CH: 3

Hey Raven.

DIS: I don't own these series so don't sue!

(AN: Hey there people, now before the chapter I like to get a few things straight. First thank you all for the many good reviews I have gotten and make sure you give my other stories some love. Also about these new techniques I'll make for Ranma; these will NOT make Ranma become god like in anyway. It's just that now that he's in Jump City he'll need these to be able to better fight the villains he'll face there. Plus I looked over his moves and they had flaws so I made better ones. Each really powerful technique will come with a price; as Invincibility did last time by making Ranma very weak. Anyway enough babbling and enjoy the chapter. AN)

Ranma sighed as he took the coke from its vending machine. He started guzzling and thought about what to do now that he was in Jump City. Even just walking into the city; when he saw the giant T, he just knew she was there considering she was part of the Teen Titans. It wasn't the language problem because he could speak nearly 10 different languages fluently, English included; though he couldn't write or do the mechanics of the language to save his life; which explained his poor English grades. It was a gift from being dragged across the world by the fat ass; still, it didn't give the old man any good points with him. That was not the problem. What was the problem, was trying to figure out how to go about greeting Raven.

"What am I gonna do? I mean I can't just go to that huge T, knock on the door and say "Hey remember me? We knew each other for a month six years ago." That's just stupid. But what else can I do? The money I got from those jewels was enough to get here and then some; but it won't last me forever. I've got ta talk to her; but the problem is that there really is no real way to say hello again. But more importantly, I'm starving! I gotta get something ta eat." Looking around Ranma saw a pizzeria.

"Hmm. Pizza; it tastes different than okonomiaki but it's good." Deciding on lunch, Ranma walked in and a bought three large slices of pepperoni.

As he walked with half a slice in his mouth he heard an explosion in town and saw people running away from the blast. Curious, he swallowed his last slices and jumped on a roof and started toward the blast.

Johnny Rancid laughed as he destroyed another store on his new bike. The bike was about the size of a car on its sides were homing laser cannons and its back was loaded with missile launchers. Near his pedals were holsters for his, now, rapid fire guns. On the dash board were several high-tech gadgets that were mostly for more destruction or for defense. The tires were not rubber but metal blades that dug into the ground like giant saws. As Rancid took out another shop, he laughed.

"HAHAHA! Done here now let's take care of the downtown district." Johnny laughed as he started speeding into town. But a blast in front of his intended path made him stop.

"However you are I think maybe you've done enough damage from what I see." Johnny looked up to were the voice came from and found someone he didn't recognize.

Ranma frowned as he looked at this guy. He looked around Kasumi's age and had a powerful build, and looked like a pretty tough brawler. But his senses were telling him the looks were all just superficial. His ki was low; as low as Akane if that was possible. It was obvious that he wasn't a good fighter, but he used his weapons to get the job done. He saw already what he did a bit ago and that made him mad that someone would do this just to have fun. Finding Raven could wait, this guy needed to be taught a lesson.

"Look newby, stay outta my way and I'll think about letting you go." After he said this, Johnny fired his side cannons at the roof Ranma was on.

Ranma evaded the attack easily and landed in front of Johnny who started his bike and popped a wheelie intending to cut Ranma in half with its bladed wheel. Sighing heavily at the attempt, he jumped to the side. Seeing he missed; Johnny spun his bike around and fired at Ranma with his missile launchers on the back of his bike. As the explosions started up a huge dust storm Johnny smirked as he thought he finally got Ranma. But he was shock as he heard a voice from the cloud.

"Nice try in hitting me with your weapons." Ranma walked out of the dust cloud unharmed which caused Johnny's jaw to hit the floor. "Using so many weapons on one opponent is pretty stupid of you. Though that's what I'd expect from a coward like you to use excessive force by using guns."

This got Johnny mad by being called a coward. Though not learning his lesson he took out his guns in his holsters and took aim at Ranma. "Nobody, especially a no good newbie kid, says I'm a coward!" With this he fired at Ranma.

Ranma just smirked as he dodged the shots. With the people gone after the first explosion Ranma could go all out. Deciding to finish this game now Ranma quickly shot two Ki blasts at the guns, blowing them up, using his speed he reached Rancid and did a flying axe kick to the chin sending him smashing into a wall. Rancid showing he had some endurance got up and started swinging at him. But Ranma just dodged out of the way and used a chestnut fist to knock him back ending the fight.

"Well that was a waist of time." Ranma muttered as he dusted himself off.

"Dude…" Someone behind Ranma muttered.

Turning to the voice he saw the ones he had hoped to meet a little bit later; the Teen Titans. They had arrived about the middle of his fight with Johnny. But he was so focused on the fight he didn't notice them. Looking at them now; caused him to stay silent unable to really say anything. Both sides were silent until Robin came up to him.

"Hey there my names Robin, you did a great job in stopping Johnny Rancid." He said being friendly towards a potential ally.

Ranma, happy the silence was over, shook his hand and smiled. "Thanks it was nothing. That guy was really pathetic. He couldn't do a thing without those weapons. Anyway names Ranma I'm from Japan." As he introduced himself; he was shocked when the orange girl glomped him.

"Oh it is very nice to meet you Ranma from Japan. My name is Starfire; will you be my friend?" Starfire asked in her usual enthusiasm.

Ranma 'erked', as he was glomped by the super strong girl; after she let go and he reset his spine; he nodded causing her to be even more cheerful. This broke the ice for nearly everyone as they each went up to him and introduced themselves. Except of course Raven, as she was still wondering where she saw this guy before.

"Yo man names Cyborg nice ta meetcha." He said friendly.

"Nice ta meet ya too."

"Dude that was so awesome what you did ta Johnny. I mean he didn't even hit you when he fired those missiles at ya. And at the end when you kicked him into the wall, that was awesome! Oh yeah, names Beast Boy by the way."

"Cool names guys." Ranma smiled.

The tension Ranma had earlier was now gone as he started too really like these guys and girls which were in his case normal kids. He had seen them fight as one on those clips; but he never thought they would be so normal. As the introductions passed and they all relaxed Robin started to get down to business.

"Okay Ranma so what brings you all the way out here to Jump City?"

"Yeah that's a good question I mean Japan is pretty far from here." Cyborg exclaimed backing Robin up.

Ranma chuckled nervously as he was in the middle of figuring this out when Johnny attacked. "Well to tell you the truth, I came here ta see you guys or more precisely Raven." Everyone turned to her as she was still in back.

Raven was interested in his business with her so she cautiously floated over to him. "What do you want from me?"

Seeing Raven up close now made Ranma see things he didn't notice as a child; but were now apparent. She still had calm nature, but now he saw that her aura had layers of demon energy. This meant that she was a half demon. But that wasn't the only thing he noticed. Physically, she was now about Akane's height; but that was all that was similar to his ex-fiancé. She had cool and focused aura unlike Akane who was a berserker. She still wore all black and still had a mist of mystery to her. Her big purple eyes showed her emotions well as he saw that she was repressing her emotions for some reason he didn't know why. Realizing he was looking at her for too long; chuckled nervously.

"Heh uh sorry about that. Well I was trying figure out how ta tell you this when Johnny attacked but I guess I gotta do this now. Um well Raven its me Ranchan, we used ta play with each other 6 years ago when we were ten."

Raven's eyes shot open as realization struck her. This was him; this was Ranchan; the one who helped her first get out of her shell. He had returned to be with her; just like he promised he would. But he wasn't the kid she knew anymore. He was strongly built man now and very skilled if what happened was any indication; and she admitted to herself, he was cute. How could she have not remembered those amazing blue eyes he had. Even though she was bursting with happiness she reframed from showing them.

She took off her hood so they could talk face to face and spoke cautiously. "Umm…Ranma…its…good…to… see…you…again. Umm…what are you doing here?" 'Stupid stupid stupid!' "I mean its…nice to see you again…" 'What am I doing, wait I know; making an ass of myself.' Raven thought. The gem on her forehead started glowing erratically; causing several cars to be flipped around and lamp posts being bent by black auras. The Titans all looked around nervously at the mayhem that was starting.

Ranma couldn't hold back anymore after she said it was good to see him again. No one back in Nerima, after introductions, was every happy to see him. In a flash he showed her his happiness by grabbing her in a hug. "Raven it's good ta see you again! I missed ya!"

At this, Ravens eyes took almost her entire face and she grew a huge blush. Her gem started glowing more as black energy started throwing cars, erupting fire hydrants, shattering glass, breaking the ground and shattering everything it could.

"Hit the Deck!" More than one Titan said as they put their hands over their heads and closed their eyes.

After a minute of the hug, Ranma put Raven down. He wondered why she had a blush on her face. As he looked around and saw what had happened; one could practically see the question mark over his head. Though confused, yet still happy she remembered him. Ranma looked around at the destruction and asked his question.

"Um what just happened?"

"A uh…gas pipe broke after your fight with Johnny." Raven said while thinking how stupid she was at such a lame excuse.

"Oh okay." Ranma obliviously said causing all present to face fault.

When all Titans got back up Robin invited Ranma to come to their home, to relax and talk. Ranma was going to refuse, but Starfire gave him the puppy dog pout and said "No new friend would sleep on the streets." With this they started back to the giant T. Strangely Raven had fallen back and was behind everyone floating slowly; every time Ranma looked at her she always seemed to look away. Deciding to look into this later he followed them into their home.

When Ranma entered he was very impressed at the place the Titan's had. Though most of the place was for storage and training; when they got to the top Ranma saw that it was their living space. He had to admit it was a very nice place. As they showed him around, he noticed that Raven wasn't part of the group that showed him around. He didn't get it. Did she not miss after all these years? He knew he missed her. But he realized after seeing how good her friends were; she may not be very happy to see a person who she hadn't after 6 years of separation. True he had thought this might happen but it didn't make it any easier. Robin voice interrupted his thoughts.

"So Ranma what's your story? What do ya do? I mean you must have been through a lot, with the martial arts you displayed when fighting Johnny Rancid."

Ranma shook his head to clear it. He'd ask Raven about what was wrong later. "Well to tell ya the truth, I have been practicing the art for the past ten years with the most toughest training one could have."

Everyone gasped as Ranma started telling them a much censored story of his life on the road. Even after the censored tale, everyone was ready to kill Genma for all he did; even Raven had a hard time controlling her anger at the Genma. Of course he left out Jusenkyo, Herb, Saffron, the blow up in Nerima, the real reason he was here and most of the less believable and deadly training he had done.

"So in the end after I saw you guys in video clips from my friend Kasumi, I wanted to see you; also I had it with my idiot father and all my fiancés. BOOM! "Huh?" Ranma asked as he looked at the destroyed microwave. 'First the toaster, the oven, the radio, and now the microwave. Strange; they exploded every time I talked about my fiancés too.' Like the other Titan's; he didn't see Ravens forehead jewel glow black. Ranma shrugged as he looked at the time to be 6pm. Even the watered down version was a 2 hour story.

"Well Ranma that's a real good story. Too bad your old man got away with all of that." Robin commented.

Starfire grabbed Ranma's shoulders so he could look at her. "Please friend Ranma, you must stay with us for awhile. It wouldn't be friendly if we let you go back to those horrible people."

"Uh sure I was wondering if could." Ranma asked hopefully.

"If that's what makes you feel like." Raven commented, but regretted it as the Titans looked at her in question.

Ranma had a pang as that comment hurt; bad. 'Hmm maybe she really doesn't want me around.' "I would like to stay."

"Of course you can dude. Anybody who fights crime like you did can stay." Beast Boy smiled.

"Thanks Beast boy." Ranma smiled.

As Ranma's story was over the Titans started showing Ranma what they did for fun around the place. Robin asked him to show him some moves, Beast boy and Cyborg got him to play video games with them, but they beat him every game; while Starfire showed him the ways of Tameran games. It wasn't even a day since he met them and Ranma already felt that these people could be his friends. But Raven was different to him.

Ranma had hoped to get to know her again, but every time he got close, she'd walk away. When he tried to say hi, she'd just float away from him. Even later in the day when she was meditating. He thought he could meditate with her, but she somehow floated away from him. After several try's he got depressed that she didn't want him. Soon this emotion became frustrated anger and decided to talk to Raven.

Later that night:

Raven didn't say anything as her mind was wondering what to do now that Ranma was here and what reason was he here. True she was happy he was here but that didn't change anything. As she closed the door to her room she heard a voice in her shadowy room.

"Hey Raven going to bed?" Ranma asked

Raven turned to find Ranma standing there with his arms crossed. "Ranma what are you doing here. You should know that I don't allow people in my room. So if you'd please…" She stopped as Ranma leaned into the door with a straight face.

"Raven we have to talk."

"About what Ranma?"

"What? Well for starters why are you acting so distant towards me?"

"I don't…" Ranma cut her off.

"Don't you say that you don't know what I'm talking about. I maybe naïve and ignorant at times, but I'm not stupid. I saw how all day you've been avoiding me. I'm not sure why you have; but if you don't want me here…than…I…understand. But I need to know so that I can leave and…never bother you again." Ranma voice was dripping with sorrow after saying those words.

Inside her head Raven was killing herself after she saw how much pain Ranma was in. She knew from his story that he had nearly no friends in this world, only her and that Kasumi girl. "It's…it's not that I don't want you here it's that I don't…trust you." Raven had hated to say this, but Ranma pushed forward.

"Well why don't you trust me, I'm your friend."

"It's because the last time I had new friends, they stabbed me and my friends in the back!" Raven nearly yelled her head looking at her feet. Her fists clenched as she continued. "Before you came there were two others in my life I called friends. The first one was a girl called Tara. She and Beast boy became really close to each other during the time they were together. But one day she left for a while then came back. I didn't trust her at that point though the others did and after she helped us later I trusted her. But she betrayed us and sided with our enemy and almost killed us. Though she saved us in the end, it still hurt.

Then there was an evil sorcerer trapped in a book that tricked me. He called me beautiful and made me feel like a normal person and acted like he understood me. But it was all a scam. He used me to release him and my friends had to take the punishment for my foolishness. I used the knowledge he gave me to lock him back into the book. So you see I'm having a hard time trusting you. Even though I feel good that I can see you again, I don't know if I can take that chance and risk my friends being hurt again. That's why I've been avoiding you."

At this Ranma understood why she was avoiding him. Despite how she felt; she still didn't want her friends to be hurt. Though she couldn't trust him, yet, he was happy that she at least liked him being here. Seeing a certain jewel on her nightstand caused him to have a bittersweet smile. Walking over to her stand he spoke.

"You know we are so different from each other. That's probably why we got along so well when we first met. I, unlike you, am too trustworthy towards people. When my rivals and fiancés came I really thought they would be my friends. I guess it had something to do from the fact I had no friends growing up that caused me to think of those who wanted to hurt me; my friends. At times it felt like we really were my friends. But those times never lasted and it got worse over time. I was a fool; to think those people were my friends. It wasn't until I saw you and your friends on those clips that made me question my life. I realized that people were just using me the whole time and that none of them were my friends. I rebelled and came here."

He tossed her the jewel he gave her and started walking out; but stopped before the open door. "Raven the real reason I came was because I had a vision a week ago about you. The last of the clips I saw was of you being terrified of a man called Slade. I never saw such terror in those eyes before. I went to my room to think about it and wondered if I should go help you. It was then I decided to meditate on the subject. That was when I had a vision. It was about the end of the world." Raven gasped at that. "I saw you as I remembered those years ago being absorbed by a giant with four glowing eyes. I then saw a vision of the entire world turned to a dead world. Ashes of people were everywhere. It stopped after that, but it caused me decide to come here at all costs. I realized everything at that moment and I gave up everything to come here.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm here to help stop the end of the world. I know it may not seem like my fight but Raven; you have helped me have faith during my life. I can't let you fight this thing alone. I will do whatever I can to help. I'll do whatever I can to earn your trust. Because you're the only friend I ever had that was always my friend." As he walked out her door he said one last thing. "By the way I don't think that book was lying about you being beautiful." As usual Ranma didn't know what he really said and walked out, leaving Raven with her blush.

Later as Raven looked at the jewel he gave her in bed, she started thinking about what he said. He was here to help her. He threw everything away just so that he could try to protect her. She knew it wasn't a lie, because she felt it was truly sincere. Unlike with Tara and Malceor where there was a small ounce of doubt; she felt nothing but good and trust coming from him.

'Did he mean it when he called me beautiful' Raven thought as she put away the gem and got to sleep as she did she wondered. Would it really be bad to at least get to know him again? Sleep came easy after a feeling happiness engulfed her.

Next morning:

Ranma yawn at waking up late at 8 am. He had never slept so soundly before. Usually the old ass would bother him by throwing him out the window for training. Now that he wasn't with him he could really get use to this 'sleeping in' he had wanted to try. Ranma sniffed around as he smelled the cooking of food in the kitchen. Looking in the kitchen he saw Cyborg in a cook's hat cooking eggs, bacon and waffles with incredible grace. Of all the food America had this was one of his favorite breakfast meals.

"Hey man you're lucky that I'm cooking today. You get to try my world famous eggs, bacon and waffles."

Beast boy peeked behind Cyborg cooking as well. "Or Ranma you can try my famous Tofu eggs, tofu sausage, and soy milk."

"Please man the only person who eats that stuff is you." Cyborg muttered.

"Actually they all sound so good mind if I eat everything on the menu?"

"Well alright!" Both said.

As they gave him a plate he walked to their table were he saw Robin eating Cyborgs meal. Starfire was eating the waffles while occasionally she drank a separate bottle of syrup like it was juice; while Raven had a large stack of waffles. When Cyborg and Beast boy came they yelled, "LETS EAT!" and the Titans started. All were amazed at how Ranma packed away food, but only thought of it for a minute as they went back to there meal. After one saw the stuff Starfire ate, there really wasn't anything that would be considered weird at meal time.

Ranma walked around the place as everyone went to do what they wanted. After breakfast Robin asked him to spar which he would later. He then saw Raven floating in a trance. Smiling, he walked up to her all the while studying her mastery of her meditation technique. As he got behind her he leaned near her ear and said one word.

"Boo!"

"Yaah!" Raven yelled as she almost fell out of the air. Looking behind her she saw it was Ranma laughing his ass off at her reaction to the scare.

"Don't do that." Raven replied evenly as she lifted him up with her powers.

Ranma waved her off. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I just had to see if you still had that habit and if I could still sneak up on you." Apparently that was enough as she let him go. "Well that's done I'll see you later."

"Wait Ranma," This stopped him as he was near the door. "Do you um want to um meditate with me?"

Ranma smiled; slowly she was starting to open up to him. "Sure" he said as he got into position and both started meditating.

In Trigons prison:

"What was that?"

"What was what Trigon?" Slade asked.

"Hmm…I just felt a familiar presence just now."

"Is it something to worry about?"

"No Slade, it's nothing to be concerned of. Prepare yourself; you'll make an appearance again in the mortal world to make sure Raven truly understands her destiny."

"As you wish Trigon." With this Slade left Trigon alone.

To be continued:

(AN: Thank you all for the reviews. Sorry it took so long to get this up but I have summer school and that is taking up most of my writing time. Though most people wanted Raven to be Starfire like at the meeting; I needed her to be herself to further the way I want this story to go. But I did do chaos you gotta give me that. Anyway next time, we'll look into how people in Nerima have been since Ranma left. Also Ranma starts to find loop holes in amazon laws about teaching outsiders their techniques. Well see ya then. AN )