Disclaimation:  Rumiko Takahashi owns every character that I didn't 
create. Except for Belldandy, who is property of the person who created 
Ah! Megami-sama

"Anything is possible, it's just a matter of doing what it takes to make 
it happen."
	-Brian


Possibilities: a Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
	by Brian

*-*-*-*

	Two weeks have passed since the failed wedding.  Ranma's life has 
lapsed into something that passes for normal.  He is still living at the 
dojo, the only difference is that his mother is staying there as well.  
His relationship with Akane has pretty much reverted to the way it had 
been before the entire Mt. Pheonix incident, and he wasn't exactly 
pleased with that fact.
	He had managed to forgive Ukyo rather easily.  Shampoo had been 
another matter altogether, but it hadn't taken long for him to accept 
her apology as well.  Akane had forgiven Ryoga almost immediately, which 
annoyed Ranma to no end.  Happosai hadn't been seen since he drank the 
Naanichaun water, apparently ingesting water from a Jusenkyo spring has 
horrible side effects.  He'd fled for China so that he could be treated 
by the guide.  He left a note that commanded Soun and Genma to take over 
his nightly raids, or they'd regret it.

*-*-*-*

	Ranma was sitting on the roof of the dojo, which was where he went 
when he had a lot of thinking to do.  He'd spent the majority of the 
last week up there, by himself.  He was surprised when he heard the 
thunk of a ladder as it connected with the roof.  He stood up and walked 
over to the edge, his mother was climbing up the ladder with some 
difficulty.  He reached a hand down to her, offering to help her to the 
roof.  She deflected it with the back of her palm.
	"I am not completely helpless, Ranma.  I can handle this."  She 
favored him with a gentle smile, which Ranma returned in kind.
	It took her a moment longer, but she managed to pull herself up 
onto the roof without any problems.  She walked to the center an set 
herself down where Ranma usually sat.  He followed and sat down next to 
her.  The two of them merely stared off into the sunset for a while 
before Nodoka spoke.
	"Ranma?" she asked.
	"Yeah?"
	"Why do you come up here all the time?"  Nodoka turned to face him 
with a puzzled look on her face.  Ranma stared back at her with eyes 
full of sadness.
	"I come up here so I can be alone, and think about my problems."  
was Ranma's simple reply.
	Nodoka seemed upset at hearing such tangible despair in his voice.  
"Would you rather that I leave, then?  So that you could be alone?"
	Ranma reached out a hand to stop his mother as she rose to her 
feet.  "No, Mother, I rarely get to speak to you.  Could you... stay?"
	Nodoka nodded and sat back down, next to her son.  "So, what do 
you think of your problems?"
	Ranma smiled as he looked up at her.  "I think that they are the 
most confusing and unbelievable set of problems that anyone on the 
planet has ever had."
	Nodoka and Ranma shared a good-natured laugh at that.  "Hahaha... 
it's funny because it's true."
	Nodoka looked at her son.  "But seriously, what do you think of 
all the things that happen to you?  Do you ever consider a way to end 
it?"
	Ranma thought for a moment before responding.  "Yes, I do.  I 
wonder what would happen if I did get married... who I would marry...  
and what would happen to the others.  I wonder about all those things 
whenever I'm up here."  Ranma let loose a sigh full of depression and 
insecurity.  "Sometimes I just wish I knew."
	Nodoka grasped Ranma's chin and pointed his head toward the sky, 
he raised it just quickly enough to see the tail end of a shooting star 
as it streaked through the night.

*-*-*-*

	In the back room of the Ucchan, something that could best be 
described as a ripple formed in mid-air.  It was there only a few 
moments, but long enough for it to expel a sixteen year old girl with 
long brown hair.  Upon exiting the vortex, Mariko Saotome collapsed in a 
heap.

*-*-*-*

	All across Nerima, this incident repeated itself.  In the Kuno 
Mansion, Senchi Saotome was conscious just long enough to wonder what the 
hell was happening to her.  Tsupai-su (Spice) Saotome heard her parents 
scream as she was sucked into the spacial tear.  Belldandy Saotome 
gasped her trademark 'Oh my!' as she appeared in the kitchen of the 
Tendo household.  Noriko Saotome took a few moments to examine the hole 
that had appeared in her room, then she was drawn in as well.  Miyabi 
Saotome shrieked and tried to leave her house, just to find the hole out 
there as well.  Falling back on her martial arts training, she attempted 
to leap over the hole only to have it move to meet her.
	Ranko Saotome stared at the ripple in the middle of the dojo with 
a disinterested expression.  She watched it ripple for a moment before 
standing.  Twirling a small black object in her hands, she walked around 
the ripple to find that it was easily thinner than a piece of paper.  
Her mother opened the door and shrieked as she saw the strange light.  
Ranko's father stood there as well.  A tentacle that looked like it was 
made out of water reached around and grabbed Ranko, hauling her into the 
vortex.
	Akane and Ranma looked on in shock as the hole sealed itself.  
Akane recovered first, turning to her husband with murder in her eyes.  
"Ranma... I don't know how, but this is your fault!"

*-*-*-*

 	Nabiki was not usually a heavy sleeper, so when an unknown object 
tumbled into her bed she awoke rather abruptly.  Rolling the object off 
of her, she stood and walked over to the light switch.  Turning it on 
she let loose a shriek.  There was a girl unconscious on the floor of 
her room.  To top it off, Nabiki didn't recognize her, which made things 
that much more unbelievable.  Kneeling next to the unconscious form, 
Nabiki started trying to wake her up.

*-*-*-*

	The Kuno family ninja, Sasuke, was surprised to find a young girl 
lying unconscious in the main hall of the Kuno estate.  She looked to be 
no more than sixteen, and had long black hair, very well kept and soft 
to the touch. He turned her over and gasped in shock at her face.  He 
sped for the phone... he needed to notify the Tendo's.  Something very 
odd was going on here.

*-*-*-*

	It was almost two in the morning, a time at which not even Kasumi 
is normally awake, when the phone in the Tendo household rang.  Nabiki, 
who was already up, was the one to answer.
	"Hello?"
	"Nabiki Tendo... is that you?"
	"Sasuke?  What are you doing calling our house at two in the 
morning?"
	"Forgive me, Ms. Tendo, but there is a matter of some urgency 
which I must discuss with you.  We will be there in a few minutes."
	"Waitaminute, we? What the heck's going..."  Nabiki glared at the 
phone as Sasuke hung up on her.  "He'll wish he hadn't done that."  she 
muttered as she headed back up to her room to try and haul whoever the 
mysterious person was downstairs.

*-*-*-*

	Konatsu, as a trained ninja, was also a light sleeper.  The odd 
thump in the middle of the night worked very well at awakening him.  He 
was up and dressed within seconds, and ready to deal with anything that 
he should find in the Ucchan.
	What he did find, however, was a young girl.  Probably sixteen or 
seventeen, who looked a lot like Ukyo.  She was unconscious, which 
allowed him to relax himself as he looked to see if there was anyone 
else there.  Finding noone, he set about awakening the girl.

*-*-*-*

	Cologne did not sleep, she did not need to, she had gained nearly 
perfect control over her ki in the three hundred years she had been 
alive, and as such she was able to regenerate her body with only a few 
minutes of mild rest.  When she felt an unfamiliar presence in the 
Nekohanten, she pounced within seconds.
	When she arrived downstairs, even with her three hundred years of 
experience, she was not prepared for what she saw.  A large glowing 
ripple was hanging in the center of the room.  From it emerged a young 
girl with long purple hair tied in an elaborate braid, hanging down to 
the middle of her back.  She was unconscious, and even if she hadn't 
been, Cologne would have made certain that she was.  Using a single 
hand, Cologne flipped the girl over, when she saw the face a gasp 
escaped her lips.  <I must notify the Tendos.>  As she pogoed over 
towards the phone, she could be seen to be smiling.

*-*-*-*

	The Tendos and the Saotomes, sans Ranma, were all huddled in the 
living room examining the mysterious girl when Sasuke arrived.  He had 
another girl on his back, just as unconscious as the other.
	Nodoka and Kasumi ran over to examine the unconscious girl.  
Removing her from Sasuke's back they placed her next to the girl who had 
appeared in Nabiki's room.
	"Oh my, with all this company dropping by I should make some tea."  
Kasumi said as she walked into the kitchen.  A few moments later she did 
something that no one that she would ever do.  She screamed.
	Everyone rushed to the kitchen, leaving Genma to defend the 
mysterious girls.  What they found there surprised them, but only a 
little.
	Kasumi pointed at the girl on the floor.  "Um, there appears to be 
another one."  Nabiki rolled her eyes as Akane picked up their third 
guest.  Kasumi remained in the kitchen to make the tea as the three 
girls were placed alongside each other.  Nodoka, kneeling beside the 
third girl, turned to Akane.  "Akane-chan, perhaps it would be best if 
you were to wake Ranma."
	Akane nodded and headed towards the dojo.

*-*-*-*

	Ranma was a very heavy sleeper, so when a girl appeared in mid-air 
above him and landed on top of his bed, he did not wake up.  This was 
not good.
	Akane opened the door to the dojo and saw Ranma in bed with 
another girl.  "You Pervert!"  she screamed as she leapt towards him.  
She hoisted him out of his futon and punched him in the head, waking him 
up and sending him flying towards the wall.  "What'd I do?"
	Akane then lifted the girl out of Ranma's bed and threw her 
towards the other side of the dojo, sending her violently into the wall.  
Her eyes snapped open immediately.
	Ranma stood up from where he had created a small dent in the wall.  
"What'd ya do that for Akane?  I wasn't like I did anything any...way?"  
Ranma's words trailed off as he caught sight of the redhead at the other 
end of the dojo.  "No way!  Who're you?"
	The redheaded pig-tailed girl stared at Ranma with a mixture of 
shock and horror before noticing something.  "Pop?  Why do you look so 
young?"  Akane was the first one to absorb this information, followed 
immediately by Ranma.  Both of them fainted.

*-*-*-*

	After Akane's scream of 'pervert' Nabiki had been the first to 
rush towards the dojo.  Making sure that her camera was on hand.  When 
she stopped to open the door, the rest of the household barreled into 
her, sending her falling in the rest of the way.  The large tangle of 
people stared up at the scene before them.  The unknown redhead was 
kneeling beside Ranma and shaking him.  He lay unconscious at the far 
end of the dojo.  Akane was unconscious on the floor not far from Nabiki 
and the rest.  In the background a phone was ringing but no one noticed.  
They had no idea what was going on until the redhead started speaking 
again.  "Yo, pop!  You okay?  What the heck's going on?"
	Calling on reserves of inner strength, Nabiki shoved the rest of 
the group off of her, where they slowly began to disentangle themselves 
from each other.  Walking over to the unknown redhead, Nabiki tapped her 
on the shoulder.  "Excuse me?"
	The girl turned to her in annoyance.  "Yeah, what?"  Then she took 
a good long look at Nabiki.  "Auntie?  Is that you?"
	Reacting with her legendary calm, Nabiki confronted the girl as 
though she had expected that response.  "Did you just call Ranma 'pop'?"
	She nodded.
	"And who is your mother?"
	The girl pointed at Akane's prone form.
	Nabiki assimilated the information and came to a very startling 
conclusion.  She was not yet certain if it was correct, but better safe 
than sorry. Pointing at Ranma, Nabiki directed their new guest towards 
the house.  "Could you carry him... uh... what was your name?"
	The girl turned to her, looking rather annoyed at not knowing what 
was going on.  "Ranko... Ranko Saotome."

*-*-*-*

	In the Ucchan, Konatsu shook Ukyo awake.  Receiving a quick 
spatula to the face for his trouble.  As Ukyo disentangled herself from 
the sheets in her room, she noticed the new face in the room.
	"Who're you?"
	The girl stepped forward, becoming illuminated by the moonlight 
streaming in from the window, giving her an almost unearthly beauty.  
Her long chestnut hair flowed bast her shoulders, hanging loose.  Her 
face was almost perfectly shaped and she was... well-developed... for 
her age.  "Well, if what she says is true..."  she began.
	"Konatsu's a he."  Ukyo interrupted her.
	"Oh, well.  Anyway, if what he says is true I'm in the past.  
Hello, mother."  Mariko finished with a slight bow.
	Ukyo stood and padded softly over towards Mariko, a look of 
growing comprehension on her face.  "Your father... who is he?"
	Mariko noted the slightly apprehensive tone to her voice.  "It's 
Ranma Saotome, mother."
	Ukyo clasped her arms around the young girl's neck, she was nearly 
sobbing.  "I... I got him." Ukyo's legs became weak and she fell to her 
knees, Mariko hugged her back.  "Yes, mother, you did."

*-*-*-*

	Over Tendo pond, another portal was in the midst of opening.  From 
it spilled one Miyabi Saotome.  The splash resounded through to the 
inside of the house, bringing all of them running.  When catching sight 
of her, the entire group shared a single look of worry.  Soun was chosen 
to wade in and remove her before she drowned.
	Hauling the soaking wet girl from the pond, Soun noted her 
incredible resemblance to Ranma as well.  Everyone else was forced to 
agree that this was getting more interesting by the moment.

*-*-*-*

	Cologne, having roused Shampoo, was on her way to the Tendo dojo.  
Her great-great granddaughter being carried by her great-granddaughter.  
The ancient amazon matriarch was almost giddy with the anticipation of 
seeing son-in-law's face when he learned that he and Shampoo were 
destined to be together.  Shampoo was no better.
	The two of them passed the Ucchan's on the way, noting that there 
was a small commotion coming from within.  Cologne sent Shampoo in to 
check and make certain that Ukyo was not in danger, as sounds in the 
night could often result in that sort of thing.  Neither of them truly 
had anything against the okonomiyaki chef, but she was contending for 
Ranma's heart as well.  So they hid their indifference behind the 
competition.
	Shampoo carefully placed her daughter on the ground and walked 
into the Ucchan.  Finding the door locked, Shampoo began pounding on it 
incessantly until she heard the latch click and an ecstatic Ukyo opened 
the door.  "Shampoo?  What are you doing here?  Not that it matters, 
come in, come in.  Have a few drinks, on me."
	Shampoo entered the Ucchan to see Konatsu sitting in one of the 
booths next to another girl that Shampoo didn't recognize.  There was a 
bottle of sake opened on the table and Shampoo noted that the unknown 
girl looked slightly uncomfortable with it there.
	"Ayah.  Who spatula girl's friend?"
	Ukyo leaned down and wrapped an arm around the girl, smiling the 
whole while.  "Shampoo, this is me and Ran-Chan's daughter from the 
future, Mariko."
	"Ayah, but... that no be possible."
	Ukyo's face fell.  Konatsu and Mariko looked interested. "What?" 
the three asked simultaneously.
	"Great-grandmother outside with Shampoo and Airen's daughter.  We 
going to Tendo's to get Ranma right now."
	Ukyo removed her oversized spatula from where it was holstered on 
her back.  "I think that Ran-chan has some explaining to do.  Don't you, 
Shampoo?"
	The Amazon nodded.
	"Mariko, would you like to meet your father?"
	Mariko nodded.
	"Then let's go."
	Konatsu, Ukyo, Shampoo and Mariko headed out of the Ucchan.  
Stopping only briefly to explain things to Cologne, who accepted it all 
with a thoughtful expression.  Then, they sprinted off towards the Tendo 
Dojo.

*-*-*-*

	Nabiki stared at the six unconscious forms on the floor of the 
living room, two of which were groggily attaining an awakened state.  
The one that had arrived with Sasuke, and the one that had appeared in 
Nabiki's bedroom.
	Nodoka was on one side of the room interviewing Ranko.
	"Ranko-chan..."
	"Yes, Grandmother?"
	"You are Ranma and Akane's child, correct?"
	Ranko nodded.
	"Would you tell me what they are like in your future?"
	"I..."  Ranko's response ceased as their was a knock at the door.  
"..have to get the door."  Ranko got up and bolted for the door.  
Opening it to reveal six people, one of whom was unconscious.  Cologne 
spoke up as she saw him, "Ah, Son-in-law, good.  We were hoping that we 
would run into you and not one of the other people here.  We have urgent 
business to discuss."
	Not waiting to ask permission, Cologne shoved her way into the 
house.  She was followed by Shampoo, Ukyo, Mariko, and Konatsu, who was 
struggling with the weight of a purple haired girl.  Somehow finding his 
way into the living room, Konatsu placed her on the floor next to the 
other unconscious people.  Ranko was left wondering what the hell was 
going on.
	The girl with long black hair was now fully awake and kneeling 
over Ranma's prone form, she was shaking him rather violently.  "Father, 
come on!  Wake up!  Something weird is going on!  It's me, Senchi."  
Senchi turned her head to look around wildly at the people filling the 
room.  Her ponytail brushed Ranma's nose, causing him to sneeze, which 
in turn caused him to awaken.  His eyes opened and the first thing he 
saw was black hair, then he noticed the style it was pulled back in, he 
screamed.
	"Aaah!  Who let Kodachi in here?"  Ranma struggled free from 
Senchi's grasp and got a good look at her.  She was staring at him wide-
eyed and amazed.  "Oh, you ain't Kodachi.  For a sec there I was 
scared."
	Senchi began to shake slightly as she found her voice.  She was 
almost deathly quiet as she spoke.  "Why are you scared of Kodachi?"
	Ranma, unthinking as usual, responded with the first thing that 
came to mind.  "Because she's a psychopath, who in their right mind 
wouldn't be scared of her?"
	Senchi's eyes filled with tears as she slowly walked out of the 
room.  "I see..."  The sound of a slamming door echoed through the early 
morning.  All eyes turned to Ranma.
	"What'd I say?"

*-*-*-*

	Senchi wandered for a few minutes, not really paying attention to 
where she was going.  She found herself outside the mansion that she 
called home.  <Or will I?>  It was true, she could see in her father's 
eyes that the feelings he had betrayed concerning her mother were 
genuine.  Perhaps she would never be born.  It made her head hurt to 
think of it.
	She looked at the gate, looming just as it had the last time she 
had seen it.  Senchi leapt the wall, she knew the way through the 
mansion by heart.  But it was arranged differently now, perhaps 
grandfather hadn't been sent to that institution yet.  Maybe uncle 
Tatchi and Nabiki Tendo hadn't begun to have a relationship yet.  A 
million maybes but nothing was sure, Senchi knew where she would go 
under normal circumstances.  She would talk to someone, problems always 
seemed clearer after you'd spoken them aloud.  A light shone in Senchi's 
eyes as she figured out what to do.  <I'll go see mom.>  And with that 
thought, she set off into the darkness of the mansion.

*-*-*-*

	Nodoka stared at her son reprovingly.  Senchi had left a few 
minutes ago and he still didn't understand what was going on.  Nodoka 
knelt next to him and cupped his face in her hands.  She forcefully 
turned his head so that he was facing her.  "My son, Senchi is your 
daughter.  Her mother is Kodachi Kuno, just as Ranko's mother is Akane.  
You will go out and find her now, and you will bring her back here."
	Ranma swallowed loudly as Nodoka drew the blade from its wrappings 
on her back and pointed it towards his throat.  "Do.  You.  Understand?"
	The sound of the door shutting was echoing through the house 
before Nodoka finished speaking.  Nodoka began hunting around the room, 
a predatory gleam in her eye.  "Now then, Ranko-chan!  I must speak with 
you!"  Nodoka turned to Ukyo's daughter, "And I will wish to speak with 
you later, Mariko-chan."  Everyone continued to wait for the remaining 
children, and Akane, to awaken.

*-*-*-*

	Senchi stared at the sleeping form of her mother.  Kodachi was 
tossing and turning in her bed, mumbling words that Senchi could not 
quite make out.  As a child, Senchi had often been scared of the storms 
that would rack Nerima, and would sleep with her mother.  Kodachi 
Saotome was one of the soundest sleepers that Senchi knew of.  But here 
she was, tossing and turning.  Senchi caught a snippet of sound, she 
heard Kodachi mumble something that sounded like 'Ranma'
	"Mother..."  Senchi muttered
	Kodachi's eyes bolted open.

*-*-*-*

	Ranko was fluidly darting from one side of the house to the other 
in a vain attempt to dodge her grandmother's questions.  She turned a 
corner outside the dojo and smacked into a large form hulking there.  It 
was a man she had known since childhood, only he was a boy.  He was 
wearing a tiger-striped bandanna and had an evil expression on his face 
as he looked at her.
	"RANMA! PREPARE TO DIE!"

*-*-*-*

	The entire conscious population of the Tendo household groaned 
aloud when they heard Ryoga's exclamation.  Ranma would never come back 
with Senchi now.  The girl that had been found in the kitchen, as well 
as Shampoo's daughter, began stirring.
	A flash of yellow flew by the porch, the denizens of the living 
room watched as Ryoga impacted one of the large stones surrounding the 
pond.  Ryoga stood up and rushed a redhead in a pigtail that leaped over 
him, grabbed him by the bandanna, and threw him back at the same rock he 
had crashed into earlier.  There was a spiderweb of cracks covering it 
now, and pieces were falling off.
	From inside, Cologne watched the battle with her normal intense 
gaze.  She watched as the two combatants squared off against each other, 
both adopting different battle stances.
	"That isn't son-in-law." was Cologne's simple statement.
	Ukyo stared at her like she'd grown a second head.  "What do you 
mean, that isn't Ran-chan?  Of course it is... who else would fight 
Ryoga?"
	Nodoka spoke up, interrupting Cologne.  "I believe that is Ranko-
chan out there."
	"How can you tell, Auntie Saotome?"
	Cologne answered Kasumi's question first.  "Quite simple.  The 
battle stance that she is using is one that sacrifices mobility to allow 
maximum damage.  It would basically be inviting Ryoga to pound on him.  
Son-in-law would never use something like that in a battle with the 
Hibiki boy."  As if to reinforce the point, the crowd watched as Ryoga 
landed a fist right into Ranko's stomach.  They heard a slight grunt, 
but she remained standing.  Ryoga backed up and stared at her with wide-
eyes.  She grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him into the air.
	The entire crowd winced in pain as Ranko headbutted Ryoga in the 
face, causing him to drop like a bag of cement.  "And I seriously doubt 
that son-in-law could remain conscious after something like That."

*-*-*-*

	Kodachi listened to the story told by her daughter patiently, her 
eyes flashed with evident anger as she related what Ranma had said, 
sobbing into Kodachi's arms.  Her voice was calm and soothing as she 
stroked Senchi's hair.  "Do not worry, Senchi-chan.  I will... speak... 
to your father.  We will settle this matter."

*-*-*-*

	Ranma was wandering the streets, he paused to look at a clock on 
the wall.  <It's almost five in the morning and here I am looking for 
Kodachi's daughter in the streets of Nerima.  Not like I'd ever have 
kids with that psycho.>  Ranma's thoughts were interrupted by an evil 
chuckle that seemed to come from all directions.  Happosai bounded out 
into the middle of the street.  He paused and waved at Ranma before 
jumping onto the roof on the other side of street.  Ranma grimaced and 
prepared to give chase, only to have a foreknuckle jammed into his face.  
"Catch ya later, fem-boy." Tarou shouted as he leapt after Happosai, 
matching the pervert rooftop for rooftop.
	<Just great, so the letch is back.  And he brought Pantyhose with 
him.  Fantastic.>  Ranma decided to ignore the two for now, and 
concentrate on the task at hand.  <Okay, I'm Kodachi's daughter, where 
do I go?> The answer came to him almost immediately, and it was one he 
didn't like.  <Just great, the Kuno mansion.  Life just keeps getting 
better.>

*-*-*-*

	Ranma stood outside the gate of the Kuno mansion.  Whenever he 
came here he just couldn't shake an odd sense of foreboding that 
overcame him.  His senses filled with an odd presence, just as the air 
filled with a familiar laugh.  The girl he had seen at the dojo appeared 
before him.  Her eyes were filled with anger as she stared into his 
face.  Ranma shuddered as the laugh continued.  Kodachi appeared not 
long after, in her standard leotard twirling her ribbon.
	"Ah... Ranma-sama, you and I must talk."
	Ranma reached out and grabbed Senchi's wrist, "Well, uh, gee, 
Kodachi, um, maybe some other time.  I hafta get back to the dojo with 
Senchi, my mother's expecting me."  Ranma chuckled nervously as he 
backed away from Kodachi.  He felt a jerk as Senchi pulled on his arm.  
"Mom's coming too."
	From the look in her eyes, Ranma knew he stood no chance of 
convincing her that Kodachi shouldn't come.  He didn't know how he knew, 
but he did.  Ranma sighed as he looked into Kodachi's eyes, and 
Senchi's... they were a perfect match.  "Okay, fine.  Let's go."
	As they headed towards the dojo, Kodachi pulled Ranma to one side 
of the street.  Senchi continued on as if she didn't notice anything.
	"Ranma-sama... I love you.  I know you do not care about me.  But 
she is your daughter, and if you ever refer to me as a psychopath in 
front of her again you will regret it for a very long time."
	Ranma gulped audibly.

*-*-*-*

	The last of the children finally awoke, this one the one who had 
appeared over the pond.  Now they could finally get some answers, as 
Ryoga was the only one currently unconscious.
	Shampoo's daughter, who had been introduced as Spice, was sitting 
over by Cologne.  Each of the girls had revealed who their parents were, 
causing interesting reactions from the people in the dojo.  Belldandy, 
Daughter of Kasumi and Ranma, had received the most interesting one.  It 
was exceptionally odd, as Kasumi had never been known to faint before.  
Noriko had drawn a reaction that was quite similar when she revealed 
that she was the daughter of Ranma and Nabiki.
	Nodoka turned to the girl who had just awakened.  "Now then, dear, 
you are the last of my son's children... that we know of.  Would you 
please tell us your name?"
	"Miyabi Saotome."
	"And who are your parent's Miyabi-chan?"
	"Ranma and Hinako Saotome."
	Miyabi looked on in shock as every person in the room did a 
collective face-fault the likes of which has never been seen, before or 
since.  Everyone stared at her strangely for a few moments longer.  They 
would have continued staring, but the door opened, admitting Ranma, 
Senchi, and Kodachi.  Ranma looked decidedly uncomfortable.
	Ranma entered and sat down, as far as possible from Kodachi and 
Senchi.  Senchi looked upset at that, but said nothing.  Choosing 
instead to stare at the floor.  Nodoka sat down next to her son and 
whispered into his ear.  "Well, my son, you wanted to know.  Now you 
can."
	Nodoka gestured to each of the girls, who gave their name and 
lineage in turn.  Ranma's reactions varied only slightly, he smiled at 
Mario when she introduced herself.  After all, Ucchan wasn't a bad 
choice, was she?  Shampoo's daughter received a greeting just as 
enthusiastic.  When Belldandy introduced herself, Ranma stumbled over 
his words.  <Me?  Married to Kasumi?>
	"I am Noriko Saotome, it's nice to meet you father."  The short-
haired brunette was smirking as though she'd just said something funny.  
"I am the daughter of you and Nabiki."
	Ranma turned to glare slightly at the middle Tendo daughter.  For 
some reason, he couldn't seem to get mad, and he had very little 
difficulty imagining himself married to her.  That scared him a little.
	Next was the girl with waist-length brown hair, who looked like 
she wanted to be somewhere else.  "I'm Miyabi Saotome..."  She turned to 
Nodoka, "Grandmother, can't we wait until my mother gets here?"
	Nodoka's began glowing slightly when she heard herself referred to 
as 'grandmother'.  It just created a special feeling deep inside her.  
"I am sorry, Miyabi-chan, but your mother is out of town for a short 
while."
	Miyabi lowered her head in defeat, "Okay...  Father, my mother is 
Hinako Ninomiya."  Miyabi watched Ranma carefully waiting for some kind 
of reaction, she wouldn't be disappointed.
	Ranma spent the next few minutes in abject shock.  After which, he 
fainted.  Every female in the room, save Cologne, rushed to his side in 
an instant.  Genma looked slightly passive at the events that were 
unfolding in front of him, Soun looked angry.  The thought of Ranma 
winding up with someone besides Akane was beginning to eat away at him, 
if anyone had ever actually paid attention to him it would have been 
obvious.  There was a commotion raised as the girls battled to see who 
would see to Ranma.  Miyabi was heard to scream, "Why does everyone do 
that when I say who my mother is?!"
	Things began to get out of hand when Senchi punched Mariko in the 
face, sending her flying into a wall.  Mariko reached into her blouse 
and brought out several small spatulas, which she readied like throwing 
stars.  "Okay, that's it!  Let's rumble!"
	The two teens were separated by a katana and a wooden cane.  
Nodoka's voice rang out over the din of people.  "Everybody, please be 
Quiet!"  To Nodoka's amazement, as well as Cologne's, that's just what 
everyone did.
	"I will administer care to my son, if you would all please sit 
down and be silent."  The tone in which she spoke let everyone know that 
she would brook no argument over her decision.  Belldandy and Kasumi 
stood up simultaneously, both headed towards the kitchen perfectly 
synchronized.  "I think that perhaps we should have some tea, and a 
little something to eat."  Even their voices were the same, it was 
almost frightening.
	As the mother and daughter pair disappeared into the kitchen, 
everyone remained staring.  Except for Ranma and Ryoga, as they were 
still unconscious.  Mariko rose from where she had been sitting next to 
Ukyo, and heading for the kitchen as well.  She stopped only long enough 
to glare at Senchi before disappearing through the door.
	Nabiki looked around the room a few times, before something odd 
finally dawned on her.  "Um, has anyone else here noticed that all of 
Ranma's children are girls?"
	Ranko spoke up, her eyes still glued to her father's unconscious 
form.  "It's part of the Nyaanichaun curse.  All of pop's kids are 
girls."
	Ukyo and Akane looked worriedly at Ranko, both spoke at the same 
time.  "You mean Ranma isn't cured in the future?"
	Ranko shook her head sadly, "The Jusenkyo curses cannot be 
cured... at least, not by jumping in the Naanichaun.  The guide told us 
a story of the last person who did that.  It wasn't pretty."
	Ukyo immediately understood what Ranko meant, and felt herself 
turning a slight shade of green.  Akane didn't quite grasp it though. 
"What do you mean?"
	"I mean, mom, that if pop jumped in the spring of drowned man, it 
would give a whole new meaning to the phrase 'go fuck yourself'."
	Miyabi blushed at Ranko's choice of words, Akane looked offended.  
At least, she did until comprehension finally took hold, and then she 
looked sick.
	"Ranko-chan!  That type of language is most inappropriate, please 
choose your words with better care."
	"I'm sorry, Grandma, but when I wasn't training with pop or uncle 
Ryoga I was training with grandpa.  He doesn't exactly hold his tongue."  
As Ranko finished speaking, Nodoka and Akane directed a glare at Genma's 
form.  He abruptly shifted into a panda and brought out a sign saying 
that that was all he was.
	A slight moan drew everyone's attention back toward where Ranma 
was lying on the floor, Ryoga stirred slightly at the same time.  
Ranma's eyes fluttered open first, the first thing he saw was Nodoka's 
worried face, followed by the faces of every person in the room.  All of 
them were staring at him.
	"What'd I do?"
	Everyone continued to stare, Ranma noticed that all of them, 
consciously or not, were sitting in groups.  Shampoo, Spice, and Cologne 
were all sitting together. Kodachi, Senchi, and Sasuke were all next to 
each other. Konatsu was busily attempting to calm down Miyabi, while 
Ukyo sat across the room from them smiling happily.  "Where'd Mariko, 
Belldandy, and Kasumi go?" he asked.
	The reply came from a dozen directions in just as many voices.  
"They're cooking in the kitchen."  The response was verified when Ranma 
inhaled deeply, the smells leaking from the kitchen making his mouth 
water.
	"It figures you'd only care about the food, pervert."
	Ranma turned to her, gesturing at the people surrounding the room, 
"You know Akane, this is pretty much proof that we don't have to wind up 
together.  Tomboy."
	Akane bit back her retort as she looked at Ranko.  <Did she just 
smile?>
	Soun's demon-head filled the room, "RANMA! How dare you say you 
won't marry Akane!"
	For a split-second, Belldandy appeared in the doorway to the 
kitchen.  She waved her hand and a ki-blast shot out towards the demon-
head.  The glow wrapped itself around the image for a short moment, 
before Soun shrank back to normal size.
	He was scratching his head in wonder, he turned to Genma, who was 
still a panda.  "You know, Saotome-kun, perhaps Ranma and Kasumi would 
not be such a bad match after all."
	The panda nodded.
	Shampoo stood up, glaring.  "Ranma not marry too too nice girl, or 
spatula girl, or violent, and he definitely not marry psycho nutcase 
girl.  Ranma marry Sham..."  Shampoo's rant ended as she found herself 
imbedded in the wall, Senchi's forearm pressed against her throat.  "If 
you ever call my mother a psycho again, I will break every bone in your 
body, and find a way to let you live through it."
	Senchi turned to face the large group of people, her forearm still 
pressed against Shampoo's neck, holding the amazon a few inches off the 
ground.  "You really think that it's impossible don't you?  That my 
mother and father could never wind up together?"
	Reluctantly, everyone assembled there nodded, except for Kodachi 
who looked slightly put off by the disbelief that they displayed.
	Kodachi locked eyes with Senchi, and the two of them shared an 
unspoken conversation.  Senchi nodded, "Then I'll tell you how it 
happened.  My father usually leaves a bunch of things out, because he 
doesn't think I should have to hear them, but mom never does.  I've also 
spoken to aunt Akane, aunt Nabiki, grandmother Nodoka, and they all 
agree with how it happened."  Senchi sighed and released Shampoo, the 
amazon inched away from the black-haired girl, glaring all the while.
	Senchi looked at the calendar on the wall.  "It started about a 
month and a half from now..."

*-*-*-*

Is that contrived or what?

Possibilities, Fragile Flower, will be released... someday.  I have it 
all planned, and most of the writing done.  But I still like to wander 
through it and add things.

P)    Arr matey!  C&C be requested by me

?_?
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/6648
Brian, singing off...