Author's note : This is an alternate fic. Some events never happened in both series.
Thanks to my pre readers : Anand Rao, David Johnston, TonyLoco, Angeline Jacoba
The title of this fic came from Lord Talon. He will be helping me with the Sailor Senshi part of this fic for I know very little about them.
Ranma / Sailor Senshi : Eyes of a Stranger Chapter One Created by Long Ngo Started April 25, 1998 Finished May 15, 1998
"No!!" Ranma shouted in angish. "Please don't die. I love you." Ranma pleaded. In his arms was the limp form of Tendou Akane, his fiancee and one true love. Sitting in the center of the crater that was once the top of Mount Pheonix, Ranma berated himself. He wasn't fast enough in dealing with Saffron to save Akane. The fact that she was no longer the dehydrated doll didn't matter. Akane was forever lost to those she loved.
*I should have been faster, better. What good was the Art, if I ccouldn't use it to save the girl I love.* He had finally admitted his love for Akane. Swallowing his pride, Ranma swore that he would never use the Arts again except to protect others, even if his own life was at stake. He did not deserve to live but his suicide would further hurt those around him. "AKANE!!!!!!!!!!!!" The shout of immense pain echoed throughout the mountain area.
* * * * *
A Week Later
* * * * *
Nabiki was the first person to see Ranma return. What was strange was the absence of Akane and the ragged look of on Ranma's face. It seems like all the life had left his body. "Hey Ranma where is Akane?" The look on Ranma's face frightened her. *Did something happen to Akane?*
In a tone filled with remorse and deep depression, Ranma quietly answered. "She's dead Nabiki and it was all my fault."
Nabiki was speechless. Her little sister was dead and Ranma said he was responsible. "Care to explain Saotome?" Nabiki asked in a voice deprived of feelings. Above all else, family came first to Nabiki. Everything she did, she did for family.
"It's all my fault," Ranma answered again before heading up to his room.
Nabiki wanted to slap Ranma. She wanted answers and Ranma was not providing any. Getting up, she headed towards Ucchan's. Ukyou must know what happened over in China.
Approaching Ucchan's, she could see that the store was closed. Knocking on the door, Nabiki waited for Ukyou to come down the stairs but she never did. *What is going on here?* Now dreading the answers, Nabiki headed towards Nekohanten. She remembered Mousse and Shampoo heading over to China with Ranma. Ryouga was out of the question.
Nearing the Nekohanten, Nabiki noticed that the restaurant was also closed. Unlike Ucchan's, the Nekohanten's doors were open. Walking inside, she heard Cologne's voice.
"We're closed. Please come back tomorrow."
"It's Nabiki. I've come for some answers and I'm not going to leave until I get some."
Hopping down the stairs on her cane, Cologne reached the spot where Nabiki was standing. "This is a very grave time. If you want you can talk to Mousse out back or come back tomorrow." Having spoken that, Cologne headed back upstairs. At first Nabiki didn't hear anything while heading to the back but soon she heard the faint sound of crying coming from up top.
Walking outside, Nabiki found Mousse. The look on Mousse's face was one of sorrow. Usually Mousse was sad about being rejected by Shampoo but something told her that this was not the case. "Spill it Mousse, what happened in China? What happened to Akane?"
Looking up, Mousse was not surprised to see Nabiki. He had sensed her approach before she ever appeared outside. Mousse was a great martial artist, even though he constantly lost to Ranma. He had always held in check some of his skills. His art was dangerous and deadly and he never wanted to kill Saotome anymore after their first encounter but after the trip to China, Mousse soon found that Saotome Ranma was a person that was truly hard to kill even if he wanted to. Mousse always knew Ranma held back but never knew how much.
Unknown to some, Mousse was not the the helpless blinded martial artist everyone thought he was. Though his eyesight was bad, he had a technique that used an opponent's heat and aura signature to help him locate the individual. This technique was even better than normal sight but he rarely used it. It was something he wanted to keep a secret from everyone. This particular skill was advanced enough that when blindfolded, he could tell where everyting was.
Looking back, Mousse saw the final moments of Ranma's battle with Saffron. When Ranma suddenly realized that Akane might die very soon. For a very short period of time, Mousse sensed the barriers that held Ranma's true abilities hidden from others fall away. In that moment, Mousse had seen a true master of the arts. One who knew no bounds. Someone who at the age of 17 was more powerful than Cologne and Happosai but still lacked the experience and skill to wield it properly. He finally realized how wrong he was. He always though Ranma to be the overconfident, insensitive jerk that stole Shampoo from him. He could have never been so wrong. The macho bravo was all an act to hide his true abilities. As for Shampoo, Mousse finally noticed that she never had a chance to win his heart. It had already belonged to another and now that person was gone. The trip home had proven something to Mousse, the black hair pigtailed young was not an enemy but a friend. Someone who had secretly been trying to help him improve his own skills through the various battles they fought. A person who had won his respect in the end. Finally coming out of his deep meditation, Mousse started to explain to Nabiki what happened in China and Ranma's last few words.
* * * * *
Looking around the room, Ranma felt that he was barely holding his emotions and actions in check. He was beyond depressed. He had sworn an oath in China which he planned to fullfil. Ranma was packing up. He had decided that he was going to leave Nerima. The place held to many memories of moments wasted when he could have shared it with the one he truly loved. It also reminded him too much of Akane. Ranma had finally found the courage to face his Okaasan. Whether she rejected him or demanded that he commit seppuku, so be it. Either way he was better off than staying in Nerima. Writing a final note to the Tendous, whom he considered a second family, he finally started to head out but not before he left something to pay for all the trouble he had caused the Tendous and promised that he would make it up to them in the future. Glancing one last time at the training hall that had become his home for far longer than any other he had ever remembered, Ranma walked into what he hoped was a new start on life. He was finally being reunited with his mother.
* * * * *
Saotome Nodoka missed her husband and only child, Ranma, dearly. They had left 11 years ago and she had not seen them since. Ranma would be 17 now and a man among men by the oath Genma swore to her upon leaving for his training trip with Ranma. A knock at the door disrupted her thoughts. *Who could that be?* Opening the door, she was greeted by a young man. He was wearing a red shirt and black pants. The same clothing Ranko usually liked to wear. "Hello may I help you?"
"Hello Okaasan."
"Ranma?"
"Hai."
Quicker than a blink of an eye, Nodoka was hugging her son. She was so happy. *Something is missing though.* "Ranma, where is your father?"
"He's at the Tendous. We got back yesterday from China. I have something I need to tell you though."
The way Ranma carried himself and the look in his eyes told her that something was wrong, something very wrong.
Spending the next few hours explaining his life story tired Ranma out. He began began with his earliest memories like the Neko-ken, Jyusenkyou, his multiple fiancees, his many battles and ended it with the death of Akane and his oath. Nodoka was crying by this time. Her son had gone through so much. Looking into his eyes, she also knew that it had pained him to hide from her all those times she had visited. Although he was cursed with a female body and had decieved her, given his circumstances she could not hold it against him. Nodoka thought that one of the reasons he suddenly revealed himself to her was becasue of Akane's death, because of the oath and because of seppuka. "What are your plans now my son?"
"I can't stay with the Tendous any longer. Everything reminds me of Akane." Ranma was openly crying at this point.
"Why don't you stay here Ranma? You're always welcome. You can also attend your last year of school at Juuban High." Nodoka soothed.
"Hai."
Truly her son was a man among men. Never had she heard of someone going through so much at such an age. Through his battles, he had matured into a fine young man.
To be continued: