This is a followup to 'At The Movies,' and '...Cats and Dogs.'
It is a prequel to those stories. Each is part of an alternate
timeline and as such does not strictly adhere to either Manga
or Anime canon. C-C and MST-ies are welcomed and
appreciated either publicly or privately.

Disclaimer: All characters mentioned herein are the property of
Takahashi Rumiko and are used without permission on a solely
non-profit basis. All rights reserved to her and her authorized
licensees.

Note: This story takes place one day before '...Cats and Dogs,'
and within the first two months of Ranma's stay at the Tendou
Dojo.

Things To Do:

	I wanted them to be happy. I swear to God. I tried to be what
they needed, what they deserved. I just couldn't. It took Thirteen
years to fail but in the end, I was not enough.
	This house is a mockery of what it once was. Father is
an emotional cripple, Nabiki has sold herself to her greed, Akane's
pain will kill someone soon, most likely her fiance. The Dojo is a
disgrace and if it wasn't for the madness of the Kunou family, WE
would be the ones our neighbors mock.
	And I? I have fallen so far that I am grateful for the distractions 
that the tragedy of another family provides this miserable ward's 
gossipmongers.
	We were a proud family once. Once. No longer though. Our
pride died with her, no matter what Akane's posturing would lead 
others to believe.
	Mercurial, she was; Petty, she was; Vengeful, she was. All
those things, and worse but that is only one side of her.
	She was loyal, to a fault most would say. She was funny. She
had the worst laugh I have ever heard from another human being. The
amazing thing? No one noticed except Father and I. Everyone else
was usually too busy laughing themselves to notice the occasional
broken glass. She would forgive the people she loved, forgive them
anything. That is probably the most important thing we lost when she
died. Forgiveness. None of us can forgive anything, and it will destroy
us, if it hasn't already.
	Oh my!
	You think I forgive them, don't you? The messes they make,
their pathetic tantrums and crude foolishness. Forgiveness, indulgence,
laundry, three meals and at least five vacant smiles a day. That would
be my role in this farce.
	Would be? Is? Was. Was my role. Not anymore.
	When Akane returns from her school trip things have to change.
	They are going to change.
	They will change.

End.