Disclaimer: I still don't own Ranma1/2.

Summery: AU.

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An Unexpected Turn

Part VIII

Settled In

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Stumbling out of Akane's room, Ryona yawned as she tried to fight back the sleep. Behind her, the back haired girl was stepping out as well, a bundle of clothes held in her hand, walking downstairs, they noticed the eldest girl in the house. "Morning Kasumi." Passing her, they glanced outside as Ranma and Genma walked past in the garden.

Finally reaching their destination, Akane pushed the door into the bath open and walked in, followed by Ryona who was pulling out her own set of clothes from the backpack leaning on the wall. Then she stepped in, dumping her clean clothes on a shelf. Looking at Akane, she smiled when the other girl pulled open the door into the bath and walked in.

Pulling off her PJs and underwear, Ryona picked up her bath tools and walked in to clean herself. Sitting on the second small stool inside the bathroom, she picked up the soap and began washing herself and shampooing her hair. After dumping the cold water in the bucket over her head, she stood up with Akane and walked over to the furo, staring at the water filling it nearly to the brim. Then they stepped into the water.

"ARGGGGGGGGGG!!"

"RANMAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

*************

Dropping down to lie on the grass half an hour later, Ryona stared up into the air with a semi-content smile on her face. It was nice to be out of the hospital and back on more familiar and friendly ground again, all she really wanted to do right now, was sit back and enjoy the warm quiet spring day. "Ranma, you idiot." Well, almost quiet. Turning her head, she stared at Akane and Ranma once again arguing over something.

She followed the sight of the pigtailed boy as he flew out the door, landing face first into the wall across the yard, with bits of concrete and bricks falling down from where he had landed. "Morning Ranma." Ryona greeted the pigtailed boy with a smile as Ranma pushed himself out of the wall, and turned to glare back at the house.

Staring at the Purple pink haired girl, Ranma's frown lessened and a smile formed instead. "Morning Ryona, so, are you glad to be out of the hospital again?" Walking over to sit next to the girl, he shot a sour look into the house as a response to the red welt on his face. "Stupid tomboy, so what if I used up the last of the hot water, I needed it more then she did."

Pushing herself up to look closer at Ranma, Ryona shook her head. "Well, you didn't have to spend all morning in the bathroom you know." The narrowed eyes spoke of a little anger from her as well. Having to take a bath in cold water was not the best way to start the day for anyone. "You and that panda have already taken two baths and used the water in the kettle, and we hadn't even had breakfast yet."

Tensing in discomfort at the mentioning of the baths, Ranma turned away to avoid showing how much he didn't like it. "It's all pops fault, he the one who threw me into the Koi pond to wake me up, then he ambushed me when I got out of the bath, claiming I was getting soft."

Walking out of the door, Akane tossed a school bag at Ranma as she glared at him and Ryona. "Come on Ranma, we're going to be late for school, again." Turning, the black haired girl began to walk towards the front gates.

Smiling as he caught the schoolbag, Ranma jumped up from the ground and slug it over his shoulder. "Talk to you later Ryona." Rushing after the Tendo girl, Ranma waved back at the purple pink haired girl as they walked out of the gate, lightly arguing.

A small blush formed on Ryona's cheeks when she stared at his retreating back. Dropping back down on her back, Ryona stared up into the warming sky with a content smile on her face as she drifted off into a doze.

"That's it Ranma, you better be at the empty lot behind my house, tomorrow at noon, this is a challenge."

Ranma turned around and stared at Ryona with a curry bread hanging halfway out of his mouth, a tired look on his face. Gulping down the last bit of bread, he crossed his hands behind his head and stared back with a curios look on his face. "You're on..."

Sitting up in surprise, Ryona blinked as she stared at the small tree across the Tendo garden, a single Koi jumping out of the water to break the tensed silence. "What was that?"

The sound of feet on the ground made her look up. Standing on the front porch of the Tendo home, Soun was lighting up a cigarette to calm down after the morning meal when he notice Ryona looking at him. "Morning Child, feeling better?"

Smiling in response, Ryona nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"That's quiet alright, after all, any friend of Ranma is always welcome here." Looking at Ryona with a more curios look, he sat down on the porch and took a deep drag of the smoke. "So, have you been thinking of something to do while you're here, maybe go to school with Ranma and Akane, or help Kasumi around the house."

Biting her lip, Ryona sat up a bit more as she stared at the head of the house, it wasn't a complaint he was giving, but she could clearly hear the curios and somewhat firm tone in the question to if she was going to be doing more than just eat and sleep around the house. "Uh. I don't know about going to school, I don't want to face that man with the sword again."

Laughing a bit, Soun looked at the purple pink haired girl with smile. "Sorry, that sounded a bit more harsh than I wanted it to, I just wondered if you wanted something to do. You're a young girl, you shouldn't spend all your time hiding in the yard." Looking back into the room, Soun stared at the game table behind of him, the itching for a good clean game filling him, it was fun playing with his old friend, trying to see who could get away with cheating the most, but he did also enjoy the true challenge of an honest game every now and then, but it had gotten so hard to find a decent player lately. "Say, do you know how to play GO?"

Shaking her head, Ryona stared at the table with the game "Sorry." Her eyes still staring at the board game with a curious look in them as she answered.

Soun smiled as he walked over to sit down at the table, she may not be an expert, but maybe with a little training and guidance, she would prove to at least have some kind of challenge to her. "Well then, seeing as it's just you, me, and Kasumi here today, how about I teach you how to play it?"

Smiling in return, Ryona stood up and walked over to look down at the older man, maybe he was right, she did need something to do, and just sitting around all day wasn't going to get her anywhere, maybe all she needed was a distraction to come up with something to do. "Uh, I can try."

Soun nodded as he began the task of placing the game pieces in the right places, explaining the rules as he settled each of them into the correct opening positions. He smiled when he saw the strange girl actually paying attention to what he had to say. "And that is how you play it, well, would you like to try." Seeing the slight hesitation in her face, he gave a small grin. "Don't worry, I'll help you through the first few moves, until you're sure you know how to play it."

Before the older man even had a chance to begin the lesson, they were interrupted by Kasumi as she stepped into the room from the garden outside, her smile as radiant as always, and a small song on her lips as she placed the clean clothes on the table. "Oh, Ryona, Mr. Saotome wanted to speak with you, he's out in the dojo."

Smiling at her, Soun patted her on the shoulder. "Well, you had better go and see what he wants. The game can wait until you come back." Noting her hesitation, he gave a small laugh while giving her a small push towards the dojo. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing bad, I'll be waiting here for you."

Giving a small laugh in return that really didn't have one bit of humor in it, Ryona took the first step towards the dojo, painfully aware of the feeling of doom settling over her. Behind her, she could hear Mr. Tendo and Kasumi talking, their voices becoming faint as he reached the door leading into the dojo, hesitating on the step as she battled between simply entering it or fleeing back to the safety of the living room.

Staring around the dojo as she stepped into it, she suddenly felt a cold chill run down her back as she spotted Mr. Saotome waiting for her. His eyes were closed and he was sitting in a lotus position that was supposed to promote peace to the mind and body, but somehow everything about him was screaming out that he was anything but relaxed, and that he was more like a wild animal trapped in a cage, ready to jump the hunter the moment that the door was opened. Opening one eye all of a sudden, he stared straight at her in an emotionless way, the other eye opening after a while as well. "You… You wanted to see me Mr. Saotome?"

Nodding, the older and much larger man began to walk over to her, his face still not showing any kind of emotion, casting a quick glance at her, he slowly walked around her, almost looking for something. Nodding to himself, he stepped away from her and hummed a bit to himself as he stroked his chin. "You might not know this Ryona, but things have happened while you were gone, Ranma and Akane have gotten closer then they were before, and the boy has gotten himself a dangerous foe." Pushing his glasses up as he turned back to face her, he stared right at the younger girl, the glass covered by a faint glow coming from the sun. "With these things in mind, my boy simply can't allow himself to be distracted by an outside factor." The words were said with a cold edge to them as he sat down in front of her.

Stepping back in fear, Ryona's animal instincts began to scream for her to run like hell, hoping that the thing threatening her would lose interest in her in a few seconds after bolting. "What… What do you mean Mr. Saotome?" Her voice shaking as she asked the last question, she began to sweat rather nervously as a smile spread on the elder man's face.

Turning around and stepping closer to the center of the room, Genma waved his hand for her to step closer to him and the center of the dojo. His other hands were reaching for a basket full of small round spheres. "I mean, Ranma will marry Akane and unite this dojo as honor demands, and so far you haven't really helped with this prospect, and with the interest the boy seems to have taken in you, I am forced to ask you for one simple thing." Waiting for the girl to stop tripping around so much, he steeled himself at the next words he knew that he would be using. "Ryona, I want you to leave Ranma and Akane alone and stop interfering in their relationship."

Stepping back in shock, Ryona stared at the elder man with a look of puzzlement on her face. "What, why... Ranma's only my friend, and Akane too." Feeling herself back away, she looked up at the looming form of Genma as he stared at her. "I... I..."

Nodding to himself, Genma walked over and looked down at the girl who seemed to shrink back from his presence alone, his cold eyes stared into her slit ones and gave him a small feeling of fear as they remind him so much of the evil demon eyes he had been told about as a child. "Do you really think Ranma would want to spend time with someone like you." Voice cold as he asked her, Genma pushed her out of the way. "You aren't good enough for him, a homeless child with no family, no one wants anything to do with someone like that."

Ryona stared after Genma as he walked out of the room, her eyes threatening to release a few tears at the words, somehow feeling more hurt than she should over it, as if she was missing a family she couldn't remember. Staggering a bit, she blinked as she got the feeling of standing in a large, cold room, calling out for someone but getting no answer in return. "Mommy... Daddy... Don't leave me... all alone..."

Shaking her head and forcing the thoughts away, she held a hand up to her heart, feeling it beat a bit faster than normally, her forehead cold with sweat. "What... What was that." Reaching out a hand, she leaned up against the wooden wall, waiting to recover, her mind racing to come up with an explanation to what she had just seen, but getting none. "It was nothing, nothing at all."

Walking out of the main dojo door in a air of hopelessness, Ryona cast a small glance up at the sky above her, hoping that somehow an answer to all of her questions could be found up there. "Stay away from Ranma, why, he's my friend, he said so himself." Casting a quick look over her shoulder, she found that Mr. Saotome had left the garden and was mostly likely inside the main part of the house, ready to throw her out if she... tried to get close to Ranma, like she wanted too. "I don't want to lose him..." Staring at the house, she turned to around and walked to the gate, her eyes hidden by the purple pink locks that fell down over them. "I need... to get away just for a few moments." It sounded like a good enough explanation as to why she hadn't returned with Mr. Saotome, and it would give her time... to get her thoughts under control.

Slowly leaving the compound, she gave a small smile despite the feelings in her as she began the trek away from the Dojo and house, her eyes going up to stare at the cloud free sky above her with a confused and troubled expression on her face, her feet moving her in the direction they were facing at the moment.

*************

Hiding in the shadows, the hunter smiled as she spotted her next target walking past below, all alone and unprepared, it was almost impossible for her to overlook such an easy opportunity like that. "Hah!" She cried as she dove out of the trees. Her large wooden mallet aimed at the shocked girl still turning around, but in a speed that was all too slow to avoid it.

It was over all too soon for her as the simple peasant girl crumbled to the ground with a dazed and painful expression on her face, but that could be expected from just having an arm and leg fractured by a large mallet. "Two down, one to go." Crackling to herself as she began to jump off, she twirled a ribbon in the air behind her. "I, Kodachi the Black Rose will win the match this year as well." Behind her, the air was filled with several black rose petals.

On the ground, the girl she had just beaten down moaned as she came too, a large red imprint of her face showing where Kodachi had landed with her feet while smacking her arm with all of her power. "That cheater, I've got to warn the others." Struggling to move away, she stopped when she felt her leg signal that she couldn't do that just yet. "Damn her." In the distance, Kodachi's laughter filled the air

*************

Passing slowly past a street, Ryona stopped when she noticed a sobbing bundle of a girl wearing the Furinkan School Uniform lying on the ground to the side. Feeling that she should try and find out what it was about, she slowly began to walk toward sthe girl, keeping her in her line of sight the whole time, making sure not to blink or get distracted, otherwise, she would never find out what had happened to the girl.

Stepping over and looking down at the girl, she blinked when she noticed the swelling around the left arm and right leg, the signs were clear even to her that the girl had been injured in some way, but why, and how her injuries could be fixed where lost on her. "Umm, sorry, but do you need help?"

The sobbing stopped as the girl looked up at her, failing to recognize her right away but still with enough composure not to show it so much when she looked her over. "You... You look somewhat familiar?" Narrowing her eyes as she struggled to get around for a better look, the girl stopped when she felt Ryona reach down and grab her. "Hey, stop what are you doing?"

Looking a bit confused at the girl when she tried to struggle out of her hold, Ryona shifted her around until she hoped she was in a more comfortable position when held. "Well, you need that arm looked at and the leg as well." Looking up and down the road for a hospital, clinic or a doctor, she grimaced when all she could see where a line of tress, a park and a distant school building. "Um, you wouldn't know where I could find a doctor would you?"

The girl stared up at her with a look of disbelief before she lifted a hand and pointed towards the general area where a hospital could be found. Moving in the direction, Ryona grumbled as she found herself forced to change direction from time to time, taking extra care to keep the girl steady and unharmed.

Finally reaching the large, plain looking building, Ryona moved in through the glass door and stared around the place, feeling a slight bit of resentment at being back in a place that she had just gotten out of recently. Looking towards the nearest person, she smiled when she saw he was at least wearing the outfit of a doctor. "Excuse me, I think she needs some help."

Holding out the girl to the doctor, she stared at him with confusion, as he looked form to the girl and then back up again. "Well, take her down to front desk then, I'm just a nurse around here."

Sighing and almost dumping the girl in his hands, Ryona looked around the place as she stared up at him. "Um, could you, take her to them, I have a problem with finding my way around." The last was added with a small and very embarrassed voice as she stared down on the floor, poking two fingers together.

Shooting an annoyed look from Ryona to the girl, the male nurse finally gave up and turned around to carry the girl up to the front desk, a few mumbled curses following as he felt just how heavy the girl was. "I swear, it's the last time I agree to working at the back door of this place."

Smiling and waving at the confused girl and grumbling male nurse as she walked off, Ryona stopped as one thing suddenly became very clear to her. Looking from one side of the hospital parking lot to the other, she lowered her head in defeat and felt like kicking herself as it became clear she had no idea where she was or where she had come from. Still, the lost part could be fixed as she could still smell where she had been before.

Setting about moving back to where she had come from, Ryona smiled at the thought of having done a good deed for once, but the original reason for her trouble was still there. But it didn't matter, she had a family, she could barely remember them, but she did have one, and she would find them, no matter what it would take.

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Tbc in: Questions about the past.

AN: Well, finally after a long delay in my Ranma stories, the next part of "An Unexpected Turn" is here. Shorter then the all the other chapters I've thrown out lately, the reasons are simple. I had writers block on not only this one, but also all my other Ranma fics. By the time I got it finished, I suddenly had a lack of time to focus on correcting the grammar faults for this one, and finally my Hard Drive burned down taking everything with it. But, I should be ready to continued this story for now, so hang in there.