I would like to thank Josh Temple, Stratagemini and Ozzallos for taking a gander at this and offering hints, suggestions and their thoughts; and a special thanks to J St C Patrick for the suggestion for the name of the cat along with a extra Texas-size "thanks" for his spelling and grammar checks.

If I missed anyone or misspelled their names, I apologize.

I don't own any of these characters or situations. They belong to someone else. Also this is done purely for fun and not profit. Any resemblance to persons living, dead, yet to be born, or visiting from other dimensions is purely coincidental. I'm doing this for fun.

Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Boldly going where others had gone before, and meekly going where few have been.


------
------

"Ahhhh!" Ranma exclaimed in a half-scream as she fought to urge to back away.

"It's all right. You're doing fine," Dr. Welbi encouraged.

"Easy for you to say," Ranma ground out as she tried not to run in a full screaming fit from the room.

The objects of Ranma's discomfort played in front of her, unmindful of Ranma's outburst which was caused when one of the "damned fur-bound hellions" flopped in Ranma's direction. The two kittens, one black, the other a tabby, played with each other and what used to be a ball of yarn, oblivious to the amount of distress that they were causing.

"Remember: They won't intentionally hurt you," Dr. Welbi reminded. "They're just babies."

"I know, I know!" Ranma said loudly in spite of the soothing and calm way in which the Doctor spoke. One of the playing kittens pounced on the other, making Ranma wince. Beads of sweat popped from her forehead. "It wouldn't so bad if it weren't so hot in here."

"It's not hot, that is you," Dr. Welbi said soothingly. "Try to do those relaxation exercises I showed you. It helped last time didn't it?"

"But that was with one c-cat, not two," Ranma complained.

"The principle is still the same," Dr. Welbi gently affirmed. Not seeing the desired response, she sighed. "Look at me."

Ranma gladly tore her eyes away from the two playing demons and focused on the short, blue-haired women. She was a half a head taller than Ranma's current gender and appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Her violet eyes seemed to pierce through Ranma's fear. "Now, deep breaths," she commanded in a gentle way while making breathing motions with her hands.

Drawing in a deep breath, Ranma held it within her and slowly let the air escape. She repeated this three times.

"Better?"

Nodding, Ranma closed her eyes a moment and reopened them. "Yeah," she finally said. The panic was diminished somewhat. "A little better."

"Good," Dr. Welbi said as she scooted over to where Ranma was sitting cross-legged. Unlike Dr. Okamoto's, Dr. Welbi's practice room was a barren room with a large mat on the floor. "Now I would like you to sit here and watch the kittens," Dr. Welbi continued. "Do not be alarmed if they come toward you - just relax - all right?"

"I'll try - no promises though," Ranma replied with effort as she just spied the black kitten look at her with curiosity.

"It'll be fine," Dr. Welbi affirmed. She then placed a calming hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Noir is just curious, that's all."

"Well, can't she be curious somewhere else?" Ranma exclaimed as she shuddered again.

Sighing heavily this time, Dr. Welbi moved to intercept the small cat before it got too close to the now quaking redhead. She moved smoothly to scoop up the other kitten and then placed both into an open-topped cardboard box that was in the corner of the room. It was tall enough to prevent escapes. "You were doing fine before; making real progress. What happened?"

"Sorry doc- er, I mean, Dr. Welbi," Ranma stammered. "It was just that having two of them - this close - was a bit much... it was freakier than normal..."

"I see... have you been looking at those books I recommended?"

"Yeah," Ranma answered. "The problem is I don't get as... scared with pictures as I do with the real thing."

Dr. Welbi looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ranma, we are going to go back to one cat for a while," she finally said. "Once we get you as comfortable as we can, I would like you to consider getting yourself one."

"What?!"

"We had desensitized you enough that you were actually holding a kitten in your lap," Dr. Welbi explained. "I think that a more constant exposure will prove beneficial."

"I don't like it..."

"It doesn't have to be done right away," Dr. Welbi said in her soothing way. "But it would help your progress."

"Okay... I'll think about it," Ranma said with obvious reluctance in her voice.

"You have come along way Ranma," Dr. Welbi said wearing a smile. "It was only a short month ago that one little kitten would send you screaming and passing out on the floor."

The pigtailed girl just looked down and bushed in embarrassment.

"And except for a few times that you were surprised, you had mentioned that seeing a cat outside of therapy doesn't alarm you as much as it used to."

"Yeah... I guess...," Ranma softly agreed. She still didn't care for it though.

The room fell silent except for the sound of two playing kittens coming from the box across the room.

"Er... well... same time next week?" Ranma asked uncomfortably as she rose from her spot on the mat.

"Certainly," the Doctor replied as she brushed some stray hairs from her eyes. "We will then sit down with your mother and discuss getting you a kitten."

"Oh man."

----------

Ranma sighed. She would have sighed deeply if it weren't for the smell of the place. The mixture of pine and sanitizer were fine, it was the animal smells that were troubling. Or spelled trouble. Whatever. When she and Dr. Welbi stepped out into the waiting room, Nodoka had asked how the session went and Ranma just had to blurt everything out. Dr. Welbi was slightly amused at Ranma's creative description of a kitten, but explained calmly to Nodoka what the intent was and how it would help. Of course Ranma's mother thought the idea grand and that "now was as good a time as any" to get one. The Doctor pointed out that it didn’t have to be done right away and Ranma should get comfortable with the idea first, but seeing how pleased her mother was about the whole thing, Ranma wasn't in the mood to decline.

"I just had to mention the doctor's suggestion that I get a kitten. I just had to say it," Ranma groused to herself with great unease. "I just had to open my big, fat mouth and tell my mom everything that happened in the doctor's office."

"Which one do you like?" Her mother asked as she watched several kittens romp in a plexiglas enclosure. She smiled as a tan and white striped kitten pounced on a black one playfully. "They're all so cute, don't you think?"

Turning to face her daughter, Nodoka was dismayed to find that Ranma had eased about as far from the kitten pen as possible and still count as being inside the pet store. Nodoka sighed. She knew that this was going to be hard, though she had talked to the doctor, heard the stories and did some research herself, she never imagined that Ranma's fear would run so deep. Though she had learned about her child's "training" in the Cat-Fist many years ago, she never really connected it to anything tangible; it seemed too ludicrous to be real. Now faced with a cringing, frightened red-head, Nodoka summoned her most comforting voice to calm her child before Ranma's fear went too far.

"Ranma," she said gently. "Come here, please. They won't hurt you and besides, they are confined in the pen."

Ranma slowly walked toward the pen, stopped and backed away. "I can't... there are too many of them."

"They can't reach you," Nodoka softly reminded.

"Mom," Ranma said with pleading eyes. "When I look down on those... things in the pen, it's like looking down into a pit. I can't - I just can't go near them."

Nokoda looked at Ranma and then back down at the mass of playing kittens in the pen. Except for the transparency of the pen's sides, it did resemble looking down at a pit filled with cats.

"Oh dear," said as she realized her child's fear. Facing away from Ranma so that she couldn’t see her frown, Nodoka wrestled with the problem. She really wanted Ranma to be the one to pick out the cat.... "How about," she paused in thought. "How about you stay over there, and I carry them to you one at a time so you can look at them? Would that work?"

Ranma firmed up her lip. One cat at a time. That's not too bad, right? She could handle that, right? She did during therapy, so why not here? "Okay," she agreed. "But only one at a time."

"That's fine, dear," Nodoka reassured. Bending over, she scooped up a kitten with an orange-ish coat and cradled it in her arms. It mewed in a tiny voice. "Let's start with this one."

-------

Exhaling deeply, Ranma regarded her mostly male body in the mirror. His eyes focused on his face and hair. Gone was any trace of red in the jet black mass that framed his face and trailed down in a pigtail that now hung about mid shoulders. He passed over his thicker, more muscular arms to his broad chest, absent of breasts – at least the feminine kind, and couldn't help but flex the thick muscles causing his biceps to bounce. Continuing down, Ranma's gaze flowed over the hard, muscular abs that sloped down to...

“I'm almost there,” Ranma thought gleefully. “If I wanted to, I could pass myself off as a guy.” Ranma examined further down more closely and winced at what s/he saw. Though it would have passed a cursory glance, Ranma knew himself will enough to tell the difference and having a hybrid gonad was disconcerning.“Until I had to use the bathroom – damn.”

“Oh well,” Ranma thought offhandedly as s/he reentered the bathing room. “I've waited this long, what's a little longer?” With that s/he splashed her/himself with cold water from the tap, triggering the change into one gender, before returning to the changing room. “In a few days... a week tops I'll be back to normal.”

Pausing as she dressed, Ranma latched onto that idea. “Normal.” Pursing her lips as she delved deeper into her feelings. “When did I start thinking of the curse as normal? Oh well, normal for me,” she concluded offhandedly as she finished dressing, pushing anymore thoughts on the matter aside.

After checking in the mirror to make sure she was presentable, Ranma exited the bathroom and made her way to the kitchen.

“Morning, mom,” Ranma greeted.

“Good morning, Ranma,” Nodoka replied. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yup,”Ranma said. “Say, is pops- er, father up yet? I wanna – I mean, I'd like to go over some martial arts stuff with him.” Ranma had been making a conscious effort to 'clean up' her speech; it seemed to make her mother happy.

“I believe he is out on the back porch,” Nodoka answered as she checked the taste of the miso. “If not, check the garden.”

After a short search, Ranma found her father surveying the small garden located in a corner of the property. Ranma stood behind his gi-clad father and studied him as Genma leaned on his cane. After a moments contemplation, Ranma made her presence known.

“Say pops,” Ranma said in an informal tone, “I gotta ask you something.”

“What is it boy?” Genma asked as he shifted in a half turn to better look at his offspring.

”I'm... I've been trying to control get some control over the Cat-fist,” Ranma explained. “That doc I'm going to has been helping me get over my fear of cats, but I'm trying to figure out how to, well, how to generate the ki claws and stuff without having to... er, freak out first.”

“Ahh... it's good to see that you are still dedicated to the art,” Genma said, happiness leaking into his voice as he hobbled slightly toward Ranma. "What have you tried?"

“Er... yeah,” Ranma said. “Well, I tried pushing my ki to my fingertips, but all I managed to do was make a bunch of useless ki balls."

"Hmmm...," Genma hummed as his eyes narrowed into slits as he pondered Ranma's problem. All was quiet between father and child for a moment - a long moment. Long enough that Ranma felt the need to say something.

"Er... any ideas?" Ranma prompted as she watched her father lean against his cane, deep in thought.

It was then Ranma picked up the tell-tale sounds of soft snoring coming from her father.

"You... you," Ranma began, enraged that her father could simply fall asleep when she had something serious that she needed help with. She reared back one leg with the intent of kicking the supporting cane out from underneath the sleeping man - and froze.

She looked at her father and instead of seeing the active and strong man she remembered, she saw a tired, old man. Lowering her foot, she sighed and reached out with a hand and gently shook her father's shoulder.

"Hey, Pops. you in there?" She asked.

"Humm? Oh, Ranma," Genma said in slight surprise.

"You have any ideas?" Ranma repeated after she made sure her father was awake and aware.

"Have you tried forming anything else besides claws?" Genma asked.

"No," Ranma replied with a shrug. "I figure that since I was able to make claws when I went c-cat," she paused to compose herself; cats couldn't hurt her now. "I should be able to do it without going, er... cat."

"Hmmm," Genma hummed again. "Perhaps you should try forming something you are more familiar with; like a knife or a katana."

Ranma blinked at her father; her father had just made a reasonable suggestion. Instead of trying to make something that was alien to her, try something familiar. It was obvious in retrospect, but at the time elusive. "Thanks pop," she said. "I'll give that a try."

"Let me know how it turns out," Genma said as Ranma retired back into the house.

----

Her hand trembled as she tried to force the small balls of ki into cohesion. They flittered about at her fingertips, wavering and dancing, merging and elongating before turning into a simple sphere. With a mighty sigh, Ranma banished the small, bright ki ball.

"Arrrrgh," a frustrated Ranma howled. "Three hours, three freakin' hours of nothing," she thought bitterly as she quickly wiped her face with a already sweat-dampened towel and just as quickly discarded it onto the floor. "I can't even manage to make a butter knife, much less a katana."

Controlling her frustration, Ranma moved into some cool down stretches while thinking over her current lack of progress. "How in the hell did I do it?" She pondered. "There's gotta be a way... hell, even Herb was able to do something with his ki... how in the hell did he do it?"

She stretched out a leg, while crunching on the other. "I can throw ki balls around like baseballs... why am I having such a hard time with this?"

Further thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Ranma?" her mother's voice called. "Is everything all right? I heard you call out."

Sighing, Ranma stood as she replied. "Yes mom, I'm just trying to get something right."

"Anything I can do to help?" Came the question from the other side of the door.

"I don't think so... not unless you know about chi and ki control."

"You're right, I don't think I can help. Can I come in?"

"Umm... sure," Ranma answered as she straightened up. Bending over, she picked up the towel from where she had tossed it and padded her hands and face off as her mother entered the room.

"Eww..." Nodoka exclaimed. "Sorry dear, but you reek."

"Eh... sorry mom," Ranma said as she pulled on her pigtail. "I kinda got carried away."

"I see. Wouldn't the backyard, the park or perhaps even the Tendo dojo be a better place to work out than your bedroom?" Nodoka asked as her eyes flicked across the room. "There would be more room."

"Yeah, but I ain't... er, that is, I'm not doing anything really psychical - it's mostly mental," Ranma explained.

"I see...," Nodoka mused. "What are you trying to do?"

"Well...," Ranma temporized, for some reason she felt a little uncomfortable talking to her mother about it. "I started out trying to use the Cat-fist without going cat," she explained. "But I couldn't do it. Pops suggested that instead of trying to make ki-claws that I try by making something more familiar - like a knife."

"Out of ki?" Nodoka asked.

"Yeah," Ranma replied with a slight nod. "I don't understand it, I can throw ki balls around... make my ki hot or cold... hell I think I have about as much ki as the Freak or the Old Ghoul but I can't figure out why I can't make something from it."

"Hmmm...," Nodoka hummed alound, her face a mask of concentration. "It sounds to me that you are saying that you can generate ki and use it - provided if what you need to use it for is rather broad."

"Huh?"

"I mean, you can make ki and use it - but you don't have fine control over it."

Pondering that, Ranma nodded in agreement to her mother's assessment. "Yeah... I guess my control is pretty... er, wide."

"What can you make now?"

"Useless little balls of ki on my fingertips instead of claws," Ranma replied sourly. "When I tried to make a knife or anything like that, all I got was a bigger ball of ki."

"Hmmm...," Nokoka thoughtfully hummed. "I think you are trying to walk before you can crawl, Ranma. I think you need to focus on trying to make simple shapes first."

"Huh?"

"Look at it this way: The sphere is the simplest shape there is - that is what you tell me you are making with your ki, right?"

Ranma nodded.

"So instead of jumping in and making something as complex as a sword or anything else," Nodoka continued. "Try to make your ki into another geometric shape... like a cube or something."

"But... but what good would that be?"

Sighing, Nodoka tried again. "The point is to not get a sword right off the bat, the point is to develop finer control over your ki. It sounds to me that you have to establish that before moving on to something more complex."

"Ohh...," Ranma drawled out as it dawned on her what her mother was getting at. "I see, you're saying that I'm moving too fast... trying to get to the end before I worked up to it."

"Exactly."

"Hmm...," Ranma hummed. "You know... that ain't a bad idea." She then smiled a wide smile at her mother. "Thanks mom."

"You're welcome," Nodoka beamed, then wrinkled her nose a bit. "Now why don't you get cleaned up. Lunch is almost ready. Don't forget, you have to spend some time with Tomo."

"I know, I know," Ranma muttered. "Stupid de-sensation stuff."

"And empty his litter box."

"Ugh."

----

Sighing, Ranma plopped herself onto the floor, next to the low table.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" She groused to herself. "Nothing is the same."

Despite how close things seemed to be, the glaring fact that this was not her time - her world - asserted itself every now and then. She sat and fumed a few moments. It was maddening. Ranma wasn't even sure what set her off this time or why these 'episodes' seemed to come and go as they pleased. The doctor said that it was normal to feel this way given the circumstances, but Ranma felt little comfort from that fact.

Sighing, she looked out the window from her seat by the table and at the darkening skies. The weather had been threatening all day, but that was not the cause of her current mood. "So what the hell was it this time?" She wondered to herself while mentally going over where she had been and what she had done to trigger this particular bout of depression.

Nothing came to mind. Feeling a slight nudge in her lap, Ranma idly reached down and stroked the black and white kitten that had just nested in her lap; she didn't even flinch. Sighing again, Ranma let the quietness of the room fill her, only the gentle purring of Tomo could be heard. Ranma didn't like it, but grudgingly admitted that the sessions with the Dr. Welbi were working. She had the kitten for a few weeks and already was getting used to him. Except for the one time that the kitten accidently clawed her - which freaked her out - all the small animal wanted was to be fed, played with and petted.

Ranma looked down and smiled a nervous smile. Wild horses couldn't drag this out of her, but privately she had begun to think of Tomo as 'cute' and in some weird way found that hearing him purr alleviated some of the funk that she found herself in time to time. She gave the small cat a long stroke down his body and was rewarded by the kitten stretching out to soak up the rub.

"Heh," Ranma muttered as she continued to relax, the cat was throughly enjoying itself.

Smiling fully now that her depression was now forgotten, Ranma extended her senses outside the room, she half-felt, half-heard her mother in another part of the house. Her father had left hours earlier to make another visit to the Tendo dodo and that worried her. "What are you up to old man?" Ranma wondered. "Just one more stupid thing to worry about."

Shaking her head free of that thought, she was determined not to have her now good mood be ruined. Still stroking Tomo, she reached over with her free hand and idly fingered a book that rested on the table - one that she had promised her mother that she would read and do a report on. Ranma personally didn't care for the book, but according to her mother, she would have to take placement exam to get into high school and since a good education was important...

"This sucks," Ranma thought as she tried and not to think too much. "Why do I have to go to school anyway? It's not like I'll use math, geology or any of that other stuff..." Sighing, Ranma reluctantly picked up the book and rested on the table top. "But then again, if I knew more about what was going on, I might have avoided a lot of crap that came my way."

Thumbing to a page with a folded over corner, she laid the book flat and began to read. Between getting used to and taking care of Tomo and studying, she found it was easier to avoid depression by distraction than to mull over things she couldn't change. Soon she was engrossed in the story about a bunch of kids stranded on some island and reverting to savages. She thought the story dull at first, but stuck with it. After a undetermined amount of time, a knock came from the front door.

"I'll get it," Ranma announced to the house. Smoothly and carefully placing the now sleeping and still purring kitten on one of the pillows that surrounded the low table, she rose and made her way to the front of the house.

Sliding the door open, Ranma found an elderly woman waiting for her at the entrance. Though she didn't look any older than her own mother, Ranma got the impression that she had been aged by life beyond her years. Studying the woman, Ranma felt that she should know this person for some reason, but no names surfaced. The white haired, slightly hunched woman stood and stared at Ranma, waiting patiently for her to finish her assessment.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Ranma said as a greeting, only after she realized how rude she was being. "You just look familiar. Um, may I help you?"

"You're Ranma Saotome, are you?" The woman asked. Ranma then noticed the woman's eyes, there were heavy bags as if she hadn't slept in days and continued to wonder at their familiarity.

"Yes... ma'am," Ranma replied hesitantly as a creepy feeling came over her. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"May I come in, please?" The woman asked as she eyed the sky.

Blinking a few times, Ranma stepped to the side. "Please, I'm sorry to have been so rude."

"Think nothing of it," the woman said in a wavering voice as she followed Ranma into the main room. "Tell me, is you mother home?"

"Yes, she is."

"Would you please get her," the woman's voice cracked at that moment. "I have business with both of you."

Soon after settling the woman down by the table, opposite from the still sleeping kitten, Ranma disappeared and soon returned following her mother. Both Saotomes sat down at the table and across from their guest. Ranma carefully moved the sleeping Tomo out of the way.

"I am Mrs. Saotome," Ranma's mother greeted the visitor with a bow. "I understand that you have some business with my child and I?"

"Yes. I am here-"

"Don't tell me," Ranma interrupted with a heavy sigh, "my pops engaged me to you over twenty years ago. Right?"

The stranger blinked once, then shook her head. Eventually she let out a hollow sounding laugh. "No. No, that's is not why I'm here."

"Ranma, manners please," Nodoka gently admonished. "Why don't you introduce us?"

Opening her mouth, Ranma realized at that moment that she had neglected to get the woman's name. "Er," she floundered about. "Um... I didn't... er, quite get your name."

Nodoka sighed and tried not to roll her eyes. Though Ranma's manners had improved, she still had lapses.

"My name is Kikiyo Gosunkugi," the seated woman said evenly with a slight bow. "I am Hikaru's mother."

Ranma's stomach tightened at the sound of the name. It was as if a knot had formed and there and started to heat up as she reigned the sudden rise in her emotions.

"I have come to understand that my late son was responsible for your - situation," Kikiyo said respectfully.

Ranma's mouth formed a thin line and, not trusting his mouth, remained silent.

"Yes," Nodoka replied. "He had used a magic knife of some sort and... stabbed my child with it."

"I see," Kikiyo said. She then bowed deeply and continued in a voice that was laced with a mixture of sadness and regret. "Though I know what happened was unforgivable, I have come to beg forgiveness on behalf of the Gosunkugi's. Perhaps if I was a better mother - or Hiro was a better father... Please, I beg forgiveness on behalf of the family and my late son," she finished with a deep bow that she held.

Looking down, Mrs. Gosunkugi missed the storm of emotions that were playing across Ranma's features. Shock was replaced by anger that made the redhead's face turn a slight shade of purple. Then, it looked as if the anger that had risen suddenly bled off as quickly as it formed, leaving Ranma slightly pale looking. Finally, a mask of calm came over her.

Nodoka carefully watched as her child fought through the gamut of emotions.

"It's... okay," Ranma managed to work out. "Um, I - I... forgive you."

Mrs. Gosunkugi rose from her bow and looked at the redhead across from her. "And my son?"

"Sure," Ranma said with a relaxed nonchalance shrug. "I mean... why not? It was a long time ago."

Over the next thirty minutes the three engaged in some small talk until Mrs. Gosunkugi excused herself. Upon standing, Ranma couldn't help but notice that it looked as if a great weight or burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Escorting Mrs. Gosunkugi to the front door, Ranma managed to see her off with a certain amount of polite detachment; internally she felt a dark mood clawing at her.

As if to fit the mood Ranma was shifting to, it started to sprinkle. Mrs. Gosunkugi removed a small, fold-away umbrella from her bag and opened it. Ranma stared after her as she made her way from the house, to the gate, and onto the sidewalk. Ranma continued to watch through the open doorway as the grey-haired woman made her way down the sidewalk, crossed a street four blocks down, and disappeared around a corner. She felt her mother come up behind her.

"How do you feel?" Nodoka asked Ranma after Mrs. Gosunkugi had disappeared from view.

"I'm okay," Ranma replied as gruffly as she could manage while folding her arms for effect.

Nodoka sighed. "Please," she half-begged.

Continuing to stare out into the now heavy rain, Ranma answered. "I wanted to scream at her that I hated her son and that I was sorry that he was dead because that meant that I couldn't kill him myself."

Nodoka sucked in a silent breath at the bitterness in her child's voice. She remained silent as Ranma continued to look out into the rainy streets, her voice raising slightly as she spoke. "I wanted to tell her that her son destroyed everything that I had. I wanted to tell her that her son deserved to die the way he did - like the coward he was. I wanted to tell her that I hoped Goz's soul was burning somewhere. I wanted to tell her that there was nothing that she or her family could do the earn any forgiveness from me."

Nodoka waited for Ranma to finish her tirade - and after that still remained silent. Ranma turned to face her mother with anguish etched into her features. The shorter redhead looked as if some of her life had been driven from her.

"Dammit mom," Ranma whispered out hoarsely. "I want revenge."

Nodoka stepped closer and slide her arms around her child and drew her into a firm hug.

"I wanted to hurt her, mom. I really wanted to hurt her," Ranma said, her voice muffled by Nodoka's shoulder.

"But you didn't," Nodoka said as she stroked Ranma's hair. In their embrace, Nodoka could feel Ranma's heartbeat like a trip hammer against her. "You forgave her, son. Didn't you?"

Voice shuddering with emotion, Ranma replied into her mother's shoulder. "No, I lied."

Nodoka's arms tightened around the smaller girl. "What?"

"What good would it have done?" Ranma asked rhetorically. "If I told her those things, would it have took me back where I belong? Would it have changed anything?" Nodoka continued to hold her daughter as she went on. "It might have made me feel better - but not for long... and all I would have done is hurt someone who was not responsible for what Goz did."

"Oh Ranma," Nodoka whispered into her ear.

"It's okay," Ranma whispered back. "I'll be okay."

"Is there anything you want me to do?"

Breaking the embrace, Ranma shook her head. "No... I mean... there's nothing you can do..."

Feeling something brushing against her leg, Ranma looked down and was unsurprised to see her cat brushing up beside her. It let out a demanding 'meow'. Ranma, in spite of her dark mood, smiled as she scooped up the kitten and held it up to eye level. Tomo let out another demanding 'meow'.

"Seems like someone's hungry," Ranma commented.

"I should start some dinner as well," Nodoka said as she noted Ranma's lightening mood. It seemed getting a pet had not only helped her get over a lot of her fear of cats, but had the side affect of emotionally grounding Ranma more.

----------

Not bothering to even pick through the stack of aging magazines, Ranma contented herself with being bored. "I knew I shouldn't have come so early" Ranma she concluded. "Next time I'll plan on leaving the house later," she thought, even though she knew her mother would make sure she left in plenty of time to arrive at the doctors office. "Maybe I can goof off somewhere before showing up."

Sighing, she recalled back to her first visit here - it seemed like a long time ago, but in reality it was a little over a month and a half - and how touched she was that Dr. Ono came along for moral support - something that her father didn't think was necessary. "That was kinda nice of Tofu," Ranma mused to herself. "I wonder why pops can't... be more helpful..."

"Miss Saotome, the doctor will see you now," the receptionist announced, breaking Ranma out of her bored stupor.

"Come in Ranma," Dr. Okamoto greeted cheerfully as he always did. "Have a seat and make yourself comfortable," the doctor said while heading to his desk.

The sameness at the beginning of every visit was like a ritual, that for some reason made Ranma feel more relaxed. The elderly man moved behind his desk with a spring in his step, as always, before seating himself.

"Hey'ya doc," Ranma greeted casually. Ranma was very glad that Dr. Okamoto was very laid-back when it came to honorifics. It lended an air of informality to the visits that made Ranma feel that she was seeing a friend instead of a doctor.

"Come on in and have a seat," the man behind the desk said as he waved Ranma over. "Would you like some tea or something?"

"Nah, I'm okay," Ranma replied as she eased herself into the chair. She had grown sort of attached to just how comfortable the chair was. If it wasn't for the fact that it was so big, she would have thought of asking her mother to get one for the house.

"So, how are you feeling today?"

"Okay for the most part," Ranma answered. "I'm almost back to normal; I was almost completely a guy this morning."

"How are the sessions with Dr. Welbi coming along?"

Before answering, Ranma shifted a bit to get more comfortable. "It's going okay I guess, the... "desensitization" is kinda freaky sometimes - mostly because we're using more than one cat."

"More than one makes you nervous?" Dr. Okamoto asked.

Sighing, Ranma paused before answering. "Yeah. One doesn't bother me anymore... it's not like one little kitten is going to hurt me, but having two so close to me... it's..."

Dr. Okamoto waited for Ranma to continue as her voice trailed off. Seeing that she wasn't, he nodded in response as he looked something up. "So how is the kitten you got doing?"

"Tomo? He's doing fine. Ya' know, sometimes it's not too bad to have the little fur-ball around."

"Glad to hear that it is working out for you."

"Oh yeah," Ranma replied as she got real comfortable. "Just the other day I was playing with him and he accidently scratched me and I didn't scream or nothing."

"But more than one still alarms you."

"Yeah," Ranma deflated. "I don't know why... the doc, er, that is, the other doc - Dr. Welbi said that I'm doing fine."

"Well at least you're making progress," Dr. Okamoto said grandly. "Now... let's see... The last time you were here, you seemed upset about Mrs. Gosunkugi visiting you."

"Yeah..." Ranma replied softly.

"Now that you've had time to reflect on what has happened, do you still feel the need for revenge?"

"It doesn't matter," Ranma said somewhat sourly. "I mean, what difference does it make?"

"Ranma, revenge - or any other negative emotion - that you keep bottled up are not good for you in the long run. They can sit and fester below the surface until one day you might do something regrettable."

"I know, I know," Ranma said slightly irritably. "We talked about this."

"But at the time you still had some unresolved issues," Dr. Okamoto said. "I just want to see if you put those issues to rest."

Ranma remain in the grip of the comfortable chair, staring off into space for a moment. "I doesn't matter - really," she said. "Not compared to... other things."

"Like?" the doctor prompted.

Ranma glared at the doctor before softening. She continued to sit there, obviously mulling over something.

"Ranma?" the doctor prompted again after several long minutes.

"It's just that... " Ranma faltered and returned to her silent brooding. When it looked as if she were not going to say anything more, she suddenly continued. "Have you ever been in love, doc?"

"Why yes," Dr. Okamoto replied wistfully as he removed his glasses. "I've been in love before... I'm still in love."

"er... right," Ranma muttered. "But have you ever been in... love and knowing how totally hopeless it is?"

"I assume that you are referring to your ex-fiance?"

More minutes ticked by unchecked.

"Yes."

"Ranma-"

"It just sucks, you know," Ranma interrupted. "I mean, we went through all sorts of crap, from hating - well, maybe not hating, but at least not liking one another to putting up with all the different fiancees and wannabe wives and life and... death... and all sorts of crap and..." Ranma's babbling ceased and she fell silent for a moment. "It's not fair."

The doctor waited patiently. He knew Ranma well enough to know that she needed time to compose her thoughts. This was not the first time that Ranma had spoken on this and it seemed to be a reoccurring theme.

"Some days I can deal with it, doc," Ranma continued. "Other days... it just kicks me here," she pointed to her chest, "hard. And there's not a damn thing I can do about it."

"Ranma, we've talked about what had happened, how you must accept and move on. What have you tried to do to put these feelings to rest?"

Ranma crossed her arms and took on an even more brooding look. "Nothing."

"Ranma-"

"How can I doc?" Ranma snapped. "I mean, stupid things get me all depressed and crap. I go to the park to work out and I see a bunch of kids, or a couple walkin' or some stupid other thing that doesn't make sense and..." Ranma trailed off as she reigned in her frustration.

"Have your parents been of any help?"

Ranma shifted, leaning to one side of the chair turning to looked out the window that was to her right. "Mom's been... okay, I guess. She's trying to be there for me... sometimes it gets a little much, but I really don't mind. It's good to... talk to her, ya' know?"

Silence returned for a moment. "And your father?" Dr. Okamoto prompted.

"Pops," Ranma snorted. "All he does is ask when I'm gonna be a guy again, harping on stop wasting my time learnin' stuff and stop bein' coddled by mom. Heck, he even suggested that having a cat around was making me weak. Can you believe that?"

Silence followed for a few moments before Dr. Okamoto spoke. "Your father... has issues, Ranma."

"That's an understatement," the redhead said with another snort.

Dr. Okamoto cocked his head to one side and gave Ranma a quizzical look.

"He still doesn't like that fact that you are 'messing with my head'," Ranma explained. "He thinks all I have to do is focus on martial arts and... well... he's been bugging me to meet Mr. Tendo's grandkids."

"I see."

"I don't think you do," Ranma said as she shifted a bit. "Heck, I don't fully see it either. Mom's given up on my being a 'man among men', but Pops is still after that stupid pledge long after everyone gave up on it. I think he's even got Mr. Tendo riled up over it."

"I take that you told him that you are not interested?"

"All the time, doc, but as always, he don't listen."

"Hmm... have you spoken to your mother about this?"

"Didn't have to," Ranma said, shifting in her seat a bit. "She was on to him." Ranma chuckled. "Between her and Akane, my Pops been catching hell."

"How does what your father is trying to do make you feel? And what would you like to see happen?"

Pausing to make a frown, Ranma replied, "I think it sucks. As far as what I'd like happen, I rather Pops forget the whole stupid thing."

Dr. Okamoto nodded in understanding. "Well outside of that, what do you want?" Dr. Okamoto asked as he adjusted his glasses.

Rama thought deeply for a long moment, she then looked to the older man with a slight frown on her face. "I really don't know."

-----

Frustration wasn't the word to describe how Ranma was feeling at the moment.

"This one?" Ranma asked in exasperation.

Nodoka sighed. She wanted to take a break, but Ranma insisted on going on until she got it right. She was all for her son - that is, her daughter - learning about the modern age, but she found her persistence... straining at times. Rubbing her temples to keep the impending headache at bay, Nodoka gently, but firmly took the cellphone in hand and repeated her instructions on how to use it.

"You open the phone to -," Nodoka began.

"I got that part," interrupted Ranma, who quickly shut up at the glare her mother gave her. "Er... sorry mom. I'm just a bit... er, ya' know."

After sighing again, Nodoka continued. "You open the phone and it turns it on automatically, then you... " she paused to consider something, then handed the cellphone back to Ranma. "Let's do this the easy way. Let's forget about auto-dialing, buddy lists, text-messaging, and caller ID. We can come back to those later once you've learned how to just make a phone call. Okay?"

"But mom-"

"Okay?" Nodoka said more firmly, leaving no doubt that it was an order, not a request.

"er... okay," Ranma replied weakly.

"All right then," Nodoka said as she beamed a smile to her offspring. "I want you to call home. Now, dial our home number -"

Ranma looked at the small device in her hand and pushed the Saotome's number.

"- and press the button that marked 'SEND'," Nodoka emphasized the last word.

"Right," Ranma mumbled while looking around for the aforementioned button. She found it in short order and pressed it firmly.

"And wait for the connection to come through."

Ranma held the phone up to her ear and waited...

... and waited...

... and waited.

"Mom, I think I did something wrong, I mean, nothing's happening," Ranma said impatiently as she considered hanging up and trying again.

"Just wait, sometimes it takes awhile for the connection to be made."

Ranma sighed as she waited. "It never took this long to make a phone call before... that is, back then - you think by now it would be instantaneous," she thought. Just when she was about to mention that it wasn't working like the five other attempts, the house phone sitting next to her mother rang. Ranma heard the ring-tone in the cellphone and noted that it was out of sync with the ringing of the house phone. Before Ranma could comment on this, her mother picked up the land line.

"Hello," Nodoka said into the handset.

Ranma heard her mother's echoing voice clearly on the phone in her hand "Cool! This really does work!" she exclaimed.

"You see, son," Nodoka said, "all you have to do is be patient."

Ranma nodded in response to her mother's words. "Okay... Now how do I use this - speed dial thingy?"

Nodoka placed the handset back on its cradle and sighed. It was going to be a long afternoon.

--------

The warm inviting waters of the morning bath called to her.

The redhead stood at the edge of the furo like she had done so many times before, frowning. "I hate this," Ranma thought of her morning ritual. "I can't wait to get back to normal."

Taking a very deep breath, Ranma closed her eyes and dipped a shapely leg into the warm waters and felt nothing. Moving with practiced ease, she sat herself down and allowed the water to try and calm her. She then counted to ten and opened one eye carefully. She then inspected her body...

... and found it appeared to be completely male.

"YES!" He yelled internally. "Wait. Wait. Don't get my hopes up too much. I gotta check it out."

Opening the other eye Ranma carefully went about examining himself for any visages of female-dom. A grin spread across his face as he checked with eyes and hands that he was truly and finally one hundred percent male. Sitting back into the furo and relaxing, he almost giggled in delight at the prospect of surprising his mother at the breakfast table.

"I'm a guy again, a guy again, a guy again," Ranma sang softly to himself as he splashed the water playfully at no one. "It's great to be able to switch again," he thought as he relaxed. It was then Ranma noticed an odd feeling. Something seemed a bit off.

"Hmmm," he hummed to himself as he stood, letting the waters run down his nude form. "What's... wrong?"

Flexing his muscles, Ranma stepped out of the furo and walked about slowly. Each step was carefully measured and every weight transfer was noted and analyzed as Ranma determined to find fault. It was then it dawned on him that his balance had been affected subtly.

"Well, I'm gonna have to work on that," Ranma thought as he got dressed. "Dr. Tofu did warn me that I would probably have to readjust to my guy side after I changed. Maybe I can get pops to spar with me to speed things along."

Ranma sighed at that. As much as he hated to admit, he missed the morning ritual of sparing with his father. When he did manage to get his father to spar, Genma would put up a good fight, using his cane skillfully, but he wouldn't last too long.

"That's another thing, what's up with the cane?" Ranma wondered to himself as he toweled off. "What did he and Mr. Tendo do to Happosai?" With the towel wrapped around his waist, Ranma entered the changing room and picked up the male clothes. "This is going to be great," he thought. "Mom's gonna be so happy."

A fully dressed Ranma made his way downstairs, only pausing to give Tomo a quick pet. The growing kitten seemed only momentarily wary of Ranma in his male form, but after a quick sniff allowed Ranma to stroke his black and white fur. Leaving the cat behind to do soak up some sunlight, Ranma presented himself to his mother.

Nodoka blinked once. Twice. The third time was a charm. "The lock is gone?" She asked with a broad grin.

"Yup," Ranma said as he returned his mother's smile. "It's a little weird... but it feels good to be back to normal."

Nodoka regarded that with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean, normal for me," Ranma corrected.

Covering her mouth, Nodoka couldn't help but giggle. "Oh Ranma, you're such a dear."

"Aren't you happy I'm a guy again?" Ranma asked, confused by his mother's reaction.

"Of course I am," Nodoka said while hugging the now taller youth. "I'm happy for you. I just want you to know that I don't care what form you're in, I just want you to be happy."

Ranma stared at his mother. "You really don't care if I'm a guy?"

Regarding her child for a brief moment, Nodoka smiled, placed her arms around him, and gave him another hug. "Of course not."

"Really?" Ranma asked. Though his mother had seemed not to care about what sex he was, hearing it like this seemed unreal to the young man.

"Ranma... for me, it is not important if you are a boy or a girl, the only thing that is important to me is that you are happy," Nodoka repeated; she then pulled Ranma away slightly as to look him in the eye. "If you are happy as a boy, I'm fine with that. If you decide that you'd be happier as a girl, I would be just as fine with that as well."

Transfixed by his mother's words, Ranma awkwardly returned the hug while gathering his thoughts. "You mean... it really doesn't matter? No manly stuff?"

"I just want you to be happy," Nodoka reaffirmed while giving her child yet another squeeze. "I don't care what you are."

Slightly shell-shocked, Ranma continued to stand, frozen in uncertainty. "And I thought that she was that way because she thought I was stuck as a girl for good," Ranma thought as he eventually returned the hug that his mother was now giving him. "She really doesn't care about my curse!"

For some odd reason, Ranma's feelings were mixed by that realization.

---------

The slap across the face left a stinging, red mark in its wake.

"Ha! Caught you napping, boy!" the owner of the hand snarled. "You should never leave your defenses down like that. You want to be a man or a girl?"

Sprawled across the hard, barren ground where the blow had delivered him, the teenage boy tried to regain his footing before the beating got worse. As quickly as he could, and gasping for breath while holding the side of his throbbing face, the boy, no more than sixteen, faced his attacker. "What ja' do that for, old man?!" he asked with false bravado. "I ain't done nothing."

"That's your problem: you haven't done anything! You're supposed to be a man! You say you want to be the best, yet you sloth around!" the large, barrel-chested man berated the younger one. "You'll never amount to anything, boy!"

"What'da talkin' about old man," the teen exclaimed. "I spent the whole morning practicin'!"

"And I still caught you off guard, you weak, pathetic excuse for a martial artist."

During the browbeating the young, muscular teen stood with clenched fists. "You want to try that again, old man?" he ground out.

"Ha! As if you're man enough to challenge me?" the older man asked mockingly as he pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose. "Feh! You'd have a better shot putting a dress on and trying to seduce me than besting me in a fight, boy!" the older man leveled a finger at his child. "I should have named you something different - like given you a girl's name for as useless you are!"

Letting a low growl escape, the younger of the two suddenly charged the other. Blows were traded and blocked as kicks and leg sweeps were dodged or leapt over. The older man was the stronger; the younger one was almost as strong, but faster. Inevitably, superior skill won out and the teenage boy was knocked hard in the face with a backhand and on his rear by an out-palm strike to the chest. The older one stood over him and gloated.

"Pathetic," he said, disgust dripping from his voice. "Even you mother puts up a better fight in bed than you do here. I'm ashamed of the fact that you are my son."

The boy wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand; hate burning in his eyes.

"Blah," his father said, as he continued to look down on his offspring. "You'll never master the art as you are. You don't have the dedication."

"Dammit old man, I worked my ass off, you-"

"This is it," the older man announced. "I'm washing my hands of you, you're not worth my time. Good luck finding another master who would waste their time trying to train you." He turned away from his injured son and looked over his shoulder, giving him a parting shot. "You and any heirs you have will never amount to anything. Anything you do, anything they would do, will end in failure."

Blood continued to drip from the wounded lip as the young boy snarled at the retreating back of his much larger father. "Goddamn you father!" he yelled as soon as said person was out of earshot. "I'll become the best marital artist there is! And my son will be better yet! I'll show you who's the better, you bastard!"

Looking back down on the rough, pebbled ground, the teen boy's tears mixed with his blood. He hated his father. Hated him. "No," he thought. "He's just doing this to make me stronger... to challenge me to be better... to make a man out of me...

... Only someone who loved me very much, would do this."

I will prove myself...

I will be strong...

I will be a man!

I will raise my son to be strong... to be a man - a man among men!

We will both take the art to new heights...

I will overcome these challenges.

That will be my mantra.

Rolling over leaving the last vestiges of the dream behind, Genma scowled in the darkness of the room he shared with no one. "I'll show you, father," he lowly sighed out. Sighing again, he sat upright in his futon, absently rubbing his chest where he was struck so long ago.

"I'm not a failure! I won't fail!" he thought in a rage. Realizing he was losing control, he steadied his breathing and controlled his shaking hands. After a moment, Genma rose unsteadily from his resting place and limped over to the open window, placing a hand on the sill to steady himself. He took a few deep breaths of the fresh night air that wafted in.

"I'm not a failure!" he thought. "I found a master to train me, a wife, a child! A son! The boy is back! He'll carry the Anything Goes and martial arts to heights that my father could never even have imagined! I made Ranma the fighter he is today! I made him! And he is the proof that I haven't failed!"

He raised his head and stared at the moon, high overhead, with part of its rabbit ears hidden in darkness. "I will prove I'm not a failure," he said to himself, before addressing the moon itself. "You hear that father? I'll prove to you I'm not a failure!"

The moon, like Genma's long dead father, remained silent.

--------

The morning came and went and Genma decided to try and make things right.

"You're turning our son into a pansy," Genma complained loudly over tea. "This is not how a martial artist should act."

"I'm helping our son- child adjust," Nodoka said firmly as she set her cup down. She had been expecting this for a while now. "While it is good to see you take an interest in our child when she is working of martial arts - there is more to life than that."

"True, but there is nothing more important," Genma countered. "My father raised me and found me wanting. Then I met the master and found that was a mistake - one that, with the help of my friend Soun, eventually corrected. I raised that boy to be the best there is - I will not have Ranma ruined by stupid things!"

"They're not stupid," Nodoka said angrily as she rose from her seat. "They're helping Ranma. She-"

"Stop calling the boy "she". He's a man!"

"I will call Ranma whatever sex she is at the moment," Nodoka countered. "It helps her to adjust-"

"He doesn't need to adjust to anything!" Genma yelled as, he too, rose from his seat. "He needs a swift kick in the ass to stop moping around and get his priorities straight. That included the pact."

"If you mention that idiotic pact one more time, I'll swear I'll strangle you," Nodoka said coldly. "That is over and done with - I told you a million times already."

"The pact was forgotten because we had no heirs," Genma pointed out with more force than intended. "We have Ranma back - it time to move forward."

Seething, Nodoka looked at her husband in the eye. "This has nothing to with the pact, this is about your father, isn't it?"

Genma glared daggers at his wife. "You leave my father out of this," snapped Genma. "This is about family honor."

"Honor has nothing to do with this," Nodoka shot back. "You raised Ranma as a monument to your martial arts abilities - to prove to your father that you were better than him and the pact was to cement your superiority over your him."

Genma's face flushed in anger as he grounded out, "I... said.. it... has nothing.. to ... do... with... my... FATHER."

"Then what?" Nodoka asked in a controlled, calm manner. "What good is it to drag something that has been dead and gone for over twenty years? What other possible reason could you have?"

A silence filled the room, Genma breathed deeply. "It is obvious that reasoning with you is impossible," he finally said as he rose from his chair. "But know this: Honor will be upheld - with or without your cooperation."

"Is that a threat?"

"Take it as you will."

--------

Near the entrance of Shakujii Park, Ranma cooled down from the vigorous exercises that she had just put herself through. Though her parents' house had a backyard, it wasn't really big enough for her to cut loose and fully get into the Art. She did succumb to her mother's request and wore a spandex muscle shirt under her top. It served as a muscle shirt when she was a he, and a sports bra when he was a she. Ranma had found over the course of the last few weeks that having some support did help in keeping her breasts from getting sore and in keeping any perverts that might be watching from drooling too much.

Starting out the day as a male, there were two reasons that Ranma was in girl mode at this moment: One was the water sprinklers that always seemed to find her, the other was something that was fast becoming an after-work out routine.

"Ice cream sounds good," she thought with a smile. "That guy at the shop is such a soft touch. If I play it right maybe I can get an extra large scoop again."

That was another thing that Ranma had discovered: In spite of how much time had passed, guys were still an easy mark for a pretty face and a curvy body. The right tone in the voice, the right tilt of the head, and a disarming smile still did as much - perhaps even more - today as it did twenty years ago.

After shoving her possessions into the nylon bag, Ranma shouldered it and headed out of the park. She was beaten to the entrance of the park by a line of elementary school students who were exiting the park after an outing. Though she could have just as easily leapt over the line of students, Ranma stood and let the young children go by, each glancing at her curiously and talking amongst themselves. Ranma smiled and occasionally waved at a passing student.

"You know, if I'd have stayed here instead of taking off on a damned fools errand to cure 'my condition', I wouldn't be where I am right now," she thought idly, then blinked as if she had come across some hidden truth. After the school children had cleared, she exited the park heading in the direction of the nearest ice cream parlor.

As she walked, she tried to clear her mind and focus on the errant thought before it slipped away. "Dammit!" She mentally roared. "I was so stupid! I should have just accepted my curse. Every time I look for a damned cure, something happens and..." Stopping, she mindlessly stared into a shop window without really seeing anything beyond it. "No more cures," she vowed to herself. "I ain't gonna waste anymore of my life looking for something that doesn't exist."

Feeling somewhat better with her resolution, Ranma blinked a few times and realized that she was in front of a bridal shop. On the other side of the window, a woman stared back at her with one of those 'knowing smiles' that Ranma understood. Ranma blink-blinked back at her; and, not knowing what else to do, Ranma returned the smile weakly before continuing on her way.

"Great," was her only thought on the matter before heading in the direction of ice cream. After that, Ranma was determined to hit the bath and soak away any ill feelings that remained.

Ranma's mood had much improved by the time she had managed to make it home. The extra-large scoop of chocolate help immensely. For some reason putting on the 'cute girl' act was a welcome distraction and staved off any growing depression that threatened. Of course that was all undone when she walked in on her mother as she was muttering all sorts of unladylike things. Some the descriptors that Nodoka was using for Genma were disconcerting.

Screwing up her courage, Ranma approached her mother "Mom? Are you all right? you look a little upset."

"I'm fine, Ranma," Nodoka replied as she wiped up some spilled tea. "Your father and I had another... disagreement."

Responding with a simple nod, Ranma was troubled by the increasing number of 'disagreements' that her parents were having. She wondered if that was the case when she was away or if it was because she was back. Ranma had the feeling it was because of her return.

"How was your work out, dear?" Nodoka asked as she led Ranma to the family room. Her voice was now pleasant.

Not wanting to really speak about her new vow just yet, Ranma plastered her best, cockiest smile she could muster. "It went great, mom," she replied.

There was something in the tone of Ranma's reply that gave Nodoka reason to pause. "Are you sure dear?" Nodoka asked. "It is not that I'm questioning you, but you seem a little off."

Shrugging her shoulders, Ranma spoke in a light-hearted tone. "Nah, I just - pulled a muscle, that's all. I'm going to hit the bath."

Nodoka watched her child as she retreated to the back of the house where the furo was. She knew about the sanctuary that the Art had become, and it worried her. "He's even becoming a better liar," the worried older woman thought. "I'm going to have to sit down and see if I can get her to talk."

Once alone, Nodoka sighed heavily. She looked at the phone and considered something as she picked it up.

"Damn that foolish husband of mine - damn me for letting him take Ranma from me," she thought as she dialed with slightly nervous fingers. "I will make sure that Akane and her sisters know what is going on. The last thing we need is for my damn-fool husband to undo all the progress that Ranma's has made."

---------

"Ah Ranma, come in, come in," the older man greeted jovially. "How have you been?"

"Been fine, doc," Ranma replied as he took the overstuffed chair. He wiggled into the seat, seeking comfort; he was so used to how the chair fit him when he was in girl form that he found that he missed the comfort. After a bit of movement, he found a close approximate and relaxed fully into it. The doctor's office was arranged more like a western tea room than an actual office - something that made the place all the more comfortable and non-threatening. "My mom is really helping me to pick up on stuff I missed. I should be ready for my high school entrance next week."

"That's excellent," the doctor praised. "I see you're male again. How does that feel?"

"Feels great," Ranma replied heartily. "It's great to be back to normal."

"Does this change how you feel about your condition?" Dr. Okamoto asked.

"It's great to be able to switch again, if that's what you mean. Other than being stuck, the curs- er, my condition doesn't bother me."

"Really?"

Shrugging his shoulders as he made himself more comfortable in the chair. "Yeah, I mean, I've had this long enough."

"I see," the doctor said. "Tell me, if someone offered to cure you of your condition, what would you do?"

"I'd pass," Ranma responded quickly.

"Really?" Dr. Okamoto replied; he was expecting the answer, but not how unhesitatingly it was delivered; that surprised him. "From what I heard, you would to go through outrageous efforts to find a cure."

"Not anymore."

Dr. Okomaoto pondered that a moment. "So you've accepted your condition?"

"It's not about accepting anything, doc," Ranma said.

"Then what is it about?"

"Nothing," Ranma answered with a shrug.

"I see," Dr, Okamoto said with a slight nod. He then gave Ranma a measured look. "I understand that you have been depressed lately."

Ranma blinked at that. "Who told you that? I mean - I'm fine, I was feeling a little down every now and then, but nothing serious."

"Your mother has been most concerned about you since you," the doctor paused to check something written down, "she worried about your mood swings."

"Oh jeez," Ranma muttered. "Look doc, it ain't no big deal. I get that way sometimes."

"Nevertheless, your mother is very concerned about you, can you tell me anything that may dissuade her fears?"

"Man, why do woman hav'ta make a big deal outta nothing?" Ranma said sharply, his language slipping. "Ain't nothing wrong with me - I just get into a funk every now and then. I'm fine now."

The doctor regarded his patient for a moment. "You sound like your father."

From his seat, Ranma gave the doctor a sharp look. "I ain't nothing like my old man."

"I'm sorry, I meant no offense," Dr. Okamoto smoothly said. After a moment, he cocked his head to one side and studied the young man across from him. "Ranma, would you mind showing me how your condition works? I've seen your father's, and I am curious as to something. You don't have to, if you don't want to."

"Sure, what the heck," Ranma answered while shrugging. Raising from his chair, Ranma made his way to the decanter of water that was resting next to the tea set. Trying to look as nonchalant as possible, Ranma poured some water into a glass and looked around. "Um, doc, are you sure? This is going to make a mess."

"Why don't you put your arm over the waste basket here and pour some water over it?" Dr. Okamoto suggested.

Blinking at the suggestion, Ranma proceeded to do just that. Soon the tall, black-haired man was replaced by a much shorter, busty red-head.

"What ya think?" The part-time girl asked as she carefully placed the empty glass on the desk.

"How do you feel, is the more important question," Dr. Okamoto said. He had noticed the slight change in Ranma's demeanor between her forms.

"The same as I always do," Ranma replied. "You know, it it wasn't for my clothes getting loose on me, I wouldn't know that I changed half the time."

"So how do people treat you when you're in your girl form?"

The pretty redhead scrunched up her face in concentration. "Mostly okay I guess - well, there are a few who treat me like a kid or something, you know? It's like they don't respect me when I'm a girl. When I'm a guy, I seem to get more respect."

"From whom? I mean, what kind of person shows you less respect when you're a girl?"

"Oh, you know... people..."

The doctor gave Ranma a measured look. "Your father?"

Ranma scrunched up her lips in thought. "Yeah, the big oaf," she admitted.

"I see. So your condition in itself doesn't bother you?"

"It used to... until I realized how much it costed me."

"In what way?"

"Doc, if I'd just accepted the curse and learned to live with it - like I... have now, I wouldn't be here now," Ranma said, her voice filling with emotion. "If I stayed home instead of.... stupid magic knife."

There was a pause and Dr. Okamoto waited for Ranma to continue. It had been a while since the young Saotome brought up the subject of the attack on her and he wanted to see where it now led his patient. He made a small note during the break, stating Ranma was more open as a female than as a male. Such duality would have to be closely watched.

"It's just I'm tired of all these stupid 'cures' that come around from time to time, only having them turn out to be nothing. Every time I went after a cure, something would happen," Ranma said in a barely controlled tone. "Look what happened last time, look! I just as soon learn to deal with my curs-, er, my condition than keep torturing myself with false cures."

Dr. Okamoto listened intently and nodded. "I'm glad that you realize this, Ranma. What are you going to do now?"

Ranma starred off into space for a few moments as she sat and contemplated the question. "I want... I think I want... to go away," she finally answered. "I mean, just for a little bit. I ain't a coward that runs away from stuff. I just need to go somewhere where I can think."

"I see.. what prompted this?"

Screwing her mouth up prettily as she thought, Ranma took a surprisingly short time to answer. "Well... If I was never found... or if I was found a lot later... I think it would've been better."

"How would finding you later have helped?"

"I just think it would have been better that way,"Ranma replied with a shrug."By that time everyone I knew would have been dead, then I could have grieved and moved on with my life."

Silence fell in the room.

"Ranma," the older man began slowly, "I don't think you are a coward for wanting to get away for awhile, in fact I think it is good that you are considering it."

"Really?" Ranma blinked.

"Yes, there is nothing wrong with going somewhere to get a perspective on things," the older doctor said. "How would you feel if I suggested to your mother that it would be best to move you away from your old familiar environment into someplace that you can start over?"

"I don't know Doc," Ranma answered. "I mean, Mom's been living there a long time and I hate to... I'd hate to ask her to do that."

"I think she cares more about you, than where she lives. So - you have thought about this for a while now?"

"Yeah. Maybe... no... well, I mean: Yeah I have thought about it - for a couple of weeks now," Ranma finally admitted. "Honestly I just think it would be nice to go somewhere and start over."

"Why haven't you mentioned this to your mother?"

"Because, like I said: I don't want to put Mom out. She's already done enough for me," Ranma answered. "Forget about mentioning Pops," she snorted. "He'd think I was running away from my problems - like he's one to talk."

"Ranma, you're not running away," Dr. Okamoto said firmly. "In fact, I think it is an incredibly wise thing to consider. In fact, I think it would be for your benefit to mention it to your mother - I was thinking about suggesting the idea to her myself - if you'd like we can all sit down and discuss this."

"Ummm... maybe," Ranma temporized before firming up and making a decision. "Yeah, I think we should."

"Good, why don't you ask your mother to come along next week and we'll talk this over."

"Can't - er, I mean, I can't make it next week," Ranma explained. "I'm taking a placement examine to see if I qualify to even get into a high school."

"I see... would you have any objections if I talked to your mother?"

"Nope," Ranma replied with a nod. "But I'll talk to her before she comes, just so she'll know."

"That would be fine."

------

"I'm afraid that we will have change our plans, Tendo. We will have to deal with the matter of the pact more directly," Genma said with a touch of anger in his voice as he absently rubbed his chest where the phantom pain still lingered.

"Are you sure?" Soun asked, looking up from the travel board game on the bar. He paused to take a sip of his beer as he looked at Genma speculatively. The bar that they frequented was a nice, small place - almost homey. "What happened to taking it slow and trying to sell it to the grandchildren first?"

"Nodoka... is forcing the issue," Genma explained while downing a swig of beer. "The other day when I came home, Ranma was on the computer - the computer! Do you know what that means?"

Soun regarded his oldest friend of a moment. "Not really," he admitted. "It seems like it might be good for your son to at least learn some of the basics."

Genma gripped his glass tightly. "What will happen to Anything Goes if Ranma gets distracted by stupid toys? Do you want to see that happen?"

"No..." Soun admitted. "We both worked so hard, only to have our hopes dashed when Ranma disappeared... Did you talk to your wife about this?"

"Yes," Genma answered firmly. "I tried to explain to my wife why it was such a bad idea for Ranma to be distracted by stupid toys, but she would have none of it."

"What about the art?"

"She said it wasn't as important as Ranma's happiness," Genma answered. "She dismissed Anything Goes as if were trivial."

Silence fell between the two friends. Both looked into their half empty beer glasses in contemplation.

"This is bad, Saotome," Soun said more to appease Genma than anything. "Ranma is the last practitioner of Anything Goes, we must take steps to ensure it doesn't die."

"Exactly my thoughts as well, Tendo. Especially when we hadn't found anyone who was willing to dedicate themselves to the art like we were," Genma said while nodding in agreement.

"Yes... the younger generation are not as resilient or as tough as we were," Soun pointed out. "They've been too coddled by modern comforts to be true martial artists."

"To make matters worse, Nodoka didn't buy the 'grandchildren of her own' approach," Genma said. "She's putting the boy's selfish wants over family and duty."

"What about honor? The honor of the Saotome and Tendo families? Surely she doesn't want that tarnished."

"She considers the pact over and done with, so in her eyes there is no loss of honor," Genma almost growled out.

Soun sat and pondered that. "Well... she does have a point, Genma; we did decide to drop it after Ranma was declared dead."

"But the boy's alive, Soun," Genma said strongly, hoping to drive his point through. "That changes everything."

"Yes, true," Soun said before pausing in a long, thoughtful moment. "Genma, old friend, don't you think it would be best to... let it go?"

A horrified expression washed over Genma's face. "Are you mad?" he asked sharply; sensing that Soun's heart might be faltering on this, Genma pressed forward. "This is our life's work we're talking about. This is the very thing that we sacrificed and suffered for years to accomplish! And you want to walk away from it?"

"Er, no, of course not," Soun backpedaled, feeling like he'd betrayed his brother in arms. "I didn't quite mean it that way... I meant that...," Soun feel silent and hung his head in thought. "Yes," he finally said after a brief moment. "That is exactly what I meant."

"Tendo?"

"It all in the past, Saotome," Soun explained. "I have it heard from my daughter AND their husbands that they refuse to entertain the thought."

"What they think isn't important," Genma said gruffly after taking a swig of his beer. "Honor - honor of the family is more important. You know that."

"But it had been agreed upon that honor had been satisfied long ago-"

"Dammit Soun," Genma said slamming the bottle on the bar-top causing a few pieces of the travel game to move about. "That was before the boy was found. Why can't you understand that?"

"I do, old friend," Soun said calmly but firmly. "But I am not about to alienate my daughters and their families to resurrect something that was settled ages ago."

Genma seethed silently. It seemed even his old friend had turned his back on him. "The pact must be fulfilled."

Soun sighed. "Genma, I don;t think you're thinking clearly on this. What is the point, old friend? Think. What good is it to Anything Goes if Ranma marries one of my grandchildren?"

"If we can get Ranma to marry one of your granddaughters," Genma replied. "I know that with a place to train and teach, Ranma will return his focus where it needs to be: The art."

Silence fell between the two as Soun, once again, pondered something deeply. He then shook his head. "I'm sorry Saotome, I just don't see it. And it is still not worth causing disharmony in our families to pursue it."

"Soun! We can't let all our work go for nothing!"

Sighing again, Soun fingered his empty beer bottle. "Sometimes Genma, sometimes... what you work for isn't worth the price you paid."

-----

Last week's meeting with Soun hadn't turned out as he expected.

Everyone was turning against him. Everyone.

That meant that he had to act on his own for the good of everything. Nodoka would be busy with at the doctors and Ranma should be getting out of his exams with enough time to do what was needed.

"I can't even rely on my old friend," Genma thought bitterly as he climbed the steps from the subway. "That damned doctor has turned my wife, my friend and even my child against me."

Reaching the daylight, He purposely walked along the sidewalk of a wide aveune. Rounding a corner, he unconsciously flattened himself against the side of a building to keep from running into a briefcase carrying woman. The walk itself was short, but Genma's troubled thoughts made it seem longer.

"If I can't get everyone to do the right thing, I'll make them do the right thing," Genma thought as he staked out a spot across from the a modest sized auditorium. The building itself was unremarkable in construction, but its surroundings were well landscaped. "Glad this wasn't far from the station," he thought absently. "My leg is killing me."

After an undetermined amount of time, a crowd of teenagers started to filter out of the building. Genma stood from his spot, as did several other people, watching the exiting crowd with interest. Soon Genma spotted the familiar pigtailed boy as he strode out into open.

"Boy!" Genma called out, causing Ranma to do a double take.

"Pops? What are you doing here?"

"Trying to ensure your future," Genma replied as he hobbled up to his currently male child.

"Er, well... thanks, Pop, but you didn't have to," Ranma said with a shrug."The test wasn't as hard as I thought... I think I can get into most any high school in Tokyo."

"I'm not here about that boy, I'm here to ensure the future of Anything Goes," Genma shot out with a surprising amount of backbone.

"Does Mom know about this?" Ranma asked as he allowed himself to be dragged along.

"Your mother isn't in charge of this family - I am," Genma almost spat out. "You will do as you are told with no arguments."

Ranma opened his mouth to object but caught the look in his father's eyes. It was as if an unfocused shine was in them. Ranma shuddered as he realized that it was almost the same crazed look that Kodachi wore when he met her all those years ago.

"Okay," Ranma said, humoring the older man. "Let's go."

As they descended the stairs to the waiting train, Ranma's mind raced for a way to get away at first, the attitude of his father suggested that Genma might act rashly - even to the point of innocencts accidentally getting harmed. That was something that Ranma wouldn't allow, but Ranma realized that confronting his father openly in a crowded train station would probably have the same results.

"Better play along," Ranma conculded. "Let him take me to where ever he has in mind and handle it there. "

As they boarded the train, Ranma's mind feverishly worked on how to contact his mother.

------

"Come in Mrs. Saotome," Dr. Okamoto said pleasantly as he motioned grandly with a hand.

"Thank you doctor," Nodoka said as she glided into the office and sat in the very chair her child uses. "How are you?"

"Fine, fine," the doctor answered. "And you?"

"I've - been better," Nodoka admitted. "Dealing with my husband and keeping his foolishness in check is trying at times."

"Yes, your son had mentioned the tension between you and your husband during our talks."

"We could hardly hide it," Nodoka said with an edge, then sighed. "How is Ranma doing?"

"I'll think he'll be fine in the long run," Dr. Okamoto answered as he took his traditional seat behind his desk. "He'll have some rough times ahead of him that will need attention, but I believe it is nothing that careful handling can't fix."

"Oh?"

Dr. Okamoto looked across his desk at the older woman, but remained in silent contemplation.

"I... know about the doctor-patient privilege, but is there anything you can tell me?"

Dr. Okamoto adjusted his glasses and gave Nodoka a measured look for a moment. "I appreciate your understanding, though I can't really go into detail but I can tell you to encourage him to express himself more openly - no matter what form he is in," Dr. Okamoto said. "It is important that Ranma achieve some sort of balance - for his mental and emotional well being."

"I have been doing that," Nodoka pointed out.

"I understand, but have you been treating Ranma differently when he is a male than as a female?"

Tilting her head in thought, Nodoka thought back. "I... I can't say for sure. I know I try and not to, but I see what you getting at. I'll pay more attention and make sure that I treat Ranma the same no matter what form he is in."

"Good. So he is taking his placement exams today?"

"Yes, he seemed almost excited about it. I think more because it was something to break the routine that he had gotten into though more than anything else."

The doctor nodded his head while smiling. "Well at least he was enthusiastic."

The two chuckled at the small joke before settling.

"Ranma has mentioned some concerns on your advice on how to approach returning to school though," Nodoka said, returning to a more serious tone. "Are you certain that is the best way?"

"Yes," Dr. Okatmoto replied. "I feel that being open and up front about his condition is the best way of handling the situation. If he tried to hide it like last time, his condition will just be discovered eventually by everyone and most likely at the worse possible moment."

"True...," Nodoka mused, thinking about the stories that Akane and Nabiki had told her. "He did say that it was very troubling and stressful to try and hide it... the after it came to light and the initial furor died down, most everyone eventually ignored it."

The doctor greeted Nodoka's confirmation of Ranma's attitude with an approving smile. "Good." He began to dig around at a folder on his desk and read for a few moments before speaking again. "Now keep in mind that even with your support, he'll probably still feel like an outsider. This is normal considering, but have you thought about doing anything to help him adjust further?"

"Yes doctor, I have," Nodoka replied firmly. "I had always thought that Ranma living every day in the same area where... his ex-fiancee and her husband live is slowly tearing him apart. Though he tries to hide it, he seems distant at times and speaks of how things used to be. After we had talked a few days ago, I'm sure of it."

The doctor cast a thoughtful look over his face. "I take that he also told you of his desire to start over somewhere else and his reservations about it?"

"He did mention it, and I coaxed the details out of him," Nodoka said. "Then I told him that where I lived didn't matter... and that I was thinking along the same lines as he was."

"How did he react to that?"

Breaking into a smile, Nodoka answered. "He smiled and acted as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders."

The doctor nodded in understanding.

"He seemed surprised that I not only agreed but had wanted to take him away to someplace where he can start over again," Nodoka continued. "I told him that in the long run I thought he’d be happier."

The doctor's smile broadened. "Excellent, Mrs. Saotome. It is very good to hear that the lines of comunication are open between you and your child.” He paused to grin a bit before continuing. "Now, have you given any thought as to where to move to? It would be better for Ranma to be in new surroundings but remain close by if need be. May I suggest some place like - Niiza? It is close by, yet far enough to give him the new start he needs."

Nodoka thought a brief moment. "I suggested Chofu to him. It's a little further, but it would be closer to where I grew up. I still keep in touch with many of my friends and their families there and I know I could depend on them in helping me with Ranma if need be."

"What about your husband?"

"We have yet to speak to him on this," Nodoka admitted. "He seems more - distressed. To be honest doctor, I fear my husband may do something rash soon."

"Your husband has many... unresolved issues," Dr. Okamoto said somewhat sadly.

"I know... he needs help, but everytime I mention it, he gets upset."

"What if he objects to you and Ranma's intentions of moving?"

Nodoka paused and looked down at her hands in thought. "What he wants is not important," Nodoka said firmly. "Ranma is the only important person in my life right now."

Half an hour latter, Nodoka blinked to clear her eyes as the bright sunlight assaulted them. She felt a bit optimistic after her visit with the doctor as if most of the things she had suspected about her child were confirmed. Her eye briefly caught the movement of a bird flying by and mused a bit on how to deal with her husband when her cell phone beeped annoyingly.

Glancing at the identity of the incoming call, she smiled and opened the phone and spoke. "Hello Akane."

She paused in her walk as she listened to Akane on the other end, her smile fading with each word. "What?" Nodoka said incredulously.

Her hand tightened on the phone, causing her knuckles to stand out.

"He did what?!" Nodoka demanded. Her mouth drew a thin line, betraying her anger. "I'll be right over."

----------

"Genma, calm down," Soun pleaded as he tried to rein in the other man. He had the larger man in a hold that kept him in check, but because of Genma's mass, it still made it a chore.

"No, I will not," Genma shouted as he tried to stand again. "I've had enough of this foolishness and if you were thinking right, you would too. Now unhand me and let's put an end to this."

"Saotome we already talked about this," Soun said as he motioned with his head. "Shinji, please."

Another man, about Soun's height moved in to help subdue the struggling Saotome. Soun relaxed a bit as his son-in-law eased the burden, but kept a firm grip on his irate friend. It was then he caught the sight of Akane entering the room.

"She's coming," she said simply.

Nodding, Soun refocused his attention on the man he was currently restraining. "You're wife is on her way over-"

"I knew you were weak and scared of your daughters," Genma shot out and redoubled his struggling. "But to fully betray me like this? Where did the Soun Tendo that I knew go?"

"He's still here," Soun said and he and Akane's husband fought against Genma's renewed struggling. "Just older and wiser."

------

Nodoka marched into the Tendo compound. On the way up the walk, she spied Kasumi speaking with Nabiki and her son who had apparently just arrived. Sighing, Nodoka approached the trio.

"Where is he?" Nodoka asked with forced pleasantness.

"Father and Akane's husband are entertaining him in the living room."

"And my son?"

"Akane shooed him and her children out into the dojo just before calling you," Kasumi answered as she led the older woman deeper into the house. "Your husband... is not behaving rationally. Shinji wanted to call the police right off, but father asked him to wait until you've spoken with him."

"I see, thank you," Nodoka said.

"Kiyoshi, I think you should join the others in the dojo," Nabiki said as they trailed behind.

"But why?" The teenager asked, his curiosity was roused.

"This is not the place for you," Nabiki snapped. "It's bad enough having to deal with a grown man acting like a child, much less a child that is acting like one, now shoo."

"Yes mother," the boy replied with a slight hint of sarcasm as he excused himself.

Pausing to rub her temples, Nabiki sighed. "I don't need this today."

"No one needed this," Nodoka pointed out as she sighed herself. "Let's get this over with."

Nodoka paused at the doorway, firming up her resolve. She then stepped through and into the living room. Genma was sitting off to one side of the room in one of the western-style chairs, looking down at his hands. An air of defeat hung about the man. Soun and Shinji were standing behind him and Soun had one hand on Genma's shoulder.

"Nodoka," Soun greeted stiffly.

"Soun," Nodoka returned, then she looked at the other man. "Shinji."

"Mrs. Saotome."

Looking down and sighing, Nodoka took measure of her husband. It had been years since she truly loved him, but she had always held out the hope that the man she once knew would come back. For the sake of her child, Nodoka was going to give her husband one more chance. "Genma," she said softly.

Raising his head, Genma looked at his wife as she stood over him, but remained silent.

Sighing, Nodoka reached over and drew up another chair and placed it in front of the seated Genma and sat in it. "You have nothing to say?"

"What is there to say?" Genma asked. "No one wants to do the right thing. No one understands."

"I understand."

"Then why stop me?" Genma asked in a raising voice. "If you understand so damn much then why have you worked against me all this time?"

"Because I understand what drives you, doesn't mean that it is right," Nodoka said softly.

"I know what you are about to say and it's not my father," Genma flushed angrily. The hand on his shoulder became more firm reminding him that Soun had even turned against him.

"Okay... it's not your father," Nodoka said. "Then why don't you explain to everyone here what it is then?"

"Gladly," Genma said firmly. "It's about honor... the honor of the families that goes back thirty years. It is the opportunity to set things right, to atone for things that went wrong."

"Genma, you are using circular reasoning," Nodoka pointed out patiently. "You talk about setting things right that had been settled years ago." She drew in a deep breath. "Now, let's start from the beginning and this time I mean the very beginning."

------

"So you're Ranma?" Asked the girl who accompanied said boy into the dojo. The facial features were the same as Akane's were at that age, but the shape of the face itself was different. Her blueish tinted hair was curly at the bangs and straightened as it moved toward the back.

"Er, yeah. You are?"

"Nyoko," the girl replied. "This is my brother, Hiroshi."

"Er, hi," Ranma greeted rather lamely.

Hiroshi was tall and lean with bushy black hair. His features were much like his sister's except he seemed to favor his father more than his mother. He greeted Ranma with a wide smile. "So you're the Ranma that everyone has been going on about."

"I guess," Ranma answered with a frown. In an effort to calm himself down from his father's stupidity, Ranma decided to move into a slow kata.

"Is it true you're like Uncle Saotome but that you turn into a girl?" Nyoko asked.

Ranma stopped his kata before he even really got into it. "Yeah."

"Can we see?"

Sighing Ranma shrugged his shoulders. "Aw, what the hell," he said. In truth, he was half expecting the question. Instead of fighting it, he decided to satisfy everyone's curiosity and get it out of the way.

Walking over to where the fire bucket was, Ranma started to bend over then froze. Changing into a kneel, Ranma then reached into the bucket and submerged his hand. Standing, she turned to face her hosts.

"Wow, unbelievable," Hiroshi said as he carefully examined the now redhead's curves.

"What's there not to believe?" Nyoko said. "Uncle Genma changed all the time."

"Yeah, but outside of him, we never saw anyone else that can do that. And wow, would you look at the size of-"

Nyoko socked her brother in the shoulder. "Behave!" She admonished. "She''s.. He's... Whatever is a guest." Just then three more teenagers entered the room. "Oh, hi guys. I guess you all got kicked out too?"

"Yeah," said dark haired boy. He was at least as tall as Ranma's male side, but built leaner. "It sounds like Uncle Saotome flipped out or something." He then looked at Ranma. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ranma Saotome," Ranma said as she pulled her pigtail.

"I'm Kiyoshi Takahashi," the boy supplied. "These are my cousins Sakura and Myu Hiyowai," he continued as he waved to the two girls with him.

"Pleased to meet'cha," Ranma said while bowing politely. She studied the two girls and there was no doubt that they were Kasumi's. Each favored their mother so strongly that it was as if Ranma was looking at little clones of the eldest Tendo girl.

"Um, Kiyoshi is Aunt Nabiki's son," Hiroshi offered. "Sakura and Myu are Aunt Kasumi's."

"Ahh," Ranma said as she nodded.

"So... you're Ranma?" Kiyoshi asked in a neutral tone as he stepped inside the opened dojo.

The only response was a curt nod from Ranma's head.

"Are you really the same Ranma from way back when Mom was in high school?"

Another nod.

"Wow," Hiroshi said. "Mom did say that a lot of weird stuff happened when she was a girl, but I never really believed most of it."

"Uncle Saotome does turn into a panda," Nyoko pointed out for the second time in five minutes. "What's there not to believe?"

Kiyoshi nodded with Sakura.

"That's true," Kiyoshi said. "So, you turn into a guy?"

"With hot water," Ranma answered. She was starting to get the uncomfortable feeling of being under a microscope. "That is, I'm a guy, I turn into a girl."

"But you're stacked better than me... or my sis," Myu said as she leaned forward and examined Ranma's breasts. "What cup are you? D? F?"

"Yeah, I've been wondering about that myself," Hiroshi said thoughtfully. Ranma noted that Kiyoshi rolled his eyes.

Blinking at the pair, Ranma couldn't understand what the big deal about having breasts was, after all, half the population had them. Maybe it was because, ordinarily, she had breasts half the time and they held no mystery for her. But she was caught a little off guard by the fact that it was one of the girls who asked the question.

"Why in the heck would a girl ask such a question anyway?" Ranma thought. "Shouldn't she know about breasts?" Then she paused in thought, thinking back to the 'bust battle'. "Maybe she wants to see how she measures up. Girls are weird that way."

"You shouldn't ask that with the boys around!" Nyoko objected. "It's not right!"

"Aw c'mon sis," Hiroshi said while openly leering at Ranma's female form. "You might not care, but you can't help but notice the size of her knockers."

"I agree with Nyoko, while Ranma does sport an impressive set, it is most inappropriate to ask about them in mixed company," Sakura said primly.

Stunned by the casual and open discussion of her assets, Ranma wasn't sure what to do. She settled for a slow boil and counting to ten.

"Hiroshi, you are such a pervert," Nyoko admonished. "Do you go around and ask every girl you meet what size her breasts are?"

Hiroshi gave a great show of looking thoughtful before answering. "If given the chance - yes."

"Pervert!"

"And proud of it," Hiroshi said while laughing lightly. "What about Myu? Is she a pervert? She did ask first."

"It's different when a girl asks a girl," Nyoko defended.

"The hell it is," Hiroshi said. "You won't see Kiyoshi and I asking each other how long our shlongs are, do you?"

Nyoko looked as if she were about to blow a gasket. "I don't believe you! Acting this way! And in front of a guest!"

"Gee sis, calm down," Hiroshi said while motioning with warding gestures. "You'll give yourself an aneurysm."

Watching the interplay between the siblings, Ranma felt a weird sense of... deja vu.

"Don't mind them," Kiyoshi said as he stepped up to Ranma. He seemed to be careful not to look at anything that might be questionable. "Those two are always getting into it."

"I couldn't tell," Ranma said dryly, then blinked. "Sorry about that. I just don't understand what the big deal is."

"Then you need to get out more," Kiyoshi suggested.

"Maybe..." Ranma half-agreed. She then turned her attention from the squabbling teens to Myu, who was still examining her chest. "Is there something wrong with them?" She asked semi-sarcastically.

"Oh no, they look fine to me," Myu responded. "So, what cup size are you?"

"Sister, Ranma might not feel inclined to answer your question," Sakura gently opined.

"Oh, what the hell," Ranma thought while shaking her head. "They're a C, almost a D," Ranma answered dryly. "Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

"Wow," Myu said in wonderment as she ogled Ranma. "Where do you find bras that fit?"

"Myu this is most improper," admonished Sakura.

"It's okay," Myu replied. "It's not like I'm feeling her up - yet. So, you say you turn into a boy?"

"I'm a guy," Ranma replied. "I turn into a girl."

"Myu," Sakura began, only to be interrupted by her sister.

"And everything works? In both forms?"

Blinking a few times at the question, Ranma answered uncertainly. "Er, yeah... I guess..."

"Can I test that out?" Myu pressed. "I won't bite - much."

Ranma stood thunderstruck as her mind slipped a gear. This girl... this pervert.. who looked to be at least two or three years younger than she and was behaving like a... well, pervert. Ranma was having a hard time wrapping her mind around that.

"Myu, you are being most improper," Sakura scolded. "Ranma is a guest and you shouldn't be so forward with her."

"I'm sure she won't mind," Myu said.

"er-" was all Ranma managed as she tried to come out of her shock. She never expected anyone, outside of Happosai, to be so openly... er, perverted.

"Can I watch?" Hiroshi piped in. Scratch that, two somebodies.

"Only if you take pictures," Myu replied smartly as Ranma stood mortified, "and promise to make me a copy and not to share them with anyone else."

"I don't believe you two!" Nyoko exclaimed. "How can you be so, so, so..."

"Hot to trot?" Hiroshi offered.

"NO!" Nyoko said loudly. "You perverts!"

"I must agree, both of you are going beyond rude," Sakura said primly.

"You two are so prudish," Myu said as she reached over and gave one of Ranma's breasts a squeeze. Since Ranma had started male at the beginning of the day, Myu was pleased to find... "Ooo... no bra! And no sag either! C'mon, look at them, you can't help but wonder if she's a goer or not."

The manipulation of her breast by Myu was enough to bring Ranma out of her state; Ranma growled lightly and batted the offending hand away and thought that it'd probably be her luck that Happosai had managed to train this pervert-girl in something nasty before he disappeared. "Stop that," Ranma said with a scowl. "Geez, you're squeezing 'em as bad as Nabiki was when I first showed up."

The Watanabe children stopped fighting and now focused their attention on the redhead.

"What about Mom?" Kiyoshi asked, his curiosity piqued.

A silence that was filled with anticipation flowed through the room as Ranma had the undivided attention of everyone.

"Great," Ranma muttered under her breath as she rubbed her temples. She looked up at the other teens and sighed. "When I first showed up, they were expecting a guy. It was raining that day and I showed up as a girl and Nabiki made it a point that I was a girl by grabbing my breasts. Okay?"

"Aunt Nabiki was feeling you up?" asked Hiroshi wide-eyed.

"Well... yes," Ranma replied.

"Wow, I never knew she had it in her," Myu commented.

"Can you show me how she grabbed you?" Hiroshi asked.

"She just reached out-" Ranma stopped with her hand half-way to its target before realizing what she was doing. "No," she firmly said with a slight, renewed scowl.

"Darn."

"Will you stop and behave yourself," pleaded Akane's daughter.

"I can't believe Mom would do that," Kiyoshi commented. "I mean, she always seemed to be so cool and reserved."

"I wish I could do that," Hiroshi interjected.

"Me too," piped in Myu.

"You just did!" Ranma roared.

"Oh yeah," said Myu brightly. "Can I have seconds?"

"Will. You. Two. Stop," Nyoko ground out between her teeth.

Kiyoshi sighed. "Here they go again..." he muttered.

"You know what your problem is sis? You're too uptight," Hiroshi said seriously. "I bet the moment you get laid you'll change your tune and mellow out."

Nyoko's face turned seven shades of purple. "Hiroshi!" she shrieked. "I'd never do anything so-"

"Our parents did," Hiroshi gleefully interrupted before pointing out, "at least twice."

"Hi-ro-shi!"

Feeling that she was trapped in the twilight zone, Ranma fought the overpowering urge to run like hell. However, she had learned some tact and decided that an attempt at changing the subject was more in order. "So... do any of you practice the art?"

Silent, quizzical looks abounded about the room for a few heartbeats.

"I paint," offered Sakura. "Myu used to do ballet."

“It did wonders for my flexibility,” proclaimed Myu proudly. "Want me to prove it?"

"Er, no. That's all right," Ranma replied while making warding gestures with her hands. "I mean martial arts. You know, the schools?"

"Oh, that," Kiyoshi said. "No, not really."

"We've been taught the basics at the insistence of our Grandfather and Uncle Genma, but not much beyond that," Nyoko explained.

Recalling the words of her father and Soun on the train, Ranma decided to press for answers. "Why not?"

Hiroshi shrugged his shoulders. "Mom has always let us decide if we wanted to learn the family art or not. She said that allowing grandfather teach us the basics was a huge compromise and she would not allow us to go further unless we really wanted to."

"You mean unless you wanted to," Nyoko pointed out. "Grandfather never really wanted to teach me, but mom wouldn't let him teach you unless he taught me too."

Blinking at that answer, Ranma filed that away with other things she'd learned that day. "What about you?" she asked of Kiyoshi.

"I never saw much point in it to tell you the truth," Kiyoshi replied with a cock of his head. "I mean, it's a good way of keeping in shape, but that's about it."

"What about defending the weak?"

"That's what the police are for," came the reply.

Ranma mused over that before focusing on Kasumi's daughters. "Either of you...?"

Both girls shook their heads as one.

"It never caught my interest," Sakura said. "It seems so... violent."

"I don't like getting sweaty," Myu answered "... unless I'm having fun doing it."

"Martial arts is fun," Ranma pointed out.

"Not that kinda fun," Myu commented with a wag of her eyebrows.

Ranma found herself inching away from Myu. The type of fun that Myu was undoubtedly referring to made the cursed boy uncomfortable and she was starting to creep Ranma out. Ranma wondered how Myu turned out the way she did with Kasumi as a mother.

"So, you practice martial arts?" Kiyoshi asked suddenly, his voice cutting off any more bickering the others might have started. He seemed tired of his relatives behavior.

Blinking at the question that broke her out of her musings, it took a second for Ranma's mind to engage. "Er, yeah," she replied.

"Are you good?" Sakura asked with her polite voice.

"Heh, I'm the best," Ranma boasted, but not quite with the same gusto she used to.

"You know, my mom used to tell us stories about when she was younger about how you to be able to throw ki stuff around," Hiroshi said as his sister calmed down from the teasing she had gotten earlier. "Can you still do that, or do you have to be in the mood or something."

"I guess I can show you something," Ranma said cockily as she was now in her element.

Moving toward the center of the dojo, Ranma stood with her feet spread shoulder length apart. With eyes closed, she touched her center with its familiar emotion that she always drew upon to manifest her ki. With cupped hands brought up chest high, she concentrated on gathering her ki there. The results impressed the others in the room, but the small globe of energy hardly strained Ranma. Just to show off, Ranma fed more power into the ball, making it swell to impressive proportions.

"Wow," Nyoko squealed. "I never expected anything like that."

"Nor I," Sakura commented. "How did you manage to do that?"

"Now watch," Ranma said as she maneuvered through the opened doors, went outside and aim her hands skyward. She whispered something and the large globe of energy shot upward into the sky, fading with distance.

"Incredible," Kiyoshi siad, in awe. "If that were to hit someone...?"

"They'd be hurtin'," Ranma said somewhat subdued. Using her ki had started to become easier again, but it left her feeling slightly weary afterwards.

"I wonder what something like that would do to an Arm Slave?" Hiroshi asked to no one in particular.

"Probably not much," Kiyoshi surmised. "Those things have fairly thick armor around the vital areas. I can see it doing some damage, but not much."

"What's the most you can do with that?" Hiroshi asked.

"Er, hmmm...," Ranma thought about some of the battles she had been in. "Well, you can take a mountain down."

Silence fell in the room.

"You're kidding," Myu said skeptically.

"Nope," Ranma boasted. "When I fought Prince Herb of the Musk, we caused Mount Horaisan to collapse."

"All from this... ki?" Hiroshi asked skeptically. "I don't believe it."

"It does seem rather far-fetched," Kiyoshi added in. "I mean, I believe you can probably take a wall down, but a mountain?"

"Go ask your - mother if you don't believe me," Ranma said in sudden irritation at being doubted.

"That's okay," Kiyoshi said. "It's not that we don't believe you... it just seems, er... unbelievable."

That brought Ranma up short. As impressed with the demonstration as these... fellow teens were, they dismissed it as mostly trivial.

"What do you think of the M6 variation?"

"The one that supposed to have the lighter weight armor?" Hiroshi asked Kiyoshi.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Don't know," Kiyoshi replied. "I haven't seen any detailed specs yet."

"Guys there's more to life than Arm Slaves," Nyoko said, interrupting the two. "Are you trying to bore us to death?"

"I'm sure you ladies can find something to entertain yourselves," Kuyoshi said as he turned his attention back to Hiroshi.

"I'm game," Myu said as she tried to saddled up to Ranma who reacted by inching away further.

"Really now," Nyoko said in a huff. "And with a guest here too."

"Er, right," Ranma said uncomfortably as she inched around another attempt by Myu to get into her personal space. "So..." she began. lean over to the two seated boys, "can you guys tell me what the big deal is with these Armed slaves? All I heard that they were some human-shaped tank or something."

"Well that's technically right, but there is a lot of variation in the models used," Kuyoshi replied as he looked up and, in spite of himself, couldn't help but notice Ranma's cleavage from the lose shirt. "Oh momma, they're are huge," he thought before tearing his eyes away. "They come with different drives, armor and weapons."

"I still don't get what the big deal is," Ranma said as she settled on the floor next to Kuyoshi and Hiroshi. Myu took the opportunity to stand near Ranma and look down, admiring the seated redhead's assets.

"I guess it's a geek thing," Kuyoshi answered. "Like some guys are interested in sports cars, we're interested in Armed Slaves, right Hiroshi?"

No answer.

"Hiroshi?"

Looking over at the slightly drooling boy with glazed over eyes, Kuyoshi reached out and smacked his cousin hard in the arm. "OW!" the other boy complained. "What did you do that for."

"Pay attention," Kuyoshi said firmly.

"Children, could you all please come in?" Kasumi's voice called from outside.

------

"But -"

"But what? Destroy your son? Your friendship with the Tendos?"Nodoka asked before adding finally. "What little is left of our marriage?"

"You don't understand," Genma complained, almost child-like. "I have to... I have to prove...,"his voice trailed off as if he was actually hearing what he was saying for the first time.

Nodoka sighed. "Genma, your father was an abusive, self-centered, macho asshole," she said firmly. "You don't have to prove anything."

"Don't talk about my fath-"

"With the things he did to you - when you were only a child?" Nodoka cut Genma off. "If I had known some of the things that your father did to you, I would have never allowed you to take Ranma from me."

Genma seemed to shrink in stature, as if he aged more in a few moments than the last few years. "Would you have really denied me?"

"Yes," Nodoka answered. "There is no excuse for what your father did except pure meanness."

"He did it to make me strong," Genma defended somewhat loudly. "He cared."

"Cared? How? By starving you? By putting you through backbreaking torture and calling it training? Genma, your father was sick - don't be like him. Let the doctor help you."

"The doctor!" Genma groused. "He's the one behind all of this - isn't he? He is the one that is turning you away from honor and duty! "Well I'm going-"

The sound of flesh striking flesh was heard as Nodoka slapped Genma across the face, knocking off his glasses. "The doctor has nothing to do with this," Nodoka said sharply. "This is about you, not anyone or anything else. Don't try to blame others for your actions."

Looking down and breathing heavily, Genma mumbled, "My father..."

"He's dead - and the world is better off without him. You don't have to prove anything anymore," Nodoka said in a much softer tone. "Even with all you have done, you are still a better man than he was."

The two remained silent. Nodoka used the break to place an arm around her errant husband.

"Oh Nodoka," Genma said lowly, he blinked a few times to clear his eyes.

"Genma please, get help. Become the man I once fell in love with. If not for me, then your son. He needs you," Nodoka pleaded. She hoped she wouldn't have to divorce this man for her son's sake, but was prepared to make and carry out that threat just in case.

Genma shook his head. "He doesn't need me... hasn't in a long while."

"You're the first person he comes to when he has a question about martial arts," Nodoka pointed out.

"True," Genma nodded. "But... I don't think I have it in me anymore."

"Then come with us," Nodoka said, having explained the intended move. "If nothing else to be the father that yours wasn't to you."

Genma looked up grimly at his wife. He nodded.

"Kasumi? Could you please call Ranma and everyone in?" Nodoka asked the elder Tendo sister.

"Of course."

-------

"Everyone's here? Excellent," Nodoka said as Ranma and the Tendo sisters children filed into the room. "I have an announcement."

"After some discussion," she began, "we have decided to move to Chofu."

Soun looked on and nodded. Ranma remained silent.

"We decided to do this so that Ranma could get on with his life without the trappings of the past haunting him," Nodoka said to the room.

"Awww... you don't have to do that," Ranma complained mildly. She wished her mother would have kept that part to herself - she felt it would have made it look less like she was running away than she imagined. "It's not that bad."

"Ranma and I had discussed this before, and now your father agrees."

"Pop?" Ranma said in disbelief, looking between her parents.

Still in the seat that he had been forced into earlier, Genma looked up at his female son and nodded. "Yes son...er, daughter, I agree."

"Then what about now? I mean the crap you dragged me here for anyway?"

"That was a mistake," Genma said firmly before stammering. "I... needed to... should have worked some things out before acting rashly."

Ranma stared dumbly at her father who seemed more vulnerable now than anytime she could recall. After a short bit, he turned to her mother. "O... okay."

"I apologize for the disharmony that we brought upon your house," Nodoka said with a bow to the room.

Clearing his throat, Soun spoke for the family. "That's all right, I'm glad that things seem to be finally working out."

"Thank you Soun," Nodoka said with another bow. Focusing on her family, she asked, "Are you ready to go?

"In a minute, Mom," Ranma said. "I would like to change first."

"There's hot water on the stove," Akane offered.

"Thanks."

------

The three walked in silence. It was not a comforting one, nor was it a tense one. It was as if the emotions were drained from the trio, leaving empty shells to find their way home. Nodoka led the way slightly, not straying too far ahead of her husband and son. Ranma kept pace with his father, not moving ahead or behind, like they used to when they were on the road.

"I seems that I've been living a dream too long," Genma said in a quiet, sudden manner.

"Pops?" Ranma said, unsure if he really heard his father speak.

Genma looked at his son, the madness that was there earlier was replaced by a tired resignation. It was almost as disquieting, but no where near as threatening. "I've used you to prove how good I was, but never did anything to improve myself."

Unsure of what his father was talking about, Ranma settled for a noncommittal grunt. The change in his father was disquieting, it was as if whatever had driven him earlier had fled.

"So," Genma spoke softly, "how long have you been thinking of moving away?"

"A few weeks or so, I guess," Ranma replied. Nodoka was still ahead of them and, since the street was quiet, couldn't help but overhear. "Er, I didn't say nothing to your because... well, you know... and that I only brought it up with mom about three or four days ago... and she, well..."

"I see," Genma said. The softness and quietness in his tone was eerie. "When were you planning on telling me?"

Ranma noticed his mother stiffened, but she didn't stop or turn around or say anything. "We - I was going to tell you after we decided for sure where we were going. I know mom had something in mind, but she was going to talk to me after she got back from the doc's."

"And then?"

"Go, I guess," Ranma said, not knowing what else to say.

"I understand," Genma then took a sideways look at his son. "Do you mind if I join you and your mother?"

There was a moment of silence between father and son.

"No, not at all," Ranma replied with a smile. "I'll need someone to help me stay sharp."

"Can't have you slacking off and getting weak," Genma softly retorted with a tired smile. The smile slowly vanished, replaced by a serious and pensive look. "Do you think I was a good father?"

Ranma stopped at stared at his father. He looked so weak and small now. The man who was so full of bluster not a mere hour ago was gone. and someone else was in his place. Someone who was very unsure.

"With all the stupid crap he did to me, I could crush him... and it would be with the truth," Ranma realized silently as he watched his father. Part of Ranma felt as if it would be just desserts, the other didn't see the point kicking a man while he was down. Ranma sighed internally. "Enough's enough."

"I think you tried," Ranma simply answered.

Genma stared back in thought. "Fair enough," he finally said with a bit more spirit in his voice. Both men looked up to see that Nodoka had stopped and was waiting for them at a respectful distance with a thoughtful look of her own. "Maybe it is time," Ranma's father's voice trailed off thoughtfully, before following his wife.

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