Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ A Lonely Soul ❯ Chance Meetings ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2 Chance Meeting

The sun broke through the shades of the youngest Tendo's window the next day. She grumbled as the light shone across her closed eyelids. Turning over onto her side she tried to shy away from the intrusion of her peaceful slumber. Well, as peaceful as she could get.

She had been up quite late the night before. Yesterday had been an information overload for her. She had tossed and turned in her bed, finally giving up around midnight. She had gotten up and sat at her desk, pulling out her diary.

She always used the book to clear her thoughts on restless nights. She would talk about her day and how she was feeling; family life and trouble at school. So there she had sat, pen-tip stuck in her mouth as she mulled over the days events.

~Flashback~

Dear Diary,

It's been awhile since I spoke to you, not much had happened in the last few weeks worth mentioning; it was just the same as every other school day since Kuno-sempai made that stupid speech. But today…today has been one of the most confusing days of my life.

It started off normal enough, me beating the crap out of the Hentai Brigade Monday morning, but it all started when I fought Kuno-sempai. Somehow my mother's pendant was stripped from my neck during the fight, and I didn't notice until I was inside in class. I was so scared when I found it not around my neck. She had given that necklace when she was lying on her deathbed. It was all I had left of her memory and it was precious to me.

We looked for it at lunch, but it was no where to be found. We had just about given up when lo and behold a `boy' walks up. He doesn't day a word, just holds his hand out, and hands me my pendant! I couldn't believe it, it was safe! I thanked and he just nodded and walked away like it didn't matter. Yuka and Sayori told me his name was Ranma, and that everyone though he was really strange because of his lack of speech. The people called him a freak for…well I'll get to that later.

All week I couldn't get the pig-tailed boy out of my head. I don't know why I couldn't, I mean I literally had boy throwing themselves at me (Not by my consent mind you) and here is this guy who hardly notices me. Maybe that's why, his lack of interest peeked my curiosity. So I tried to find out a bit about him.

This proved useless since not even Nabiki knew much about the mysterious boy. So I was left to wonder for five straight days. But Friday, I finally had enough and decided to face him after school. That was when all the surprises started.

Kuno had made an appearance at a bad time once again, spouting out poetry and professing his love. But then he noticed Ranma, and began throwing insult after insult. The quiet boy paid him no mind and had began to walk away, but then it seemed Kuno hit a nerve. He called him a coward and said that he trembled at his feet.

I was actually worried when Ranma had stopped and dropped his bag. I tried to stop him when he made his way back, but the look in his eye told me that there was no way she was going to change his mind. So, I stepped back and hopped he wouldn't be too hurt (I did have to talk to him mind you, its not like I liked him or nothing).

So the fight was on…if you could call it a fight. Ranma had left everyone speechless. He was like a dancer as he weaved in and out of Kuno's bokken. Then it had ended in a flash, with Kuno flying through the outer wall, THROUGH IT! Then Ranma just picked up his satchel and walked off.

I followed of course, catching up to him and finally getting a few answers from him as we made our way to his sisters' school. He was very secretive when it came to his past, just blowing off the questions and not saying a work. It had seemed something had to have happened to cause him to be like this, so I was determined to find out; it was the least I could for him returning my mother's pendant.

The next thing I knew, we arrived at Furinkan Elementary. This was where I met some of the cutest…if not the most forward pair of children I have ever met. Nina and Miki, Ranma's twin sisters. They were so adorable, both total opposites of each other. But what caught me off guard at the time was the boy I had walked with. Where once a quiet, secretive person had stood, now there was one of the most caring brothers I had ever seen.

It was like he just hit a switch, and his moods shifted gears. Now he was smiling and talking sweetly to the two siblings. I had just stared at him for what seemed like an hour. He had a very cute smile, it was a pity he didn't use it more.

The little one, Miki, had caught me off guard when she asked me to eat dinner with them. Here I was, a complete stranger, and she wanted me to come into their home. I had bean to decline, but then the other half of the two double teamed me. Nina was quiet, but when she wanted something, she could be very hard to refuse. So I relented and went along with them.

As we waited for Ranma to cook (man I was miffed that he could actually cook better them me) I talked to the two girls and kept them occupied. I received quite a bit of info on Ranma from them. They had seemed adamant to make her be the boy's girlfriend, but I must have finally convinced them I wasn't going to be. So they begged me to be his friend. I found out later after dinner his father had died when they were on a training trip to China, and it had hurt the family severally. This seemed to be the reason the pig-tailed boy was so closed-up. He had given up his happiness for the sake of his family, doing everything he could to support them. After all was told, what other choice did I have? I had to be a friend to the poor guy, he needed it desperately.

The only thing that had freaked me out though was this curse he has. He turns into a GIRL! I mean, what am I supposed to think when he suddenly grew bigger breast them me? He had just left the room quietly, not to return the rest of the night. That was when his mother explained a little about how it happened. The subject was very sensitive amongst the whole household, so I didn't press for more information. I guess…I guess the curse isn't that bad, it seems as though it's not his fault. So my mind was set, I would befriend the boy and do what I could to help him out of this rut he had buried himself in.

Anyway…Its really late so I better get to bed. I'm sure I'll be talking to you quite a bit in the future. I just cant help feel that my life was about to do a 180 on me.

Sincerely,

Akane

~End Flashback~

She sighed as she gave up trying to sleep in a bit longer, it was a weekend. She rolled over and looked at the small alarm clock on her desk. `8:30' she thought, pulling back the covers. She stretched for a moment, raising one arm over her head and tucking the other at her side. She yawned and groggily got off the mattress.

"Man I'm tired," she mumbled, undressing out of her pajamas and getting into some biking shorts and a tank top. They were more like the clothes her sister Nabiki would wear, but she found them comfortable when she was jogging. "Yeah, that's what I need, a nice long jog to wake me up."

She made her way out into the hallway, greeting Kasumi as the older girl came out of the bathroom with towels in her hands. She descended the stairs quickly and exited thought he front door, yelling she would be back soon. And out she went.

Sweet Nothingness… he basked in the world where he could do anything and everything; the world where he was free. There, his father stood waiting for him to get ready for their morning spar. And there, stood his mother, a huge smile adorning her face, and love in her eyes. `She always loved watching pop and me…' he thought as he turned back to the larger man.

"Well boy, are you prepared?" Said his father as he dropped into a loose stance.

"You bet pop, bring it on!" suddenly, the world flashed. His mother was no longer sitting there; instead a portly man wearing a uniform was watching them both. He blinked and looked around, but he stopped and gasped as he realized what this was. `Oh no…'

Hundreds of small bodies of water littered the ground as far as the eye could see. Every so often, a bamboo pole was placed in the center. A heavy fog covered most of the valley. He looked down and realized with dread that he was now standing on one of the long chutes. `No…nononononono, Jusenkyo!' he tried to leap off the pole, knowing what came next, but then…he had no control over his movements, he was a prisoner of his own body.

"Then let us begin Ranma! KYAA!" Genma leaped at his son form an adjacent pole.

"KYAA" Ramna heard himself cry as he leaped after the older man. `No pop, STOP! Damn it don't DO this!' he screamed mentally. They went unheard.

They traded blows in mid-air, as Ranma continued to scream in his head. And then, the blow came. He felt his foot as it connected to the top of his fathers head, sending him towards a pool. He watched in horror as the man's body struck the water…but the head struck the outer rim of the pool. His father went under for a few moments; all was quiet.

"Well pops, is that all you got?" oh how he wanted to just beat the crap out of himself as he heard this. He was such an idiot, how he could not see that normally his father would just get up and attack again. Something was wrong and he just stood there…

Suddenly the body floated to the top of the pool. The portly man tat had been observing walked over to the pool and looked at it in confusion. "That strange…man should be panda…" Ranma heard as the guide proceeded to pull a pole out of subspace and fish out his `unconscious' father. Now, the Ranma that was inside was weeping openly.

The guide bent over the newly retrieved man and felt for a pulse. His eyes widen as he stepped back. "Dat…dat honored customer is DEAD!" The Ranma in control of the body heard this, and his world shattered around him. "No…nononono" he mumbled incoherently. Inside, Ranma was banging on the imaginary walls with his fist, screaming.

Suddenly, the world around them Swirled as the outer Ranma fell from the pole, and darkness began to over take them. His teacher…his father, was dead… `And…I'm the one that struck the blow…' was his last thought as there was a splash, and all went black…

Then, the inner Ranma felt a blow to his chest. He numbly looked around, the world once again black. No one was in sight. He distantly heard someone calling him. Then, another blow came, this one to his stomach. Then…

Ranma gasped as the air was knocked out of him, and he sat up in bed.

"Nii-chan! It's Morning!" yelled a happy voice from his lap. He sighed and dropped back to the pillows, arm coming to rest over his eyes. `Damn that dream.'

He felt two bodies press to each of his sides. He moved his arm and smiled slightly. There, rest both his angels. "Hey squirts, hw did you sleep."

"Great!" chirped Miki, Nina nodded her head and snuggled up to her older brother more. Ranma looked over to the clock, it read 8:15.

"Awwwww!! Why'd you two have to wake me, it's Saturday!" Ranma moaned, as he fake pouted. He didn't want the two to see his distress over last nights dream, still fresh in his mind.

Miki looked at him and stuck her lower lip out in a pout. "You said you would spend the day with us. We want to go to the park and play." It was a really funny picture. Here, Miki sat looking to shed crocodile tears any minute, and across from her the quiet sister, Nina, put on her best pout to match her sisters. Ranma couldn't help but smile.

He sighed loudly, trying his best to hide the smile coming to his face. "Fine, fine. Go get dressed and I'll take you both." He nudged both with his shoulders, where their heads were resting on.

"Yatta!" both yelled as they leaped out of bed and zoomed off out the door. Finally, he let the smile come forth. He loved those two dearly, and they always brightened his day. `Even when…' he trialed off, pushing the dream back again. He shook his head and threw off the covers. He had two kids to hang out with today, and he didn't want to keep them waiting.

She was moving at an easy, yet quick pace down the street, taking her normal route. Her mind hadn't been on the exertion needed for the run, it was still roaming back to Ranma. How was she supposed to act around him now at school? What would others think of the new friendship? These and many other questions were flying through her head as she turned left at the next corner.

She was approaching Yamaguchi Park like she does every morning, when she was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of laughter. This was normal since her path took her right by the playground and the small pond in the beautiful park. But this laughter she recognized. `Miki? Nina?'

She stopped behind one of the larger trees and leaned against it, wiping the sweat away from her brow with the sleeve of her shirt. She panned her head form left to right searching for the two girls she thought she heard. Then, she stopped when she saw two blurs making their way across the green grass. A moment later a larger blur was seen chasing after them.

She blinked a few times and tried to follow the figures. They made their way around the jungle-jim and under the slide. The larger figure was gaining on the smaller one that was in the back. A few moments later, the small one was touched and as one the three stopped. Akane's eyes widen as she recognized the three. `No way.'

It was Ranma and his sisters, and they had seemed to be running a mach one…well something like that. She couldn't get her jaw back in place after seeing their speed, and none of them were out of breath. She looked from one to the other and stopped on Ranma. He had a huge smile on his face as he looked at the younger Saotomes.

He looks so different ways with his sisters.