Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, Sailor Moon, and Ah! Megami-sama! belong to their respective owners. I do not own any of these characters.

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Chapter Eight Part One: Past and Present (unedited)

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She clutched the sword in her hand tightly as she stared uneasily ahead. "Must I do this sensei? Is there no way to get out of this?" Her eyes flashed nervously at the old man standing a step behind her.

His only answer to her question was gently nudging her forward. She turned around swiftly. "But sensei, why?"

He stared down at her sternly. "It is the way of nature. Evil must be eliminated no matter what. Humans and Evil creatures are natural enemies. It's either you kill them or they kill you. You must never show mercy."

"But.."

"Have none of my teachings ever affected you?! Why must you persist in this foolish notion of yours?" He frowned deeply at her after glancing at the darkness in front of them.

"I just can't believe that there is not a single good demon." She said softly but persistently. "In my heart I know that everything place in this Realm and the others by Kami-sama must have been good. Why can't we show them some mercy? Wouldn't it be wrong if we killed them when they could have a chance to change?"

She winced at the tightened fist of her sensei. He towered over her as she was quite short. It loosened and he smiled slightly. "That's your charm but it could also be your downfall. You mustn’t be this naive forever. Mercy only works sometimes." He sighed as he rubbed his neck. "Fine then, go back to the dojo while I go finish them off with the other students."

She smiled slightly, thankful for not having to kill a demon yet. She walked away from the fight between the hunters and demons relief clear on her mind.

Her relief faded when she suddenly felt a darkness following her. It was pure instinct and years of martial arts training by her father that saved her from the demon's attack. She leapt away from the demon to distance herself from it. The demon was bulky with horns more than she could count.

The ground where she had stood caved in as the demon growled menacingly at her. She was still young believing that there could possibly be some good demons but she prided herself for her talent and skill in both martial arts and demon hunting skills.

Yet this once she had failed to notice the demon following her until it was almost too late. The demon attacked again with vigor as it tried to pierce her heart. She nimbly dodged its attacks before something clicked in her mind. The demon's body was made of acid! Its right hand had nearly grazed her hand and her blue shirt's sleeve had burned slightly.

She had to be careful. Dodging the demon's attacks was becoming increasingly harder. She had to do start going on the offensive. She mumbled the spells softly before throwing the wards at the demon.

The demon managed to dodge two of them but the rest hit on target. It screeched in pain and she winced slightly. That was always the worst part, she noted absently.

Its numerous eyes glowed red before charging at her at a pace so fast she barely had time to avoid. Her hands glowed with magic as she punched and attacked the demon back. Magic protected her hands from being burned by the demon's acid skin.

The demon lay crumpled on the ground. Her hand shook slightly as she held her magically enhanced sword above her head. Even after two years of learning how to kill demons she still hesitated at delivering the final blow.

For the first time since it attacked her, the demon spoke. "P-Please! Don't kill me! I'll change! I-I won't do wrong again."

She faltered. The demon was practically groveling at her feet. Its miserable pleadings struck her nerve of sympathy and she let it go. It deserved a chance, she thought trying to reassure herself that she had done the right thing.

+++++

She brushed her red bangs away from her face as she picked up more wood for the dojo. It was her job to gather wood today and cook dinner for sensei and her other classmates. She smiled slightly as she thought about her best friend. He was a year older than her, fourteen, while she was thirteen. The training to be a great demon hunter was just as grueling as martial arts as one needed to be able to fight properly. When she had first arrived at the Feinun Academy for Demon Hunters he had been the first one to befriend her.

Konomi was her first real friend after Ucchan. He was very kind and they often fought but it wasn't anything serious. He was like her, both being energetic and prideful. The other students at the school were much older than them and they had more experience with demon hunting.

Like in any school, the older students would often look down on the 'newbies.' They had a lot in common, one being that they were more mature than most their age. They took thing seriously, especially the art. She laughed. As if her sempai would believe them considering the number of pranks they pulled. It could be that she was as close to a boy with Konomi's personality than anyone else that made them inseparable.

Her laughter halted when she felt dread settle in her stomach as she neared the Academy. A piercing scream echoed in the air and she dropped the wood in her hands and raced into the school.

She stared in shock as decapitated bodies laid everywhere in the school grounds. Blood. Blood. All she saw was blood. Her steps faltered before she sped desperately to the origin of the scream. The Academy was littered with bodies of people she knew and of various demons.

She nearly fainted when she spotted the demon that she had let escape eating on the body of Konomi. The demon stopped chewing as all of its eyes focused on her. It grinned evilly. "Nice to meet you HUMAN."

Her mind didn't notice the other demons fading into existence around her as she was staring at the corpse of her friend.

"I must thank you for not killing me - if it weren't for you then I wouldn't have had a chance to enjoy this wonderful meal." It drawled out.

Something in her snapped when she heard the demon's remark. From that moment all she could see was red. Blood red. She totally snapped as she went on a rampage tearing the demons around her into pieces.

"ARRRGGGGGH!!!!!!!"

And then it was over and she was kneeling in front of her friend alone in the huge Academy.

Her friend's face was one of shock and his eyes were open. He was staring at her. Blaming her.

And he was asking her, "Why? Why did you kill me?"

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Ranko sat up straight from her bed in cold sweat. She placed her right hand over her chest trying to calm her furiously beating heart. When her body began to calm down once again she sighed deeply as she got off her bed. It was that nightmare again - no, it wasn't a nightmare. It was a horrible memory. Her body moved mechanically as her mind was going over the memory her subconscious had once again shown her. She glanced at the clock on her desk. 4:28 She sighed again. Once again she had woken up at this hour.

After closing her door silently she went into the Tendo's bathroom to wash up. Taking her clothes off she took a short shower and stood in the hallway. She glanced down the dark hallway before quietly opening the door to Kasumi's bedroom.

She silently walked over to Kasumi's desk and turned off the alarm clock that would ring in half an hour. Every morning Kasumi would wake up at five to make breakfast for her family and the 'guests.' Ranko's keen hearing could always make out the alarm clock ringing at exactly 5 a.m. and Kasumi's door opening one minute later. She felt that since she was up early she might as well let Kasumi sleep in for once. Ranko despised having to freeload off of the Tendo family and it didn't feel right for her to do absolutely nothing.

Leaving the eldest daughter's room she went downstairs. She turned on the light switch of the kitchen and made a large breakfast. She set out the plates and chopsticks on the table and got out several oranges from the refrigerator to make orange juice. The clock in the kitchen read 6:04 and she left the orange juice in the pitcher. The Tendos and her father would wake up soon so she figured she would have a workout to calm her mind on her last 'nightmare.'

Entering the Tendo dojo she stood before the shrine and gave a respectful bow to the spirits. A martial artist should always respect nature and a demon hunter should know better. She had been trained since childhood in martial arts and she felt that her demon training had made her further in tune with nature.

She walked into the middle of the dojo and closed her eyes as she began to perform her kata. She was going slowly so that she could perform it in a smooth and flowing manner. Some martial artist didn't prefer the gentle kata believing it to be too simple and harmless. Those that believed that way did not realize that it was more complex than it was assumed to be.

People often misuse the Art. The Art did not have to be violent and it was definitely not used to 'beat up' others. The many tournaments and 'fights' should be used to exchange techniques and earn more experience. The Art should be a joy and not to cause devastating damage to others.

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The warm sunlight had shone through her peach curtains and its brightness caused her to awaken from her peaceful slumber. Kasumi Tendo opened her eyes slowly as it adapted to the brightly lit room. It took her several moments to fully awaken as she finally realized what was wrong.

Her room was brightly lit. That meant that the sun had already risen for sometime. This led to her swiftly sitting up on her bed and grabbing her clock. She stared at the time.

6:50

She did something that she rarely did. She panicked. "Oh my goodness!" She got off her bed and quickly dressed as she raced into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
"Why hadn't the clock rang?" She mumbled frantically as she practically flew down the stairs. "How could I wake up so late?! I need to make breakfast quickly. Father, Uncle Saotome, Kaneda, and Nabiki were sure to wake up soon! Oh how could this happen to-"

Kasumi stopped short as she stared at the dining table. She blinked once. Then again. In front of her was a perfectly made meal. Including six cups with ice and a large pitcher of orange juice. She walked slowly towards the table and numbly sat down.

Who could have made breakfast, she wondered silently.

Several minutes later she heard a loud splash and a female yelling. She absently thought that her little brother-sister had awakened and so was Uncle Saotome.

She was still stunned when Nabiki came down the stairs dressed in the Furinkan High uniform. She didn't notice when her sister sat down next to her grumbling about having to wake up to the loud racket of her brother and Uncle Saotome fighting.

Nabiki sighed as she placed her bag next to her. She looked at the food on the table and smiled slightly. "Looks good Kasumi." When her sister didn't answer her she turned her head. Kasumi was just staring at the pitcher of orange juice silently. Nabiki felt concern replace her slight smile.

Suddenly her sister stood up and left the room. Nabiki stared at the spot her sister had sat.

"Kasumi?"

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Ranko fluidly moved from her slow Tai chi kata to a faster one. She found it amusing that some people could be so stubborn as to not accept change. Some believed that one martial art was better than the others and refused to adapt. Unarmed combat and armed combat are both powerful in its own way. It was true that if one lost their weapon during a fight that they may be helpless but if one didn't depend solely on their weapon then it wouldn't matter if they had their weapon or not.

The reason she loved her fighting style so much was that it incorporated the various martial arts in the world. It didn't rely on one style and the Anything Goes forced its practitioner to adapt in order to succeed.

Ranko moved from one kata to another as she tried to become one with the world and calm her mental state. However, when she recalled the same 'nightmare' she had continuously she faltered in her movements and stopped altogether.

She slowly dropped to her knees as the image of her dead friend slipped into her mind. She held her head with her right hand and sighed. "Konomi...”

"Ranko?" Ranko stood up immediately and turned to the source of the soft whisper.

In her despair she failed to notice that Kasumi had entered the dojo and watched her fall to her knees. Kasumi stood at the door with a concerned expression on her face.

Ranko automatically pasted on a fake smile as she walked towards the Tendo girl. "Morning Kasumi, why don't you go eat while I take dip in the bath." No matter how she tried, her falsely merry voice seemed hallow to her. It was no wonder that Kasumi became even more concerned.

Kasumi seemed oblivious most of the time but in truth she was observing her family and the visitors that arrived at the Tendo Dojo. With years of observation she could see right through Ranko's facade.

As Ranko passed her to enter the house Kasumi saw the tear slip on the redhead's face. She could barely make out the soft mumble of the girl as she left.

"Sorry Konomi.."

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Nabiki blanked out for a few minutes after her sister left suddenly. She sighed. "Good Morning to you too, Nee-chan." She sat up slightly to pour some of the orange juice and stopped as something about the pitcher tugged at her mind.

#Flash#

Ranko smiled cheerfully as she held up a pitcher of lemonade. "Would you like some Nabiki?"

She nodded as Ranko got her a cup of ice and poured the liquid into the cup. Nabiki figured she must have been staring because Ranko added, "I like the pitchers. It makes things a lot easier."

#End Flash#

"So that's it." Nabiki muttered softly. Ranko had made breakfast today. She allowed a small smile onto her face. Ranko was a very considerate girl.

"That old man! Grr! He always does this! Jerk!" Nabiki sighed inwardly as Kaneda stormed up the stairs sopping wet and in his cursed form.

Too bad the same couldn't be said of her brother. For the oddest reason, his manners had started deteriorating lately.

Nabiki looked up as Ranko walked in followed by Kasumi. Concern filled her as she noticed the fake smile pasted on the redhead's face.

"Morning Nabiki-chan."

"Morning Ranko-chan." The second Tendo daughter gave her sister a questioning glance once Ranko left. Her sister could only shake her head worried. "Maybe it's because she's leaving tomorrow." The uncertain look in Kasumi's eyes made her sigh softly. "Then again she should be ecstatic at finally meeting her mother again."

+++++++

Kaneda reluctantly got out of the bath as he figured being late for school again would disappoint his sister. (At this time his father only cared about his "engagement" with Ranko, he thought wryly.) He dried himself as he stepped into the other half of the bathroom and slipped on his pants. Ranko walked in unexpectedly causing him to back up in reflex.

"Hey you stupid tomboy, what are you doing?!" He yelled defensively. Ranko just stood there staring at him. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Are you finished yet?" Kaneda blinked at her question and nodded slowly. He was unsure how to react to a calm Ranko.

"Then get out." His eyes widened as he gave a gasp of indignity when Ranko suddenly pushed him out.

"My shirt! Give me my sh-mphf!" Kaneda narrowed his eyes at the door and clutched the shirt Ranko had thrown at his face tightly. "Tomboy!"

He closed his eyes immediately as he waited for the inevitable punch or slap by Ranko. It never came. He frowned slightly. Was she sick?

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Breakfast went by without any strange events. It was rather quiet with the entire household giving Ranko worried glances. Whether she realized it or not, Ranko didn't mention it.

"We're leaving, Kasumi. Bye." Ranko said before walking away from the Tendo Dojo. Nabiki had left ten minutes ago saying she had some business to take care of. Nobody questioned her about her 'business.' A few minutes on their way to Furinkan High, the sound of a bell ringing alerted Ranko to the incoming danger. She leapt away from Kaneda immediately.

Kaneda, however, was still confused from Ranko's lack of response (violence) to his insults and therefore didn't react in time. He yelled in pain as Shampoo suddenly ran her bike onto his head.

"Oh sorry, Airen. Why are you under my bike again?" She asked innocently.

"You know why!" He shouted indignant.

The lavender-haired girl merely shrugged as she abandoned her bike to walk next to Ranko. "Morning!" She shouted cheerfully.

Ranko looked away from the frowning Kaneda and smiled slightly at her friend. "Morning Sham-chan."

The Amazon warrior immediately realized something was wrong with Ranko and, with a quick glance at her 'Airen', switched to Mandarin. >Tell me what is wrong, Ranko.> Before Ranko could reply she added in, >And don't bother trying to lie to me. I know when you are lying.>

The redhead sighed slightly. >I just had a bad nightmare and it's sort of depressing since I will be leaving tomorrow. You are going to stay here with Kaneda and I will be alone in another strange place.> Her face clouded darkly as she continued. >Then again it just may be for the best if my friends didn't follow me. They will just get hurt by the chaos of my life. Trouble always seems to follow me wherever I go.>

Shampoo frowned at her friend's pessimistic comments. She wanted to contradict Ranko's words but the look the redhead gave her told her that the topic was closed.

Kaneda frowned feeling a bit left out. "Hey! What did you say? Why not tell me?!" His frown deepened when they chose to ignore him.

"Hmph! Girls!"

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Throughout the day the Saotome girl tried to act as normal as possible around her classmates. Those who really knew her would realize immediately whether or not she was her normal self.

Kaneda had to admit that she was a pretty good actor considering she laughed and joked around like usual. If you looked carefully into her eyes, you would notice that her smile didn't reach there. Usually her cerulean eyes would glow with warmth and excitement.

Today they seemed cloudy and emotionless. The eyes of a person who was carefully shielding her true feelings.

He sighed as he wiped his brow of the sweat the heat had caused. The Saotomes brought along chaos and excitement wherever they went, he thought absentmindedly.

Trouble too; he added as once again he was splashed with cold water. The girl inside the school building gave him a shout of apology when she noticed that there was someone standing outside.

Two more splashes and he would be in his female form. Thankfully Ranko had asked the old ghoul to order a box waterproof soap for him. Without those nifty soaps he didn't know how he could avoid his classmates finding out.

His curse was making things more complicated and he almost wished that the Saotomes had never entered his life. However, Kaneda had a sinking feeling that he would have regretted never meeting them. He may have a lot of problems that were either indirectly or directly related to the Saotomes but he couldn't totally hate them.

He now had a fiancée and a 'wife', Ranko and Shampoo. his 'soon-to-be-father-in-law'(Genma) was a crazy maniac who didn't seem to have a shred of decency. He was living off of them yet he was extremely rude. Why couldn't the old man refrain from dumping him in the koi pond?! He didn't like his cursed form - it made him feel insecure and like... a freak.

That led to his other problem. He was cursed to become a female version of him with a splash of cold water. He couldn't help the feeling that if he had never met Ranko then he wouldn't have been cursed. Shampoo became a problem due to Ranko and Mousse was due to Shampoo.

He took a deep breath. No, he had to resist blaming Mousse and ultimately Ranko for his predicament. He could only blame the gods for playing with his life.

In four months he would be rid of his curse. All he had to do was endure the next four months. He rubbed his forehead tiredly. Easier said than done, he thought wryly.

Squaring his shoulders he walked over to where Ranko sat eating her lunch with Shampoo and Mousse. Kaneda noticed another childhood acquaintance of Ranko's walking toward said redhead.

"Ukyo Kounji," He mumbled softly.

+++++++

"Drop the whole thing. It's only hurting you more." His voice was irritated and laced with concern.

"What are you talking about? I'm absolutely fine."

His jaw tightened as he fixed a glare at the girl sitting before him. Her face was cheerful and her tone deceivingly innocent. Her facial expression remained the same even after receiving his piercing gaze. He sighed and turned to the other Amazon present. The person who rejected his love ever since he knew the meaning of the word.

The lavender-haired girl could only shrug as the smiling redhead refused to give in. He felt himself getting irritated at her. Didn't she care? He thought angrily. Ranko was her friend too.

Mousse turned his head away from her, fearing that he might say something that he will regret. He admitted grudgingly that although he had assured Ranko he was over Shampoo, he knew that he still harbored feelings for her. She was still his first love.

He noticed the Tendo boy and Kounji girl walking towards them and felt slight relief flow around him. Perhaps they would help him convince the inflexible redhead to drop the cheerful act.

"Morning Ran-chan." The brunette greeted once she was within hearing distance.

The Saotome girl flashed a bright smile. "Morning Ucchan!"

The Kounji girl fixed her an inscrutable gaze. "Ranko." She started firmly. "Tell us what's really going on." The redhead flinched slightly at the unnerving way her best friends were looking at her.

She felt trapped as she subtly glanced at her friends at the corner of her eyes. Everyone, including Kaneda and Sham-chan, were either frowning slightly or giving her concerned looks.

She sighed silently before giving in. "I'm leaving tomorrow and I'll have to go to a new school without knowing anybody. Once again, Saotome Ranko will abandon her friends." She laughed bitterly. "At the very least my friends won't be bothered by the insanity of my life anymore."

Ukyo sighed as she hugged the dainty redhead gently. "Your insanity is our insanity, you can't really think that with you gone we will go back to 'normal' life, do you? Besides, you're not abandoning us and we aren't abandoning you. Well," she glanced briefly at Shampoo and Kaneda, "At least most of us aren't."

Ranko looked at her friend confused. The brunette gave her a broad smile. "Silly you, do you think that I would leave you? I'm transferring to Juuban High too!"

"That goes the same for me Ranko." She turned to look at Mousse surprised. He merely smiled. "I have no reason to stay here after all." He said softly glancing at lavender-haired girl hanging on to Kaneda. "No reason at all."

Ranko got out of the brunette's hug to whisper quietly into Mousse's ears, "Denial is a sign of insanity." He blinked and she laughed softly. The others looked confused but smiled at the sight of the redhead finally dropping her mask of false cheerfulness. Her laughter was not forced anymore.

She gave them a true smile as she walked over to hug Shampoo. "Thanks, for everything."

Kaneda watched the four friends smiling with a neutral expression on his face. Quietly he whispered to himself, "What exactly have I done to deserve your thanks. All I did was stand and watch." So it seemed that Ranko would be leaving Nerima along with him behind. He should feel relieved and happy that he could finally go back to his normal life. Yet he felt depressed that he couldn't follow her.

At the same time, Shampoo was feeling the same thing as her 'Airen.' She had traveled all the way from China to find her friend and now she was going to be left behind again. Should she go after Ranko or stay behind with Kaneda?

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He was brooding in his room about the inevitable 'normalcy' that was certain to surround him once the Saotomes left when he heard someone knocking on his door softly. "Come in." He answered from where he was lying on the bed stomach down.

The door opened and soft red hair came into his eye vision. Ranko gave him a soft smile that made his heart quicken slightly. "Your father wants to have a family meeting." She said as she stepped into his room.

He mumbled an "Okay" in reply as he got up from his bed. Kaneda followed Ranko as she swiftly turned around to go downstairs.

He sighed softly as he sat across his father at the dining table. His sisters and Mr. Saotome were already seated. "So what's this meeting about?" Kaneda asked, a bit irritated. Ranko glanced at his way confused and he only shrugged. It wasn't like he knew why he was aggravated to begin with.

Soun Tendo stared gravely at his children. "As you all know, Ranko and Genma will be leaving tomorrow since the semester has ended." His expression wavered under the combined stares Nabiki and Kaneda gave him, which practically yelled, 'So what tell us something new.' Ranko merely raised an eyebrow at him.

He coughed slightly. "Well...Genma and I have decided that...Kaneda and Ranko needs more time to get to know each other before they can decide whether or not to get married."

Kaneda blinked while Nabiki raised an eyebrow at her father. The redhead gave her father and Soun a wary look as she pondered the meaning of his statement. "Meaning...?" She asked, a sinking feeling forming in her stomach.

She felt dread fill her the moment the two patriarchs grinned broadly. "Kaneda will transfer along with Ranko to Juuban High! Also..." Soun paused dramatically. "The two of them will be temporarily engaged until they are eighteen!!!"

There was an eerie silence as his yell seem to echo. "WHAT?!!!!" Sweat poured down the older men's foreheads as Ranko and Kaneda both slammed their hands down on the table.

"I thought you dropped the whole marriage thing already!!!" Ranko yelled exasperated at her father.

"Just what do you think you are doing, transferring me like that? Getting me engaged to Ranko until I'm eighteen?!! Father, no offense but are you getting senile?! I can't be engaged to her and 'married' to Shampoo!!"

Soun wasn't having an easier time with his son as the blue-haired boy scolded him. He gave his two daughters desperate glances as Kaneda continued to rage at him.

"Honestly!" Ranko snarled. "Grow up, Father! I'm not allowing you to control my life anymore!"

Getting tired of the yells and pathetically pitiful looks her father gave her, Nabiki cleared her throat softly. When the two teenagers continued with their reprimands, she gave them an exasperated look and loudly said, "Ahem!!"

They both stopped in their tirade to glare balefully at the girl. "What?!" They snapped out in unison and immediately wilted under the icy glare she gave them.

"Now since you all decided to respond to the situation in a suitably mature manner," Nabiki started her voice heavily laced with sarcasm, "Why don't *I* settle the issues."

"*You* father have acted in a decidedly reckless fashion. You can't just take Kaneda out of Furinkan High and throw him into Juuban like that and then drop the bomb on him the day before he has to leave." Soun wilted under the combine glares of Nabiki, Kaneda, and Ranko.

"Don't you know how hard it will be for him to be away from his family and friends? Not to mention the troubles he will be in if for some reason the people of Juuban discovers his curse? Juuban High isn't like Furinkan High father. I admit there is a lot of weirdness in that district with the whole youma attacks, but boys turning into girls? Don't think so." Nabiki sighed exasperated.

"Then you also had to decide that he is now engaged to Ranko. Don't you think that you've caused enough trauma for those two? Not to mention the trauma on your own daughters? Especially Kasumi?" Soun glanced at the quiet brunette smiling softly at him and flinched as he saw slight weariness in Kasumi's expression.

Nabiki turned around and pointed at the bald martial artist. "You are also to blame, *Mr. Saotome*!" Genma flinched as he prepared himself from the inevitable verbal assault. "Not only do you take Ranko away from her mother, you got her engaged so many times that it's immeasurable. First, you took her to Jusenkyou. Second, you took her to the Amazon tribe. Third, you are leeching off of us and doing absolutely nothing other than beating the hell out of my brother. Have you no shame?"

The two elder practitioners of Musabetsu Kakutou lowered their heads in shame.

"Well!" They both snapped their heads up at Nabiki's cheerful voice confused. "Now that that's settled I have an announcement of my own to tell you." She smirked. "I will also be transferring to Juuban to help brother dear adapt to the strange school effectively."

Everyone, with the exception of Kasumi who suspiciously didn't have that weariness in her expression anymore, blinked in bewilderment.

"Now, I'm confused!" Ranko exclaimed.

Nabiki simply smirked. "You just need to understand the main points that I will tell you now. You, Kaneda, and I will be transferring to Juuban High and living in Juuban district with your parents. For the time being you and Kaneda will be engaged but at the very least you won't have any pressure." She gave a meaningful glare at her father and Genma before turning to look at her sister. "Is dinner ready, nee-chan?"

Kasumi nodded her head smiling brightly. "It will be out in a minute." She stood up gracefully and walked into the kitchen.

Ranko sighed as she eyed Kasumi suspiciously. "Is it me or did you and Kasumi just trick the four of us?" Nabiki continued to smirk. "At least you gave our fathers the whole guilt trip thing." She dismissed the whole episode casually.

It was merely another day in the crazy life of Ranko Saotome. It seemed, she added thoughtfully, that the Tendos had somehow inherited some of the weirdness that went along with her life.

++++++

Morning arrived with the Tendo family saying their farewells. Nabiki's usual ice facade seemed to have cracked slightly as she gave Kasumi a hug. Kasumi just smiled at them, albeit a bit less cheerful then usual. Kaneda and Ranko were subdued the whole time, which made the two Tendo sisters slightly worried. Soun was another matter as he tried to hold his tears back unsuccessfully. It was one of those times in his life when he couldn't stop his emotional outbursts from happening.

Ranko brushed back her red bangs as she went to give Kasumi a long hug. "Thanks, Kasumi. You're just like a sister to me." The redhead gave her a small smile. "I'll come visit sometime."

"Make sure that you do and take care." Kasumi smiled at her warmly as she returned the hug. Her eyes widened slightly when she heard the soft whisper from the redhead.

Ranko's smile broadened as she waved goodbye and left for the train station with her father and the two Tendo siblings.

Kasumi waved back, with a glazed look on her face. Her mind was stuck on the words Ranko had whispered to her.

"You need to go out more often, Kasumi. Go to college, get a date." She could almost see the smirk on Ranko's face as the redhead added another comment.

"Besides, I know that there is a certain family doctor that is interested."

++++++++

Ranko clasped and unclasped her hands nervously. Kaneda observed her from the corner of his eyes. He understood her nervousness in a way. If he was allowed to meet his mother again he would be nervous to see if he disappointed her.

They were on the train to Juuban and currently almost everyone was sleeping. Ranko was too anxious to sleep while Nabiki was busy with her laptop. The slight weight on his right shoulder reminded him of Shampoo's prescense.

He turned his attention to the sleeping Amazon next to him. She was very cute, he noted. Shampoo was technically more than cute but she just wasn't his type. He felt a pair of eyes on him and looked up to see Mousse glaring at him. Kaneda sighed inwardly. Mousse may have believed himself to be over Shampoo but he was the only one who thought so.

When Mousse continued to glare at him he narrowed his eyes in a glare of his own. Mousse huffed and looked away. Kaneda allowed a small smirk to appear on his face in triumph before continuing to observe the agitated redhead.

Ranko stopped fidgeting once she noticed Kaneda staring at her. She immediately fell into a relaxed pose and pretended to yawn casually. When she still felt his eyes on her, she glanced at the Tendo boy. He face colored slightly as he turned away embarrassed at having been caught staring.

Forgetting her anxieties momentarily she smiled at Kaneda. It was rather considerate of him, she thought silently. Facing the window again she sighed inwardly.

'Kaasan, will you be proud of me?

+++++++

The train stopped abruptly causing Ranko to startle awake. She let out a startled yelp as she was propelled forward onto Kaneda. Feeling strong arms steady her she quickly calmed down and stepped away from his muscled chest. Glancing up at him she met concerned eyes as she started to adjust to her 'wake up call.' "Thanks."

He smiled at her. "No problem." This time she colored slightly and turned around to gather her belongings. What was going on with her she thought irritated. She hardly ever blushed! It must have been the anxiety she felt from being able to see her mother again.

A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump slightly as she turned to face Mousse. "Are you okay?" He asked. She nodded slightly, berating herself for not noticing his movements.

Mousse smiled. "Good." Across from the two Shampoo watched with something akin to jealousy. Not being able to take Mousse smiling at Ranko anymore she latched onto Kaneda with unnecessary force.

Nabiki smirked as she watched the four teenagers. It was amusing how oblivious they could be to their feelings for each other, she mused. Oh well, the more fun for her.

+++++++

End Chapter Eight Part One