Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful
Romiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North
America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans.
No copyright infringement is intended.

===================================
Ranma Saves Kimiko (working title)
Part 1
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by TeW
Last Update: 2002-06-10
Status: Draft
===================================

"We're home!" Kimiko called out.

Predictably, Soun dashed into the entryway and swept her up in a hug.
He could be *so* affectionate, though this time it probably had more to
do with their being two hours late.

"Honey, I was so worried about you."

"I'm sorry Soun. We had a near-miss with a car and stopped at a tea
shop to calm down and thank the young man that saved us."

Akane made herself known by tugging on their legs. "I want a hug."

Soun bent down and gave his youngest a gentle hug.

"Daddy, we saw a neat boy who saved me and was fast and he said I'm a
tomboy but he likes tomboys and he's going to show me his girlfriend
when I'm older and he's magical 'cause he's got curse and I really
think he's neat." Akane babbled.

"Umm..." Soun said.

"Akane dear, I'd like to have some grownup talk with your Daddy. Why
don't you go wash up?" Kimiko said.

Akane nodded and ran off.

"What was all that?" Soun asked.

"Oddly enough everything she said is true." Kimiko said. "Let's go sit
down, this might take a while."

* * * *

Soun looked down at the table, where two coins sat.  One was dated
eight years from now, the other ten years.

"So Akane ran out in the street chasing a butterfly and this boy saved
her from getting hit by a car?"

"That's right. He even saved the butterfly. It was...close Soun-chan.
He said I would have saved her if he hadn't, he *did* pull me back from
going after her, but I don't see how I could have saved her in time."

"But..."

"He was *fast* Soun. I saw him on the opposite side of the street, he
was wearing a red shirt with a big wet spot on the chest, and I was
wondering what had caused it. Then Akane pulled out of my hand and he
*blured* he moved so fast. He grabbed Akane and pulled me back and this
car went by going way too fast and I..."

Kimiko swallowed hard. "It was *so* close Soun."

"But these coins, the bit about the future, and his curse...." Soun
said.

"Sounds unbelievable doesn't it? I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen
it myself. There's more too. He said that if he hadn't shown up I would
have saved Akane, but would have been killed by the car myself."

"How could he know that?"

Kimiko waved at the coins. "He *knew* Soun. He was from the future."

"So this boy comes back into the past and risks his life to save you
and Akane. Why? Why would he do that?"

Kimiko smirked a little. She'd been saving this for the end. "Other
than his being a kind and honorable young man, he didn't want to see
his future Mother-in-Law get killed."

Soun's jaw dropped. Kimiko reached forward and closed it gently.

"His name is Ranma Saotome. In his future he was engaged to Akane, and
I was dead. He said...he said you all needed me to stay."

"He was right. We do need you." Soun said, tears in his eyes.

They sat staring at each other for a moment.

"Are there any other little surprises you're saving?" Soun asked.

"Well...I think I know where that wet spot on his shirt came from."

Soun just raised his eyebrows at her.

"After he pulled us back Akane was scared. She clung to him and cried
on his chest. I was still recovering myself, but I heard him mutter
'great, now she gets the other side.' I think his fiancee must have
been crying on him."

Soun worked that around in his head. "Well, I guess he'll be a good
match for Akane then."

"Before he went back he asked us to help his mother. You know Genma
took little Ranma away a few months ago. She'll be lonely. We could
help her by asking her to take care of the girls for a day or two."

"Oh? Soun said in a low voice. What did you have in mind?"

Kimiko smiled and came around to sit on his lap. "I was thinking we'd
see if she could take them tonight while we headed out to that little
hot spring we spent our honeymoon at."

Soun wrapped his arms around his wife. "Sounds good, let's call her
right away."

* * * *

"Bye, Ukyou!" Ranma waved from his seat on the top of the food cart."

Ukyou yelled something back, but he couldn't really hear it with all
the noise the cart was making. It almost sound like 'stop you jackass'.

* * * *

Akane hugged the manga to her. She'd never known there were stories
about people who traveled back in time! Her big sister Kasumi had seen
it and bought if for her, and her sister Nabiki had helped her read
some of the words.

A girl who could travel in time when she was in a fire. Just like Ranma
traveled in time to save her. She couldn't wait to show her friend Yuka
the story.

* * * *

"No dad! Please don't put me back in there with those cats!" Ranma
cried.

"Hush, boy. Be a  man about it. Complaining about a little training is
something a girl would do."

* * * *

Akane fingered her copy of "Time Enough for Love", which she'd just
finished reading. She'd had a facination for time-travel stories since
she was a little girl. Probably because she *knew* time travel was
possible.

She resolutely put the book back in the bookshelf and went over to her
desk. The book had been good, but had taken a long time to read. Time
she should have spent studying for finals. 

She surpressed a little shiver of excitement. This was her last year in
grade school, and she was really looking forward to going to junior
high. But first she had to pass all her finals. She sat at her desk and
pulled out her books.

She was still hard had it when her mother called her down for dinner.

* * * *

"Akane are you sure?" Soun asked.

"Yes, daddy. I *really* think I'm ready."

"Very well, show me your Kata."

Soun had to agree that she was good. She might very well be ready for
her black belt in Kempo. He'd have to arrange for a test, though that
might cause some problems as well. Old master Sato was prepairing a
class for thier black-belt test, maybe it would be best if he had her
join them. There could be no worry of him favoring his daughter then.

Soun called out a few more moves, then ran through some of the more
formal attack and defense moves. She did well even in those, though
they were not her strong point.

"Very good daughter. I agree that you are about ready for the test.
However, I think I will arrange for another master to test you, just to
make sure I don't go too easy on you."

Akane blew out her breath. "Like you've ever gone easy on me."

Soun laughed at her naitivity. Still, she was only thirteen, he'd been
just as bad at that age.

"So tell me daughter, why your sudden decision to try for your
blackbelt?"

"I...well, I'll be sixteen pretty soon."

"In two and a half years." Soun agreed.

"I just thought it was time I got myself ready for..." His daughter's
voice faded out and she looked down with a blush.

"Ah, you want to be ready for Ranma when he comes?" Soun tried to keep
the amuzement out of his voice.

"I was talking to Auntie, and she showed me some pictures she just got
and a letter." 

"I see. You may take the test as soon as I can arrange it. You may also
join my advanced course after that, if you promise to work hard."

Akane squealed and gave him a hug. "Thank you daddy!"

Soun stroked his daughters hair and hoped that her obsession with Ranma
wouldn't lead to disappointment.

* * * *

"Ranma Saotome, I challenge you!"

"Ryoga? What are you talking about?"

"I challenge you to a duel of honor to see who the best fighter really
is."

"Okay, when?"

"Now."

"Umm...sorry Ryoga, I've got to get back. Pop said he wanted me home as
early as possible today."

Ryoga looked confused. "Oh, okay. How about tomorrow morning? Maybe in
the lot behind my house?"

"Sure! See you there Ryoga." Ranma bounced away with a wave.

 Ranma thought, he'd never had one of these
before. 

* * * *

Yuka waved to Sayuri as she ran off for home. Her parents were having a
party for her, celibrating her graduation from junior high.

"You want to come over to my place?" Akane asked. "My parents are just
planning a nice dinner, and Auntie Saotome's coming over."

Yuka caught the note of concern in her friends voice.

"No thanks, Akane-chan. My mom and dad said they wanted to talk to me
tonight. They're having some old friends over and they want me to dress
up."

"Yuck. Are we still on for shopping tomorrow?"

"You bet! I'll need it after an evening of entertaining my parent's
friends. Double yuck."

Akane giggled. She also caught Yuka's hand and gave it a squeeze. She
squeezed back. Yuka didn't know what she'd do without a friend like
Akane. Sayuri too, but Akane had been her friend for a lot longer, and
her family had always been willing to help when things got tough at
home.

She shifted her thoughts to thier upcoming shopping trip. 

"Hey, Akane? Do you want to hit the bridal store?"

"Huh? We always look in the window, or do you mean actually going in?"

"Going in. After all, isn't Ranma supposed to be showing up soon?"

Akane moved closer and dropped her voice. "I don't know for sure,
sometime early next school year I think, so maybe a couple of months.
But just because my fiancee's showing up doesn't mean I need to look at
wedding dresses!"

"So you don't want to go?" Yuka asked with a wicked grin.

"Well...maybe just to look around a little."

* * * *

"This place doesn't look so tough pop."

"Come on boy! Follow me."

"Oh, Mr. Customers, what you doing?"

* * * *

"Yuka!" Akane called.

"Akane!" Yuka called and ran right into her friends arms.

"Yuka? What's wrong?" Akane asked gently. "Was it your parents again?"

"Yes! Well, no...Oh Akane, oh how could they!"

Akane looked down at the top of her friends head in worry. This wasn't
like Yuka at all, her parents must have done something really bad this
time.

"Tell me what's wrong Yuka. Maybe we can talk to my mom and dad."

"*They're* not going to help me this time." She said. "It's partially
their fault, and yours too."

"What?"

"You know that boy Hiroshi? He's always hanging around with that
neighbor of Sayuri's."

"I know who you mean."

"His parents and he came over last night. They brought gifts.
*Betrothal* gifts."

"Oh...Oh!" You're engaged?" Akane asked. She'd never known anyone
besides herself who had an arranged marriage before, at least at their
age.

"They said they weren't going to tell me until I graduated from high
school, but that since you seemed to take your engagement so well, that
they thought I would to."

"That doesn't make the engagement my fault you know." Akane said sourly.

"I-I'm sorry Akane." Yuka said

"It's okay. I take it you *don't* want to go to the bridal store today?"

"No!" Yuka pulled out of Akane's arms and glared at her.

"Okay, where *do* you want to go." Akane asked.

Yuka slumped. "I don't know."

"Well, if your feeling this bad, there's only one choice...."

Yuka looked up at her with a glint in her eye.

"Ice cream." They said in unison.

* * * *

"Suck on that old man!" The redhead girl said to the panda.

As soon as she turned away the panda moved up behind her and wacked her
across the head with a sign.

The panda growled at the bystanders, then froze in shock when he turned
back to his currently-female son. A small shape had appeared in her
hand, and a glow surrounded her briefly. As the panda watched the whole
thing, glow and object, dispeared.

"Growf?" After a moment he shrugged and threw the girl over his
shoulder, grabbed their packs, and headed for the Tendo dojo.

* * * *

Akane carefully measured the flour and sugar for the cookies. This was
the first time her mother was letting her help with one of her special
cookie recipies. Now that she saw how they were made she understood
why, they were *complicated*.

She wasn't a bad cook like she'd been when she was younger. A few
months under Auntie Saotome's stern instruction had changed that. She
was still not as careful as she should be, and that was probably why
her mother wouldn't normally let her help with this recipie.

"Hey mom, why are we making these anyway? You only do this for special
occasions." 

"Well, your father recieved a postcard today." Her mother said.

"Yeah?"

"Put the bowl down dear."

"Sure." Akane said. She put the bowl down and turned toward her mother,
a small knot of excitement and worry growing in her stomach.

Her mother took her by the shoulders. "It said that Genma Saotome and
his son Ranma should arrive today."

"Ranma's coming?" Akane heard herself ask.

"Yes."

Akane stood completely still for a moment.

"AhhhIvegottotakeabathandfindmynewdresssorrymomIgottago" Akane dashed
out of the kitchen, pausing only long enough to hang up her apron.

She would have been rather hurt if she'd seen the way her mother was
laughing as she left.

* * * *

Akane looked at herself in the mirror with a critical eye. She pulled
her long hair back and tied it with a ribbon. She smoothed her new
dress and checked the way it layed.

Not bad. Maybe not great, but not too bad. She hope Ranma liked her
like this. He'd said he liked a tomboy, but that didn't mean he didn't
like a girl to look nice too.

She sighed. She really wanted this engagement to work. She'd been
looking forward to being Ranma's fiancee for a long time. Even when all
the boys in school were being jerks, she told herself that Ranma would
be different.

Unfortunately, he liked someone else. When he had rescude her he'd said
he'd introduce her to his girlfriend when she got older. The real
meaning of that hadn't really hit her until she was much older.

Akane looked the mirror image of herself in the eye. She didn't know
what was going to happend when he arrived. She didn't know if he'd
remember they're earlier meeting, if he'd suddently remember when they
reached the time he'd gone back to save her, or if he'd never remember
that episode. No matter what he might remember, she was going to give
herself the best chance she could.

This 'tomboy girlfriend' of his was going to have some serious
competition.

* * * *

Ranma woke up hanging upsided down over the shoulder of a panda. Not
all that unusual, but he should be back at the graveyard. He'd asked
the mirror to 'take him back' hadn't he? Maybe all the tears had
shorted the thing out. Man, that girl couldl cry!

He felt his shirt pocket. No mirror, but he was definitely in glrl
form. Then he noticed they were passing the place were the Nekohauten
should be, and it was just an empty building. Something was wrong.

He figured it out as soon as he saw the Tendo house. The patches near
the door where Shampoo had made her entrances, the cracks in the wall
where Ryoga had impacted it, the newer places where the roof had been
repaired after Akane had sent him through it, they were all missing.
The house looked to be in as good a shape as when he'd first shown up,
maybe even better. Somehow he'd ended up back at his first meeting with
the Tendos.

His father set him down in the hall facing the people inside. Looking
at the scene he wondered if maybe this was some kind of mistake. Things
were really  different. Mr. Tendo looked the same, but Mrs. Tendo was
standing next to him rather than Nabiki, and neither looked afraid.
Nabiki herself was nowhere to be seen, there was a cute girl standing
with her hands on her hips who looked like...Kasumi? In jeans and a
tight sweater? And there was a boy about nine years old who was staring
at the Panda.

"Hello, Ranma." Mrs. Saotome said. "It's nice to see you again."

Then Akane came out of the kitchen with a kettle of water. She was
wearing an apron over a nice dress and was wearing her hair long again.

"Here you go, Ranma. I hope it's not too hot." Her eyes were bright,
but her voice sounded a little shakey.

"Umm...thanks." He grabbed the kettle and poured some over his head
before handing it to the panda. The Tendos watched the transformations
with interest, but didn't seem to be shocked or afraid.

Mr. Tendo waved them into the main room. "Come in you two. I'm sorry
that Nodoka and Nabiki aren't here. They're at a Kendo match this
afternoon. Let me introduce you to everyone else."

"My wife Kimiko you've both met of course. This is Kasumi, my oldest,
who I'm afraid must leave shortly to catch a train back to university.
My youngest daughter Akane, and my son Juku."

"Nice to meet you." Ranma said. 

"It's good to meet your children. I didn't know you'd had a son Tendo."

"Yes, Juku was a nice change of pace after three girls." Kimiko
answered. "Not to mention a bit of a surprise. In a way it's Nokoka's
fault for insisting on watching the girls for us for a long weekend."

Kasumi smirked at that, while Akane blushed and looked away. Ranma's
face felt hot enough that he was sure he was blushing too.

They all sat down the at the table except Akane, who went into the
kitchen and brought out tea and cookies.  Ranma carefully sampled one
of the cookies.

"You maded these Akane?" He asked.

Akane looked nervious. "Some of them, and I helped with the rest. Do
you like them?"

"They're...very good." He said. 

"Do you want to go spar?" Akane asked him.

 he thought. "Sure, sounds good!"

"Okay, I'll go change and we can meet in the dojo. Do you remember the
way there?"

"Sure."

"Okay, see you in a few minutes." Akane disapeared into the kitchen,
then reappeared a few seconds later without her apron, gave him a
smile, and dashed up the stairs.

Genma cleared his throat. "Boy, what's going on? First you act like you
know Kimiko, and now Akane seems to think you've been here before."

"It's kind of hard to explain pop. This isn't the first time around for
me."

"Huh?"

Mrs. Tendo spoke up. "I can explain Genma. Why don't we let Ranma go
spar with Akane."

Genma nodded and Ranma greatfully headed for the dojo. He definitely
didn't want to try explaining this to pop.

* * *

He faced off with Akane, determined to take her seriously and equally
determined not to hurt her.

"Ready?" Akane asked.

He nodded.

She charged at him and started with a punch that looked like one of her
piledrivers, but turned out to be a feint quickly followed up by a
roundhouse kick. That took him enough by surprise that he had to slap
her angle and duck under to avoid it. She took advantage of the
momentum to swing around into anther kick, this one too low to duck and
he was forced to jump over it. 

A few more near misses like this and Ranma finally realized that *this*
Akane had a different style than the one he was used to. He jumped back
and switched to a mostly defensive fight, studying her style.

She was faster and more flexable than before, though not as powerful.
Her attitude was different too, she was more exuberant and seemed to be
having more fun with the fight. Actually she had a much better
foundation for advanced Anything Goes techniques now that she did
before.

Once he'd analysed her style he stepped in and grabbed one of her
kicks, sending her toward the mats by the wall. She surprised him again
by rolling out of the throw and coming back at him with a flying kick.
He overreacted a little and sent her to the floor harder than he
intended.

She sat up and raised her hands in defeat. "Whoo! That was quite a
workout. Thanks Ranma."

Ranma frowned and mentally  'less stanima' to the differences from her
old flighting style.

"Do you mind if we talk a little? I've got some questions." Akane said.

"Sure." Ranma helped her up and they moved to sit against the dojo wall.

Akane looked sidelong at him. "So, how much do you remember?"

"You mean from saving you or from being here before." Ranma asked.

"From being her before."

"Pretty much everything. I was here about a year."

"Oh." Akane said. She looked down at her hands. "I-I'm sorry Ranma."

"Sorry about what?"

"You came here and to you we'd been engaged a year and I didn't act
much like a fiancee did I?"

"You mean you didn't yell or hit me over the head with a table? I guess
not, but that's okay."

"I hit you?" Akane said, her eyes wide.

"Sometimes. You had a bit of a problem with your temper and I don't
always watch what I say."

"Oh, I guess that explains it." Akane said in a quiet, sad tone.

"Huh? Explains what?"

Akane perked up immediately. "So, tell me about this girlfriend of
yours, the one who's a tomboy too."

"Oh, um..." Ranma started. It figured she'd remember that.

"Let's see...she's not very cute, except when she smiles, but she's
beautiful. Just not...you know...cutsey. She's a horrible cook and not
very good at sewing or stuff like that, though I guess she's pretty
good at dressing nice."

"She does sound a little like me. I'm hopeless at sewing or knitting
and it took me *forever* to learn to cook. My mom actually gave up on
me, it was your mom who taught me."

Akane gave him a weak smile. "So when do I get to meet her?"

Ranma swallowed. This could be dangerous. At least this Akane seemed a
little calmer than the old one, he might live through this.

"Right now, come on."

* * * *

Genma was beginning to doubt the wisdom of coming to the Tendo's. Not
only was Nodoka spending considerable time here, but it seemed his old
friend and his wife had gone stark raving mad.

"I still don't understand." Genma said. "How could Ranma have saved you
without my knowing about it? And why were you on the south end of the
island? That's where Ranma and I were when he was six."

Kimiko flung up her hands. "I give up. We'll have Akane explain it all
later, she's been facinated with the whole idea since we met Ranma and
seems to understand it better than the rest of us."

"We have other things to discuss anyway." Soun said.

"Yes, the engagement." Genma replied, happy to move to a less confusing
subject.

"So who should it be, Nabiki or Akane?" Soun asked.

"Akane." Kimiko said firmly. "She's been expecting to be Ranma's
fiancee since that incident we were discussing."

"Very well, Akane it is." Soun agreed..

"I'll get something to drink to celibrate."  Kimiko said.

"That would be wonderfull dear." Soun said.

After Kimiko was safely out of earshot Genma decided he had to get
Soun's real opinion of all this.

"Tell me old friend, what do you think of this story about Ranma saving
Akane ten years ago?"

"To tell you the truth Genma, I used to be skeptical. They certainly
seemed to believe it, and it wasn't doing any harm, so I went along
with it. Now though..."

"Yes?"

"Now that I've seen the curse for myself, and the way Ranma seems to
know them and his way around here, I have to believe it. And that is
unfortunate." Soun said gravely.

"Why 'unfortunate'?"

"Because the boy used some treasure of the master's to get to them. We
can hope that he simply found some cache Hap...the Master had hidden,
but it may be that the master is still alive."

"No..." Genma whispered in horror.

"I'm afraid so. Your boy may have more information, we will have to
talk to him about it soon."

* * * *

"Ranma? The front door is this way." Akane said, pointing down the hall.

"Yep, but we need to go here."

"That's the bathroom."

"Uh huh."

Ranma took Akane into the changing room and in front of the full length
mirror that was on one wall.

"Akane, meet the tomboy."

Akane staired into the mirror. Then turned to him.

"Me?" She said in a small voice.

"You."

"But...you jerk!" She said angrily. "You lied to me, you made me think
there was some other girl you liked!"

She slapped him, though with so little force he barely felt it. "How
could you do that to a little girl!"

Ranma hid his grin. There was no doubt his tomboy fiancee was still
around.

"I was trying to cheer up a little girl who had just had a close call."
Ranma said.

Akane calmed down some at that. 

"Jerk." She muttered. "That was the most important day of my life and
you were just saying things off the top of your head, weren't you?"

"Yeah, well I told you I don't always think before I talk."

"Hmph. Well I guess you're not the perfect fiancee I've been dreaming
about. But you're cute, and a good martial artist, and I guess I can
put up with an engagement."

"If I remember correctly, we're not going to have a choice in an hour
or so."

"Well, there *is* one thing we could do about that."

"What?"

"Beat them to it."

* * * *

Juku couldn't find Akane *anywhere*. She wasn't in the dojo with that
guy she was always talking about. She wasn't in the yard or her room.
Maybe she was washing up after her workout.

He opened the door to the changing room. That boy was attacking his
sister! He was about to jump in to defend her when he realized that it
wasn't a fight. They were *kissing*, yuck.

"Hey, mom says it's almost time for dinner." Juku said.

The two broke apart quickly and blushed badly.

"Uh...sure. Say squirt, don't say anything about this to mom, okay?"

He frowned. He didn't like keeping things from mom.

"Why?" He asked.

"Umm..."

"Because we want to tell her ourselves." Ranma said.

"Oh, okay. You better hurry."

* * * *

Akane let our her breath as her little brother closed the door.

"What a pain he can be. Was he this bad before?" She asked.

"Uh, he's only nine and your mom..."

"Oh! We was never born." Akane exclaimed. "I should have realized..."

She grabbed Ranma and gave him a warm hug. "It looks like I owe you for
my brother's life as well as my Mom's." 

"It's a martial artists duty to help those in need." Ranma said.

Akane let him go and poked him in the nose. "You are entirely too nice
for your own good."

* * * *

Ranma and Akane had just sat down when Kimiko came in from the kitchen. 

"Nabiki just called. They should be home soon, so I'm going to hold
dinner for a few minutes. Akane, maybe you should tell Genma about the
situation with Ranma's trip back to save us. I tried to explain it to
him, but I'm afraid I was having some difficulties."

"Sure mom. What do you want to know uncle?"

"I don't really understand any of it. How could Ranma have saved you
when he was only six years old?"

"Oh, well that Ranma wasn't six years old. He was..." Akane glanced at
Ranma for confirmation. "...17, right?"

"Yup."

Genma just looked more confused. "But the boy is barely sixteen now.
How could he have been seventeen ten years ago?"

"Hmm...well he couldn't have been normally. Maybe it would make more
sense if we described it from Ranma's viewpoint. Interrupt me if I mess
up, okay Ranma?"

Ranma nodded.

"Ranma came here to the dojo, and found that my mother had died when I
was young. He was sixteen then, and it was probably today that it
happened."

Genma interrupted. "But Kimiko is fine."

"Mom is fine now, just hold on and I'll get to that.  Now Ranma lives
here for about a year, so he's seventeen years old. Somehow he gets
something magical from the school's Grandmaster that lets him travel
back in time."

"That Nanban mirror." Ranma said.

"Okay, I never knew what it was." Akane said, glancing at him before
continuing.

"Anyway, Ranma uses this mirror to jump back in time to just before Mom
and I were involved in a car accident. The same accident where my mom
had been killed saving me."

"Now Ranma didn't get any younger when he jumped back. At his point
there are two Ranma's at the same time. A six year old Ranma with you,
and a seventeen year old Ranma at the place the accident happened. Two
different people who are, in some strange way, also the same person."

Genma nodded, looking slightly less confused.

"The seventeen year old Ranma saves me from the car, and so my mother
is not killed. He stayed around long enough to explain to mom who he
was and how it happened." 

Akane paused and slugged Ranma gently on the arm. "He also charms the
socks off the little six year old girl he'd just met."

Genma was nodding harder now. "I think I undertand, but why does Ranma
remember all this? Why isn't he seventeen again? Or twenty-seven."

"That I'm less sure about. What I think happened is the mirror or
whatever it was tried to take Ranma back to the place he'd come from.
Mom said he told it to 'take him back'. But it couldn't. The place
Ranma had come from didn't exist any longer because he'd changed too
many things. So it took him as far as it could, and somehow combined
the seventeen year old Ranma with the now-16 year old Ranma."

Ranma hadn't really had a chance to think about all this, but Akane's
explaination fit everything he knew about what had happened. It felt
right too. He nodded to let Akane know she'd gotten it right, at least
as far as he could tell.

His father was about to ask another question when someone came in the
door.

"We're home!" Called Nabiki's voice and she and an older woman walked
into the room, both in Kendo garb.

"We won!" The girl cried out in an excited voice and ran up to hug
Akane.

Ranma heard Akane say something to her sister, but didn't really hear
it. He was focusing on the woman standing there looking at him. It
hadn't been that long to him since he'd seen his mother, and this woman
seemed just like when he'd seen her last, except she somehow seemed more
alive and vibrant than before.

"Ranma? Husband?" The woman said.

"Ranma!" She repeated, and hurried over to him.

Ranma stood and his mother gathered him into her arms and cryed on his
shoulder, repeating "My son, my son" for a few minutes. Then she
switched over to his father and did much the same thing.

Things were confusing for a time. Nabiki continued to speak excitedly
to Akane and her mother about about the match, Nodoka cried on Ranma
and Genma some more, and Soun sat watching everything with a big smile
on his face.

Once his mom had switched her hug exclusively to his father, Ranma sat
down next to Soun, who looked over at him thoughtfully. After a moment
he leaned over and spoke quietly to Ranma. "So son, tell me. Are you
really from the future?" He asked.

Ranma had to think about it, he had defintely come from a time past
this, but things were so different now.

"More or less, Mr. Tendo. Things were pretty different so I guess it's
more like I came from a different future."

"They're different because you saved Kimiko's life?" Soun asked in a
low voice that barely reached Ranma over the general hubbub.

"I guess, I haven't really had time to think about it. For me this has
all happened pretty fast."

"I owe you son." Soun said in a low, but now fierce voice. "More than I
can ever replay."

"It's a martial artists duty to protect..." Ranma started.

"Crap." Soun interrupted him. "A martial artist's duty does *not*
include jumping back in time and changing their own future. I--my
family--owes you everything."

"That's not going to matter in a few minutes, is it?" Ranma asked.

"Excuse me?" Soun replied.

"The engagement? I'll be part of your family soon. If you really feel
you owe me you can hold off announcing the engagement until Akane and I
get a chance to tell everyone something. Say after supper?"

"I...certainly son." Soun answered, sounding a bit confused. He was
about to say something else when Kimiko interrupted.

"All right everyone, please sit down and eat, we can continue this
after dinner."

Kimiko looked over to where his mother was still clinging to his
father. "Or after bedtime, as the case may be."

There were a few snickers around the table at that, and his mother
blushed slightly.

"Please, Kimiko, you know me better than that." Nodoka protested.

"Yes, I know you Nodoka. But still, I think you can wait that long."
Kimiko replied sweetly.

Nodoka blushed a bit more at that and there were a few more snickers
before Nodoka let go of Genma and sat down with great dignity and with
incredibly fine manners, began to eat. Her `wounded pride' act only
lasted until she saw how her husband and son were inhaling the food. 

"Genma! You're eating like an animal!" She scolded.

* * *

Dinner conversation was mostly taken up by an account of the day Ranma
saved Akane as told from three different viewpoints. Ranma blushed more
than a little at some of Kimiko's and especially Akane's comments about
him. Ranma also gave a very abbreviated summary of his travels with his
father, with the emphisis on Ukyou, the Nekoken training, and their time
in China.

Soun and Nodoka gave Genma some dirty looks at the story about Ukyou,
and *everyone* glared at him when Ranma described the Nekoken training.

"So you turn into some kind of mindless killing machine when you see a
cat?" Nabiki asked. She sounded curious rather than worried or
horrified.

"It's not as bad as that." Ranma said, looking down at the table. and
playing with his pigtail. After a moments silence he continued.

"It takes more than just seeing a cat. I've got to be trapped by one or
something. Once I go into the Nekoken, I'll only attack if I'm really
angry at someone. Just have everyone but Akane stay out of my way."

"What about Akane?" Kimiko asked.

"Umm...well, she seems to be the only one who can calm me down. If
she's not around the only thing that snaps me out of it is triggering
my curse."

Akane seemed inordinately pleased that she was the one who could handle
him in Neko mode. Everyone else was interested in the curse. That, of
course, required a demonstration. At least this time it didn't involve
being thrown into the pond.

After dinner was cleared away and Ranma and Genma were returned to
their normal forms, his father looked over at Mr. Tendo and cleared his
throat. Mr. Tendo held up his hand to stall him and looked over to Ranma.

"Ranma, you had something you wanted to tell us?" He asked.

Ranma nodded and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He had no idea
how to bring this up. He looked over at Akane for help. They'd talked
about this a little, but it had been more fun kissing her than talking.

"Want me to tell them?" Akane asked, giving him a warm smile.

Ranma just nodded.

Akane flung herself at him and gave him a big hug.

"Oh, daddy! Ranma asked me to marry him!" She squealed.

Ranma was too distracted by the girl in his arms to pay much attention
to the group facefault.

=== END CHAPTER 1 ===

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/dojo/5201

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