Author's Notes:

Yes Ranma 1/2 fanfiction, though this is not a continuation, this is a total rewrite (or AU) with versions of the characters as shown in the now classic Anime/Manga series. Most characters will start out just like they did in the Manga/Anime, but since I'm changing Ranma every person to be effected by him will end up being different. It's the nigh infamous 'Butterfly Effect'.

The biggest changes are not documented in this Prologue, though I will show those off in future chapters. Here Genma finds the guide to Chinese training grounds earlier (far earlier) than the normal story, causing them to be changed when Ranma is 10-11 years old rather than at 16. This ends up causing Genma to differ in his training of Ranma as he tries to cure his curse (they both still get cursed just as it happened years later for the 'normal Ranma/Genma pair). At least until one fateful day...

Oh I did change one other thing, the world itself is a bit different. I advanced the setting to have access to more modern technology (like modern cell phones), which never made an appearance in the original. Also the fighting is a step closer to realistic, though it has it's own unique flavor of mystical abilities. A lot of other anime had a hand in the flavor of the series including: Tenjou Tenge, Bleach, Ikkitousen, Air Master, Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran, Naruto, Jubei-chan, Otogizoushi, Age of Shura: Mutsu Enmei-ryuu Side Story, Shrine of the Morning Mist, and Lunar Legend Tsukihime (& the Fate/Stay Night world in general).

Oh yeah I also don't own any rights to Ranma ½ or it's characters, though beyond the normal cast and crew from the Manga/Anime are my creations... & any likenesses, blah, blah, etc, etc...

Ranma Tales ½: Prologue

Part 1: Fateful Day

A young girl of about thirteen slumps to the ground as the beast finally falls. Her name is Ranma Saotome and she had been fighting for her life against some sort of hideous beast that her mind frankly refuses to try to describe other than being coated with leathery skin (or should that be hide?) and having horns, fangs, and claws all way bigger and sharper than she liked. Whatever it was just wasn't natural. It was however now very dead. She hoped.

Now that it finally seemed to be dead though she had the chance to look around. Scanning the area she wondered where her stupid father had ended up. Silently she thinks to herself 'The coward probably ran away... again', until she suddenly sees an unmoving form laying a couple dozen feet away wearing a white training gi. Standing up as best she can Ranma wanders over to the prone body that seems to be her pop.

Getting close was in some ways probably a mistake though as getting close showed that Genma hadn't been fast enough this time. His whole left side was slashed open leaving part of a rib exposed to the air and blood dribbled out everywhere. Ranma could do nothing except stare in horrified shock. At least until the body moved somewhat and Genma wheezed "Ranma... I must... Tell you... about... my old friend... In Nerima..." Unfortunately these would end up being the last words to ever leave his mouth as his body ceased moving.

Still utterly frozen in shock Ranma just sat on the ground and stared at her fathers corpse, not able to believe her torturer for the last seven or so years could die like that. After all this was Genma he made a profession out of weaseling out of dire situations. How could he just die?

She sat their and stared for a long time, or so it seemed to her at the time, until she heard footfalls coming toward her and a friendly sort of voice intoned "Is anyone still alive? I heard a lot of noise." While it made Ranma come out of her daze, she couldn't yet make her limbs move so she just sat and continued to stare.

Slowly a figure emerged from the fog that had rolled into the area after the battle. The figure turned out to be a man in his mid to late twenties in appearance wearing some sort of black leather body suit for lack of a better description. What made him stand out as strange had more to do with the fact he had spoken flawless Japanese when he'd called out, yet he was most definitely not Japanese in appearance. Ranma had to admit this man's Japanese was even better than hers was. In fact the dark brown hair and clear blue eyes alone would tell you he wasn't even Asian. He also carried a strange black bladed katana which was slightly curved and much longer than normal, tip to guard was probably an easy four feet in length.

As the figure moved closer Ranma heard the man curse in a language she didn't understand, Chinese most likely, and then sigh before speaking in Japanese again. "It seems I was a bit to late. I am truly sorry for your lose. I'm guessing he was your father, right?". Pointing at the body laying in front of her.

Ranma merely nodded not trusting her voice as a tear slide down her check unnoticed. 'Even pop didn't deserve to die like this' was the main thought running through her head.

The main glanced around and asked "Not to interrupt your grief, but I have to ask: What do you plan to do now? Do you have someplace to go?"

Ranma just stared. 'What can I do now?' she thought to herself. 'Pop was the one training me, I'm not even sure my mother is alive anymore, and he had no other relatives or friends that I know of. But wait, hadn't father said something about an old friend in Nerima just before the end? Could I really make it to Nerima? Could I really track down my fathers friend somehow? But what other choice do I really have...?' She looks up at the man and says "I will go to Nerima, it was the last thing he said before he died."

The man nods and asks "Will you need any help boy? Do you have any money to use?"

Ranma did a double take and said "I'm a girl, sir and no I don't have any money." Though in her mind she was screaming to herself 'Does he know? Could he know?'

The man smiles and says "I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself in my hast to make sure you were all right. People call me Shadow, well among other things at least that's what they call me at least. I also know that while you appear to be a girl, that you aren't really... Jusenkyo maybe?"

Ranma didn't know what to say. She couldn't understand how he knew about her curse. No one else had ever picked up on it before without being shown how it worked. At least that had been the case for nearly three years now. Few had ever heard of Jusenkyo and fewer than that knew of the curses.

"I take it you didn't expect me to know?" the man, Shadow she corrected herself mentally, said with a chuckle. "I know a good bit about that cursed place, but I'm willing to say it isn't as bad as it could have been in your case. Most people mind turning into animals more, or worse for the few pools that change your mind as well as body."

Ranma realizes she must have looked positively pole-axed to get this response and so angrily replies "So what if my stupid pop got me cursed and even after a few years he can't find a way to fix it! And now he never will either!" This was all a bit to much for her and she sank back to the ground again.

Shadow sighed and said "I understand your frustration, but I didn't mean to offend you. Tell you what... Your a martial artist correct? Then let me teach you what I know of the arts and help you find the place you want to go to. In return well... Don't worry about that. I can't even think of asking you for anything in this situation, but I'm sure you'll manage to make it all worth my efforts in the long run. I've been looking for a good student o train for years."

Ranma thought about this for quite awhile. It was possible this man would be a horrible person, but then he didn't feel like that to her. Her sense for that sort of thing was awfully good after having to deal with Genma and the things he did. She also didn't have much hope of even figuring out where Nerima was without some help. Lastly she also knew she was a good martial artist, but their were a lot of challenges on the road and in reality she'd only survived the beasts attacks because it had rained changing her into a girl which made her faster than normal and Genma had wasted the last of the hot water on himself before the beasts attack. After that luck had more to do with survival than anything else had.

Finally she said "I don't know what to say, but thank you. I don't think I can do it on my own... yet. I will go with you." After all what did she have to lose at this point?

Shadow smiled and said "Great. Now... You know I don't know what to call you..." He frowns a bit.

Ranma spoke up "My name is Ranma. Ranma Saotome of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts."

Shadow smiles and replies "Then Ranma how about your first training lesson?"

Ranma frowns and says "I guess that's ok" Though she didn't really feel like doing anything right now.

"Good, while it may be painful we should bury your father... So your first lesson will be how to dig a grave... A bit more morbid than I like for a first lesson, but unfortunately important in many, many ways." was the comment from Shadow.

Nodding Ranma proceeds to help Shadow take care of properly burying her father. Shadow also insisted everything his father was carrying was now Ranma's. Much later he lead Ranma in a prayer (in multiple religions none the less) for her fathers soul and then they departed.

Part 2: First Contact

The Hentai Brigade was out in force again in front of Furikan High this morning, as they were almost every morning these days. A lone figure appears at the gates of the school. Her name is Akane Tendo. Ever since the start of the school year these boys had come to challenge her in battle with the deranged belief that beating her would allow the victor to get a date with her. After a couple months of this abuse she would rather die than let any of them ever touch her, let alone a date were she'd have to be alone with any of them.

As the spectators watched from above, and bet on the upcoming fight, one of the boys stepped forward to lead the charge. Akane set herself into her combat stance and waited. The tensions from the two sides could be felt across the school.

Just before they started their charge a voice rang out "What the hell is going on here?" Everyone turned to stare at the person who had yelled. Only to face fault as they see a young man with dark hair pulled into a pony tail wearing a red Chinese shirt and black pants with a open duster style dark leather jacket over it (which was open), as well as dark leather gloves, and dark leather boots. He was also lifting up a pair of shades from his face as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Of course just the figure alone didn't cause the face fault. No it was the fact he was also standing on top of the ten foot tall wall that surrounds the school. How he got their was a good question since it didn't look like he'd climbed up.

While Ranma wondered what was going on, Akane Tendo couldn't help but stare at this new comer along with just about everyone else.

Edit Note:

I have updated this chapter and all other chapters to have the same style. I think it makes it easier to see the breaks between sections that way. At the same time I fixed a lot of the outstanding grammar issues in various chapters that people had mentioned.

This is my first ever fanfiction series, so it started out rather rough. Later chapters get much better (or at least I think so), so I'd suggest reading the whole thing before making a opinion of the series as a whole. Oh and leave feedback! I enjoy positive feedback and I'm willing to argue with any negative feedback... ;)