A New Start on Life

			Written By Leonardo Castro

	Hope is fragile, but don’t despair. Hope may be fragile, but not 
easily killed. Never give up, and one day, your wish may come true.

	Story – Prologue

	Ranma lied on the hospital bed. He had failed Akane. She died at 
Phoenix Mountain because he was to slow to save her. He spent the next 
ten years training. He was World Champion Street Fighter before a battle 
to the death with Akuma paralyzed him and damaged his heart and 
rendered him to a slow death in bed.
	Right before he died, a beautiful brown hair woman stood before 
him. “I am Belldandy, Goddess first class, limited. I am here to grant you 
a wish.” She told him. “I wish, to be with my Akane, in a place we can 
start over again.” Ranma wished.
	Ranma eyes closed as he felt the last of his life drain away.

	Then, Ranma felt, young again. He felt alive and full of energy as 
he did in his prime. “Ranma look out” Akane voice screamed. He opened 
his eyes to see a bokken hit him between the eyes.
	It would have been a fatal blow to a lesser man, but Ranma didn’t 
budge an inch. “That was stupid Kuno-baka,” Ranma said as he patted 
Kuno on the side of the arm with the strength of a semi-truck, “now leave 
before you get hurt.”
	Tatewaki flew into a distance wall and then right through it. 
Everything stopped. Akane who was fighting the school mob, Nabiki who 
was counting money, the mob that was attacking Akane, etc., were 
staring at him.
	He slipped into combat stance and motioned the mob to come and 
get him. The mob looked to each other and then back at Ranma. Then 
half of them charged Ranma while the others continued to attack Akane.
	Then Ranma vanished in front of the mob and appeared behind the 
mob that was charging him. He dusted off his hands and started to walk 
towards Akane.
	To everyone surprise Ranma’s opponents fell backwards and were 
unconscious. When they saw Ranma nearing them, they panicked and 
fled.
	Ranma just walked past a shocked Akane and he lifted his hand 
towards the fleeing student and then a surge of wind slammed into the 
students and sent them flying into buildings, windows, parked cars, trees, 
etc.
	“Ranma, are you okay.” Akane asked in a frighten voice. “Yeah 
Akane, never felt better.” Ranma said with a smile. Then he turned around 
and walked back into school.

	Akane was in shock. This morning was unbelievable but during 
school he was a changed man. He still listened to her and talked to her 
during lunch, but the way he was staring at her, it made her blush.
	Everything else was the same. As they were leaving the high school, 
they walked side by side. “I’ll walk you to your house.” Akane said. 
“Thanks Akane.” Ranma said.
	“Way to go Masaki.” Someone said from a distance. “Nice going 
Akane. Teach you man to fight huh.” A girl shouted. “Lovebirds one, 
idiots zero.” The gym teacher said.
	“It not like that.” Akane shouted. “Yeah right Akane, Masaki 
taught himself those moves huh. Invite me to the wedding.” Yuka said. 
“Ranma, are you going to defend us.” Akane asked the pigtail martial 
artist.
	“Can you guys believe that I just learned those move from my 
father.” Ranma asked. They all shook their heads. “Ranma, you are the 
man.” Hiroshi said. “Yeah. Teach us how to get girls Master Masaki.” 
Daisuki asked with a mocked bow.
	At this point Ranma and Akane left the other student and proceed 
to the Masaki household. “Damn rumors. Now they are even more out of 
control then before.” Akane muttered. ‘How dare those perverts think I 
want my Ranma, er, I mean my best friend Ranma like that.’ Akane 
thought angrily to herself.
	Ranma had a good idea what was happening. Somehow he was 
sent to another reality. At the moment this realities Ranma was meant to 
die, he took his place. He was now part of this reality. The old Ranma’s 
memories integrated with his past memories.
	He, in this world, was the son of Nodoka and Tenchi Masaki. He 
was a novice at Masaki Kendo because he didn’t like exerting himself. He 
also was a direct descendent of the sorceress, Lina Inverse.
In secret, his mother had trained him in spell craft. Akane stumbled 
upon his secret lessons and kept his secret and they became friends. On a 
trip to China, you guessed it; he fell into the damn spring.
Ranma still wonder why his father was looking everywhere in 
Jusenkyo screaming the name Washu. After he got back, he showed Akane 
his curse. She felt sorry for her best friend. They grew closer after that. 
She eats lunch with him alone and started to hang out with him alone 
and always sat next to him in class.
Then the rumors hit that she and Ranma were lovers. And with 
everyone knowing about the curse, the rumors about their sex life really 
went wild. Akane started to protect Ranma from the morning mob 
because he couldn’t fight them nor could he use his magic in fear of killing 
someone.
Well, life as Ranma Masaki was better than life as Ranma 
Saotome. On a lighter note, Genma was caught and arrested this morning 
for trying to throw his five years old daughter to the lions. Or so today’s 
newspaper said.
“Ranma, how did you fight so well today. Did you use your magic 
again Ranma.” Akane asked. “No.” He said. “Are you sure Masaki.” 
Akane asked with her eyes narrowing.
“I swear on my father’s head, that I did not use any magic.” 
Ranma stated. “So, when were you going to tell me that you could do 
that.” Akane asked. “Well,” Ranma looked into Akane’s eyes, “that is a 
secret.”
Akane frowned at Ranma’s reply, but said nothing. Ranma on the 
other hand felt slightly ill. For some weird reason, that phrase sounded 
terrible and made him sick to his stomach. Maybe he offended his 
ancestors somehow.
“Ranma, are you okay. You look like you’re going to pass out.” 
Akane asked when she noticed Ranma ill position.

Nabiki sat alone at her computer. She had rushed home. Something 
was off. Masaki wasn’t supposed to win, he was supposed to get beaten 
up. And she seen enough of Kuno’s fighting style to know that Ranma 
should at least have a major head wound.
“What are you up to Ranma Masaki…”

To be Continued…