*It’s a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon in the busy commercial district of Tokyo. The summer sky is clear, only dotted by a few white clouds blown over by the gentle breeze from the shore. It’s the kind of day that just makes you want to get out and do something. The stores are all stocked up in the latest summer items. Clothing stores decorated their windows with kaleidoscopic displays of swim suits and accessories. Electronic stores with posters boasting lowest prices ever on camcorders and cameras. Out of the sea of shoppers, we see two particular figures. One is a boy with pig tails wearing a Chinese red and black Kung Fu set, the other is a girl with short hair wearing a typical school uniform, window shopping at the Odakyu Fashion Mart. Half of the boy is blocked from view by the 6 foot tower of boxes which he carries in front of him. Arrows of sunlight fell on his young face sprinkled with sweat drops.*

Ranma: *grumbling* Tell me again why do ~ I ~ have to help with the shopping when ALL this stuff is for your family?

Akane: *keeps looking at the clothes* Isn’t it obvious? After all, there has to be SOME use for your martial arts other than beating up on people.

*A rushing man bumps into Ranma. With a grunt, Ranma is knocked aside. The tower of boxes in his hands tumbles loose from its neat stack. Akane gasps, as Ranma regains his footing, and with a quick blur of his hands, manages to get all the boxes back in his hands neatly, with a sweat drop of relief dangling on his face*

Man: *bows* summimasen. *walks away.*

Akane: *blinks* case and point.

Ranma: Hmp. *looks at the man disappearing into a crowd.* Nice try, old man, but my money is right where it belongs. *a couple of bills is scrunched up in his right hand.*

Akane: *gasps* That was a….

Ranma: *nods* pickpocket.

Akane: *looks at clock inside the store* I think we’re about done today. I got everything on Nabiki’s list, and we can finish up the rest tomorrow.

Ranma: *rolls his eyes* {Tomorrow? Oookay, I’ve got to talk to oyaji about a training trip}.

Akane: *goes ahead, and looks back at Ranma* What are you waiting for? The bus is coming in a few minutes!

Ranma: matte! *goes after her, gingerly making sure the boxes don’t fall.*

*Half way to the bus stop, Akane passes a specialty store and only briefly looks into the window. She slows down, and walks back to the specialty store window. Ranma catches up.*

Akane: sugoi…. *fixes her gaze on something*

Ranma: What are you doing Akane? Didn’t you say just a couple seconds ago the bus is coming?

Akane: *looks at Ranma* Shh… *returns her attention to the object she was looking at.*

Ranma: What’re you staring at?

*Akane points to a tiny black piano. It’s a music box, carved with such detail it’s like a real grand-piano that was somehow shrunken.*

Ranma: *not impressed* yeah, so?

Akane: Just listen.

*Ranma looks at Akane, who appears to be looking through the piano, and not at it. Instead, she was intently listening to the tune it was playing. It was a soft, lilting melody, with a looping sequence of a simple melody that becomes more complex and rich with each repetition. Akane seems entranced, even Ranma himself begins to feel gradually relaxed after a while. At the same time, the tune also gave him a slight haunting feeling.*

Akane: it’s beautiful…

Ranma: *shakes clear his head, and guesses Akane’s intention.* Aw common, you can’t possibly thinking of buying that.

Akane: *blinks* huh? *looks at Ranma* oh… ano, of course not. *looks back at the music box* it too expensive.

Voice: You’ve got good taste, young lady.

*Akane looks up, and sees a middle aged man standing by the door, wearing a casual gray suit and a nice smile. It was the manager of the store.*

Manager: Yup, that one was handcrafted by a famous European carpenter. The piece it’s playing is Cannon in D, by Johann Pachelbel; a very famous piece in its time. The way this music box is designed gives the music perfect resonance.

((Author's note: you can hear the song by clicking here))

Akane: So ne…. *couldn’t help but asking* Ikara desu ka?

Manager: It goes for 18,900 yen, but I’ll let you have it for 17,000.

*The price sends a jolt through Ranma’s body.*

Akane: So ka? *isn’t particularly shocked* Gomen, I can’t afford it.

Manager: It’s alright. It’ll be here in case you want to buy it someday.

Akane: *nods* Lets go Ranma.

Ranma: nh.

*Ranma follows Akane, but looks one last time at the manager waving to them.*

*Tendo home.*

Akane: *goes through the front gate* Tadai ma!

Kasumi: *looks up from delivering some tea, smiling* Okearinasai!

Ranma: *grunts as he steps with the load of shopping items* We would have been home sooner if we didn’t miss that bus.

Kasumi: Oh, we had a visitor while you were out.

Ranma: eh? *steps into the house, about to set down the packages, when he casually looks to the side, to the end of the living room table and sees…* Trunks! *abruptly loosens his hands* Ita!

*The boxes start to come down on him, but fortunately Trunks manages to snatch them as they are falling and sets them safely on the floor, saving Ranma from Nabiki’s wrath, who at that moment is walking down the hall.*

Trunks: Gomen Ranma, didn’t mean to scare you like that.

Nabiki: careful Ranma, you break it, you pay for it, plus interest.

Ranma: whew! Thanks Trunks. *looks to Nabiki* That’s the thanks I get for doing your dirty work?

Nabiki: Consider it a small favor on credit. You do enough favors for me, and I’ll try not to make profits at your expense.

Ranma: that’s extortion!

Nabiki: that’s such an ugly word.

Ranma: I give up.

Akane: *walks closer* Trunks-kun…

Trunks: *looks at her, mustering a smile* Oh hi, Akane, long time no see.

*They sit down*

Akane: hai, it’s been half a year. *a sudden shiver runs through her body* So, how are things going….?

Trunks: *nervous smile* well actually….

Ranma: *reading Trunk’s face* so… you miss us so much that you decide to visit? Well, you’re always welcome here. *his voice doesn’t sound very confident of his own statement.*

Trunks: Jya….. it’s been a long ride here, I need to loosen my muscles up, what say you and me spar some place, huh Ranma? *looks at him*

Ranma: *squeezes his arm* yeah, my arm’s stiff from carrying that load. I’m game!

Akane: hey! Where do you think you’re going!

Ranma: This won’t take long Akane, we’ll be back before dinner.

Akane: *grumbles* I bet you will.

Trunks: *stands up* ready Ranma?

Ranma: *stands up* yosh!

Trunks:  Lets go! *looks at Kasumi* oh, and thanks for the tea, Kasumi-san! *flies out of the house.*

*Ranma leaps outside, and roof hops after Trunks*

*Minutes later, they arrive on top of a small hill, with all of Nerima in their view just below.*

Trunks: *looking indirectly at Ranma from the side* You didn’t fly here. *says matter-of-factly*

Ranma: No, I didn’t want to make people look.

Trunks: But they don’t look when you use their roof as transportation?

Ranma: *shrugs* not as much.

Trunks: *looking at the district, away from Ranma.* It’s so peaceful.

Ranma: *nods* things got quiet after… you know. *doesn’t want to remember the hell that Tokyo once was*

Trunks: Ranma, you know didn’t bring you out here to spar.

Ranma: *acknowledges Trunk’s foreboding tone* Hai. I wish I could say I was glad to see you here. You didn’t come all the way back to do a school report on 20th century Tokyo.

Trunks: *closes his eyes.* Ranma, when I met you the first time….

**Ranma flashbacks of him being beaten by a cyborg in a park, and Trunks coming at the last moment to save him, and revive Ranma with a senzu…**

Trunks: You were full of spunk, confidence, and eagerness to fight.

**Flashback of the conversation about Dr. Gero, his cyborgs, and Super Saiyajin**

Trunks: You, Akane, and Ryoga accepted the challenge to fight Dr. Gero, and went through with the blood transfusion that let you transform into Super Saiyajin. Of course, that time, you had no choice but to fight, in order to save your own world.

Ranma: *looking more gloomy with each flashback* Yeah, I guess so.

Trunks: *turns and looks at him* Are you still the same Ranma I met 6 months ago?

*Ranma looks at Trunks, and becomes silent, pondering the same question. Trunks become silent as well. The rustling of leaves on nearby trees can be heard. Minutes pass as if they were long as months.*

Ranma: No, I’m not the same, and probably never will be again.

Trunks: *nods and sighs* That’s what I thought…

Ranma: *looks at Trunks, forcing a smile.* It’s alright, just say why you’re here. I’ll listen.

Trunks: *looks at him* Ranma, I’m asking you to fight again, not for you’re your world this time, but directly for mine, the future. A new alien enemy has come, and easily defeated our best fighters. I don’t know how powerful they are, but they injected something into our blood that prevents any of us from powering up to Super Saiyajin. That’s how they beat everyone. I didn’t join the fight, or I would have been captured too….

Ranma: and so you came back to ask us come to the future and fight them?

Trunks: *nods* I’m asking you to be Super Saiyajin once again.

Ranma: Is that so….

*Ranma is deep in thought. Half a year ago, this strange guy claiming to be from the future appeared out of no where, delivering a message of doom to him, Akane, and Ryouga. Trunks gave them powers beyond their imagination, and got them involved in a fight that put the world at stake. Yes, he was eager to fight, taking it just as another battle not unlike his duels with Herb, Saffron, or even the 8 headed Yamato Orochi that lived in the forest protected by Shinnosuke. He fought these fights for personal reasons, and their consequences didn’t involve innocent people. The battle with Dr. Gero changed all that. He wasn’t fighting for himself or Akane, he was fighting for everyone’s right to live. People died in the war with Gero; it wasn’t a comforting feeling. The fact that they were later revived by a force unknown to him didn’t make him feel much better, it didn’t change the fact that they had died.
            When it was finally over, and Trunks returned to the future after restoring everything that was destroyed, things went back to normal. They rejoiced. The terror of the cyborgs was forgotten by all except him and a few select others. Still, he tried to drown those memories with normal daily routines. He and everyone else has had well deserved peace ever since, except for casual confrontations with Kuno, Ryouga, and everyone else who normally served as a pain in the neck.
            Of course, Ranma’s life wouldn’t be considered normal without these skirmishes. Not many would agree that his life was peaceful by normal standards, but he wouldn’t have given it up for any other life. Ranma didn’t have to deal with the Super Saiyajin powers nor the responsibility that came with it any longer. He was content with his natural abilities. In fact, although he had mastered levitation, he soon reverted back to roof-hoping simply because it was more his style. The others also dismissed flying as their mode of transportation because they didn’t want to startle anyone. Now, after six months of peace, Trunks has come again, about to drag them back to another war. Should he accept this responsibility?*

Trunks: I don’t know exactly what you’re thinking right now, Ranma, but I know you don’t want to do this. I can’t force you, of course. Unlike the first time, where you had to fight, this time, you have a choice. I know you’re probably mad at me for wanting to drag you into a fight that isn’t yours, so I’ll understand if you decline.

Ranma: how powerful is this enemy again? If your best fighters went down, how much of a chance do we have?

Trunks: *sigh* I don’t know, I can only guess since they attacked us after taking away our power to transform into Super Saiyajin, it means someone at Super Saiyajin level could stand up to them. Then again, I could be wrong.

Ranma: I see…. I’ve actually thought a lot about this, about if I had to fight again. Since the battle with the cyborgs, I've thought about what I would do when I am called to do something like that again… It’ll be selfish of me to not come. I don’t like the idea of fighting a battle with other people at stake, but I’ll feel worse if things went bad because I didn’t fight when I could have. If I have the power, then I have the responsibility to use it when its needed. So… yeah, I’ll help you fight.

Trunks: *smiles* Thank you Ranma. I’m sorry for this; there isn’t any other way I could get help.

Ranma: But there is one thing….

Trunks: yeah?

Ranma: *looks at Trunks* I don’t want Akane to be in this fight.

Trunks: *thinks, and decides not to ask any questions* I understand.

Ranma: I’d like to get as few of us involved as possible. If just me and Ryouga could do this job, Ukyou wouldn’t have to come either.

Voice: Sorry Ranchan, but you don’t always get what you want.

Ranma: *turns around* Utchan!

Trunks: *sees the spatula wielding girl standing behind them, in her okonomiyaki seller’s uniform* Ukyou… *hides his smile*

Ukyou: I knew something’s up when I picked up this strange but familiar ki signature, eh Ranchan?

Ranma: Gomen, I hadn’t practiced my ki detection in a while.

Trunks: I was wondering when you were going to show yourself back there.

Ranma: Utchan, you don’t have to get in this fight.

Ukyou: what, and let you get all the credit Ranchan? Hey don’t forget I have Saiyajin blood in me too, and didn’t you just said “If I have the power, then I have the responsibility to use it when its needed”, well guess what? I have the power too, so I’m going.

Ranma: *sees no way of changing Ukyou’s mind* hai, if you’re sure, Utchan.

Ukyou: Besides, since Akane’s not going, someone’s going to need to watch your back. *smiles*

Ranma: *embarrassed* you heard that? It’s not what you think, uh… *trying to save himself yet again* Like you know, that ditz will just screw everything up, yeah.

Ukyou: *not convinced* yeah sure, what ever you say, Ranchan.

Trunks: well, looks like we just need one more…

Ukyou: *scratches her head* I coulda sworn I sensed Ryouga some where around town, then I just lost track of him.

Ranma: hmm, I think I know why.

Ukyou: Well, why don’t we go over to my place? *smiles* We can talk this over and have some okonomiyaki at the same time.

Trunks: Good idea, there isn’t okonomiyaki in the future, I might as well try some before we leave.

Ranma: *blinks* Hey Utchan, isn’t your restaurant open today?

Ukyou: Iie, today’s clean-up day!

*They took the normal way and walked back into town, keeping quiet most of the time thinking about what’s going to happen. Half way to Utchan’s they come across the Nekohanten, or rather, what used to be the Nekohanten. The name of the restaurant has been taken off, replaced with a “for lease” sign, and a reference to a phone number in China.*

Ranma: *takes a glance at the empty restaurant* You know, no matter how many times I see this, I still don’t get used to it.

Ukyou: *scans Ranma* But isn’t that what you want, Ranchan? Shampoo’s finally out of your hair, no pun intended. She went back to China with Mousse. Cologne went too, but the last time I saw them, the old ghoul wasn’t with them. I wonder what happened. It’s unusual for a Chinese family to split like that.

Ranma: *thinks* yeah… oh well, Mousse finally got what he wants.

Ukyou: You don’t actually MISS Shampoo, do you?

Ranma: *looks at Ukyou, surprised* Ha, no ‘course not. I’m glad she finally got together with Mousse, All’s right with the world. I got one less thing to worry about. Though I kinda miss the free ramen.

Ukyou: *fumes, gripping her spatula* Ranchan no b…

Ranma: ack.. *steps back, with a nervous smile* Just kidding, Ut… *sees something down the street* hey! That’s… hold on, be right back!

Trunks and Ukyou: huh?

*Ranma darts down the street, and comes back, holding a black piglet by its bandanna. The pig tries to squirm free. In his other hand, Ranma is carrying a large backpack with an umbrella latched to the top.*

Ranma: I was wondering where you were.

Ukyou: Isn’t that Akane’s pig, P-chan?

*At Utchan’s*

Ranma: *still handling P-chan* hey Utchan, got some warm water somewhere?

Utchan: yeah, use the kitchen.

*The pig begins to sweat, and squirms harder than ever to get free.*

Ranma: *brings him into the kitchen* Pipe down, we got important things to talk about.

**SPLOOSH!**

*Seconds later, Ranma comes out of the kitchen, with Ryouga at his throat.*

Ryouga: how dare you Ranma!!

Ranma: geeze it’s not as if Akane were here.

Ukyou: *looks at them* Ryouga, you’re P-chan? *blinks, not particularly shocked.*

Ryouga: yeah…. *turns embarrassment into anger* and it’s all Ranma’s fault!

*Ranma turns to Ukyou, giving her a “don’t look at me” look*

Trunks: Ryouga, you might want to sit down. We’ve got a problem.

*Ryouga and Ranma sit down on one of the empty tables. Ukyou serves up a couple okonomiyaki onto plates as Ryouga gets updated on the situation.*

Ryouga: *swallowing a bite* So you don’t know much about your enemy, and  you’re asking us to go on a wild alien goose chase?

Trunks: unfortunately, yeah.

Ryouga: But I thought you said our Saiyajin blood doesn’t work any more.

Ranma: If he comes all the way back here to get us, don’t you think he has some way of dealing with that?

Trunks: *nods* Ranma’s got it. There is a simple way to make your Saiyajin cells active again.

Ryouga: Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m not going. *sly grin* I’ll stay here and protect Akane. You can go have your fight with the aliens, but I prefer to be home.

Ranma: *looks at Ryouga angrily* how did I know you were gonna say that.

Trunks: That might not work out like you think. You see, time travel is a funny thing. We might go into a future, fight for a few days, and when I bring you back here, it could be as if no time has pass in this timeline. We could be gone and be back in the same instant. *seemingly hiding something from Ryouga*

*Ryouga looks as if he’s been snapped out of a delusion*

Trunks: Besides, don’t you want to get rid of your curse? Well, remember what I told you about the dragonballs? We have them in the future, and if you come, you can make your wish.

Ryouga: *looks up* Wish? Grrr…. Alright, I’ll go.

Ukyou: *smiles* Good.

Ranma: So, Trunks,  how do we get back our powers?

Trunks: *takes out a small box with the Capsule Corp insignia, and pops open the lid. There’s 4 small white pills* Here, each of you take one of these pills. It’ll stimulate your dormant Saiyajin cells and make them active again. If you get a stomach cramp, don’t worry, that’s just the pill in action.

*Ranma hesitantly reaches into the box, and takes out a pill. He holds it close, examining it, while having some final thoughts.*

Trunks: *looks at him.* Ranma….

Ranma: *closes his eyes* here’s to the future…. *swallows it with a glass of water*

*Ryouga and Ukyou each swallows a pill, leaving one last pill in the box*

Trunks: It’ll take some time before it goes into effect, and you’ll need at least a couple hours to re-train your Super Saiyajin powers before we can go. We’ll meet here first thing tomorrow morning. I’m hoping we can be off by the afternoon.

Ranma: hai.

Ryouga: yosh.

Ukyou: got it.

*That night at the Tendo household….*

*Akane and Ranma are standing in front of the small pond in the yard, since it was more comfortable on the cool outside than in the house.*

Akane: so what did Trunks talk to you about?

Ranma: *fanning himself with a straw fan* oh, nothing much, we just sparred mostly.

Akane: *narrows her eyes* Don’t take me for a fool Ranma, if you sparred, then how come you didn’t come home with even light bruises, and why was your clothes still clean?

Ranma: *looks surprisingly at her* Good going Sherlock, now if you only wasn’t that clueless on some other things.

Akane: Don’t change the subject.

Ranma: Geeze why do girls have to be so nosy all the time?

Akane: the famous Saotome line for “I don’t want to tell you”, eh?

Ranma: *stops fanning* fine, fine. Trunks just wants a couple of us to go his world to uhh… do some stuff…

Akane: *walks closer* what kind of “stuff”

Ranma: *feeling a drop of sweat coming out* You know…. Like um.. tests! Yeah, he wants to do some tests on our blood, since we do have that alien blood in our body.

Akane: Oh? Then how come he didn’t tell me about it?

Ranma: He just needs to test a few of us, uhh, like you know when doctors do test on animals, they don’t need to test every single one to get some answers.

Akane: uh…huh! *walks around Ranma, enjoying interrogating him* You’re not a very convincing liar, Ranma.

Ranma: *breaks out in sweat* Who says I’m lying!?

Akane: *stares Ranma right in the eye* look right at my eyes and tell me that.

Ranma: *tries to stare back at her, but is not able to keep his pupils still* I… I’m not… Uhhfff *looks away* never mind, you can ask Trunks yourself.

Akane: *smiles victoriously* you bet I will. You’re not going anywhere tomorrow without me, got that?

Ranma: *walks off into the house* Fine, whatever…. {dammit Akane, why do you have to pick this of all times to wise up?!}

*meanwhile, Soun and Genma are at their usual game of Shogi, as Ranma walks pass.*

Soun: Quiet night, eh Saotome?

Genma: *nods* Quiet night, Tendo.

Translations:
Ikara desu ka?       “How much?”
Tadai ma!              “I’m home!”
Okaerinasai           “Welcome home!
Ita!                        “Ouch!”, or just a sudden exclamation
Yosh!                    “Okay”, “Good!”
Iie                         “No”

~ I’ll try to speed things up with the chapters, and I might even write a side story explaining what happened between Shampoo, Mousse, and Cologne. See you in chapter 3. ~   Ranma Nibunnoichi

Ukyou: Of course, there’ll be more service next time too!!

!!!Special thanks to Liz Donovan for proof-reading this part, hopefully now I'll get less messages about my typos and more about the story itself. ^_^
 
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