Transcending Time
Chapter 1

by JohnnyG

This story takes place at the very end of the manga continuity. Also, before I begin, I must take the time to thank Strife Aileron for his proofreading (and Ranma/SM knowledge) as well as my wife (for her support and proofing as well).

A/N from Calamity: As most people know, when JohnnyG stepped back from the world of fanfiction, he authorized the completion of his unfinished work to various others. I was given the honor of completing Transcending Time. It was mostly complete already so this is still mostly JohnnyG's work. I hope my small contribution to this great story meets with approval. –Calamity

Disclaimer: This is a work of Fanfiction. The characters herein belong to their respective copyright holders and are used without their expressed consent.

Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, sat on the roof of the place he had called home for more than a year, gazing up at the stars. While this might seem a normal occurrence to those who knew the young man, there were several things wrong with the scene.

First and foremost was the fact that he was currently a she; not unusual given his curse, but an oddity nonetheless since it wasn’t raining and Ranma tended to change back as quickly as possible. Another abnormality was the ripped and charred remains of a white tuxedo that hung loosely on her body. Also, her whole demeanor did not portray the usual Saotome cockiness, but rather a deep sense of resignation. However, the most frightening thing of all, the detail that would have likely scared the wits out of those who knew Ranma, was the contemplative look she was currently sporting.

‘Damn,’ she thought with agitation, ‘I can’t believe I almost got married today. I mean, Akane looked good in her dress and all... but come on! I ain’t ready to be married to nobody, least of all that uncute tomboy.’

As she sat twisting her pigtail repeatedly, it occurred to Ranma that she was contradicting herself from one thought to the next, but she really couldn’t help it, her mind was in turmoil. ‘Pops and Mr. Tendo are just gonna keep trying this crap too. It ain’t ever gonna stop. Plus, what was with Akane thinkin' that I said I loved her? I know I didn’t say that! How could I love someone... like...’

Against her will, Ranma’s thoughts drifted back to Phoenix Mountain, when she had believed Akane was dead, and focused on the pit of despair she had found herself in. ‘'Course I didn’t want the tomboy to die. I wouldn’t want that to happen to nobody, not even someone like the Kuno’s. That don’t mean I love her or nothin'... does it?’

The last part was added weakly, even in the quiet of Ranma’s own mind. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that even though she wouldn’t wish that fate on another person, there was no way she would have fought to the same degree that she had for just anyone. That led her thoughts down a different path.

‘What if it had been UChan? Or Shampoo? Would I’ve fought any less for them?’ The answer was a simple one for Ranma. ‘No, I woulda fought the same. Does that mean... do I... l-lo...’ She forced those thoughts down.

“Fine,” Ranma grumbled resignedly. ‘So I care about all of 'em, but that don’t mean nothin'! I woulda done exactly the same thing if it’d been Kasumi, or even Nabiki, and I know for a fact that, at most, I think of them like sisters. Well, that might be stretchin' it with Nabiki, but still...’

This new line of thinking was difficult for Ranma, causing her to massage her temples. She was forced to examine her feelings more closely for all of the girls in her life. She thought about what Kasumi and Nabiki meant to her, then compared and contrasted what her reactions to both of them would be under a variety of circumstances. The situations Ranma thought up were very difficult for Ranma to process, but she forced herself through the exercise.

‘What would it be like to hold their hands? To k-kiss them? To m-ma-marry them?’ While the first two held a vague sense of appeal, Ranma honestly couldn’t see the third ever becoming a reality. She thought about why the first two thoughts had any kind of allure, and was forced to admit that it was really the concept of holding the hand of any girl, or kissing them for that matter, that was the source of the attraction. It really didn’t have anything to do with Kasumi and Nabiki specifically, just girls in general.

With that more difficult line of thinking complete, Ranma moved onto something much easier for her. ‘What would I do if they needed my help? What if they needed to be rescued? Would I risk my life, even sacrifice it, to save them?’ Ranma knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would do anything to help them if it was within her power.

Now that she had a better understanding of her own thoughts surrounding Kasumi and Nabiki, Ranma moved forward by asking herself the same questions about Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo. To say that the revelation she came to was startling to the pigtailed girl would be an understatement.

‘I care about all of 'em, but like it is with Kasumi and Nabiki, I don’t really think of 'em more than sisters. And I may be stupid, but even I know that ya don’t go marrying your sister. So I guess it might be considered lo-love, but no different than what I feel for my mom. And I sure as hell ain’t marrying her neither.’ That particularly disturbing thought was cut short by a voice from below.

“Ranma,” Kasumi called from the ground. “I’m getting ready to close up for the evening.”

“Okay Kasumi,” Ranma replied. “I’ll be down in a sec.”

Shaking her head to clear the fog that had seemed to settle there, Ranma stood and stretched. It helped her feel a little better, but the general weariness this whole experience had brought still permeated through her. She really didn’t know what to do with these new revelations, or even if she could do anything with them, but now wasn’t the time. Maybe tomorrow would help bring clarity. Clinging to that hope, Ranma leapt down from the roof and went inside to prepare for bed.

After a quick stop at the bathroom, and the use of hot water to return to his male form, Ranma went to the room he shared with his father. The older man, well, panda at the moment, was asleep and Ranma had to fight down the urge to kick him for making his life such a mess.

After a quick change of clothes, Ranma laid down on his own futon and stared at the ceiling. His thoughts quickly returned to what he had been contemplating earlier. ‘I guess I ain’t even really sure what love is. I know what I feel for mom, as well as people like Kasumi and the other girls, but I guess I don’t understand what love is supposed ta be like between two people who are supposed ta be married.’

Ranma tried to think of examples of happily married people he knew, and honestly couldn’t think of any. The only married couple he could think of at the moment was his parents. ‘And they sure as hell ain’t gonna win Couple of the Year anytime soon.’

Letting out a deep sigh, Ranma turned on his side and slowly began to fall asleep. Before finally succumbing to the peaceful abyss, one thought repeated itself in the young man’s mind. ‘I wish I knew what real love is.’

With that wish firmly planted, Ranma fell asleep... and dreamed.

v 1.01 - 06/19/07 Minor corrections.