Ranma, Tenchi Muyo 1. The Return

Ten years. That's how long it had been since the couple in the small rail compartment had seen the place they called home. Home. That word took on a very different meaning now. To the two small figures sleeping on the seats across from the couple, home was the place where the couple had spent the last ten years of their life. To the two adults in a loving embrace, home was their final destination. It was the place where they first met and the place where they realized they actually did care for one another as more than just two friends with a shared interest and two fathers who pinned the hopes and dreams of their two families upon their young shoulders. Home was not without drama and excitement. It was not without challenges and adventure. It was not without the strange and the weird. In fact, whether they called the place of their destination home or the place of their starting point home the environment was exactly the same. The only difference lay in its residents.

The adults in the closed rail compartment smiled as they watched the two children sleep leaning against one another. The two families they came from had no idea the little ones existed. The boy, all of seven years old, had the same drive and determination his father did but had his mother's eyes and grandfather's deep brown hair. The girl, who was a precocious six years old, was the spitting image of her father, if he were born female or splashed with cold water. The red hair upon her head and the blue eyes made her father understand the true nature of the curse that had changed his life when he was sixteen. The children were the pride and joy of their parents, their great grandfather, great aunts, great uncle, cousin, and various others that were a close part of their daily life. To them, they were their family. The family their parents came from was but a fable and a bedtime story and on that day the fable would become a reality.

"Do you think it was wrong to keep them from our families?" the mother questioned her husband.

"And have what happened to us happen to them?" the father questioned back.

The mother thought about their lives before they moved away from the only place she knew as home and had to admit her husband made a good point. The influence of their fathers was one that they did not wish upon anyone, especially if their fathers' perverted old teacher were involved. The influence the old man had on the way their fathers thought was reason enough to keep her children at a safe distance from the man. And, with the unique abilities of her husband's family if that safe distance meant living in Okayama with no contact for ten years then so be it. The time had come, however, for the distance to become less. The only indication of their arrival back home was the small old fashioned post card sent through the mail.

The card was simple with its picture of a small lake surrounded by lush green hillsides. On the reverse a simple message written in black ballpoint ink stated all their family would need to know. _"Returning home with huge surprise June fifth. Have Ranma's parents, Nabiki, and Kasumi at the house. Yours, Akane."_

Homecoming

Part One: The Return

Ten years changed a lot for the lives of Soun Tendo and the daughters that remained at home with him. For one, it meant serious studies and serious dating. It meant putting aside the perceptions one had of another person in favor of true happiness. It meant the dojo had a chance to be what Soun had always wanted it to be. And, it meant a strong sense of family as Soun's definition of the word began to change and grow.

For Soun family had now become the most important thing in his life. Weekly dinners with both daughters, the men they loved, and the little ones that were now his pride and joy were something he looked forward to and cherished greatly. The house was filled with laughter and the dojo filled with the sounds of students learning the art from their teacher once more. His daughters' choice in husbands, while surprising to say the least, proved to be loyal, hardworking, and very good providers. All it took was for Ranma and Akane to leave Nerima for the two men to see there was more to life than petty squabbles and one man trying to steal a woman who had no interest in them from the beginning. With their focus and lives redirected, the two men were able to find true happiness with their own Tendo woman.

It was the usual weekly family dinner that had the house full of love and laughter that evening and not the postcard that arrived in the mail quite late. Another day of classes in the dojo had come to an end and more private instruction was underway. Good friends had been invited over not because the postcard instructed they be at the house but because once a month for ten years Soun insisted Genma and Nodoka remain a part of his family's lives. The girls needed a motherly figure to turn to, especially when they married and became mothers themselves, and Nodoka was glad to provide that service to the children of her husband's best friend. Soun, on the other hand, wanted to keep his drinking buddy and shogi rival around for monthly "humiliation".

The sounds of a happy household were interrupted when the front door to the house opened signaling the arrival of someone to the Tendo home. The occupants and their guests for the night paid the sound no heed as the heated one sided discussion from the living room filled the entire first level of the house. It was a conversation the occupants of the house were used to but not those who had just walked through the front door to the house.

"Listen Yoshi, I don't care if Yammamoto is an old fashioned man I'm the one he's dealing with not my husband. I will be listened to," the woman in the pant suit yelled into her expensive Samsung phone.

"Same old Nabiki," the husband commented to his wife identifying the woman pacing around in the living room.

"Yes, but did you hear what she said about being married? We missed my own sister's wedding," the wife returned with a small tinge of sadness in her voice.

The loud frustrated sound that followed Nabiki's conversation brought forth the attention of a principal resident of the Tendo home. In no time the familiar calming voice that identified itself as being none other than Kasumi spoke with an air of concern about it.

"Nabiki is everything... Oh my," Kasumi had started to ask her sister if she was okay but was soon stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed the family of four standing in the entryway between the front door and the living room.

There was a familiarity about the adults in the family and yet at the same time something very unfamiliar. The father stood with a body language that spoke of wisdom, experience, and a great power. He had a battle hardened body that was literally living rock. His eyes were a deep blue that held a wild calmness to them and his nearly black hair was styled into a long braided pigtail, one that seemed quite familiar. He was dressed in an elegant white silk Chinese shirt trimmed in gold with white pants tied at the waist. The sleeveless nature of the shirt with its gold knotted rope buttons and the white leather bracers accentuated well toned arms. If Kasumi had not been married and very much the faithful equal partner she would have fallen in love at that very moment.

The mother, with her deep brown eyes and almost blue tinted long black hair styled into a low bun, had the lithe body of a woman who had spent her entire life from the moment she could walk studying the martial arts. She appeared to not be inferior to her husband but his equal in nearly every way. The mother wore an elegant white silk Chinese dress matching that of her husband. The slit up the leg revealed strong well toned legs capable of taking most men down while the gold knot buttons at the shoulder added to the beauty and elegance of the dress. The matching leather bracers around her wrists and the elegant gold and diamond ring were all the accessories the woman wore.

Then there were the children. The boy, who appeared no older than seven, had his mother's deep brown eyes and hair Kasumi recognized as being the same color as her father's styled much the same way his father's was if he lacked his braid. He wore a deep blue silk Chinese shirt with matching buttons and black pants tied at the waist. He was a miniature version of his father with his mother's coloring. The girl was a vision of pink and red. Her bright blue eyes were set off by a shock of red hair with a braided pigtail of her own. She wore the complete set of a matching pink silk Chinese shirt with matching knot buttons and silk Chinese pants banded at the ankle for fighting in the martial arts. It was the girl that gave away the identities of the two adults. Kasumi was certain as to who it was standing before her.

"Father, Uncle Saotome, Auntie come quickly we have visitors and I'm fairly certain you're going to want to see who it is," Kasumi called out to her father and his guests.

Nabiki smiled at the quartet as the sounds of the three named adults could be heard scurrying to the entryway. "Well well well, the prodigal daughter returns," Nabiki commented.

The first to arrive in the living room from the kitchen was Nodoka who wondered why Kasumi had called them all to the entryway, "Kasumi why did you...Ranma can it really be you?"

"Yes mom, pop, Mr. Tendo it really is me," Ranma responded acknowledging all three parents.

"Boy you got a lot of explaining to do," Genma demanded.

Soun, however, was a bit more gentle with his request as he fought back tears, "Yes Ranma, Akane why don't you start with the little ones."

Ranma sighed and gave his son's shoulder a small squeeze to let the boy know everything would be all right and that he had nothing to fear. The boy looked up at his father with a questioning glance that was met with a small shake of the head in the negative. Ranma then give his son a gentle push and with grace and manners beyond his years the boy introduced himself.

"I am Akio Saotome son of Ranma and Akane Saotome. I am most pleased to have met you," Akio, the boy, said with a bow of great respect.

Nodoka took note of what young Akio said and looked over at her husband and Akane's father. The smiles on their faces were growing by the minute. Genma's smile came because his son had produced a son of his own to continue the Saotome name. Soun's smile showed up the moment he realized that he had something Genma would never have five grandchildren. Each of his daughters with each of their husbands had each produced at least one grandchild for him to love and spoil like any good grandfather was supposed to. And, if Soun still considered himself any type of teacher he was going to have to take Genma under his wing and give him grandparent lessons, especially where their granddaughter was concerned.

Their granddaughter. She had no fear of the new adults in the room and bounded right over to the men she correctly assumed were her grandfathers and proceeded to introduce herself in her own special way, "My name's Ranko and I'm six years old and some day I'm going to grow up to be just like my mommy and my Auntie Sasami. I like carrots. Do you like carrots? I like to help cousin Tenchi with his carrot garden. Mommy says I talk too much sometimes. Okay bye bye."

Kasumi giggled softly at the reaction the two grandfathers had on their faces as her niece bounded back to her mother. Her father and Genma Saotome stood there with a dumbfounded look on their faces as they blinked over and over trying to take in what little Ranko had said to them. Kasumi too was a bit perplexed by what her niece had said. All she, Nabiki, and the fathers knew was that Ranma needed special training from someone who understood his condition and Nodoka had arranged for him to spend time with her father in Okayama. However, as a condition of Ranma going to train with his grandfather Akane was to join him for training of her own. Nodoka knew something was blossoming between the two and it would never be allowed to grow if Ranma, a product of his environment, stayed with his father much longer.

That was ten years prior. Ten years with not a single letter or call from Okayama. Both Kasumi and Nodoka silently came to the same conclusions about the things Ranko had told her grandfathers, the woman named Sasami must have been the wife of Ranma's uncle. Concern swept across Nodoka's face when she thought her brother-in-law had failed to mention he remarried. With a sigh and using carefully chosen words Nodoka adressed her son.

"Ranma, your uncle is he currently with anyone? Has he remarried? And just who is Sasami," Nodoka questioned Ranma.

Ranma saw the look on his mother's face. He knew she did not like to have secrets kept from her. With a heavy sigh of his own, Ranma proceeded to reveal what would be the first of many secrets told during their visit home, "No Uncle Nobiyuki hasn't remarried yet. He has been living with a very nice woman though. Her name's Kiyone and she's in law enforcement. She's a bit younger than him. As for Sasami, she's actually grandpa's younger sister. You see, grandpa and his parents didn't see eye to eye when he was younger and he left home against his father's wishes to go live with his grandfather at the family shrine. Grandpa and his younger sisters were reunited a few months before Akane and I showed up at the shrine."

As the others took in what Ranma had said, a loud cracking sound of wood hitting wood came from the dojo. Ranma was very familiar with the sound of two wooden bokens crashing against one another. Watching the reaction of the others in the room he saw a rather mad look fall upon Nabiki's face.

"Damn him, I told him not to be teaching Akira that way," Nabiki commented angrily at the assumption her husband had gone against her wishes with their son's lessons.

"I only hope Sora and Yuko are okay. I don't want our husbands' lessons to harm my children in any way," Kasumi added with great concern in her voice.

The moment she heard the names of her sisters' children Akane's heart sank. She had missed the births of two nephews and a niece. Her children had cousins and she and Ranma had kept them from them. As her sisters made their way to the dojo, Ranma and her children followed close behind. Their fathers merely shrugged their shoulders returning to their shogi game while Nodoka headed back for the kitchen. With a resigning sigh, Akane followed her sisters and family to the dojo.

Upon arriving at the doorway to the dojo the group of six were treated to a sight two of the adult females were used to. Kasumi let out a sigh of relief and smiled at the sight of her son and nephew carefully going through a kendo exercise with their bamboo training swords. Nabiki was not convinced that the scene playing out before her eyes was completely true. She still believed that her husband had tried to teach their son his kendo lessons the way he was taught, through high level combat right from day one. Ranma and Akane simply watched as their nephews tried hard to mirror each other perfectly. In their minds the scene playing out was quite adorable.

"Tatewaki Kuno, tell me that noise I just heard was not you battling against our son at full strength," Nabiki demanded catching the attention of her now named husband.

Ranma and Akane held back a small gasping breath as they saw the man turn around and reveal himself to be none other than Kuno. Taking the hand of his angry wife in his own Tatewaki looked her straight in the eyes and responded to her demands, "I assure you I was merely demonstrating the form the boys are learning tonight in competition combat with my honored sister-in-law's husband. You and the gracious Kasumi have nothing to worry about as the children were seated at a safe distance from our demonstration."

"You better be telling the truth or so help me I'll go from tigress in the bedroom to Ice Queen," Nabiki laid out for the man she loved.

Ranma watched as Nabiki took in a calming breath and let a smile come across her face as Kuno moved to envelope his wife in a loving embrace from behind. His attention then turned to the other man in the room. It was obvious looking at him from behind the man was not the local doctor, Tofu Ono. There was something familiar yet unfamiliar about the man as he watched the slightly older boy on the right facing side try and correct his younger cousin's stance. What happened next brought forth the biggest surprise of the day yet.

"Honey, we have visitors," Kasumi called out to the man she married.

From behind, Ranma saw a man with long brown hair so dark it could be mistaken for black dressed in a silk shirt with long flowing sleeves. The moment he stood up and around Ranma was greeted by a most familiar face. He was lacking glasses but there was no mistaking that the man Kasumi married was none other than the Chinese Amazon Mousse. In his arms was a little girl no older than four with her arms wrapped around the man who was most definitely her father. She had Mousse's deep blue almost purple eyes and Kasumi's hair color. However, her most distinguishing feature was the smile that mirrored that of her mother's. She was a miniature Kasumi dressed in a lilac polo dress with her pulled back in low pigtails by matching bows. All at once, husband and wife had a hard time wrapping their brains around what they saw because of what they knew about Kasumi.

"You married Mousse," Ranma and Akane asked in stunned unison.

"Do you two find something wrong with our being married," Mousse questioned back.

Akane saw nothing wrong with her sister being married to Mousse. It was puzzling that she ended up choosing him after all the time she spent pinning over Dr. Tofu. That was the confusing part and Akane voiced her confusion and possibly Ranma's aloud, "There's nothing wrong with who my sister marries as long as that man shares a mutual love with her. I'm just finding it hard to figure out why is all. You see, when we first met Kasumi was very much infatuated with Dr. Tofu and he was pretty much the same way about her. We all thought at one point they'd realize the other felt the same way and end up married. This is, well, quite the unexpected surprise but in a very good way."

"Yeah man I never thought you'd be with anybody but Shampoo. What brought you to ask Kasumi to marry you," Ranma added wondering just what the story was behind Mousse and Kasumi's marriage.

Mousse let out a chuckle at the look of sheer and utter confusion on the faces of his sister-in-law and her husband. The great Ranma Saotome and the woman he loved were literally dumbfounded at the revelation they were now related to someone who once considered Ranma his greatest rival. Smiling at the pair Mousse gave them an answer that would have to suffice for the time being, "That my dear Saotome is a story best left for the dinner table."


	2. Revelations

Dinner that night was a bit of a strange affair in the Tendo household. No one had expected Ranma and Akane to show up at the house like they did much less with two children in tow. After not hearing from the pair for three years, Soun and Genma had given up their hopes of having the pair united in marriage and running the dojo at the Tendo home. Fortunately, Soun had sons-in-law to oversee the future survival of the family dojo. Tatewaki taught a kendo class once a week mostly as a hobby and to help pull his weight within the family. However, it was Mousse, Kasumi's husband that taught the most classes during the week in order to bring money into the Tendo household. It had become the perfect happy little home with its five primary residents.

The adults gathered around the table were quite comfortable being around one another. It was strange given how Akane's brother-in-laws had once treated her husband but it was obvious her father had accepted the two men into the family. However, it was the children that were having a hard time accepting the new people in their lives. Akira could practically pick out someone who received lessons in how to properly behave like a "little gentleman" around their parents' associates. To him his new cousin Akio had it written all over his face. The kid sitting across from him seemed too stiff and chose every word he said to his grandparents very carefully. And, while Sora was his usual chatterbox self talking about his dad accidentally turning into a duck much to the delight of his little sister Yuko, Akio barely acknowledged his three new cousins.

"How come that kid won't talk to us," Sora asked his slightly older cousin.

"I don't know Tendo. He seems weird if you ask me. I think his mom and dad have a no talking unless someone speaks to you rule for dinner parties or something. I've met kids like that and they're not fun to be around because they can't do a single thing wrong or they get in trouble," Akira tried to explain.

From her seat near her father Akane sighed as she watched her nephews react to Akio's actions at the table. Her son was acting as though they were at a state dinner on Jurai and he was not Akio Saotome but Prince Akio Jurai Saotome great grandson of the legendary Prince Yosho son of Prince Ranma Saotome high regent of Jurai next in line to head the Jurain security forces possible heir to the thrown cousin to first prince Tenchi Masaki and one of Tsunami's chosen champions. It was a lot for her son to live up to and when they were on Jurai Akio went into the act of the perfect prince as not to disappoint his great grandfather's father. It pained Akane to see her son treating his grandfathers the same way. Her father, Genma, and the rest of the family were missing out on meeting the real Akio, the one Grandpa Katsuhito knew so very well.

"Akio this isn't a state dinner. This is just like dinner at the shrine. Your grandfathers won't be disappointed in you one bit. You don't have to put a show on for them. In fact, they might like you more if you let the true you show more," Akane encouraged her son.

All at once Akio relaxed and a smile came across his face. Akane could tell he was still unsure if his new cousins and grandfathers would like him but she knew Akio would not be very formal around them. It was something she could tell Nabiki's son noticed right away because of his family's social status in Tokyo society. Akane's attention was soon brought back to the adults at the table when Kasumi spoke.

"Akane am I correct in assuming that you live at a shrine," Kasumi asked her baby sister.

"That's right Kasumi we help Ranma's grandfather run the family shrine," Akane responded.

All at once Nabiki, Mousse, and Kuno tried to hold back their laughter at the thought of Ranma in the traditional robes of a shrine priest. To them the idea of the Ranma Saotome, the self proclaimed greatest martial artist in all of Nerima, wearing the clothes of a shrine priest was hysterical. As far as they knew it, a shrine priest was the embodiment of great physical and spiritual peace and Ranma was neither.

"No offense Saotome, but you don't exactly look to be shrine priest material," Kuno remarked as he tried to keep a straight face.

"Tatewaki, my father does more than act the role of Shinto priest. The Misaki family shrine guards over a demonic spirit. It has been in the family for over seven hundred years since the time of my ancestor Yosho," Nodoka explained to younger man.

Kuno took in what the Saotome matriarch had explained and nodded knowingly. With all the crazy things surrounding his wife's family it did not surprise him in the least that Ranma's grandfather would be watching over a demon. It was a very noble thing for the man to do and if he was elderly and not as physically able as he used to be then having Ranma around to assist made perfect sense.

"It is most noble that you assist your elderly and most treasured grandfather with his duties keeping watch over the demon upon the shrine grounds Saotome," Kuno commented.

"He may be chronologically old but physically he could take down everyone in this room and not be out of breath. He's like Happosai and Cologne," Ranma responded.

One mention of the Amazon elder and Mousse had a pretty good idea of what Ranma's grandfather was capable of. If she could take down a group of seasoned fighters in their prime then he was certain Ranma spoke the truth about his grandfather. "As long as he's not out stealing ladies undergarments Ranma then your grandfather sounds like an amazing individual," Mousse added.

The comparison to Happosai received a small chuckle from Nodoka as she knew exactly what her father thought of the little man's influence on her husband. It was the major reason why Katsuhito could barely tolerate Genma and he did so for his No-chan's sake.

"Mousse, you said you were going to explain just how you and my sister ended up being married. When I was younger I always thought she and Dr. Tofu returned each other's feelings for one another. What happened to change all of that," Akane wanted to know bringing back the focus of the evening to just how the Tendo family expanded to include a Chinese Amazon.

The moment the question of how his baby girl and her husband went from barely knowing one another to a loving married couple with two wonderful children was brought up Soun Tendo broke out in tears. "He saved my little girl's life," Soun said through his tears of gratitude.

"Okay Mousse you have a lot of explaining to do about what Soun means about all of that stuff," Ranma requested of the bespectacled martial artist.

Homecoming

Part Two: Revelations

"Fair enough Ranma, but when I finish I know a few people are going to want to ask questions of you and Akane," Mousse replied before letting out a small calming breath, "Now where to begin? Oh yes, it was a few months after you left for your grandfather's home with Akane leaving no forwarding address with Nabiki and Kasumi that it happened. Shampoo was becoming discouraged over not knowing where she could find you while I was beginning to see that my childhood infatuation with her would probably not go very far. I was sad about coming to that conclusion but I wasn't going to let it run my life like I had let the infatuation over Shampoo.

The old ghoul had been playing around with some noodle dishes from countries other than China and Japan that required specific ingredients. Rather than spend a large amount of money on what was needed by getting it from her suppliers she had me go to the local market to retrieve the necessary items. To ensure I wouldn't mess up and get the wrong stuff I reluctantly agreed to keep my glasses on. What I didn't know at the time was that Kasumi had planned her own trip to the same market at that very same moment that day. On my way to the market I was greeted by a sight I found most unfair, a local thug had poor Kasumi at knifepoint demanding her money.

Being a martial artist and knowing from the few brief times I had met her I knew that if I didn't do something Kasumi could be badly hurt. So, I grabbed one of my many chained weapons and used it catch the man's attention before any harm to Kasumi could happen. With the thug focused on me I did what I could to make certain he got the message and the police would be able to make a proper arrest. Still seeing it as my duty to stay with Kasumi I kept by her side until her statement had been taken, her groceries purchased, and she was safely delivered home. Of course, the moment she mentioned what had happened to her father he began to cry and hugged me for saving his little girl. Kasumi, a little shaken up but quite thankful offered to have me over for dinner as a way to properly thank me for what I had done. I couldn't say no and on my first free night the following week I dined with Kasumi and her father on a night when Nabiki happened to be visiting from university."

Before Mousse could go any further Nabiki quickly jumped in and picked up the tale of how her sister married a man cursed to become a duck, "When I heard that night what Mousse had done I knew there had to be a way to thank him even further. A simple dinner wasn't enough. And, as Kuno Baby and I were getting closer to admitting we actually loved each other I asked him if there was any sort of token that could be purchased that would really show how much Mousse's actions meant to dad and me. Tatewaki asking if Mousse was the nearly blind man that worked in the Chinese noodle shop gave me the perfect idea, eye surgery. The poor guy had been in so many fights and mishaps over refusing to wear his glasses and mistaking everyone and everything for Shampoo. So, the next chance I could I dragged Tatewaki down to the Nekohanten to talk to Mousse about having his eyes fixed.

When I mentioned it would improve his chances with Shampoo what came out of his mouth next shocked me. Mousse said he was giving up trying to get Shampoo to love him. He said he found a better person for him. When I asked who and he replied that it was Kasumi I was in utter disbelief. Mousse then explained that he appreciated Kasumi's gesture so much he asked if he could come back to the house for dinner again. Since that first night he had been at the house four times. I changed my pitch to Mousse right then and there. I told him the eye surgery would make it easier for him to help Kasumi. I knew she liked men with glasses what with her crush on Dr. Tofu so even if the surgery couldn't correct things completely, anything would be better than the vision Mousse already had at the time. Oddly enough, Mousse agreed to get examined for the sugary and Tatewaki offered to help pay for it.

The surgery wasn't able to fix Mousse's eyes completely but it did improve his vision greatly. A fairly normal prescription in either glasses or contacts was all Mousse needed. The doctor assured Mousse his eyes would not return to their prior condition and I was satisfied he was properly thanked for saving Kasumi's life. I thought that would be the end of it and Mousse and Kasumi would just be friends. I didn't expect Kasumi to open her heart to me on my next visit home and reveal that she was developing a soft spot for Mousse the more time they spent together. Mousse was kind and considerate, always offering to help Kasumi with the cooking when he came to visit for dinner. By the time semester break rolled around Mousse and Kasumi were actually in a relationship. He was happy, Kasumi was happy, Shampoo was ecstatic Mousse was focused on someone else, and Cologne was worried the relationship would not be allowed to go further due to crazy Amazon laws."

Nabiki stopped to catch her breath and Mousse saw his chance to hijack his story back, "The Old Ghoul was actually worried about me for once in my life and it shocked me. She said about the only way the council would let our relationship continue was if Kasumi could somehow become an honorary member of the tribe. I guess seeing Shampoo happy made Cologne want to help us out. Before then Kasumi didn't know any actual fighting arts. She admitted to taking a Tai Chi fitness class for flexibility and relaxation but she couldn't use what she learned to fight and to get into the tribe, even on an honorary level, she was going to have to demonstrate a fighting skill.

Being as this is Nerima where anything and everything can be a fighting art we took into consideration the greatest skill Kasumi had, her cooking. Somehow she was going to have to turn her cooking into a fighting skill. That's where Ukyo came in. If anyone could help Kasumi it was her. Ukyo, oddly enough, knew some obscure fighting art revolving around cooking. Martial Art or Combat Cooking was an art that turned kitchen utensils into weapons of self-defense. It turned chopping, slicing, and dicing into a show more spectacular than that of a hibachi chef. Raw eggs became projectiles and anything and everything found in the pantry could be turned into something deadly. It was perfect for her.

Kasumi and I spent many nights with Ukyo both learning what she knew of Combat Cooking. Ukyo was by far a grand master of the art but she knew enough to get Kasumi to pass the grade, so to speak, with Cologne and the tribal representative. When the day came for the test a year later Kasumi proved she was proficient enough to earn the title of honorary Amazon. Our relationship was officially legal by Amazon law and that's when it happened. That's when I threw out the idea of marriage to see what she thought about it. Much to my surprise, Kasumi pulled a fast one on me and bopped me over the head with a wooden spoon asking me if I admitted defeat. It was so unlike her but the smile on her face told me she truly wanted marriage. Kasumi was trying to propose according to the laws and traditions of my people and I was trying to honor the traditions of her people. As I admitted defeat and then proposed according to her traditions, we both had a laugh over what had taken place in the kitchen.

Later that year Kasumi and I were married in a small ceremony at the house. As I had no claim to a proper surname by another crazy Amazon law, I took on Kasumi's family name and was added to the family register. The next year Soun gave away another daughter in an elaborate western style society filled wedding on the grounds of a long standing upper class social club the Kuno family belonged to. Three years after you left Nabiki gave birth to the first grandchild, Akira, and a year later we were blessed to have Sora with little Yuko being born two years later."

When Mousse's tale had ended Ranma let out a small whistle in amazement over how the two came to love one another. He could see it was the same genuine love he and Akane had for one another. Before starting his tale Mousse had mentioned questions that would be asked of both Ranma and Akane. It wasn't long before his father-in-law broke the ice and asked the first of many questions.

"Ranma, how long have you and Akane been married," Soun wanted to know.

"It'll be nine years on June tenth," Ranma replied revealing he and Akane had been married longer than Kasumi and Mousse.

Nabiki ever skeptical asked the next question, "Why Ranma? Why did you and Akane not send any word for ten years? Why wait till now to resume contact?"

That was the question he had been dreading all day. Ranma knew it would come up but he was certain it would be one of the last questions asked. He thought the fathers would want to know just what it was he and his grandfather had been teaching Akio and if Ranko had started her martial arts training first. Nabiki bringing that matter up early on threw Ranma for a loop. Ranma felt the reassuring hand of his wife on his own as he swallowed a large lump that had formed in his throat. Looking over at Akane, his princess; partner in battle; and love of his life, Ranma was greeted by eyes that projected great confidence. Letting out a calming breath, Ranma faced Nabiki's questions.

"You ask why we waited so long before establishing contact again. Protection. Yours and our children's. From what, you may wonder. For you it was from the life we now lead. For our children it was from the life we once lead," Ranma began as he kept an eye on Nabiki, "I can tell you have another question forming in your head as we speak. You want to know what it is about our life now that you need protecting from. Before leaving the shrine in Okayama I spoke to my grandfather and he said I could reveal what I am about to tell you all. You have to promise that it goes no further than this room for reasons of great security."

Ranma's gaze shifted briefly from Nabiki to his mother. Nodoka could see a great wisdom, courage, and intelligence in his eyes something her son had lacked before leaving Nerima. Ranma acted like he was tough and courageous but that courage came from being overly cocky. She could see his cocky side had been beaten out of him and a stronger more assure Ranma had taken his place. The trip to her father's had done wonders for Ranma and more.

"Mother, I'm not sure how much you know but Grandpa Katsuhito isn't what appears to be. Your side of the family was never one hundred percent Japanese much less one hundred percent human. Grandpa is over seven hundred years old. He comes from a noble race of people that travel the stars and can live for centuries. In fact, his parents, your grandparents, are still very much alive and let me tell you my great grandfather is a very stubborn man, especially when it comes to just who is going to succeed him on the throne since grandpa abdicated and his sisters didn't want the position," Ranma told Nodoka who looked to be a bit angry with her father.

Nabiki and the others were having a hard time accepting what Ranma was saying as truth. They could all see there was something very different about both Akane and him. The pair had an almost regal quality to them. Kasumi thought back to what Akane had said to her son about state dinners earlier in the meal and knew Ranma had to be telling the truth.

"Ranma if what you say is fact then why would we need protecting from that," Kasumi wondered.

"Family enemies and enemies of the crown of Jurai. Intergalactic pirates, thugs, and bounty hunters. And Ryoko, the not so demonic former pirate grandpa Yosho has been keeping watch over at the shrine for over seven hundred years. She can get into more trouble than I used to be able to. We deal with very powerful beings and empires that could blow Nerima off the face of the Japanese map without a moment's thought. I didn't want any one of you mixed up in all of that. Akane chose to become a part of that life and has been training hard in every aspect of Juraian combat and culture. She's my perfect equal in nearly every way," Ranma explained to Kasumi.

Kasumi, Nabiki, and Soun looked over at Akane who still had her hand upon Ranma's for support. Gone was the unsure teenager who turned to martial arts as a way to deal with her mother's death and continued to use it to make her problems disappear. She used martial arts to prove she was not weak and that she could be taken seriously. Akane had spent her youth believing that in order to be taken seriously she needed to have a black eye, several bruised body parts, or worse in order for her to know people took her seriously enough. Soun could see that the path Akane had been on was not healthy and he gradually stopped training her, which led to her believing her own father did not think she was strong enough to learn martial arts. That act by Soun caused Akane to spend her time trying to prove to her father she was very strong and in her mind that meant breaking tiles and getting into fights at school.

It was Ranma who changed Akane. At first, the anger and frustration grew because Akane did not believe Ranma took her seriously at all. She thought he felt she was a joke by how he acted. What he found out on their trip to Okayama was that it was Akane who thought and believed she was a joke and not strong enough to protect her own family Ranma vowed to make Akane see that she was not a joke and that he took her very seriously. Ranma decided on that day to help Akane understand and embrace her true potential. It helped greatly that his grandfather treated all three of his students as equals. As the years passed Akane left behind who she was and embraced what she had become, a princess through marriage and wife to the possible heir to the crown of a vast interplanetary empire. She was royalty but most importantly she was now ever much the warrior Ranma was.

The second part of what Ranma had sad still sat in the minds of the adults present at the table. Ranma had alluded to protecting his children from them and they wanted to know why. Genma, ironically enough, voiced the question on everyone's minds, "Boy, just what is it about life in Nerima that your own kids need protecting from."

Ranma looked his father in the eye with a hard stare and gave him the answer he rightly deserved, "Why you pop. I didn't want you doing to Akio and Ranko what you did to me. I didn't want my children promised to six different families for a bowl of noodles or rice. I didn't want them to have to worry that they'd have some kind of work contract hanging over their heads because of something you said or did. I wanted them to have a chance to grow up as normal children."

Genma nearly snorted in response to Ranma's reply to his demanding inquiry before making his vocal response, "Normal? Don't you mean weak and unskilled boy? Why that boy of yours doesn't look like he's studied a minute of the arts."

Ranma was furious. His own father had just called into question his skills as a parent. His own father had questioned his choices in how his children were taught the arts. His own father had very little faith in the heir he had longed for from the moment he introduced Ranma to the Tendo family.

"Listen old man, I'll have you know that my son is not weak. He's not unskilled in the arts. He has abilities you can only dream of. At his age he's already well versed in the Misaki family combat techniques and is a student of the Jurian arts as well as the basics of your precious Saotome branch of indiscriminate grappling. Ranko's just begun her training but for a beginner she's very good. She's a quick study just like her brother and I. Just be here first thing in the morning and you'll see just what both of my children are capable of," Ranma shot back.

"With bells on," Genma responded using an American phrase.

Nabiki let out a sigh and looked over at her husband who had a bit of a pleading look on his face and spoke to him, "You can come here in the morning you don't need to be around for Yammamoto. But don't you spend the entire day here because there are other things I do need you at the office for."


	3. Unwelcomed Visitors

Ranma felt strange being in any room but the one his wife grew up in at her childhood home. However, said room was currently occupied full time by his four year old niece who was entertaining his daughter during their stay. His son was staying with his younger counterpart in what had been Nabiki's room. Yuko took to her older cousin a lot easier than Sora took to Akio. All it took was one showing of the plastic western tea set with the children's cat character on it and the sharing of one of many plush toys to sleep with to make the pair inseparable.

Sora, on the other hand, complained about having to share with Akio making the claim that his slightly older cousin was strange. Kasumi told her son that he only thought that way because he did not know his cousin very well. She assured him that within time he would be as close to Akio as he was with Akira. Sora then sighed and reluctantly made his way to his room. Akio gave his parents a look of unease at the time that was returned with one of reassurance that everything would work out.

Ranma let out a soft sigh as he lay on the futon that had once been his bed ten years prior. Concern that he had rushed into telling his family in Nerima that he, his mother, and two children were actually members of an alien royal family ran through his mind. Had he done the right thing in bringing up that fact so soon after his family's arrival? That question weighed heavily on his mind. In his entire life to that day Ranma had only spent eight years with his mother and he honestly did not know how she would take the news of her father keeping secrets from her. His father had made it sound as though his mother hated to have things kept from her and would demand their lives if she found out about their curses. It was part of the reason why when she first visited the Tendo home he insisted that they hide under their cursed forms. That was the birth of Ranko and Mr. Panda.

Looking over at the woman he loved Ranma voiced his concerns, "Did we do the right thing telling our families about my Juraian heritage? I feel like we gave them too much too fast. Plus, my mom didn't look too happy hearing what she did."

Akane moved in close to Ranma on the futon touching his arm lightly to let him know she wanted to be held. She loved lying against him feeling his chest slowly rise and fall with each breath he took. When she was fully in his embrace against his chest Akane voiced her opinion to her husband, "For ten years since we found out about you being half alien I stood by your side in ever decision you made regarding it. I missed out on my sisters falling in love, getting married and starting families because of those decisions. I wish we had told them sooner so our parents could have been a part of their grandchildren's lives from the beginning. Your grandfather is more of a grandfather to them than my own father and I think he feels left out that he didn't get to know Akio and Ranko as infants. I'm glad we told them because now maybe they can be a part of our lives again when we leave Nerima."

Ranma had to admit Akane had a point. He did feel bad about breaking contact with his mother and not staying in touch with his father and the rest of the Tendo family but it had to be done. Ranma did not regret his life in Okayama one bit. He was finally able to get to know his grandfather and the rest of his mother's family. Ranma had an aunt that treated him more like a big brother, a cousin who understood his female problems, a loyal friend who would defend him to the death, an uncle who accepted him right from the start, a possible aunt who took time to spar with Akane as an equal, a possible grandmother who helped him gain mental control over his fear of cats, and loving family that stood by his side no matter what. Okayama created a Ranma that was stronger, more confident, and very accepting of who and what he was. It wasn't just the best thing for him it had been very good for Akane as well and Ranma loved that fact.

For Akane the trip to Okayama helped her in ways she could not have imagined beforehand. Ranma's grandfather took the time to train Akane in the arts. He helped her see that true strength came from how the art was applied not from how many fights won or the number of bruises on one's body nor did it come from smashing tiles. Kiyone, the galaxy police officer and partner of Mihoshi, helped Akane put what she learned to practice through being her sparring partner. Akane had someone to work with who was not raised in the Genma Saotome school of thought where the only sparing was done through all out combat for the first time and it helped improve her skills greatly. Then there was what she learned from Sasami. The young Juraian princess who now looked to be twenty had patiently taught Akane the fundamentals of cooking. Where Kasumi would shoo Akane away from the kitchen telling her to set the table or help dry the dishes, Sasami welcomed Akane teaching her cooking from the ground up. Akane was no gourmet but she was able to follow recipes and feed her family without turning the food into charred tasteless goo. Like Ranma, Akane had grown to accept her strengths and weaknesses during her time in Okayama.

"I'm sorry you had to cut off contact with your family because of me. I know it was hard for you but look at all you've accomplished in the last ten years. You're a very good mother, a loving wife, the perfect partner, a strong warrior, and you make for one very beautiful princess. You convinced my great grandfather all on your own when he first met us that you were indeed the only person right to be my wife. Heck, you convinced me all over again that day as well. You've proven yourself in battle and rightfully earned the respect of not only my great grandparents but Ryoko and Kiyone as well. Respect as a warrior was something I'm ashamed to say Ukyo and Shampoo didn't give you before we left. You needed the trip as much as I did," Ranma told Akane reminding her of who she had become.

As the couple fell asleep in each other's arms they silently admitted to themselves that if they had to do the last ten years over again they would not change a single thing. Millions of people held great respect for them and their children because of what they accomplished together. And, in the morning the youngest Saotomes would earn the respect of one more, their grandfather Genma.

Homecoming

Part Three: Unwelcomed Visitors

Morning at the Tendo house found Kasumi greeted by a site she had not expected to see. Akane was up, dressed, and actually making breakfast as though she knew her way around the kitchen with great ease. Kasumi had to admit that Akane had grown into a confident and capable woman. The older woman felt bad she missed being able to watch her youngest sister evolve into the woman that stood before her.

"Care for some help," Kasumi asked making her offer known with a smile.

Akane stopped her preparations to notice Kasumi standing before her ready to help in the breakfast area and returned the smile, "I'd love to have you help out."

As the two sisters reacquainted themselves with one another, the sounds of sparring could be heard coming from the dojo. Akane knew the sound intimately as her husband and son were working through another lesson in their unique family art. On the day of Akio's birth Ranma promised the newborn he would teach him all he knew of the arts and vowed to make new Saotome family traditions to replace and fix the mess Genma had created within the family. Those traditions would start with recreating the art the family practiced. What grew from that vow was a melding of Jurain sword arts, Jurain unarmed fighting arts, Misaki family kendo, and every useful bit of the arts Ranma learned from Genma, Cologne, and the others around Nerima. The art Ranma created lacked a formal name but it was an effective one.

"Akane I must say I'm very impressed with how much you've changed since we last saw you," Kasumi commented in awe of how much her baby sister had changed.

Akane sighed softy knowing how hard it was going to be on Kasumi to hear someone else had taught her how to cook. Looking over at the slightly older woman, Akane respond to her sister's comment, "Thank you Kasumi. You don't know what it means to hear you say that. I found myself someone who was able to have the time to really work with me in the kitchen. I know you would have liked to try and teach me but there was so much that needed taking care of back then that you couldn't teach me the basic fundamentals. Ranma's great aunt Sasami taught me a lot over the years."

Akane watched Kasumi's reaction to what she was told. At first, Akane thought Kasumi would be disappointed she missed out on the chance to teach her how to properly cook. What Akane was greeted with was a warm smile over the fact that she had taken the inactive to seek out help for a problem on her own. In the end, Akane was glad Kasumi was happy her sister had grown and changed over the last ten years.

"Saotome, you're here early," the sisters heard from the living room.

The sound of their father greeting his oldest friend was followed by the distinctive giggles of Yuko greeting her grandpa for the morning. Kasumi let out a soft chuckle as she knew exactly how the scene played itself out. Yuko always ran to her grandfather first thing in the morning and waited for breakfast with him. Mousse would come into the living room with Sora and tell Yuko to let grandpa finish his paper to which Soun would reply that he did not mind his granddaughter sitting on his lap before breakfast.

"I knew the boy would be up early and wanted to see just for myself what kind of job he did teaching the wrong stuff to our heir," Genma responded once Yuko was in her grandfather's arms.

Genma's words had Soun utterly confused. He had observed the way Ranma and Akane interacted with their children the night before and was quite impressed. Unease from both his grandsons about each other set Ranma to work assuring his son that everything would be fine with time. It was how Ranma dealt with the situation that had Soun impressed. Where Genma criticized and called Ranma weak for doubting himself or the people he dealt with, Ranma was a patient confident teacher. Something in Okayama had changed both Ranma and Akane greatly and Soun knew it was a change for the better.

"What makes you think Ranma isn't teaching our grandson the arts properly," Soun wanted to know.

"Simple Tendo, he's been under the influence of Nodoka's father for ten years. He's probably so dependent on weapons he doesn't know how to fight hand to hand anymore. I've said it once and I'll say it again, weapons are nothing but a crutch that makes you a weak martial artist," Genma explained receiving a hard rubber doll to the head a moment later.

As he rubbed the sore spot on his head, Genma was greeted by Yuko sticking her tongue out at him and giving Genma a rather hard stare. At four Yuko was far more observant than most people gave her credit. She knew Genma in a way thought her father was weak because he used weapons in his fighting style. Yuko was bound and determined to defend her father and she let Genma know it, "My daddy is not weak you meany pants panda."

"I see your father has been teaching you how to hide things. Weapons might be good for him Yuko but not for your uncle or cousin. Saotome martial arts are strictly fought with the hands not weapons. It's been that way for generations," Gemma explained not fully caring if the little girl understood, "But, I did not come here to give your granddaughter a history lesson on my family. I came here to see what my grandson really knows and of it needs correcting."

Ranma was in heaven. A smile was plastered across his face as his son, using midair combat, was able to knock down the elder Saotome. It was a minor victory for the seven-year-old prince as it was the first time he had knocked his father to the ground using the new kata the Saotome males had been working on. Ranma wasted very little time giving his son a very proud smile for his accomplishment and quickly rose to his feet. Akio saw what his father was about to do and dropped into a defensive position bokken at the ready waiting for the moment Ranma made his move.

Ranma saw his son quickly adapt to his change in position and smiled even wider. His son's observational skills were becoming better with each session the pair had. It was a fundamental principle of the Saotome School to change and adapt to every move an opponent made and something Ranma emphasized a lot. Ranma's next move against his son served more to see just what Akio would do to adapt to an unexpected maneuver than to try and win their practice match. Striking out with his own bokken, Ranma was surprised when he saw Akio perform a move adapted from Bagwa and Wudang Sword fighting techniques to defend against the attack. The circular pattern Akio was forming had given away which form he had seamlessly switched to.

"I'm impressed Akio. You picked a defensive move that would allow you quickly evade being struck by your opponent's blade. Grandpa Katsuhito would be very proud to see you using your head like that," Ranma complemented his son.

"Quite impressive indeed. Not how I would go about doing it but still quite impressive," a voice commented as the sound of clapping could be heard.

Ranma turned to see Kuno and a small audience watching the father and son go through their morning training session. Hearing the complement from the kendo purist meant quite a bit to Ranma. Tatewaki Kuno was, in Ranma's mind, a kendo master on par with Tenchi in terms of skill. A complement from a master of the art he was currently teaching to his son meant a lot. Noticing Mousse, the grandfathers, and little Yuko standing with Kuno Ranma decided it was time to show his father what four years of working with Akio had resulted in.

"Akio show your grandfathers exactly what it was that won you a place in great-grandfather Azuza's heart," Ranma requested of his son.

Akio responded with a curt nod and dropped into what appeared to be a classic kendo ready stance. The young boy then leapt into the air performing a graceful dancing kata that combined several classic sword styles with the movements of several styles of kung fu and Japanese unarmed fighting arts. From his spot on the sidelines with his daughter and father-in-law Mousse clearly recognized two variants of the Kachu Tenchin Armaguriken seamlessly incorporated into the elaborate kata. Halfway through the dance Akio's body began to glow as little tiny logs appeared surrounding his body with a ring of pure electrical energy. When the kata had ended Akio stood in a low striking position his defensive power still surrounding him as he gave his grandfathers a hard look indicating that he was not afraid of either one and would not back down.

"You've been teaching him Joketsuzoku fighting arts haven't you," Mousse commented indicating recognition of several moves within the kata.

Ranma smiled proudly as Akio remained focused on his grandfathers, "I've taken the best of what I had learned in the thirteen years prior to Akio's birth along with everything Akane learned from Soun and fused them into a unique art that is the core of my family's school."

"Amazing simply amazing. You've done well in teaching our grandson the arts Ranma," Soun commented satisfied at what the heir to the schools had accomplished.

From his spot Genma let out a small chuckle as a smile crept across his face. He did not want to admit it but Ranma had fathered a child who was everything he could hope for in an heir and more. The elder Saotome had come to the Tendo home that morning expecting to see a child struggling in the art and in dire need of his personal teachings. What he found was a boy who could do more at seven than his father could when he was five years older. "I have to hand it to you boy your son is no slouch when it comes to the arts. I still say a Saotome man should not depend on weapons but I don't think I'm going to change your son's mind on that one," Genma commented.

Akio, never turning his head, looked over towards his father who smiled and nodded indicating it was okay for him to stand down. Lack of fear had been instrumental in gaining Azuza's trust and approval that teaching Akio the arts on Earth was the proper course for the young prince. It was the moment Azuza had told Akio that he was worthy to be called a Son of Jurai and one of Tsunami's children when both father and son knew they were successful with their training and had gained the Emperor's favor.

The serious tone in the dojo was soon broken by a familiar call from the Tendo house, "Ranma Akio breakfast!"

Akio quickly turned to face Ranma placing his right fist in the palm of his left hand and bowed before letting a huge goofy grin appear upon his face. "Race ya to the table dad," Akio challenged before bounding through the yard towards the living room.

"Oh no you don't you're not gonna win this time," Ranma called after his son with a slight chuckle as he gave pursuit.

The father and son pair reached the halfway point in the yard between the dojo and the house when several flashes of light appeared in several points within the yard of the Tendo home and dojo. The lights revealed what appeared to be sleek humanoid sized robotic suits. All at once the father and son were surrounded as two loud crashes could be heard coming from the house and dojo. The moment the crashing noise subsided Ranma's heart sank as he heard the loud scream of his six-year-old daughter.

"Ranko!" Ranma cried out.


	4. Hostages

Author's Note: A few quick things before we get into the meat of this chapter and get the plot really going here. First off, a bit of an apology from me for taking so long between chapters. There was the holiday weekend and I was out of town and decided to leave the computer at home. Add to that a minor block with how I was going to get out the chapter and my home network being crummy the last few days and it took longer than I wanted it to. Second, I wanted to clear up just which Tenchi canon I'm going to be using here. I'm going to be basing most of what I'm writing on the official OVA canon of series creator Masaki Kajishima. Since this is an alternate reality series where Tenchi is concerned, OVA 3 will be where a lot of the changes will be evident. Only the OVA spinoff series GPX will come into play as Nobiyuki has not remarried sharing a relationship with Kiyone Makubi. Also, any and all new characters showing up in this story will follow the Kajishima tradition of being named after towns, landmarks, and public transportation lines around the Okayama prefecture in Japan. That said, sit back, enjoy, and I apologize if the chapter feels a little pushed or slow.

Revolution, civil war, a hostage situation call it what you will Emperor Azuza Masaki Jurai was a prisoner in his own home. Had he seen the signs Azuza would have been able to see the attack coming. It was an attack that had somehow evaded the trained eyes and ears of Funaho's intelligence department and was able to get by Misaki's highly trained royal guard. For such an attack to do that the individual behind it had to be very well versed in the comings and goings of the Juraian royal family. And, by Azuza's reckoning, whoever coordinated and calculated the attack on the royal palace wanted Azuza's family off the throne.

At first when the robotic suits stormed the royal palace Azuza believed the attack to be an act of war from the planet Airai over a misunderstanding about Jurai's connection to the goddess Tsunami. However, that proved to not be the case when no evidence of ships from Airai could be found in orbit of the planet. The only conclusion to be drawn was that the attack had come from within Jurai itself. The thought that someone had corrupted members of his wives' intelligence department and royal guards angered Azuza as he contemplated who could possibly be behind the attack.

Jurai had four royal houses with four possible suspects in the attack and seeing as the head of his house was very loyal to him in more ways than one Azuza quickly ruled out anyone connected to House Masaki. House Kamiki would never consider rebelling against the royal throne as the daughter of the head of the house happened to be the second empress of Jurai. That left House Amaki and House Tatsuki as the likely suspects in the attack on the royal palace. House Tatsuki was too timid of a house to conceive of such an attack on the palace. They were very willing to do whatever it took to maintain peace on Jurai and that meant going along with the laws and wishes of whoever held the throne. The Tatsuki House was, simply put, very much afraid of what the Emperor and House Masaki would do to them. That left only House Amaki as the likely suspects in the attack.

House Amaki bitterly hated House Masaki for being the favored children of Tsunami. It was clear in council with the way Ikeda Amaki Jurai, a younger royal bonded to a third generation tree, droned on and on about the lack of a proper heir to the royal throne. It was a subject that he mentioned every chance he could get since Yosho renounced his claim to the throne. The House Maski was spread to the four corners of the galaxy and with the emperor's daughters chasing after their older brother succession was a subject that brought about heated debate.

For Ikeda the solution to the issue of who would succeed Azuza on the throne was to do away with House Masaki as the ruling family and let a new house take the throne. Of course, in Ikeda's eyes the only house right for the position was House Amaki. In his eyes House Tatsuki wasn't ruling material because they lacked a strong leader. House Kamiki wouldn't do because they were in bed with House Masaki and their only other child was not a naturally born Jurain. That left House Amaki and Ikeda as the only ones right to rule Jurai.

However, someone did not see things that way. Someone saw great favor with House Masaki and formed a great bond with the emperor, his children, and their descendants. Someone had great plans for her champions. At the moment though, that someone was dealing with robotic suits of her own.

Homecoming

Part Four: Hostages

"Ranko!" Ranma cried out.

They were surrounded. All at once six robotic suits encircled Ranma and Akio where they stood in the yard. At first glance the suits appeared to be weaponless but after living with his family in Okayama for ten years Ranma knew things were never how they appeared. The six hands pointed at father and son each had a small circular opening in it containing a weapon of some type. What that weapon was Ranma did not want to find out.

"Dad, what do we do," Akio questioned the elder Saotome.

"Defense now," Ranma replied as he flared his energy forming his Jurain battle suit.

Akio nodded in acknowledgement of his father's command and called forth the defensive shield of tiny electrified logs Ayeka had taught him how to produce. With a little effort the ring of logs became large enough to encircle both Saotome males. For the briefest of moments Ranma let a small wave of pride in his son's abilities wash over him. However, it was not the time for such things as the attacking robots made their first move.

The robotic suits fired upon the father and son duo. The red sphere shaped projectiles came at them from all sides. The objective of the robots was simple; capture the members of the Jurain royal family with their capture spheres. Ranma batted away a sphere headed for him while Akio's barrier stopped another from getting him. Letting an angered sneer come across his face Ranma rushed the nearest robot. With a swift roundhouse kick to the head Ranma knocked the head off the first robot taking it out of commission.

The second robot rushed for Akio who quickly returned his protective barrier close to his body as he braced for the attack placing his arms in front of his face. The tiny electrified logs protected the small prince shorting out the robot. Whimpering Akio looked up to see the robot lying on the ground at his feet. Scared, Akio moved closer to his father for protection.

"Damn, there's still too many of them. Stay close Akio," Ranma instructed with a small curse as he engaged the third robot.

"I hope the others are okay dad," Akio commented as he watched his father unleash the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken.

The quick combination of punches and footwork took down the third robot breaking it into several pieces. I'm coming Ranko I'm coming, Ranma thought as he engaged the fourth robot while the fifth went for Akio and his protective logs. As the fourth robot went flying back several feet from a kick to its midsection Ranma called forth his own Jurain power channeling it into the Moko Takabisha. The only thought running through the head of the Jurain prince was protect his family.

The scene inside the house was no different. A second group of six robots materialized throughout the house taking those inside by surprise. Ranko had been the first to notice the attacking robotic suits letting out a very loud scream as the two inside the living room made their first attack. The red sphere fired by the robot found its mark and executed its objective capturing the small princess in a mass of paralyzing capture gel. With their first victim captured the two robots split up each heading to join a different pair with in the house, one headed for the women in the kitchen the other to find the two boys on the second floor.

In the small kitchen, Akane and Kasumi did all they could to hold off the pair of robots firing their red capture spheres at them. With not much room to launch a proper counter attack the two women were resigned to using pot lids as protective shields while throwing everything they could at them. The training Ukyo had given Kasumi proved to be helpful but without proper combat experience the housewife and mother was unable to take down the attacking robot.

"Where did these things come from," Kasumi asked as she saw her best paring knife easily deflected by the attacking robot.

"I don't know Kasumi. We've never dealt with anything like this before," Akane replied while sending a roundhouse kick to the second robot driving it back slightly.

Akane silently cursed the spirit of the very first Japanese home designer to create a traditional house layout with a tiny cramped kitchen as the third robot joined the fight. The kitchen was barely large enough for three people and now with five occupying the space a proper fight was most definitely out of the question. The third robot advanced on the sisters knocking their only means of defense out of their hands before sending them to the kitchen floor.

From her position on the floor Akane tried desperately to get in a leg sweep knocking one of the three robots to the floor with her and Kasumi. However, the attack did little to turn the tide as the two remaining robots fired their capture spheres at a screaming Kasumi and a defiant looking Akane. The two sisters were then taken to the living room by the remaining robots.

The moment the robots arrived in the living room they disappeared from the Tendo home taking Akane, Kasumi, and Ranko with them. All that remained in the Tendo home were two young boys and the three remaining robots on the second floor.

Ikeda Amaki Jurai smirked in triumph as the two robots brought Funaho into the throne room hands in shackles. The head of House Masaki, the Jurain intelligence, and first empress of Jurai held a look of defiance upon her face as she recognized who it was that sat in her husband's throne. Ikeda leaned forward chin resting upon his bridged hands as he let out a small triumphant chuckle when the robots stopped in front of the throne.

"Ikeda Amaki. I should have known it would be you behind all of this. You've been trying to get Azuza removed from the throne since the girls left to bring Yosho back," Funaho spat at him.

"My dear lady Funaho, you of all people should know your family lacks a true and proper heir. Your son would rather live on some backwater planet after procreating with an Airain member of the Galaxy Police three times over. His grandsons would rather be married to and procreate with non Jurains. And then you and Lady Seto go and name some human Galaxy Police officer from that same backwater planet as fifth in line for the throne all because the seed of a royal tree happens to power his robot. To add insult to injury, your step-daughters decided to relinquish any claims they may have had to the throne when they followed their brother to all ends of the galaxy ending up on the planet Yosho now lives upon" Ikeda began as he continued to maintain eye contact with her, "Without a named heir, the House Masaki holds no claim to the throne. The grand council of Jurai has let your House sit upon the throne long enough. The time has come for a new emperor upon the throne. The time has come for House Amaki to rule Jurai."

Funaho continued to stare Ikeda defiantly in the eyes as he droned on about taking over the throne from her husband. The young Jurain royal was unaware of the relationship between the members of House Masaki, House Kamiki, and the patron goddess of Jurai Tsunami. Azuza was Tsunami's favored son and his great-grandsons were her chosen champions while at the same time Azuza's youngest child was a part of the great goddess herself.

"Tsunami will not stand for this Ikeda. Her champions will stop you," Funaho remarked in defiance.

"Her champions and your family are, as we speak, being captured themselves by capture bots I requisitioned from the Balta Guild. I'm sorry to say that your days as the ruling house on Jurai are over and there's nothing House Kamiki will be able to do about it if Lady Seto wants to ever see her daughter in one piece again," Ikeda scoffed at Funaho.

Four hundred miles from Nerima on the southwestern tip of the Honsu Island on a small mountainside at the far edge of Kita-ku on the border to Minami-ku overlooking the young city of Okayama a similar battle to the one taking place in Nerima waged on. A group of a dozen robotic suits in a very similar fashion materialized around the temple and home located at the mountain's base. However, unlike Nerima the residents of both the Masaki home and the temple were well equipped and well aware that they had been invaded.

"Something just teleported into the yard," Washu yelled over the sound of her early warning system blaring though the household.

"I'm on it," Ryoko replied before phasing through the second floor to the roof of the house.

"Come on Mihoshi we're going too," Kiyone called out to her former GP Academy training partner and close friend.

"Coming Kiyone," Mihoshi replied following the blue haired woman out the front door of the house.

The battle was already underway when the trio reached the yard. In the distance from within the family carrot fields, Mihoshi and Kiyone could recognize the familiar flashes of a standard issue Galaxy Police blaster. Noike, Mihoshi's one time partner; Misaki's adopted younger sister; and Tenchi's wife of five years, had luckily decided to bring her firearm with her into the fields that day. From the shrine grounds atop the stairs, they saw the familiar spark of both Ayeka and Katsuhito's Jurain power defending against the robotic invaders.

"What the hell are these things," Ryoko wanted to know as she threw an energy blast towards a nearby robot.

"Hell if I know Ryoko," Kiyone called back while firing upon another robot.

Ryoko's attack had taken out the first of the four robots attacking the house. However, the robot Kiyone had targeted dodged her gunfire. Frustrated over the gunfire not hitting its mark Kiyone let out a small grunt as she prepared to fire upon the robot again. Mihoshi, however, stood on the porch to the Masaki house in a frantic tizzy not knowing what to do about the three remaining robots.

Bouncing around in a nervous frantic motion, hands near her mouth, Mihoshi spoke nearly a mile a minute, "Uuuuugh, what do we do Kiyone? What do we do?"

Frustrated that her friend and former training partner had yet to do anything to help repel the attacks Kiyone called back to Mihoshi, "Mihoshi, get your head together and fire at these things. Stop dancing around like a frantic child and act like the GP officer you are."

Mihoshi nodded quickly, took in a deep calming breath, and pulled out her gun firing at the nearest robot. The shot hit the robot between the red "eyes" causing the head to explode rendering it inactive. Kiyone upon seeing Mihoshi acting like the competent officer she had known during their academy days sighed in relief. She had heard about the incident not long after Mihoshi was promoted to first class detective that caused her to make an attempt on her own life. It was the resulting revival by her own family that caused Mihoshi to become more childlike in her actions. Kiyone felt bad for her friend's mental condition and its resulting consequences on her work as a Galaxy Police officer.

"Alright I got it!" Mihoshi cried out in childlike excitement.

"Okay that's two down and two to go," Ryoko commented assessing their situation as she produced her energy sword.

The former space pirate landed on the ground in a ready position waiting for one of the two remaining robots to attack. At the same time, both Kiyone and Mihoshi had their guns at the ready. The group found themselves locked in the classic Mexican Standoff waiting for the other one to make the first move. After what felt like five minutes of standing in the yard and on the porch doing nothing one of the robots made their move.

"Ryoko, on your left!" Kiyone shouted out in warning.

Ryoko made her move spinning to the left thrusting her blade into the chest of the robot. The robot was no more as it fell into two large pieces onto the yard and shorted with a fizzle of its exposed wires. The last remaining robot rushed forth towards Kiyone arm cocked and ready to knock out the police detective turned member of the Jurain Special Forces. Kiyone tried to fire upon the robot but it proved to be much faster than her quick draw ability. All the officer could do to defend herself was duck from the oncoming fist. The moment she did a blast from Mihoshi's blaster took out the robot.

Turning to face the porch Kiyone and Ryoko were faced with a rare sight, a deathly calm and confident Mihoshi. The Galaxy Police officer had moments where she reverted to what she was before the suicide attempt and Kiyone and Ryoko were witness to such a moment. A feeling of pride washed over Kiyone as she smiled at her friend.

"Someone sent these robots to attack the members of the Jurai Royal Family here on Earth. Grab the most intact parts of those robots so Washu can get a close look at them to figure out where they came from," Mihoshi said in a very serious tone.

With a curt nod of her head in understanding Kiyone set to determining the best usable parts for Washu to examine. At the same time Ryoko let out a sigh of relief that Ranma and his family was safely four hundred miles away from the attack in Tokyo or so she thought.

"What were those things," Mousse wondered as he looked over the broken bits of metal lying on the floor of the dojo.

"I don't know," Soun replied as he held a visibly shaking Yuko in his arms.

Looking around the dojo Kuno replayed the battle in his head. The six robots appeared out of thin air as Mousse and Kuno were about to get in a quick spar before breakfast with the family. Akira had been in Sora's room on the second floor of the house to play his Nintendo handheld with his cousin. Only Yuko, who insisted on remaining in Soun's arms, was in the dojo with the four adult males at the time of the attack. The youngest member of the Tendo family had let out a scream when the robots began their attack in the dojo causing Soun to instinctively shield his younger granddaughter with his body.

The three remaining adults did what they could to force the robots to split into easy to manage pairs. Mousse and Kuno each used the weapons they were most proficient in. For the first time in battle Kuno had been forced to use an actual bladed weapon taking the katana he and Nabiki had given Soun as a Christmas present the first year they were married. Mousse, for his part, used a conveniently hidden kusarigama in order to have a more long ranged attack compared to Kuno's close combat method of attack. The two weapons masters along with Genma Saotome's fists and feet were able to hold off the six robots inside the dojo.

Tatewaki Kuno who had spent his life studying the way of the samurai, Shakespearean poetry, and competition kendo had never had the need to use an actual katana in combat. The closest he had come was the bokken the businessman and father had carried with him during his years as a member of both the high school and university kendo clubs. Kuno was no stranger to katanas though, owning several antique and replica blades for the purpose of collecting. Nabiki had once questioned her husband's choice in collectables finding it to be a bit out of the ordinary. Tatewaki explained it was no different than the wealthy man who collected rare books, hand-blown glass pieces, or antique furniture. And while he believed in the way of the sword and all the samurai stood for, Kuno only used their code as a guide for living his life. He never had to take up the life of an actual warrior until that very day.

"Do you suppose this is what Ranma had meant at last night's dinner when he mentioned facing things not of this world," Kuno asked the others.

"If it is, then I can understand why he would want to stay in Okayama for so long," Genma remarked in response.

"I just hope the others are okay Saotome," Soun added just before the sound of two young male voices could be heard coming from the house.

"Dad dad!" the two cousins called out in unison from the covered walkway between the house and dojo.

"There were robots in the house," Sora began.

"And they were tearing up everything," Akira added.

Mousse's face visibly paled the moment the boys mentioned the robots inside the house. They had heard the scream from the house but there was nothing they could do about it as the men in the dojo were engaged in their own battle with a group of robots. The thought that his son could have been taken by the robots brought visible worry to Mousse's face. The thought that something happened to Kasumi, Akane, or little Ranko made the Chinese man's stomach sink. The house was deadly quiet at the moment and that did not sit well with the martial arts instructor and Chinese warrior.

"Where are the others," Mousse questioned his son and nephew.

"There was no one in the house when we came out of my closet dad," Sora replied.

"Yeah all we saw was a robot without a head on the kitchen floor," Akira added.

It was at that moment a loud string of curses came flying from the house. Ranma it appeared had discovered the females in the house were gone and he seemed to know why. Rushing to the house Mousse and Kuno saw just how bad the situation was when the six broken lying about the yard came into view. The reality that Kasumi and Akane were taken hostage by whoever sent the robots sank in very hard.

"They took them. Those bastards have Akane, Kasumi, and Ranko. Whoever has them is going to pay for what they've done," Ranma told them.

In the living room of the Masaki household on the large screen television Washu had linked to the major networks throughout the galaxy and the Earth a tan skinned read headed Seniwan woman appeared on the large screen breaking into the strange penguin soap Mihoshi had been watching at the time of the attack. The graphic below the woman indicated there was major breaking news coming from Jurai. The newscaster's name above the breaking news graphic read as Aida Tamano.

"This is Aida Tamano coming to you from the Galactic News Network. There is news coming out of Jurai at this moment of a coup having taken place upon the planet. At this moment the whereabouts of Emperor Azuza and his wives First Empress Funaho and Second Empress Misaki are unknown. At this moment it is believed that the emperor and his wives are being held hostage somewhere on the Jurain surface. If and when a statement can be made by the Devil Princess Seto Kamiki Jurai or Galaxy Police Grand Marshall Minami Kuramitsu we will bring it to you" Aida reported.

From her seat on the couch Sasami, who was already worried about the attacking robots at the house, rose to find Washu and deliver the bad news. The goddess within her was going haywire with worry over the fate of her favored son and his wives.

"Washu! Someone's taken the palace! We need to get Ranma back fast," Sasami called out into the hidden lab in the hall closet.


End file.
