Prologue

April 12, 1992

A handsome teen walked silently to his 'home'. His deep blue eyes were full of hatred as he thought about his revenge. His jet black hair was tied in a pigtail, an unusual sight. "Okaasan, Otousan. I'll get them back for you. Don't worry. I'll get revenge on them." His voice was ice cold and his eyes showed unmeasurable pain. Ranma Crimson gripped the strap to the backpack on his shoulder tightly. "I'll get them."

***

September 5, 1974

Genma Saotome is not the same person as the one you think you know, and neither is the whole Saotome family in fact. Nodoka Crimson is the female heir to the Crimson Blade school. Although young and hot-tempered she is a talented swordswoman. In her late teens, she has already surpassed many martial arts masters but she has yet to inherit her school. Her parents, Misao and Ken Crimson, has sent her on an training journey to gain experience from the other different martial artists. In the middle of her journey, just when she thought that she was finished and could finally go home to her school, she saves a certain Anything Goes practitioner.

***

Nodoka was eager to get back to her parents. Several months on the road had given her knowledge that she, grudgily agreed, could not have gained had she stayed at home. Her hand tightening around the hilt of her katana she increased her speed as she ran quickly through the forest to her hometown. She suddenly halted as her ears twitched. Darting her eyes back and forth she concentrated on finding out what had made her stop. She snapped her fingers and pointed to her right. "Right there! I knew I had heard something!" She went and changed her direction as she went to the place where she had heard some kind of commotion going on.

Deciding to go a faster way she leaped into the air and started jumping from tree to tree. Landing on a sturdy branch, not that she needed it to be sturdy she thought since she could stand a tiny twig, she watched the fight going on below her. A young man was fighting off against several others and it was obvious that he was on the loosing side. Those men, fighting in groups are such cowards! They don't even dare to fight that man one on one.

What young Nodoka didn't know was that the coward was in fact the young man. He had taken their martial art scrolls and had leech off of them for weeks. The kind hearted people had welcomed him into their dojo and gave him a roof above his head and food to eat. Yet the thief had taken advantage of them.

Bounding off the branch, her auburn hair was not affected since it was tied up in a tight braid, for obvious reasons. (It is obvious right? No..okay..) Her long braid kept her hair neat and did not affect her fighting at all. Instead it had served to be quite useful, like whacking her opponent in the face and using it like a whip. She kept her katana in its case as she slammed her covered katana into one of the young man's enemies. The bulky man fell over as he held his stomach in pain. Several more lighting fast kicks later, the men were down while the young teen sighed in relief.

Seeing that the young man was no longer in danger she took notice of his appearance. He was tall and very well built. His straight raven hair was cut short and he wore a white gi. He smiled at her as he winced slightly at a bruise on his face. He held out his hand to her all the while checking her out-er..evaluating her. "Thanks. I'm Genma Saotome, pleasure meeting you."

She smiled back and shook his hand. "Your welcome, pleasure's all mine. I'm Nodoka Crimson."

***

Genma and Nodoka traveled together back to Nodoka's hometown. The trip back could have been faster but the two had traveled at a leisure pace instead of rushing madly. The more they talked and got to know each other the more they felt attracted to one another. Every time Genma told the Crimson girl about his life and what he did he felt a pang of guilt as he looked into her eyes. It was tearing him apart lying to her about who he was. He never did tell her that he was a lying coward, nor did he tell her that he had trained under a perverted thief. Nodoka had sensed that Genma may have been holding something back from her and she was frustrated at the reason why she still trusted him. There was something about him that made her...

Not once did Genma think about stealing or leeching off anyone when he had traveled with Nodoka. It was as if he had never done those things before. For some reason every time there was a chance for a little stealing, a little lying, and a little wrong, he could not do it. He passed up the opporotunity because Nodoka's smiling face always appeared in his mind. He began to panic as he thought about how the auburn haired girl would react once she found out about him. He did not know what to do and did not dare do anything immorally wrong. He thought about what he would have done had he not met her and thought about what she would do when she found out that he had done something like that. No, Genma thought, I will not do anything that will disappoint her. Not again.

Thus, Genma Saotome a stealing coward was forever changed by the kind hearted Crimson girl. Before reaching their destination, Genma made a surprising revelation...

***

Genma gazed at the beautiful girl-no, WOMAN before him wondering if what he was going to do next was right. Seeing her smiling face his choice resolved. "No-chan." The two had gotten very close to each other. They had trained together, eat together, and sat in front of campfires to keep warm together.

Nodoka turn her attention to Genma as she stopped staring at the bright stars above her. "Yes, Genma-kun?" She smiled at him sweetly. He deserved it to, in her mind. He was so sweet and honest, never did he do anything wrong. At first she had thought that being manly was being a pervert and such but after knowing Genma she threw that silly thought away. Genma was manly and he wasn't a pervert.

Genma gulped. She's going to hate me for this I just know it, he thought depressed. But I've got to do it. I can't lie to her anymore. He took a deep breath. "No-chan, there's something that I have never told you." Nodoka nodded, waiting for his secret to be revealed. "I was not honest with you. The men that you had defeated that day several weeks ago, they were the good guys. I wasn't because I had stolen their possessions." Nodoka gasped. He sighed. "I know what you're thinking. I haven't been living an honest life these past fifteen years." Genma was eighteen, while Nodoka was seventeen. "I have been lying, stealing food, money, and martial arts techniques." Nodoka's smiling gaze hardened as her smile faded away. "But no matter what, No-chan, I want you to know something. You have changed my life and I know it is for the better. I can no longer do anything wrong for every time an opporotunity comes by your face would always be on my mind. I can't forget you and I can't disappoint you anymore. It might have been better to lie to you about my past forever but I couldn't do it. I couldn't lie to you anymore. No-chan...forgive me."

It was deathly silent. Genma bowed his head low, not daring to look at the Crimson heir. He winced at what Nodoka said. "Satome. You have lied to me. You have taken advantage of me and are a lying thief. For that I should never ever forgive you...." She trailed off and he bit his lip. "..but you had come to tell me the truth about what you had done and..." Genma looked at her hopeful. She smiled. "Apology accepted."

Genma smiled happy as he gathered her in a hug. She laughed and kissed him on his lips. Snuggling up to him she whispered softly. "Thank you for being honest with me, Genma-kun. I love you."

"I love you too."