Author's Notes –

For those of you who have followed my writing, or at least read some of my fics, this will come as a surprise as this fic is not intended to cross over with any other series though the idea is borrowed from a video game. No, I do not own Ranma ½ or the game that this idea is borrowed from.

Please Read and Review – enjoy.

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The gentle afternoon breeze bent the lazy blades of grass and sent ripples across the seemingly still surface of the stream. This was not how Ranma had envisioned spending the day after his wedding, though in all honesty he really hadn't considered getting married at all. Sure, he knew that it was inevitable, but he'd always supposed that that day would be in the distant, vague, future, not yesterday.

It didn't help that the chaos that had become his life had also become part of the failed wedding. As skilled as the young heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts was even he knew better than to expect his father's plan to hold a surprise wedding to go according to plan. With all the various master martial artists, their egos, and rivalries in play the wedding was doomed from the beginning.

Ranma couldn't help but wonder if perhaps his engagements weren't doomed as well. Sure, most of the various women (and some men) that Genma had sold him off to had called their engagements off on their end, but the three that remained had proven to be more than enough to nearly kill him several times.

It didn't help that Akane Tendo, the first official fiancée, was a tomboy with a very short fuse. She'd hit him more times in the six months that he knew her than she'd broken bricks during training in her entire life. It also didn't help that they seemed to always be arguing with each other and that she protested being engaged to him.

Then there was the possessive Chinese Amazon Shampoo and her tribal laws that demanded that she marry him just because he'd bested her in combat. Sure, Shampoo probably was the hottest of the fiancées, but she was also the craziest and most manipulative of the three as well.

And then there was Ukyo, his childhood friend whom his father had wronged. Sure, she was cute, and she could cook (something that Akane couldn't do for the life of her) but she was his best friend. As much as he knew that she could possibly handle things, he wasn't sure that he wanted to put their friendship on the line. Of all the people around him she was the one he trusted the most, though sometimes that proved to work against him as she had romantic designs for him as well.

Sighing, Ranma looked up at the sky even as he contemplated his life.

# # # # #

The smell of cinnamon filled the dark, smoke filled room. Though he hated using his scented incense sticks Hikaru Gosunkugi knew that he had to use those. Having spent a virtual fortune to acquire the crystalline structure before him the runty youth knew that this was his last chance to get rid of the blasted Ranma Saotome.

In a world ruled by technology few people ever considered consulting the mystical arts. Even in Nerima people tended to rationalize things away, though some had come to accept that magic did exist, they only did so because they had seen far more than the average person did.

If those fools who had carelessly discarded the Frozen Flame only knew what it could do… but they were fools, just like Ranma Saotome.

Having observed the cursed fool over the past six months Hikaru knew all the places that Ranma frequented. Though he didn't know where exactly Ranma was, the mystical markings he'd placed throughout Nerima were keyed to Ranma's presence. Seeing one of his markers glowing as Ranma approached the respective rune, the runty boy smiled.

Now was the perfect time for him to extract his revenge. If everything went according to his plan he'd erase the cursed Saotome from the face of the earth. No one would remember him. No one would care that he wasn't around. And Akane Tendo would be alone, ripe for Gosunkugi's taking.

An evil light reflected off the Frozen Flame as the crystalline structure slowly unfolded, it's ancient magic coming to life as the vengeful youth began to recite the magical verses needed to activate the artifact.

X X X X X

The eerie, glowing light caught the pigtailed boy's attention as he lay on the sloped ground by the stream/canal. Sitting up, he turned to the odd spectacle. A half-buried cinder block with an odd marking glowed as though it was on fire, yet it radiated cold.

A wave of nausea ran through the young martial artist, forcing him to clutch at his stomach. It felt as though he'd been force-fed some of Akane's cooking. Groaning he closed his eyes.

Suddenly the pain vanished.

Opening his eyes, Ranma looked at the now, not glowing cinder block. Shrugging, he wondered if perhaps he wasn't just hungry – it had been a while since he'd eaten after all.

Nimbly he sprang to his feet, landing gracefully like the expert martial artist that he was before he set off for the Tendo's house. As usual the pigtailed young man took the quickest and most direct path, hopping from roof top to roof top. It wasn't until he'd reached the second block that he noticed the startled cries and screams, probably from women that the old letch was terrorizing.

Looking around expectantly, Ranma wondered just where the perverted grandmaster and founder of Anything Goes Martial Arts was.

Instinctively he dodged the battered and dirty boot that was thrown at him. Looking around for the source of the attack he noted the outraged woman holding a towel about her bosom as she sought to cover herself while also avenging herself.

"Sorry," he shouted as he leapt down to the street.

It was the early evening; perhaps he'd startled a few bathing women accidently. Maybe it wasn't the old letch's fault that the women were upset. At least the woman's undergarments had still been hanging in the window.

Reaching the Tendo's Ranma waved at Kasumi as the eldest Tendo daughter washed the sidewalk.

"Hey, Kasumi," he said with a friendly wave.

The woman turned around to look at him, "Such a flattery – there's no need to be so kind."

Ranma blinked. Had the failed wedding gotten to Kasumi? She looked so old… and her hair had started to gray.

"No wonder Kasumi came home tonight," the woman that looked like an aged Kasumi said. "And who might you be?"

"Quite kidding around Kasumi," the pigtailed boy said as he took another step towards her.

"Kasumi is my daughter," the woman said with a blush, "it's been years since anyone mistook us. But your kindness and flattery will go a long ways. I'll try to smooth things over with my husband so that he won't be too rough with you."

Ranma blinked. Something was seriously wrong here.

"What was your name?"

"Ranma, Ranma Saotome," he said automatically.

The woman that looked like Kasumi froze, her warmth in her eyes and smile suddenly vanishing. "Why don't I show you in," the Kasumi look-alike suggested as she turned to lead him into the compound.

Ranma absently followed her in, not even bothering to note that the yard wasn't wrecked or that there weren't any repairmen around.

"Please, have a seat," the graying Kasumi offered. "I'll get my husband and Kasumi."

Slipping off his shoes Ranma knelt down. 'Either Kasumi's finally lost it or Nabiki's finally found something on her to get her to play this part down.'

The sound of hushed voices in the hallway and kitchen told him that the conspirators were meeting and talking.

"He says his name is Ranma Saotome," Kasumi said.

"It-it must be a coincidence," Soun Tendo stammered. "Saotome is a common name. And even though Ranma may be an unusual name I'm sure that there are probably a few young men with that name."

"Perhaps this is why Kasumi was so hesitant to tell us about him," the woman who looked and sounded like Kasumi whispered.

"Yes, we'll have to talk with her about this," Soun grumbled.

"You know it's rude to listen in to someone else's conversation," a familiar voice said.

Without knowing it, Ranma had scooted over to the paper thin wall to better hear the secret conversation.

"Akane," he said, sitting up straight. Looking at the youngest Tendo daughter he blinked. "When did you get hair extensions?"

"So Kasumi's told you my name?" Akane said as she looked down at the pigtailed martial artist. Wearing a sweaty and dirty gi and pants, the long haired girl held herself with an air of confidence and power that was very unusual for Ranma. Even when she'd consumed Happosai's super strength soba she hadn't been this confident. "I guess she failed to tell you everything about us though."

An odd tension filled the air between them as Akane glared at him. Having gotten used to it over the past six months or so, Ranma didn't flinch.

"Are you really Ranma Saotome?" she asked as she slipped off her shoes and entered the room.

"Of course I am," he replied, locking eyes with her. 'Man, they're really putting on a show.'

Pulling away from his steady gaze, Akane looked him over once again.

"I can't believe she's dating a guy with that name," she mumbled.

"What's wrong with my name?" he exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down," Nabiki hissed as the family mercenary slithered into the room. Wearing her usual jeans and tight shirt she also eyed Ranma.

Finally, the viper shows herself, the blue eyed boy thought as he turned to face the middle Tendo sibling. "What are you guys playing at Nabs?"

The short haired Tendo sibling didn't even appear fazed at the nickname, though she did glare at him more intently.

"I guess big sis never got around to telling you about the Saotomes," she replied with a cold gaze. "But you'll get that soon enough."

Nabiki calmly walked over to her sister, folding her arms as she looked at him.

"Mother, Father – I don't know what you're talking about," Kasumi said gently as she walked down the hallway.

"There's a boy named Ranma Saotome who's here to see you," the Tendo patriarch stated as he ushered his daughter into the greeting room.

"B-but I don't know anyone named Ranma Saotome," she exclaimed.

"Then why is he here?" the other woman, the older Kasumi asked. "You don't think that Genma is crazy enough...?"

Looking up at the three as they entered the room Ranma blinked. The remarkable similarities between mother and daughter were never so evident. Having never even seen a picture of Mrs. Tendo he had always assumed that she looked like a mix between her three daughters, but seeing her standing beside her eldest daughter Ranma realized just how easily anyone could have confused the two. Sure, there were the crow's feet and a few other wrinkles, and the gray hairs, but other than that, they looked virtually identical.

But it was the sight of a crippled and scarred Soun Tendo that told him that he wasn't really in the Tendo house, or at least not in the one he knew. Limping into the room, it was clear that Soun wasn't just holding onto Kasumi's arm to usher her into the room, he was doing so to help support his body weight as he walked into the room as his right leg seemed unable to bend or at least support any weight.

Though it was traditional for him to kneel when sitting with an honored guest, the Tendo patriarch sat in a chair, his wife standing beside him even as the Kasumi moved to the side and knelt down.

A wave of nausea nearly made Ranma vomit as part of his mind put together the pieces even as the rest of his consciousness refused to accept the apparent truth.

Stealing a glance at the two younger Tendo daughters he realized that this Akane was very different from the one he knew. Sure, there was the long hair tied up in a ponytail and her confident posture, but her face and neck were more defined – lacking the lingering baby fat that made his Akane cute when she smiled. This Akane had harder, sharper facial features as though she never smiled. And her muscles were much more defined, showing a level of physical strength that the Akane he knew lacked. Watching as the ponytailed Akane moved to kneel beside her sisters against the side wall, Ranma noted how this Akane seemed to move less awkwardly than the one he knew.

"Son," Soun said as he locked eyes with Ranma, "are you really Ranma Saotome?"

"Yeah," the pigtailed boy replied. "I'm Ranma Saotome, why?"

"Are you the son of Genma and Nodoka Saotome?" the woman he had mistaken for Kasumi asked.

Ranma nodded.

"That's impossible," Soun said as his eyes narrowed.

Cold, pain filled eyes held Ranma's gaze. It was clear that this gray haired Soun Tendo was not the care-free and easily intimidated Soun Tendo that he knew.

"Genma's son died ten years ago to the day," Soun stated. His hand trembled even as he clenched his fist and pressed it against his thigh. "If he had survived I suppose that he'd be as old as you are now."

Ranma's mouth suddenly went dry. Fighting to find the strength to say that the man before him was wrong, the pigtailed boy simply couldn't control his throat and mouth. "H-how?"

"We don't know the specifics," Mrs. Tendo said as she placed her hand on her husband's shoulder, "but the boy died from the injuries he suffered during his training."

Scanning his memories, Ranma thought back to ten years ago. "Neko-ken…"

Soun's eyes widened as he caught what the pigtailed boy said.

"Genma went crazy at the loss of his son," Mrs. Tendo said, clearly not catching what Ranma had uttered or the look on her husband's face. "He tried to kidnap the children of other martial arts masters, hoping to replace his son with the kidnapped children."

"Father and other masters intervened," Akane explained.

"They caught him red-handed," Nabiki added. "Of course he refused to admit any wrongdoing, and a fight broke out. Our father was injured by the man he called his friend. You showing up here makes things worse."

Ranma clenched his fist.

"You can't be Ranma Saotome," Akane growled. "Get the hell out of here you bastard! Tell whoever put you up to this that we'll let them go this time, but if we see your face around here again I'm going to break your arms and legs!"

Ranma trembled. 'This isn't right. Something's wrong here.' "I am Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts," he declared.

"Shut up!" At least this Akane had a short temper, just like the one he knew.

"I am Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts!"

Springing to her feet Akane charged at Ranma.

Expertly blocking the powerful low kick, Ranma gently pushed Akane back. She was good, much better than the Akane he knew, but he was still better. Kicking off the ground he sprang to his feet, daring the startled Akane Tendo to attack again.

"Get out!" Soun hissed.

Ranma bowed his head. Turning around he did as commanded.

X X X X X

A somber wind blew through the Tendo compound at the six Tendos gathered for dinner. It was supposed to be a happy occasion as the eldest daughter, Kasumi, had returned home for the weekend. As a pre-med student at the prestigious Tokyo University she was the first in her family to attend college. Given the long commute and her late classes she'd been forced to live closer to the university, though she did manage to sneak home once or twice a month.

"Did I miss something?" Konatsu Tendo asked.

Nabiki shrugged, "Don't worry about it little brother."

The muscular young man glared at his adopted sibling. The usually secretive Nabiki to address the issue meant that something really had happened, but that the others weren't willing to talk about it. Though he'd spent the past eight years being raised as a Tendo, Konatsu knew that there were some things that his adopted family would keep from him, especially if it involved something from before his inception to the family.

It had been a twist of fate that had brought him to the Tendo Household after all, not a blood or marriage bond that linked everyone else. Having been saved from a family of supposed ninja and from being trained as a kunoichi despite the fact that he was obviously male, Konatsu knew that he owed the Tendos his life as he really couldn't see himself living as a kunoichi. Forget that the world outside the dojo focused on technology and what one could do with a computer over how many bricks one could break or carry. Despite that, Konatsu and Akane had both been raised to honor the arts. Who else was there should an insane martial artist snap and decide to kidnap hapless children?

That was how his adopted father had found him, and how he'd acquired his crippling injury. Yet the man knew the importance of having some martial arts skill, especially if one were to dedicate their life to serving the public and society as both Akane and Konatsu had promised to do.

But to see his family so disturbed, the young aspiring detective/police officer knew that something had happened, but what? Having been ordered to stay in his room as his father, mother, Kasumi, Akane and Nabiki 'talked' with the mysterious young man Konatsu wondered why he'd been excluded from the conversation. He'd heard some shouting, and even seen the young man as he'd left the house. It only made him more curious.

Akane was never good with words, preferring instead to resolve things with her fists and feet. Nabiki was an expert at being secretive and manipulative but for her to refuse to tell him anything even when he'd offered to buy her the blouse she had been trying to blackmail him into buying her was very unusual. That only left Kasumi and his parents, yet the usually sociable trio seemed to be very tightlipped about the entire episode as well.

As any aspiring young detective knew, if your witnesses weren't talking, you had to investigate elsewhere.

Excusing himself from the dinner table he headed up to his room. Living with the Tendos the orphaned young man had something that many of his associates lacked – a room and bed of his own. Though he treasured the space, it was the desire to actually belong and fit in with his adopted family that he wanted most, something he couldn't do with such a secret being kept from him. And as an orphan, he feared that perhaps the visitor had something to do with his own past – perhaps someone who sought to uproot him from his adopted family.

Giving into his fear and curiosity, the young detective began to snoop around. He'd heard a name – Ranma Saotome, and he had a face to put next to it as well. That would have to be enough for now.

Slipping out of his room the athletic young man climbed out onto the roof. Taking a running jump he managed to catch hold of a branch, slowing his descent onto the cold, unforgiving cement just outside of the tall stone wall the separated the Tendo compound from the neighborhood.

Though he was now a Tendo in all but blood, Konatsu knew where he'd come from. Retaining some contacts on the streets with the orphans that he'd either helped or spent time with over the years, he hoped that someone would be able to find some about this mysterious Ranma Saotome.

X X X X X

Everything was wrong. There was no other way to describe it. The him in this world had died ten years ago to the day. Looking back at his life he had to admit that perhaps that one moment was when he'd been the closest to death, though in truth, he really didn't remember much other than being extremely terrified of the training.

And why was Mrs. Tendo alive? True, all he knew was that she'd died while Akane was young, but never really knew exactly when that was, just a rough time. Sure, ten years ago she probably could have passed for Kasumi, but the gray hairs… had something else aged her? What had she died of in his world?

A multitude of thoughts and questions ran through the pigtailed boy's mind, none of them making it easier for him to understand his predicament. No, what he needed were answers, but where to find them?

He'd normally turn to the old ghoul or even the old letch, but it didn't appear that they were here in this world. Forced to rely on his own, lacking, academic skills, Ranma decided to head to the one institution that he knew he could trust.

X X X X X

"Another dead end," Konatsu grumbled as he closed his sliding cell phone.

"Duo didn't have any info for you?" the adopted Tendo's companion asked as she set down a tray of milk for the gathered stray cats.

The raven haired boy shook his head. "The only people who've seen this guy say that he was jumping from root top to roof top."

The lithe girl whistled. "That's impressive. Dude's got to be pretty athletic."

Konatsu nodded. True, he could run along the roof tops and even jump from roof to roof if needed, but he rarely ever needed to do that.

"Aside from that, no one's ever seen the guy."

"So he's from outside of Nerima then?"

"Hey, didn't your distant aunt marry a Saotome?" the young man asked.

The lithe girl paused. Like Konatsu, she'd been adopted into a loving and welcoming family, but that particular aunt had seemed distant to everyone in the last few years. "Yeah," she replied. "You're thinking of looking people up in the phone book or something?"

The aspiring detective shrugged. "Can't hurt," he replied. "Maybe someone in the ward knows him."

"You know Saotome's a fairly common name, right?"

Sighing, Konatsu stood up. "Yeah, it's going to be a long night for me," he conceded. Reaching into the bowl of wrapped candies he quickly unwrapped one before throwing it into his mouth.

"Hey!"

"Thanks Kanako," he smirked. "Your family's candy always helps me feel better. I'll pay you back for it next time."

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The feel of the warm sunshine slowly receded as the sun vanished over the western horizon. Even the sight of a lovely sunset had not been able to comfort the young woman.

'It would have been better if I'd been at home enjoying the sunset,' the young woman thought as she tried to drown out the rattling of the train. 'Something feels out of place though. I can't just go home and ignore what I'm feeling.'

Having ridden the train from her high school to her home virtually everyday over the past year or so she'd become accustomed to the now familiar bumps that that train endured daily, but riding a different train to another district of Tokyo she actively felt each foreign bump. In truth it wasn't the bumps that concerned her - it was the strangers she now shared the train with as she headed towards another district far from her home or school. Though she didn't know everyone she rode the train with she'd become accustomed to those faceless and nameless strangers as she subconsciously forced them out of her mind while she conversed with her schoolmates. Though she didn't call any of those girls her friend or equal, she had become accustomed to their presence and they to hers. It also helped that her presence on that route ensured that the girls around her wouldn't get groped by the pervy old men that often prayed on the young, timid girls. But on this train, where she was just another pretty face, her reputation was unheard of. She could practically feel the men undressing her. Like the one over sitting two three spots behind and to the left of her that occasionally peeked out from behind his paper, or the old coot who had a mirror taped to his shoe so that he could look up her skirt.

Feeling a particularly powerful bump she took the opportunity to stomp her foot down on the offending foot, breaking the tiny mirror as she did so.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she lied as she glared at the man.

"It's alright," he replied as he covered the remains of the broken mirror with his feet, slowly sliding them back so that his feet were now under his seat. "It's a bumpy ride; do take care of yourself miss."

Slowly the men around her slide away, giving her more space as they feared the consequences of violating her personal space.

At least she'd stopped them from physically trying to invade her privacy, but she could still feel them mentally undressing her. Still, she only had to endure it for two more stops.

The rest of the ride proved to be much smoother, perhaps because the men had moved onto other targets.

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A/N

Yes, the Frozen Flame is from Chrono Cross and the idea is from that game as well. But don't expect things to stick to that game's plot as I honestly don't remember all the events in that story either. Ranma will be the only one who crosses dimensions though.

Yes, the characters in this world are going to be fairly OCish, though hopefully I can maintain some of their basic and most recognizable features and characteristics.

Yes, this is going to be a cross-over fic though I am loathed to do it. Rather than come up with a cast of OC's to help Ranma through his adventure I'm going to try and use suitable characters from other series though not necessarily from the same settings as their source anime/manga.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox