OK everyone.  Please be gently because this is my first attempt to try and write a fan-fic and it is an idea I have had for a while.  Basically I am making a few changes to the story lines of both Ranma ½ and Sailor Moon with a little bit of Rurouni Kenshin added to it.  Please read this and send me back some commits and or complements about the work and anything that might make the story better.  OK here it is.  

“For better or for Worse.”

Chapter 1
For worse...

	The battle with Saffron was taking too long and Ranma knew if he didn’t finish it soon that Akane would die.  Saffron saw that Ranma was partially distracted by the fact that he was taking too long.  If Saffron could keep up this pace then Ranma would not be able to save the girl and he could destroy Ranma while he was in shock.  Saffron got a brilliant idea.  There were two other men looking after the girl.  All he had to do was take one of them down for a short time and he could distract the boy even more.  With that he gathered his strength and sent a very large Ki blast that direction.  It worked the boy was changing directions to try and stop the Ki blast.  What he didn’t expect was that one of the men leapt in the way of the blast while shoving the other two aside.  

	Seeing the Ki blast released by Saffron coming their direction the only thought on Genma’s mind was that of Soun and Soun’s daughter Akane.  Pushing them out of the line of fire he braced for the Ki blast right as it struck him.  He didn’t feel the pain because everything in him went numb.  All he knew was that he was falling down to the ground.  When he opened his eyes and saw Ranma he said, “Are Soun and Akane alright?”
	“They’re fine pop.”
	“Good, finish him before its too late.”
	“Yes sir”
	With that Ranma went back to fighting Saffron with renewed vigore.  What Ranma didn’t see was Genma closing his eyes for the last time with a smile on his face for his son and because he managed to save his best friend as well.  *It will all work out* was Genma’s finally thought as he went to meet his ancestors.
	Saffron was surprised but also prepared for when the boy jumped back into the fight.  Prepared because he had regained his Ki from the environment and prepared a blast.  He was surprised because he never got to use it.  Before he could send it off, Ranma had leapt up and at him so fast and released the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken directly into the ball of Ki and caused it to be separated into smaller balls and impacted into himself.  Then was sent spiraling back to the ground with a Moko Takabisha.  Ranma had made his opponent land right were he wanted him.  The path took Saffron through the Dragon Statue that closed the spring that held the water that would save Akane’s life.  With the statue destroyed and the water flowing freely Ranma gathered the energies of the Earth and created a Moko Takabisha larger than anyone thought possible.  He sent the ball right into Saffron which caused saffron to burst into the flames that signaled his death.  Ranma raced over to where Soun had Akane Picked her up as fast and as delicately as he could and rushed over to where to lake of water was that could save his love’s life.  Walking into the water with Akane he didn't notice that his curse wasn’t activated by the water.  He only cared about saving the woman that he loved.  Placing Akane into the water he immersed her all the way up to her neck.
	“Hold on Akane.  Please hold on.  This is the water that will save you.  Please come back to me you uncute tomboy.  I need you to be here.  Right now by my side.  Please open your eyes.  Please.”
	Nothing was happening.  She was not looking better.  She wasn’t moving, wasn’t breathing.  He tried to wake her up by kissing her.  Her lips were cold.  When he raised his head a single tear dropped from his eyes and landed on Akane’s cheek right below her eye.  It rolled off her face as if it where her own tears that she had shed.  Ranma cradled his dead love in his hands rocking back and forth.  *This can’t be happening.  Not this way.  Not before I have the chance to tell you I love you.*  Slowly the tears started to roll faster and faster down his cheeks and onto the face of the woman that he loved.
	“NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!,” Ranma screamed as he lifted his head back and cried out the anguish that was in his soul for the lose of the love of his life.  He brought her out the waters still crying and laid her next to Soun who was trying to get Genma to wake up.  Noticing that Genma had no pulse, Soun looked at Ranma with tears in his eyes shaking his head.  He then bowed his head and wept for the lose of his closest friend and daughter.  Ranma turned away from them in a daze.  His aura come out the color of a sick green and started to grow.  His father gone.  Akane gone.  Both lost to him forever before he could tell either of them how he truly felt about them.  The pain, anger, self-doubt, all caused his aura to grow to the extremes that a human could handle.  It was then he half saw and heard Ryoga trying to get his attention.  He was saying something about killing them all if he didn’t let go.  He looked up at the mountain that was the home of the people of the Phoenix God Saffron.  He raised his hands and let out all of the emotions that he felt.
	“Shi Shi Hokodan,” was all that was heard as Ranma’s Ki leveled the entire mountain to dust.  The inhabitants of Phoenix Mountain were not hurt because they were all outside watching the fight.  
	Liita walked up to the new baby Saffron and picked him up in her arms.  
	“I will make sure that he will be raised with honor and love this time to be the greatest leader we have ever known.  That is my promise to you Saotome Ranma,” Liita said to the still dazed Ranma.

	*	*	*

Three weeks have passed since that day.

	The first week was spent making the arrangements and funerals for both Genma and Akane.  During that time Ranma didn’t have a tear left to shed.  Ukyo and Shampoo were at the funeral.  Afterward, Cologne told Ranma that Moose had finally defeated Shampoo and they were going back to their village.  Ukyo decided that it was best to leave Ranma alone for a couple of weeks until he got himself together.  Until then, she closed her restaurant and moved back in with her father.  
	Everyday Ranma would visit both his father’s and Akane’s graves and grieve for them both.  On one such day, something different happened.  *If only I could have been faster.  I wasn’t trying hard enough.  I should have been serious from the start of the fight.  Akane and Pops would still be here if it wasn’t for me.  I should have left in the beginning and Akane would still be alive.  I was too slow.  Akane, I love you.  Please let me die so that I can be with you.*  His tears starting to fall on the piece of marble that was Akane’s head stone.  How Ranma wished for it to be raining so that no one would she him crying, all they would see is a girl crying for a lost friend or relative.  He never noticed that watching him the whole time was not only Nodoka but Soun as well both three steps back from him and both crying for the lost they shared in Genma and Akane.  They both left to give Ranma some more time to grieve before they would tell him that he would be going home with his mother and be going to Juuban in the coming school year.
	When Ranma noticed that Nodoka and Soun had left, he pulled out the tonto that he had slipped into his shirt before they left that day.  *Akane, I have always loved you and before I got to tell you, I let you down.  You were killed because of my arrogance.  That is unforgivable.  Soon I will be with you and will be able to tell you all the things that I coludn’t when you were alive.*  
	Akane’s spirit heard him and was not willing for Ranma to take his own life.  Before she could take a physical shape, a young man stopped her.
	“Allow me to speak to him.  I may be able to talk him out of this and give you honor at the same time.”
	Akane’s spirit bowed to the man and stepped aside.  The man took on a physical shape and stood just behind Akane’s grave marker.
	“Ranma, do not do this.”
	Ranma looked up with tears coming down his eyes.  He saw a man standing before him in a purple kimono, white hakimas, purple socks and sandals with a sword at his side.
	“Wh..who are you?” Ranma asked while still in a daze.
	“I am your ancestor Himura Kenshin.  I know how you feel and I wish I could say that the hurting will stop, but it won’t.  I can say that the hurting will ease as time goes on.  You are still needed in this world to help others.  To defend them against an evil that is coming.  An evil from the past is coming back and has allied itself with an evil from beyond the stars in the sky.  You must help the people known as the Sailor Senshi to defeat them,” said the figure standing before him.
	“Why me?  I have failed the most important person in my life and have killed a person with the Art.  I am not worthy of this responsibility,” said Ranma as he shuck his head in shame.
	“You are worthy and you are necessary.  Your’s and my past are connected with these people.  You must help them defend this planet or everyone here on Earth will die.  You call yourself a martial artist but you refuse to live to the creed of helping others.”
	“ I HAVE FAILED IN THAT CREED BECAUSE I COULDN’T SAVE MY FATHER OR AKANE!!!!!” Ranma shouted at the spirit in front of him.
	“You tried your best with the knowledge you had.  If you are willing, I will teach you your family’s lost art of swordsmanship.  The art that was developed to protect the innocent and weak.  You will not fail anyone again if you will learn it.  That I promise to you on the very grave I am laid to rest in.”
	Ranma sat there in shock at what he was being offered.  He leaned over Akane’s grave and kissed the headstone *Akane, I will not fail anyone else as I have failed you.  Please strengthen me and show me the way.*  As Ranma finished his prayer to Akane, a beam of sunlight broke through the clouds that had formed at Kenshin’s entrance and hit Akane’s headstone and Ranma.  He had asked for a sign and the Kami had given him one.  *Thank you Akane*  he thought as he turned to the ghost that was now at his side.  Ranma then placed his tonto back inside his clothes so that no one would have the slightest idea what he had been there to do.
	“What do we do now?” Ranma asked while he started to walk to were Soun and Nodoka waited.
	“I will be teaching you in your sleep.  You will practice it during the day while I watch you.  You will learn this style faster than anything you have learned in your life.  That will be how it will start.  Soon you will be needed so we shall begin your training tonight.”
	With that said, the ghost merged with Ranma and disappeared.
	“I wonder what style he is going to teach me that I haven’t already learned?” Ranma asked himself.  And to his amazement a style came into his mind.
	“Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu”
	“What did you say Ranma?” Asked Nodoka as she stepped up beside him with Soun following just after.
	“Oh nothing mom, just something I heard in the wind.” he said as then he became a she as it started pouring down rain.

	*	*	*

Juuban, same day

	Inside a Shinto Shrine four girls and a shrine maiden gathered before the sacred fire.  Rei, Usagi and Mamoru and been having strange dreams and visions for the last couple of days and Rei was going to try and do a fire reading to see if the visions were real or just dreams.
	“O sacred fire show me what I need to see,” Rei chanted as she entered the trance that would allow her to see her visions.  There was the city peaceful and calm.  Then a man wrapped in bandages appeared and held his hand over half the city as another man that wearing a gray uniform held his over the other half.  Then a vision of the man in bandages fighting a man in a purple kimono and white hakamas.  Then a black headed boy dressed in a red silk chinese shirt and black pants holding a sword at his side turned around drawing the blade and killing a youma with one strike from the sword.  Then the vision ended.  Rei fall over with exhaustion.  The other girls quickly moved over to their friend.  After she came back around, she was bombarded with the same question from all four girls.
	“What did you see??”
	“Well, we definitely have a new enemy showing up.  Two in fact.  And there was someone else but I couldn’t tell who’s side he was on.  All I know is that he took down a youma with one swing of the sword he was carrying.”
	“WHAT!!!!!!!” Exclaimed the rest of the girls at hearing this.
	“Was he cute and handsome?” Asked Makoto and Minako at almost the same time.
	“I didn’t get a look at his face but he had dark hair and was wearing a red silk Chinese shirt and black pants.”
	The thought of an ally like that made both of the girls sigh audibly.
	Before Makoto got the chance to say it Usagi and Rei asked the question for her.  “I wonder if he looks like your old sempei?”
	“I don’t know but even he didn’t he would still be a good catch.”  Makoto replied as she saw herself being taking into his strong arms and held and right as he was coming in for a kiss, WHAM, “Ow, what was that for!!”
	“Wake up Makoto, we need to come up with a plan of action before this new enemy arrives.” Rei said reclaiming her sandal that she sent flying off Mako-chan’s head to make her wake up.  It was getting harder and harder to wake her up out of those daydreams of hers.
	About and hour later, Rei’s grandfather came in saying that there was a call for Ami from the Hospital.
	“This is Ami”
	“Ami, its your mother.  A friend of mine will be coming home the day after tomorrow and will be bringing back her son with her.  She just lost her husband and her son will be attending Juuban High school this year.  I was hoping that you could go over to their place tomorrow and some Ranma around a little so that he will be able to get used to this place before he starts school next week.”
	“Well...OK.  I guess I can help show him around for a little while tomorrow.”
	“Good, because they will both be coming over for diner tomorrow night as our guests.”
	“All right.  Do you want me to meet them at the train station?”
	“That would be perfect.  They are coming in on the three o’clock train from Nerima.”
	“All right mom, I will see you tonight.”
	“Bye.”
	“Goodbye.”
	Ami hung up the phone and walked back to were the others were.
	“Sorry about that.  Mom has asked me to help a friend of hers son by showing him around tomorrow.  They are just getting back from a funeral or something.  I think that the boy’s father was killed.”
	“Oh how sad, do you think you two could use some company?  Maybe he is cute and would like to have some fresh home cooking for lunch?” Makoto commented while dreaming of about how to catch this one”
	“I doubt it Mako-chan on the meal part.  They are coming in on the three o’clock train from Nerima, but he might like some more company than just me.”
	“What about dinner?” Makoto asked hopefully.
	“Mom says that they are going to be having dinner at our place that night.”
	“Darn the luck!” Makoto said as she thought of other ways to catch him.
	“I am supposed to meet him at the train station.  I think I will get there around a quarter till just to be sure I don’t miss them.”
	“OK I’ll be there”
	“So will I,” Minako chimed in after waking up form her own day dream about a new man going to the same school with them.
	Usagi, Ami, and Rei just groaned.

	*	*	*	

	That night, Kenshin taught Ranma some of the more basic stances and defenses.  When morning came, Ranma went out to the dojo and picked up one of Akane’s practice bokkens.  He started to go through the motions of the katas that he learned that night.  Somewhere in the middle of his practices Nodoka walked in and watched her son going through the katas of a sword style that she partly remembered her great grandfather doing when she was young.  
	After Ranma had finished his training Nodoka walked up and asked hi, “Where did you learn that?”
	“I don’t really know.  I had a dream about doing this kata and so I thought that I would give it a try.”
	“Well get packed son, we have a train to catch later and I want to be on time.”
	“Yes ma'am.”
	It took almost the whole day for the Saotomes to get packed for their trip home and say good-bye to the Tendo family.  They boarded the train for Juuban and relaxed the rest of the way home.  When the train arrived at its three o’clock location of Juuban, as they disembarked the train, they were meet by a trio of girls.  Ranma’s mouth hung loosely open as he stared in shock at the girl that was standing in the front of the trio.
	“A...Akane?” Ranma asked as he moved toward the girl.
	“Who?”  Ami looked puzzled for a moment.
	Ranma gathered his thoughts while Makoto and Minako drooled over the hunk that was talking to Ami.  “I’m sorry miss.  You remind me of someone very near to my heart.  My name is Saotome Ranma, and this is my mother Saotome Nodoka.”
	“Hello girls” was Nodoka’s response looking more at the two girls drooling over her son.  Her heart swelled with pride that the girls were reacting this way over her son.
	“Ah, Saotome-obaasan I am Mizuno Ami, Mizuno Hitomi’s daughter.  She told me you were coming and asked if I would mind showing Ranma around Juuban this afternoon, if it is not too much trouble.  You are also invited to our house for dinner tonight if you wish.”
	“Thank you, Ami-chan.  We would be glad to come over for dinner and I don’t have any other plans for Ranma after he unpacks so I don't see a problem with him going out with three beautiful girls.”
	“KAA-CHAN”
	“Well lets get going, shall we.” As Nodoka leads the way complete ignoring Ranma’s protests at having to be escorted around Juuban by three girls.  
	They arrived at the Saotome home a few minutes later.  Ranma went up to his room to unpack while Nodoka brought the girls into the living room so that she could tell them about a few things before they left.
	“I want you girls to know that although Ranma is single at the moment he won’t be looking right now for anyone.  What he needs are friends.  He just lost his father and his fiancee in a horrible accident in China less that a month ago.  He had just come to terms with his feelings when she died.  He never got to tell her to her face that he loved her.”
	“That’s heart breaking,” Makoto said in shock.  She understood what it was like to lose two people that you love deeply.  After all, she had lost both of her parents to a plane crash a few years ago.  
	“All right kaa-chan that’s enough talk about pop.  If you three really want to show me around let’s go now or I’ll find my own way around.”
	At the sound of that both Makoto and Minako where at his side arms in arms and leading him to the door as Ami said good-bye to Nodoka and followed her friends and their new find out the door.  The four of them spent most the afternoon walking around the area and getting familiar with the place.  It was about two hours into their walk that Ranma saw a dojo that was open for the public to use at that time for free work outs.  He untangled himself from the two girls and sprinted inside to see if he could find the sensei of the dojo.  The man he found was a Fourth Dan Black Belt of Kempo.  Ranma asked the sensei if he wouldn’t mind sparring a bit.  The sensei agreed and Ranma Began sparring with the sensei as the girls watched.  The girls and the sensei both were shocked to find out that the sensei couldn’t land a single punch or kick on Ranma.  Ranma could tell that the sensei was holding back a little.
	“You don’t need to hold back.  I need the practice of a full out spar please.”
	With that, the sensei stopped holding Back and began to unleash an all out attack on Ranma who dodged every strike and after a few minutes had the attention of everyone in the dojo.  Everyone stopped what they were doing and came over to watch this match of martial artist prowess.  When Ranma had the attention of the entire dojo he decided that it was time to go ahead and end this display.  After a full out attack he did a flipping  twist and was standing behind the sensei and touched the sensei’s head with his pinkie.  The crowd dropped dead silent for all of two seconds before they started cheering for the new winner of this contest.  Ranma started to scratch the back of his head offering an apology to the sensei for not fighting to his best.  The sensei would hear nothing of it and offered Ranma the chance to help instruct if not teach his own class, and giving him full access to the dojo.  Ranma politely declined saying he had other things to do and then he turned around to see the three girls with their respective jaws on the floor.
	“What, you were expecting me to work up a sweat?”
	Gravity caught up with the three girls as they all found themselves on the floor with Ranma offering to help each of them up.  Ranma helped the girls up and then looked at the clock.  Seeing that they still had a few hours before dinner and Ranma’s stomach warning him to eat something soon or else Ranma turned to the girls, “Do you know anyplace around here that has decent food.  I did work up an appetite just now.”
	“We could go to my place.  Its nor far from here and I am a great cook.” Makoto said with ideas for what she might fix up for Ranma.
	“OK but not to much, I will still need to have an appetite   for dinner at Ami’s in a couple of hours.  The four friends then went to Makoto’s house were she started to cook a small meal for the four of them.  In no time the meal was finished and everyone was eating.  Ami, Minako, and Makoto could only stare as all of the food on Ranma’s plate vanished in three seconds.
	“Are you any relation to Usagi?” Minako asked reclaiming her jaw from the floor.
	“WHO?  I was just practicing the Anything Goes Martial Arts Combat Feasting.”
	“WHAT????” Asked the three girls before Minako and Ami did face faults together.
	“Is that part of the Martial Arts style you used today in the dojo this afternoon?” Makoto asked with real enthusiasm.  If he could teach her a few of his moves then she would once again be a better fighter then Haruka when it comes to fighting as a Sailor Senshi.
	“It was how I learned	some of my speed, because if I wasn’t fast enough my father would steal the food right.. off.. my.. plate...” Ranma finished while lowering his head at the memory of his father.
	“That is a horrible way to treat a son,” Minako said regretting it instantly when she saw how Ranma was sitting.  All three girls came in closer to give Ranma a shoulder to cry on but Ranma was already standing up sucking back the tears.
	“Listen, don’t worry about it.  There are a lot of things that pop used to do to me that I can’t see a father doing to his only son.  Its all in the past and there is nothing that can change it.  Well let’s get going.  The food was great Mako-chan.”
	Makoto blushed beet red at being called Mako-chan by Ranma and Minako turned green with jealously.  Makoto, Ami, and Minako, got up to follow Ranma out the door.  The rest of the day was spent going through the different favorite hang outs of the girls including the mall and all of its bookstores.  In the mall, one shop caught Ranma’s attention as he went inside telling the girls that he would be right back.  When Ranma went into a sword shop the girls gave each other critical looks of ‘Oro’ and then went to the shop’s window.

	Inside to shop, Ranma walked up to the counter.  “Excuse me sir, I know you sell Katana and other bladed weapons.”
	“Yes young man we do.  What would you like?”
	“Do you carry... I’m not sure if it is called a Sakaboto, or a Sokaba.  Basically its a Katana with a reversed blade.  It was used for defense back in the Meiji Restoration era by the Battosai.”
	“We don’t get many requests for that kind of thing but I think we have one in stock.  It’s about 200 years old though.  It still looked in good condition.”
	“May I see it?”
	“Sure, just give me a minute to go to the back and get it.”
	The man went into the back and came back a few minutes later with the Sakaboto in hands and a white obi around the Sakaboto.  “Here it is.”
	“Thank you,’ Ranma said while taking the weapon.  He partially draw the sword to check it.  Yes it was a Sakaboto and it felt right in Ranma’s hand.
	“How much for the sword and the obi?”
	“How about 50,000 yen for both?”
	Ranma’s jaw dropped and he was about to place it on the table and leave when a tall woman with long green hair walked out of the back.
	“What do you want that sword for young man?”
	“It was something I saw in my dreams but there is no way I can afford it at that price.”
	“Do you know how to use it and what its used for?”
	“It was used for the protection of the people in the Meiji Restoration Era and it is used similar to a Katana but for defense only.”
	“Impressive.  Tell you what, I will give you that sword and obi if you can demonstrate the proper usage of that blade.  How does that sound.”
	“OK but outside not in this store.  Too many expensive things in here that could break.”
	“Deal, follow me.”
	As Ranma followed the woman outside he found that the three girls were giving the woman a quizzical look. 

	*What was Setsuna doing here* thought the three girls as they saw her walk out of the back and talk to Ranma.  Then they both started to walk out of the store and right past them.  They would have asked her what was up until they noticed her motioning for them to be quiet and follow.  As they followed Setsuna and Ranma, they noticed that he now had a sword hanging from his side.
	When they got outside Setsuna motioned for Ranma to begin and he did.  Flowing through the first kata he made every move perfect and slow.  When he reached the end of his kata he couldn’t resist jumping up about thirty meters in the air and coming down on a tree screaming.
	“RYU TSUI SEN”
	The tree that was standing perfectly still was then separated into two halves as Ranma pulled out the blade.  The three girls ran up to him and only Ami noticed that the Katana’s blade was backwards before Ranma resheathed the blade.  “Well, was that good enough or do you want your sword back?”
	“Keep it on your word as a martial artist that you will help those in need.”
	“Not a problem.”
	And Setsuna left to go back into the mall but was never seen inside that mall.  Instead she went back to the time gates to see how long before the Sailor Senshi’s new ally would be needed.  
	“Wow that was incredible! Where did you learn that?” asked Makoto as she stared in amazement.  She couldn’t believe what she just saw.  Even being a Sailor Senshi and knowing what she could do didn’t wake it any easier for her to see a normal man do what he just did.”
	“In a dream a few nights ago, that’s all.  It wasn’t really all that good compared to the other things that I have learned over the past few years.” Ranma replied as he began to make his way over to the bus stop so that he could get home and ready for dinner at the Mizuno’s house tonight.  
	“Hey, wait up!!” The three girls screamed as Ranma got on the bus.  
	The trip back to Ranma’s house wasn’t very eventful.  They got off at their stop and they walked up to the house.  Ranma invited the three in but Makoto and Minako had to go because they needed to meet their friends at the temple.  
	As they walked up to the door, Nodoka opened the door and looked at her son.  Her eyes went cross as she say what was at her sons side.  “Ranma what is that!!!” Nodoka screamed as she pointed to his side.
	“Relax kaa-chan, its only a Sakaboto,” Ranma said as he walked in the house with Ami right on his foot steps.
	“And where did you get that?”
	“I saw it at an antique shop and the owner told me that if I told her what its purpose and how it was be used then she would give it to me free of charge.  I explained about when it first showed up in the Meiji Era and how it was used by the reformed Battosai to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves.  After that, I showed her a kata from my dreams and she just said to keep the creed of protecting others and the sword would be mine.”
	Nodoka, flabbergasted, just looked at her soon.  She never knew that he knew so much about history, let alone a period were records of the mysterious samurai known as the Battosai.  She looked at her son with a renewed pride as he set the Sakaboto in the sword stand above his mother’s Katana.  Nodoka walked over to her son and gave him a hug. “You have made me proud with what you know.  Did you know that my great-great-grandfather was Himura Kenshin?”
	“Yes mother I know.  He was the Battosai had his fighting style was called the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.”
	“Well if you know so much why didn’t you tell me.  I could have shown you some of the swordsmanship techniques that have been passed down through our family.”
	“Because you don’t know the actual style and I am remembering it.  After I know it I will try to teach you some of the simple technique of the style.  Deal?”
	“Deal.  Oh, Ami-chan.  I almost forgot you where here.  Please make yourself comfortable.  Ranma go up stairs and change so that we may leave to the Mizuno’s house before dinner gets too cold.”
	“Yes Kaa-chan.  See you in a minute Ami-san.”
	“He is so well mannered,” Nodoka commented as she started making small talk with Ami until Ranma came back down.
	“All right Mom, let’s go.”
	The three of them then went to dinner at the Mizuno’s where they laughed talked and ate until it was late.  Saying their good-byes, Nodoka and Ranma left to go home.  School would be starting the day after tomorrow so Ranma needed to get registered tomorrow.  That meant Ami would be coming over first thing to show Ranma where the school was.  Another day with the girl that reminded him so much of Akane.  He didn’t know if he would be able to take the pain of seeing her everyday and being reminded of the person he had loved and failed to save.

	*	*	*	

The next morning...

	Ranma had gotten training again that night from Kenshin and was practicing what he had learned before he was to go to school that day.  Ranma noticed that since training with Kenshin in his dreams he had almost quadrupled his speed and reflexes.  This was better training than the Amaguriken had been for him in terms of speed.  He couldn’t half believe how fast he was getting.  Nodoka telling Ranma that Ami had arrived to take him to school registration at Juuban High school shocked him out of his revelation.
	“OK Kaa-chan I’ll be right there.”
	Ranma run up to his room and out on the Juuban boys uniform.  He hated wearing a school uniform but since his mother had insisted he had agreed.  Well agreed isn’t quiet the word since Nodoka had wanted him to go ahead and go to school as a girl so that if something were to happen that included water, then his secret would be safe.  Ranma had reminded Nodoka that Ami already knew that he was a boy and she would figure out Ranma’s curse if he went as a girl.  So they had compromised on Ranma going in male form with the school uniform.
	“Morning Ami-chan,” Ranma said as he flew down the steps to grab Ami before starting a mad dash in the direction of school.  To Ami’s surprise, he never slowed down with the extra weight of her, even though she didn’t weigh all that much.  In five minutes flat, they had made it to the school with ten minutes to spare before they had to begin the registration process.  
	After four hours of orientation and scheduling changes, Ranma had managed to get Makoto, Minako, Ami, and their friend Usagi all in the same class this year.  Lunch rolled around and he got to see why the girls had made the comment about Usagi being a relative of his.  The girl ate about as fast as he could and it seemed as if she had been doing it for years.  
	“Does she always eat like that?”
	“Yes, if we don’t watch out she will even steal our food as well.” Said Makoto as she cradled her lunch even closer.  “Oh.. Here.  I made this for you last night.”  Makoto hands Ranma a rather large box lunch.  
	“You’ve done that for me Mako-chan Not fair WAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!” Usagi screams as she sees what Makoto had done for Ranma.
	“Relax Usagi-chan.  You can have what I don’t finish.  I’m supposed to be on a training diet anyway.”
	“Thank You Ranma-kun”
	Ranma groaned at this.  The last thing he needed was more fiancees or more women trying to get him to marry them.  He looked up in time to see an older man walking up.  Before he could say a word, Usagi was up and running into his open arms.
	“I was wondering when Mamoru would show up.”
	“Who is he?” Ranma asked Makoto
	“He is Usagi’s boyfriend and future husband.”
	“Thank the Kami!”
	“What made you say that?”
	“Before I left Nerima, my father had me engaged to three people and one lunatic gymnast wanted me to marry her.  The gymnast was locked away for insanity after she almost poisoned herself trying to get a mixture right to use on me, one of the fiancees was taken back to China after she lost a marriage challenge.  Another one that my pop tried to hock me up with left after my first fiancee who I really loved was killed in an accident in China about a month ago.”
	Everyone was left speechless after Ranma had finished.  No one ever thought that one man could have such a past and be able to talk so calmly about it.  They did realized however that after mentioning the fiancee he lost he got real quite like he was the one who had killed her.  No one said anything until Mamoru and Usagi walked over to them, ”Why the glum faces everyone?  I know school isn’t that bad, is it?”
	“Nah its nothing.  Hi my name’s Saotome Ranma, and you must be Chiba Mamoru right?”
	“Yes but you seem to have me at a slight disadvantage here, have we met before?”
	“Nope, Mako-chan told me who you were.”
	“OK so you are new to this area?”
	“Yah, I just transferred here from Nerima and Ami-chan is showing me around.  Her mother and my mother are good friends after all.”
	“Well that is nice to hear.  I guess I will be seeing more of you around then right.  Ranma...Ranma what’s wrong?”
	Just then everyone noticed that Ranma was staring at the black cat with a crescent moon shape on her forehead and started to go nuts backing away slowly
	“C..c..c..ca...ca...ca...CAAAAAAAATTTTT!!!!!!!”  Ranma screamed as he went flying off faster then anyone thought possible.  Mamoru and Usagi just looked back and forth at each other and at Luna who had come to visit Usagi at school.
	“What was all that about I wonder?” Asked Luna as Makoto, Minako, and Ami went sprinting off after Ranma to try and calm him down.  When they caught up with him, he was up a tree and panting so quickly they thought that he would hyperventilate.  They slowly talked him down form the tree.
	“What happened back there Ranma?” Makoto asked with real concern in her eyes.
	“I.....Hate.....c...c...ca...ca...those ‘c’ things.  They make me go nuts.”
	“Ah, ailurophobia.  Pathological fear of cats.”
	“Yah that.  I’ve hated them ever since my father tried this stupid training called the Neko-Ken.  It was supposed to give the master of the Neko-ken a supreme power, but it would also include a fear of all felines.  The training did work but not the way pops thought it would.  Now, anytime my fear of them gets the best of me I go nuts and turn into a one of them until someone brings me out of it.  The only people to ever bring me out of it were a kindly old lady and Akane.  Both of them are dead now so I don’t know what will happen if I go into that again.”
	“What a horrible father.  Who could do that to his only child?  Its not right.” Commented Minako and realizing that Ranma wouldn’t be able to come around Artemis.  *Got to think of a way around that problem.  Maybe we can go on a date while I have Artemis stay home.  That might work*  Minako’s thoughts were interrupted Ami dragged Minako back with her to tell Usagi what happened and to see if she could get Luna to go home.  Makoto took the opportunity to make her move.
	“Ranma-kun, would be like to come over to my house for a little get together with a few friends?”
	“I guess, sure.  Are your parents going to be there?”
	“I don’t have any parents.  They both died in a plane crash a few years ago.”
	“I...I...I’m sorry.  I didn’t know.”
	“Its Ok, Ranma, I’ve lived with it for a while and I know how you are feeling.  If you need anything, let me know.  I might be able to help you.”
	“Thanks”
	“Come on, we have the rest of the day to get ready for the party and I would like your help!”
	“What do I need to do?”
	“Silly, I need a _strong_ man like you to carry all of those _heavy_ groceries for me.”
	As Ranma blushes, “ Ok... I guess”
	“Good, follow me.” Makoto says as she takes Ranma’s hand and starts leading him around town to get their supplies for tonight.  On the way off the school grounds Makoto stops long enough to tell the others that there would be a party at her house for Ranma and to invite everyone but the cats.
	After about two hours of shopping, Ranma and Makoto had all of the supplies they would need and were heading back to her place.  They dropped off the groceries and Ranma told Makoto that he needed to get something from his house and would be back in time for the party.  Going home, Ranma retrieved his Sakaboto and told Nodoka that he had been invited to a party over at Makoto’s place and would be back late.  Nodoka didn’t have a problem with it. In fact, she had sent him on with a cake for the party that she had just finished herself.
	Armed with the cake and his Sakaboto, Ranma left for Makoto's apartment.  He had walked about three blocks when he was hit by the water of an old Lady ladling her front walk.  Ranma cursed her luck at this thinking to herself that she would have to find some hot water before he got there.  Luckily the cake didn’t get wet.  As he strolled down the street, he got a weird sensation of trouble right before a very large Youma broke through the store front of a bakery shop with the owner in his hands.  Ranma dropped the cake and went to save the shop keeper.   He had heard of the Sailor Sensei being in this area and knew they would come, but if he didn’t do something now then the old man would be killed.  Ranma flew in screaming, as he performed the first technique Kenshin had ever taught him, The Battou Jutsu.  His strike caused the youma so much pain that he dropped the man right into Ranma’s waiting arms.  Ranma then took the unconscious man out of harms way turned around to face the Youma and did the next technique that he learned.
	“DO RYU SEN,” as Ranma pulls the Sakaboto up from the pavement causing a dust cloud to raise from himself to the Youma and temporarily blinding the Youma.  With the Youma being blind Ranma decided to circle around so that he could keep the Youma off its toes until the Sensei arrived.  Right as the dust was clearing Ranma sprinted right past the Youma 
	“RYU KAN SEN” as he placed the blade right into the back of the Yoma’s head which stunned the Youma even longer.  Ranma was just about to ask how long it would take for the Sailor Sensei to arrive when out of nowhere,
	“SPARKLING VITAL PRESSURE”
	“MARS FLAME SNIPER”
	“WORLD SHAKING”
	“DEEP SUBMERGE”
	“VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN” 
	“Now Sailor Moon!!!!”
	“MOON GORGEOUS MEDITATION”
	“Lovely” is the last thing the Youma says before it turns to dust.
	“Thanks Sailor Senshi, I didn’t know how long I could hold him off.  OH NOOOOOO!!!!  I’m late.  Sorry, I gotta go.  Bye” Ranma says as she grabs the cake and runs off to find some hot water and get to Makoto’s before they went looking for her, leaving all of the Sailor Sensei to do a facefault at the girl who had just held off a Youma all by herself.
	“Oh no, Ranma will be getting back to my place any minute and if we’re not there he might leave.  Come on let’s go!” Jupiter screamed as the all seven sensei started bounding across the roof tops to get back home before Ranma did.  
	Ranma got to the party about two minutes after the girls arrived and he had managed to find some hot water.  The party went well everyone got enough to eat.  Ranma began training Usagi in Anything Goes Martial Arts Combat Feasting as the others watched in awe.  Introductions were made all the way around before Ranma went home for the evening.  
	After Ranma left, Setsuna popped in and called a quick meeting of the Sailor Senshi.
	“There is a new enemy coming our way.  You have arlready meet the individual who will be helping us during this time and from now on.  Unfortunately, this time we don’t have to worry about one threat.  We have two.  One comes from the past, the other from beyond our Solar System.  It looks like without working together we won’t be able to stop them.  It will be your job to find our new allay and help her to see that she needs to work with us otherwise we are all doomed.”
	“Who is she Setsuna?” Asked Usagi with a mouth full of the cake that Ranma had left.
	“She is called the Rurounin Knight, a cousin of Prince Endymoin.”

To be continued . . . . .