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: For the purpose of this story I’m saying that Ranma and the Senshi, except for the Outers of course, are the same age, fifteen.

As the three left, there was moment of silence as the rest blinked, contemplating Haruka giving her car to anyone, even Michiru. She grinned at them; "She’s going to pick me up after she drops them off at home."

Rei muttered, "I wish I knew what Setsuna meant about us healing him. I still think there is something else she isn’t saying."

Haruka spoke, "I do need your help, Mamoru, ladies," it was hard to tell if the "ladies" was sarcastic or not, but she continued before anyone had a chance to ask, "I never anticipated being a "papa" to Hotaru, let alone being a "mom" to a fifteen-year-old boy."

When he called, Michi-chan and I talked, and she’ll back me up; we will serve as parents for Ranma for now… " She punched her hand. "However, right now he turns into a girl if you splash him with cold water. He’s been trailing around the backwaters of the kami only know where, and he’s a walking nail just begging to pounded on. And I’m sure when I get the opportunity to think about it, I’ll think of the problems I haven’t even gotten the opportunity to think about yet."

The silence deepened to stillness as the rest took in the problems facing her.

"It kinda makes you wish for a nice, simple Youma or Cardian. You always know where you stand with them. You show up, they hit you, you hit them, and then you dust them. Simple," Makoto spoke.

The rest looked at Makoto, stunned that she had yet to mention that Ranma resembled her old boyfriend.

"Mamoru, you’re an orphan too. You know what it must be like."

He nodded waving to indicate that she should continue, "When my parents died, I was broken up, but I had my friends and family around to help me. And I was still known as a brawler. As near as I can figure, Ranma lost everything. The way of life he has known for two-thirds of his life, gone. The only person who has been a constant in his life, gone. He didn't say, but I have a feeling that after his father killed himself, he ended up burying the body. I know I saw bloodstains on the note he passed Haruka-san. Then he had to walk out from wherever he was by himself to get here. I don't think he ever had the time to mourn properly."

Haruka closed her eyes, as Ami, who patted her on the back, then spoke, "Haruka-san, that isn't all; you saw what happened when he got wet. We have all grown up as girls; we knew what to expect socially and physically. He hasn’t."

The rest looked puzzled as they parsed the sentence, then their eyes widened as they exchanged glances.

Ami wasn't paying any attention, "I would doubt that he ever sat a modern health class— especially one for girls.

"Anyway, there is something else. You saw how he looked when he turned into a girl. The female form is undoubtedly weaker than his normal form. And the balance of a boy and a girl are different. Given the way the emphasis on physical skills have dominated his life, he must be feeling weak and powerless as a girl. His situation is probably beyond embarrassing to him; it must be mortifying. The fact that he is still going speaks wonders as to his strength."

Haruka sagged for an instant; then Usagi spoke up, "Haruka-san, you and Michiru-san took in a little girl who lost her father. Knowing who and what she is, you loved her. You’ll do just fine with Ranma as well."

The others stared at her. "Princess?" Afterward, no one was able to decide who asked it.

"We all go to Juuban High School. If you need us, I’m sure we’ll all help."

"Thanks. For now I'll watch him, but I'll keep the offer in mind. Right now, I could use any advice you could provide." Everyone, including Mamoru, nodded.

Rei just looked at Usagi/Serenity, "If I ever fall back into just thinking of her as an air-headed twit, I want to make sure that I remember this," she thought to herself.

Ami could deliver bad news and hard advice with almost the same lack of emphasis as Setsuna. She demonstrated this as she started ticking off advice and comments. "Firstly, always remember, he is a he, even though he is cursed and becomes a girl when he gets splashed. Imagine if Mamoru turned into a girl if he got wet?"

The rest went pale at that thought.

"Well, I wasn’t the one who poked his breasts, you did." Makoto paused, "that sounds so wrong."

Everyone nodded save Ami, who was blushing so hard she resembled a tomato.

The next morning, Michiru sat sipping a cup of tea, giggling, as Haruka bounced from cupboard to cupboard muttering comments as to just how much one teenaged boy could eat, and contemplating Haruka. Most people just saw her brash, intemperate side, but before they had drifted off to sleep, Haruka had told her everything that the rest of the Sailor Scouts had said, fretting that there was no way that she could ever successfully raise Ranma. Privately, Michiru thought it — Haruka's fretting — was a good sign.

Hotaru stared out the window, entranced as this cousin of Papa's danced and flowed though a kata. She had seen others do martial arts exercises… on the ground. Ranma touched the down only occasionally, instead spending most of the time in the air, doing jumps that she didn’t think any of the Senshi could do even if they transformed.

She had been awake, a little, when he had carried her from the car and laid her on her bed, and she knew he was both strong and gentle.

Later, Ranma ate all the food that Michiru had prepared for breakfast and was reduced to cleaning off the plates the other silently passed to him, to his look of startlement and not fully-explained comment about being used to fighting for his food. He leaned back and took in Hotaru's covert studying. "Saw you watching me out the window. Do ya think I'm very good?"

She nodded at him, wide-eyed.

"You should have seen me when I started, I was less than… well, I was awful. But I practiced everyday and got better and stronger. If you'd like, and these two say okay, I'll teach you a few moves."

Hotaru transferred a look as kawaii as every kitten ever born to her guardians, who looked at each other, sighed, then nodded.

When Hotaru had left to get ready for school, Haruka glared at Ranma. "I don't like being mousetrapped. Hotaru is delicate."

Ranma stood, "And you're worried that I will be too hard for her?" He lifted his hands. "See these?"

She nodded.

"They once punched through the hood of a moving car and pulled out the engine. Then they grabbed and cradled a baby as I jumped away." Ranma chose a relatively normal situation from his past; somehow he doubted that throwing ki and using some of the secret Saotome family techniques he had seen his pop use, and learned, would reassure his guardian. "Some guy was high on something tried to plow through a crowd of people at full speed. Pulling the engine out was the easiest way to stop the car."

"What happened to the drunk?" Michiru asked.

"Turned him over to the police."

"Pity. I would have spoken to him about his behavior." Michiru’s smile was not entirely nice.

"A part of the code says that I gotta help those who are weaker than myself. I can see that Hotaru has great strength inside. However, weak as she is physically, she must be a target for her school friends’ teasing."

The two nodded.

Hotaru giggled slightly to herself a bit later, as she went into school. Her classmates were staring at her and the departing Ranma.

Ranma had volunteered to take her on as a student, and offered to walk her school. She had thought that it would mean walking to school on the ground, and it had for a bit. Then, as she was beginning to feel a bit tired, he asked and taking her book bag had swung her onto his shoulder and continued walking. Then he explained that one of the critical things that a martial artist needed was balance, so he jumped up to the top of a fence and just strolled along effortlessly as if they were on the ground.

Intersections were leapt over without breaking stride, and far too soon they arrived at school. He'd softly landed, and bowed elaborately to Hotaru, as he ushered her into the building.

"Later, Hotaru-chan. Later I’ll show you the moves I promised."

"Bye for now, brother." She had thought about it and decided that the term fit.

To be continued.

Webmaster: Larry F
Last revision: May 21, 2007