Note: The story starts out twenty years after Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo met and became engaged. I made a few changes in this story. I renamed the Tendo Anything Goes Martial Arts Training Hall to the Tendo-Saotome Anything Goes Martial Arts. In my version of the story, Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome established the dojo together and named it after them. There are also new characters here. Hikaru is Akane's son (I got the name Hikaru from the Macross Saga, not from Hikaru Gosunkugi of the Ranma ½ series. Besides, would Akane actually name her son after Hikaru Gosunkugi? I think not). Another new character I added is Michiko Saotome, Ranma's Japanese-American wife.

Italics means someone is thinking.

Now on with the story…

Part One: The Ones to Carry On

Chapter 1 - A Father's Wish

Akane woke up and slowly opened her eyes. She sat up and looked towards the window. The sun was already up. It was another new day. She looked to the right side of the bed. Empty. It was no different from what she felt right now.

When is it ever going to stop? It had been two years since her husband Kouhei Sato died; yet, she still had not gotten over it. The pain she felt was still fresh on the day he died.

Akane sighed. She had to snap out of this. She got up and looked at herself in the mirror. Akane saw a woman staring back at her with sad eyes and mouth. She tried to smile, but was not successful. She sighed again and looked at the clock. She had better get going. There was a big day ahead of her.

Akane hurried as she got ready for the day. After taking a hot shower and getting dressed, she went downstairs and immediately smelled breakfast.

As she entered the kitchen, she saw a handsome, young man standing by the stove. He was tall and extremely fit for his age. Realizing that he was not alone, he turned around and smiled at her.

"Good morning, Mom," he greeted. "I'm making breakfast."

"Thank you, Hikaru."

Akane sat down and watched him prepare the food. At least he was going about his way. How strong he was…just like his father.

"Mom?" Hikaru's voice called out.

She looked at him with wide eyes. He had already taken a seat before her.

He only smiled at her. "Breakfast is ready."

Akane looked down and saw her plate before her. "Oh…"

Hikaru watched her eat. Well, at least that was an improvement. During the first few months after his father's death, she could not even bring herself to look at food. His mother was doing much better now. However, he knew that she was still lonely. How can I leave her when I start college this year?

As if reading his mind, Akane asked, "Hikaru, have you heard from the university you applied?" Hikaru nodded slowly.

"Yes, I've been accepted."

"How wonderful! When did you find out?"

"I received a letter from them yesterday."

"Yesterday? Why didn't you tell me? We could have celebrated."

Hikaru looked down. "Well, I was trying to find a way to break the news."

Akane knew what he meant. She was lucky to have such a kind and considerate son. Smiling at him, she said, "Never mind. It doesn't matter. We will celebrate tonight. We'll go out and eat at a restaurant."

Hikaru was surprised. This was the first time his mother was willing to go out and eat since his father died. That was a good sign. It meant that she was trying to go on with her life.

***

An hour later, Akane met her students at the Tendo Anything Goes Martial Arts Training Hall. Her very own dojo. Hikaru was there to help, but judging from the decreased number of students that came in that morning, it seemed unnecessary for assistance. She tried not to be disappointed, but the fact that business was not doing very well bothered the hell out of her. Where would they get their income if she had to come to point to where she was going to close the school? It was true that her husband had left them money, but they could not entirely depend on that.

When class ended, Akane found out that she was losing two students. They had decided to quit since they felt like they were not learning enough. Akane understood. She had so many problems shortly after Sato's death that there were times that she did not even feel like teaching and had to cancel the classes.

Akane went to accomplish her work for the day. She ran her usual errands and went grocery shopping. An hour later, she arrived home. When she entered the house, she could hear Hikaru's voice. He was probably talking to a friend on the phone. Then she heard a woman's voice. Puzzled, Akane wondered whom her son was talking to.

"Hikaru!" She called out and went to the living room.

To her surprise, she saw Kasumi and her husband Dr. Tofu sitting across from Hikaru.

"Onee-chan! Dr. Tofu!"

Dr. Tofu and Kasumi stood up and smiled. "Hello, Akane-chan," greeted Kasumi.

Hikaru stood up and took the groceries from his mother. "I'll take these. Go sit down, Mom."

Akane embraced her sister and Dr. Tofu. "What a surprise! I didn't expect you two to come here."

Hikaru said, "They've been here for awhile now." He turned to them. "Excuse me. Let me put these away."

As he was leaving, Kasumi said, "Hikaru's turning out to be a fine young man."

"Yes, " agreed Tofu. "He told us that he will be going to college this school year."

Akane nodded. "Yes, he's planning to major in physical education. As a matter of fact, we are just about to go out and celebrate. Why don't you join us?"

The couple looked at each other. Then Kasumi replied, "I'm afraid not, Akane. We have to go back to Nerima tonight."

"Tonight? But why? What's the hurry?"

Kasumi reached out and took her hand. "Akane-chan, it's father. He's dying."

Akane's heart started to beat faster. "Father? He's…"

Kasumi nodded.

She looked at Tofu. "Can't you do anything for him?"

Tofu shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Akane. Your father's old, and it's time for him to take his rest."

"No… it can't be." Akane suddenly had memories of her father teaching her martial arts. He was so strong. It was hard to believe that he was finally leaving them.

Kasumi said gently, "Father wants to see you, Akane."

"He…he does? After what I've done…he still wants to see me?"

"That doesn't matter."

Akane snatched her hand away and stood up. "Of course it does! I have hurt him so much after I decided not to take over the dojo. I don't think I could ever face him."

Kasumi watched her sister walk up to the window and look outside. Softly, she pleaded, "Please, Akane, he loves you. He wants to talk to you one last time before he goes."

Akane said nothing.

"Akane?"

She turned towards them. "Please leave. The last thing I want is to go back to Nerima."

"But…"

"That is my decision!"

Dr. Tofu stood up and took Kasumi's hand. "Come on, Kasumi. I think that we have wasted enough time. We can still catch the afternoon train."

Kasumi nodded, and looked at her sister one last time. "Please reconsider, Akane-chan."

Akane faced the window again. No! I will never reconsider! She bowed her head as she made a fist with her hand.

Bap. Bap. Bap. Hikaru watched his mother doing some punched on the dummy. Each blow she made with her fists was quick and strong.

Man, she's been at that for hours.

At last, she stopped, and Hikaru approached her.

"Mom?"

Akane saw her son who was all dressed up for the evening. She suddenly realized that they were supposed to go out to dinner that night. "Oh, Hikaru, I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Are you okay?"

His blue eyes were so full of concern that they gave Akane a startle. She tore away from his look. "I'm fine."

"Mom, I know that you don't want to go back to Nerima, but I think that you should at least grant your father's wish."

"You don't understand, Hikaru. I have brought so much pain to the family and myself. It would be unwise to show my face there."

"But he was asking for you, Mom. I really think that we should go."

Akane glanced at him. "We?"

"Yes, I think that it's about time I meet my grandfather."

Akane remained quiet.

Hikaru said, "Listen, Mom, I know that you're afraid for me to meet him."

She looked at him, surprised. "Hikaru!"

"Before Dad died, he told me that things between you and your father were never the same after you married him. That was why we never really visited."

She looked down. "Hikaru, I just don't want you to get hurt."

He gave her small smile. "Mom, please, I'm almost seventeen years old. If grandfather rejects me, I will be ready for it. But I think it's unfair for me not to meet him before he goes."

Akane took a deep breath. Her son was right. With a determined look on her face, she said, "Alright. Pack your things. We will leave for Nerima tonight."