PETRAS (Prologue-part 2) "Memories" 
 
     Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters here, nor 
am I able to pay for them. They're mostly owned by the companies 
they came from, but the story is mine. 
 
      C&C (some comments and criticisms) to Undine2040@yahoo.com 
                   (Wise Crystal)
 
      Spoiler: Evangelion fans really should keep their eyes off 
this if they haven't watched the End of Evangelion. Well, if 
they want to see it, anyway. Wouldn't wanna ruin the ending, 
though I only make some references to it.

 
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     Washuu stared at her scrapped invention warily. All that 
time, which was a whole span of one week, working on the failed 
project. Plenty of universes that could've been created from it 
before THEY came into her lab. It wasn't just Mihoshi, it was 
mainly Ayeka and Ryoko that messed with the machine. A week 
after she thought she fixed it was the week where she had to 
take it apart again.
     "Don't talk much, do you?" Washuu let a shadow fall over 
her as she was overcome with sarcasm, "So far, they seem very 
normal."
     Setsuna peered over Washuu's shoulder, "Besides the 
'Jusenkyo' incidents, yes," as she watched the viewscreen.
     Washuu sighed. Setsuna always had a problem with 
interpreting lives as normal or weird. On the viewscreen was a 
boy who soon formed into a girl of a different haircolor. Beside 
her was another boy who was long-since attached to an over-
starched bandanna. Overall, the scene, including several other 
odd people appeared weird. Very.
     "Apparently, their universe was very remote from the 
effects of your wonderful machine," even Setsuna could attempt 
sarcasm, "Their characteristics and background should make the 
children, stronger."
     "Either that or very weird."
     They paused as a short-tempered girl with a mallet came 
onto the viewscreen. With unkind eyes set upon the red-haired 
female, her mallet soon came in contact with her. As if Washuu 
was motioning "I told you so", she waited for Setsuna to reply.
     "Believe me, Washuu. All of them are."
     As Washuu's viewscreen skipped to a scene years ahead into 
their world, a portal for Setsuna opened. Without any additional 
words, Setsuna stepped in, while a reflection appeared from 
Washuu's eyes, of a portal opening with a green-haired woman 
stepping out.
 
     The portal closed as Touji stared up to the green-haired 
woman. Just a few minutes ago, he was staring in horror at what 
looked like his former classmate, Rei, in ghost form, and the 
next, he was looking up to a green-haired woman with a staff. 
Touji sputtered some water from his lungs as he took notice of 
where she brought him.
     Already, Touji was thinking of his sister, who lost grip of 
him during the whole ordeal. Weren't they running together, away 
from his Rei? Wasn't he running with her only a moment ago? 
Where was she?
     "You made it," Setsuna held no expression, only a patience 
that was wearing thin, "Now won't you please follow me?"
     Not like he held a choice, for it was at the same moment, a 
flying discus whirled in the air, refusing to stray from its 
path. He finally felt a cold rush over him, as his knee bent. 
Even with the will to keep him conscious, Touji finally closed 
his eyes, and collapsed.
     "Eeek, are you alright?" Serena loomed over the fallen boy, 
I'm sorry, it's just I didn't see you there, and I was just 
tossing the Frisbee and."
     Setsuna could've let Serena go on forever, but gave her a 
chilling stare instead, "What'd I tell you about throwing that 
Frisbee?"
     "I'm sorry, I didn't see you two until after I threw the 
Frisbee and I'm sorry aunt Setsuna, I really didn't think you 
and him would be in the way and I know you told me not to throw 
that thing so hard, but I was just."
     "Never mind, then," Setsuna sighed at both Serena's 
babbling and the fortunate timing.
     Washuu's calculations worked after all. His unconsciousness 
gave her a quick second to use her staff on him. Touji would 
come out of his unconsciousness with a large bruise, but most of 
all, he'd come out with a forgotten past.
     Touji came around before they had a chance to attempt 
lifting him. There he was, lying and opening his eyes to not 
only the green-haired woman, but also some kawaii blonde with 
two twisted ponytails on her head. Touji quickly chose to get 
up.
     "Who, who am I?" he blurted some trite phrase used by most 
amnesiacs, "Uh, who are you?"
     "Doesn't he remember anything?" Serena referred to Touji 
with growing interest, waiting for Setsuna's reply.
     "I am Setsuna and this is my niece, Serena," Setsuna 
attempted a kind voice, "Welcome to Nerima, Touji."
     "Nerima?" Touji never heard of such a place. Though, he 
began to wonder if he was able to recall anything. His memories 
of his sister, Shinji, Kensuke, and the local shelter seemed to 
fade from his mind as he tried harder to remember where he was 
beforehand.
 
     "You erased his memories?" Akane's brow furrowed, "Poor 
boy, if he can't remember anything of his past, how can he 
possibly go on?" but then Akane stopped herself, thinking of 
Serena.
     "You know how Serena is. She's perfectly content with who 
she is," Setsuna sighed, "It'll be the same for Touji."
     Setsuna thought back to when Serena's Frisbee made contact 
with his head. She already foresaw it beforehand, and had her 
staff set to take his main memories away. All Touji would recall 
would be his age, most of his education, besides the history of 
the world he came from. Everything went accordingly in Setsuna's 
mind, and in Washuu's viewscreen.
     "So we'll also take him in, right?" Ranma didn't sound too 
unwilling, "You said he's fit for the Anything Goes training?"
     "Not from you," Setsuna paused a moment, "but what of Ukyou 
and Ryoga?" 
     If it'd been fifteen years earlier, Ranma would've shouted 
in protest, but it wasn't. Awhile after both their weddings, 
Ryoga and Ukyou became Ranma and Akane's best friends. When she 
arrived, they wasted no time accepting the role of being her 
alternative guardians. Even if Ranma pondered the chance to have 
a son, he'd have to consider the childless relationship Ryoga 
and Ukyou were in.
     "Why not?" Ranma began to remember when Ryoga and Ukyou 
constantly spoiled Serena. They acted like the true kind of aunt 
and uncle, passing the job of discipline off to Ranma and Akane. 
"They could use the experience in real parenting."
     There was little protest, if any, from Touji's new 
guardians. Ryoga suffered the problem of not having a child, as 
a result of his curse. Since Ranma and Ryoga both fell into 
Jusenkyo springs, the curse of not having a child was what 
disheartened both friends. While Ranma turned to a girl in the 
use of cold water, Ryoga was plagued with the pig form. They 
both longed for a child, plus an endless supply of hot water 
nearby to aid them in turning back to human form.
     While Ryoga thought of raising a martial artist better than 
even the formidable Ranma, Ukyou thought of the spatulas she 
could hand to her new son. Her dream was to have an heir to her 
thriving restaurant chains. Ukyou's recipes, restaurants, and 
business were well-off, especially with the aid of Akane's 
sister. There was no doubt she was a thriving saleperson, but as 
much as Ukyou liked her marketing skills, Ukyou still wished to 
pass on the family name.
     "We'll name him Mamoru Habiki!" Ukyou blurted with a smile.
     "Uh, no," Setsuna shuddered at the thought, "No, he already 
has a first name."
     "Oh," Ukyou sighed as she waited to hear some dreaded name.  
"Touji."
     Ukyou sighed, "Okay, Touji Habiki."
     Ryoga exhaled as he realized they'd probably banter with 
some female form of talk. Just when did Ukyou tell him of the 
name for their new son? Women, he sighed, as Ranma once would. 
One of the main points in their friendship was their total lack 
of knowledge of them.
     Ryoga slid open the door of the Tendo-Saotome-Habiki home. 
It'd been years since Setsuna rapped his head with her odd 
staff. Somehow, he lost his curse of being constantly misguided 
afterwards. Confidently heading over to the backyard pond, he 
eyed a teenage boy.
     Touji cracked his knuckles in thought as a figure appeared 
in his view. Appearing as at least thirty, he let his eyes fix 
on the approaching man. In some tan garb, his yellow bandanna 
signaled Touji that he was some sort of martial artist, like in 
the history texts. The figure caught his attention. 
     "And you are?" he tried to mask his curiosity with disdain.
     How was he to react to his new "son"? Ryoga slightly felt 
regretful for all those times he spoiled Serena. Touji seemed 
like the obstreperous type, slightly like Ranma in his younger 
years. Ryoga took a deep sigh as he closed his eyes. 
     As Touji raised a brow to the man, he let the man's first 
words sink into him.
     "Touji, I'm your new father."
 
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     Washuu was sure it'd be months before their memories would 
fully resurface, though only minutes of fast-forwarding in her 
viewscreen. 
     "Serena!" Touji ran across the fencetops, "wait up!"
     Still pretending to ignore him, Serena waved her nose in 
the air, "humph!"
     Touji sighed. It was always in that mock-irate manner of 
hers he knew he did something wrong, even though it probably 
meant nothing. Quickly catching up to her, Touji walked besides 
her, merely waiting for her to speak.
     "That was a rude thing to do, Touji."
     Keeping himself from sighing out loud, Touji tried to look 
regretful to Serena. "I'm sorry."
     Her face lifted right afterwards, "Well, at least you're 
sorry. Now do you promise to never do it again?"
     Touji couldn't help but smile at her cute foolishness, 
"Yes, meatball-head."
     A dark cloud formed over Serena as she took a mallet from 
her backpack, "That's what you were supposed to be sorry for!"
     "Whaaaa?" The force of the mallet immediately propelled 
Touji all the way across the street.
     "Don't call me meatball-head!"
     Back in the home of Akane and Ranma's was an old panda and 
his old companion. Sipping tea, they paused a moment as the 
sound of Touji's ramming into the street resonated. The panda 
held a sign "They're definitely on their way to school.". The 
companion, known as Soun Tendo, nodded in accordance.
     Another man stepped into the room where the panda and Soun 
were sitting. With a gracefully aged face, the man adjusted his 
glasses as he sat down to the side of the panda and Soun. 
     "Good day, father." Mr. Tofu greeted Soun, then turned to 
the panda, "and father Saotome, it is good to see you."
     "Growf," was the Panda's kind reply to his guest.
     Ranma's father sighed through his panda exterior. It'd been 
years since he fell into the Jusenkyo Springs like Ranma, 
turning into a panda as to a girl. Genma Saotome remembered the 
many cases in which zookeepers would struggle for him, and the 
many cases he'd search for hot water to be turned back to human 
form. He still wasn't used to it.
     "So Serena and Touji will be visiting my office today, no?"
Soun and the Panda nodded. 
     It was at the same time that Kasumi stepped into the room. 
Mr. Tofu immediately perked up to greet his wife. If it'd been 
fifteen years ago, Tofu would've been pressed to stammer a 
syllable out of his mouth. Years ago, Tofu would lose all his 
composure around her. It wasn't until she finally understood his 
feelings that his stammering stopped, or at least died down.
 
     "How uncute," Touji checked himself for broken bones.
     Serena wasn't hard to catch up to, with her constant trips 
over Nerima's sidewalks. As if she was originally meant to be a 
klutz, she'd find herself crying over the many scrapes from the 
cement. 
     Only that morning, the trip wasn't her fault. Slightly 
brooding over the previous encounter that left Touji somewhere 
with his new wounds, she had kept to a straight path in her 
walk. For Touji, it was relatively easy to track her path to 
school, only even he hadn't predicted the fast-moving bicycle 
behind her. Almost driven off the sidewalk, Serena immediately 
crashed into the road. 
     "Serena!" her falling figure flashed through his eyes.
     There wasn't much time before Touji ran to Serena and 
checked if she was all right. Apparently, some biker nearly ran 
into her.
     "Waaaaaaaahhhhh!" Serena wasted no time to cry.
     She wasn't injured, but whoever caused her fall would be. 
Touji turned to the boy who stopped his bike. Obviously worried 
of Serena's condition, Touji saw the boy adjusted his thick 
glasses as he stooped to Serena's sitting position.
     "Ah, okay you are?" the boy's nasal voice struck Touji's 
mind.
     "How could she?" Touji lifted the boy by his collar, "You 
nearly killed her, you jerk."
     "So sorry!" the boy tried to speak, "She no sees there! I 
so sorry!"
     Touji was crossed between bewilderment of the boy's speech 
and the odd familiarity of his voice, even with the fake accent 
behind it. With the odd recollection of another face closely 
resembling that of the boy's, he shook his head. The accent was 
so false, different from the memory of the boy that was flashing 
through his mind.
     "Say that again!" Touji opened his eyes in a flash of 
anger.
     "Touji," Serena's crying stopped long before, "It's all 
right. It was just an accident."
     The boy couldn't help but nod in agreement.
     At first in malice, the fist Touji made immediately 
wavered. The scene was too familiar, as if he'd done something 
like this before, with that boy nearby. Touji was still 
wondering what to do of the boy, to either pound him, or ask if 
he knew him. 
     His instinct won the conflict, "You should've watched where 
you were going!" The boy was hurled a few feet away.
     Again, Touji was recalling something, as if he had done 
this before. Cracking his knuckles, Touji could've continued the 
punitive experience, but looked to Serena instead. She wasn't 
pleased with what was going on. She seemed to hint the biker was 
obviously sorry from the start.
     "Get outta here!" Touji knew he had to let him go.
     The boy wasted no time, even with his newly broken glasses. 
Without looking back, the boy amazingly recovered and hopped 
onto his bike. 
     "Why'd you do that?" Serena's eyes were tinged with an odd 
glow of anger.
     "I, Serena," Touji's voice was immediately small before he 
was cut off.
     "He was already sorry, you idiot! You could've injured 
him!"
     "I, I'm sorry," Touji then peered into her eyes, "I just 
wanted to protect you, meatball-head."
     Both turned silent until Serena let herself sigh.
     "Don't call me meatball-head."
     "Yes, love," Touji paused at his outburst, looking to the 
ground.
     Serena was silenced also, pondering the meaning of the 
word. She heard it plenty of times, from parents and family, but 
from another guy? All that time, he called her meatball-head, 
she knew he'd eventually use the L-word. Somehow, it was 
reminding her of someone else, some other memory that was 
bottled inside of her. 
     It took her a few more seconds before she realized her mind 
was delving into the matter too far. 
     Out of her quandary, Serena walked on to smile, "That's 
better." She motioned for him to follow.
     Touji hesitated a moment before walking to her. Every day 
to school, he used the term, "meat-ball head". Was "love" any 
different, or was it just a safer substitute? Still, it was one 
word that wouldn't cause him to bruise later. With an arm 
wrapped around her shoulder, Touji proceeded with Serena for the 
rest of the way to school. 


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                       (Later that day)
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     Every month, Serena went to her uncle's medical office for 
examination. All he'd do is show her some stained papers, and 
she'd give her answers. She never received anything from them, 
just the queer feeling of something she forgot. 
     "Okay, I want you to tell me what you see from this 
picture," Mr. Tofu took out an inkblot.
     "A banana," Serena sighed at the inkblot she saw many times 
beforehand.
     "Are you sure you see nothing else?" Tofu smiled in 
encouragement.
     "Yeah, love," Touji leaned in to whisper, "Besides, you'll 
get a lollipop if you're more descriptive."
     Forgetting Tofu's later-used retort, Serena focused on the 
word "love" once more again. Why was it becoming so hard for her 
to focus when she heard the word? Blurry images were dwelling in 
her mind, waiting to be resurfaced. As she turned to look back 
to her inkblot, she sighed once again. 
     Serena began to stare at the crescent-shaped inkblot in 
wonder. The harder she stared, the harder it became to say it 
looked like only one thing. There were multiple images forming 
in her mind, though she wasn't quite sure what they meant. The 
look of a masked tuxedo, the moon, images of people she couldn't 
yet identify in her conscious state. /Serena/ was the call of 
some foreign, male voice.
     "Serena," Touji looked at the dazed girl for a moment, 
"Serena!"
     Suddenly jerked from what she was recalling, Serena looked 
back up at Mr. Tofu. "a moon."
     Tofu couldn't believe it himself. Every month, he tried the 
technique since the anniversary of Serena's arrival to their 
world. Only then was she remembering. It was as if the "banana" 
Serena usually saw was becoming something more. It was time for 
her to regain her past. 
     Immediately, he wondered if Touji would have the same 
effect. Serena and Touji often experienced the same events, with 
their closeness. Even if he arrived two years after Serena, 
there was a slight chance he'd recall something. After at least 
ten more "basic" inkblots, Tofu shifted his test onto Touji. 
 
     Outside the doctor's building was the fake-accented-boy. 
Only a few minutes ago, he was supposed to arrive at the Habiki 
Restaurant Headquarters. Once again, he was rushing on his 
bicycle, and forgot to spot something in front of him. 
     "Aaaaah!" his voice resonated around the area as he was 
hurled into the garbage truck. 
 
     He could've sworn he heard a familiar voice. Slightly 
distracted from the testing, his mind was flooded with dark 
images. He knew he forgot something, but it wasn't yet clear to 
him what it was. 
     Touji turned to the butterfly-shaped inkblot with wonder. A 
strange word formed in his mind, which loosened other images 
from his subconscious. Somehow, he recalled clearer images, of a 
fourteen-year-old boy from his past, an unkempt, childish woman, 
a blue-haired girl, and plenty others that made no sense. It was 
then he finally realized the word he was thinking. "An angel."
     Touji wasn't as distraught as Serena, though something in 
both of them appeared awry. The fact that he was put into a 
trance-like state meant he was remembering.
     "Nothing."
     It was a lie. Tofu worked with the boy too many times with 
that same inkblot, receiving the same description, "a 
butterfly". Why would it be different that time?
     "I think that should be all for today," Tofu led Touji and 
Serena outside his office. "Let's head home."
 
     In Ranma and Akane's home lived numerous individuals. There 
was the panda (Ranma's dad), Soun Tendo, Ryoga, Ukyou, Kasumi, 
and finally Mr. Tofu, who took residence there after his 
marriage to Kasumi. 
     Touji stepped in the house, only to see a flying umbrella 
hurtle towards him. Immediately ducking, he shouted, "Dad!"
     The umbrella swung back towards its owner, a man of at 
least thirty years. "You could've caught it."
     "Uh huh!" The flying object that passed through Tofu's hair 
seemed to have styled it like a weedwhacker would. "I think I'll 
go check on Kasumi," his voice faded as he swiftly headed 
towards the kitchen.
     "And if I couldn't?" even through the calm of his tone, the 
words were tinged with ice.
     "You couldn't have trained enough then," Ryoga walked back 
towards the room of his origin. "Come."
     "More 'practice," Touji sighed, then looked to Serena more 
lightly, "Seeya at dinner."
     The echoes of his father and a sparring partner immediately 
replaced Touji's presence in the room. As he trudged towards the 
room, the sounds of splashing materials, a squealing pig, and a 
high-pitched female voice filled his ears. 
 
     Mihoshi knew it was time to visit Washuu. How long had it 
been since Washuu went into her lab? Ten, no Fifteen minutes? 
Deciding it was her time to step in, she swayed through the 
basement door, unnoticing the warning signs before her. 
     "Oh, Washuu!" 
     She could've sworn she heard Mihoshi. Washuu wasted no time 
to secure her materials. Every time Washuu appeared in her lab 
was the times when Washuu considered "life insurance". Even the 
"greatest scientist in the universe" couldn't combat the 
unluckiness of having that clumsy blonde around.
     "I'll be right out!" Washuu decided to take a break from 
her viewscreen, "Don't come in!"
     She sighed immediately as she realized it was too late.
     "Okay, I'll just wait out there and," Mihoshi's path out 
the lab was interrupted by her stare at what looked like a 
"bright, shiny crystal", "What's this?"
     Unfortunately, Mihoshi hadn't seen the staff that belonged 
to the crystal, nor the person holding it. "Huh?" was the last 
word Mihoshi muttered before being pulled into it.
     "What'd you do to her?" Washuu wasn't sure if it was from 
shocked curiosity, or from anger.
     "Don't worry. She's alive," Setsuna appeared from a shadow, 
"But she won't be any help here for awhile."
     In less than a second, Washuu contemplated "awhile" with no 
Mihoshi. No more unwanted intrusions into her lab, messed-up 
experiments, no more time spent to conjure the failed measures 
to block Mihoshi from the lab completely. "Awhile" quickly 
became a calming word.
     "How long?" Washuu looked up to Setsuna.
     She could've said the typical "that's for me to know and 
you to find out" phrase, but refrained. She said nothing at all 
for a moment as another figure emerged from what seemed like a 
never-ending shadow.
     "Long enough to keep you safe."
     Washuu gazed at the other woman. Her red eyes were just as 
peculiar as the blue hair she presented. In a glance, one 
could've mistaken her for a teenager, but Washuu observed her 
intently.
     "Another ol' friend of yours?" Washuu still stared at the 
female as she waited for an answer.
     "Washuu, meet Rei."
     Washuu felt herself being absorbed somehow by Rei. She 
couldn't help but stare into the red eyes with wonder. It felt 
like an hour before she was diverted from the unblinking eyes.  
     Rei blinked. The "young" woman before her would not relent. 
She just stared at her, as if she knew everything within her 
through the eyes.
     "Another one of the 'saved'," Rei felt flooded with her 
memories. 
     "From what?" Washuu knew one of them would answer.
     Setsuna let Rei see herself or at least the embodiment of 
her when she supposedly "died". Her form, taken by "Lilith" to 
bring together the unfortunate individuals in her world. When 
she saw the first human turned to the liquid, she was suddenly 
disgusted with the process. It was only a few minutes ago she 
arrived at the Masaki Shrine and a few minutes before that when 
she died in the other universe. 
     "So there's more to these disruptions," Washuu turned back 
to her viewscreen, which showed a group of martial artists.
     "With more people," Setsuna gripped her staff a little 
tighter, "And more to do."
 
     Touji was beyond groaning over his sore muscles. Even in 
the memories he couldn't quite recall, he knew he was more 
enduring. Unlike the "Shinji" that was surfacing in his mind, he 
could take a few sessions with the martial artists. 
     In a reverie of the past, Touji eyed the Tendo-Saotome-
Habiki backyard. Before that day, he could only recall the 
glimmer of Serena's aunt, "Setsuna" as his earliest memory. He 
never understood how Setsuna was related to her, nor seemed to 
care until he met that accented-boy. So many memories of 
familiar people flowed into him, he wondered where Setsuna was 
related in it. Was she just the first person he met when he 
arrived in that world, or was there more to her?
 
     "Mamoru." Serena whispered to the sky.
     Only a few weeks ago, she remembered everything. She was 
once a SailorScout. Mamoru was once Tuxedo Mask, the love who 
constantly worked to save her from perilous situations, only he 
was brainwashed, working for the malevolent Queen Beryl. As she 
stared at the memories in her mind, Serena wished them to go 
away.
     She was in another world, annexed for the sake of the 
guizhinshou, since she was Princess Serenity. She remembered the 
green-haired "guardian of time" that told of worse things to 
come. Serena still couldn't understand how her use of some 
"guizhinshou" would wipe out the other SailorScouts, and 
especially, her Mamoru. It was only from looking into the 
woman's despaired eyes that she knew she had to leave the world 
she was in, to prevent whatever tragedies ahead in time.
     A cold wind brushed against her as she heard the crackling 
of numerous leaves, "Serena, aren't you coming in?"
     Turning around, she only confirmed the voice she guessed 
would speak to her. Touji was the type who'd care the most at 
the crucial times, but he was never a Sailor Scout, so he had no 
idea how to help.
     "Touji, it's cold," Serena continued quickly, "I mean, for 
you. Shouldn't you head inside?"
     If he'd been hurt, he didn't let it show, "You must come 
inside. C'mon, love, Akane's worried about you."
     Serena noted Akane for a brief moment. She was twice her 
age, only slightly younger than her own mom, but Akane still 
wore the youthful face that kept her content. She was a doting 
motherly figure, but she still wasn't a real mother.
     Shaking the thought away, Serena let Touji lead her back to 
their home. She knew her life with the SailorScouts had to be 
forgotten again, if she was ever to go on in life.
 

     "What's with Serena?" Ranma scarfed down the last of his 
chicken before continuing, "she seems kinda down today..."
     "Just like last week, last month," Nabiki cut in, "Even 
Touji's baffled."
     "You don't think her memory's returning," Ranma stated the 
obvious.
     "Of course, she had another life in Setsuna's world," 
Kasumi lifted Ranma's empty dishes from the table, "Once she's 
remembered fully, it'll be hard for her to forget."
     "Poor Serena, poor Touji," Akane looked out the window, 
"and he has no idea."
     "NiHao!"
     Akane's head jerked violently in response to the nearby 
shout. The roughly accented female voice seemed too familiar, 
Akane knew it belonged to only one person.
     "Shampoo!" The others around Akane got up from the table to 
greet her, especially Nabiki.
     "Shampoo!" Nabiki grinned, "How's it going?"
     "Ah, so years many!" Shampoo smiled, "Place same as left."
     Same as left. To Ranma, everything changed over those 
thirteen years. So many times, he had to go through skits of 
being run over by Shampoo's bicycle or hit by Akane's mallet. 
Whenever she was around, she reminded him of the Amazon law's 
"engagement" he had to her. His marriage with Akane began to 
settle only when Shampoo supposedly gave up on Ranma, and 
finally found someone else. 
     "But bring someone different!" Shampoo stepped outside the 
house only to bring in Mousse, who was slowly followed by a 
teenage boy.
     "Meet son, Kensuke!" 
     In a tongue other than Chinese or Japanese, Shampoo 
whispered to Kensuke, "Relax, they're old pals."
     Hesitating a moment, Kensuke took a breath before speaking 
what his parents 7taught him in Japanese. "Hello."
     While Kensuke quickly quieted, the others around him could 
only wonder if he was truly Shampoo's son. He spoke perfect 
Japanese, almost more fluently than the Tendos and Tofus, 
Habikis, and Saotomes in the room. Unlike Shampoo, whose heavy 
accent butchered their language, Kensuke spoke like a scholar. 
     Nabiki took the chance to break the silence around him. 
"So, you were her son all along," She thought of first meeting 
him before that day. Apparently, when he first arrived to intern 
at her office, he was the first to fix most of the newly arrived 
computers. Glancing into his eyes, she quickly knew Shampoo was 
lying.
     "So all that time," Nabiki noticed Kensuke sweat slightly 
as she continued, "That you were after Ranma, you had another 
child."
     "Pardon?" Shampoo's rough accent dissipated.
     Nabiki already knew Shampoo was speaking in English. Years 
in the university gave her the chance to freshen her foreign 
language skills.
     In the English she remembered from before, Nabiki turned to 
Shampoo. "He's not your son, is he?"
     Shampoo shook her head, "Of course not. He would've been 
born while Ranma was marrying Akane."
     At the mention of his name Ranma perked up, "Mind telling 
us what's going on?"
     "Sure," Mousse sighed. In a more fluent speech, he 
continued, "Nabiki just told us Kensuke isn't our real son."
     Instinctively, Kasumi led Kensuke out of the room. Pointing 
out the window, Kasumi smiled, "Would you be a dear and have 
Serena and Touji come in?" Meaning the two dim figures in the 
backyard, she stepped back into the house.
     While Kasumi headed back to the living room where the 
others were, Kensuke chose to see whom she meant. 
     As Touji was leading Serena back inside, he noticed a 
familiar figure approaching him. 
     "Aaah!" Kensuke felt off guard as he eyed the dim figure 
before him. Only a few feet away from the irated boyfriend from 
earlier that day, his only instinct was to run.
     "Come back here, you worm!" Touji was ready to cream the 
trespasser, "Just what the . are you doing here?"
 
     Tenchi eyed his new residence warily. Washuu told him the 
world would be different, but never so small. In the instant he 
realized the house was quickly increasing in size.
     "Huh?" Tenchi took the chance to look directly beneath him. 
As he realized the ground was quite far below him, he couldn't 
help but breath, "Oh, no."
     "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH.." Was what suddenly caught the attention 
of Serena and Kensuke, but mostly Touji.
     The voice seemed to come closer and closer to him. There 
was no chance to look up to the person to whom it belonged 
before he felt something extremely heavy on his back.
     "Get. Off. Me!" Touji felt his temper rise as he was 
overcome with dizziness.
     Tenchi knew the Touji he was currently on was supposed to 
be strong, but even he couldn't endure a rapidly descended 
person on him. Anyone would at least.
     "I think he's passed out." Kensuke stared down to Touji.
     "Touji!" Serena hastened to his side. 
     "Um." Tenchi got off him immediately. "I think we should 
bring him inside."
     Seeing the two strangers pick up Touji, Serena couldn't 
help but wonder what was goin' on. "Who...who are you?" She was 
expecting an answer from both of them.
     "Tenchi Masaki," he strained to lift Touji's legs, "But
let's first get inside."


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


     Whenever new characters are brought in, it takes a lotta 
time to establish who they are, where they came from, and what 
they're like. Since this is ONLY one part of the prologue, 
reading through them will hopefully establish some kinda 
characterization. If the characters seem Out O Character, email 
me, cuz the feedback would be great encouragement enough for 
continuing. 
      Characters: This time, I've decided to refrain from 
writing "Cliff-Note" stuff for the story. 
      So many acknowledgements could be made for the owners of 
the anime in this story...  
         C&C to Undine2040@yahoo.com (Wise Crystal)