A Teaser

[RangerShade]

Chasing Dreams
by Shade

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 & Love Hina are the property of their respective creators. Ken-san Banzai!

Ranma Note: Takes place before Nodoka's introduction

Love Hina Note: AU, uses mix of anime & manga, spoilers later on for those who haven't
read through the manga and haven't seen the entire tv series, ovas, and specials.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1: Memory
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The scene was blurry and faded by the passage of time
and numerous impacts by blunt objects to the head.

But he could still see the sandbox.

And the plump stuffed beaver animal doll.

He would never ever forget anything looking *that* silly.

"Do you want to know a secret?"

Two kids were playing in the sand, one slightly bigger then other.

He couldn't make out their faces, only vague shadows and impressions.

"If two people go to Todai together, they'll find their happiness there."

He wanted to find happiness too.

He opened his mouth to call out to them, but only silence emerged.

"Let's make a promise to meet in Todai."

He wanted to go too!

He started running toward them as fast as he could, trying to catch up
to them before they vanished like they always did.

"Wait for me! Wait! Don't leave me behind!"

He didn't want to forget them like he always did when morning came.

If he could only make it before the kiss.

"It's a promise!"

No!

*smooch*

Too late.

Again.

He cried out.

"Todai!"

And with a start, Ranma Saotome woke up.

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

"Ugggh, what the hell was I dreaming about this time?"

The last wispy fragments slipped through his mental grasp like quicksilver,
vanishing along with the last holdouts of the previous night  in the blindingly
bright morning sun. He hated that feeling of not being able to remember anything.

But there was nothing he could actually do about it.

One of the many prices paid for being a martial artist.

"What time is it anyway?"

Without a watch or clock in the room, he was forced
to rely on one of his father's lessons.

Not something that he liked to do. Genma had a bad history when it
came to teaching his son anything worthwhile if it didn't have anything
to do with training.

But it was rare for him to be able to get up like a normal person.

Between Genma, Akane and that idiot Ryoga, mornings were usually
the worst part of his average day. And usually too damn early by
Ranma's reckoning. That was the main reason why he slept so much
in class, his body was simply trying to get the much needed rest
denied to it at the Tendo's home. But this morning none of the
usual suspects had shown up yet.

Weird.

He wondered idlely how long his luck would last today.

If previous experiences were any indicator, probably not much longer.

With a yawn and a groan, he threw off the warmth of the blanket
and sat up on the beaten up old futon.

It might beat sleeping on the ground but this was still no match for a real bed.

That tomboy didn't have the slightest clue of how good she had it here.

There had been times on the training trip when Ranma would have happily
kicked somebody else's ass to be able to sleep on a real mattress.

The brisk morning chill in the air worked better then any cup of coffee
to shake the last cobwebs of slumber from his body. From his new vantage
point he was able to see that the angle of the light streaming in from
the window was relatively low, indicating that he probably hadn't overslept much.

A pity, he could use every extra hour of rest he could get.

One quick glance across the room was enough to discover that Genma wasn't here.

With a regretful look, he got up and stepped away
from the tempation of simply going back to sleep.

Which was just as well, because there was a strange
restlessness in his mood today, and it bothered him.

He wondered if it had something to do with the dream that he couldn't remember.

Maybe.

It was the most disturbing sensation.

He felt...lonely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{What am I missing?}

Ranma had been so preoccupied that he'd hardly tasted breakfast.

It might as well have been mush and gruel,
he probably wouldn't have noticed any difference.

Even the absence of Soun and Genma barely registered.

{Am I happy?}

He was really starting to dislike this feeling.

{Shouldn't I be?}

This kind of uncertainty had no business in his life.

He was a martial artist.

One of the best.

He had to be, otherwise that would mean the last ten hellish years
of his life had been wasted for nothing.

Surely that was enough?

But no matter how hard he tried, Ranma could not shake
the cloud of unease that hung over him.

{What else is there for me?}

Tired of putting up with the strange looks that Akane and Nabiki
had been giving him all morning he'd decided to go out for a walk.

It had taken him a bit longer to lose them when they'd tried
to follow him. But the final outcome had never been in doubt.

After all, neither one of them were up to roof hopping.

Now he was just randomly strolling along the streets of Nerima,
taking care to keep a safe distance from the Nekohanten and
Ucchan's Okonomiyaki restaurant. The longer he could put off
running into someone that he knew, the better. He didn't feel
up to another one of those all out free-for-alls that seemed
to be breaking out more and more frequently lately.

Damn it, what was wrong with him today?!

"Thank you Gwan-ma!"

He turned to see a cute little tyke who didn't look a day
over five give this wrinkled old woman a warm hug.

It was nothing, just a simple family scene.

And yet, something held his attention there.

"You're welcome dearie."

What was this feeling?

Jealousy?!

But why?

What was he getting so upset about? Just because he
didn't have any memories of *his* family like that...

He didn't...did he?

He could remember training, cold nights with not enough
to eat, and his father always fighting with him for food.  
But for the life of him, Ranma could not remember a genuinely
happy moment spent with his parent. Did he even have a mother?
Or a grandmother? Was the old man all the family he really had?

"..."

Suddenly he didn't feel like walking anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~

-Note: I've had an INCREDIBLY shitty month so far,  so I figured its time to spread the pain by offering out little tidbits of what I've been able to work on here and there.

-Shade

[Anastasia]

Okay....

If the dream scene is any indication, it looks like Ranma might just be filling in for what's his name(edit, I can't remember the bastard's name offhand -_-) as the male half of the LH Todai promise.  I can buy that, it's no real stretch.

The last wispy fragments slipped through his mental grasp like quicksilver, vanishing along with the last holdouts of the previous night  in the blindingly
bright morning sun. He hated that feeling of not being able to remember anything.

But there was nothing he could actually do about it.

One of the many prices paid for being a martial artist.

I'm don't readily see how him being a martial artist and not remembering his dreams are related.  It doesn't make sense to me.

I really don't have that much to chip in on the story front right now, it's just too short to go far with it.  I'll have some comments on the grammar and whatnot in a day or two.

[Dracos]

Well, seriously this isn't even a bite-sized fic.  There's nothing really to comment on here.  As you know Shade if it doesn't at least have bones built I don't touch it.

Dunefar: He could actually be referring to the fact that repeated blows to the head could have reduced Ranma's ability to remember the far past well.  But it's an unnecessary contrivance really as just not remembering clearly a scene from when you are five years old is perfectly acceptable on it's own merits.

Fearless Leader

[Anastasia]

GAH.  I reread it, and I noticed 'Ranma' in the dream is on the outskirts of the scene, not in Keitaro's place.  Okay, I feel very stupid now, somehow I missed that the first two times I read it.  

Anyway, I like this idea more than just throwing Ranma in Keitaro's place.  I'm not sure what you intend to do with it, but it feels less stereotyped and freer than the previous misidea.  More room to work with, so to speak.