Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, and Kodansha. The American rights are owned by DIC. Ranma ½ is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Shogakukan. The American rights are owned by Viz Communications.

Note: I’ve been rereading All Relative and I’ve decided that I don’t like it, so I am going rewrite it.

It all started with a postcard.

Genma is dead. Am returning from China.

--Ranma

A bit later there was a phone call from Yokohama.

"So, Ranma, what are your plans?"

"Plans? Oh, none. Pops left a note telling me to get in touch with you."

"Look, I’ll wire you a ticket, and meet you at the Juuban train station."

"Ah. Sure."

Haruka tugged at the skirts of her dress as she, Michiru, and Hotaru passed through the gates of the train station to stand by the tracks. "Look nice and formal when you meet Ranma. Humph!" She gave Michiru a glare.

"So, tell us about this mysterious cousin of yours," Michiru smiled at Haruka. "You haven’t been too long on details."

Haruka looked sheepish, "I don’t know him that well. Ranma and his father were on some kid of martial arts training journey for as long as I knew him. His father was always doing the most stupid things in the name of training, and Ranma was a trooper. He did whatever his old man came up with, somehow, and carried on."

Michiru looked at her lover. "You like him."

"Yeah. He taught me some moves last time he was around, just before his old man dragged him off. That was five years ago," she sighed.

"Haruka-san, Michiru-san." The two whirled around, then calmed down as they took in the horde of five Inner Senshi and a harried-looking once-and-future King of Earth.

"Hello, Ami-chan. What brings you all down here?" Michiru inquired.

"Guess. Setsuna," Rei growled.

Ami looked heavenward, "Rei, she didn’t sound like she usually does when it’s the end of the world. She just told us that we should be at the train station, and to please leave the cats home." She wrinkled her nose.

Hotaru, piped up, "Haruka-papa’s cousin Ranma is coming to visit us. She was telling us about him."

Michiru looked at the younger girls, easily recognizing the look on their faces. "No, Makoto, I doubt he is your old sempai, and I don’t know if he is a child of the Moon Kingdom."

"Indeed." Setsuna smiled slightly as she stepped out of a shadow. "He was never of the Moon Kingdom. He is the cousin of Haruka Ten’ou, and a scared boy, a powerful warrior, and a lost soul. I think you…" her gaze took in all of the Senshi, "can help him to heal."

Rei frowned, "It’s not like you, helping out without there being a hidden motive behind it."

The smile froze, "Mars, someday you will have responsibility. You will have to make hard choices. When you do, I hope that you remember what I say now. Do you know what it is like, knowing that what you see WILL turn to dust one day? Knowing the pain, pain you hope the gods will forgive you for inflicting, is to make a dream that is still in the future, and the people suffering will never see it?"

She visibly took control of herself, "No, Mars, if you get the chance to heal, and can, you’ll grab it." She pivoted on one foot and vanished.

Pluto, safe for the moment before the gates of time, knelt and wept.

"Whoa."

Rei gulped and raised a hand to try to catch her, "Setsuna, I…" she stopped.

It was then that the train pulled into the station, and the girls grouped themselves together as the tide of salarymen exited the train.

"Haruka-papa, I don’t see him."

"Um, Haruka-san, I think I see him."

The setting sun silhouetted the figure as he put down a huge backpack as he studied the platform, now empty except for him and the others.  He was strongly built, with the muscles of a gymnast rather than a weightlifter.  He wore his hair in a pigtail and had Chinese-style clothing, a red silk shirt and black pants.

"Ohhh… Wow…" more then one of the girls breathed as he stalked down the platform.

"Haruka-san?"

He stared at her, and then dashing the tear that leaked from the corner of his eye, he bowed, "Hi. Sun got in my eye." He waved in the direction on the sun setting behind him.

"Ranma, what is it? What happen to Uncle Genma? "

He looked at her, his eyes requesting the sympathy his posture said he would reject "Pops and I were in China, at this ‘perfect spot’ he had read about. Turned out to be cursed."

"Cursed?" Ami echoed, raising eyebrow.

He bowed, "Well, I knocked Pops into a pool, and he turned into a panda. Then he knocked me into another one. Here, he left this note for you." He handed a folded paper to Haruka, and then turned back to Ami, "Yeah. You girls may not believe it, but magic does exist."

"Do tell… And what kind of curse did you get?"

He turned to Haruka, "Who are these people? Friends of yours?"

She reddened, "Sorry. Girls, I’d like to introduce Ranma. Ranma, this is Ami, Rei, Minako, Usagi, Makoto, and Mamoru Chiba, and these are my housemates, Michiru and Hotaru."

They could tell he would go no further about what his curse so they waited as Haruka studied the note.

"Huh, A girl?" she colored as she apologized, "Sorry, I was reading the note, it took me by surprise."

He grinned faintly, "I know what you mean. Believe me, it took me by surprise too."

Haruka snorted and continued reading:

Haruka,

By the time you read this I will be dead. I only hope it is enough to pay back the damage I did. There are occasional times in a man’s life when he sees what he has made of his life. Mine came when I saw Ranma’s eyes tear up when a sudden shower drenched him and turned him into a girl. Even knowing that becoming a man is only a cup of hot water away, I could see that this is one of many things I have done not for, but to, Ranma.

I am hoping that a quiet life away from his past will make up for what I have done to him. A man can destroy only so much before he is forced to take stock in the results of what he does.

The boy may ask to find his mother. In my arrogance, I swore that I would make him a man among men, or we would commit seppuku. If she should appear, request for me that mine is atonement enough.

You may think me a fool and a coward. I may be one. Who knows? But should he ask, tell my son I love…

The note trailed off and there was a hurried signature

--Genma Saotome

She put her hand to her brow and sighed, <I do not need this. >

"Ranma, the letter implies how your father dies, but what really happened to Uncle Genma?"

Michiru put her hand to her lips, eyes widening as she caught the implication, as did a couple of the girls. "Hotaru, be a dear and go with Usagi and get some ice cream."

Usagi and Hotaru frowned at being sent off, but Usagi brightened and dragged the younger girl off, accompanied by Mamoru, as Ranma looked on with approval and Haruka smiled appreciatively.

"Would you get me some hot tea?" Makoto called out as they headed off. "I hope they heard me."

"Your father?" Haruka reminded Ranma.

Ranma scowled, "The old man took it too well. Then, when we camped for the night, he sent me to gather some wood. When I got back he was dead… I never knew he carried a tanto. That reminds me, I need to find a temple to pray for his shade."

Rei nodded. "I’ll help. My father runs a shrine in Juuban. I’m sure Haruka-san can give you a ride."

The two arranged a time as Usagi and Hotaru walked up, the Usagi licking an ice cream cone and carrying Makoto’s tea and the other two struggling with cups of ices for the others. Usagi started handing them to the group, stumbling as she handed Rei hers.

"Usagi, you clumsy meatball head, look what you did!!" Rei’s yelling died as she became aware of the others staring behind her.

"Uh…" Ami’s eyes were wide as she stepped forward to poke at the breast of the statuesque redhead who stood where Ranma had just stood, wearing the clothes that Ranma had been wearing.

He batted irritatedly at her finger, "Do you mind????!?!"

"They … they … they’re real."

Usagi elbowed Mamoru, who stood gaping at the sight.

The girl looked appealingly at Makoto, "Miss, could I please have your tea?"

"My tea? Sure."

He grabbed the tea and poured some over his head, and swiftly made the transition back to male. The girls stared, Mamoru looked slightly disappointed until he noted that Usagi was looking at him, and Ami poked him again.

"So, are you a guy who turns into a girl, or a girl who turns into a guy?"

"I’m a guy," Ranma squawked indignantly. "I turn into a girl when I get splashed with cold water. Hot water turns me back."

"Good!" Ami nodded her head decisively, and then blushed looking at the others who were looking at her. "I mean, Haruka-san said you were male, and I would hate to have it turn out that you were a girl and not …" her voice trailed off as the rest did not look that impressed at her explanation.

Hotaru yawned, and Michiru and Haruka exchanged glances. "Michi-chan, would you be a dear and take my cousin and Hotaru home? I’d like to talk with our young friends here."

Michiru grabbed the keys as Haruka tossed them, and gathered Hotaru and Ranma, who had been staring steadily at he ground ever since the incident with the water, and left.

End part one, Mk 2

Webmaster: Larry F
Last revision: May 21, 2007