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.

WARNING: This my first FanFic. It has not been, and probably
never will be posted to RAAC. It was intended as a story
that set the scene for a situation where Ranma & Akane moved
to Nodoka's house, moved schools, etc. The writing stinks.
All of the problems you can find in my other work
(overdescription of actor motion, excessive commas, too much
narration, etc.) are *really* bad here. It does get somewhat
better toward the end.

Story continuity could be just about anytime before Nodoka
shows up. If you want a specific place, put it right after
the "Baka Neko" episode.


One of the Family (a Ranma1/2 FanFic)
Completed: 1998-02-28
=====================================

Part 1: Tuesday's Mystery

[Tuesday Afternoon, Two Weeks Ago]

Akane crouched low on the northeast corner of the school's
outer wall. The light blue of her school uniform blended
well enough with the surrounding trees to hide her from the
unwary. She watched carefully as Ranma dashed though the
school gates, glad that his flamboyant clothing made him
stand out in the sea of white shirts and blue dresses.

She froze as he passed below her. After giving him a few
seconds to get ahead she dropped silently to the ground and
started after him. She struggled to keep up without giving
herself away, but found herself falling further and further
behind.

Suddenly she slowed. Ranma had stopped. While she was glad
of the chance to catch up, she wondered why he would rush
out of school and then just stop and wait. The answer pulled
up while she was still more than a block away, a bus. He was
waiting for a bus, and she would never make it...

"Damn!" she muttered as the bus pulled away. At least she
could see the route number. It wasn't much but it was the
only clue she had. She would figure out where Ranma had been
going every Tuesday even if she had to beat the information
out of him.

Relaxed by the pleasant thought of pummeling her fiancee,
she turned around and headed home.

**********

[Tuesday Afternoon, One Week Ago]

Akane sat waiting for the bus. She was two stops back from
the one Ranma had used the previous Tuesday. She had managed
to get here mostly by luck, having hurt herself slightly in
gym. After a quick stop at at Dr. Tofu's to get her wrist
taped up, she had plenty of time to get to the stop.

 Akane asked herself. 

She thought about how he looked last Tuesday. He'd gotten
back from... wherever, just in time for dinner. He didn't
eat much, and hardly said a word. Nabiki had even jokingly
asked where he was hiding the real Ranma. He had seemed
so... sad.

 She wondered. She pushed those
thoughts out of her mind when she saw the bus pull up,
deciding to find out what was going on before worrying about
what it all meant.

**********

[Tuesday Afternoon]

Akane got off the bus at the same stop Ranma had gotten off
the week before. She hadn't been able to follow him off last
time, the after school crowd and her need for concealment
defeated her attempts. But today she'd again gotten out
early - on a rather thin excuse - and had taken an earlier
bus. She had about ten minutes to find a good spot to watch
for Ranma.

 she
thought. The week before Ranma had been *really* depressed
after his 'trip'. He had moped around for days. It got so
bad she had even started being nice to him just to cheer him
up. She blushed a bit as she remembered offering to give him
a back rub. To her surprise he'd taken her up on the offer.
And, she had to admit, it had been kind of... nice. It took
a few days, but he'd finally started acting more like his
old self, maybe even a little nicer.

She found a good spot around a corner in the direction she'd
seen him walking the week before, thinking she heard the
sound of a bus though the other traffic noise she peeked
around the corner and was rewarded by a glimpse of a red
shirt. She was just about to take another peek when he waked
directly in front of her... and right on by, without even
noticing.

 Maybe it was just all the secrecy, but
she felt like it would be a *bad* idea to get caught.

Ranma's red shirt and the relatively light pedestrian
traffic made him easy to follow. She watched as he slowed at
a cross street and moved under the shade of a large tree.
Slowly, carefully, he scanning the area. Akane crouched
behind a garbage can just in time to avoid his sweep. She
waited a few seconds before risking a glance over the top of
the can.

He was gone.

 She thought in surprise. 

Then she saw a small movement in the tree he had been
standing under. 

Akane watched the tree carefully for a minute. No, he seemed
to be looking away from her, down the road. She tried to
make herself more comfortable, sitting down behind the can.
It looked like whatever was going to happen would happen
here.

A slight movement in the tree caught her attention. Ranma
was peering intently down the street. Without Ranma's higher
viewpoint Akane could only guess what he had seen on the
almost deserted street. A minute later she could just make
out figure a few blocks away, coming toward them. By the way
the figure moved Akane thought it was a woman, probably one
with martial arts training.

 Akane
almost left in disgust, but something about the figure made
her wait.

A few minutes later the figure was only a block away. Her
earlier suspicion seemed silly now, the woman was obviously
older, certainly middle aged, though slim and in good shape.
 she thought wryly.  She squelched that
thought, it hit a little too close to home.

The woman was quite close now. She was wearing traditional
clothes and carrying a long, wrapped bundle. She looked
familiar, like... Akane gasped slightly and pulled herself
behind the garbage can. The woman's face was an older
version of Ranma's girl form. That and the wrapped bundle -
no doubt her Katana - made the situation obvious. The woman
was Nodoka Saotome, Ranma's mother.

 Akane thought. Her own mother had died when she
was young, she still remembered the pain and still missed
her. Ranma's mother was alive, but because of an agreement
his father had made - that he would raise Ranma to be a true
man - Ranma and his father had to hide from her. When Ranma
had told her the story she'd been horrified. Ranma's father
had promised, in writing, that if he failed he and Ranma
would commit Seppuka.

[Authors note: Seppuka is honorable suicide. With a knife.
Ouch.]

With Ranma's curse, his father was convinced Nodoka would
assume they'd failed, force he and Ranma to kill themselves,
then take her own life. They tried *hard* not to let her
know they were living at the Tendo dojo.

From her position she was able to watch Nodoka's back as she
continued down the street. She could also hear the quite
sobbing from the tree.

"Oh, Ranma. I'm so sorry." She whispered to herself. She
thought about going to him, to try and help him, mabey
comfort him, but didn't know how he would react to her
presence.

A few minutes later a red-eyed Ranma dropped from the tree
and walked back the way he had come. His eye's were down,
shoulders slumped, none of the usual spring in his step. The
picture of total dejection wrenched at her heart. She
*really* wanted to run after him, and... do something. 

She sighed. She would never beat him home now and it would
look suspicious if she got home right after he did. She
turned in the direction Nodoka had gone. Not really knowing
why, Akane followed her.


Part 2: Meeting

[Saturday Afternoon]

"Key Akane, where ya going?" Ranma asked. Akane had turned
the opposite direction from the one they normally took back
to the Dojo.

"Oh, ah... I just have a few errands to run." She told him,
blushing at the clumsy half-truth.

"Anything I can help with?"

"Umm, not really."

"Oh." Ranma smiled nervously at her. "Uh, Akane, I was
wondering, since it's the weekend if you'd..." Ranma took a
deep breath before continuing. "...if you wanted to go see a
movie or something."

Akane's eye's widened. .

"I-I'd really like to." Akane stammered. "But, can we go
tomorrow? Th-There's something I have to do right now."

"Well, sure." Ranma said a little angrily. "It's just a
movie, not like I was asking you on a *date* or anything."

Normally Akane would have gotten mad, but right now she just
did not have time. "Okay then Ranma, a movie tomorrow sounds
like fun. See you." And she hurried off before he could
start an argument.

She just barely made the bus.

With a sigh of relief Akane leaned against one of the buses
poles. She was a little too short for the straps and the
seats were filled with students and office workers heading
home for the weekend. She leaned against he cool metal and
wondered if she was doing the right thing.

A few minutes walk from the bus and she was there. The same
house she'd seen a few days ago when she'd followed Nodoka
Saotome home. She stood outside the gate for a few minutes,
preparing herself for what could be a *very* messy
situation.

"Excuse me."

Akane jumped and spun around. To her shock and embarrassment
it was Ranma's mother, her arms filled with packages and
bags. "Oh, I'm sorry." Akane said with a bow, hiding her
nervousness in formality. "I'm in your way. Can I help you
with those packages?"

Nodoka smiled. "Yes, that would be kind of you."

Nodoka chattered about inconsequential things while they
went inside. Against her better judgment Akane found herself
accepting Nodoka's offer of a cup of tea to repay her for
her help.

"Here you are." Nodoka said, handing her a cup of tea.

"Thank you Mrs. Saotome." Akane replied politely.

Ranma's mother looked up in surprise. "You know my name?"

 Akane thought.

"And I must say you look familiar." Nodoka continued.
"Though I can't place just where..." She let her voice fade
out, looking expectantly at Akane.

"Yes." Akane put down her tea cup. "I was outside your gate
because I came to see you." Akane paused a moment, hoping -
again - that she was doing the right thing.

"I'm Akane Tendo, Ranma's iinazuke."

"Ranma..." his mother whispered.

They stared at each other. After a minute Nodoka visibly
took control of herself, gave Akane a weak smile, and came
around the table to grasp her shoulders.

"Daughter." She said, her smile widening. "I should have
recognized you. You look so much like your mother at your
age."

"You knew my mother in high school?"

"Oh, yes. Your father too." Nodoka's eye's glinted in
amusement. "Remind me to tell you about the time I found
your mother and father in the janitors closet at school."
She looked Akane in the eye. "But right now I want to hear
about my son. Have you seen him?"

"Yes." This is where things started getting dangerous. She'd
have to be very careful.

"Mrs. Saotome, before I tell you about Ranma I want you to
promise you'll hear me out."

Ranma's mother gave her a puzzled look, but she nodded in
agreement.

Akane launched into the story. How she'd met Ranma, his
curse, what had happened to him since they'd met. She kept
it as short as possible, but it still took a long time.
Through the story Nodoka was silent, except for a few gasps
and occasional giggles. Except for grasping the ever-present
bundle containing her Katana, Nodoka didn't react at all
when she heard of Ranma's curse. Akane didn't know whether
to be relieved or worried.

"Are you done?" Nodoka asked when Akane had finished the
story. Akane started at Nodoka's voice. It had a sad,
resigned tone that rang alarm bells in her head.

"Almost." Akane steeled herself for the next part. "I know
about the *stupid* agreement you and your husband made. I
want you to know that you two have succeeded, despite
Ranma's curse." She took a deep breath.

"You've succeeded all right. Ranma is strong, fearless, and
surprisingly kind. He's also conceited, rude, and so hung up
about being a man that he refuses to admit he's wrong, keeps
all his pain locked up inside himself, can't make close
friends, and wont ask for help no matter how much he needs
it!" Akane was shouting now.

She stood up and glared down at Ranma's mother, eyes narrow
with anger. "I want you to tear up that *damn* agreement
right now, before it causes any more damage!"

Ranma's mother looked calmly up at Akane with a sad frown.
"I'm sorry Akane, I can't do that. It is a matter of family
honor."

Akane cursed quietly at herself. She shouldn't have lost her
temper. Now there was only one thing left she could do.

"I challenge you."

"Excuse me?"

"I challenge you." Akane repeated. "If I win you tear up
that stupid agreement. If you win I join Ranma in committing
Seppuka." Akane gave Nodoka a sickly smile. "After all, as
Ranma's iinazuke, a matter of family honor affects me too."

"Akane..." There was surprise in Nodoka's face...and perhaps
a bit of respect. Suddenly she smiled.

"Daughter." Nodoka said slowly, "I think there may be
another way."


Part 3: Reunion

[Sunday Morning]

Akane woke slowly, not really ready for the day. She had
gotten home *very* late the night before. She lazily rolled
over and looked at her alarm clock.

 She jumped up and ran a brush
through her hair, decided pajamas would have to do, and ran
downstairs to the bathroom.

Akane could smell breakfast cooking before she walked into
the dinning area. To her surprise Kasumi was sitting with
everyone at the table, but no food was out yet.

"See Ranma," Nabiki said. "Kasumi told you Akane wasn't
cooking."

Soun looked up from his newspaper. "Who's cooking breakfast
Kasumi?"

"Well, it seems Akane brought home a guest last night. She
woke up early and asked if I would let her cook." Kasumi
looked over at Akane with an amused smile.

"So, Akane, anyone I know?" Ranma asked.

Akane took her normal place next to Ranma before answering.
"Yes, someone you know." She told him quietly, unable to
keep a grin off her face.

"Breakfast is ready!"

Everyone turned to look except Akane. She watched Ranma's
face intently, wanting to get every ounce of satisfaction
for the price Nodoka had made her pay. She giggled slightly
at the look of blank astonishment he had in seeing his
mother walk calmly out of the kitchen. She sobered quickly
when his expression changed to one of pure terror.

"Ranma!" she hissed in his ear. "It's okay!"

He looked down at her and relaxed slightly, the look of
terror fading to extreme nervousness. At least he didn't
look like he would try to make a run for it. Ranma's father,
on the other hand, was half standing and looked about ready
to run all the way back to China.

"Genma! Sit!" Nodoka said to her husband as she put a plate
of food in front of him. He sat.  Akane thought.

"Nodoka," Soun said, tears flowing from his eyes. "It's been
such a long time."

"Hello, Soun." Nodoka said with a warm smile. "I look
forward to talking about old times. But right now I think
Akane and I have to take care of something or my husband and
son wont be able to enjoy their breakfast." She nodded at
Akane.

 Akane thought nervously.  She
stood, a bit unsteadily. She had already agreed to this, and
had found that she wasn't really unhappy with decision, but
still...

Akane took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Father, Mr. Saotome, Mrs. Saotome." Akane paused, realizing
she should have thought about what she was going to say.
.

"I want to formally announce that I accept your plans for
Ranma and I to wed. From now on I consider myself Ranma's
iinazuke..." Akane swallowed hard to get rid of the lump
that was forming in her throat. "And future wife."

She bowed to Ranma's father. "Father." Then to his mother,
"Mother".

"Welcome to the family, dear." Nodoka said to her kindly.

Akane swallowed again and turned toward Ranma. 

Ranma had gotten up and was standing a few feet away, a look
of total shock back on his face. She looked at him for long
moment, not sure what to say. "Ranma, I..."

She was saved by Nodoka.

"Well, now there's the matter of an agreement I made with
Genma and Ranma ten years ago." She said. "It is a matter of
honor... of *family* honor that it be completed."

Ranma suddenly sat down, staring at his mother, a look of
combined resignation and determination spreading over his
features.

Nodoka continued. "I have decided that I am not the one to
decide if they have completed their end of the agreement. I
think there is only one member of the Saotome family who can
fairly judge whether Ranma has become a true man." Ranma's
mother paused for a moment. "And that person is Akane, his
iinazuke."

Genma fainted. Ranma just sat there, looking back and forth
between his mother and Akane. Nodoka and Kasumi tried to
revive Genma, Soun started crying about how wonderful it was
that his daughter had finally come to her senses, and Nabiki
started eating.

Akane started to get mad at Ranma. He was just *sitting*
there. She had worked hard to set this up, and had paid a
price to make it work. "Snap out of it baka!" Akane finally
hissed at him. "It's over. You don't have to be afraid of
your mom anymore."

Ranma blinked. A tentative smile crossed his face. "Mom..."

Ranma jumped over the table to his mother, who was helping a
white-faced Genma up. "Mom!"

Everyone watched as son and mother were reunited, both
crying and saying how they had missed each other. Genma
stood, somewhat unsteadily, and put and arm around each of
them.

"It's good to have our family together again." He said.

Nodoka looked up at him with a warm smile as she wiped away
some of her tears. "Yes, Genma darling, but there's a member
of the family missing." All three Saotome's turned and
looked at Akane.

Kasumi looked over at Akane. "What are you waiting for?"
Kasumi asked.

 Akane thought and dashed over to join her new
family.


Epilogue

[Sunday Late Afternoon]

"Did you like the movie?" Akane asked.

"Yah, it was okay. I'd have liked something with more action
though." Ranma answered.

"Next time you can choose the movie."

"Sounds good." Ranma stopped and tugged gently on Akane's
arm, swinging her around to face him.

"Akane... I wanted to thank you for what you did. You have
no idea how much I missed my mom and how much I hated having
to stay away from her because of that stupid promise."

"I *do* understand, Ranma." Akane said. She didn't really
want to think about how much she missed her own mother so
she changed the subject.

"You really talked to your mom for a long time this
morning."

"Lots to catch up on, and, umm, other stuff to talk about."

"Like?" Akane asked as they began walking again.

Ranma didn't answer for a moment. "She wants us all to move
back to our house pretty soon." He finally said. "She thinks
we've been enough of a burden on your dad already."

"Oh." Akane hadn't thought of that. Things would seem a lot
emptier without Ranma around. Of course they would still see
each other. They *were* supposed to get married eventually.

"So when will you be leaving me... I mean us?"

Ranma gave her a sidelong look. "I don't think you get it
Akane."

"Huh?"

"Look, I don't know what kind of deal you and mom made, but
she thinks of you as part of our family now." Ranma told
her. "We - all *four* of us - will be moving in a few weeks,
during the next school break."

"All four..."

"Yeah, all four. She's already cleared it with your dad.
We'll probably move back and forth every few months until
we're out of high school."

"Oh."

Akane stepped closer to Ranma and took his arm. They walked
together in silence for a few minutes.

"Akane?" Ranma finally said. "You okay with this?"

"Umm, I guess so." She answered slowly. "I guess this is
what I agreed to when I accepted our engagement. I just
hadn't thought it all through yet."

Ranma stopped again, her hand on his arm causing Akane to
swing around and face him again. Ranma put his free hand on
her shoulder and looked down into her eyes.

"Hey, Akane." He said with a lopsided grin. "Welcome to the
family."

==== END ====
 
C&C *very* welcome, flames ignored. Please send comments to 
twrensch@geocities.com. My completed stories and relatively
complete drafts are posted at
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/5201/.
 
If anyone is interested in fixing this mostrosity, please
let me know.

    Source: geocities.com/twrensch