Fate of Love.

A fanfiction by Jason Wong,

inspired by Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2, and

Naoko Takeuchi's Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon.

Chapter 1. Revelations.

Present. 

From an aerial perspective, the great city-sprawl that most people knew as Tokyo was a curiously harmonious hodge-podge of old and new, of a striving new economy overtaking the industries of old - which in itself had overtaken the traditional and near dormant ways of ancient Japanese lifestyle.

But here and there, evidence could be seen of that long surpassed culture - nestled in micro-pockets of land seemingly immune to the encroachment of high-riser complex abodes. Indeed, such pockets may have been considered to appear decidedly absurd when viewed in the grander perspective, were it not for the fact that this was Tokyo - and such novelties were commonplace.

One such place was known by all who frequented its historically beautiful walls, as the Hikawa Shrine - more a temple in its own right, and the domain of an aged priest and his only grand-daughter. What perhaps made this situation even more intriguing was the current activity that the latter of the two, the young highschooler - and the widely held beauty of the Shrine - was currently immersed in.

Now, the studious highschooler may have chosen to spend her weekend immersed in the texts, or perhaps found the time for some constructive study in the library. Alternatively, if you were more of an outgoing girl, you may have taken an outing with your friends for an afternoon of window shopping, or maybe perchance a leisurely walk in the local park with your beau.

Whatever the choice of activity, stoking roaring fires in a decidedly stuffy ancient building of hewn stone and wood was probably not a task that immediately came to mind as an ideal past time.

However, for this certain Shinto priestess, who, at least in the outside world went by the name of Hino Rei, this was the chosen item for the day - as it had been for nearly every afternoon for the past week or so.

It had been that one brief instant which had resulted in this rather...pyrotechnic obsession - one instant where, the fire reading had yielded not the blurry, half-defined shapings, but a crystalline clear image - a form given volume and dimensions by the sacred fire which fuelled it. Even her own grandfather, who had decades of experience and practice to back up his Shinto skills had never been able to produce such a vision. That in itself was more than enough reason to keep on practicing, trying to grasp the fiery image once more.

That and the fact that despite the clarity - it so just happened at the time she hadn't been in a state of attentiveness to discern the identity the instant's form had belonged to.

And that was very irking.

Frowning furiously in concentration, Rei pushed the spent ash out of the path of the still burning embers. Precision was the key here - not power. She impatiently brushed aside sweaty raven bangs that threatened to obscure her vision, sparing a glance for the high noon Sun that just managed to peek in through the rafter windows.

Leave it to Fate that it would happen to be the height of Summer - possibly the worst time to be playing with hot fires.

Ooohhh!! This was sooo infuriating. Just like Usagi could be sometimes, or just like.......just like......

The sudden flare from a bursting tongue of flame shocked her out of her tantrum. Whipping about, the Shinto Priestess pulled her precious long hair out of harm's way before the greedy tendrils destroyed one of her great sources of personal pride.

But even that was soon ignored, when the girl caught a glance of the flame that had so recently threatened her.

It was not so much the flame though, but the crystalline image that was shaped within it - like nothing she had ever conjured before in her short, present life.

The fierily bright image still burning in the back of her mind, Rei could only stare dimly at the hazy glow of the dying flames, as she felt the tears slowly trickle their way down her face.

She was crying, and she hadn't the faintest idea why.

********

******** 

Past. 

Within the great circles of life, called the Solar System by its inhabitants, there were ten planets wherein life could be found. All had in their own unique way, a characteristic beauty unsurpassed by their sister worlds. For Saturn, it was oftime said that the view of the Sun as it crossed its mighty rings of dust and ice was like a never-ending river of sparkling diamond cascades. In a similar fashion, it was the vast ocean bodies - teeming with life and the brightened colours of the underwater environs that was Neptune's claim to natural fame.

But, for the planet Mars, the fourth major world from the Sun, its greatest wonder was undoubtedly the sunset - burning the naturally red skies into an almost surreal wash of oranges and fiery yellows, as if the Gods themselves had set the heavens ablaze in triumphant glory.

And one spectator, high upon the rise of an undeveloped hill that was his own regular place, could be seen marvelling at this near daily wonder.  

It was hard to distinguish the boy from the tree that the said boy had chosen to lean upon - especially as he lay within the shadow of the setting Sun. But Equoris could have recognised that lanky gait from anywhere - the characteristic pose which seemed unique only to his friend and long time companion, Squire Marcos, the son of a Royal Knight of Mars.

That Marcos was technically a member of the nobility, and Equoris was technically, well, a nobody had little effect on their companionship. The messenger never begrudged the higher social standing of his friend, or the privileges held thereunto, and similarly Marcos had never once made use of his rank to order his friend about.

Of course, their oftime wildly differing opinions was a source of some conflict, but for the most it was a compatible relationship.

Sitting down heavily, and sharing the shadow of the tree, the courier thus announced his presence.

Silence reigned for several long minutes, a clear message to Marcos that his friend had something to say, but would only say it if and when he was invited to.

"Okay, I’ll bite. So what’s up with you today?"

Equoris turned to his friend and long time companion. "Ohhhh nothing really. Nothing much to mention of sorts." It was the kind of tone where one just knew there was something of great import that the speaker was hiding.

It also meant that Equoris really wanted to tell all, and it would probably be something that he felt proud and/or arrogant about. Times like this, the jerk was just too easy to read. "Oh get it over with runner boy - unlike you I don’t have all day."

The messenger glared meaningfully at his companion. To Marcos, that was his ‘You’ll have to be nicer than that to get me to talk’ look. "Don’t give me that Equoris I know you five times better than you know yourself." He sniffed disdainfully. "I could probably figure it out without you having to tell me anyway."

There it was, just as he had expected. Equoris’s face had now morphed into the 'Go ahead and give it your best shot' invitation. A nice guy, but waaayyy too predictable.

"Alright, here goes." Marcos kneeled so that he could better analyse his ‘specimen’. "You never showed up last night at the gaming tavern - so that means you ‘a.’ either got into a fight, ‘b.’ were rejected by the recruitment office, or ‘c.’ a combination of ‘a’ and ‘b’."

Equoris pointedly feigned disinterest.

"Don’t try to look innocent runner boy, like I said I know you." Marcos smirked loftily. "Anyhow, it takes you at least a day to recover your temper from said ‘a’ or ‘b’, but it’s been less than that and curiously enough you’re in a fairly good mood. In fact, from that eye-twinkling which you are incidentally, very poor at hiding, I’d have to say you are in a remarkably jovial mood tonight, so something really ‘remarkable’ must have happened between ‘a’ or ‘b’, and now. How am I doing so far?"

The messenger was unable to reply, what with his sudden fascination with the random patterns that formed rough whorls on the bark of the nearby tree trunk.

"Ah hah! You’re trying to ignore me - which means you’re really worried that I might have a good chance of figuring it out - so this ‘good’ thing must be something predictable, something I’d be able to attach only to you. Hmmm."

After all that, there was really only one answer. Marcos sighed, placing a forlornly wearied face into his open palms. "Please don’t tell me Equoris, you’ve met another girl."

Abruptly, the courier broke his silence. "Ahhh, my dear Marcos, she was exquisite I tell you. The smoothest, softest silk of skin, a lovely elegant face of perfection framed by a cascading torrent of the purest, unending raven river of hair. Oh and her eyes, her eyes Marcos! Truly I was lost in those endless depths of deepest royal purple." Equoris trailed off, almost wobbling in his rapture.

Though Marcos could only silently moan into his hands in exasperation. "Not again Equoris, have you no shame, no sense of propriety at all? What about...what was her name.....Brianna?"

"Her?" His surprise was certainly convincing. "We parted ways more than a week ago." He straightened in renewed vigour. "Oh but this maiden was soooo different I tell you. She was.....she had......she had lovely slender legs that I'd warrant would take a full week to reach the ground." The swift messenger trailed off into stately silence. "Alas it was a once only meeting." The tragedy was embellished with a wistful sigh.

"Eh? That’s a new one." Usually when his friend moved into such a state, he’d be all over the prey like a wolf on an unguarded carcass. "What, were you so ‘enraptured’ by her ‘ravishing’ beauty, you forgot to get her name?"

Equoris looked halfway hurt to insulted. "Hardly. I said she was pretty - I never said anything about her personality. That my dear Squire was why I never found the opportunity to....ahem....’chat’ with her further."

"Oh, do tell." His voice was drier than the sands of the Venusian rift.

"Quite a shame really, much too arrogant and stubborn - a typical palace girl."

Marcos knew well about his companion’s stigma against the nobility - ‘palace’ people included. Despite being a member of that rather exclusive society (albeit currently a low-ranking member) , the Squire could well sympathise with the feeling. Both as a messenger and a prospective guard, Equoris had seen the heel end of the overlord’s boot far too many times for one of his tender years. Still...."I’m surprised really - never thought you to pass over a pretty face - no matter what the social standing of its owner."

"Yes, well by the time I had finished taking her snooty attitudes down a notch or five, it seemed rather late for a little constructive wooing." Again, the forlorn sigh. "If I had been of a better mind I might have tried - but oh, if only I was able to tame such a fiery lass."

"If only you were able think with something above your waist for a change."

"Envious are we?" Equoris grinned slyly. "It matters not - I’ll never be able to see her again anyway."

"For that I’m supremely glad - at least for her sake." In grudging way that he’d never show to the courier playboy, Marcos had to admit to no small amount of envy. Equoris’s roguishly dark haired handsomeness, his finely fit runner’s body, coupled with the broadness due to the oftime combat training was more than enough of an incentive to keep the girls pining and lining.

The fact that he could also be charmingly disarming with words, if not exceptionally well-spoken, and knew just the way to slip in the praises to a bashful girl without her even noticing - well - it wasn’t fair that just one boy would get all the good fortune.

Marcos looked up to his companion as the messenger absently cleaned his fingernails. Given the above average spare wealth his father had garnered over the years, Equoris had been gifted with something very few commoners ever saw in their entire lifetimes - an education. Nothing like the upper-class schooling Marcos had received - the runner boy was no genius by a very long stretch - but he was about as learned as any civilian of Mars could be without being a noble.

And he toyed with the girls to the scandal of the market gossipers. It was a common myth amongst the rumourmongers that the flighty messenger boy had bedded over half the pretty girl populace, under eighteen, of Mar’s capital.

Of course it was only a myth - but the fact that Equoris probably could have made it truth had he been bothered enough to.....well bother with it, did not help matters in the slightest.

"Hello there, have you gone all mute on me, Marcos?"

The squire opened his eyes to see Equoris’s inquisitive visage peering into his own. "Equoris - promise me something, as a friend."

"Eh? Suddenly we’re all so solemn?"

"I’m serious Equoris." He stared unblinkingly into the taller boy’s playful eyes. "Break all the hearts you want, string as many girls as you have room to hold - but don’t make any lasting......damage."

"Huh? How do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean." His gaze never broke during his reply.

The courier seemed to consider the implication for a few moments, before, "Oh. Oh that." He shrugged it off. "You know me - always a man of honour above all else."

"Yes," Marcos replied dryly, "Honour."

"No really. Believe it or not I have always planned on saving myself for that ‘one true love’." He held his hands out as if to proclaim innocence.

The squire’s disdainful glare clearly stated what he thought about that.

"Fine then," Equoris whined in mock hurt. "Don’t believe me then."

"Exactly what I was thinking," he muttered contemptuously.

"Well fine then."

"Fine."

And therein ended the conversation for the day.

*********

It was unusual for Arianne to make two outings beyond the palace in as many days - but considering the events of the previous foray, she couldn’t have really claimed a truly satisfying experience. So thus, ‘dressed’ in her impenetrable disguise field the Royal Princess was to be found exiting the grounds via a well used horse-and-cart throughway - it wouldn’t do to take the same route as before to risk the admittedly slim chance of encountering that......that.....peasant.

Passing amiably through the hawker’s emporium, Arianne revelled in the openness - both in the atmosphere and the characters who inhabited it. Now this was what a proper excursion should feel like - no worries, no bothers, no.....

"Ah, behold the precious princess!"

Arianne promptly used a word that was ill-befitting a girl - princess or otherwise.

*********

He hadn’t intended to - honestly he hadn't. It was supposed to be merely a quick run-down to the food market to pick up a few of the groceries that Mother had forgotten to purchase the previous day.

But the moment he saw that cotton weave hood and cloak, Equoris simply knew he wouldn’t be able to resist. Despite the fact that her face was as always hidden from view, and she had taken the pre-caution of changing the colouration of her attire, the messenger was very sure with whom he would be shortly......chatting with.

"Keep a minimum distance of ten feet from me, else you lose a vital organ."

Equoris reeled in dramatic shock. "Oh my lovely Majesty, you wound me."

"I’m glad we have an understanding - now if you would excuse me....." Without bothering to heed any further response, she sniffed haughtily and swiftly sought another direction of travel - not particularly choosy about one save that it take her as far away as possible from him.

Like one of those flies which you knew was there but couldn’t quite swat, the boy courier continued to hover within conversation range. "Here now, there’s no need to be so sour about it." It was quite interesting talking to the back of her hood. "I’m sorry if you were antagonised so. Come now fair maiden, do not spurn me thus."

"Will you just stop calling me that?" Arianne very nearly stomped her way through the pavement.

Equoris smiled cheekily, glad to receive some sort of reaction. "I could call you the ugliest backside to be found on a rabid hairless dog - but such an injustice to your unsurmountable beauty would injure me almost as much as yourself."

"Cheeks flushing scarlet in embarrassment, the girl averted her face and resumed her brisk walk.

Silent for once, the messenger continued to tag after, openly admiring her gracefully elegant sway even as she tried to adopt an air of frustrated exasperation. When after several minutes it became clear that the annoying pest would continue to follow wherever she chose to go, no matter how long the duration, Arianne angrily halted once more. "What do I have to do to get rid of you?"

Bowing respectfully, Equoris’s demeanour seemed magically shift. "Allow me to express my sincerest apologies by entertaining you for your stay beyond the palace walls. In an hour I can show you all the unknown highlights of this great city."

With his head lowered, the teenager failed to note the girl’s quick start of surprise. He knew I was from the palace? Calming herself helped considerably here - there were thousands of people who were attached in some way to the Royal grounds - he probably assumed her to be a servant of some sort enjoying the time off her duties.

Of course, the more present issue at hand was his offer - a dubious one at best, especially since the word ‘entertainment’ could cover an alarmingly wide variety of activities. Yes, better to follow the safer route. "Thank you but I am quite capable by myself. Now if you please...." Please, please just leave me alone. Even she couldn’t understand this sudden desire to stay clear of this mysterious boy. He just seemed so.....so......

"I swear on my word of honour, that I have only the most honourable intentions. We can keep to the public areas if you fear me to be a lecher."

Which was exactly what she had feared - though hadn’t expected him to come right out and say it directly. After all, although Arianne was more than capable of defending herself, any such necessity would almost certainly involve a compromise of identity, and then Mother would be sure to find out, and the whole House would end in an uproar, and........no it would have been too much of a risk. Still, he had given his word.

"Look here, I’ll even hand over my courier’s license - so that if you are displeased with my conduct, you can have me arrested." So saying, he pressed into her hands, a small, cardboard thin plaque - unremarkable save for the green waxed chop proclaiming its authenticity.

As she absently turned the license over, the Princess murmured curiously, "Messenger of the Nobility - Equoris. Aged of seventeen in this, the first year of our.....our Princess's reign." She looked up from her perusal of the license. "You are a courier?"

"Yes!" He struck his chest in a ridiculously exaggerated flair of braggadocio. "And you will find no swifter, nor more reliable a messenger in the whole of our System!"

She tried to suppress it, but failed and burst out laughing at the tall boy took a courtly bow that nearly bowled the both of them over. "Come now, fair maiden, you hold both my identity and my livelihood in your right hand. Is this not assurance enough?"

Her pretty brow frowned as she eyed him suspiciously. "Alllllright then you smooth talker. I’ll give my trust, for the moment."

"Well then, shall we be off?" Ever the lady's man, he offered a courtly arm to her.

I can't believe I'm trusting this buffoon. Trying to hide her annoyingly natural enthusiasm at the prospect of being led about her own city by an obvious street-wiser, Arianne grudgingly accepted the proffered arm.

********

"This is what you call a 'highlight'?" Arianne stared unbelievingly at the scungy and clearly paint-bare hawker's cart that served as a cooking station for a grizzled old pie vendor.

"Cast off ye high and frilly attitudes towards the unkempt, palace wench." Equoris stared meaningfully at his companion. "Darmius's pie shop may be a little under the weather - and so may Darmius himself, but his sweets are unrivalled in all of the city."

"I certainly hope so." Arianne murmured dubiously. It was a silent hope that this 'Darmius' kept his wares in a greater state of cleanliness than he did everything else.

"Hello, old man, nice to see you again."

"My greetings m'boy." The addressed chef took a moment to spare a glance at the girl beside the courier. "Equoris, have you no shame?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" The cloaked girl eyed the taller boy curiously, whilst the boy himself simultaneously glared at the chuckling old vendor.

"Ahh, nothing - just a personal thing between the two of us." He hastily brushed away the comment. "Spare the chat for later old man - I'd like two of your finer apple-and-peach cream concoctions."

Furrowing his brow in a mock imitation of concentration, the old pastry chef peered into the heated vats below. "Hmmm, what to get for a scoundrel boy and his pretty companion?"

"See?" Equoris whispered conspiratorially. "Everyone is in agreement about your beauty."

The princess could only look away, blushing furiously whilst she self-consciously pulled her cloak hood down further. So she might have stayed, had her gaze not been arrested by the sight of two innocent looking fruit encrusted cake items, simply exploding with mountains of cream.

"Bet you didn't expect that from a dingy shop like mine eh?" Darmius winked knowingly. "I use only the finest ingredients from the finest locations - so long as you don't ask how I came by 'em, feel free to help yourself."

"A true thief and proud if it." the courier deftly translated.

"Hey now watch your language!" The chef threw a playful cuff that was entirely too slow to reach its target. "I'll have you know you insolent whelp that I paid honestly earned premium prices for today's cream barrel."

Arianne wisely took the opportunity to snatch one of the pastries. Her eyes widened on the very first bite - indeed that aforementioned cream tasted very much like.........

"And so just how did a highlander dairy's cask straight out of the Royal palace's larders find its way to your sorry hands?"

.......the stuff she had enjoyed for breakfast this very day. Ah well.

"Just pay up and get thee gone Equoris - you're staining my good name and making for bad business." Darmius's glinting smile betrayed his gruff demands.

Laying down a half-sovereign, the teenager was quick with a rejoinder. "My good looks draw more business for your cart than your stolen cream ever will. However, duty calls and I'll bid you good day - keep up the finest work old man."

"Bah! Arrogant upstart." Eyes suddenly glinting mischievously, Darmius beckoned the as of yet silent Arianne over, just as she was turning to leave. "Whatever this lying scoundrel asks for, just say no."

It seemed that staring daggers at the irritating pie vendor had less than effective results.

*********

Arianne stared unbelievingly at the sight of her guide standing upon the ledge of a sandstone wall some eight feet high. That in itself was not that incomprehensible (if a little unusual), but the fact that he'd arrived there by means of a single.....enormous leap - well........ "How did you do that?"

"Do what? The jump?" He hesitated in uncertainty. "It's not that.....bizarre is it?" He smiled jokingly. "I mean, it's not as if I went and vaulted clean onto the roof - it's only a few feet."

"A few feet?" She pondered over his complete casualness over the matter, before noticing an impatient wave.

"Come on, what are you waiting for?" He held out a helping hand.

"You can not be serious." She stubbornly folded her arms across her chest, as if awaiting an alternate proposal.

"Oh come off it." Equoris fairly scoffed. "I'm not asking you to eat hot coals. Just hold out your hand and........."

"And find a more reasonable, nay a more normal way to get up onto that wall. And by the way, why in God's name would I want to make such a spectacle of myself by frolicking up there? Walls were made for privacy, not for idiots like you to....." She continued on, unaware that his interest had long ago thoroughly perished.

"Oh brother." The messenger sighed more to himself than anyone else. Taking brief advantage of her diverted attention, he nimbly dropped once more to the pavement and without further preamble, scooped the still chattering girl into his strong arms.

"......so unless you find...find.....EXCUSE......" but before one could say, 'Put me down you insolent pervert!' the pair were airborne. The princess's words abruptly died in her throat as her breath was fairly taken away by the sudden rush of movement, strangely comforting in his firm embrace. And oh for those precious half-seconds of completely free weightlessness as Equoris, untroubled by his burden, alighted gracefully upon the narrow stone ledge.

"There now, that wasn't so bad was it?" He grinned disarmingly down at his passenger, whilst simultaneously setting her down on her feet.

And for the life of her, Arianne could not find the energy to answer with a reasonable retort. Proper ladies of the court were not supposed to be man-handled as she had been - and proper ladies were definitely not supposed to...supposed to enjoy it. "Never, ever do that again..." The cloaked girl suddenly growled furiously in an effort to salvage what was left of her frayed composure. ".....at least not without my permission first," she unthinkingly finished in a rushed breath. Where on Mars did that come from?

"You have my word, your highness." Equoris bowed fitfully. "But come now, if you would deign to follow me." Sheesh, most girls he knew would haven given their all to be taken up into his arms as she had. Talk about ingratitude. His grumblings were caught short as the girl's hood, pulled awry by the leap, fell away, and as before released her unfurling river of night black hair. The teenager boy stared in clear admiration.

Ethereally aware of his close gaze, Arianne hurriedly sought to gather her long tresses, flying softly in the evening breeze. Suddenly met with a surge of red-cheeked bashfulness, she turned away, hoping that her voluminous clothing could hide her embarrassment. This was all too unfamiliar and disconcerting - never before had she felt so.....rattled by a mere boy's attentions.

Disappointed, Equoris reluctantly tore his eyes away from the sight. A moment of awkward silence, and he silently waved again for her to follow. And just as reluctant to broach the unspoken moment between them, Arianne followed.

*********

"Oh.........My." The young princess was torn between wonder and frank amusement when visited by the vista that her guide had led both to see.

The Royal Palace of Mars - her palace - backlit by the almost eerily fairytale light of both moons of their world.

Phobos and Deimos - floating in a perfect symmetry like two glowing icons of solidarity, seeming to rest tenuously upon the needle sharp spires of the palace's highest towers.

True - it was her own home - one that she was as familiar with as any other member, but.......seen this way, in these environs........"Beautiful.......absolutely beautiful." She seemed unaware that her thoughts had been voiced aloud, even as a small, open smile graced her lips.

"Yes." Equoris quietly whispered his heartfelt agreement, though his eyes gazed not upon the sight that enthralled his companion. "Perfect."

Forcibly shaking himself out of his daze, the messenger turned his gaze back towards the palace. "I think nobody knows of this locale but I - I'll warrant even her Majesty, the Princess herself would never know the true beauty of her own abode........what's wrong?" He glanced quizzically at what sounded to be an ill-suppressed giggle.

Arianne was fairly shaking as she held her open hand firmly against her mouth.

"What's so funny?"

"N-nothing. Really." With a deep breath she hastily swallowed the last tremors of laughter. "Just that - it isn't known amongst the general populace but the nickname, so to speak, of the Royal Palace is 'Phobos Deimos Castle'." Her face lifted to stare at Mars's twin satellites. "I never knew why - until now."

"Ah yes, the palace people, in their palace world." His voice was studiously neutral. "Someday I hope to be counted one amongst the guardians of your........your 'Phobos Deimos castle'."

"Really?" The raven haired maiden eyed the taller boy wryly. "And why would a humble courier expect to enter the military - any military?"

"Don't start with me on that." Equoris's reply was a half-retort, half warning. "I'm no mean fighter myself - if only they gave me a proper chance."

"There's a distinct difference between a common street brawler, and a soldier."

"Yes, and a right shame that the conscription boards are too thick headed to give a chance for one to distinguish himself from the other."

Innately sensing a subject of which her guide was not too fond of dwelling upon, Arianne drifted about for another topic. "What hour is it?"

"Two toward the mid of night. Why do you ask?"

"Two.......hours?" She nearly yelped in fright. "My God! I have to get back!" Unthinkingly the princess whirled about, before realising she hadn't the faintest idea how to get down. "Where's the nearest route to the palace?"

Smirking, Equoris pointed directly at the castle. "Straight line that way - provided you can jump of course."

She might have punched him, had he not been required to lead her out. "Darn you, I'll be in sooo much trouble if I am missed." Swallowing her anger (and no small amount of pride), she continued. "Please, no jesting now. How do I get back?"

Taken aback by her sudden seriousness, the messenger gestured for her to follow. Taking off at a brisk run, he looked over his shoulder. "My occupation requires me to know the back routes of this city. We'll be there shortly."

Wasting no breath on talk, the raven haired girl silently pursued, thankful that her footwear allowed for such movement. Even so, she found herself on the verge of lagging behind.

"When are you required to be back by?"

Woefully, Arianne answered. "A half-hour ago."

Shaking his head, the runner boy picked up the pace, and within a short while the pair were once again standing along the peak of the sandstone barrier.

Concerned in her own worry, the palace girl never even thought to voice a complaint as Equoris impulsively gathered her up, slipping one arm under her legs whilst the other supported her waist. "Tally ho."

He hit the ground running, though so softly, she barely even noticed when they made contact with the pavement. Though what did hold her attention was the fact that the courier had as of yet failed to relinquish his hold. "I am capable of running myself, thank you," she not so tactfully hinted, fitfully mortified by the various stares that their unconventional appearance was garnering.

"We'll make the palace in better time this way. No one can match a messenger of the nobility in fleetness." Even as he nimbly dodged the city's late night pedestrians, he grinned mischievously at his charge. "And besides, your feather-light weight bothers me not at all."

Flustered, angered and strangely flattered all at once, Arianne hotly responded. "That's ridiculous! We would be so very much faster if you'd just........."

Ignoring of her protests, Equoris found an open throughway and surged into his sprint.

".......just......just...." Both voice and irritation died in the face of awe, as she felt them......them.......Gods above he was so fast! Flying across the promenades as if the earthbound barriers were non-existent, she could not even feel the moments where his feet surely must have met the ground. Daring to look up from her nestled position she stared, blindly shocked into disbelief at the realisation that for a few tenuous seconds, he'd been dashing along the side of a fence. "My God what are you?" she whispered, half-fearfully.

And all the while, cradled as delicately as a babe, her body felt not the jostlings that would have plagued any normal human. Smooth as the crystal ice, and just as clear. Smiling as the childhood fairytale line came back to her, Arianne freely tilted her head into the comfortable crook of his broad shoulder, exalting in the ever-constant rush of the wind through her wildly flying tresses.

And yet much too soon, and before realisation could catch up with abandon, Arianne sensed their inevitable return to the snail's pace of the real world.

Coming to a fluid halt, Equoris stepped aside and gently set his burden down with all the delicacy of a crystalline snowflake. Weakened as she was by the invigorating rush of the journey, the princess fought for stability against the solid earth, despite her light deposition. She flushed in embarrassment at feeling his steadying hands upon her shoulders, only then noticing the ragged state of his breathing.

"Woo hah. Seems......a little more......exercise.....is in.......order for me." He offered a sheepish grin.

"Are you alright? You needn't have run quite that fast." She looked on concerned, as the courier bent down, hands rested on his thighs.

"I'm alright." With a playful push, he nudged her towards the carriageway entrance of the palace. "You'd better be going - else it'll be a waste of all my efforts to get you here promptly."

"I....." Arianne began hesitantly. "I.....I'm not very good at this sort of thing - but.....thank you."

Equoris winked suggestively at that. "Hey - anything for a pretty face."

"Ah......" Oooh this was so embarrassing. Unable to find anything further to say, the long haired girl headed reluctantly towards the open gates. Suddenly, before rational thought could take hold, she whirled. "C-can I see you again?"

Blinking in surprise, the teenager stared curiously at the pretty maiden before replying, softly, "I'll be awaiting your presence out here, tomorrow. Same time?"

Regretfully reminded of her duties, and (even more damnably) her status within the Mars society, Arianne hesitantly stammered. "I....I cannot guarantee that I may be able to......" She gestured helplessly towards the massive walls of the palace front - a sign of her responsibilities.

Quick to understand, the boy nodded his sympathy. "Then I shall await you tonight, and the next night, and every night that follows - in the hope that you find the time." In a last display of his unconscious swiftness, Equoris darted towards her side, and before she had even time to register his arrival, lightly took her small, delicate hand into his. In the time old gesture that a gentleman would use to greet a lady, the messenger pressed his lips in the lightest of brushes across her fingers. "Until then, fair princess."

Feeling her cheeks flush in heat, and imagining the resultant blush spreading across her entire body, Arianne took a single step back, before running in full to the relative safety of the entrance alcove. There, hidden from the overpowering dominance of those wonderful blue eyes, she leaned back against the wall, feeling the cool stones in counterpart to her sudden hotness. And all the while, she lightly fingered that hand - her right hand - the one that tingled with an unseen but delightful energy.

*********

"You're late tonight." Marcos was to be found lounging casually against his favourite corner chair of the 'Wagoneer's Tavern' - both his and Equoris's frequent place of meet.

The addressed courier waved to the tender. "Two ales." Turning to his friend, he added, "My treat."

"And to what do I deserve this most rarest of privileges?" the squire naturally being the wealthier of the two, this was certainly a most unusual event.

It was then that Equoris gave his companion the look. The look.

There was a pronounced silence as the very specific expression was processed and digested.

"Oh by the moons of Jupiter, Equoris!"

"Perfection, dear Marcos, absolute perfection."

"Who is it this time?" The noble paused to take a sizeable mouthful from his chilled tankard.

"Oh no, the same girl as before." He gazed querulously at the shorter boy. "I am not that fickle to change so - and besides.....besides.....with her about I could swear off the pursuit of any other for the rest of my life."

"Why don't you just write that last sentence up and have the local printer make copies for you." Sarcasm had just reached a new level of dryness. "That way you can just flash me one every time you feel the inclination instead of wasting time repeating yourself."

Visibly hurt, Equoris meekly replied, "That was unnecessarily cruel, and besides, you are being rather heavily judgemental in the consideration that you have yet to meet her."

"And you have yet to express any sentimentality that originates from anything higher than your most basest lusts." The answer came as a fiercely grumpy growl.

"Do you begrudge her loveliness? I think she is the loveliest, most beautiful damsel I have ever had the fortune to meet." The boy sighed happily in reminiscence.

"I think fortune has hardly anything to do with that." Marcos smiled thinly, visited by a sudden thought. "May I ask a question?"

"Yes of course." The messenger unfolded hands from behind his head.

"Did you perchance manage to garner her name?"

Silence.

"Damnation."

"As I said, all your care is devoted to appearances. I think one such as you would be termed as, say, a bastard?"

Resting his elbows upon the pine wood table, the tall messenger blinked at the unusually caustic insult. "What's eating you all of a sudden - even you aren't this uncivil."

Visited with the sudden thought that this might have been Equoris's way of changing the subject, Marcos reluctantly let it slide. "Found out from father an hour ago. In two days I am to be readied for my Presentation."

The Presentation. The coming of age ceremony all noble sons and daughters looked towards with fervour - the day when they would be presented before the Royal Court as a fit subject to rule in the name of the Princess of Mars - a day of celebration. So why in God's name..... ".........are you so bothered by this all?" Equoris exclaimed incredulously. "I ought to be slapping you on the back and having the rounds about the tavern!"

Marcos's obvious lack of enthusiasm promptly sucked that notion dry. "Father wants to enlist me as soon as is conveniently possible, and I mean convenient for him."

That took some thinking. Marcos's father was the well known Sir Guymion, one of the select few from the global population who had had the privilege of serving her Majesty, the High Queen Serenity herself. With the ability to travel between planets limited to the mages, and those under the direct Royal duress, well, amongst the common populace at least, the name Queen Serenity was more a legend than a commonplace term. After all, the vast majority would never even see her, let alone set foot upon her planet, in their lifetimes.

For Sir Guymion to enlist his own son meant......"Y-you're......" Equoris paused, unable to find the breath. "You're going to be trained amongst the Queen's Guard? - one of the Lunar Guard?"

"Yes."

"On the Moon? In our System's capital.........with the Queen's Royal Legions?!"

"Yes."

Equoris blanched, utterly devastated by his companion's appalling lack of enthusiasm.

*WHACK!!*

"Ow! Dammit what's your problem?"

"Oh I don't know." The courier's demeanour was surprisingly calm after his recent surge of movement. "It's just that I have this friend here, who has just been handed a once in five lifetime's chance, right, and I mean right into his unappreciative lap. Do you know how hard it is to get such a ranking? Nine planets' populations - ten counting the Moon capital - twenty billion people, and only less than a thousand ever get to join the Lunar Guard." Now well enthused into his rant, Equoris continued unabated. "You've bypassed the local army, you've been seen over the Royal Mars Guard - your father has shot you way up to the top! Do you know what I'd give for that, Marcos?"

The squire slammed his empty tankard heavily upon the table. "That's EXACTLY what the problem is, Equoris!"

"Oy! You two pipe it down over there." The innkeeper called from the bar.

Marcos's voice dropped down to a furious whisper. "Exactly Equoris. Me, a trainee with less soldier's experience than you can flush down a portable latrine, pushed all the way to the elite. And why?" He gritted his teeth angrily. "Because my father happens to frequently rub noses with the high and mighty over by the Capital." He gestured widely towards his partner. "You just asked me if I knew what you'd give for a chance - you the champion bare-fist boxer of your age group, the one who can beat me hands down in all but magic and fencing. I may be good with a sword, but why should I be given that right over anyone?"

"Take the chance, and worry not about the ethics of it, is all I say." Seeing the continued look of irritation, he continued hastily, "No wait, and let me finish. If you are so concerned about your unfitness for the title, go to the Moon, work your very hardest, prove your abilities - and earn the title you have been bestowed." The courier settled back comfortably in his seat. "But mark my words you'll regret it for your life if you pass this up."

Quietly, Marcos examined his hands, as if to find some hidden truth contained within. "I never really wanted to be a solider you know - at least when I was old enough to understand what a soldier's profession was."

"Well, it looks like the decision is in your hands then." Equoris dealt a hearty slap to his companion's back. "But really, what is it about being a soldier that you find so abhorrent?"

His voice laced with sarcasm, Marcos said, "Oh I don't know, maybe it's the wars they fight in. They're the darnedest things - those wars - all those people dying, and getting maimed and injured." He held his chin in an absurdly thoughtful pose. "Hmmm I wonder why I would feel so dis........."

"Alright, ALRIGHT I get the point." The messenger interrupted. "But it's not as if it would be a reasonless occupation - it's for our Queen and our duty to defend that which we have been raised to cherish." He smiled encouragingly. "Love and justice - just like our very pretty Sailor Senshi live to defend."

"Equoris, you've never seen a Sailor Senshi. How can......."

"Don't change the subject!" Settling down, he continued. "Look, all I'm trying to say is that unless you feel that you would be unable to serve your Queen, take the offer, and do Mars proud." Standing up, the boy finished off the dregs of his ale. "I have to be going now - another darn Squire has an early run for me tomorrow."

Still outwardly unconvinced, Marcos gloomily waved his farewell. "Goodnight Equoris."

**********

Sighing in both relief and the release of a pent-up breath, Arianne gratefully closed the large double doors to her apartments.

Safe. By some God-sent miracle, she had managed to bypass both her parents and the cadre of advisers - both of whom seeming to possess the irritating knack of appearing just when you didn't want them........."

"Daughter, I have been awaiting you for some time now."

Curses. She turned, reluctantly lifting her eyes to meet his gaze. "Father, I-I......."

His upheld hand stayed any further comment. "You needn't bother. I will not hear any excuses." Wearily, the elderly warrior rubbed both hands to his forehead. "Arianne, what am I to do with you? On the one hand you tire your carers to no end, but on the other......well you would not be a true daughter of the House of Mars if you had not such a temperamental spirit. His wan smile lasted for but a moment. Eyes hardening, her father continued. "But you cannot be allowed to ignore your duties as a Princess, and a Sailor Guardian of our Queen."

"I keep to all my lessons and tutoring, and as for the protection of the Queen, well....." It was no secret that amongst the inner Senshi at least, Sailor Mars was considered to be one of the more potent in sheer power and energy - though the position of 'most powerful' was an oftime hot debate, based more on planet patriotism than true measuring of capabilities.

Which was of less than base concern for the Sailor Senshi themselves - whether it was to be Jupiter's Oak Revolution, or her own Burning Mandala that was most effective - one need only recall the power of the Outers to be humbled in entirety. Arianne reflexively shuddered at that thought. Pluto, and even more so, Sailor Saturn.......it was practically a social stigma to discuss topics on that par.

"Be that as it may," the stern tone brought her back to reality. "There is more to holding the title than merely soldiering and schooling - very much more." Her father sighed once more, looking away from the elegant image of his only child - so much like her mother, yet......no this had to be done.

"My daughter, please take your seat."

And within Arianne, alarm bells were knocking their way about her mind. When Father called her 'My daughter', it was the final bane of any possibility of fortunate news.

"I know this will not be easy for you to take, but please bear with me till I am concluded."

Oh No!

The man seemed to measure each of his words with utmost care. "Your mother and I......have decided, for the welfare of Mars......that in due course a suitable suitor should be found for you to be married ......."

"Married!?" the princess abruptly blurted. "Father have you lost your......."

"Arianne! Please, this isn't easy." The King apparent of Mars straightened his resolve. "Ever since the betrayals by Beryl and the others, relations between the planets have been strained to the limits - the alliance which has held for thousands of years is weakened by uncertainty and doubt." Silently, he arose and placed a firm hand upon his only daughter's shoulder. "That is where your duty begins."

"Father, I......."

"You are not some sideline Baron's seventh sire!" He sharply interrupted. "You are the Princess of Mars! My daughter, a Sailor Senshi in service to your Queen and the Solar System." More sedately, he continued. "I am not asking you to wed the nearest eligible noble boy by noon tomorrow Arianne - there are many prospective sons to choose from, and we are in no great hurry. Simply that you never forget your duty to the planet from which you were born to rule. Millions of people will come to depend on your decisions alone."

"I, Father, I......" but the princess trailed off, unable to find anything suitable in reply - not to a responsibility that bore the entire weight of Mars.

"Just think on it please?"

She sighed remorsefully. "Alright Father, so long as I have the final say in which boy I will be courted with......I can live with my obligations."

The old warrior smiled approvingly. "You do myself and your Mother proud to bear this at so young an age. We can only hope Mars may live past these troubled years and prosper."

"Thank you, Father." But despite the truth of his words, and for no apparent reason she could fathom, Arianne could find nought but hollowness in his praise.

I should find pride - I am serving my world, as the Senshi before me always have.

Yeah, pride.

********** 

**********

Present.

"Kiyaiii......Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Miss, miss, and errrr miss." Ranma smiled genially.

"Stand still you jerk!" Akane spun for a wild roundhouse, anger and frustration making her offensives clumsy.

"If a real opponent would avoid your moves, then so will I." The pigtailed teenager settled into his basic unassuming stance, before being forced once more into a dance of defensive dodges. "And....until......you’re.....-woo that was pretty close-....fast enough.....I’ll keep right.....on.....dodging."

Considerably out of breath, and yet to land more than a gratuitous puff of displaced air on her erstwhile fiancé, Akane could do no more than angrily fume. "Stupid baka." Tossing her head, she stormed out of the dojo without even bothering with an acknowledgment.

Or at least, she tried to. Suddenly, forward progress seemed to be rather difficult - which shouldn’t have been very surprising given the strongly muscled hand firmly gripping her arm.

"What have we learned from this?"

"That you're an insensitive perverted jerk."

"Too much anger - and not enough thought equals........beep." He teasingly touched index finger to her forehead.

Angrily, she clumsily swiped at the offending digit. "If only you took me seriously instead of playing around all the time."

Suddenly sombre, Ranma curtly responded. "I'll start treating you seriously when you start taking the Art seriously."

"Seriously?" Akane stared unbelievingly at her opponent. "A teasing, joking, perverted baka like you is telling me to be serious?!" A violent roundhouse complemented her disbelief.

The pigtailed fighter's eyes narrowed for but an instant at that. "Mouko Takabisha."

The blazingly hot bolt of energy passed close enough to singe hair. Shocked into silence, Akane reflexively stumbled back, even as the heat of the chi warmed her face. Forcing herself to calm, she silently reassured herself. He would never hurt me, he would never hurt me, he would ne.......

"So, what new forms or techniques have you learned for the Art, since I've been around?"

"I....I....." And for some reason, the whirling, rushing spin of the summer breeze seemed to be a very interesting sound to focus upon. Uncertain, a little embarrassed, and certainly not enjoying either feeling, Akane absently twiddled her fingers. It was then that she noticed the unusual chill flowing down her right flank.

"Huh?" Her gi. Her favourite yellow gi. Burnt from waist to shoulder.

Very burnt. Singed all the way down to her sports bra.

"You......you......PERVERT!!!!"

**SLAM!!**

Well versed in the art of fiancé discipline Akane had her mallet safely retrieved and packaged away with the minimum of fuss, turning on her heel and marching out of the dojo in one smooth movement.

Leaving her 'sensei' to muse on the curious new way of seeing life - two inches from the floor.

Something really must be done about this. "I'll second that." Ranma heartily agreed with his brain's suggestion.

**********

The bedroom door was perhaps the first non-living item to feel the impact of a certain Tendo daughter's anger. Downstairs in the living room, Nabiki winced sympathetically as the resounding slam echoed throughout the house, very nearly shaking its ancient foundations to the core.

And the founder of that thunderous peal fell heavily onto her bed, the pillow absorbing her angry tears. Martial Arts, the foundation by which she had survived her childhood years, her, the heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes - and he had dared to mock her efforts.

Mouko Takabisha.

"Shut Up!" She angrily screamed to no one.

Amaguriken.

Saotome Ranma, the heir to the 'Saotome' School of Anything Goes Martial Arts - the brother school to her own. How did the representative of that descendant Ryu compare to her own?

Hiryu Shoten Ha.

What honour did she do her own Art, her own School?

"That's not fair." She muttered incoherently in the bedclothes. This was Ranma she was comparing herself with. Ranma! No one could measure up to him - he had proven that decisively in China.

So what about the others?

Others?

You're the worst of the lot, and you know it girl.

"That's not true. Before Ranma came I was.........."

Before Ranma.

Maybe the reason why he doesn't take you seriously, is that you don't.........don't deserve to be.

Drying her eyes decisively, Akane clenched her fists in determination. That had to change. She didn't fully understand why, but to have that pigtailed boy, her fiancé not take her seriously was.......wrong. She wanted, no she needed his respect.

And what's more, Akane knew just the person who would help her.

"Now where's Ryouga when you really need him?"

*********

"To tell, or not to tell." Sailor Pluto absently toyed with a Golden Sovereign, insignificant save that it was of solid gold and over ten thousand years old. "That is the question - for today at least."

Seemed like aeons ago, probably because it was.

Several minutes' deliberation finally yielded an answer. "Sorry Sailor Mars, but it looks like 'not to tell', for the moment." Tarnished by the longest of ages, her memory of the times and the situations around this newest player in the scheme were just too hazy to act decisively upon.

Just remembering his name had taken several days, no, it would be worse than cruel to tell the Senshi of Fire that a long lost acquaintance had finally returned, without being able to provide anything more than the most rudimentary of obscure details. Sailor Mars would be distracted - tempted perhaps to ignore her duties in favour of seeking out this boy.

If Fate deigned to allow it, Senschenal Equoris of the first Royal Guard would come to them in his own time.

And hopefully by then she could remember what needed to be remembered in order to.......deal with it.

**********

Ranma sighed despondently at the scene unfolding before his eyes. "This isn't what I wanted."

A Tendo Akane that was finally training her hardest, putting in her all to achieve that which she always claimed to aspire to - that was very good.

Hibiki Ryouga, her chosen sensei and mentor - not so crash hot.

"Is she stupid or something?" Ranma seemed unaware of his vocalised thoughts. "I mean, if she wanted somebody to train her, didn't it even occur, just for a moment, to ask........"

"You've got only yourself to blame for that, Saotome." The voice was dry, the voice was all-knowing - the voice of Tendo Nabiki.

"What do you know about it?" he responded hotly, irked both at being caught unawares, and having his thoughts revealed so easily (even by Nabiki's standards).

"Ranma, Ranma, Ranma. Art thee unwise in the ways of tact and society." The middle Tendo daughter sagely tsked her disapproval.

"This isn't going to cost me anything is it?"

Welllll.......now that you mention it......"

"Awww, leave me alone Nabiki, I'm broke already." Ranma fairly whined.

"Well, you're in luck today then." The business girl smoothly interjected. "I'm feeling generous so consider today's consultation on the house."

"I should mark this day down in gold gild and silver, on the calendar." Ranma mumbled grudgingly. "The day that Tendo Nabiki gives something for nothing."

"Nimble today aren't we?" Too nimble. Nabiki was not entirely comfortable with the idea that Ranma, on any given day, would possess the mental capacity for anything other than complete bluntness. "Anyhow, let us get back to the issue at hand. Akane."

"Akane and Ryouga." Ranma filled in.

"Yes, well frankly I'm surprised that you're surprised that she didn't go to you for help." She paused to take a particularly flattering picture of her younger sister - her camera appearing and subsequently disappearing with the minimum of fuss. "After all, why would she go to you?"

"Well....." the pigtailed boy ticked off the points with his counting fingers. "I learn the same School of Art as her, I've known her longer, I'm waayyyy better than pig-boy over there, I won't get lost trying to find the dojo, and.....and....."

"And?"

"Oh come on Nabiki! You know...." Ranma gesticulated furiously. "It's me! We always do stuff like that together."

The girl's gaze returned to the still sparring pair, the camera unloading once more. "Apparently not today," came the dry murmur.

"What are you staring at?" The pair reflexively stiffened at the sudden comment.

"What?" Settling into the familiar, and well-worn stance of arrogance, Ranma crossed arms in front of himself to meet the challenge head-on. "Ain't no sign here saying I can't stay an' look where I want."

"What's wrong Ranma?" Ryouga cut in, happy to hand in his jibe. "Feeling left out?"

"Shut up pig face. This ain't none of your business."

"Who you calling a pig face? Ranma you take that........"

"Think you ought to be smart enough to work that out. After all there's only one pig in this room."

"Ranma! Stop picking on............"

Oh boy. Nabiki sighed inwardly to herself - this conversation was as good as over. She resolved to make a safe getaway, and return once things settled down a little.

And Tendo Akane could only growl in annoyance as her sensei promptly forgot her lesson in lieu of more......violent matters.

Leave it to that stupid jerk to interrupt her training and start another fight in the same breath.

********

Several hours, and several bruises later Nabiki eventually found her greatest monetary source angrily scrubbing away at the dirtied welts that marred his otherwise admittedly handsome features. But before she could even announce her presence he had already begun. "Damn Ryouga - sometimes he really tests the limits of our friendship." The Anything Goes heir furiously dried himself. "Antagonising me like that with that surly smirk, that snooty........"

"Earth to Ranma? Do we have a signal?" The Tendo girl teasingly prodded the taller boy on the forehead.

There was little reaction, save for a decidedly sour glare. "I thought you were here to help me."

"Surprised you still remembered." She smiled wryly in response.

"I have a very good memory."

Nabiki blinked, startled. That, from a jock like Saotome? She ignored the thought and continued. "Anyhow, I'm here to help you help yourself." She stood back, as if to gain a different perspective. "Frankly Saotome, I think all of us here are a little tired of your horsing around with this fiancée business."

"It's not like I'm enjoying any of this - in fact it stinks to unholy Hell in case you didn't notice."

"Ooohh such language." Nabiki mock swooned. "Are we approaching the quarter life crisis here?"

"Maybe......" the Anything Goes heir trailed off sombrely. "Just been thinking a lot lately - about life, abut my friends." His eyes darkened in thought. "About those who I used to think were my friends."

"Saotome Ranma, going philosophical - now this is worth marking down on a calendar."

"Thinking about changes...." The pigtailed boy continued, as if he hadn't heard. "I mean, what kind of life is it? I would have thought that after......after China things would have been different - ya know everyone would have kind of.....grown up?" He sighed ruefully. "Feels like I'm the only one that was changed by those events."

"I really wish one of you would tell me just what happened at this Phoenix Mountain." Nabiki had picked up random details to be sure (she was Nabiki after all), but it seemed that none of the participants were willing to divulge the full story.

And that infuriated her to no end.

"I.....I'd rather not talk about it, if it's all the same to you." His reply was almost incoherent.

"It is not all the same to me." Nabiki snapped in an unusual display of outward emotion. "She's my little sister - and I'd like to know just how she was nearly......"

"Killed? Lost?" Ranma turned to smile at her. "She's very alive, and very healthy." He rubbed at a distinctly mallet shaped imprint on his cheek. "And very strong. Be content Nabiki-chan." Without leaving time for her to devise a suitable retort he promptly found the nearest window and made good his exit.

"I hate it how he does that." Nabiki muttered to nobody in particular. There was just no way to verbally badger somebody if they chose to make leg shattering drops which normal humans had no business attempting to duplicate. However, her dwellings were presently cut off by yet another thought - one certainly more perplexing.

Nabiki-chan???

**********

And not twenty kilometres away, another girl was sitting stunned, but for entirely different reasons. Tsukino Usagi, aged sixteen, blonde, klutzy, and the future Queen of Tokyo (that is, if everything went according to plan).

But that wasn't very important. What was of present concern was the fact that Rei, Hino Rei to be exact had wilfully and without any argument, allowed the blonde full and uninhibited access to her entire manga collection.

The whole collection - even her prized limited editions.

Drawn into an unprecedented amount of worry, Usagi peered closely into the purple dark eyes of her priestess companion, experimentally munching on a cookie right up in her face - as a way to up the ante, so to speak.

No visible reaction.

Now she was really worried. "R..Rei-chan? Are you alright?"

No answer. Usagi paused to consider if this was what all her friends called 'The Silent Treatment'. Although up till now, that kind of approach seemed hardly appropriate to one such as Rei.

It was then that Makoto, followed closely by the other two Inner Senshi entered the living room of the Shrine. "Hey, what's up with you two?" It was unusual per se to see this particular pair in such close proximity without at least one pair of hands on another's throat.

"Rei's....Rei's....." Usagi's brow scrunched up in thought. "Uhh....What's the word to describe someone whose unconscious, but with their eyes open?"

"Catatonic?" Ami offered helpfully.

"Yeah that's it." Actually, the Moon Princess had no idea what that word was - but one could always trust Ami in these sort of things. "I was kinda thinking 'vegetable', but that didn't sound too nice."

"Huh?" It seemed that the subject of their discussion was apparently not as incoherent to the world as previously thought. "Meatball head, I am not a vegetable!"

The others almost reflexively rushed to change the subject. By now, the art of running damage control between these two was practically instinctive. "Are you feeling well then, Rei?" Minako knelt before the priestess, and placed a palm to her forehead.

"Thanks Mina-chan, I'm okay." The raven-haired girl casually brushed off the contact. "I....I just did a fire-reading, and the results were kind of......kind of......strange."

"Strange?" The oftime Senshi of Mercury stared down, as if trying to discern her friend's puzzled expression. "What is it you saw?"

Rei sighed, wilting a little under the combined concern of all her fellow soldiers. "It was the clearest reading I've ever done, but only an image - no movement, so setting, no nothing!" She clenched her fists as frustration arose once more. "I have absolutely no idea where this boy came from or who he was - for all I know the fire reading could have been foretelling who the next pizza delivery guy would be.

“Mmmm…” Usagi murmured appreciatively. “Pizza……..”

"A boy eh?" Makoto eyes gleamed speculatively. "Did he by any chance happen to look like my old..........."

"No Makoto he didn't." Rei interrupted firmly. "Nobody, least of all you knows what your 'sempai' looks like."

"I do too know." Makoto nearly whined, obviously hurt by the chorus of disbelieving open-eyed looks she was receiving.

"Getting back to my fire reading......" the Shinto priestess tentatively interjected once more, when it became clear that no one else was going to. "It was a boy I've never met before in my life. I'm sure of that at least."

"Really?" It was only then that the fire Senshi took note of Usagi's ever-present adviser, Luna. "You know that quite often, events from our past take a while to register, even if........"

"I know Luna." Rei said impatiently. "This person was unlike anyone I've known. He was tall, kind of broad built, with a pigtail..... She sighed despondently. "Princess Mars never knew anyone like that - and yet......" She trailed off, uncertain. "And yet, even though we don't know each other I suddenly got all these....these.....sad vibes from seeing him."

Silence followed that statement - there was no real way to respond to that.

**********

 "Oh My! Ranma-kun, what are you doing here?" Despite her surprise, Kasumi's query came with her ever-present, ever brightening smile.

The pigtailed boy took a moment to look about, as if only then noticing his own presence in the family laundry room (which was probably because he hadn't noticed before).

"I......I dunno." He scratched behind his head quizzically, as if to encourage the brain contained within to divulge its motivations.

If the eldest Tendo found his behaviour puzzling, she hid it well. "So......is there anything I can do for you?"

"Ah no, not really." He still hadn't worked out why he was here. No matter, if it was important it would come to him, and in the meantime, "Say, do you need a hand with that?"

Kasumi looked down to the basket of freshly washed and dried clothing - around the same quantity she was used to collecting every Thursday. After all this time she was more than accustomed to coping with the housework on her own. "No thanks, I can manage by myself."

Shrugging indifferently, the Anything Goes heir pulled the basket free from her grasp, his martial artist's grasp refusing to yield to her relatively light hold upon the burden. "It's no matter anyway. It'll be faster with both of us folding up." He promptly floated out of the confined room, heading for a more spacious area.

Kasumi could only stare curiously as her long time houseguest disappeared around the doorframe. This was perhaps the first time anybody had ever helped her with the housework on an ordinary day (somehow, Akane's attempts to prepare dinner didn't seem to count), and from Ranma of all people!

When she arrived at the living room, the said boy was already patiently folding up his own variously coloured shirts, steadily adding to the neat pile already balanced atop his head. She couldn't help but giggle at the spectacle as Ranma expertly tossed a pair of boxer shorts high into the air, to land evenly atop his pile. Her amusement turned to full blown laughter when he finished the performance with a courtly bow, still keeping the various clothing items in check.

The pigtailed teenager gazed at the mistress of the Tendo household, revelling in the joyous freedom of her voice. "You know that must be the very first time I've ever heard you laugh before."

Her open amusement promptly terminated at that, overshadowed by a spreading flush of embarrassment. He grinned cheekily at her. "Hurry it up Kasumi. I don't want to have to do all the work myself."

Snapped back to her task, and ignoring the further reddening of her cheeks, the girl shakily took up a piece, one of Nabiki's short shorts, and set about folding it. This was altogether an entirely unusual experience - first having someone else doing the chores with her, and now being rattled by that very same person - all so......disconcerting.

"Ranma-kun, don't take this the wrong way, but is everything alright?" She looked up at the taller boy, concerned.

"Why do you ask?" The bantering humour that had decorated his visage seemed to wilt a little.

"You seem.....a little different today."

"Really?" He shrugged indifferently. "I didn't notice."

"More, nice." Actually, it was the fact that he was talking to her at all - sure they exchanged greetings all the time - but this..... "Are you feeling well?"

Exasperated, the pigtailed boy snatched up another article of clothing, totally unfazed that it was in fact a bra - and moreover Akane's at that. "Why is it that whenever I'm 'nice' everyone assumes that I'm sick or somethin'?"

"I-I'm sorry - I didn't mean......."

"Forget about it Kasumi." He shrugged indifferently. "Didn't mean to make such a big deal about it anyways."

The pair continued to fold in a somewhat uncomfortable silence.

********

It was his spot - the Tendo family's roof - and no other's. Oh sure, given the surprising concentration of 'roof hopping capable' martial artists within the Nerima precinct, it was true that this particular house top had seen its share of feet over the months.

But still, when one really considered it - this place had always been Ranma's spot - and thus, when he was in those rare moments of philosophy and pondering, this was the place to be.

It was a feeling he could never really have shared with anyone - just sitting there, gazing up at the stars. Not nearly as many as when he had done so on that long training journey - but enough to truly remind one of his real place in the grander scheme of things.

And besides, aside from the occasional Kodachi or Ryouga drop in - it was also one of the few places where one such as Saotome Ranma could find a little peace and quiet - and a little time to think.

Life. His life. If one were to find a single words to describe his life, what would they be?

Chaotic. Violent.

Unacceptable.

"Oh what to do?" He mused aloud, as if the worlds above him could prepare a fitting answer. What to do, what to do, what to.......

Indeed, it seemed for a moment that his questions may have received a reply - for there was a distinctly voice-like sound pervading the airwaves. "Huh?" He sat up abruptly, looking about to register its source.

Yes, there was definitely a voice, and by the occasional 'baka' that seemed to rise out of the general murmuring of the distortion, it was easy to guess who it was. Raising his hands to cup over his mouth, the pigtailed martial artist shouted his own answer. "Up here Akane!"

Within a few short minutes, a pair of parallel wooden posts could be seen bobbing about near the guttering, until they finally came to rest against the solid wooden rafting.

A ladder. The Saotome heir sighed mournfully. Nearly a year past his arrival, and Akane still needed a ladder to get onto the roof. True, there were technically two schools to the Anything Goes Ryu - two lines which their eventual marriage was supposed to unite - but it was painfully clear to all that only one school would survive the generation.

Ranma had for all practical purposes, nothing to learn from the line that Akane was supposed to represent - and for some reason that saddened him greatly. No one would wish to learn the Mutsabeto Kakuto Ryu from Tendo Akane, if they could get the infinitely more famed Saotome Ranma for Sensei.

And whilst he mused, Ranma's combat trained vision continued to mark the jolt upon the ladder as the girl in his thoughts gradually ascended the steps. Tendo Akane, the Anything Goes Sensei - no it would never work. Ranma may have been many things considered reprehensible by the mores of Japanese society and etiquette - but he could see that without a change in temper and disposition, Akane would never make a worthwhile teacher.

But did she even want to inherit the dojo, and become a Sensei? Did she see her future as alongside her….her husband, carrying on the Art to the next generation?

Somehow, Ranma had never been able to picture Akane’s future as being involved purely with the Martial Arts – she seemed more the kind of girl to go to university, get a degree, find a worthwhile career.

He, on the other hand, was useless for anything other than fighting and protecting – and passing down the Art of both to others. Though he had never done so before, he imagined he’d be a satisfactory teacher.

He almost laughed aloud as another thought struck. Women seeking to learn the Art might have been uncomfortable under the tutelage of a male - but just by circumstance, Ranma was capable of fulfilling that role as well.

'I'm a martial artist too you know.' But unless there was change - the Tendo School of Anything Goes would die with its final heir.

*Thud.* *Thud*. Three more steps to go, and she would be at the apex of her ascent. But even before her appearance, the youngest Tendo's decidedly acerbic voice preceded her. "What are you doing up here Ranma?"

As always the underlying defensiveness that seemed to taint her every conscious word to him cut a little deeper than it should have. "I'm just thinkin', Akane." Leaning forward, he offered a hand to her - an offer that was swiftly ignored. "What, ya worried about me?"

Had Akane not jerked her head to look the other way, she would have noticed her fiancé mouthing her reply - word for word. "Hmph, as if I'd be worried about a baka like you."

And all the while, Ranma continued to stare at her profile, beautifully outlined by the moonlight illuminating behind her. Even when she was angered, Akane would ever be the beauty of his life. Quickly though, the aching vision was dispelled as the girl returned her heated gaze back to his presence, forcing him in turn to avert his own eyes.

In that instant, he had seen many things - a little anger, aloofness, beauty, independence.

Jealousy - an almost desperate jealousy. Ranma couldn't understand why, but he could sense the insecurity in her clear outward pride, perhaps underlying in her aura.

Could it be, that Akane had sub-consciously recognised what he had just discovered in her - in both of them? A subliminal knowledge that in the race for martial supremacy she was hobbling in crutches? Well, that wasn't really fair - Akane was racing with the very finest of competitors in the world - to come last in the sort of group that Ranma mixed in was honour itself.

"Ranma, what are you staring at?" The short-haired girl's eyes narrowed suspiciously, secretly guessing that her fiancé was devising a new insult to her appearance.

Belatedly, Ranma realised that his attention to the present had wandered yet again. "Nuthin' Akane. Just thinking."

"Are you feeling alright?" She leaned forward, as if to gain a clearer perspective.

Sigh*. Again the questions after his health. "There's nothing wrong with me Akane. Aren't I allowed to think for myself without people butting in and asking about......" Damn it no. He'd gone and done it again....

"Well excuse me!!" Instantly the hostility that had been under-boiling, well, over-boiled. "And to think that I might have been worried about you!" In a huff, the Tendo girl, slid down the roof, back to her ladder.

"You were worried about me?"

"Ha! You wish, Ranma." Caught a little off-guard, she turned once before hurrying down the ladder, trying to ignore the obvious contradictoriness in her words.

Leaving her fiancé to dwell on their brief, yet as always heated conversation.

"Saotome Ranma, you really know how to put your foot in it, don't you?"

Still, he had to thank her. Whether intentional or not, Akane had helped the decision along.

***********

Morning came, and with it the same issues that had plagued a certain high school girl as the day before. Blearily, Rei arose from her bed, irritated that within seconds of her awakening the morning had been thoroughly spoiled.

It was irking that even now there wasn't much that could be done to further the subject of her fire reading. Well, of course there was always the option to go see Grandfather, but Rei had to admit that the idea of discussing the vision with someone like him was not particularly thrilling.

Hmph, he'd probably come up with some perverted theory about my ‘hidden desires’ making me see cute boys in my fire readings.

As the priestess mechanically slipped out of the giant tee shirt that was currently serving as sleepwear, she continued to muse on the vision, absently humming an improvised tune. Coming to her uniform, she silently took note of its colour - grey - the colour of T*A Private Girl's High School.

It was a exclusively privileged institution - her place in it being due mostly to her father's.......privileged position in society.

And up till now, Rei had never questioned why it was that she attended one school, where practically all of her real friends went to another. Still, it was a place she had gotten thoroughly accustomed to - and given that as a graduate of the Junior section she had automatic enrolment in the adjacent Senior High School, it looked like the Shinto priestess would continue to be its exclusive member within the Senshi group.

***********

At around the same time, though in another place, a panda was readily coming to wake. Mechanically, Genma reached over to the space beside his, for the traditional custom of attempting to eject his only son out through the guest window - as a way of martial arts training of course.

A custom, it seemed that would be difficult to perform today - considering that all that was available was a neatly folded pile of bed sheets. Blinking confusedly, the panda looked about for his wayward child. The futon was missing, presumably already folded and stacked in the cupboard. Other than that, all seemed serene and normal (given this was Nerima).

Ranma had woken up before him?

"Ranma, get up! Or we'll be......." As per usual, Akane made her appearance several seconds later - armed with a half-filled pail of water, she was the final alarm clock so to speak - and one that could not be delayed by hitting the 'sleep' button. "........late?"

A little dumbfounded, the Tendo girl looked about. This was most unusual. Ranma was never punctual - he relied on Akane to get them to school on time (most of the time). It was then that she noticed the single note affixed roughly where Ranma's head would have been, were he still asleep.

Dear Akane,

I'll be a little late for school today, so you go on ahead without me. But thanks a lot for stopping around to wake me up anyways.

Ranma.

As usual, it was in Ranma's illegible scrawl - but other than that there were no similarities with the boy who had presumably written it.

Ranma had left her a note?

He was being considerate - of a sorts?

So mystified was the youngest Tendo, she never even noticed her older sister peering curiously after her as she shambled down the stairs.

Never a morning person, Nabiki scratched her head wearily at the unexpected peacefulness of the morning - an almost unheard of modicum in the mayhem that was the Tendo Dojo household.

Meanwhile, the younger sister continued to ponder, whilst she mechanically sat before the already waiting breakfast. Ranma being nice and considerate could mean several possibilities.

A. He was sick.

B. He had done or was in the process of doing something that would make her angry, and was trying to appease her a little before she found out.

C. He was out with one or more of his other fiancées and didn't want her to find out (that was sort of tied in with point B).

Either way..........."Rrrraaannnnmmmaaaa........." Akane seemed unaware as the note clutched tightly in her hands flared away into charred ashes. Oooohhh he had some explaining to do when he showed up at school.

************

The subject of the short haired girl's thoughts could be seen making his way down a long, and rather unfamiliar path.

And the fact that it was unfamiliar, among other things, grieved Ranma a little - for it was the stone pathway that led to the front door of the Saotome residence - the home of his own mother.

But that would change - he'd come to the firm decision last night, and thus was acting upon it today. So thinking, he resolutely knocked upon the entrance.

"Yes, who is........Ranma!" Nodoka seemed both surprised and pleasantly elated - this was perhaps the first time her son had taken the effort to visit her in their true home. Her warm welcoming hug said as much.

Returning the embrace, the pigtailed teenager awkwardly stepped across the threshold - still a little uncomfortable at showing affection of any kind - especially to a woman who until a few months ago had been seen more for her very sharp sword than anything else.

"Shouldn't you be going to school now? You'd best hurry my son, or you'll be late." The Saotome matriarch frowned ever so slightly. "A manly man is never......"

"Mom, can we talk for a moment? It's important." The uninterrupted seriousness of his eyes conveyed the truth of his words.

Instantly, the elder lady was by his side. "What is it, Ranma?" Her son so very rarely expressed came to her for consultation, well.......

"I've been thinking........well Mom, the thing is, I've been thinking........" He scratched behind his pigtail uncomfortably.

When it became clear that he wasn't about to immediately divulge what he had been 'thinking', the matriarch gently ushered her child into the living room, where an informal tea set already lay brewing.

"You see Mom, the thing is.....well........."

Sighing in mild exasperation, Nodoka settled in her chair, pouring another cup of tea for her son. This was clearly going to take a while.

***********

"And where is your fiancé today?" Nabiki's tone was deceptively mild as the sisters made their familiar way to Furinkan.

And, as to be expected, there was the standard issue response. "He is not my fiancé! And I don't know where he is." Despite her forcefully fuming expression, Akane maintained her calm - the sort of calm you see in the centre of a tornado.

"And doesn't that worry you just a bit?"

Akane knew what her sister was trying to do, what with all the subtle tweaks aimed at dismembering her temper.

The trouble was, Nabiki was so.....so good at it.

"I have no reason to be worried about that baka."

"Oh?" Her respectful tone fooled nobody. "You trust him enough not to fool around.......say you know Ukyou hasn't been coming to school lately either."

"Shut UP Nabiki!" Quickening her pace, Akane easily stormed past her annoying older sister - all the while ignoring her shimmering vision.

***********

"Are you quite sure about this, my son, I mean really sure?"

The boy before her placed tired hands before his eyes. "Yes Mother, I spent the greater part of the night in dwelling upon the idea." Damn, it was a relief to have finally gotten that all out before his mother - so relieving that he didn't notice the quizzical gaze she gave him at his odd speech inflection.

By the time he had raised eyes to her once more, the look had evaporated. "What's important though Mom, is are ya okay with it - I mean, I know it's all of a sudden and all.......and ya know....."

"Oh no, my son, you know you will always be welcome to me." Her eyes narrowed in lieu of another thought. "However, I'm not sure how the Tendo's will view this, especially Akane."

Instantly on the defensive, Ranma grouchily fired back. "That tomboy couldn’t care…less…" But the insult died in his throat even as Nodoka's disapproval became ever more evident.

"That is no way to talk of your fiancée." She sternly admonished. "And you know very well Akane cares."

Sombrely, Ranma answered. "If so, she's at great pains to conceal it - though I do apologize, Mother. I am making efforts to....to.....stop with the insults."

Heaving the sigh patented to all bereaved mothers, Nodoka set her tea cup down onto the table. "I wish you two would hurry up and admit your love, and spare my poor nerves the constant stress." Pausing, she awaited the expected denial - and was again surprised when there was none forthcoming. "I long ago gave up the idea of grandchildren - is a nice quiet marriage too much to ask?"

"I'll marry on my own terms or not at all." growled Ranma furiously.

Choosing to ignore her son's rudeness, not to mention his suggestion at the possibility of breaking Clan honour, she continued to pursue the issue. "You did not deny it when I spoke of the love between you two."

"I'll deny it now then, Mom." But against his implied protestations, the pigtailed boy's eyes looked pained. "A one sided love cannot be shared between two."

It took several very long seconds for that to register fully, but when it did....... "R-ranma. Did I hear you correctly?" Was this truly her son? The boy who had made denial almost an Art form unto itself?

"I have to go now Mom, or I'll never get my stuff done before lunchtime." Abruptly, he arose, as if making to leave.

"Wait, Ranma!" Her outstretched hand forestalled his departure. "Did you just acknowledge a love for your fiancée?"

Giving his mother one last loving look, he replied. "I'm sorry Mom, but I've been thinking about it a lot, and I have my reasons."

And by the time Nodoka had figured out that her child hadn’t even answered her question, he was already gone.

************

 "So much to do, and so little money." For perhaps the umpteenth time, Ranma cursed the high interest debts that seemed to perpetually plague his monetary relations with one Tendo Nabiki - debts which served to keep his reserve cash to the minimum subsistence level.

It seemed strange, now that he considered it - why was it that whenever he happened on occasion to garner a reasonable amount of money, his owings to the middle Tendo daughter seemed to increase accordingly?

And when he was broke - well - it was no fun having to pay interest for interest payments that had been postponed.

Though for today at least, the pigtailed teenager was in good fortune – having, over the past few weeks preceding.....preceding Phoenix Mountain, managed to save a fair amount (by his standards) through the occasional allowances and working previously down at the Nekohanten.

And now that he thought about that, Ranma hadn't been down to the Amazon restaurant, nor Ucchan's since that fateful expedition.

However, that was for later - what he needed now were presents - three presents to be exact.

Three presents for three girls.

************

It was near lunchtime when Akane was finally able to locate her wayward fiancé - nonchalantly eating from a takeout box at their normal lunch spot as if nothing at all had happened. Since they shared a great deal many of their classes - his absence had been noticeably conspicuous, both to herself, and to those around her - and already, she was near seething from all the 'not so discreet' speculations being exchanged around the rumour mills. In a way the Tendo heir hadn't noticed until now - though most paid little to no attention to the daily routines, there were a disturbing number of open ears to changes in said routine.

And Ranma being absent from her side - and perhaps more unusually - her not knowing of his activities, was certainly considered to be a break in customs. As she fiercely made her way to the irritating pervert, Akane paused to wonder why everyone would make such a big deal about them not being together for a stupid half-day.

It was then that she realised that, save for the odd interference from one of the other fiancées - she and Ranma had done just about everything together - in and out of school.

"Yo Akane." Ranma's standard greeting broke through her reverie. "Did I miss anything important?"

"I....uh.....I...." Still a little disconcerted, the youngest Tendo stumbled for words, before remembering the origin of her initial frustrations. "Care to tell me where you were this whole morning?"

The pigtailed martial artist looked up to the skies, hand held to chin in thoughtful repose. "No. You'll find out tonight."

"N-no?" Another first for today - a simple, straightforward, unblemished denial – no stumblings, no excuses. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I noticed that Ukyou wasn’t here as well.” Well, Nabiki had been the one to notice – but that was close enough.

“Akane, Ucchan hasn’t been around for weeks.”

Even to this day, the way he always said ‘Ucchan’ grated on her nerves. “So why can’t you tell me where you were then? What, hiding something again Ranma?” The baka was hopeless at telling lies, and even more hopeless at hiding them.

“Awww, leave it alone willya?” He seemed more interested in the admittedly delightful contents of the deluxe takeout box. What do you care anyway?”

“Because I’m……” she paused. Why did she care anyway? “Ah, go off and play with your fiancées – like I really care anymore.”

Ah, the securities of habit and reflex.

**********

It was after dinner, when Kasumi was clearing up the dishes, that the knocking of the Tendo front door echoed across the house.

There was only one person she was familiar with who actually bothered to request entry in the proper manner - as opposed to leaping over and/or bashing through the compound wall. As such, her greeting was out even before the eldest Tendo girl had fully opened the door. "Why good evening, Auntie Saotome." She accompanied her ever cheery voice with an equally bright smile.

"Hello dear Kasumi, and......" the Saotome Matriarch paused to look over the shorter girl's shoulder at the huddled form of her husband ".......hello Genma." She added quietly.

The balding man suppressed a reflexive shudder – still not quite over the instinctive desire to immerse himself in the nearest water source whenever this particular woman appeared. “W-why hello N-Nodoka dear. What b-brings you to these parts?”

Nabiki could only stare disgustedly as the quivering Saotome nervously eyed his wife’s partially hidden sword – although one did wonder why Nodoka would still choose to carry it around.

Ignoring her husband for the moment, the Saotome matriarch looked about pleasantly. “Is my son here? He was going to…...”

“I’m here Mom.” Ranma cut in, appearing from the landing. He noted with approval that the entire household was seated in and around the living room. Stepping into the haphazard gathering, he nervously scratched behind his head. “Uhh, I kinda have….sorta an announcement to make.” Suddenly the confidence which had spurred him onward throughout the day seemed to dissipate away.

A feeling not helped by the fact that his unusual pronouncement (unusual for Ranma) had drawn all eyes and attention towards himself.

Nabiki’s eyes quirked in mild interest – her scheming mind already gearing up to catalogue and record whatever was to come next (well, actually, the micro-cassette recorder hidden in her shorts would perform the latter task).

Positively melting under the combined stares – more than one of them fearsomely suspicious – the Anything Goes heir stumbled, the prepared speech conveniently choosing the moment to exit his dawdling brain. Behind him, Nodoka sighed wearily. She was sure that manly men were supposed to be able to speak for themselves – this fault, amongst others would definitely have to be corrected.

The kimono-clad lady smiled at that last thought – now finally, the Saotome mother would be given her proper chance to do just that.

“Come on, boy!” Genma exclaimed harshly from his cross-legged position by the shogi table. “We don’t have all night – be a man and spit it out!”

That seemed to do it. Unconsciously duplicated his father’s stance, Ranma crossed arms before beginning. “I’ve been giving this a lot of thought for a while now, an’ I decided that it would be better for us all if I……”

From without, it seemed that the entire household had unknowingly leaned forwards.

“……if I move out for a while.”

The results, to say the least were…….spectacular.

“WHAT??!!!”

Nodoka winced as her neatly tied hair was knocked askew by the resulting wind current. Not to mention old Soun had a terrible breath…….

“Oh my!” Kasumi neatly exclaimed. “Ranma-kun, why……..”

Genma was able to put it more succinctly. Surging to his feet, the old fighter grabbed his son by the shoulders, forcing the shorter figure to look him in the eyes. “Boy!” He barked harshly. “Stop with this foolish notion that you can ignore…ignore…ah heh hee.” He trailed off into an uncomfortably sickly laugh.

Hearing the sweetly metallic rasp of a well oiled katana exiting its sheath can do that to a man.

“Now now, dear, let’s not lose our control.” Nodoka smiled sweetly. “We might find ourselves losing more than we initially planned for.”

Soun, halfway through the process of assisting his old friend, promptly plopped back onto his cushion.

“Harmph……as I was saying….” Ranma continued, unaffected. “I think we all need a bit of a break….” there was the barest of glances to a certain short-haired girl, “….an’ seeing as I’m the one who’s usually involved in all the trouble…..well…..”

“N-now son.” Soun answered, simultaneously trying to sound reasonable, and ignoring the omnipresent Saotome matriarch. “This is all so sudden – why don’t you give it a few days to……”

“Like I said I’ve spent a while thinkin’ about it already.”

“What about us, Ranma-kun?” That had come unexpectedly from Kasumi. “Can’t we have a few days to get used to it?”

“I’m really sorry, Kasumi.” The pigtailed boy smiled sheepishly. “But me an’ Mom already talked about this. We decided it’s best to get this over with real quick so as….” again the cursorary glance about, “so as not to attract too much attention.”

Nabiki very nearly choked with laughter on her bag of chips. Ranma’s disappearing from Nerima not attracting attention?

Not bloody likely.

Turning her head worriedly, she noted with concern that Akane uttered not a word. The youngest Tendo sat stony faced, her expression unreadable in its neutrality.

“Where will you stay?” Although seeing present company, Nabiki could have already guessed.

Stepping forwards from behind, the boy’s mother placed hands almost possessively on her son. “With me of course – away from Nerima, and away from all the trouble that he lives with.” She embellished the statement with yet another harsh glare towards a certain balding martial artist.

The silence that followed was agonizing in its length.

“W-when will you be leaving?” Kasumi nervelessly twisted her tea towel – still wet from her dish washing – after all, she had to tidy up, and pack Ranma’s things for him, and maybe a farewell dinner, and….and….”

“Well…..” the Anything Goes fighter shrugged awkwardly, “I was kinda thinking now.”

“NOW??!!!!”

“Genmmmaaa..…..” Nodoka warned dangerously.

“B-but No-chan dear,” The Saotome patriarch continued heedless. “W-what a-about the agreement? And the boy’s training? And I haven’t prepared yet…….”

“Not you,” She interrupted firmly. “Just Ranma – and only Ranma will be coming with me.”

Genma wilted – torn between confusion and hurt. “The Schools….” he sniffed, voice quavering.

“Don’t worry – Ranma’s not isolating himself from here forever – consider it a little holiday for us all.” The copper-red haired lady smiled bemusedly as she looked between the fiancés. “I think both our young loves need a break – call it over-exposure to each other.”

Both ‘loves’ tightened visibly at the usage of that word, but said nothing.

But before any protests could erupt, she added, “Ranma, go up stairs and gather your belongings.”

Silently thanking for the break in tensions, the martial artist dashed upstairs. In truth he had already packed – not that there was so much to pack – but there was still the matter of……

Finding little use in remaining standing, Nodoka primly choose a convenient easy chair to sit in. She didn’t say anything more – and nobody seemed game enough to make any further comments.

Presently, the boy who had held Nerima’s attentions for so long returned, bearing his ever-trusty backpack, an extra duffel bag, and something else. “I…..” he seemed almost shy. “I kinda got you guys some things…..like ya know as thanks for puttin’ up with me, and what with me freeloadin’ and damaging the house and….and…..awww heck.” he finished impatiently, and unfolded his bundle. “I’ll just give ‘em to you and get it over with.”

Crossing the room, he came to stand before the eldest Tendo daughter, he neatly unfolded the first item. Innately feeling a mild sense of formality Kasumi stood as well, hands entwined in front of her.

After all, in all the ten years since their mother’s passing, nobody had ever given her anything – especially not a….not a….

“A gi?” Curiosity overcoming her embarrassment, the pony tailed girl let the cotton white garment unfold. “Um, I don’t mean to sound rude, Ranma-kun, I am very grateful – but what am I supposed to do with this?”

The famous cocky grin returned once more to the martial artist’s features. “What do you think you do with a gi that’s cut to your size? Wear it. Tomorrow morning. For training.”

“T-training?” Kasumi stared disbelievingly. “Training for what?” She cooked. She cleaned. She made the house perfect for her family – you didn’t need a gi to practice those tasks.

“Oh fer cryin’ out loud Kasumi.” Ranma sighed exasperatedly. “Martial Arts. Tomorrow you start training again.”

His last word was not lost on the eldest daughter. Ambiently, she wondered where he had found out that she used to practice the Arts. But still, that had been ages ago – surely he wasn’t expecting her to…. “Ranma I can’t start kenpo again!” For the first time in living memory, the ever-bright girl looked almost…...desperate. “It’s been so long – and besides….besides….”

“Tendo Kasumi.” Ranma commanded in mock-gravity. “Tomorrow you will get Tendo-san to re-start your training, or else….” He trailed off for effect.

“E-else what?” What ever happened to the nice, pleasant, non-interfering Ranma?

The subject of her upset tilted his head in thought. “Or else….else I’ll….” Suddenly he snapped fingers in inspiration. “I’ll find the nearest dirty garbage pile and…..and dump it all over the living room.”

“You – you wouldn’t!!” Kasumi exclaimed, horrified, clasping hands to her face.

Ranma’s decidedly evil grin only widened. “Get ready for some serious training, Kasumi-neesan.”

Leaving the older girl whittling over the image he had recently painted for her, the pigtailed martial artist turned to the next in line. “Now, Nabiki – ya know I had to think for ages about what to get for a girl who gets whatever she wants anyway.”

“You could repay me all your debts.” The short-haired girl commented dryly. But internally, she was furiously thinking over the nearly instantaneous shift in personality that the Anything Goes heir had undergone not a few minutes ago.

“Sorry.” Ranma shrugged sheepishly. “I can’t afford a present like that. But here….” he handed her a thick envelope – of a kind she was personally very familiar with – the type which one usually procured from a photo developer. “…since you’re so fond of my body, I thought I’d leave these for you to remember me by.”

Outwardly hiding her blush at his indirect jibe, Nabiki wordlessly took the offered package, opening the flap to take a quick glance inside.

And just as quickly snapping the flap firmly closed. My God, what yen Kuno would pay for these. College fund here I come! She couldn’t hide her surprise, staring at her highest monetary source as if he were berefit of his wits.

“Hey, I figured you’d get those kinda pictures outta me sooner or later.” Again that annoying shrug. “Figured I might as well save you the trouble, seeing as I’m gonna be out for a while.”

And finally, last but not least……belatedly, Ranma realised that throughout the announcement, Akane hadn’t said anything at all.

Not a single word.

“Akane?” The Saotome heir tentatively stepped up to his fiancée.

“Ranma?” She returned evenly, her face revealing nothing. Accustomed as he was to her more…..expressive personality, the change was uncannily disturbing.

The fact that he could literally feel the heat of the rest of the family practically breathing down the back of his neck was not helping matters at all. A little frustrated by the warring feelings of confusion and concern, the pigtailed fighter unthinkingly grabbed his fiancée’s hand and led her away to a place of greater privacy.

He wasn’t sure if her uncharacteristic lack of resistance was something to be thankful for.

**********

“What are you thinking, old friend?” Genma accompanied the query with the barest of twitches.

Both of Master Happousai’s students were sitting in identical lotus positions by the garden veranda, facing the setting Sun.

“I don’t like this, Saotome, not at all.” Soun carefully checked around to see if his friend’s wife was in hearing proximity. “And just when Akane and Ranma looked like they might have had a chance of getting a little closer……after all that has happened your son just ups and leaves.”

“Too true, Tendo-kun, too true.” The balding man rubbed his forehead sagely. “That worthless ingrate has, in a night, set back all our plans for the future of our Schools once again.” He sighed despondently. “But, much as I hate to admit it, I have about as much chance of beating some sense into him as defying the M-master.”

“The Master!” Soun blinked in inspiration, though immediately lowering his voice as if in fear of summoning the demon himself. Whispering conspiratorially, he added, “When the Master hears about it – and the threat to Anything Goes, he’ll go livid.”

Any further comments were interrupted by a crisply stern voice. “Tendo-san, Genma? What are you talking about?”

“N-nothing dear.” Genma hurriedly distanced himself from where the pair had been leaning together. “Tendo-kun was just saying how it’s fortunate that the Master has been out and about for so long.”

“Yes indeed.” Nodoka answered dryly. Looking about, the Saotome matriarch wondered how much longer her son would take. It was getting dark after all.

**********

Several stories up – on the roof in fact – there was a much more subdued conversation taking place.

If one could have even called it that – so far there was yet to be a word exchanged.

And, when Ranma was finally able to muster the courage to speak – a quiet, unassuming question dissolved his composure once more.

“Why?”

So many meanings – and even more ways to answer them. Unfortunately, the raven-haired boy chose the most useless of responses.

“Huh?”

Impatiently, Akane brushed aside her bangs. “Was it really so bad here, that you just had to leave?”

“Ha!” Ranma actually laughed out loud at that. “You have got to be kidding Akane – besides – you’re the one who’s always complaining like how ‘I was your worst nightmare’, and ‘you never asked for any of this.’”

Had she really said that? It must have been ages ago. How could he possibly remember all the stuff they’d said like that?

But she refused to let the matter drop. “Do you really think running away like this will solve anything?”

The martial artist visible stiffened at the accusation. “It should help with at least some of my problems. Besides, I don’t see you doing anything to help.”

Sensing an oncoming argument, and almost welcoming it for its sense of normalcy, Akane responded hotly. “Why should I do anything? It’s all your own fault anyway.”

Frustrated from emotions held too long in check, Ranma exploded. “Dammit Akane, I never asked you to do ANYTHING! I have never asked you to do more than you have.”

She turned on him, outraged. “That’s not true and you know it. You’re always complaining about how I look, always insulting my cooking….tomboy this, u-uncute that.”

“Exactly!” he returned, just as fiercely. “If you could just accept that you’ll never be a cook then you’d save all of us a helluva lot of……”

*WHAM*

“Shut UP Ranma!” Hot, angry tears wormed their way down her face. “Go! Get Lost! Go and run to your Mother.” Not even noticing as she effortlessly - for the first time in her life - made the drop from roof to ground, Akane dashed away to the relative comfort of her bedroom. But before leaving the garden, there was but one more thing to say.

“Who needs a perverted insensitive jerk like you!?”

And Ranma, stunned into silence, clutched hands to his head as the pained scream echoed harshly against his ears.

**********

“Oh my,” came Kasumi’s worried murmur, as she watched her youngest sister tear past. “Akane’s not taking this like how I expected.”

“I think it hasn’t quite got to her yet that Ranma’s really going.” Nabiki commented mildly, her nonchalant voice revealing nothing of her true feelings.

Damn you Ranma, you’d better not hurt my little sister.

Any further consideration was cut off by the arrival of the very object of her thoughts. Weary to the bone and showing it, Ranma ignored those standing by – walking straight to the lady bearing his family’s ceremonial katana.

“Com’on Mom, I’m ready to go now.”

Saying nothing, for in truth she could find nothing to alleviate the situation, Nodoka only nodded her agreement before following her son towards the door.

Hurriedly, Kasumi overtook the pair to open the front door for both. “Ranma-kun, promise you’ll visit us sometime.”

A hint of the cheeky grin returned to his face for but an instant, and to her total surprise, he reached forwards and gave a quick hug. “Of course Kasumi – after all I have to check if you’ve been training like I said.” Almost as an afterthought, he added. “Could you tell Akane that I left her present in the dojo?”

Still shocked by the embrace, Kasumi shakily nodded her understanding, but the teenager had already turned to head down the front pathway – not once looking back.

And thus, Saotome Ranma of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, took leave of the Tendo Dojo.

*********

She told herself that she couldn’t have cared less what the baka had left for her. She rationalised that whatever was there would obviously be there tomorrow, and that she was tired and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep.

But after Kasumi’s tentative message about her erstwhile fiancé’s present, there was no resisting the temptation to just take a peek.

After all, everyone else was asleep - so the youngest Tendo’s actions wouldn’t be seen and misinterpreted for something more than their mild curiosity.

I know I’m going to regret this.

Crossing the garden walkway to the dojo barefoot, Akane paused a moment to stare at the koi pond, it’s serene surface shimmering in the reflected moonlight, as the mild night breeze stirred the waters.

No more bakas would be swimming in there for quite some time.

Shaking her head, the short haired girl continued to the ancient building, almost fearfully flipping the nearby lighting switch.

And froze, her hand still shaking slightly against the doorframe.

Two items rested almost accusingly against each other in the centre of the floor - an open bag of chestnuts…..and her favourite training dummy.

The one with the red shirt and pigtail.

Falling to her knees, Akane found tears trickling once more down her face.

Baka.

**********

**********

**********

Author's Notes.

I probably should make the note that I tend to take a blend of both manga and anime when depicting the characters from Sailormoon, notably Hino Rei in this case. If you haven't seen one of them, it's not that hard to check out the differences from a website at say, www.anipike.com .

And also the die hard fans of Sailor Moon will probably come to notice what they see as a host of inconsistencies and breaks with canon - well like I always say - I change what I want, when I want. For people who want canon there's 200+ glorious original episodes available for them to feast on.

As well, I'm trying to make for a different focus and style on the story than from my other work Way of the Ninjitsu. Let me know whether you think I've ended up making the reading better or worse.

You can email me at dojohouse@optushome.com.au

Or check out my webpage for other works at:    http://members.nbci.com/dojohouse/