. We may have to be forced to restrain Kuh Lon while we kill the young man that she has her eye on to marry her grand daughter."

"And speaking of Grand daughters, how is yours doing. I know that her skills are top rank, but she has recently suffered a great lose."

"I know. Do not think me completely heartless. Besides, it is actually better for her this way. He was nothing but a simple farmer. She knew her place and hid her feelings well. If not for his death I don't think anyone would have learned that she returned his feelings for her. He would have never been able to honestly earn her hand in marriage."

"A farmer he was, but he was a kind soul and had a quick mind. He was also from a strong family. I would have been honored to have him counted among my grand daughter's husbands."

"Then that is where we differ in oppinion."

Fung stared at Xien.

"Why did you ask me to come Xien Mao? I can barely stand you and I will dance on your grave when you die."

"And that is why I asked you to come. You and I are the closest thing to enemies that exsist on the Council of Elders. The two of us standing together in agreement to kill this Ranma Saotome may just bring Kuh Lon to see reason."

Fung Ti could not debate that logic. Xien Mao was intelligent and knew how to control events rather well. When Xien had aproached the Council with the information of a possible future that ended in the destruction of the proad Amazon Nation, Fung Ti had been one of the firsy to try and see this vision for herself.

She had been appalled when her items of Oracle powers only agreed completely with the world Xien Mao had described. They still didn't know all the details, but they had all seen the same thing. It had been started by one Ranma Saotome after his marriage to Shampoo, and then had been ended when he killed all the Amazons. Every last one. The weak, the wounded, the children...

This was an enemy that was too dangerous to be allowed a chance to build such rebellion in there village, yet he could not just be allowed to live. There was always the possibility that he could still turn against the Amazons.

It had been with a heavy heart for many of the elders when they had decided unanimously to kill this young man.

They also knew that there was a traveler from this alternate future, but they decided to take no chances and deal with him should they discover who he was...

OOOOO

Genma entered his home and was suddenly bowled over from behind.

"Sorry Pops, Akane's gonna be here soon. I need everyone in the backyard when she arrives."

Genma started to get up. He started to chuckle at his son's enthusiasm. He was then bowled over from behind, again.

"Too slow Pops, maybe you should just roll to the side before the others... Nevermind."

"When get Baka style rug?"

Mousse turned and looked to his beloved as she held a straight face. She did not seem to be in any hurry to move off the Saotome shapped rug. They both dug their heels in as they walked into the house.

Genma slowly raised his head to see Happosai and Cologne laughing as they walked around him.

"Some respect I get in my own-"

"RANMA!"

Genma slid to the wall from where he had landed when Akane had arrived. He decided to take a nap and tell his family his news later.

"Out back Akane."

Akane ran and then latched onto her husband. She held him in an embrace and a lip lock for several minutes. She then opened her eyes when she heard a declaration that someone's son was so manly.

She blushed as she saw the entire Saotome family gathered.

"Hehe, um. Hello?"

"Now dear, you don't need to be embarassed, but you might want to wait. It seems that my son has some kind of surprise for you."

Akane looked into Ranma's eyes and had to fight the urge to just kiss him again. She finally let go and watched as Ranma walked over to a strange trunk with many locks on it.

"Akane, when was the last time you beat me in Martial Arts?"

"Huh? I never beat... well, there was the super strength noodles, and the weakness point, but what about it? You're the best martial artist our age. I don't think anyone our age could come close when you go all out."

"Yes, there is. There is someone who could now beat me and I could never stand a chance against her even if I could bring myself to fight her."

"Who?"

Akane was getting confused. What was Ranma getting at? She watched as Ranma chopped the trunk and destroyed it as he spoke his next words.

"You."

Akane registered movement but couldn't get out of the way. She felt somewhat familiar. She heard gasps and turned to everyone gathered. They were staring at her.

She looked down, and almost fainted. Her next words were almost a whisper.

"Dochan."

She turned to Ranma in confusion. She had so many questions. She waited for him to start on his own.

"I took it after the last time. I had it locked up for a while now. I had Cologne repair it properly last night. I also had her make a couple changes. Cologne?"

Akane turned to the aged Amazon and listened as she cleared her voice.

"Akane Tendo Saotome. What you are currently wearing was one of the Amazon's most powerful Artifacts. Ranma explained how it once chose you as it's owner. It did so for two reasons. First, it sensed your latent amazon blood. Second, it has a curse that attracted it to a specific body type and was cursed with a perverted personality."

"What!"

"Don't worry. I have removed the curse and have also bound it's buckle so that it can only be removed at the will of the wearer. What it has gained now makes it far more powerful that it has ever been before."

"What has it gained?"

"A part of Ranma's soul and with that his talent and ability to adapt in a fight. Right now I must honestly admit that I doubt my own chances against you. My only advantage right now is that I have many more years experience over you. As for anyone your age, you are now the greatest martial artist to walk the earth. It will not only increase your power and skills, it will also teach you so that you will not always have to rely on it."

Akane and everyone just stood still as the full meaning of Cologne's words sunk in. Finally Akane found her voice.

"The greatest martial artist..."

She slowly turned back to Ranma. He was smiling but had a single tear in his eye.

"Anything for you Akane, and everything that I am is yours."

Akane was just suddenly overcome with emotion and she placed her arms around Ranma and held him. She slowly tilted her head and kissed him. Everyone started filtering into the house so that the couple could have some privacy. Everyone started chatting about this turn of events.

Some commented that maybe it was the suit that they had felt earlier, but soon heard of Chi's reveltation about Gosunkugi. Many gave their condolences and promises to help.

Eventually everyone was sitting around the table for dinner and the happy couple had joined them. Akane had already called home to say that she wasn't coming home... for the next several nights. Genma eventually cleared his voice during dinner to get everyone's attention.

"Everyone, I have an announcement. Tomorrow we will be havig some guests for dinner. I want everyone here to meet them. I especially want my children, but everyone is welcome to join us."

Everyone was curious, but it was Nodoka who's voice was heard above the others.

"That's very nice dear. How many more people will I need to plan for?"

"I was suppose to tell you about eaight, so plan for forty."

Nodoka paued for a moment. That was a joke, but it was somehow familiar.

"Dear, who exactly is coming tomorrow?"

"I went and saw father today, I invited him and his family to dinner."

Genma had been looking at his food and began eating again after he spoke. Everyone turned to Nodoka as she paled and dropped her chopsticks. Happosai just stared at Genma as if he had just grown another head. Nodoka tried to find her voice, but Happosai found his first.

"Genma, you can't be serious."

Everyone else at the table just looked between the three people who seemed to know what was going on. Finally Nodoka found her voice.

"Genma, please tell me you didn't..."

"No. I didn't. I told him I never will."

At this Genma raised his head again and looked Nodoka in the eyes.

"I told him that I wanted him to meet his grandchildren. I thought that they might like speaking with him and finding out more about our family. Besides, someone might like the family bussiness."

Nodoka looked her husband in the eyes. If she had not been looking into his eyes she might have thought that Genma had gone back on a declearation of honor he had once made. One where he had seperated himself from the comfortable life that many people assumed he was always trying to live. Instead she saw the heart ache in his eyes and her mind drew back to recent days and their revelations. She realised that Genma planned to die before he allowed any of his children to fall in the coming conflict. He wanted his darkest secrets releavled, and his sins redeemed.

Above all she understood that he wanted his family whole again. Nodoka was Genma's wife for a reason she had never told her children. She knew that he needed her support in this.

"That's alright dear. I belive that Ranma and the others would love to meet their grandfather. Will your brother be coming as well?"

"Yes. I think that everyone will be coming."

"That's good dear. Natsumi, Kurumi, I'll be needing both your help tomorrow. We'll be making a lot of food."

Dinner soon fell into many questions directed at Genma. He just tried to shrug most of them off and tried to tell everyone to wait until tomorrow.

OOOOO

Morning...

Chi, Ranma, and Mousse stood outside of the door to a house that neither of the native time boys had seen before, but Chi had insisted that Gosenkugi would be here.

Chi lead the way and was about to knock when the door opened. There stood Hikaru Gosenkugi. Ranma slowly narrowed his eyes as certain changes in the young boy were evident. He had previously stood crouched over and always looked like he was always short of sleep.

The young man before then looked healthy and was standing straight. He also didn't seem surprised that they were there. He address the three of them but spoke to Chi.

"Hello Chi. I felt you guys coming. I guess I should of realised that you would be able to feel last night. I have a message for you. Your Gos is fine."

Chi nearly collapsed. This had made twice that Chi had thougth he had lost someone only to find out they were alright.

"How? What?"

"Please, come inside."

"Um, Gosenkugi did you move or something?"

Hikaru turned to Ranma and remembered how he had come to Hikaru's house once. He smiled as he remembered the respect the martial artist had shown him in their fight. Ranma was in for the fight of his life, but this time Hikaru could be there as well and hopefully turn the tide.

"No, this is my fiancee's house. She's making tea right now. Please come inside."

The three confused martial artists entered the house and sat in the dining room around the table. It wasn't long before Miyo entered looking as beautiful as ever. This was inhanced by a certain glow that radiated over her body. She looked very happy. She gave polite greetings as she served them all tea.

Mousse and Ranma tried to remind themselves that they had wonderful, beautiful women. Women that would kill the both of them for thinking half the thoughts they were both forcing out of their heads. Chi just looked at Miyo and remembered a crying Gos as a child, as well as a joyful Gos the day they started Jr High together. He could see where she got her looks.

"I know why you're here. You're wondering what me and Miyo are doing together a year early, aren't you?"

"Um, yeah. We kinda felt your Awakening last night."

"Our Awakening. I was actually prepare for what happened last night and I have given my gift to Miyo as well. I only hope that this helps in her delivery."

"I'll be fine when we have children Hikaru dear."

Everyone saw Hikaru suddenly sweatdrop. He had known he was forgetting to tell her something. Miyo slowly got a strained smile on her face at Kikaru's reaction to her comment.

"Dear, is there something I should know?"

"Um, you're pregnant right now. Twins I believe."

Miyo dropped her smile.

"What."

"It's one of the affects of the Awakening. It's like a living contract. Since I kinda Awakened you last night as well, that makes it twins..."

Hikaru watched as Miyo paled slowly. She slowly started walking back to the kitchen where her mother had been listening. Her mother was currently beaming about the impending grandchildren.

"I'm in trouble aren't I?"

The guys watched as Hikuru witnessed his fiancee's departure. It didn't take a psycic to tell that someone might well be sleeping on a couch in the near future.

"I'm sorry to interupt Hikaru, but you said you'd explain."

"Oh, sorry, yes. Well, about the time you first appeared in Nerima Miyo and I both started having weird dreams. These dreams eventually brought us together and they showed us a little of the world you're from."

"Where did these dreams come from?"

"Well, it seems that they were actually being sent by your Gos. Two years have past there as well and she has learned somethnig that she thought you needed to hear. She was using me as a telephone basically. I was going to tell you today, because I finally understood it myself last night."

"Wait up. How can two years have past? I'm from the future, shouldn't that make time elsewhere irrelevent?"

"You're from A future."

"What."

"Hold on, I found something yesterday that might help."

Hikaru got up and walked towards the library. He soon returned with a book in his hands that he handed to Chi. It was called Magical theories of travelling threw time and dimenions. Chi opened the book and started reading. After reading for about twenty minutes, he dropped the book.

"No..."

"Chi, what is it."

Chi turned to Ranma as he asked. He couldn't hold back his tears as he looked at the man that would be his brother. The man he had hoped to save. A man he now understood that he had failed. Chi couldn't hold the tears anymore. A part of his mind tried to mention how it seems that he had spent a lot of time lately crying over people he had lost.

Mousse ran around and put his arms around Chi as Ranma stood up and turned on Gosenkugi.

"What the FUCK just happened!"

"Do you know what happenes if you use magic to go into the past? You don't actually go to your own past. It is mystically impossible and there are a lot of theories as to why. Most of them are in that book. Here, look at these two chopsticks. They are more or less identical. Let's put them next to each other here. They represent two perfectly identical timelines. If you were to try and use magic to try and go into your past, the magic would actually move you into the past of the alternate timeline."

At this Hikaru slid one chopstick back about four inches.

"For basically all intentions someone would be able to change the new world's future so that it would be different from the one that they had left. The problem is that the world that they had left would not be changed and as long as someone from the old world was in the new world, then both world would be linked."

Hinkru tied a string around the chopsticks holding them in their positions.

"This prevents someone from simply going into the past of one world and then going into the past of their home world. for every day that passes here, a day passes in Chi's world."

Hikaru finished his explination and watched the world traveler cry at his mistake. He placed a hand on his shoulders and watched as Chi slowly turned to him.

"Do not think that you failed. The world you're from is what we would have had to look forward to if you hadn'd come. Chi, I didn't just have dreams and vision while Gos was trying to contact me, I was actually living the life I would have had. I lived threw falling love with Miyo. I lived threw losing her when Gos was born. I lived threw her crying and alone until you came into her life. I lived threw you bring her joy and being the brother I could never give her. I lived threw her falling to pieces because you left on this mission. And I lived threw her discovering this secret about time travel and helping her get this message to you.

"When I was threw with it all... I tried to kill myself. I couldn't allow Miyo to die and I believed that if she fell in love with me then there wouldn't be any other outcome. You being here gave me a chance to find a way to save her. Thank you."

Hikaru hugged Chi and held him a moment to truely convey his thanks. Hikaru had once believed himself beyond joy and hope, destined to never be happy. For all that Chi had given him, even without Chi knowing it, he would literally move the forces of Heaven and Hell. The Amazons would never see him coming, nor would they ever expect what the Gosenkugis had planned.

"That's all well and good, son in law, but don't you all have school?"

OOOOO

Ryouga stood by Akari as they waited for the match to begin. Ukyo had wanted to be here, but Ryouga convinced her that she needed to go to school. He still couldn't believe that they had done that last night. It had started as a simply food fight during dinner. They had enjoyed themselves and had gotten to talking.

Ryouga had been a little embarassed by some of Ukyo's jokes. This was partly do to what had happened at school the day before. But they had done it. Ukyo had beena little afraid when Ryouga had stopped half way threw undressing. Her fears were replaced by joy when Ryouga had proposed. Ryouga had told her that he only to share that part of himself with the woman that he would call his wife.

Any remaning hesitation had melted away and they had only been disturbed once during the night. They both admited sensing something this morning, but they had beed distracted.

Now Ryouga was here to support both Akari and Konatsu in this match. Ryouga had almost not recognised Konatsu with his new haircut. Ryouga had also seen how they were holding each other, and had been ashamed to atmit to himself that he had actually felt a moment of jelousy. But only a moment and then it passed. He was happy for them.

He only hoped that Konatsu's training and coaching were enough to get them threw this match. He knew that Konatsu was a genius Ninja, he was no longer a kunoichi, but it wasn't Konatsu who was fighting. He was only the coach this time and as such was currently waiting just outside the ring.

Ryouga looked around for signs of Choji Kura or his ninja pigs. There was no sign of them.

"They're here."

Ryouga turned back to Konatsu who had spoken and looked to where he was looking. Ryouga saw nothing. Then the nothing stretched out a bit and suddenly the ninja Kura steped out of where he was hiding. He approached the ring with a confidence to his walk.

"I see that you didn't run away."

"You're late."

"I was here on time."

"No you didn't. You arrived two minutes late and then waited another fifteen minutes until your pigs arrived."

Kura scowled a bit at this proclimation. He had hoped to gain a psycological advantage.

"Impressive, but not much of a challenge for the genious kunoichi of our century."

"Do you know the name Ranma Saotome?"

"I've heard of him. I know that he is an associate of yours. He is considered the top martial artist of our age. So what?"

"I am the only person he has never defeated. The only times we fought, they were standstills... Now, you have given the challenge, so I will tell you how this will go. You will listen to our terms or else you will stop playing at being a ninja or else you will never be able to look at another shadow again without seeing my eyes staring out of them. You have challenged so the right of terms are ours. The fight will have no time limit, no weapons barred, and it will take place inside this ring. The match will last until either one side can no longer continue or is knocked outside the ring.

The coaches, us, will remain outside the ring and not interfeere, but we will be allower to call out encouragement and advice. Agreed?"

Kura looked at Konatsu. He knew fear for the first time in years, but he didn't show it on his face.

"Agreed. Kojin"

A puff of smoke and suddenly a pig in an oversized ninja outfit appeared in the ring.

Konatsu nodded to Katsunishiki. He hoped the battle outfit would help.

"BEGIN!"

Suddenly the ring was covered in smoke and niether Akari nor Ryouga could see what was going on inside of the ring. The sounds of combat filled the air despite the lack of visibility. The two spectators watched as the two coaches called out commands and stratigies.

Then there was blood. It wasn't coming from either of the combatants. It was coming from Konatsu. He had three ninja daggers stuck in his chest. He fell over slowly. Kura smiled and started to declare himself winner as Akari screamed out Konatsu's name. She ran over to him only to watch as his body disappeared in a puff of smoke, only to be replaced be a tree trunk.

Kura watched the log appear just as the smoke cleared to show Katsunishiki standing over the fallen Kojin. Kura felt the edge of a blade on his throat. He promtly wet his pants and passes out.

"Ew..."

OOOOO

Ukyo was bored. She wanted to be with her fiancee right now. She wanted to cheer her friend on in their match. She wanted to know how it had gone. She wanted to not be taking this pop quiz.

"Anouncement for all betting pools: Victor was Konatsu and Katsunishiki, and yes he did piss his pants. That is all."

Ukyo laughed out loud at the last bit. He had done it. She was proad of her friend. They would have to celebrate later.

Ranma looked over to Ukyo and knew what she was happy about. He had been a little surprised about Konatsu and Akari, but he wished them well.

Akane looked over to Ukyo and smiled. She had seemed depressed all morning to Akane. It was good to see her smiling again.

Chi looked over to Ukyo. He knew that she was a friend of Ranma's and was glad she was happy, but he was starting to wonder who she was. Chi had mainly been ignoring her, but he was begining to think that there was something wrong.

He had absolutely idea who she was. That bothered him. She was obviously someone very important, not just another martial artist in the background as he had first thought. No one in his time had ever mentioned her. Chi might have believed that she didn't exsist in his time, but he remembered seeing pictures of her in his world. None of them were any older than she was now.

Something had happened to Ukyo Kuonji in his world and he had no idea what it had been.

OOOOO

Author's notes:

Me want sleep...

Fusion Blaster: As you can see, yes and no. Gos is fine, but it ain't exactly Gos that Miyo is pregnant with anymore...

Conna McCanna : As you can see, it's not Chi's future anymore.

Flameraven1: Ranma's Grandpa be the original player, I'll just say that.

Innortal : It will be fun when the spell is finally cast, but I based Gos and Chi's relationship off of Ranma and Ukyo's, closer to siblings. Besides, Chi loves Kodachi's daughter... :)

Lerris : Oh, so do I. But I'm enjoying the ride.

Jace3 : Thank you, I'll do what I can.

Mesterio : Ask and yee shall recieve. They are now in it, but they have their own project to draw upon their resources.

Hopefully eveyone can see that there is a little disharmony in the Amazon ranks, and it goes downhill from here...