Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi.





Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome were two men on a mission.  If successful,
it would be the culmination of a life-long dream and their duty to their
clans and the Art would be satisfied.  It sounded so simple, at first.  All
they needed to do was get their children married.  

Now two years, several fiancees, and one botched wedding later, they had started
to become desperate.  Now, many people would say that the two men were desperate
to begin with, but this was not really the case.  All their prior attempts at a
Tendo-Saotome union had included trickery, cajoling, bribery, and at times,
down right deceit.  None of things, however, led to a marriage and two the patriarchs
had become tired.  

The problem, they decided, did not lay in their efforts.  The problem, they agreed,
was Ranma.  Ranma Saotome, the only son of Genma Saotome, the only heir to
the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts.  Yes, they decided, the problem
was Ranma, and now it was time to _force_ the issue of his engagement to Akane; by
any means necessary.


   ****************************************
   *           *
   *     Raoh the Conquoror presents      *
   *                                      *
   *         A Story of Ranma 1/2         *
   *                                      *
   *      The One You Love the Most       *
   *                                      *
   ****************************************


"Are you sure this is going to work, Saotome?"  Soun asked his best friend
as the two men walked down a deserted street at night.

"Of course, Tendo.  Mizumi-sensei is most skilled in the mystical arts."  Genma
replied confidently.

"Where did you manage to find her anyways?"  

"I've known her since I was a child, Tendo.  My father would always go to
her for advice, potions, and cures for various ailments."

"I see."

The two men continued walking in silence.

"Are you REALLY sure about this Saotome?"  Tendo asked again after a few minutes.

"What is bothering you, Tendo?  This is not like our other plans!  This will work
for sure!  After today, our families will be united!"

"But, how-"

"Save your questions for a few moments Tendo, we're here."  Genma said
as he pointed the house in front of them.

Genma walked confidently to the front door, Soun trailing behind him.  Genma 
knocked on the door and after a few moments, a beautiful woman wearing a 
black kimono opened the door.  Genma bowed to the woman and said,

"Mizumi-sensei.  It is good to see you.  We have come for the item."

Soun gaped as he looked at the woman.  Genma had said that he had known
her since his childhood, but the woman standing in front of him could
be no older than Kasumi. 

Mizumi, noticing Soun's shocked look, smiled and bade the two men to enter
the house.  

"I am a lot older than I look, Tendo-san.  But magic helps keep a body
young if the spirit is willing."  Mizumi said, answering Soun's unasked
question.

She turned away from the two men and her long black hair glided with her movement.

"Follow me."

She led Soun and Genma to the basement of her house where she conducted most
of her "business".  The room in her basement was remarkably clean and empty.
In the center of the room was a small square table with a velvet table cloth.
On top of the table, in the center, was a small, gift-wrapped box.  She gently
picked up the box and handed it Genma.  

"Here you go Genma.  Just make sure he wears it."

"Ok, sensei.  How will it work?"

"OK, first, Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that he loves Akane more than any other girl?"

"Well, yes...  He is just too proud to admit it.  Wouldn't you agree, Tendo?"

"After all the times he has saved her, after all the jealousy he has shown... well..."

"Exactly. "  Genma finished.  

"You have to be sure Genma.  I saw your son when he was born, and he had a strong
spirit even then.  If what you've told me is true, he is even stronger now.  My magic
can not create anything.  It can only activate feelings that already exist.  Do
you understand?"

Both men nodded and Mizumi continued.  

"Good.  Tell him to wear that pendant.  When he looks at the face of the woman
he loves above all others, the words will pour out his heart, and his love
will blossom and his understanding will grow."

"Thank you Mizumi-sensei!"  Both men said in unison.  

As the pair walked out of the house, Soun was once again plagued with doubts.

"How are we going to get Ranma to where a pendant?  He doesn't wear any jewelry."

"I've already thought about that.  This pendant is actually a design of our 
family name, Tendo.  Besides it will be on a necklace, its not going to be too 
conspicuous to other people.  But to make absolutely sure that he wears it, his
mother is the one who will give it to him.  Not me, and not you.  Ranma feels 
so guilty about hiding from her, that he will do anything she asks."

"I'm suprised that your wife agreed to this idea, Saotome."

"Oh, she doesn't know the whole story Tendo.  I just suggested that we give
 Ranma the pendant as his 18th Birthay gift and she just loved the idea."

"Oh... you are a devious one Saotome."  

"Indeed.  And soon, our families will be united."

When the two men returned home, Genma sought out his wife and eagerly requested that
she give Ranma his gift, even though his birthfay was not for another week.  Nodoka
thought that the request was strange, but Genma was so excited about the matter that
she readily agreed.  

Nodoka walked up to Ranma's room and knocked on the door.  

"Yeah?  Come in!"  

Nodoka smiled in anticipation as she opened the door of her son's room and walked inside.
Ranma had been laying on his futon, pointedly ignoring his homework.  When he saw
his mother walk in, he quickly got up and started scanning his math book.  Nodoka laughed
and shook her head.

"No need to pretend on _my_ account Ranma-chan.  Nothing I do seems to convince
you to study.  I am here for an altogether different reason."

Ranma dropped the math book in relief and said, "What's up, mom?"  

Nodoka held out the small box that she had been holding in her hand and said,

"Here... this is your birthday present, from me and your father.  I know it's a week
early but your father got so excited so..."

Ranma stood up and took the small box from his mother.  He looked at the box 
suspiciously.  *The only thing I could get that's THIS small is jewelry.*  As
Ranma tore into the gift wrap he thought, *Oh man, I hope this isn't another
wedding ring.*  Ranma found a jewelry box underneath all the wrapping.  
*I knew it!*  he thought as he slowly opened the box.

"Hey... What's this?"  Ranma asked as gazed at the golden pendant.  The pendant
had a lusterous shine and was shaped to form the word 'Saotome' in kanji.  He
gently removed the pendant from the box and noticed that it was connected to 
a long gold chain.  He glanced at his mother who had a joyous and hopeful look
on her face. 

"Well, Ranma-chan?  Do you like it?"  

"Uh... yeah, mom.  I like it a lot.  It's... er, really cool."

"Oh, I'm glad.  Why don't you put it on?"

Ranma tried not to wince as fit the necklace over his head and onto his neck.  He looked
at the pendant dangling on near the front of his shirt and frowned.  He looked up and
stood a bit straighter. Nodoka stepped back and took a good look at Ranma.  

"Oh, it looks perfect on you!"  she said, giving Ranma a hug.  

When Nodoka released Ranma he looked her straight in the eyes for a few moments, then
his expresion softened.  

"Thanks mom.  It's a great gift."

"Happy birthday Ranma-chan.  Now... Get back to your homework!"  

"Right...."  Ranma said with a sigh.

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

Soun and Genma sat in front of their Go board, but neither player was concentrating
on the game.  They both getting incrediably impatient.  Ranma was hard enough
manipulate as it was, and they did not want to arouse any suspicion in him.  So they
decided to just wait until Ranma saw Akane at dinner, and just watch as the fun
started.  It was almost time for dinner now, and both fathers were getting more
and excited and eager with each passing second.  

Ranma's stomache was his best internal clock, so it was about this time that
he walked downstairs to check the status of dinner.  

"Hey Mom?  Is dinner ready yet?"  Ranma asked as he walked downstairs.  

Kasumi walked out of the kitchen and looked at Ranma, "It will be ready in a few
minutes Ranma-kun.  Can you get Nabiki and Akane for me?  I think that they are
both in the Dojo."

"Sure Kasumi, no problem."

Genma and Soun nearly jumped for joy as they watched Ranma walk off to the
dojo.  They quickly followed him to the outside of the house and just watched
the dojo.  They wanted to see the looks on their childrens' faces when they
walked out.  After a few minutes, they heard a loud noise, like objects crashing
around in the dojo, then they heard a loud yell, one they were all to familiar
with. 

"RANMA NO BAKAAAAA!"  Akane screamed.

Suddenly the roof of the dojo exploded as Ranma went flying into the night.
Soun and Genma looked at each with confused and worried expressions on their
faces.  They quickly ran to the dojo to investigate.  

When Soun and Genma entered the dojo the found Nabiki trying to calm down
a very pissed off Akane.  

"What happened? " Soun asked.

"What usually happens, daddy?"  Nabiki replied.  "Our two lovebirds got into a fight
then Akane sent Ranma on a one way flight.  Hmmmm... I wonder if he qualifies for
frequent flyer miles?"  

Genma and Soun glanced at each other and looked puzzled.

"You mean... Ranma didn't tell Akane that he loved her?"  Genma asked.

This statement cut through Akane's anger.  She and Nabiki both looked at Genma
like was from another planet.  

"What are you talking about, Uncle Saotome?  Ranma doesn't love me!  And I DON'T LOVE HIM!"

"You- You mean he REALLY didn't say he loved you?" Soun asked weakly.

"What is WRONG with the two of you?  You are acting more pathetic than usual."  Nabiki commented.

The two men ignored Nabiki and looked at each other.

"Do you think it failed?"  Soun asked.

"Impossible!  Mizumi-sensei has ALWAYS come through before!  She is too much of a 
professional to ever fail in something like this!"  Genma replied.

Soun's face paled.  "Do you think that... maybe Ranma DOESN'T LOVE AKANE!!!!!!"

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE SAOTOME!!!"  Soun asked, doing his demon impression.

"What did the the two of you do THIS time?"  Akane asked in a quiet voice.

Soun immediately returned to normal as his daughter's voice reached him.
Both men started looking on the ground, neither one, wanting to look into
Akane's eyes.

"I said, WHAT DID YOU DO?" Akane screamed.

"Well, we... go on and tell her Saotome!"

"Me?  She's you daugher!"

"Well Ranma is YOUR son!  And this was also YOUR idea!"  Soun reminded him.

"Ah... yes well. We have no time for this now!  We'd better find the boy!
Unless, Tendo, you'd rather one of his OTHER fiancee's found him right now?"

Genma looked at Soun meaningfully and Soun paled once again.  

"Oh God!  Hurry Akane!  We have to find Ranma!  We have to find him now!"  

"I'm not going anywhere! Not until you tell me what's going on!"  

"Akane, " Soun began, "if you EVER plan on marrying Ranma, you will help us find him. Now."

The quiet and patient voice that her father used cut through Akane's anger, but not
through her stubborness.  

"Who wants to marry that baka anyway?"  She mumbled as she walked out the dojo and 
into the house.  

"Akane- " 

"Forget about her for now Tendo!  We HAVE to find the boy!"  Genma said.

"Right!" 

The two man ran out of the dojo and out towards the path that Ranma had flown.
Nabiki stared at the retreating form of the two men, then walked back to the house
and upstairs to Akane's room.  She knocked on the door and stepped inside.  Akane
was sitting at her desk, angrily flipping through her math book.

"Akane, I think you might want to go out and look for Ranma."  Nabiki began quietly.

"You too, Nabiki?  Why would I want to go look for that pervert?  What do I care
what he does or where he goes?"  Akane replied.

Nabiki sighed and said, "This is getting really old Akane, and incrediably tiresome.
Ranma has feelings for you, and you have feelings for Ranma.  Don't try to deny it.
When you guys decide to actually do something about it is your business.  Now daddy and
Uncle Saotome have done something stupid.  Something that I think _Cologne_ would do.
So, if you don't find him before one of the other fiancees do, you might find yourself
without anyone to argue with for a long time."  

Nabiki stared at Akane for a few moments more then turned to walk out of the room.  As
she was about to exit the room, Akane said, "Nabiki... Thanks."  

Nabiki turned around and smiled at Akane.  

"Hey, I may be an 'Ice Queen' like everyone thinks, but I still love my family."


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

"Well, Saotome, it looks like he landed in that restaurant."  Soun stated.

Both men looked at the roof of 'Ucchans', which was now sporting a large, Ranma-sized
hole.  

"Tendo!  That's Ukyou's restaurant!"  Genma exclaimed.

"You don't think that he-"

"I don't know Tendo, the two of them WERE close when they were younger."  

The two men rushed inside the restaurant and found Ukyou sitting at a table, dreamily
staring out into space.  Genma did not take this as a good sign as he approached 
the Okanomiyaki chef.  

"Ukyou? "  he began, "Did, uh... Ranma drop in, by any chance?"

"Hmmm?"  Ukyou said, still having a glazed look in her eyes.

"UKYOU!  WAS RANMA HERE! "  Soun yelled.

"What?  Oh yes... he made that hole in the roof. He said that Akane got angry again..."

"Did he... SAY anything to you, about... well...  anything?"  Genma asked.

"What are yoy talking about, you jackass?  Ranchan dropped in, ate some Okanomiyaki,
said I was one of the best cooks he's ever met, then walked out."  Ukyou replied.

"Is that all?  Then why were you staring off into space like that?! "  Genma demanded.

"Well, Ranchan said I was the best cook!  That's not a far reach from being the
best fiancee, is it?"  Ukyou explained happily as Soun and Genma face-faulted.

"We're wasting are time here Saotome."  

"I know!  Let's get out of here.  Maybe he went back home?"  Genma said hopefully.

The two men walked out of Ucchan's and met Akane on their way home.  

"Akane!  Are you out looking for Ranma?  Didn't he return home?"  Soun asked.

"No he hasn't come back yet, I was on my way to Ukyou's restaurant to look for him."

"Don't bother, he isn't there anymore."  Genma replied.

"Well, I didn't see him on my way here, so where could he be?" Akane asked.

The three of them heard a bell ringing several times then a voice say,

"Out of way!  Shampoo have delivery to make!"  

"Shampoo!  Hold on for a second!"  Akane said, standing in the path of Shampoo's bike.

"What Akane want?"  Shampoo replied, glaring at her rival.

"Have you seen Ranma today?"  Akane asked.

"Ah, Shampoo see groom a little while ago.  Ask to take Shampoo on date, but silly
Ranma;  he run away.  Shampoo have to make delivery, so no time to chase.  Ayia!
I late!  Bye Bye Violent-girl!"    Shampoo replied as she turned her bike around
Akane and sped off.  

"Well, that's two... Where could he have gone, Saotome?"  Soun asked.

"Well... maybe he's back home now."  Genma replied.

"OK.  Before we go ANYWERE, you two are going to tell me what exactly is going on!"  Akane 
said, glaring at her father and would-be father-in-law.

"Well, you see, Akane... Saotome and I, that is, we really want you and
Ranma to get married... and-"  Soun began.

"But we knew that Ranma was just too proud to admit how he felt about you and since-"

Genma's continued explanation was interrupted by a loud, long, manical laughter which
everyone recognized.

"Kodachi!"  Genma and Soun said together.

"You don't suppose that she..." 

"No, the boy is smarter than that..."

"True, true, I mean even HE has better sense than to..."

"She DOES sound a bit happy, though, doesn't she?"

"RANMA!"  Genma and Soun yelled together as the ran in the direction of Kodachi's voice.

Akane shook her head and ran after the two men.  What they eventually found caused
Akane to feel a bit angry and caused the fathers to feel no little relief.  Kodachi,
in her gymnastic tights, twirling her long ribbon in the air, was chasing after 
a frustrated and somewhat annoyed Ranma.  

"Ranma-sama!  Please eat these cookies I made.  HAHAHAHAHAHA! I made them especially
for you!  I used my own secret ingredients!  HAHAHAHAHA!"  Kodachi cackled.

"Oh man, I told you already, I ain't hungry!  Just leave me alone!"  Ranma whined.

"How do you want to handle this Saotome?"  Tendo asked.

"I don't know Tendo... I'm always at a loss when dealing with that insane girl."  

"Don't worry.  I'LL take care of it."  Akane said, cracking her knuckles.  

Akane ran up to Ranma, who was heading in her direction, and said,

"I think its time for you to head HOME, RANMA!"  

She kicked Ranma under the chin and sent him flying off towards the Tendo Dojo.

"Well, that's ONE way to get him back home..."  Genma observed.

"You... you herridan!  What did you do to my Ranma-sama!"  Kodachi raged at Akane.

"Oh-  Nevermind... I don't want to deal with you right now!  I'm going home, before
something ELSE happens.  When I get there, you TWO are going to explain what's
going on!"  Akane said, glaring at Soun and Genma.

Suddenly, black rose petals filled the air and Kodachi leaped off yelling,

"Next time! Next time, Ranma-sama will be mine! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"What a nut."  Akane said, shaking her head as she walked home.  

When Akane, Genma, and Soun got home they found Nodoka sewing up a tear in one
of Ranma's shirts.  In fact, it was the shirt he had been wearing that night.  

"Dearest, where is Ranma? Did he come home?"  Genma asked his wife anxiously.

"Yes, he just landed in the pond a few minutes ago, I assume he went up to
take a bath."  

*Woah.  Just a few minutes ago?  Good hang time!*  thought Akane.  

"Well, at least he's safe at home... still this doesn't solve our problem."  Genma said.

Just then Kasumi walked in to the living room from the kitchen.  

"Oh my. Were the three of you able to find Ranma?" she asked.  

"Kasumi, have you seen Ranma since dinner?"  Genma asked curiously.

"No Uncle Saotome, he just ran off to get Akane, remember?"  Kasumi replied.

Genma and Soun looked at each other, hope renewed in their eyes.

"RANMA!"  They yelled in unison as they ran up the stairs.

"The two of them are acting rather strange today, aren't they?"  Nodoka observed.

"How can you tell?"  Akane asked.

Soun and Genma rushed down the stairs dragging a grumbling Ranma-chan behind them.

"What is IT now?"  she complained.  "I just wanna take a bath and forget today ever 
happened."

The two men thrust Ranma-chan in front of Kasumi and waited expectantly.

"What?"  Ranma-chan said irritably after a few minutes.

"Well, boy?  Do you love Kasumi or don't you?"  Genma demanded.

"Oh my..."  Kasumi said.

"What the HELL are you talking ABOUT Pop?"  Ranma-chan yelled.

"Don't avoid the question son..."  Soun said.

Ranma-chan blushed and squirmed uncomfortably and finally said,

"Of course I... love... Kasumi.  I mean, who doesn't?  She's like the sister I never had..."

"Why Ranma-kun... how sweet..."

Genma and Soun sighed in defeat and let go of Ranma-chan.

"Go take your bath boy."  Genma said in a resigned voice.

Ranma mumbled to herself incoherently as she walked to the bathroom.

"NOW. WHAT was THIS all about?"  Akane demanded of Soun and Genma.

"Well... you see, its like this..." Soun began.


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

As Ranma-chan closed the door to the bathroom she heard the screams of pain and agony
of two foolish old men.  

She smiled as she got undressed.  *I don't know what that was all about but those
two deserve anything they get*  She thought to herself.  After a few moments, 
Ranma-chan was completely naked, but for the pendant that hung around her neck.
She thought about taking it off for her bath, but then decided against it.  She
didn't want to take the chance of loosing a present that was from her mother.  She
splashed some cold water on herself and was about to enter the tub when she glanced
at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.  

Suddenly, she stopped and moved closer to the mirror, captivated by her own reflection.
Captivated like a small animal that had never seen itself before or another of its
kind. She raised her right hand and gently caressed the image of her face on the
mirror.  A wide grin broke out on her face and tears started to flow from her eyes.

She slowly laughed and said, "I love you.  and I guess... I always have."


********************************
The end
********************************

I don't know WHERE this came from...  
I'm still stuck on the Lodoss fic, made
a great deal of headway on Brother's in the Art part 3
and have Stained Glass Mind part 7 planned out.

Something on the FFML striggered this story for
me, but I don't remember what it was, oh well...
whoever gave me this idea, thanks!

oh, I would REALLY appreciate some grammer checking on
this one... thanks.

Namaste

-anand