All Relative, Homecoming
A Ranma 1/2, SM crossover

By John-Martin Lotz
I've fixed the errors and added some

Disclaimer:
Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi, 
Toei Animation, and Kodansha.  The American 
rights are owned by DIC.

Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and 
Shogakukan. The American rights are owned by Viz 
Communications.


I am in no way claiming, or even pretending, to 
own these characters.

Note:

For the purpose of this story I'm saying that 
Ranma and the Senshi, except for the outers of 
course, are the same age, fifteen.

It all started with a postcard.

// Genma is dead.   Am returning from China

-Ranma //
A bit later there was a phone call from 
Okayama-ken (in southern Japan).

"So Ranma, what are your plans?"

"Plans?  Oh, none.  I just got in from China. 
Pops left a note telling me to get in touch with 
you."

"Look, I'll wire you a ticket, and meet you at 
the Juuban train station."

"Ah, sure."

"What ship did you come in on?"

"Ship?  What ... oh ... no ship."

-----------------
Haruka Ten'ou tugged at the skirts of her dress as 
she, Michiru and Hotaru, passed through the gates 
of the train station to stand by the tracks.  "Look 
nice and formal when you meet Ranma.   Humph!"  She 
gave Michiru a glare.

"So, tell us about this mysterious cousin of yours." 
Michiru smiled at
Haruka.  "You haven't been too long on details."

Haruka looked sheepish. "I don't know him that well.  
Ranma and his father were on some kid of martial arts 
training journey, for as long as I knew him.  His 
father was always doing the most stupid things in 
the name of training. And Ranma was a trooper.  He 
did whatever his old man came up with, somehow, and 
carried on."

Michiru looked at her lover.  "You like him."

"Yeah.  He taught me some moves last time he was 
around, just before his old man dragged him off.  
That was five years ago," she sighed.

"Haruka-san, Michiru-san, Hotaru-chan." The two whirled 
around then clamed down as they took in the horde of 
five Inner Senshi and a harried-looking future King 
of the Earth.

"Hello, Ami-chan, what brings you all down here?" 
Michiru asked the calmest of her younger teammates.

"Guess. Setsuna." Rei growled.

Ami looked heavenward,  "Rei, she didn't sound like 
she usually does when it's the end of the world.  
She just told us that we should be at the train station, 
and to please leave the cats home."  She wrinkled 
her nose.

Hotaru piped up, "Haruka-papa's cousin Ranma is 
coming to visit us, and she was telling us about him."

Michiru looked at the younger girls, easily recognizing 
the look on their faces. "No, Makoto, I doubt if he is 
your old sempai, and I don't know if he is a child of 
the Moon Kingdom."

"Indeed."  Setsuna smiled slightly as she stepped 
out of a shadow.  "He was never of the Moon Kingdom.  
He is the cousin of Haruka Ten'ou, a scared boy, a 
powerful warrior, and a lost soul.  I think you," 
her gaze took in all of the Senshi, "can help him 
to heal."

Rei frowned. "It's not like you, helping out without 
there being a hidden motive behind it."

The smile froze. "Mars, someday you will have 
responsibility.  You will have to make hard choices.  
When you do, I hope that you remember what I say now.  
Do you know what it is like, knowing that what you see 
WILL turn to dust one day, knowing the pain, pain you 
hope the gods will forgive you for inflicting, is 
to make a dream that is still in the future, and 
the people suffering will never see it?"

She visibly took control of herself, "No, Mars, if 
you get the chance to heal, and can, you'd grab it."  
She pivoted on one foot and vanished.
-----------------
Pluto, safe for the moment before the gates of time, 
knelt and wept.

----------------- 

"Whoa."

Rei gulped and raised a hand to try to catch her, 
"Setsuna, I ..." she stopped.

It was then that the train pulled into the station, 
and the girls grouped themselves together against the 
tide of exiting salarymen, and they craned on 
tiptoe to try and spot Haruka's cousin in the sea of 
business suits.

"Haruka-papa, I don't see him."

"Haruka-san, I think I see him."  Mina, taller the 
Hotaru, picked the figure from out crowd.  He was 
silhouetted in the sun as he put down a huge backpack 
and studied the platform, now emptying of all but him 
and the others.  He was strongly built, with the 
muscles of a gymnast rather than a weightlifter.  
His hair was in a pigtail, and he wore nondescript 
traveling clothes, black pants, and a loosely belted
 gi top.

Blue eyes searched the waiting group finally settling 
on Haruka, "Haruka!  Hi.'

"Ohhh.  Wow!" more than one of the girls whispered as 
he walked toward them.  

"Ranma?" Haruka stared at her cousin, #Oh my, he's 
crying.  Ranma never cries#

He stared at her, and then dashing the tear that leaked 
from the corner of his eye, he bowed, "Hi.  Sun got in 
my eye."  He waved in the direction on the sun setting 
behind him.

"Ranma, what is it?  What happen to Uncle Genma?"  
Haruka nervous attempts at conversation subsided as 
Michiru shot her a glance.

He looked at her, his eyes requesting the sympathy 
his posture said he would reject  "Pops and I were 
in China, at this 'perfect spot', he had read about. 
Turned out to be cursed."

"Cursed?" Ami echoed, raising her eyebrow.

"Well, I knocked Pops into a pool and he turned 
into a panda, then he knocked me into another one.  
Here, he left this note for you."  He handed a 
folded paper to Haruka, and then turned back to 
Ami, "Yeah, you girls may believe it, but magic 
does exist."

"Do tell. And kind of curse did you get?"

He turned to Haruka,  "Who are these people?  
Friends of yours?"

She reddened, "Sorry.  Ranma, this is Ami Mizuno, 
Rei Hino, Minako Aino, Usagi Tsukino, Makoto 
Kino, and Mamoru Chiba; and these two are Michiru 
Kaiou and Hotaru Tomoe, my housemates."

They could tell he would go no further about what 
his curse so they waited as Haruka studied the note.

Haruka snorted and continued reading:

Haruka

A tall mountain, 
A spring to view my trail
Giri is heavy, but as sensei 
I choose when my student must bear it.
The moon is a diakon, with one bite gone
Past weights grow lighter 

A youth spent studying in the mountains,
The Wild Horse descends to peaceful pasturage

Genma Saotome

She put her hand to her brow and sighed,  #About 
what I would expect from Uncle Genma, bad poetry, 
full of sound and fury, signifying little.  I do 
not need this.#

She picked out a hurriedly written addendum

Should any fiancée find him, lie!

"Ranma, the letter implies that your father died.  
What happened to Uncle Genma?"

Michiru put her hand to her lips, having just 
elbowed her partner in the ribs, and shot her 
another quelling glance.  

Michiru's eyes widened as she caught the implication, 
as did a couple of the girls, who gasped.  "Hotaru, 
be a dear and go with Usagi and get some ice cream."

Usagi and Hotaru frowned at being sent off, but Usagi 
brightened and dragged the younger girl off, 
accompanied by Mamoru, as Ranma looked on with 
approval, and Haruka smiled appreciatively.

"Would you get me some hot tea," Makoto called out as 
they headed off,  "I hope they heard me."

"Your father?"  Haruka reminded Ranma.

Ranma scowled,  "The old man took it too well. Then 
when we camped for the night, he sent me to gather 
some wood.  When I got back he was dead.  I never 
knew he carried a tanto.  That reminds me, I need 
to find a temple to pray for his shade."

Rei nodded.  "I'll help.  My father runs a shrine 
in Juuban.  I'm sure
Haruka-san can give you a ride."

The two arranged a time as Usagi and Hotaru walked 
up, with Usagi licking an ice cream cone and carrying 
Makoto's tea and the other two struggling with the 
cups of iced drinks for the others.  Usagi started 
handing them to the group, stumbling as she handed 
Rei hers.

"Usagi, you clumsy meatball head, look what you did!" 
Rei's yelling died as she became aware that the others 
were staring at something behind her.

""Uh..." Ami's eyes were wide as she stepped forward 
to poke at the breast of the busty redhead who stood 
where Ranma had just been, wearing the clothes that 
Ranma had been wearing.

He batted looking irritated at her finger,  "Do you 
mind????!?!"

"They ... they ... they're real!"

Usagi elbowed Mamoru, who stood gaping at the sight

The girl looked appealingly at Makoto, "Miss, could 
I please have your tea?"

"My tea?  Sure."

He grabbed the tea and pored some over his head, and 
swiftly made the transition back to male.  The girls 
stared, Mamoru looked slightly disappointed until he 
noted that Usagi was looking at him, and Ami poked 
him again.

"So are you a guy who turns into a girl or a girl 
who turns into a guy?"

"I'm a guy," Ranma squawked indignantly.  "I turn 
into a girl when I get splashed with cold water, 
hot water turns me back."

"Good!"  Ami nodded her head decisively, and then 
blushed when she noticed the others staring at her.  
"I mean, Haruka-san said you were male, and I would 
hate to have it turn out that you were a girl and 
not ..." Her voice trailed off, as she noticed that 
the others did not look impressed by her explanation.

Hotaru yawned, and Michiru and Haruka exchanged 
glances.  "Hotaru, I'll take your cousin and 
Hotaru home.  I've got some grocery shopping to 
do and I'm sure you'd like to talk with our young 
friends here."

Michiru grabbed the keys as Haruka tossed them to 
her, gathered Hotaru and Ranma, who had been staring 
steadily at the ground ever since the incident with 
the water, and left.

As the three left, there was moment of silence as 
the rest blinked, as they contemplated Haruka giving 
her car to anyone, even Michiru. She grinned at them; 
"We took her car, she's going to pick me up after she 
drops them off at home."

Rei muttered,  "I wish I knew what Setsuna 
meant about us healing him.   I still think 
there is something else she isn't saying."

Haruka spoke,  "I do need your help, Mamoru, 
ladies." It was hard to tell if the "ladies' 
was sarcastic or not, but she continued before 
anyone had a chance to ask. "At the ripe old 
age of seventeen, I never anticipated being a 
"papa" to Hotaru, let alone being a "mom" to a 
fifteen-year-old boy.

"When he called, Michi-chan and I talked.  
She'll back me up, and we will serve as parents 
for Ranma. "  She punched her hand, "However, 
now it turns out that he changes into a girl if 
you splash him with cold water.  He's been trailing 
around the backwaters of Kami-sama only know where, 
and he's a walking nail just begging to pounded 
on.  And I'm sure when I get the opportunity to 
think about it, I'll find out there are problems 
I haven't even heard of yet."

The silence deepened to stillness as the rest 
took in the problems facing her.

"It kinda makes you wish for a nice, simple 
Youma or Cardian.  You always know where you
 stand with them.   You show up, they hit you, 
you hit them, and then you dust them.  Simple."  
Makoto spoke.

The rest looked at Makoto stunned that she had 
yet to mention that Ranma resembled her old 
boyfriend.

"Mamoru, you're an orphan too.  You know what 
it must be like."

He nodded, waving to indicate that she should 
continue. 

"When my parents died, I was broken up, but I 
had my friends and others around to help me.  
And there were times I did almost give up.  I 
was still known as a brawler.  As near as I 
can figure, Ranma lost everything. The way of 
life he has known for two thirds of his life, 
gone.  The only person who has been a constant 
in his life was gone.  He didn't say, but I have 
a feeling that after his father killed himself, 
he ended up burying the body.  I know I saw dried 
bloodstains on the note he passed Haruka-san.  
Then he had to walk out from wherever he was by 
himself to get here. I don't think he ever had 
the time to mourn properly."

Makoto wiped a knuckle across her eyes, and then 
grinned imprudently at the rest as she continued,  
"Besides, he is cute, and Setsuna-san did say we 
could help him to heal."  She dodged as Minako 
bapped her.


Haruka closed her eyes, as Ami, who patted her 
on the back, spoke, "Haruka-san. That isn't all; 
you saw what happened when he got wet. We have all 
grown up as girls; we knew what to expect socially 
and physically.  He hasn't. I would doubt that he 
ever sat a modern health class - especially one for 
girls so I doubt if he knew what to expect."

The rest looked puzzled as they parsed the sentence, 
then their eyes widened as they exchanged glances.

She continued, "Anyway, there is something else.  
You saw how he looked when he turned into a girl.  
The female form is undoubtedly weaker than his 
normal form.  And the balance of a boy and a 
girl are different.  Given the way the emphasis 
on physical skills have dominated his life, He 
must be feeling weak and powerless as a girl. 
his situation is probably beyond embarrassing 
to him, it must be mortifying. The fact that 
he is still going speaks wonders as to his 
strength."

Haruka sagged for an instant; then Usagi spoke 
up, "Haruka-san, you and Michiru-san took in a 
little girl who lost her father.  Knowing who 
and what she is, you loved her.  You'll do just 
fine with Ranma as well."

The others stared at her, "Princess?"  Afterward, 
no one was able to decide who said it.

"We all go to Juuban High School.  If you need 
us, I'm sure we'll all help."

"Thanks.  For now I'll watch him. I'll keep 
the offer in mind.  Right now, I could use any 
advice you could provide."  Everyone, including 
Mamoru, nodded.

Rei just looked at Usagi/Serenity, "If I ever 
fall back into just thinking of her as an air-headed 
twit, I want to make sure that I remember this," she 
thought to herself.

Ami could deliver bad news and hard advice with 
almost the same lack of emphasis as Setsuna.  She 
demonstrated this as she started ticking off 
advice and comments.  "Firstly, always remember, 
he is a he, even though he is cursed and becomes 
a girl when he gets splashed.  Imagine if Mamoru 
turned into a girl if he got wet?"

The rest went pale at that thought.

"Well, I wasn't the one who poked his breasts, 
you did." Makoto paused, "That sounds so wrong."

Everyone nodded save Ami, who was blushing so 
hard she resembled a tomato.

--------------

The next morning, Michiru sat sipping a cup of tea, 
giggling as Haruka bounced around the yard trying 
to hit Ranma.

He had awakened at the crack of down and had 
been loosening up when Haruka had come down 
to ask if he wanted to spar. He had looked her up 
and down then tried to turn her down commenting 
that he really didn't like to hit girls.

That had done it.  An irate Haruka had talked 
him into sparring just for fun.  First she tried 
a straight punch, he didn't even take his hands 
out of his pockets. He simply wasn't there to be 
hit.  She tried again, and again.  Still missing 
her cousin completely, she had managed to back him 
up against the wall.  Shouting, "This time for real."  
Haruka had struck full speed.  

 Michiru blinked, Ranma had lazily jumped over 
Haruka, and tapped her on the back of her head.

In the yard, Haruka froze, than turned to stare 
at Ranma, who was grinning uncertainly and 
playing with his pigtail nervously.

"I am so glad you are a relative, I'd hate to 
have some enemy beat me like that."

Michiru took another sip of tea; before they 
had drifted off to sleep, Haruka had told her 
everything that the rest of the Sailor Scouts 
had said, fretting that there was no way that 
she could ever successfully raise Ranma.

Privately, Michiru thought it -- Haruka's 
fretting -- was a good sign.

Later as Haruka went to shower, Ranma continued 
his exercises. Hotaru stared out the widow, 
entranced as this cousin of Papa's danced and 
flowed though a kata. She had seen others do the 
martial arts exercises, on the ground.  Ranma 
touched the down only occasionally, instead spending 
most of the time in the air, doing jumps that she 
didn't think any of the Senshi could do even if 
they transformed.

She had been awake, a little, when he had carried 
her from the car and laid her on her bed, and she 
knew he was both strong and gentle.

As Ranma ate all the food that Michiru had 
prepared for breakfast and was reduced to clearing 
off the plates the other silently passed to him, 
to their looks of surprise and a not fully explained 
comment about being used to fighting for his food. 
He leaned back and took in Hotaru's covert studying, 
"Saw you watching me out the window, do ya think I'm v
ery good?"

She nodded at him, wide-eyed.

"You should have seen me when I started, 
I couldn't do half the stuff I do now.  I 
practiced everyday and got better and stronger. 
If you'd like, and these two say it's okay, I'll 
teach you a few moves."

Hotaru transferred a look as kawaii as every kitten 
ever born to her guardians, who looked at each other, 
sighed, then nodded.

When Hotaru had left to get ready for school, Haruka 
glared at Ranma. "I don't like being mousetrapped. 
Hotaru is delicate."

Ranma stood, "And you're worried that I will 
be too hard on her?"  He lifted his hands.  
"See these?"

She nodded.

"They once punched through the hood of a 
moving car and pulled out the engine.  Then 
they grabbed and cradled a baby as I jumped 
away." Ranma chose a relatively normal situation 
from his past; somehow he doubted that throwing 
ki and using some of the secret Soatome family 
techniques he had seen his pop use and had learned 
would reassure his guardian. "Some guy was high on 
something, and tried to plow through a crowd of 
people at full speed.  Pulling the engine out was 
the easiest way to stop the car."

"What happened to the drunk?" Michiru asked.

"Turned him over to the police."

"Pity.  I would have spoken to him about his 
behavior."  Michiru's smile was not entirely nice.

"A part of the code says that I gotta help those 
who are weaker than myself.  I can see that Hotaru 
has great strength inside. However she so weak 
physically, she must be a target for her school 
friends' teasing."

The two nodded.  His smile echoed Michiru's 
earlier one,  "They won't after I get through."

Hotaru giggled slightly to herself a bit later, 
as she went into school.  Her classmates were 
staring at her and the departing Ranma.

Ranma had volunteered to take her on as a 
student and offered to walk her school.  She 
had thought that it would mean walking to school 
on the ground, and it had for a bit.  Then, as 
she was beginning to feel a bit tired, he asked 
and taking her book bag had swung her onto his 
shoulder and continued walking, Then he explained
that one of the critical things that a martial 
artist needed was balance, so he jumped up to 
the top of a fence and just strolled along 
effortlessly as if they were on the ground.

Intersections were leapt over without breaking 
stride and too soon they arrived at school. And 
he softly landed, and bowed elaborately to Hotaru, 
as he ushered her into the building.

"Later, Hotaru-chan.  Later I'll show you the moves 
like I promised,"

"Bye for now, big brother" She had thought about it 
and decided that the term fit.  She picked up her
schoolbag and walked up the steps of the school 
building.



(to be continued)