A Ranma ½ & Card Captor Sakura divergence/alterverse. Ranma ½ is the property of the genius Rumiko Takahashi. Card Captor Sakura is the property of the magnificent Clamp. In other words I don't claim to own them so don't sue me.

Prologue:

The Cheery Blossom meets the Wild Horse

It was a beautiful day in Tomoeda Central Park. There were a few little kids playing in the sand next to a large penguin-shaped slide. A few parents sat watching the kids play while some adults stood next to the canal/stream that flowed through the park. Others were spending their lunch break sitting in the shade of the trees, eating.

Saotome Ranma was wandering around the park, looking for something to do, since his father had gone "to get some supplies for a new technique". Ranma shuddered at that thought. <I hope this ain't gonna be like the Neko-ken training.>

A rough hand on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. Instinctively, the ten year old tossed his assailant in a judo throw and dropped into a ready stance.

The truant officer stood shakily and glared at the pony-tailed boy who smiled sheepishly as he realized what he had done. "Er, gomen. I was sorta actin' on reflex there. Do ya need somethin', uh, Ichida-san?" Ranma asked, noticing the officer's name where it was embroidered on the man's uniform.

"Why aren't you in school, young man?"

Ranma puffed up in pride, stating, "I'm trainin' to be the greatest martial artist in the world. Oyaji started trainin' me before I could walk."

The truant officer chuckled at the boy's antics. Noticing the slightly worn gi and the black-belt tied around the boy's waist he thought, <I have to admit that he is well on his way based on that throw.> "Well, be that as it may, it's still not an excuse for you to be out of school. Come with me."

Ranma shrugged as he followed the officer. "Oyaji's always sayin' that school is a waste a time and that a martial artist don't need that stuff."

"Well he is mistaken. Every martial arts master I've met has an education. If you plan on teaching others you'll need a degree from a university."

Ranma looked at the man in surprise. "Really? I guess I should try an' do well in school, huh?" At the Officer Ichida's nod he continued, "I went ta school for awhile when I was five, before Oyaji took me on this trainin' trip."

The officer paused a moment at Ranma's statement. A small, dismayed frown appeared on his face as they entered Tomoeda Elementary School. They proceeded to the principal's office. The truant officer explained Ranma's situation and lack of schooling. Ranma was sent to another room to take a placement test while they attempted to contact his father. The principal's secretary was sent to get one of the spare uniforms and some supplies for Ranma since they couldn't have him attending in a worn gi.

Ranma spent the next hour working on the test. He found the sections on Japanese and World History to be fairly easy as a result of his travels. The science was fairly easy since it focused on things he had learned from camping and hunting. The Math was somewhat confusing; most of the questions dealt with monetary exchange and similar ideas, concepts he had never really dealt with.

Elsewhere...

"So all I have to do is give you the original scroll and you'll give me a translation?" Saotome Genma asked the college professor in front of him. It had taken a while to find someone who could translate the scroll he had taken from the Happosai.

"That's correct Saotome-kun, I have seen very few scrolls from this culture in such good shape. It should only take me a month or so to provide an accurate translation," responded the professor. <The value of the scroll alone will cover the costs of translating it. Giving him a copy as payment is too good a deal to pass up.>

"Over a month? I guess the boy an' I will have to stay here for a bit longer than I planned," Genma grumbled.

Back at the school.

Principal Nakagawa walked down the hall with the Officer Ichida, looking over Ranma's test. "It took a bit of effort to contact him, but his father agreed to enroll him, though he complained about it 'cutting into the boys training,' as he put it."

Entering the room Ranma was waiting in, he walked over to the gi-clad child. Just as he was about to speak, his secretary walked in with a winter uniform. "I'm afraid we don't have any summer uniforms on hand so you'll have to wear this," she said after the principal acknowledged her presence.

Ranma nodded, accepting the folded bundle of clothes. He turned to the principal as the elder man addressed him. "Welcome to Tomoeda Elementary, Ranma. Go change while I set up your schedule." Nodding again, Ranma left the room carrying his new clothes.

Sakura's classroom

Terada Yoshiyuki-sensei was in the process of finishing his lesson about History in the fairly standard Japanese classroom when a truant officer slid the door open and asked to speak with him. Terada-sensei stopped his lesson and followed him out of the room. A few minutes later he walked back in with a blue-eyed boy with a ponytail. The youth was dressed in a winter uniform, which seemed odd to a few of the students was was ignored by the majority.

Li Shaoran and Li Meilen couldn't help but notice the boy's flowing movement. <He has to be a martial artist. He has to be above the black-belt level based on the way he moves,> Shaoran thought with narrowed eyes.

Meilen simply wondered how someone her age could move so fluidly. <Its more like he's floating than walking,> she thought with a touch of jealousy and a hint of awe.

"Class, it seems we have another new friend joining this trimester. Let me introduce him to you. His name is Saotome Ranma-kun. He's the heir to his family's school of martial arts."

"Pleased ta meecha."

Kinomoto Sakura could only stare as one thought went through her mind. <That's the boy that was standing next to me in my dream last night.>