Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ A change for the Better ❯ A New Kid in Town ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

A Change for the Better
Part one
By Trowa Videl

"Why me" Ranma sighed as he walked down an unfamiliar street, in an unfamiliar city. "I can't believe she hit into another city" he said in saddened amazement. Their fights were only getting worse, *I mean her aura turned black with rage and nullified our engagement…* he stopped his thought train as he entered a park. "She said she hated me…" he said sadly picking up a rock and whipped it into a bush.

"Ow!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

"R-Ryouga?!" Ranma went over the bush and noticed his friend/rival camped out behind it.

"Ranma" the fanged boy growled grabbing his umbrella, "Prepare to die!" he tackled Ranma out of the bush. They both jumped to their feet Ranma gave a frustrated sigh.

"What did I do to you to encourage this, breath?" he said irritated, Ryouga growled as a response. "Look I'm sick of this, what do you want from me?" Ranma's voice calm but it was forced.

"I want you to suffer, everything you do always turns out right in the end" tears of anger filled his eyes. Ranma was about to protest that part but Ryouga continued, "Your loved…" he added, Ranma said nothing. "I want you to know what it's like to be alone without the ones you care for, then you can ask me to stop" he finished glowing green, Ranma stood sadly.

"Looks like you got your wish…"He was caught off-guard on the first blow and he was nailed with a huge beam of depression. Ryouga was shocked, "I-I defeated Ranma" he stated collapsing shortly after. Ranma stood shakily and stumbled away.

"Damn , he's getting strong" eventually exhaustion took over and he fell. The last thing he saw were 5 girls in strange costumes running toward him, then he blacked out…

At the shrine the five sailor scouts stood over the unconscious boy, "I wonder who he is?" Usagi stated studying him. "I mean there was an intense power reading in the area and we find no sign of the negaverse, but a guy just laying unconscious in front of us" she was obviously concerned, Luna shook her head.

"I don't like this one bit. What if he's part of the negaverse, it is to much of a coincidence. I suggest we be careful" She said seriously.

"Oh Luna, you say that about everything" Usagi blew her off, Artemis shook his head.

"Luna's right we should take all mysterious happenings as potential threats" he said seriously. Ami nodded in agreement, Minako looked The boy over.

"I'm wondering if he's single" she said with a dreamy look.

"Minako!" Rei gasped in surprise.

"Oh come on you can't say he's not handsome" Minako said slyly. Rei snorted indignantly, but said nothing. Makoto had zoned out staring at him.

"Hello…earth to Makoto" Usagi said waving her hand in front of her face, she snapped her fingers.

"Huh?" Makoto shook snapped out of it. "He just looks some much-"

"Like your ex-boyfriend" the others chorused, snickering.

"Ha ha ha" Makoto sneered.

"oh come on were just joking around" Usagi said with a smile, The boy groaned. The others crowded around him.

"Damn I'm gonna kick Ryouga's ass for that one" he sat up and looked around at the girls slightly embarrassed for not noticing them. "Ah, hi"

"Hi I'm Usagi" she smiled brightly, "These are my friends Ami, Makoto, Minako and Rei" the girls in question greeted him.

"We found you unconscious in the park, Are you okay, um…" Ami asked concerned.

"Ranma. And I'm fine, I've taken much worse" he shrugged off her concern, "Ah…do you mind telling me what city I'm in?" he asked scratching the back of his head. The looks here got upset him.

"Your in Juban, why?" Minako answered, the others nodded. Ranma gave a sigh.

"…I'd rather not say, might as well start here. Do any of you know where I can stay?" he said frustrated. Makoto finally conquered her nervousness and spoke up.

"I have an apartment not far from here. There plenty of room for another person…" she struggled to sound causal, Ranma fidgeted a bit.

"I wouldn't want to be a hassle or nothing" he said trying not to think of what Akane would do to him.

"No really it's no problem, you know just until you can find a place of your own" Makoto smiled trying to ignore the silent snickering of her friends.

"ah, okay…" his face a little red, "I-I'm gonna go clean up". He headed down the hall, The instant he left The other started to laugh at Makoto's expense, even Ami giggled slightly at the embarrassment of her friend.

"Wow I didn't know you had it in ya" Minako said patting Makoto on the back, "So you planning anything" she said slyly. Makoto blushed and looked away.

"Oh come on, it's not like that I don't even know him" She said suddenly finding the floor very interesting.

"But this is your chance to" Minako continued smiling. "and if you don't I'll take a shot at him" she smiled.

"Hey!" Makoto said surprised.

"I thought you didn't care?" Minako said innocently. Makoto noticed her mistake and quickly gave up. Ranma was about to enter the room, he stopped at the door catching what they were talking about

"Okay, he is good looking and sure I'd like to get to know him…" she said with a sigh.

*oh great* Ranma thought behind the door, *And here I thought it was an act of kindness*.

"But he didn't seem very interested in me or anything. I'm not going to force him into liking me, so if he's not interested at all I'm not going to try anything" her voice a little saddened.

*Wow* Ranma was surprised to say the least, *That's a first…*.

"Okay, but I get the next cute unconscious guy we find in the park" Minako joked.

He opened the door a crack and finally got a good look at Luna and Artemis. "C-c-c-cat!" he yelled closing the door again, shaking with fear. The girls all looked to the bathroom confused.

"That's odd" Luna stated calmly, "I wonder what that was all about". Usagi went over to the door and knocked.

"Ranma are you okay?" she heard various hysterical shouting, about 'evil demon cats'. She headed back to others "Sounds like he's afraid of cats".

"Thanks for stating the obvious" Rei rolled her eyes.

"Well looks like you'll have to hide until he leaves" Minako said to Luna and Artemis, Both sighed and ran to the closet.

"I hope they don't expect us to do this often" Luna snorted as she entered.

"It's okay they're gone" Usagi shouted Ranma slowly opened the door slowly.

"You sure" he looked around the room and came out, nervous. Makoto couldn't look at him she just stared at the floor. After Ranma calmed he was bombarded with questions about his fear. He didn't go beyond that it was cause by something in his childhood, eventually Makoto had to leave bringing Ranma with her. As she walked through the park, Ranma finally spoke up. "Look Makoto I heard what you guys were talking about when I was in the bathroom" He said still looking forward, Makoto's face went red.

"Y-you did" she said embarrassed, Ranma nodded.

"And I just want to say thanks" He said calmly.

"Huh?" she responded intelligently.

"Well, There are…were a lot of girls who are after me. Yet they never seemed to care what I thought about them…or let me get to know them before planning a wedding date" he looked over to her and their eyes met. *Wow she's really cute…what am I thinking I already have three…two fiancees* he let out a small sigh, Makoto looked away again.

"N-no problem" she found it hard to talk to him, in this setting. I was too much like a date. "Well were almost there", she pointed to a building up ahead.

The rest of they way was in silence, neither having the nerve to say anything for their own reasons. The pair headed up the stairs and they entered Makoto's home, it was clean and cozy. "Nice apartment" he accessed, she smiled a bit.

"Thanks…it's not much but It gives me all the space I need for my studies and hobbies" she said calmer, beginning to relax a bit.

"Hobbies?" Ranma asked.

"Ah, Well I like cooking and I practice a little martial arts, among other things…" she said a bit nervous.

*Figures…that's a common theme for me* he mused, than looked at her. *still she's hiding something, hmm…*. "That's cool, I'm a pretty good martial artist myself" he stated like it was nothing.

"well maybe we should spar or something" Makoto suggested calming down, Ranma scratched the back of his head.

"Um, don't take this the wrong way or anything but I don't fight girls" Ranma cautiously.

"Huh, why not?" a little hidden anger in her voice.

Ranma noticed and a shuddered, *Hopefully she isn't like Akane* he thought.

"I was taught that you should never fight girls, that they should be protected…" Ranma tried to explain. "I'm not saying your weak and helpless, it's just that it's against my code of honor" he finished, his eyes closed expecting to be knocked into another time zone. He felt nothing, he cracked open one eye. Makoto was looking away.

*Wow, this guy is a dream* she thought with a light blush. She quickly shook it off and smiled a bit. "Code of honor, eh?"

"well, um…yeah" he stumbled over his words, Makoto chuckled a bit at the discomfort Ranma was in. "What?" he asked irritated.

"oh nothing, so are you hungry?" she said trying to change the subject.

"Boy am I ever, I haven't eaten since yesterday"

"Really why?"

"I've been lost and I didn't have any money on me…"

"How you get lost, you didn't even know what city you were in" Makoto persisted heading to the stove to start her food.

"Akane airlines" He muttered

"Huh?"

"Nothing, you wouldn't believe me if I told you" Ranma sighed, *no use having her think I am a nut job* .

"Whatever you say" she said a little put off while she cooked. "Well if you won't tell the reason your here at least tell me about yourself" still trying to learn anything about this mysterious boy.

"I don't know if you'd believe me, my life is stranger than you could even imagine"

"I doubt that" Makoto held back her laughter.

Ranma was going to reply when he suddenly stopped, *Maybe I should just tell her everything, either she'll understand or she won't believe me.* "you want the whole story" he stalled.

"…Sure why not?" she placed the food on the table.

Ranma took a deep breath and began, "Well it started 10 years ago…". He went through all his training and hardships, his father, Neko-ken, Ukyou, Ryouga, Shampoo and mousse, all the way up to Jusenkyo. At this he stopped, Makoto was already visibly saddened at the story of his life at this point. "Makoto…do you, do you believe in magic?" Ranma asked in a serious tone.

"What do you mean?" She asked a bit shaken by the randomness of the question.

"Exactly what I said, do you believe in real magic"

"…" she nodded , *What are you getting at Ranma? *. Ranma went into the kitchen and came back with two glasses.

"I've been cursed" he said eyes closed. Makoto was a little on edge, Ranma sighed. "I fell into a cursed spring of Jusenkyo. I fell into the spring of the drowned girl…" he paused.

"Drowned girl?" she asked

"Yes…Anyone who falls into that pool" he dumped the glass of cold water on his head, the transformation occurred as usual. Makoto watched wide eyed as the handsome man before her turned into a short red hared girl any female would be jealous of…"Takes the body of a young girl" Ranma-chan finished in her new higher voice.

"oh my god" was all she could say.

"That's only the beginning" Ranma sadly transformed back using the other glass. He continued through his trials and problems School, his remaining fiancees, Akane, Nabiki, the kunos and all of the random strange happenings up to the most recent in arriving in Juban via Akane Air.

"I should probably leave now, I don't want you to have to deal with my problems" he bow before the stunned girl. "Thank you for the food Makoto" he started to leave.

"Hey where you going?" she snapped out of it, she wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. Ranma just shook his head.

"I have to go back to Nerima…" he turned again but was stopped by Makoto. Her hand on his shoulder, a staring into his eyes.

"You know going there will just break your heart, this is a good to start over. From what you've told me this is the best option and you know it" she said firmly, Ranma faltered slightly.
"Why are you so intent on keeping me here" he said in a now common saddened voice, "I don't see what you gain from keep a sex changing freak around" he twinged at his own insult. It had come straight from her lips to his…*Akane*

"I'm not, I'm trying to keep a nice guy from hurting himself over a short-lived relationship with an untrusting abusive girlfriend. Me and my friends can help you, give us a chance" she finished, holding his shoulders looking into his eyes. He gave a half-hearted struggle, before closing his eyes.

"I want to stay…I really do but I can't, the others will find me and it'll start all over again. I don't want any more people involved then need be" he opened his eyes, but Makoto still held him firm.

"From how you explained it, no one will find you. Just give us a chance" she continued, "one day and I can get my friends and I to show you the best time in your life. If it isn't than I'll let you go sulk back to Nerima…deal?" he sighed.

"One day" he said with reluctance, *no good will from this* he thought remembering all of his past experiences of a 'fun' day with girls.

"you won't regret this" Makoto smiled with relief, Ranma said nothing. He headed of to her guest room. Once he left the room, Makoto ran to the phone. "Now to get organized…hello is Serena there?" and so it began…


To be continued…eventually