[FFML] [Fanfict][R.5/SM][1st Draft]Awkward Consequences: Chapter 1

The characters in this story belong to their respective creators and copyrights. Ranma 1/2 is the creation and intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi. Sailor Moon is the creation and intellectual property of Naoko Takeuchi. All original content is the creation and intellectual property of Samuel Phoenix. Recognition is given to John Sanchez for a small kick of inspiration that helped produce this story.

Awkward Consequences
Chapter 1: Unexpected Revelations
PsyckoSama (syp104@psu.edu)

It was light, the day had come. Once more into the breach. Hotaru looked at her clock. 6:25. Close enough, time to get up and face the world.

She arose from her bed and turned to her closet. She was running her daily routine, she had to continue on as if there was nothing wrong. If she acted different from the norm the others would realize something was wrong, and if they knew something was wrong then they would eventually find out. She had to figure things out before it was too late. She had time, just not enough.

She removed a uniform, the colors of Mugen Academy. What would happen to her school life. She fought hard, studied hard, to get into the school. What would happen to her education.

Hotaru's train of though was disturbed by the shrill cry of her alarm clock. 6:30, time for all good girls to get up and face the day. She quickly turned it off and left toward the bath.

She exited her room and carefully walked toward the bathroom. Good, no one in the halls. No one in the halls to see the dried tears that framed her face.

She closed the door. Time to wash up, to cover the evidence of her sadness and tears. Smile, Smile, always smile. A smile was a mask of happiness. If you smile then people would not question, and search for the truth before you were ready. She ran the water and washed her face.

In a cascade of soap and water she wiped away the tracts left by her tears. She wiped her face clear and glanced in the mirror. All she saw was her self.

Kawaii. She had been called Kawaii. Was it true, or was it a falsehood said to throw her off balance. She couldn't see how it was true. She was short, bony, and flat-chested. Her hair was too thin and she didn't have enough color in her skin. How could she possibly be cute? Who could find a sickly girl like her attractive? That was a question to ask when the time was right, but not now.

Right now she had to worry about her face. The tears themselves were gone, but she still looked like hell. Her eyes were puffy and she had rings under her eyes. She would have to do. She did not have the time for makeup.

For a moment she felt her stomach wretch, the feeling of vertigo and nausea that had been plaguing her regularly for this last accursed month.

In moments she was worshiping the porcelain goddess with the enthusiasm of a zealot. As she hurled Hotaru wondered how could something that taste so go going down be so nasty going back up.

Hotaru removed her head from the toilet bowl and sighed in dejection. It is only going to get worse from here. Why did the kami hate her so. She had to be cursed. It was not possible for someone to have worse luck then she*.

With a gag she spit out the vomit that was lingering in her mouth. With an irritated grunt she opened the medicine cabinet and withdrew her toothbrush and some toothpaste. After squeezing a hearty helping of the mint flavored goo onto her brush she began the task of ridding her mouth of what vile flavor remained.

When she completed her brushing, she quickly changed into her uniform. Stopping only to throw her PJs into the hamper, she proceeded down the stairs. Smile, smile, the less they know the better you are.

When she got to the kitchen, she noted that all of the outers were present. Michiru was finishing up on the cooking, Haruka was sitting back waiting for breakfast, while Setsuna was drinking her ritual cup of black coffee and was reading the newspaper.

"Good morning Hotaru-chan!" said Michiru shattering Hotaru's train of thought.

"I'm jut fine Michiru-mama," replied Hotaru. To prove her speculative state of happiness Hotaru smiled. The smile was a wonderful example of poor acting. A large, plastic Chelicerae Cat grin to give emphases a plastic mood.

Of course Michiru did not buy her act for a second. She took a look at her adopted daughter. Making a mental inventory she did not like what she saw. Greenish tint to the skin, a sign of nausea. Red puffy eyes, like she's been crying. Black rings under her eyes, looks like she didn't get much sleep. "Hotaru-chan, what's wrong?"

This is bad. Doing her best to keep from showing her inner feelings she doubled up on her smile, but could not cover her heavy perspiration. Hotaru really hated being the center of attention. "Nothing Mama! I'm jut fine"

Michiru frowned, there was something wrong with her baby and she would not tell. What kind of mother would she be if she did ask? "Hotaru-chan, you look nauseous, and your eyes are puffy and red. What's wrong Hotaru, have you been crying? Are you still getting sick?"

Hotaru sighed, she might be able to get out of this. She took a look at Michiru, and could see that she was not going to be happy until she had an answer. "I was sick again mama, but I was not crying. I think I was allergic to something I ate."

Hotaru's smile faded as she spoke. She hated lying, especially to her family, but sometimes you have to force your self to do the unpleasant. She knew this better anyone alive.

Haruka smirked, and leaned toward her adopted daughter. Hotaru had seemed down lately with this mysterious new illness. She had also been slightly standoffish, and now it looks like she has been crying. Taking a stab to see what was happening she said, "So Hotaru-chan, who's the boy?"

Hotaru's eyes almost bugged out of her skull, and she stopped dead in her tracks like a deer in headlights. Did she know?! What was she going to do? The expletive list that ran through her head was long and harsh.

"Well?" inquired Haruka, noticing her daughters reaction.

Hotaru's mind ran through a thousand different responses, from admission to indifference. Finally she settled on denial. "Boy? Haruka-papa, do I look like one of the inners to you?"

Haruka lowered her head and sighed, "Guess not..."

With that out of the way Hotaru sighed at sat at the breakfast table. When the food was served she dug in with unusual gusto. She tried her best to avoided and ignore and stay out of the conversations around her. Today the conversations mainly consisted of Senshi business, complaints about Haruka and Michiru confliction collage schedules, and general flirting between her parents. As usual Setsuna remained silent and out of the picture. Well, mostly out of the picture.

Setsuna lowered her paper and cleared her throat. "Hotaru, yester day you came in with a bag from the pharmacy down the street. What was in it?"

"Oh, nothing Setsuna-mama! It was only..." Hotaru though for a moment, what would be a good cover up. "It was only some antacids! I thought that if I took some antacids before bed I could keep from getting sick! I think they are what made me have a reaction!"

Hotaru gave everyone a huge plastic grin and hoped they would buy it.

"It looked like there were boxes in it," commented Setsuna as she took a nonchalant a sip of her coffee.

Hotaru decided that she had had enough of this. Taking a quick look up at the wall clock, she pushed the scant remains of her meal away from her and stood up.

"Oh, look at the time! It's getting late. I've go to get going!" she said as she walked with unusual hate to retrieve her coat and school bag.

Haruka blinked. Hotaru never left this early, and she always got a ride. "Hotaru, it's not that late. I'll drive you one I'm finished eating."

Hotaru shook her head. "No, it's fine Haruka-papa! It's such a nice day! I think I'll walk." Hotaru did not give any one a chance to respond as she bolted out the door.

The three outers all stared blankly for a moment.

"There is something seriously wrong with that girl," commented Haruka.

Setsuna and Michiru just nodded.

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Hotaru collapsed onto a wall near the outside of her house. The stress and activity caused by her morning had finally caught up with her frail constitution.

Through labored breaths she reconsidered her situation. She couldn't hide it. If she wanted to handle this in her own way she had to get this over with, now.

Once she had reached an endurable level of physical recovery Hotaru stood up and left. She walked at a slow, sedate pace, both to save energy and to give her time to think.

She looked back to her one meeting with Saotome Ranma. What could she remember from their conversation. Looking back she remembered little. While she wasn't surprised, it was upsetting. She could remember that he was a nice person, and he had clamed to be a great Martial Artist. He had told her his address, but that, the most important detail, what she could not recall. All she could remember was him mentioning Nerima and a Dojo.

Hotaru groaned. Great, she had to find a particular dojo in Nerima. Why did it have to be in Nerima? That district had a reputation as a Mecca for martial arts enthusiasts. There had to be at least a hundred dojos in Nerima. This was not going to be easy.

As she walked Hotaru was reminded why she usually got a ride. It was a long walk. While most normal girls could easly walk the distance from her house to Mugen, Hotaru was beginning to tire already. At this rate she would be luck to make it before first bell. Taking a deep breath she put more her stride, hoping she would not need to rest too many times.

Today she was in luck. She made it by the bell, barely.

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"Some things never change," Hotaru mused to herself as she ate her lunch alone. During the day Hotaru had more time to think. She realized that trying to act happy was not going to fool anyone. She had to try and act normal, or at least what passed for normal for her. She also had to find Saotome Ranma.

Normal, why couldn't she be normal. She looked at the other students as they ate their meals and talked. Her only friends were the senshi. Even her best friend, Chibi-Usa, was a senshi. None of them were normal, but they still had normal friends. Why couldn't she? What was wrong with her?

Hotaru sighed longingly as she looked at the others talked and quietly observed their conversations. Always listening, never intruding. The conversations today were average. The boys were talking about the girls, the girls were talking about to boys. Kanada Ryu, the classes premier technology Otaku was boasting about his new computer, while Yoshi and his goons were talking about some big fight in Nerima between two meatheads named Ryouga and Ranma...

Hotaru's eyes popped open as she what they said. Ranma? As in Saotome Ranma? In a flash her head we turned towards the group of young roughs. There were four on them, and in the center was the large, arrogant form of Yoshi. In his hands was a cheap newsprint magazine labeled "The Nerima Review".

On its cover was the picture of two young men in a contest of skill. The powerful bandana clad, umbrella packing form of Hibiki Ryouga and the lithe pigtailed form that Hotaru immediately recognized as her quarry: Saotome Ranma.

Without thinking Hotaru bolted up and snatched the magazine from Yoshi. The large teenager immediately stood up and glared down at the small girl. The large boy snarled angrily, "Give that back you weird little slut, or I'll..."

Yoshi was unable to complete his threat as Hotaru's knee met with his groin. Hotaru just was not in the mood to deal with the fool or his mouth.

She left the boy whimpering on the floor as everyone in the room gawked at Hotaru in shock. They had never guessed that they would live to see the class outcast confront and disable the class tough guy.

Ignoring the gaze of her peers Hotaru opened the magazine and began reading. The most of the magazine was a step by step conical of the different fights, brawls, and duels that happened in the Nerima on a daily basis. To her surprise most of the Magazine was about Ranma. He seed to be a local celebrity among the Nerima Martial Artist community. It calmed her to know that he would have been so easy to find.

Hotaru turned to the front and looked in the index. Page 21, Biographical Index. She had hit Pay-dirt.

She quickly ran through the colorful index of names until she reached Ranma's entry.

His name? What she was looking for. Saotome Ranma. His age? 18. Not that far from her own. His style? Anything goes? Sounds silly. Skill level? Master? That sounds high. Contact information! Exactly what she was looking for!

Hotaru could not hide her beaming smile as her memory was stirred. Tendo Dojo, yes, he lived at the Tendo dojo. She knew where he lived. She would contact him tomorrow. Looks like she had to cancel her plans with Chibi-Usa. Things were looking up, if just by a little bit.

Her quest for Saotome Ranma satisfied, she turned to the main story and began to read. From what she could understand between the technical descriptions of the moves she found it hard to believe. If there descriptions were true, then there were people In Nerima that could possibly be considered equivalent to a Sailor Senshi in power. If it was true, that could be worth mentioning.

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When Hotaru arrived at home that night she was much more in control of her emotions then she was in the morning. She was still afraid, she was nervous, and she was still hesitant, but the initial shock had begun to wear off, being replaced by realization. She would have to tell the others, she would have to handle this, and she had the final say.

She had a plan. It was not a particularly good one, and things still looked somewhat bleak, but things did not look as hopeless. She could manage, at lease for now.

Hotaru took in a deep breath and opened the door. The moment of faith. They must be worried about her. She knew she was not a terribly good actor. Hopefully they we're not doing something silly like waiting by the door for her. They were.

Haruka and Michiru both stood up from their seats and look at their daughter. Hotaru gulped, their stares made her feel like she was being interrogated. She was right.

"Hotaru-chan, what's the matter? Please tell us." Asked Michiru, her face the very mask of concern.

Hotaru sighed, she had a feeling where this was going. "Nothing mama, I'm fine."

"Cut the crap, Hotaru. We know something's wrong. We love you and want to help you, so please tell us," said Haruka, somehow managing to seem both highly annoyed and worried at the same time.

Good Cop, Bad cop. Right on the money. If the age difference between them wasn't less then five years Hotaru would swear that they were getting predictable. Must be a parent thing. Oh, joy.

Hotaru knew that they would not be satisfied until she told them the truth. She also knew that she was a horrific liar. She was momentarily reminded on a friendly poker game she had with the inners. Who knew that innocent seeming Ami-chan was such a card shark.

Honesty, honesty was the best bet. The fickle thing about the truth is you can tell part of it with out telling all of it. If you wanted to you could go into detail and make sure the person your telling understands it in its totality. You can also be vague, telling them just what you want them to know and letting them come to their own, oft incorrect, conclusion. It's vague time.

Hotaru sighed. She just hoped that she would not give away too much or break down and tell everything. "Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama, I just have a lot on my mind."

Michiru looked Hotaru in the eyes. "Please tell us what it is. It is obviously important. Please, let us help you."

Hotaru sniffed. She could feel tears coming on. She could break down, let it out. No, just not yet. She had to be strong, in control. "I... I can't. Just not yet. I have things I need to do first. I need to try and deal with this myself before I tell you. Please understand, please?"

"Hotaru..." Haruka had to know, but her questioning was interrupted mid sentence by her lovers hand on her shoulder.

She turned to Michiru who quietly said, "Haruka, She's right. We should trust her to make the right choice. It you can't trust those you love, who can you?"

Haruka paused for a moment then nodded her head. "Your right, Michiru."

Hotaru smiled brightly. They trusted her. "Mama, papa. I'll tell you soon. Probably by the end of the week. Ok?"

The end of the week was probably long enough to get in contact with Ranma, and get some sort of decision out of him. She also doubted she would be able to keep the truth in longer then tat.

"Don't make me hold you to that Hotaru-chan," jested a smiling Haruka.

Hotaru groaned, then hugged her parents. Things were looking somewhat stable at the moment, but she was damn sure that it would all be going to hell soon. They would not like the truth, no one would. Oh well, you have to enjoy it while you can.

After a long moment Hotaru broke away from her family and left the room. She headed directly toward the phone in the living room, and more importantly, the phone book.

Hotaru could not help but roll her eyes when she entered. Setsuna was sitting in her favorite chair with a soda and bowl of popcorn watching, of all things, imported tapes of WWF Smackdown. Hotaru could never understand how a grown woman, who by all respects predates recorded human history, could watch that mindless macho crap. So much for high culture.

Hotaru lifted the phonebook and began to dig through it. After a few moments she found the entry for the Tendo Dojo. Address and phone number. Just what she needed. Hotaru quickly ripped out the page and headed up stairs.

She would have to get an early start the next day. She would ask Haruka mama to give her a ride to the bus stop, and from there she would go onto Nerima, and what ever fate awaited her.

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>From the top of the Canal's protective fence, Saotome Ranma relaxed in the noon day sun. It was Saturday and classes were over for the week. Except for one unfortunate "upset" a month and a half ago, life had been going relatively well for him these last few months. Akane had not been kidnapped for almost 3 months now, and the number of out of the blue challengers and fianc�es was at an all time low.

Surprisingly enough he was also doing well in collage. While his English stank, and his grammar and writing were horrific, he was doing well in most of his other classes. Once he was out of the dry, regimented environment that was High School he quickly discovered that he had a gift for mathematics and history. Good enough that his Physics teacher was trying to pressure him into becoming a Physics major.

This scared the daylights out of him. Ranma knew that if there was one absolute in life for him, it was chaos. Peace and quite were not in the description. Things had just been too peaceful, and considering how good life was looking, when it blew it was going to go off big.

With a sight he turned and continued his daily run. A light twenty-five kilometer fence-run across Nerima. A perfect light jog, and a good chance for who ever was out for his blood that day to get it out of their systems before they drag it home to the Dojo.

Today, it wasn't working. This was odd, very odd. Every day he would encounter something, even if it was as minor as a splash of water or Kuno spouting flowery garbage. Today there was nothing wrong, absolutely positively nothing. Not a good sign.

By the time he had returned home, Ranma was slightly unnerved. There was not a cloud in the sky, his challengers were totally absent, and he had not argued with Akane once. He never had days like this.

Ranma just shrugged. He would handle it the way he did everything else. He would let it go its course. No need to fight the river, you'll only get swept away.

He hopped over the wall into the backyard. Through the house's sliding door he could see that Kasumi was sitting across from someone. With a smile he walked toward the door.

"Hey Kasumi! Who is the visitor?"

"Oh hello Ranma! There is some one here to see you."

Ranma turned his head to see who it was. Ranma's body totally froze up, and his eyes almost bulged out of his head when he saw the face of a person he had only met once. Shit, meet the Fan.

Hotaru stood up and brushed of her skirt. This was the moment of faith, don't screw up now. "Hello, Ranma-san," Hotaru said with a respectful nod.

Ranma gulped. "Err... Hotaru... ahh... How are ya?"

Hotaru started to shudder. This was not easy. "Ranma-san, we need to talk." After a moment Hotaru realized Kasumi's presence, then continued "Alone."

"And what will you be talking about?" growled Akane from behind Ranma.

Ranma quickly twisted around and began to back up. Akane was in her Gi. She had apparently just finished training in the Dojo when she had over heard them. "Err... Akane, It's not what it looks like!"

Akane's eyes narrowed. "Oh, and who is this?"

Ranma blushed lightly and gulped, "She is... just a friend... yeah, just a friend! Akane, meet Hotaru. Hotaru, this is my fianc�, Tendo Akane."

Hotaru's hear stopped. Fianc�. He had a fianc�. No! She couldn't tell him! To do so would oppose everything the senshi stood for, everything that she stood for. She just couldn't ruin another person's happiness for her own benefit.

Hotaru could barely hold in the tears and she looked at the two. "I'm sorry for bothering you two. I will be going. Have a good life." Without another word, Hotaru turned and ran from the Dojo as fast as her sickly body could carry her.

Ranma stepped forward to follow, but was cut off by Akane's voice. "What do you think you're doing? Trying to add another girl to your harem?"

Ranma, contrary to popular opinion was not the unobservant fool he was made out to be. While he did not have the social graces or tact to keep his foot out of his mouth, he was no idiot. If anything he could detect people's intentions and emotions better them most people.

Manipulating your opponent through his or her emotions was a key part of the Saotome school. To undermine their confidence, and to make them lose control to anger. This necessitated an indebth knowledge of the human psyche, and there was a reason Ranma was a master.

Ranma could tell that she had something important to tell him. Part of him dreaded that news. Strange women with who he had some form of past never brought good things. Another part of his was curious. Even though he had only met her one, he knew that Hotaru was not the kind of girl to come unannounced without a good reason, especially after his warning. Finally there was the main reason why he had to talk to her. He made her cry, and If he had one weakness, it was he could not stand making girls cry.

Ranma heave a sigh. He would have to find her, but first he needed to keep Akane from killing him. "Akane, she had something important to tell me. I have to see what it was."

Akane growled with rage. "Fine then! Go look for your girlfriend!" She stormed past Ranma toward the stairwell. Before she turned to leave the room she looked back at Ranma screaming, "As far as I'm concerned, our engagement is over!"

While Ranma usually would have stayed to defuse Akane (by letting her pound on him), he had to see what Hotaru wanted. Ranma jumped onto the roof. It only took him a moment to find her. She was less then sixty meters from the dojo, knelt over and breathing heavily. It would only take him a few seconds to reach her.

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Hotaru was beside herself. Her gambit had failed. Once again she was alone. Alone! No one to help her. The others could try but they couldn't understand. Even if they knew she would be alone.

She could have dealt with rejection, even scorn. She was no stranger to either but to not even have the chance ripped her apart inside. What would she tell Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama? What would they say? Would they be angry? Would they every trust her again?

Hotaru collapsed her knees as her limited reserves gave out. What would she do, what would she do?

"Hotaru?"

Her eyes burst open, and she looked up. Through her tear clouded eyes she looked directly into Ranma's eyes. Two beautiful gray-blue orbs filled with nothing but concern.

"Hotaru, don't cry. Please? Tell me what you came to say."

Hotaru shook her head. She could do nothing but refuse. She no longer had the strength of will to tell him.

Ranma held out his hand. "Please?"

Hotaru shook her head again. "No! I can't! You have a fianc�. I... I can't ruin you happiness."

Ranma rubbed the back of his head and blushed. "Oh, that! I have two others just like 'er. Mostly thanks to my old man. " Ranma's face dropped into a scowl. Under his breath he grumbled, "Baka panda."

Hotaru's mind just froze for a moment. Three fianc�s? What the hell? "Ranma, are you kidding? How can you have three fianc�s!?"

Ranma groaned, "Blame my old man. I probably have more then that. Three is just the number I have to deal with now. Remember that training trip I told you about?"

Hotaru nodded. She remembered, vaguely.

"Well, it seems that my old man thought one of the easiest was to get stuff was to engage me to random girls then steal me back when he had what he wanted! And that ain't the worst neither."

Hotaru was horrified. She could remember him recommending that she avoid him unless it was completely necessary because of the so called craziness in his life, but this was ridiculous!

He took his hand, and accepted his assistance to her feat but said nothing. With out a word she began to walk to toward the bus stop without staying a word. Ranma followed by her side without interrupting. Hotaru could tell that he thought that she was thinking. She was thankful for the time, and silence.

What would she do now? Apparently this news would not be as bad as she thought. If his life was a messed up as he claimed then she couldn't make it any worse. Or could she? Oh well, it was best to do what she came to. But first she needed some confidence.

"Ranma? When you said I was kawaii, did you mean it?"

Ranma blushed. "Of course I did! You're a very Kawaii girl."

Hotaru looked up to him, hope in her eyes. "Really?"

Ranma nodded. "Really."

Hotaru smiled. "Ranma, do you still want to know?"

"Yes. I think so."

Hotaru stopped walking and braced herself. This would not only be the first time she told another person, but it would also be the first time she even said it out loud.

With a stutter in her nervous voice she said, "Ranma, do you remember that night? The one we met?"

The inside of Ranma's head began to explode with warning sirens. If his subconscious was a science fiction movie then the red alert klaxons would be blasting, Robot would be screaming "Danger! Danger!", and the Marine's motion detectors would be off the charts.

Ranma blankly nodded.

Hotaru placed a hand ageist the fence. To admit this would take every bit of emotional strength she had. She choked down he tears and looked Ranma in the eyes, her face betraying a conflicting myriad of emotion.

In a small voice she said, "Ranma, I'm... I'm pregnant Ranma."

Notes: Please comment. All C&C will be appreciated, applause will be happily accepted, criticism will be considered, ideas would be useful, and flames will be quickly discarded. Thank ye! ^_^

Coming soon: "Chapter 2: What Price Honor?" How will Ranma deal with THIS one? What will the other senshi say? What exactly happened that night? Wait and see! -_^

*Somewhere in the distant Multiverse, Homer Simpson, Moroboshi Ataru, and oddly enough, Saotome Ranma went into full fledged sneezing fits. ;)