-AN-

Back somewhat to normal, let's get the story rolling lol.

-Story Start-

A new day and thankfully no new headaches, Ranma settles back into his sensei routine. It was nice to be able to lean on his pops whenever he needed to take care of Senshi or Phoenix business, but it was still his school. So it was nice to spend his mornings doing light workouts with his usual older crowd, while his afternoons were dedicated to beginner and intermediate martial arts. Shampoo and his pops would help out when they could, and by the end of the night it was time to hang out a bit with the senshi who were either studying or going out on patrol.

Ranma himself dedicated a little time to studying and making up classwork to send in. Taking a fast track to test out and graduate, he still felt it was important to move on with his schooling. With the way things were going they all might end up in some sort of political sphere, and having not even a high school graduation under his belt would not be a good look.

Today however after a short study session finds him hopping along the rooftops with Ami and Makoto. Akane he was sure would have joined only she was back in Nerima to attend Furinkan while Shampoo was at home with his mom and Usa, who wanted to patrol tomorrow, which he was fine with.

That meant hopping along between Ami and Makoto while they roof hopped and idly chatted away about everything that had been going on. Ami however was getting curious about Ranma's apparent talent for mingling his magic with everyone else. "Ranma?"

"What's up Ami?" He paused as the others stopped along an empty rooftop of an apartment complex. Ami had summoned her mercury computer and was holding it up.

"You can connect to us both directly and through our talismans right?" Motioning to her computer, she also summoned her visor to record what was about to happen, "Would you be willing to try connecting to my computer? For science?"

Makoto watched on in silence as Ranma thought about that one. He did say he would attempt to practice with everyone however he could. "Sure but it's not a weapon, I don't know how this'll go." Seeing Ami nod anyway as if to continue, Makoto finally chimed in.

"Ami likes information no matter what. Even if it doesn't work she'll be pretty happy." Makoto knew Ami and Usagi probably the longest out of the group. It was easy to pick up on what Ami wanted to say but either couldn't or wouldn't in her focused state.

Ranma nodded and felt for his magic first, focusing it and bringing a hand forward to take and hold the computer. It was certainly, odd, to connect to a literal computer. Connect he did however.

"That's….new. Fascinating." Sigil for mercury blazing on is forehead, Ranma could describe it as being able to process everything almost instantly. Focusing on Makoto in her Senshi get up, information and statistics entered his mind within moments, "I guess, with your powers I'm connected directly to your computer network. Is it like this for you?"

Ami however is watching the information running across her visor. Whatever Ranma looked at was shared with her, "It's not normally this, raw, but yes somewhat." Ranma was doing something else with his magic, poking and prodding at something. It was making her hot.

Ranma himself was feeling about with her planetary magic. So it was water based with some ice in there. That would probably work well with his soul of ice technique. Holding up a hand he conjured up a ball of water and then froze it. Hefting the fist sized ball, Ranma smirked, "Not bad. What do you think Ami?"

Flushed and panting, Ami was beginning to see why Usagi warned them about this connection. Even muted through the computer, it was a tantalizing sensation.

Makoto however just smirked and walked forward, "I think it's best if you disconnect for now, before someone has an accident."

Focusing on the short haired girl, Ranma got the message and pulled his magic back. Scratching the back of his head, Ranma chuckled, "Sorry about that."

"No I um…I asked for it." Taking back the Mercury computer with a blush, Ami smiled shyly, "I can see why Usagi is so vocal about her mandate." If anything she felt would be amplified connecting to him directly? She probably wouldn't leave the boy alone either.

Ranma however looks to Makoto, "If you had a weapon we could give it a shot."

Makoto still has a smirk on her face, "I don't mind the direct route, though I have less patience than Ami." Winking the girl struck a pose, "We might not get back to our patrol."

Ranma shook his head, "Usagi's gonna pound you."

"So worth it." However something tingled at Makoto's senses and had her turning away to look towards the nearby park below them. Ranma too was looking that way, "That what I think it is?"

"Wiseman." Putting a foot up on the roof's edge, Ranma turned to look at the girls, "We should go see what he's up to." Both girls nod and they jump away. Taking a round about route in order to hit ground level, they come out onto a park walkway before Wiseman who is sitting on a park bench. He does not move when they come within speaking range but he does nod his head in their direction.

"Thank you for coming my Lord."

Ranma sighs and puts his hands on his hips, "You know you're going to have to start coming out with some concrete reason you keep showing up like this. I'm starting to think you're avoiding me finding out who you really are."

Wiseman stands now, face still shrouded within his robes, "I do not wish to offend. The future is, nebulous, ever changing. I must be careful about what information I give out. Grave danger awaits if we make one wrong step."

Ami steps forward this time, "And yet here you are. Warning him again and again that some of the senshi cannot be trusted. What have we done to make you distrust us so?"

Wiseman spreads his arms slightly, "In the future, your power grows immense indeed. However it is Uranus that causes destruction due to her temper. Unchecked, some ask if restrictions should be placed on the senshi. That goes, poorly. I merely wish to prevent tragedies."

Ranma has doubts however, "Except all this time you've been leaving pictures of my supposed kids behind. What tragedy are you talking about?"

"One with dire consequences." Wiseman fades away, a crystalline picture left on the park bench.

Makoto walks forward to pick it up, senses telling her Wiseman is gone, "Same as last time, cryptic answers and a picture." Looking at the picture herself, she eventually turns it to Ranma. "Lookie here."

Ranma raised his eyebrows at the them in the picture. Ranma and a pregnant Makoto both have children on their shoulders. Ranma has a bright green eyed girl on his shoulders, brown hair matching Makoto's and a bright smile on her face. Makoto has a boy who looked slightly younger than the girl on her own shoulders. Again, bright green eyes and chestnut brown hair. A mirroring smile on his face as he held up a peace sign to the camera. Between them was a boy no older than 11 who had a shy smile on his own face. Bright red hair and heterochromic eyes featuring a bright blue right eye and a green left eye, there was a scar on his left cheek that seemed old.

"Huh, going for the big family?"

Makoto blushed, "Well, since my parents died I did always dreamed of a really big family. Guess we make that come true one day?"

Ami however is frowning, "The Mercury computer couldn't get a lock on Wiseman, even with us standing right in front of him. This is so strange."

Makoto stashed the picture away, deciding she got her answers for now. "Well, not much we can do about that. Should we continue our patrol?"

Ranma nods, "Might as well. We'll just have to wait for Wiseman to show back up. I'm almost willing to just beat the answers out of him by this point."

The group begin to walk along the empty path, senses and magic spread wide to feel out for danger. Makoto however leans into the boy with them, "You know, we could try linking magic, I'm sure nothing will go wrong with that." Somewhere distance, Makoto could almost swear she heard a scream of feminine rage.

Ranma shook his head, "Usagi is absolutely going to pound you."

Ami joined in, leaning into his other side, "I wouldn't mind some new data on the subject." Plus, when would she get a look at how her future children would look? Did that mean she and Ranma never got together? Maybe she ended up with someone else? How….boring.

Ranma leapt away, quickly followed by the girls, "I think we should get back to patrolling!"

Makoto starts laughing as she and Ami begin chasing the boy, "You can't run forever!"

"Long enough to tire you out at least!"

Ami speaks up first, before the more forward Makoto, "We have a better idea to tire us out!"

Ranma prayed to whatever deities that would listen. Give him a break, just this once! Please!

"Oh hohoho! It's been so long Ranma-sama! You shall not escape me this time!"

Ranma immediately sprinted off in another direction. 'I take it back, fate can get bent!'

-b-

The next day found Ranma back in Nerima. Coming off the train and meeting up with a smiling Akane, Ranma had remembered that he had promised his fellow martial artist that he would visit this week. He had left the dojo in his father's hands along with his first real paycheck. That had been an odd affair, but his father was happy. Even seemed to be slimming down a bit.

Akane was giddy as she and Ranma walked along back to the Tendo home. "Ready to deal with my family?"

"It can't be that bad."

Akane just smirked, "Just you wait. I'll probably be the least of your worries."

Ranma just sighed, "You can't do to much though, your dad's home isn't he?"

Leaning into the young man, Akane wrapped her hand into his, "Don't you worry yourself about that. Also, I'm assuming you have school work with you for me to drop off?"

Ranma nodded, "Yeah, a bunch of it. I didn't forget." He was holding it all in his stuff space, but he had completed a good portion of it. He was again thankful that Furinkan was so lax sometimes. Squeezing the girl's hand in his own, Ranma smiled, "Happy?"

"Absolutely. I get to have you all to myself for a day. Usagi and Shampoo got their days, so I expect to be pampered too."

"Part of the problem is how you want to be pampered."

Akane just smirked, "I have two sisters, we'll be fine."

"What's that supposed to mean."

"You'll learn soon enough." Pulling Ranma along, the rest of the walk is quick as they enter the Tendo home. Akane smiles and announces their return, "We're home!"

Kasumi is the first to poke her head out, coming out of the kitchen to stand before the two who are pulling their shoes off, "Welcome home Akane. And welcome back Ranma. It's good to see you." Striding forward the older girl reached up and hugged the boy tightly. "You've gotten taller."

Freezing for half a second, Ranma eventually relaxed and hugged the young woman back, "How've you been Kasumi?" Kasumi was probably one of the most helpful people in his life. Always so kind and willing to help when she could. Letting the woman go and watching her back away, she smiled and turned away.

"I've been well if a little bored. All the excitement seems to have left with you." Everyone makes their way to the living room where Kasumi serves up tea while Akane turns on the tv, "I hear you've been dealing with some excitement of your own recently."

Ranma nods as he sits at the table, Kasumi getting comfortable next to him, "Yeah uh. There's this weird guy from the future apparently. Running around telling us about the doom and gloom coming our way. Keeps leaving pictures of my future kids, though never the same ones."

"How strange."

"Yeah, I wish he was your typical bad guy. Pounding him flat would probably be pretty easy. What about here, no new fun? How're things with Tofu?" Ranma remembered the relationship between the two was, complicated, at the best of times.

Kasumi leaned on the table, cheek in hand, "Tofu has been gone for a while, some conference or another in America. His antics haven't changed but, well, it would be nice to actually have a conversation with him. Much like this. This is pleasant. I missed you, you know."

Ranma nodded, "Missed ya too Kasumi."

Across from them Akane was smirking and plotting in her mind. She wouldn't voice it however, knowing that in this town she might jinx it. "Where's Nabiki?"

Kasumi seemed to snap out of whatever mood she was in for the moment, "In her room I believe."

"Thanks. I'll go find her and daddy." Akane was then up and headed towards the stairs.

Kasumi seemed to be deep in thought for a moment and it took a lot in Ranma not to feel out towards her with his magic. He didn't want to invade her privacy like that however with something he was so used to with one of his 'wives'. Still had to get used to that. Kasumi turned kind eyes to him however, "Thank you, for taking care of Akane."

"Of course. Things were rocky for a while, but we finally figured it out."

"You did. I wish..." She paused again before shaking her head, "I'm glad you've found your happiness. Both of you."

Ranma had become more perceptive as of late, "Are you okay? You know, maybe it's time for you to spread your wings a bit. Get out, live your own life."

Kasumi rapidly shook her head, "I couldn't. Father relies on me too much and I still have to look after the home. And I…I um. No. There's to much here."

Ranma laid a kind hand on top of her own on the table, "It's your life Kasumi. Look at me. I finally took some charge and things are finally starting to look up. It hurts at first and is really hard, but you….you seem like you've been holding back for so long. You have to live your life."

Kasumi was looking down at the warm hand covering her hand, "I know you're correct." Taking a deep breath, the older girl nods, "I know you are. Thank you, for the pep talk Ranma."

"Of course." They both looked up as feet pounded down the stairs.

Kasumi stood to move back towards the kitchen, hand trailing on Ranma's own, "I'll go prepare dinner."

"Need a hand?"

Kasumi considered it a moment before shaking her head, "I'll be alright for now. Maybe later?" She had a hopeful look on her face, which had Ranma nodding right away. It was rare for Kasumi to ask for anything.

"Sure thing." And then she was gone, though the room was immediately filled up with the rest of the Tendo clan. Akane sitting to his left while Nabiki sat on his right. Soun was at the head of the table as per his usual.

"Ranma my boy, welcome back. Are you well?"

Ranma nodded, "Fit as a fiddle. Running a dojo is definitely taxing."

Soun nods, "I remember when I first started taking students. It was both a joy and painful lessons I had to learn quickly." Soun paused to look between Akane and Ranma, "However, you and my daughter have been spending a lot of time together, I'll assume things are well on that front?"

Akane nods, "Things are just fine daddy."

"Ah, so should we prepare for the wedding then? We can finally get to joining the schools and-"

Akane held up a hand, "Hold it!" Seeing her father pause and all eyes on her, Akane finally put her own foot down. "First things first, you need to start training me properly and take up teaching again."

"But sweety you know I-"

Akane shook her head, "No buts! If you want to join the schools you have to have something worth joining together. Right now it's mainly Ranma providing everything. We need to get our own school back into shape before we can get married. Plus, you put to much responsibility on us girls to make up for things. This has gone on long enough daddy." Here she drew herself up a bit, leaning into Ranma with a frown, "Or I could stop training entirely, let the Tendo branch die and just be a housewife instead."

"I…" Soun was quiet for a moment. Ranma noticed that it seemed like memories were flashing before the man's eyes. Tiredly his shoulders sunk, "Perhaps. Perhaps you're correct. This has gone on long enough." Soun stood up slightly straighter, "Ranma. You love and support my daughter correct?"

"With all my heart."

Soun nods, "Then, Akane is right. I'll begin teaching again and training Akane to take over the school. When she's ready, the schools will be joined."

Ranma agrees with that, finally glad to see the Tendo patriarch act the part for once, "Absolutely."

Nabiki was smirking herself, "Well look at that, daddy is actually going to do something. It'll be good to actually have some steady income coming back into the household." They all had dealt with their mother's loss in their own way. Soun however had taken it the hardest, his personality being so co-dependent. It was nice, even if it was late, to see her father ready to work and get back on his feet.

Soun knew it sounded harsh but at the same time knew it was deserved. He had put such a burden on his daughters to take up the management of the house. He should have been better about this a long time ago. "Well, this calls for a celebration I think. Will you be staying the night Ranma?"

"Uh, sure, though I'll have to leave early in the morning to open my school." He had left today's afternoon lessons to his pops, but hadn't made arrangements for tomorrow morning. He could fly in the worst case. It wasn't that far. Moments after their conversation winds down Kasumi brings out dinner and everyone settles in to eat and chat. Ranma compliments Kasumi and a well done dinner to which she blushes and thanks him. Nabiki lectures their father about needed funds and how many students he should aim for while the Tendo elder just nods and hopes he can hold it together long enough to actually restart the school. If Genma could help with teaching himself, he should be able to as well.

As the night went on and eventually dinner was cleared away, Soun stood from the table first, "I believe my age is catching up with me, I'll be retiring to my room. Ranma, the guest room is yours."

"Uh, thanks. I'll take it." Somehow he just knew by Akane's leer behind her father's back that he wouldn't be alone in there.

"Goodnight everyone." And then Soun was gone, thinking about training and teaching again. Maybe this would be good for him.

Kasumi was coming back to clean up dishes and Ranma decided to help up, picking up most of the empty plates and standing to walk along with her, "I did say I would help out."

"Oh! Thank you. I appreciate it." It was rare for anyone to help our with the chores. They both disappeared into the kitchen and left the younger Tendo girls alone.

Nabiki hums while Akane turns back to the tv to pass the time, face and demeanor relaxed. "Huh, never thought we would see the day." Nabiki could put her own feelings away for the day.

"What's that?"

"You so calm. Working things out with Ranma has been good for you."

Akane nods as she considers that. Things had been, wonderful, since she and Ranma had their talk. "It almost didn't happen. I can say though that I've never been happier."

Nabiki can tell that much, "You've never been so happy for such a long period. It's…good to see you smile." Thinking in the comfortable silence that settled upon them, the middle child couldn't help but break it. "You know. Kasumi has been somewhat down since Tofu has been gone and she's missed have Ranma in the house too. Have to wonder what they could be getting up to in that kitchen hmm?"

Akane however can see through that teasing from a mile away, never mind that it played into her own special interests. "Well if anyone could cheer her up it's Ranma. He has a certain talent for it. Guess we'll just have to wait and see if Kasumi comes out a blushing mess in a minute."

Nearly face faulting, Nabiki is thrown off her game. Akane wasn't going to flip her lid about Ranma maybe being a pervert? No worry about someone stealing him away? She was really that comfortable with their relationship? Things really did change.

Akane however knew a bit more than Nabiki thought she did. "Maybe it's you who wanted some alone time with Ranma. You've always given him those longing gazes back then. I bet you've been waiting for your own chance to ride the stallion."

"A-a-a-aakaAkane!" Stuttering and truly thrown off kilter, she couldn't believe what Akane just said to her. Just what had changed over this summer? "I wouldn't dream of touching the jock. Plus you both are-"

Akane cut her off, scooting closer to her sister, "No need to be modest sis. Why, Ranma has shown himself to be very, capable, as a man. Why, he's left me a gooey mess more than once. I bet he could have you seeing things our way soon enough." Leaning even closer to whisper in her blushing sister's ear, Akane smirked, "I'm sure you've seen it with all your pictures you've snapped of him. Imagine that big, thick thing sending you to heaven huh?"

Nabiki pushed her suddenly cackling sister away, blush turning her entire face red, "Y-y-y-you pervert!" Never in a hundred years would she have believed Akane would be turning the tables on her. Yet here they were. Akane laughing while she was the flustered one. That the mental image of just what Ranma had to work with was in her mind, the mercenary girl tried her best to shake it out of her brain.

Kasumi was suddenly leaning out from the kitchen door, face flushed, "Nabiki! That was rude, you know Akane isn't that way."

From behind her and rather close, Ranma was leaning out as well from behind Kasumi, "Need a hand with this Kasumi?"

Kasumi shook her head quickly, pulling the boy back in behind her, "You're attention is still needed here."

That set Nabiki's imagination running wild. Her own attempt to rile up Akane backfiring as it instead set her thinking up just what those two were doing in there. Blush intensifying, Nabiki stands, "I think…um…I'll head back to my room."

Akane stands and heads to the kitchen, "That's fine, I'll go see if I can help out as well. I may not be the best cook, but I can certainly clean just fine." Standing the modestly dressed girl was grinning, "Need an extra pair of hands in there?" And then she was gone, leaving Nabiki alone.

"Just. Just what has changed in little sister?" She wouldn't get her answer right away. She would however be in a much better mood come morning time. That was a story however for another time.

-b-

Another new day, another exhausted Ranma. At this rate if he learned how to time travel he would do so just so he could nap. Today however and somehow convinced to go girl mode, found Ranma patrolling with Haruka and Michiru. While he was still in his usual silk pants and shirt, Haruka was still trying to convince him into a sailor fuku. He didn't want to know why she already had one handy. Or why Michiru was blushing, but his imagination did the heavy lifting in that department.

Coming to a stop in the park, the three walking to the fountain at the park's center as they hadn't felt or seen anything youma threats, Michiru walks forward first, summoning her mirror. "I know we talked about it, would you like to practice a bit with us?" She was curious, and had heard from Ami that she had gotten a chance to try it. Though the quiet girl was hard pressed to describe the encounter. Usagi was grumbling however, which had her mind wondering.

Ranma nodded, taking the mirror without reaching out with his magic yet, "Just a warning, we should stay separate, but if my recent try with Ami is anything to go on, it might not be a complete separation."

Michiru nods slowly, "I'm sure I can handle it Ranma." She liked to this she wasn't as hormonally driven as the younger inner senshi.

Ranma shrugged from where he was sitting and reached out to connect with the mirror. Magic taking over, he was forced into a senshi fuku while the sigil for Neptune appeared on his forehead. The blue themed outfit had light red highlights due to Ranma's own magic, but Haruka was grinning as she got her wish. So much creamy leg on display.

Ranma however was exploring with the mirror, tapping into it's abilities with his own magic added in. True to Rei's and Michiru's thoughts, they operated much the same. Peering through fate and the near future to see possibilities. Hmmm. "I can try looking for Wiseman, but I doubt anything will come of it."

Michiru nods slowly, "Any attempt is worth it."

Ranma tries to focus on Wiseman, though the feeling he gets is fleeting. In one place but then another. It was, odd to say the least. Eyes closed as he attempted to focus harder, he just couldn't lock in on Wiseman. "Yeah I don't think this is going to work."

Michiru and Haruka however are confused, as the vision of Wiseman is staring at them from the mirror, "Are you sure? Cause we're looking at Wiseman in the mirror now." Haruka pipes up.

Ranma frowns, "Weird. From what I'm feeling I can't lock onto him at all." Trying some more and getting the same results, Ranma eventually stops and pulls his magic away, de-transforming back into his normal self, if female, "Yeah I think that's a no go."

Michiru accepts her mirror back with a smile before sending it back to her personal storage, "It was worth the attempt."

Haruka however is already summoning her space blaster sword, holding it out to Ranma, "My turn my turn!"

Michiru giggles, "You could give him a minute."

"I have the chance to see Ramna in girl mode in my fuku. I can't pass this up."

Ranma just sighs as he accepts the weapon, "You're a lost cause."

"I'll make you see the advantages of being a woman full time soon enough." That did earn her a smack. But she still happily watched as Ranma began mingling his magic with her weapon. Like Ami had said, it was a weird feeling to experience. But soon Ranma was before them in a copy of her fuku while holding the sword. Standing and taking a few test swings, Ranma grinned as he figured he could probably pull off a devastating vacuum blade with this.

All three however turn to face a Wiseman that fades into view not far from them. Everyone goes quiet for a moment, while the three almost feel like Wiseman is confused to see them.

"Good evening Senshi. I come with a warning."

Ranma once again takes the lead, standing and holding her current weapon at rest, "Something concrete I hope."

Wiseman nods slowly, "The inner senshi are plotting against you. It would be in your best interests to enlist the help of your newest ally, Ranma. He can make sure they are kept in line."

"Wait…" Ranma realizes with a start that Wiseman doesn't know his female form. That was slightly enlightening. "Do you have some type of proof?" She could imagine they were going to get another picture, but her senses were telling her something different. She felt, confusion this time, lots of it.

Sure enough a picture is tossed in their direction, caught by Michiru, "You're children are competitors for the throne. Eventually the inner senshi frame you Senshi of Uranus for damage to the palace. They'll oust you and leave you and yours behind."

Ranma nodded, "That's good to know. We should have some way of contacting you, just in case."

Wiseman shook his head as he faded away, "Join with Ranma, and we'll talk more then." Then he was gone, leaving a thinking Ranma behind while Haruka and Michiru studied the picture he had left. Something was just at the edges of his mind, like he knew what he was looking for but just couldn't grasp it.

Michiru however was smiling at the picture. Three blonde children with red streaks running through their hair were all surrounding a fourth with blue hair and grey eyes much like their father's. Said father was behind them all, arms wide and trying to hold them all at once. This however got her to teasing, "Seems like someone is very fertile in the future."

Haruka was blushing, "Hush. Maybe magic is involved." She however couldn't tear her eyes away from the three that looks so much like her. She was going to be a mother? Well maybe. The future and timelines were weird like that after all.

Ranma however was still staring at the space Wiseman had been in. An idea was beginning to form in him mind, "Michiru?"

"Oh, yes Ranma?" She was looking wide eyed at the female Phoenix King.

"Let's gather everyone up, I have an idea for tomorrow." He could be wrong, but somehow he doubted it. His luck wasn't that good. Continuing their patrol, mind so far gone he hadn't even changed back from his Uranus form, they started roof hopping again. He wanted to put an end to this.