I don’t own anything, Never have, Prob never will. Everyone else owns what I would like to.

This takes place a year after canon. The 2nd wedding has come and gone, and most of the main characters have moved on, one way or another. It’s a crossover, so anything I do to the characters is going to be more or less fine, since its not canon universe anyway.

Feedback welcome, help for improvements most appreciated. And yeah, this may join my list of never finished stories, since my completion sense is as good and Ryoga’s direction sense.

Revision #2 Revising errors in that have been developing as I write these out. Mostly little things like where Nodoka lives, ect. And some fleshing out of each chapter. I have gotten some great reviews and want to add bits in that are weakly described.

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‘The Greatest, Bah’ he thought to himself. He looked down and the slip of paper in his hand, and the out on the waters of the ocean speeding past him below. ‘The Great Ranma Saotome, Grand master of the anything goes school of martial arts, failure Extraordinaire…’. The smell of the salt and spray permeated his nose, as the ship he was on sailed back to Japan, from Australia . ding ding went the bell, as the ship swayed from side to side. Turning back to the gangway, he went back to his cramped cabin to await the rest of his voyage.

His married life had been fast, that part is true. The marriage took place under cover of darkness, to keep the previous mess from happening, again. The chaos did not end of course, and the pain spread across the district. So much so that it was decided that for the time being, they would move, to try and be together alone. Steps were taken to ensure that everyone left them alone. And for a time, it worked. But not long. See it was Still Ranma, still the happy, flamboyant, and egotistical martial artist he is. Moving from Japan did nothing to change that. Sydney did nothing to change that. New martial arts techniques, new folks met, new master beaten, new flights on Akane-air, nothing changed but the scenery. The fights got worse and worse though they were becoming more and more one sided. Being married, she stopped pulling punches, and got things vicious. Nothing left to restrain them anymore you see. He started closing off more in response, to her anger, taking trips into the outback, to get away, coming back only to be assaulted again. It continued until he came home early and walked in on her, and a man, one whom he later found to be her divorce lawyer.

He looked down at the paperwork, finished in his hands. He was cold inside. All tapped out. He had informed his mother he was returning. Right then, she could ask him to committee seppuku, and he would not bat an eye. It takes desire for life to change these things. He had nothing left. 19 years old, and as far as he or the world was concerned, dead already.

High above his head, the Misery star twinkled, down on Ranma. As it had his whole life. If he knew this, he would not be surprised. It might even bring him some small comfort, as he would at least know why his life had become such a hell. And higher above that, a woman sat very still in front of a phone, waiting. The universe itself connected everything to that one phone, to make sure that heaven could act, when it chose too. Kami-Sama himself had moved the file over, and placed him in the debt of heaven, but, Ranma decided to travel home by a phone less boat, rather than by plane like a normal person would have done.

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Nodoka hummed happily. Her divorce was final, her brother was talking to her again, and her son was coming home. Not, she noted under the reasons that she would have liked, the Ex-daughters in laws infidelity was shameful, but at least she would get to see her son again. She would get some time with him, where she did not have to track him down, and maybe, she would get to know him for what he was, her only child. She had moved from Nerima, to Juuban, after the divorce to be closer to her own family. She was now Sakuraba Nodoka, who lived alone, in a small manor house on the Sakuraba estates near the outskirts of Juuban district of Tokyo. She looked down at the paperwork that she held before her, paperwork that she hoped her son would sign, allowing his transference into the Sakuraba clan, from the Saotome. He deserved that much at least. Her ex was no doubt still at the Tendo Dojo, drinking his days away with Soun. The only Tendo she maintained any contact with at all was Nabiki, who had grown much closer to her since the marriage and escape of the couple. So far, she was the only other person she knew of that knew about the divorce, and imminent return of Ranma. Nabiki had confessed desires about Ranma to his mother in their many talks, but Nabiki was the first to bring up not pushing or even discussing this with him, now that he was “on the market” again. Nodoka was not entirely sure that he would be ready for anyone, any time soon. At least in Ranma, she would prove her brother was wrong about her decision. Genma was worthless, but, at least with his help, they created Ranma, and he was of more worth than even a mothers pride could do justice for.

Far above the woman still sat by the phone, waiting. She will try calling him instead of waiting for him to call.

Ranma got off the ship, it had arrived at Osaka, and he decided to leave there, rather than take the rest of the trip into Tokyo. A few days walk would do him good. More or less normal things happened to him. He was splashed, Onna-Ranma bought food, She left town. On the edges of town as she was passing a public phone it started to ring. This struck her as odd because this was one of the pay only phone. Ranma had never seen one of these phones “ring” . But Rang it did, and part of her felt drawn to answer it. She walked close to it, but her depression got the best of her and she just walked on by. She looked at the ringing phone and her hand reached out, but, then dropped. It was too much to answer it. Hurt too much, to even think of talking to anyone, even a wrong number. As she walked between towns sometimes odd phones would ring, like the emergency phone on the road. But knowing its not anything that will help him he just walks by. A better thought for her than that she could not face the conversation.

High above her the women puts the phone on its cradle and sighed deeply. Her long black hair fell about her small frame, its darkness mirroring her thoughts about how her new charge felt inside. She had only glanced at his file, so didn’t know nor understand the depths of his depression. Nor did she realize that even the little act of answering a phone call, was at this moment more than he could bear.

Her father also sighed. Sometimes mortals would not even take help when pushed. A bit more, then he may have to take more direct action, if Ranma proved too far gone to take the action himself.

And below heaven but above the earth, the Star of Misery kept shining down on its favorite pet, Ranma. It glowed in contentment as it saw inside of Ranma a sick, dark green light flickering, matching the flickering of its own light.

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Sakuraba Aoi, was humming to herself as she cut up daikon for tonight’s meal. Karou-sama would be home soon, and she tonight she would, along with everyone else, get to join him for an evenings repast. She loved Karou-sama, completely, and felt safe in his presence. The others, who were staying in the side apartments, Tina-san, Taeko-san, and Chika-chan all made her feel very loved and happy. Even Mayu-chan’s insistence on her Karou-sama made her laugh much of the time.

Aio-chan lived in the main house with Miyabi-san, while all of the tenants lived in the side apartments. And there were several tenants, though none of them Aoi-chan considered tenants, she loved them all as family, and friends. Her Karou-sama, felt as strongly about them, and the thoguth that any of them would leave this place for good saddened her.

Her thoughts however were also on her mysterious cousin who was to arrive soon, Auntie Nodoka’s son. Nodoka-san had moved back to the main estate a few months ago. She had appealed to Aoi’s father, her older brother, and head of the clan, to allow her to return the her family. Having Nodoka-san around was fun for Aoi-chan, though Nodoka san had a huge interest in seeing grand nephews and nieces from her, and Karou-sama. Her face got red just thinking about it. Aoi-chan took a deep breath, and continued chopping food for tonight’s dinner. The thoughts of children with her Karou-sama, made her Very happy.

In a lab, working on a project, Karou-san sneezed, then blushed. His boss looked at him and laughed, saying “She has got to be thinking about you again Karou…”

Ranma walked up a long drive way. He had been walking for over a week now, stopping form time to time for rest, eating only when his body demanded something. He looked down at his directions and this was the place. ‘Man, Mom never told me that her family had such a nice place’. The main manor house was huge, and very western. The side houses were more traditional in style, and it looked like there were several of them. He brushed some of the dust off himself and made his way to the front of the western style manor house, and knocked. A young woman in a blue kimono answered at the door.

“Greetings, I am Sakuraba Aoi, Pleased to meet you” She said to him formally. She looked at this man who stood before her, dressed in a rey silk top, and black silk pants. The first thing she really noticed about him was his eyes. Blue, like hers, but where there should be some dancing light to them, they seem to suck up all of the light into themselves, and devour it.

“Uhmm hi, I am Ranma Saotome, pleased to meet you.” As he attempts to bow back.

Aio-chan bows formally again “Saotome-san, I am your cousin, and I am very pleased to meet you” She stands again and smiles brightly at him, but notices his wince as he saw her smile. “Saotome-san, I am sure your mother will be overjoyed to see you. She is currently shopping, but had planned on joining us for dinner tonight. you are more than welcome to come in and make yourself at home, and I will have Taeko-chan set up your room. ” She leads him inside, and then into a resting room, to bring him some of her special tea.

“Uhhh just Ranma is fine, May I call you Aoi-chan?”

She smiles serenely, reminding him suddenly very much of Kasumi “ Yes, Ranma-san I am your cousin, you may call me that as you like” She smiled again “ and you, as family are more than welcome to stay her as long as you wish.” She does not show it, but examines her cousin in the pigtail. He looked sad. Sadder than anything she had ever seen before. Just seeing him and hearing what little she had heard from Nodoka, made her heart ache for her lost broken hearted cousin.

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Ok, well this is a start, I don’t intend to have Ranma hooked up with all of the girls here, its more of a backdrop. Its going to start off being a R/Na pairing. Also we will get the joys of Ranma in school, and the lengths a goddess will go to to get him to accept a wish.