Everything has changed [Akane's prolog giving up the fight to win the war] Akane Tendo lay on her bed thinking of the events of the previous day which were the events of her failed wedding. Akane blamed solely on her sister Nabiki. After all if said sister hadn't invited every one in Nerima she would be the newest misses Saotome at the moment. 'Everything has changed and I don't feel like fighting any more' Akane thought to herself before deciding to go get a hot bath. [Nabiki's prolog: The mercenary of diamonds melts] Nabiki Tendo lay on her bed looking up at the ceiling with blood shot eyes as she remembered the talking down her younger sister had given her about ruining her wedding. 'She called me a bitch only caring about myself and how much money I could get for myself' Nabiki thought that she looked up at the ceiling of her room "and I have been a bitch that put money first and everything else second ... and family should be first even I know that .... Everything has changed and the mercenary of diamonds has started to melt melted" [Ukyou's prolog: An unexpected awakening] Ukyou awoke to one hell of a hangover and the fact that there was someone in her bed with her, someone who happened to be wearing a yellow bandanna. Also around this time the fact she was completely naked underneath the covers filtered into Ukyou's mind as was the fact her sleeping companion was a the same state of dress or rather undress. Quietly Ukyou checked in between her legs for the evidence of what she hoped hadn't occurred. Unfortunately the evidence was there. Strangely Ukyou was not angered by this but only curious as she remembered the previous night. 'Everything has changed due to an unexpected awakening' Ukyou thought before deciding to get some more sleep ... until that is Ryouga woke up [Shampoo's: Prolog leaving] A certain purple cat sat in a cage on a ship bound for China. 'I failed miserably in all respects in wooing, in trickery and in ruthlessness'. "Great granddaughter I hope you have learned a lesson from all of this". The only thing the purple cat did was look quizzical. "You haven't learned anything have you? Ahh well it was worth the try" Cologne said before walking off. 'I wonder where she ment by that ... it doesn't matter everything has changed for me' Shampoo-cat thought sadly [Nodoka's prolog returning home] Nodoka looked at the Tendo dojo sadly as she dragged her husband away while ignoring his rants and thinking ' the failed wedding changed everything and is best that those two have some space' Nodoka thought as she continued to drag her husband away. [Kodachi's prolog temporary sanity] Kodachi Kunou sat alone in her garden thinking of what she had seen at Ranma Saotome's failed wedding. "Is what I saw even possible ...it must be ... I may be somewhat insane but even what I saw could not be caused by insanity alone" Kodachi said as she toyed with a small bottle of medicine before deciding to go and talk to Akane Tendo [Ranma's prolog an unanswered question] Ranma sat alone in the furo thinking of the previous day which left Ranma with one unanswered question ' does she really love me ... if she does it means everything has changed'. [?????????'s prolog 'it is time'] Somewhere in Nerima an ethereal entity awoke. This entity was benevolent and had watched the events of the past year waiting for the right moment to appear in the flesh. 'It is time everything has changed and the time for me to reappear is right' the ethereal entity thought before making preparations. [A day of change] As Akane absently entered the bathroom she found Ranma stepping out of the furor. This of course started Akane's default reaction to such a circumstance which was to charge Ranma with the intent to do him bodily harm however the bar of soap carelessly left on the floor causes Akane's trajectory to be altered. Of course due the laws of anima physics and Murphy's revised Magna laws Akane falls directly on top of Ranma. 'Damm I almost did it again' Akane thought as she started to cry. "Hay you ok" Ranma asked while sounding concerned Akane only shook her head before replying "no I'm not ok if my damm sister hadn't ruined the wedding we be married right now and ... we'd be well a lot closer than even this right now" Akane said with a large blush "Do you really love me? Is that why you agreed" Ranma asked nervously. Smiling somewhat mischievously Akane replied "does this answer your question" Akane stated before kissing Ranma passionately. As the realization of being accepted in full by Akane filtered into Ranma's mind something snapped there in but just as Ranma was about to return Akane's kiss a thunderess sound shook the dojo after which the sound of a plate dropping was heard. Less than a second later Kasumi screamed one word "mother!!!" A minute later everyone in the dojo save Ranma and Akane were in the tea room staring out at a woman that was kneeling on one knee and standing in the center of a crater with sparks occasionally arcing away from her. "Gods" Soun whispered before Ranma and Akane entered rather hastily. The woman in the crater took that has her cue to stand and open her eyes. The Tendo matriarch wore a bright red tube top, a pair of orange slacks, and a long purple cape that came over her shoulders. Her distinguishing features were her height which was six feet even, long sky blue hair, and a set of piercing Emerald green eyes which showed even to the most inexperienced that she was far far older than she looked also the Tendo matriarch was quite a muscular woman. Strangely the fact she looked buff only seemed to add to her already ample feminine beauty. Brushing a stray strand of hair out of the way she spoke with a calm authority that not even Cologne would question. "I am Hishizuka Tendo master magi born in the Avalon calendar year 102,054. I am 5035 years old and creator of the most powerful transformation magic ever known ... approximately 4000 years ago I had to do battle with an Ashura. I defeated her by transforming her into a statue with my magic. The statue 'drowned' by shattering into a thousand pieces in a small spring. The magic water of those springs mixed with her powers and my magic resulting in the entire area being cursed which has led to some most unique and grotesque transformations ever known.... The human to monster transformations never really take hold because the ki of alternate state is unstable ... the human to animal take over two years to become permanent ... however the human to human take hold immediately " Akane's mother said while looking off into space. "Why" Ranma asked "The reason why the alternate body becomes permanent is because the person's ki takes it over. With a human to human transformation the person's ki immediately knows how to take over the alternate body because the alternate body is based upon your own genes. In other words your alternate body is a direct and true reflection of what you would look like if you were born as a girl Ranma" Hishizuka explained. "So you can't get rid of the whole thing" Akane asked to make sure. "No once the ki takes hold there is no way to get rid of it" Hishizuka said as she leaned back "but I can get rid of the water based trigger". "So what do you mean about alternate body" Nabiki asked curiously. "There are three types of transformation magic. Type 1 is the oldest. Type 1 magic only gives the appearance of changing into another creature ... In fact if someone touches you while under the influence of type 1 magic the magic is dispelled. Type two is very common it's the old which turns the Prince into a frog Magic" Hishizuka explained. "But isn't that what happens" Kasumi asked politely. "yes and no. with a type two transformation a person's body is literally reshaped at the genetic and biological level into what ever that being transformed into ... this also results in the person's ki being wrapped somewhat ...the affect is permanent until they are returned to their natural form. ... type 3 transformation on the other hand never actually affects the person's natural body instead it uses standard type two magic plus my own special magic to create a alternate body which becomes permanent after a special ki binder spell is used causing the magical alternate body to become physical this along with a good old-fashioned faze shifting spell allows the person to have two bodies ...now the Springs botched the job of creating the magical alternate body in that every time you or anyone with a curse it splashed the magical alternate body is completely recreated ..... But that still won't stop the trigger from changing them back and forth or causing the alternate body to be reshaped every time ... even after it becomes permanent". "So I guess that means the springs have type 2 1/2 transformation magic" Ranma said absently to which Hishizuka replied by looking thoughtful. "I suppose that's as good a way as any to describe it" Hishizuka replied "now Ranma considering you fell into the spring of the drowned young girl I have a little bit of work to do on you about four years growth of work if you get my drift". "This is going to hurt like hell isn't it" Ranma said while looking a bit hot under the collar. "No worse much worse" Hishizuka said before raising her hand and firing off and energy blast which instantly caused Ranma to shift into his female form which then began to grow at an accelerated pace and four excruciating minutes later Ranma-chan drops to the ground however Ranma-chan being Ranma-chan manages to pick herself up almost immediately. The new and improved Ranma-chan stood as tall as Akane and looked just as strong. "Damm you weren't kidding" Ranma-chan said while noticing that her voice had lost its annoying feminine squeak "it feels almost as strong has my normal body now" Ranma-chan said absently. "Now for the water based trigger" Hishizuka said before firing off and energy blast at Ranma-chan. "Is that it?" The no longer diminutive redhead said before the transforming back into a Ranma. "it is Ranma" Hishizuka said politely before turning to her family "and to answer your question my 'death' was caused by my oldest enemy he trapped me using a powerful magical artifact called a Black sphere and trust me you don't want the details of what the sphere was". That said Hishizuka calmly slipped her cape off from around her shoulders and completely on to her back by raising her arms as she stretched after which the Tendo matriarch walks into the tea room and sits down with a grace and fluidity born of many many years of life. After that Kasumi returned to the kitchen for breakfast as the rest of the Tendo family and Ranma merely took their regular places at the table. "..." Was all Ranma said as he looked at Soun who was nervous about being as close to Hishizuka as he was when suddenly the Tendo patriarch's back stiffened considerably "you ok Tendo" Ranma asked with a raised eyebrow. "Yes quite all right Ranma" Soun said while looking rather uncomfortable. Nabiki on the other hand just snickered while remembering what her mother usually did while sitting by her father at the tea table. What Nabiki's mother usually did and was doing at that moment was slipping her hand into Soun's pants and massaging his rear with all the ferber of a certain ancient pervert groping a woman's breast. "Come on honey loosen up" Hishizuka whispered into her husband's ear. However before Soun could comment Kasumi entered with breakfast which of course ceased further conversation. ******************* Later that morning we find Ranma sitting alone in the training hall looking off into space when Hishizuka entered and sat down next to him. "So thinking about what you said at the springs" Hishizuka asked to which the pigtailed martial artist only nodded to as a reply before he remembered what he said at the springs. Those words were- I'm not sure when, but somewhere along the line, I just stopped caring about it. .........I suppose in the end.... I understand that my girl side was always a part of me, anyway, maybe it was never a curse to begin with "what do you think of your female half" Hishizuka asked sometime later to which Ranma his usual spiel which does little more than bore the five millennia old Magi however her response was quite interesting as was apparent when she laughed a small bit "no no Ranma I asked what you think of your female half not what you think of the botched the job the springs did with the trigger and the trouble that caused you". Ranma's only response to this was to blink and blink loudly before starting to pace around the training hall which left the legendary misses Tendo to sit and watch with patience born out five millennia of life however about 2 minutes later a certain aged pervert came out of nowhere with a bucket of water and the intent to glom onto Ranma-chan's breasts. However once the pervert makes contact he immediately notices a distinct lack of cleavage after which the ancient pervert jumps off quickly enough to dodge Ranma's blows but does not notice Hishizuka until that is she gropes the aged pervert's rear which receives a definite reaction. To reaction was one of total fear as was apparent when the ancient pervert almost instantaneously back against the opposite wall of the training hall while looking like a mouse who was about to be eaten by lioness. "Madame RelOrt what a pleasant surprise" Happosai said while wishing he was somewhere far far away like a Catholic convent. Licking her chops like a lioness "I see your still disguising your self as a 3 foot old man". "With women like you around can you blame me" Happosai said as he nervously backed further into the corner before Hishizuka stood up and took a step forward while a definite hentai developed on her face while a small ball of energy floated above her finger this was enough to make the ancient pervert run right through the side of the training hall and head for the hills after which Hishizuka let's out a hearty laugh before turning to Ranma who looked like he was about ready to bolt. "Lesson one about ancient perverts like Happosai they can dish it out but they can almost never take it". "And you" "Well I don't go ground groping every guy I see but seeing the look on someone like Happosai's face when they're on the receiving end of what they dish out is too much for me to pass up" Hishizuka said with a smile that was suspiciously like Kasumi's which unnerved Ranma to no end "come on you can't argue the look on his face was priceless" Hishizuka added calming Ranma to the point the returned to what he was thinking about. "Tell me will I lose myself to it" Ranma asked. "That depends on what path you choose and how much you're willing to let your self change as you go down the path you choose. "So what paths do I have to choose from" Ranma asked. "1 never again shift into your female form which basically means ignoring the problem. 2 just go on as you have been using your female half as nothing more than a means to an end. 3rd find what being female means to you". "Are those my only options" Ranma asked while sounding like he had already come up those options. "No of course not; you can do an infinite number of things but those are the most sensible" Hishizuka responded. "And in which do I risk losing myself the most" "That Ranma is a matter of opinion and perspective but from personal experience the second path is one of self-destruction after all, don't you feel like you're losing your self every time you manipulate someone with it the way you do. Every time you do it, it feels like you're chipping away at your very core not at your masculinity or what little femininity you at the moment but at who you are beyond simply you're physical form". Hearing this description Ranma looked about ready to keel over from how well Hishizuka had described his innermost feelings even better than he could himself. "I assume I hit the nail on the head" Hishizuka said with Nabiki like poise to which the pigtailed martial artist responded by nodding "good now continuing on the first option will leave you as you are but with a nagging feeling somewhere between a hole in who you are and a somewhat insatiable curiosity of what it would have been like if you chose the other option and who knows how that will eat away at you". "And the last option" "That Ranma is the most dangerous, interesting, and perhaps the most life changing path you can choose but it is the only path that offers what it offers". "And what does it offer" "Everything female obviously but as with any woman you will have the option of what you take on what you do not" Hishizuka said before getting up and starting to leave "but remember this Ranma what kind of woman you become in the end will be up to you and only you in the end. Just as what kind of man you become in the end will be up to you and only you in the end.... but remember one thing about the end". "And what is that" Smiling Hishizuka responded "the end of one thing is always the beginning of another" that said Hishizuka left the training hall leaving Ranma alone with his thoughts and what had Hishizuka said. ******************** Akane sat alone by the koi pond thinking of her mother's sudden reappearance and obvious connection to the cursed springs when her mother sat down beside her. "So do you want to get to know me" Akane's mother asked of her youngest daughter. Akane's only reply was to nervously nod her head before the two left the dojo "So hum where are we going" Akane asked curiously. "A bit of shopping" Hishizuka answered before the two encountered Ukyou who was chasing a certain black piglet around with a battle spatula of course seeing this Akane immediately tries to help her pet piglet however her mother puts a restraining arm in front of her and shakes her head while giving Akane a parental death glare out of the corner of her eye. "YOU PIG!!" Ukyou shouted before the spatula found its mark with a large clang which sent p-chan flying after which Ukyou picked up the unconscious p-chan before turning to Akane with a sad expression on her face "I think you need to know something about your pet pig". Nervously Akane nodded before she and her mother followed Ukyou back to her restaurant where Ukyou pulled out a kettle of hot water and poured it on P- chan what followed was a scream that came close to shattering the windows of Ukyou's restaurant after which Akane grabs onto her mother and starts to cry is until Ryouga woke up 2 seconds later Hishizuka's only response to this was step outside and lean against the door to the restaurant while ignoring the sounds of feminine vengeance being delivered to a certain pig while she smoked a pipe she had pulled out of nowhere when Konatsu arrived. "I wouldn't go in there right now Akane just found out P-chan is Ryouga" Hishizuka said calmly to the cross dressing ninja. "And what of Ukyou-sama" Konatsu asked "She found out before Akane" Hishizuka replied to which Konatsu only nodded to as a reply before the two continued to wait. "Ma'am may I ask who you are". Taking the pipe out of her mouth Hishizuka responded "Mrs. Tendo" this response of course makes the cross dressing ninja very nervous. "Ahh ..." was Konatsu's only response before the two continued to wait. 10 minutes later Ukyou opened the door and Konatsu and Hishizuka entered to find Ryouga who was strung up by his ankles and looking like single large bruise. "Well at least he's still alive" Hishizuka said with a predatory gleam in her eye before cracking her knuckles and completely healing Ryouga. The eternally lost boy just blinked and smiled as he realized he was fully healed. "I wouldn't smile to quickly Ryouga". "Who are you" Ryouga asked as he struggled to free himself That said a predatory smile developed on the Tendo matriarch's face "misses Tendo and the progenitor and guardian of the cursed springs" Hishizuka responded causing the eternally lost boy's eyes to become as big as saucers as indescribable fear washed over him. In the background Ukyou's jaw just hit the floor this was ignored by misses Tendo as she circled Ryouga with a predatory gleam in her eye while a Nabiki like smile floated on her lips it was needless and quite an understatement to say that Ryouga was very nervous about his current predicament. "Now can you give me one good reason I should lift your curse instead of permanently changing you into a pig and letting Kasumi make bacon, sausage, and ham out of you" misses Tendo said with a cold demeanor that would freeze Nabiki in her tracks. Ryouga's only response was to look like he was about to become a ham sandwich. "You don't have any reasons do you ...well I will give you a chance to redeem your self but make one slip up and it's the deli counter for you". "And what's my chance" Ryouga asked after swallowing hard. "You can't fight with Ranma for 1 month as an enemy if you do well to paraphrase a crazy kendoist the slow fire the guards the laws of heaven shell become an inferno that will consume you leaving nothing but a ... roast ham" Hishizuka said as a fiery aura appeared around her "am I making myself clear". Ryouga actually managed to squeak out two words as a reply to that "Crystal ma'am". "Good" Hishizuka said before leaving with Akane. "You know what sugar I don't think you should mess with her or you might find yourself and a lot worse position then a ham sandwich" Ukyou said as Ryouga shook with fear as he managed to nod With that said Ukyou went back to working at the grill. "Hmm Ukyou-sama shouldn't we cut him down" Konatsu asked. Smiling with a wicked grin Ukyou said "not for awhile Konatsu". *************** "..." was all Hishizuka said as she watched her youngest daughter who looked about ready to explode with anger. "Why" Akane finely asked. "I suggest you ask Ranma that question" Hishizuka said calmly before adding "now let's continue on". "No I need some time alone to think about this". "Ok" Hishizuka said before walking off. 'What am I going to do' Akane thought before turning around to see Kodachi Kunou who was wearing one of her usual leotards but unusually the insane gymnast was also wearing a pair of slacks. "I'd like a word with you" Kodachi said simply before turning around and walking off only after making sure Akane followed her. A few moments later the two arrived at the park where Kodachi sat down on a convenient park bench. "I must ask you something about yesterday ... after the fiasco I saw you drag the pigtailed girl off to your training hall where you poured hot water on her ... what I saw could not even be caused by the Kunou family insanity. Now I want to ask you is, is the pigtailed girl really Ranma or has the Kunou family insanity reached new heights". "Yes Ranma is the pigtailed girl ... a little over a year ago just before he arrived in Nerima he was cursed in China at a place called Jusenkyo" Akane answer matter of factly. "So he is both" Kodachi said before smiling and then laughing they good hearted laugh as she realized who her brother had been chasing around for the past year "so my brother has really been chasing around Ranma for the past year ... I must say this is the best joke I've heard in a long time". Annoyedly and somewhat hopefully Akane asked "can you stop your brother from chasing after Ranma". "No I'm afraid not I doubt I could even convince him that Ranma and his pigtailed girl were the same person ...you see the insanity has advanced much further in him than in me" Kodachi said with a laugh only to end with a sad tone. "What is this insanity?" "It is something no doctor can find the cause of and the medications only have a temporary effect and where off fairly quickly .... I found however that if I don't take the medicine that often that when I absolutely need it. It works much better ... I took a pill this morning that's the only reason I'm not acting crazy right now". "Is there any cure". "No" Kodachi replied before starting to walk off only to come face to face with Hishizuka who raises her hand in a quick arcing motion. "Scan" Hishizuka said it almost a whisper before Kodachi was lifted off the ground and confined by 6 energy rings that scanned up and down gymnast for a moment before stopping after which Hishizuka put her hand on the gymnast's head and speaking "this is going to hurt" after that lightning arced across Kodachi's body as she screamed. There was so much electricity floating through the gymnast's body that small arcs could be seen flowing between her teeth in her open mouth. 15 agonizing seconds later the gymnast dropped to the ground literally smoking because of all of the electricity that had been pumped through her "the insanity is now gone" Hishizuka said before Teleporting the gymnast away "now shell we be going". **************** Meanwhile at the Saotome home we find Nodoka sitting in the tea room while watching her husband who was meditating. "I hope those two can get along" Genma finely said as a tear rolled down his face. "Now I wouldn't worry too much my big panda bear I'm sure they'll get along just fine with out you there" Nodoka said aloud before mentally adding 'in fact I'm quite sure they'll get along better.' "I hope you're right dear" Genma said before continuing "I still remember the day me and Soun made the promise". Smiling crookedly Nodoka responded "considering how drunk you where that day I'm surprised you can remember any thing. Genma only responded with an evil eye while Nodoka just smiled. ****************** Meanwhile back at the dojo we find Nabiki and Kasumi spying on Ranma in the training hall. "I wonder what he's going to do" Kasumi said while looking at Ranma who was laying on his back still deep in thought. "Probably one" Nabiki answered as she ate a potato chip. "Do you really think so I mean Ranma always seems to try to work things out instead of ignoring them" Kasumi responded to which Nabiki replied with a raised eyebrow. "Umm what about his fiancée problem". "Well you know Ranma always trying to make friends out of enemies ...and fiancées" Kasumi replied. "So what you're saying is Ranma didn't want to choose anyone because he would lose friends" Nabiki replied. "Yes after all before he came here he didn't have any friends ... or enemies well except for his father" Kasumi said before the two went back to Ranma watching. "So which one do you think he should do" Nabiki asked sometime later to which Kasumi only replied by shrugging her shoulders. "And you" Kasumi asked. "As much fun as I think two is I still think he should do 1" Nabiki replied before the two continued to watch Ranma. ************ Nearby in the tea room however we find one Soun Tendo having a cup of tea and looking out at the koi pond while thinking of the reappearance of his wife and her obvious connection to the cursed Springs 'who'd of ever thought that she was responsible for that place ...and I have no doubt it is her after all she always did grab my ass' Soun thought with a halfhearted smile as he looked at his tea before sighing "but still I hope the children accept her after all this time" Soun added before returning his gaze the koi pond. ************ Later at one of Nerima's larger clothing stores we find Akane in any very daring outfit similar to her mother's. The outfit consisted of blue open vest which looked suspiciously like one of Ranma's usual Chinese shirt's, white tube top which was cut as revealingly as her mother's, along with a black skirt and skin tight black leggings. "I don't know mom isn'..." Akane said nervously before being interrupted by her mother. "Nonsense dear it's a great outfit and definitely you" Hishizuka said interrupting any further argument from her daughter. "Now let's go". "Ok" Akane said somewhat nervously before the two get ready to leave. ************* A few minutes later we find Akane and Hishizuka returning to the dojo when they encounter one Tatewaki Kunou who immediately inquires about Hishizuka on his own way. "Who be you that walks beside the beauteous Akane Tendo". "Her mother Hishizuka Tendo" Hishizuka responded calmly. "But the mercenary Nabiki told me you have been dead for the better part of 10 years" Kunou said suspiciously. "I had been that I'm a Magi and I'm merely a raised myself from the grave as soon as I could" "You are a practitioner of the foul arts" Kunou said as he backed away. "No I only use my magic for good". "Ahh good now I assume you know Saotome's foul magic". "No Kunou, Ranma doesn't know any real magic although he is has been at the receiving end of magic, ancient and powerful magic". "Sadly I see he has corrupted you as well but no matter when I defeat him it will be a mute point" Kunou said before turning to leave only to stop and make a dramatic close "yes the heavens vengeance shall be as powerful and swift as a lightning bolt". That said Kunou storms off only to be electrocuted by a lightning bolt from the heavens. Strangely for Nerima there was not a cloud in the sky. After this Hishizuka starts to walk along while whistling 'innocently'. *********** Earlier back in the training hall Ranma has decided to get a second opinion. "So what do you think I should do Kasumi" Ranma asked causing the eldest Tendo sister to blush slightly before opening the training hall before and entering. "It isn't really for me to say" Kasumi said politely. "Why not" Ranma asked without looking at Kasumi. "Because this is something that has to do you more than anyone else" Kasumi said before leaving. "I guess the only place I have to go now is mom I just hope she'll understand" Ranma said as he got up and headed off towards Saotome home via the of the rooftops of Nerima Once there Ranma down his father practicing a kata while his mother watched nearby Without breaking his rhythm Genma spoke "why are you here boy" "To talk to mom bout something" Ranma answered after which Ranma and Nodoka entered the Saotome household and sat down at the tea table" "So what did you want to talk to me about" Nodoka asked "Well first I need to tell you what happened this morning" Ranma said before starting to tell the tale of what happened that morning which left Nodoka with more than just jaw drop "Hi-chan is the one responsible for those sprigs by kami-sama" Nodoka said as she shook her head. "And what about the fact she's over 5 thousand years old" Ranma added. "Oh that I can believe she always has seemed older than she looked now as to the curse she did all she could". "Yeah" Ranma responded. "And you're officially stuck with it". Ranma only nodded in reply. "I suppose your thinking of doing 3". "Seems like the only thing I can do unless I want to be a coward about it" Ranma answered. Raising an eyebrow somewhat before realizing that Genma had always ignored things as part of his cowardness "yes I suppose that is one way to put it but no one would hold it against you did so but I suppose your desire not to be as much of a coward as your father would prevent you from choosing that path" Nodoka replied before Ranma stared off blankly "you're worried about losing your self aren't you". The only reply that was given was a nod "I don't think you have to worry about that as long as you're true to your self and there is a bonus" Nodoka said before finishing with an impish smile. "And what is that" Ranma said with a raised eyebrow. Thumbing in the direction of the end of the panda was practicing a kata Nodoka responded "it'll drive the panda crazy". The only reply Ranma gave was to smile after all his mother did have a point. "Well I'd better get back to the dojo." Ranma said before leaving. ************* Later at the dojo Hishizuka and Akane arrive home just as Ranma arrives home via the rooftops. "So" Hishizuka asked Ranma who merely transformed into Ranma-chan has a reply. "3" Ranma-chan replied before walking into the dojo. "3?" Akane questioned. "Go ask if you want to know" Hishizuka said in reply to which Akane only nodded as a reply before leaving to do just that 15 minutes later a very rattled looking Akane sat down at the tea table and excepted a cup of tea from her mother. "3 I suppose in the end I knew he would have to take that path but" Akane said before trailing off. "It is still a surprise" Hishizuka said before walking off towards the training hall where she found Ranma-chan who was very disturbed although the redhead showed no visible signs ".... you know Ranma there is really nothing you have to be frightened of this journey ...or challenge if you like... is one that is yours as is that body ". "Fear doesn't have anything to do with it" "It does Ranma it does it is just a different kind of fear then you have been trained to handle ... this isn't an outward fear but an inward one at the two are very different in many ways ... and quite often facing an inward fear means changing who you are at some level. I think you know this at least subconsciously that is why you are afraid". Getting angry Ranma-chan began to reply with her default response however a raised eyebrow from Hishizuka was all that was needed to tell Ranma-chan that she would get nowhere with said response "so what my supposed to do about this fear". "Find the root of the fear and that will give you the insight to know if you must make a personal change or not as well as telling you what it change is ... also never be afraid of the change itself or you will never be able to find the root of the fear". With said Hishizuka merely sits down in the middle of the training hall and begins to meditate leaving Ranma-chan with her thoughts. "So I got to find the root of my fear" Ranma-chan thought aloud "now I'm worried I'll lose my manhood so I guess that's the root of my fear". "Ask your self this Ranma is what you consider 'manly' really part of being a man or something that exists beyond forms at the core of who you are" The redhead's only response was to pull on her pigtail as she thought and several minutes later she finely responded "I guess most of that really doesn't have to do with what form I'm in ... actually it has more to do with what pop says is manly than anything else". "And how much of your father's 'words of wisdom' have you found to be 'inaccurate'" Hishizuka said with heavy sarcasm. With a snort Ranma-chan replied "damm close to all of it" before trailing off into thought. After a few minutes Ranma-chan spoke again "so I guess my real fear is losing something that's core to me". "But" Hishizuka said simply. "But it's more than just that" Ranma-chan finished while looking somewhere in between several emotions. "So are you afraid you may like it or like it so much that you wouldn't change back ". The only reply Ranma-chan gave to that was to wince and nod. "I assume you mean the latter" Hishizuka queried in a manner that stated she already knew the answer. Again the only reply was a nod. "I wouldn't worry too much about that Ranma after all you have a very strong incentive to be male most of the time". That said the redhead's face turned as red as her hair if not redder. "Now are there any more worries you have" Hishizuka asked. "I guess not" Ranma-chan said with a shrug before reflexively catching something. The object Ranma-chan caught was a ornate bracelet / wristwatch that illustrated a snake dragon flying over a heard of wild horses "it'll change your clothing whenever you shift forms" Hishizuka said flatly before getting up and leaving only to be replaced by Akane. "So what do you think of all of this" Ranma-chan asked Akane. "Well I'm glad to have my mom back but well I know much getting cured ment to you" Akane said. Ranma-chan's immediate response was a sarcastic sigh "obviously it didn't mean as much to me as I thought it did after all I'm actually going to do it" the redhead said somewhat annoyedly before collapsing to her knees as she began to cry. Akane of course this immediately at Ranma-chan side. "Why why am I crying" Ranma-chan managed to get out as she continued to cry and shake almost uncontrollably "why" Ranma-chan said once more before fainting dead away. "MOM!!" Akane screamed in a panic. 2 seconds later Hishizuka was examining Ranma with a powerful spell "what in mana ...by the ancients no spirit fracture... DAMM what a time to discover this ....go get the Saotome's Akane" Hishizuka said in almost a panic before finishing with a quiet whisper to which Akane only nodded before running off "Kasumi go get his futon and pillow it's best not to move someone in his condition". "Yes mother" Kasumi said from her spying position just outside the training hall. "Nabiki get me your surveillance tapes for the entire day". "On it" Nabiki said before running off leaving Soun to enter the training hall with a worried expression on his face that mirrored his wife's "What is spirit fracture" Soun finely asked as he put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Something very horrible my dear" Hishizuka responded sadly before the two began to wait. Nabiki reentered a few moments later with her laptop witch she gave to her mother who just places her hand on the screen for a moment before giving the laptop back after which she waves her hand over Ranma-chan before nodding an unknown understanding. Later after the Saotome's had been called and Ranma-chan had been placed on her futon Hishizuka got up and looked out the training hall doors. "Mom is he going to be ok" Akane asked. "I don't know yet spirit fracture is well something not even the ancients have a complete picture of .... But I have a good idea what caused Ranma spirit fracture". "And what has caused my son's spirit fracture" Genma said angrily as he entered with Nodoka. "Dealing with the curse of course. Also the stress of living in Nerima the past year were the factors in causing the spirit fracture to manifest itself but your training methods are the main cause of his spirit fracture" Hishizuka said coldly before continuing "however the main cause of it manifesting itself completely was something that happened this morning between Ranma and Akane". "So what can we do Hi-chan" Nodoka asked while looking at her son/daughter. "Something very risky and something that will change all of our perceptions of who Ranma is. As well as who he is". "I don't like the sound of that" Nabiki said as she crossed her arms. "Frankly neither do I spelunking around someone's mind isn't exactly a walk in the park but it has to be done and fast ...now let me see Kasumi, Akane, Nabiki, and Nodoka and will go" Hishizuka said before continuing "now once you get inside Ranma each of you will have to find two key pieces of him the pieces may take any form so be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.... now all of you should be on your way" Hishizuka said before flicking her wrist causing Kasumi, Akane, Nabiki, and Nodoka to vanish in a flash of light "and now we wait" Hishizuka said quietly before the elder Tendos began their vigil of waiting while Genma walked outside the training hall and began his vigil there by starting to meditate. [Memories; long forgotten were remembered in a flash] Kasumi found her self in an endless hallway of doors all labeled quite enigmatically. "Here's Ranma, Ranma's secret, I hate man!" Kasumi questioned before walking through the door labeled 'here's Ranma' which she found was actually Ranma's memory of arriving at the Tendo dojo ending at the time Ranma first faced Akane as a man which left Kasumi with the assumption that will hallway was a representation of all of Ranma's memories. After a long moment of thought Kasumi decided that she should journey back in time so to speak untill she reached the time when Ranma's spirit fractured. After walking back through 8 years of memories Kasumi finds a gaping hole in the hallway. "Oh my this must be the fracture in his spirit" Kasumi said in her usual manner "but what am I going to do hmm mom said to find the pieces of Ranma ...but what would these pieces be" Kasumi thought aloud before deciding to investigate the memories nearest the fracture however she found the doors to these memories were locked quite securely "could a simple key be one of the pieces of Ranma" Kasumi asked somewhat curiously as she looked at the lock on the locked memory door while wishing this part of Ranma's memory hallway was lit a little bit better before hearing a loud meow. *meow!!* As soon as Kasumi turned around she found herself looking at a red and black cat that was looking at her quizzically "Ranma??" Kasumi asked curiously as she kneeled in front of the cat. "Meow" the cat said in a positive manner. "Ranma is there a key to these doors somewhere". "Meow" the cat said sadly. "Have you checked in the pit" Kasumi asked as she pointed to the pit to which the cat only shook his head as a reply "so the only place you haven't checked is down there eh" Kasumi said before continuing "is that another memory or a bottomless pit". "Meow" Neko-Ranma replied with a shrug "Well you willing to risk jumping down there to find out" Kasumi asked "Meow meow!!" Neko Ranma protested. "Worried about me are you well don't be believe or not I still practice the art" Kasumi said with a smile before back flipping into the pit causing Neko-Ranma eyes to become as big as saucers before he to jump into the pit. *************** As Kasumi landed she found herself looking at is seen she had only heard described by Genma. The Neko-ken training. However the scene itself was frozen in time however the cat falling from above was not so Kasumi caught said cat which she been placed on her shoulder "eerie down here is it" Kasumi said as a statement of fact to which Neko-Ranma meowed sarcastically to as a reply "now if I was a key to all your memories where would I be" Kasumi said with a smile before she began looking around however after a considerable amount of searching no sign of the key was found "well do you have any ideas Ranma" Kasumi asked to which the cat only responded by shrugging which left Kasumi to examine the frozen memory Ranma however when she does so the memory Ranma changes into a key "well I guess we've found the key" Kasumi said aloud before mentally adding something about wondering why this particular memory would be the key to others "now how are we going to get out of here" added absently before the key started to glow and suddenly the two were back in the hallway. The next thing that happened was quite incredible as the gaping hole in the hallway sealed itself and was replaced by a door. "Well let's continue on shall we" Kasumi said before the two did continue on their way occasionally checking doors to see they were unlocked or not. After about another hour's walking through the memory hallway the two came to a large altar like structure which was conveniently labeled Master memory release. "Well I'm guessing this is the other part of what I'm supposed to find" Kasumi said with a smile before inserting the key and turning it. What happened after that was the sound of thousands if not millions of lights coming to life one at a time and very quickly. "Well Ranma I'm guessing that's all I have to do at the moment" Kasumi said before a stone arch vanished leaving a great doorway "and I'm guessing that's the exit's over there". [Knowledge; of all sorts was remembered in a tsunami of enlightenment] Nabiki found herself in front of a great library however this library was completely surrounded by a great fissure 'I suppose I'm supposed to find a way to restore this place' Nabiki thought with a raised eyebrow before starting to find something however after several hours of looking through the scattered information on martial arts "damm the only thing I can find is martial arts scrolls and secret techniques" Nabiki said angrily before looking at the Alexander of the great style library on the other side of the fissure "where I am must represent Ranma's knowledge base now all of his martial arts stuff ... and over there must represent everything else *raises an eyebrow* must be a pretty empty building" Nabiki said aloud before seeing someone in the library "or not... but I've still got to get over there" Nabiki said before starting to walk along the fissure looking for anything out of the ordinary for a near endless supply martial arts techniques she finds it in the form of a incomplete math assignment partially buried under a pile of scrolls "now this is odd" Nabiki said with a raised eyebrow before the assignment was jerked away by an invisible force however Nabiki was not one to give up a clue that easily however the math assignment had other ideas as it rose into the air taking Nabiki with it is "woh shit!!" Nabiki screamed as the homework assignment carried her over the fissure and just as she lost her grip she cleared said fissure "damm to close way to close" Nabiki muttered as she looked at the fissure. "Are you ok" Ranma asked from behind Nabiki. However when Nabiki turned to face Ranma she found a Ranma that was a far cry from the one she knew this Ranma was thin and not at all muscular and looked very old considering his silvery gray hair and distinguished looking glasses . "Hmm yeah" Nabiki said while not believing what she saw. "That is quite good hear" the wise Ranma said as he adjusted his glasses "now may I inquire as to why you are here Nabiki". "I suppose I'm here to fix that fissure". "I see" Ranma said with a raised eyebrow. "..." was all Nabiki said before she started to look around the outside of the great library or anything out of the ordinary binding nothing but a locked cellar door with no key hole which of course Nabiki makes a note of before the two entered the library which was stocked with every kind of book imaginable which of course raised Nabiki's eyebrow quite high "so Ranma's is there anything out of the ordinary around the library" Nabiki asked. "Excluding the locked cellar with no lock no" the wise Ranma said as he looked around the library. "Hmm I don't suppose you can kick the cellar door open". "No I have neither the mass nor the physical strength needed to exert enough force to collapse the necessary amount of the door's covalent bonds" the wise Ranma said causing Nabiki to blink more than once which causes the wise Ranma to roll his eyes "I'm not the superpowered martial arts part of Ranma therefore I can't kick the door in". "Oh..." Nabiki said dryly "well since you can kick the door in can you blow it up with a 'ki' sphere". "Pun aside no". "Can you make a bomb and blow it up period"? Pushing his glasses to the tip of his nose "a rather primitive method but nonetheless effective" the wise Ranma said before scratching his small gray beard "hmm the soil around here is extremely high in nitrates so all we need is a good catalyst and will have ourselves a bomb". "..." was all Nabiki said aloud while mentally groaning at the fertile mind pun that had just been insinuated by the soil being high in nitrates "so have any Nitro hanging around?" "Oh course there is, in chem level with the third floor" the wise Ranma said. ************** Approximately 10 minutes later the two had set bomb by the mysterious cellar door. "Well here's to good old-fashioned high explosives" Nabiki said before lighting the fuse of the bomb. *Kaboom!!!!!!!!!!!* Immediately after that debris of all sorts was seen flying through the air and after the dust and debris settled Nabiki looked around the corner of the library to find the cellar door had been opened quite definitively 'well looks like I really blew Ranma's mind' Nabiki thought with impish smile before the two dissented into the lower catacombs of the great library of Ranma what they found was a very large model of the entire library and surrounding area. "It appears to be an accurate representation of the entire area ... right down to the bomb blast" the wise Ranma stated. "Hmm" Nabiki said before pulling out a small pen and writing something in the ground of the model near the bomb blast "go outside and see you what I wrote here on the model shows up outside" Nabiki commanded to which the wise Ranma only reply with a raised eyebrow before leaving to do just that. 3 minutes later he returned and replied only with a nod. "Ok all we should have to do is to force the fissure closed on the model and that will force the real fissure to close". "A logical deduction" the wise Ranma said before the two began to examine the model's structure. After a thorough examination Nabiki spoke "looks like all we have to do is take out these pins push it together then reattach the pins" "So shall we commence with the operation then". "Yes let commence" Nabiki replied sarcastically before the two did just that and once they were done they exited the catacombs to find the fissure gone. "Well it seems the problem of the fissure as been solved". 'Yeah but mom said there would be two items to find. the model was obviously the first but what's the second ... then there's all of these martial arts scrolls lying around on the ground' Nabiki thought to herself before speaking on the second subject "so what do we do about all these martial arts scrolls lying around after all everything should be in the library". "..." was all the wise Ranma said as pulled his pigtail and unobvious confusion. "Ok then tell me why that piece of math homework got dragged into the air". "The cataloger" the wise Ranma answered "And what is the cataloger" Nabiki asked while sounding somewhat curious. "It pulls in knowledge and catalogs it". "So why hasn't it catalog all of this" Nabiki said. "Because the library has been cut off by the fissure". "And why would that make a difference that piece of math homework certainly flew through the air with the greatest of the ease". "The process of knowledge absorption is different for the scrolls .... At certain times in the past temporary bridges have formed over the fissure allowing techniques to be stored through the catacombs." "So martial arts techniques require a land bridge connection to the library" Nabiki said thoughtfully "show me the cataloger". ************ The cataloger Nabiki as found out was a massive device impressive even by her standards and as Nabiki examined the device she found several huge wires running off to various parts of the building. "I assume these wires go to different parts of the library" Nabiki asked to which the wise Ranma only nodded as a reply "well I can't see any problem with the connections up here so let's go to the catacombs" Nabiki said or the two headed straight for the catacombs where they found the wire hooked up to absolutely nothing picking up the wire Nabiki stated the obvious "I'm guessing this is the problem". "Yes that is the cataloger wire but there is another set of wires running throughout the library going to an unknown location within the building". "So the cataloger wires are connected to every thing but the catacombs and the mysterious wire is only connected here in the catacombs and nowhere else" Nabiki said thoughtfully. "Correct" 'Hmm 3 items ... no the model wasn't one of the items ... so the cataloger has to be the first and what ever the catacombs are hooked up to has to be the second' Nabiki thought before speaking "well in any case let's get all the wires connected" Nabiki said before plugging the wire into a nearby socket after which the entire catacombs light up "well looks like the catacombs a new lighting scheme" Nabiki said before the two left the catacombs. As Nabiki and the wise Ranma returned to the main lobby of the library to find an army of ghostly figures with library carts gathering the martial arts scrolls and techniques littered around the library. "Damm" Nabiki muttered in awe before she and the wise Ranma made the rounds of the library connecting the mysterious wires and after the two completed their task they return to the main lobby where they find a huge device "well looks like this is where the weird wires go" Nabiki said before a nearby solid marble wall vanished to reveal a passageway. "Well Ranma looks like my work here is done" Nabiki said with a triumphant smile before she and the wise Ranma stepped through. [Skills; both learned and natural thundered to the surface] Nodoka found herself in front of a dojo, a very large dojo. Curiously Nodoka entered the dojo to find at least 20 different training halls each having a name plate over the door describing what it was a training hall of. Then there was the extremely large fissure running through the center of the yard. Biting her lip nervously Nodoka began to explore the training halls finding that each was devoted to a certain skill either learned or natural however the closer she got to the fissure she found that the very ground below her seemed to come a live in the ground on the other side of the fissure was decorated beautifully with trees, flowers and many other vibrant plants "the fissure seems to be cutting off a life force from this side of the dojo so my job here must be to close the fissure and restore the life force flow" Nodoka said aloud before hearing this sound of violin music from one of the nearby training halls. Curiously Nodoka entered the training hall to find Ranma practicing a violin. However the Ranma she found their looked slightly different than the usual Ranma but in a very odd way the Ranma before her looked older but somehow this Ranma also looked sadder "Ranma" Nodoka said in awe startling the musically inclined Ranma "that was amazing son" Nodoka added soon afterwards causing Ranma to blush "but I'm afraid we don't have time for music right now" Nodoka added sadly "now come we must find a way to close that fissure". "..." was all the musically inclined Ranma said as he nodded and followed Nodoka out of the training hall. 'Now how we going to close the fissure' Nodoka thought before remembering that Hishizuka said two items were her target "son is there anything around this dojo that is out of the ordinary". "No" Ranma replied in a voice quite different than the normal Ranma. The voice this Ranma spoke in was quite sad. "hmm" was the only reply Nodoka gave as she looked around the dojo only to realize there was no house only training halls "no house only training halls" Nodoka muttered out loud "The house is at the bottom of the fissure". "Can we get down there safely" Nodoka asked to which Ranma responded by sweeping Nodoka off her feet and jumping into the fissure where he jumped from one wall of the fissure to the other in order to reach the bottom safely. The site that the two beheld was of a house on its side. "Kami" Nodoka muttered before the two started to explore the ruin and after a long search the two find absolutely nothing 'how are we supposed to seal this fissure if we can find anything' Nodoka thought before looking to the walls of the fissure for a possible clew finding none the Saotome matriarch began to fume as was apparent when she punched the side of the fissure wall cracking it in the process. "You ok" Ranma asked. Nodoka was now looking at her throbbing hand just nodded before looking at the house again ' the house is the heart of any dojo but this dojo's heart is on its side and at the bottom of the canyon' Nodoka thought to herself before speaking again "I don't suppose we can get this house out of the fissure". "Hmm I can with the Hiryu-Shoten-ha but to actually do that I need a source of heat or hot chi" Ranma explained simply. "Hmm heat or hot chi" Nodoka said thoughtfully before feeling a warm breeze "..Is it me or is it warmer down here in the fissure than it was up there". "...no it isn't you" Ranma said before scanning the entire area "in fact its warm enough down here that I can do it not like it usually do but I still do it". "Ok where do I go?" "Out of this fissure and into one of the training halls". And so 3 minutes later Nodoka was peeking out a one of the many training halls around Ranma's mysterious mental dojo waiting for an attack she had only heard described by Akane. Nodoka had seen her fair share of unusual things in her time but she had never seen a tornado created by a force of will alone. Five seconds later Nodoka saw said tornado lift the house out of the fissure and into the air then the ground itself began to rumble signaling an earthquake that started to close the fissure this of course panicked Nodoka untill Ranma emerged from the fissure with lightning speed with plenty of time to spare. And in classic anima style the fissure closed a second before the house came crashing down to the ground landing neatly at the center of the dojo leaving Nodoka up with a broad smile on her face as she walked out the training hall she was hiding in and up to Ranma. "Well looks like step 1 is complete" Nodoka said before deciding to explore the other side of the fissure what she found their was not like the other side of the dojo however the paths in between the house and the training halls were lined with find marble instead of dirt and as Nodoka looked at the names of the training halls noticing they all had to do with martial arts 'hmm the house is the heart of the dojo and each training hall represents a skill either learned or natural ... the path must represent the connection between the skill and the house and therefore to Ranma' Nodoka thought before spotting a path that was neither marble or dirt but simple stones after following the path to the training hall she found that the training hall was labeled simply art.. After Nodoka entered the training hall she found it to be more like an artist's studio than anything else. 'Hmm' was the only thought Nodoka had considering she knew Ranma drew occasionally 'the more the skill is used the better the path gets' Nodoka thought before deciding to examine one of the dirt paths to find the soil of the path completely sterile 'hmm the fissure has been sealed put yet the path is still sterile' Nodoka thought as a handful of sterile soil slipped through her fingers before looking over her shoulder at the marble lined paths of Ranma's martial arts training halls 'its like the paths bring life force to the training halls ...hmm that makes sense in a way the more the skill is used the more energy it needs but these dirt paths don't look like they're getting any life energy' Nodoka thought before speaking "son where do the training halls get their energy". "The power cave" Ranma answered. "Take me there" Nodoka demanded before the two left the dojo and hiked a few miles to mysterious looking cave. Once the initial shock of the odd glowing cave past Nodoka descended into the depths two find a glowing pool of energy that seen to radiate confidence power, skill and many other things however Nodoka also found a humongous Boulder blocking the source of the pool turning to Ranma Nodoka had already decided what had to be done. "Blow it away Ranma" Nodoka said as she pointed to the Boulder. Ranma replied by producing a huge ki sphere which easily destroyed the Boulder. What happened next made Nodoka regret her last decision when a wall of glowing liquid thundered towards the two however before the liquid could swarm her or Ranma she found herself being carried away an incredible speed by Ranma which allowed them to escape being drowned. "Incredible" Nodoka muttered as Ranma put her down. What was incredible was a massive flood of strange glowing liquid was bringing the landscape between the dojo and the cave to life in an instant. "Well I say we get back to the dojo" Nodoka said after watching the scene for a moment. However what happened next diverted Nodoka's attention as a piece of the sheer rock face near the cave entrance vanished revealing a stone archway. "Or not" Nodoka said with a raised eyebrow before she and Ranma stepped through. [Emotions; so deeply buried they had no way to show themselves at all were freed from shackles a decade old] Akane found herself in huge open clearing in a forest the clearing itself seemed to be caused by a fissure that originated at the center of the clearing and stretched on over the horizon. 'That must be the fracture and I have to find a way to seal it' Akane thought before starting to explore the area around the fissure finding nothing she starts to explore the forest where she finds a cave What she finds in the cave is a childhood version of Ranma that can be no more than six years old chained and shackled to the cave wall. Needless to say Akane immediately tries to free the young Ranma however not only does Akane have no success in freeing the young Ranma but the young Ranma doesn't even stir. 'What in the even Ranma should've woken up after that shaking' Akane thought after realizing the young Ranma should've woken up "Ranma??" Akane said aloud only to receive no reply at all. After shaking the young Ranma once more Akane examines the shackles and chains finding a key hole. "I'll find the key I promise" Akane said before leaving the cave. ************** Ten or so minutes later we find Akane exploring the forest looking for anything out of the ordinary. She finds it in the form of orb sitting on top of a marble pillar in the middle of the forest. Conveniently the pillar was labeled. "The key to the shackles of emotion?" Akane said questioningly as she noticed the orb was slightly cracked and when she reached out to touch the orb she found out it was protected quite well by a lightning field. Shaking her hand more out of surprise then pain Akane began to look around for something to get the orb off of the pillar she founded in the form of a large stone which she took only a moment's to pick up and throw at the orb. Of course the orb's response was to shatter causing Akane to bite her lip and mumble something herself before reaching out to see if the lightning field was still in place finding that it wasn't Akane examined the shattered orb to find a key which of course leaves Akane to smile before starting to walk back to the cave key in hand. However Akane loses her way and ends up back in the clearing leaving Akane to think 'if the young Ranma represents Ranma's emotions maybe this fissure represents his inability to express them ...no that's probably just because his emotions have been chained up ...but what caused them to be chained up and what caused the fissure in the first place ...well it doesn't matter a moment I have to go free that young Ranma' Akane thought before finding her way back to the cave. Once there Akane found the young Ranma as she left him asleep, chained and shackled to the cave wall. Akane's only response to this was to smile before using the key she had retrieved to free the young Ranma. Once free the young Ranma awakens and looks up at Akane with a questioning pair of blue-gray eyes. "Ranma you ok" Akane asked. The only reply the young Ranma gave was a shy nod. "Good now can you tell me what caused that fissure out there". The young Ranma replied in a shy whisper "the big shiny thing stopped shining then the ground started to shake and the big hole happened and I hit my head and woke up here". "Can you show me the big shiny thing" Akane asked to which the young Ranma nodded before leading Akane out of the cave by the hand. *********** About an hour or so later the two arrive at a huge pillar with an equally huge spherical orb floating on top of it. 'Gods it looks almost dead' Akane thought before starting to examine the huge pillar "what is this Ranma". "It's in charge of emotion" the young Ranma replied. "So it's your emotional controller... what happened just before it went dead". "..Hmm pop said 'any expression of emotion is a sign of weakness' and then that night a big stone hit the orb and it went dark then the ground started to shake and the big hole happened and I hit my head and woke up in the cave. "Hmm a big stone" Akane mumbles as she started to examine the control orb quickly finding the stone impacted in the orb "there it is" Akane mumbled to herself before scratching her head "now how we going to get that stone out of the orb". "A ladder maybe" the young Ranma suggested. "And where we going to get one". "...no make one" the young Ranma replied while pointing to forest to which Akane only replied by rubbing her temples before following the young Ranma back into the forest. ****************** 30 or so minutes later we find the young Ranma constructing a ladder while Akane waits patiently nearby. ' I wonder if I should asked him about it ... it might be my only chance to get a straight answer for a long time' Akane thought as she watched the young Ranma make a ladder "Ranma way don't you hit girls". The young Ranma's only immediate response was to nervously grind his foot into the ground "cause girls cry when they get hit and mom says people only cry when they really get hurt and you should never really hurt someone unless you have no other option ... and even pop agrees with that". "Ranma not all girls cry when they get hit". "...." was all the young Ranma said as he looked at Akane with a confused expression. "Ok what about when you fight with Ryouga you hit him hard enough to destroy a concrete wall but he doesn't get hurt bad enough to cry". The only reply the young Ranma gave was a nod "pop said that different people get hurt less or more ...but pop always said that girls are week ... and week people get hurt really easy". "...well what about Ukyou, did she ever cry when you hit her"? The only reply Akane received was a no in the form of a shaking head. "Tell me Ranma how many things as your father been wrong about". "Hmm ....most every thing" the young Ranma replied. "Well think about this maybe he was wrong about girls the week" Akane said before the young Ranma nodded and went back to work on the ladder. ********************** An hour or so later the two return to the emotional controller ladder in hand. A few seconds later Akane was up a ladder and had dislodged the stone which immediately caused the orb to start glowing and a moment later the ground started to shake violently leaving Akane almost no time to get off of the ladder before a full-blown 10.0 earthquake started.. The earthquake stopped a minute later after the fissure had closed leaving both the young Ranma and Akane quite shaken. "Glad that's over" Akane mumbled before a stone gateway materialized beside the emotional controller "well I guess we go through their". [And most importantly clarity of mind was gained] As Kasumi and Neko Ranma exited the room there were just in they found themselves in a huge dome structure and at the center of the room the Ranma Kasumi knew laying on an elevated stone alter sleeping in his dead to the world manner. Looking around Kasumi first saw Nabiki entering with a Ranma that practically radiated wisdom and respect, next Kasumi saw Nodoka entering with a Ranma that practically oozed skill, and lastly Kasumi saw Akane with a very young Ranma who was hiding behind Akane's leg However before anyone could say anything Hishizuka appeared near the center of the room and looked around only briefly before speaking "all of you must leave now" Hishizuka said plainly before waving her hand which caused a stone archway to appear after which Kasumi, Nabiki, Nodoka, and Akane left leaving Hishizuka alone with the Ranma's "you all know what to do" Hishizuka stated simply before each Ranma walked up to the sleeping Ranma in the center of the room and where absorbed one by one. After the young Ranma was absorbed the real Ranma awoke. "What happened? I feel so strange" Ranma said as he got up. "I'm so sorry Ranma ... your father's training methods and your stressful life caused your spirit to fracture ... the fracture has been repaired but unfortunately no one is ever the same after recovering from spirit fracture". Ranma's only reply was to look up into the dome "I can remember everything now ... even things that happen before the Neko-ken ... and the Neko-ken it's self, the day me and pop left mom on our training mission every thing" Ranma said in a haunted voice before looking off in another direction "and I feel like I know so much more and I know I can remember a hell of a lot more techniques at least three or four times as many" Ranma added before looking at Hishizuka "Go on". "I don't know I feel more skilled" Ranma replied before looking off "and I feel more emotional ...my control is less than what it normally is but yet I feel more in control of my emotions than I ever have". "And all in all" "I don't know I just feel more clearheaded ... yeah I'm a hell of a lot more clearheaded ... yeah definitely ... and I like it ... yeah I like it a lot" Hishizuka's only response was a nervous smile before waving her hand causing the stone archway to appear once more "once you go through this exit Ranma you will awaken as soon as your mind is finished repairing self" Hishizuka said plainly before exiting herself leaving Ranma alone. After taking a deep breath Ranma noted that his hand was shaking "am I afraid?" Ranma asked before gathering his strength "...no just nervous" Ranma added before walking through the stone archway. [Awakening] Early morning in the training hall Ranma-chan awoke with a loud yawn as she stretched and woke up and as soon as the redhead could focus her eyes she found Hishizuka watching over her. " So how long was I out?" Ranma-chan asked. "A week Ranma" Hishizuka replied to which Ranma-chan's only reply was to sniff under her arm before nodding and walking off in the direction of the bathroom. *************** Ranma entered the wash room less than a minute later and began to shower the only reply Ranma gave to the cold water was a tearful smile. After Ranma was finished showering he drew a hot bath in the furo however before Ranma got in curiosity demanded that he transform into Ranma-chan. Who then stretched out in the furo and relaxed just enjoying her self however a minute later Ranma-chan curled up into a ball and started to cry for a reason not even Ranma-chan could understand. 'Why why am I crying' was question Ranma-chan asked herself before looking off at one of the walls ' this body feels so much better now ... it feels like it fits me like that pair of old blue jeans I had one time .... I could even forget I was in this form ...but that's not why I'm crying' Ranma-chan thought before stretching out again 'fear....no not fear... but what else could it be' Ranma-chan thought before the feeling faded leaving Ranma-chan to finish her bath. **************** Later after Ranma had finished his bath he entered the tea room he was greeted only by an aroma coming from the direction of the kitchen. Curiously and hungrily Ranma headed for the kitchen where he found Hishizuka cooking. "So how are you feeling Ranma" Hishizuka asked as she continued to prepare breakfast. "A bit hungry but otherwise fine" Ranma replied simply as he sat down. "Understandable" Hishizuka replied before turning around and sitting down by Ranma. "So hmm what's happened in the past week?" Ranma asked somewhat nervously. "We start off with Konatsu has vanished most likely due to the relationship that has developed between Ukyou and Ryouga ... then there's Kodachi who I cured of her insanity ... the Amazons have vanished ... Nabiki's mercenary of diamonds persona has begun to melt and Dr. tofu has returned from Australia" was Hishizuka's brief explanation of the week's of events. "So does the Doc still have a problem with Kasumi"? Smiling as she went back to work Hishizuka only nodded as a reply before frowning "she's turned into an old maid you know". "Hun?" Ranma said in confusion. "Kasumi ... she's always been motherly .... And quiet ... but she needs to just be a kid care free and looking for a boyfriend" Hishizuka said with a sad sigh. "Well we could try hooking her up with Doc tofu". "No ... well at least not until the good doctor gets over what ever the heck makes him go crazy". The reply the two received was from the most unlikely of sources "He feels guilty about how it happened the first time" a very red-faced Kasumi said from the doorway to the kitchen. Raising an eyebrow while Ranma developed one of his totally confused expressions in the background Hishizuka spoke "you mean to tell me after all this time that you and Tofu have been having sex". The only reply Kasumi gave was to nod "it happened when I was 9" Kasumi finely said while turning even redder. "9 ...wow I'm impressed" Kasumi's mother said. "No you don't understand it only happened once ...I came in for a check up and I gave him one of your pretty Black orchids and he "Kasumi said before trailing off completely. "Oh my I see" Hishizuka said somewhat curiously before turning back to preparing breakfast "and". "And the doctor was naughty very naughty" Kasumi said with an even larger blush than before. "Go on". "Well after he regain his wits he begged me not to tell anyone ... I've didn't understand why at the time but I do now" Kasumi said before leaving with the things she need to set the tea table for breakfast with a odd look in her eyes which did not escape her mother's watchful gaze. After Kasumi was out of the room Hishizuka mumbled something in a language Ranma could not understand. "You ok?" Ranma asked while sounding very concerned. "Matter of opinion Ranma matter of opinion" Hishizuka said while rubbing her temples. "I can't believe that doc tofu actually" Ranma said before trailing off not even wanting to finish his sentence. "I can the Black orchid Kasumi must have given him was an extremely powerful raw passion spice and one of the original passion spices discovered...hell I'm surprised Kasumi wasn't the one that was naughty after sniffing that thing" Hishizuka said while looking like she had a very large headache. "Are you mad at him?" Ranma asked. "No and I don't know if you noticed that look Kasumi's eye or not but she obviously wants a repeat performance and for quite some time at that". Hearing this Ranma's jaw almost falls off. "It effects different people differently Ranma... after all it turned Dr. Tofu into blithering idiot every time Kasumi entered the room". "And what about Kasumi?" Ranma asked. "I don't really know how it affected me" Kasumi answered as she reentered "although I did start eating more tofu after that" Kasumi said before leaving both Ranma and Hishizuka with a 'you have got to be kidding' look on their faces. "I'm not going to even comment on that last statement" Hishizuka said flatly. "So are we still going to try to get them together even after this"? "Yeah" Hishizuka said with a shrug before making a quick sweeping motion which causes a sealed container with a very beautiful black orchid inside to appear which caused Ranma to develop a disgusted look on his face however before he could comment Kasumi grabbed the container and ran off at near light speed which left Hishizuka to say "I guess she'll be having Tofu for breakfast this morning". "You couldn't resist could you". "No" Hishizuka said before returning making breakfast only to blink a few times before shaking her head "naaa". "What"? "I was just thinking that Kasumi might have given Dr. Tofu that black orchid knowing full well what it would do but that's ridiculous". "Yeah she would have to be some kind of super hentai". With that said with to look at each other with a look of dread on their faces realizing that just maybe that Kasumi was a super henta. 2 seconds later of course the two dismissed the idea deeming it totally ridiculous. *********************** Meanwhile somewhere in China we find shampoo and Cologne hiking towards the Amazon village win Cologne noticed shampoo's mood Shampoo said sadly as she stopped and looked up Shampoo managed to get out before Cologne waved her hand an interruption. Cologne said before pulling a small bracelet out of her pocket Cologne said before shampoo nodded and started walking back into the forest from where the two had come from. However after she was well out of sight Cologne raised her staff causing an image of Hishizuka to appear. Hishizuka said calmly as the kitchen of the Tendo dojo could clearly be seen in the background. "Hai sansei" Cologne responded "or maybe I should say misses Tendo". Hishizuka's only reply was a smile as the image in front of Cologne faded into nothingness. *********************** Later that morning after breakfast had been served and eaten we find Ranma sitting by the koi pond when Akane walked up behind him. "So ready to go?" Ranma asked. "Yeah" Akane responded before the two left the dojo and headed for no place in particular only to encounter one Tatewaki Kunou bokutou in hand as always. After Kunou had given his No-135-3 foul Magi speech however Ranma spoke. "Later Kunou". "Nay" Kunou said as he attacked only to a Ranma disarm him in the blink of an eye. "Tell you what Kunou if you call off this attack right now I'll fight you tonight at the challenge field bokutou to bokutou" Ranma said calmly after embedding Kunou's bokutou in a conveniently placed concrete wall". Looking at his bokutou Kunou grumbled "it appears I have no other choice". "Ok see you at 6" Ranma said as he and Akane left. And After Kunou was out of sight of course Akane asked the obvious question of "what do you have up your sleeve". "Well after one pop's crazier training methods I couldn't remember a lot of techniques especially stuff that had to do with weapons but after what ever happened last week I can remember everything". "The Neko-ken" "No pop came up with the crazy training method I'm thinking of happened a year before the springs ...it royally backfired I could only remember and use a 4th of all the techniques I learned will before that " Ranma said before looking off and smiling "I purtty sure I studied under the sensei Kunou learned his up from ..So he's going to be in for one nasty surprise". "How nasty" Akane asked. The only response that was given was a mischievous smile as the two continued on their way. ************ Meanwhile in another part of Nerima Nabiki absently walks along on her way to do some shopping. ************** Later on that day at Ucchan's we find Ukyou tending to the grill while Ryouga sat nearby looking like he needed a great deal of sleep when Ranma and Akane entered. "You ok Ryouga" Ranma asked to which Ryouga responded by looking like he would fall asleep any moment. "A little tired but otherwise fine." Ryouga said before almost falling asleep this left Ranma to look at Ukyou who looked very full of energy. "So I hear you two have well". "Become something of an item" Ukyou provided as she continued to work "yep it happened the night after your failed wedding" Ukyou said as she placed an okonomiyaki in front of Ranma "the details of which remain classified" Ukyou added with a mischievous smile before Kodachi entered wearing her usual leotard along with a pair of slacks and an open trenchcoat. Seeing Ranma Kodachi smiled only before sitting down by Akane. "I see that you finely woke up Ranma" Kodachi said simply before noticing Ranma's nervous look "you needn't worry the insanity that plagued my mind was completely destroyed by misses Tendo". "Still you're track record stands" Akane said to which Kodachi only nodded as a reply. "Very true very true... so what would I have to do to earn your trust or at lease prove I'm not insane any more" Kodachi asked simply. "Have your brother and father committed to the nearest insane asylum" Ukyou said off handedly. "I wish I could" Kodachi said as she rubbed her temples "but unfortunately my family has too much money for any of us to be committed" Kodachi said in an odd tone. *************************** Meanwhile at the Saotome home we find Genma sitting on the porch just outside the tea room when Nodoka sits down next to him. "Is there anything wrong dear?" "I never meant to really hurt the boy you know ... I know I haven't been even the best of the worst of fathers but I never really wanted to hurt him ... not like I did" Genma admitted sadly to which Nodoka only responded by putting her hand on Genma's shoulder "and I can't even tell him I'm sorry". "Why" "Because the boy doesn't even think I care about him. Kami knows I've done enough to him to warrant him thinking that about me but I still his father and I still care about him ... I maybe a sorry excuse for a father but I still have tried my best and as far as I can see I have fulfilled my promise to make him the best martial artist in the world ... I just hope he will be a better human being then I am" Genma said before getting up and leaving. After Genma was out of sight Nodoka smiled as she pressed stop on the tape recorder she had kept out of sight. 'The same old Genma still as odd as the day I met him' Nodoka thought with a smile. ************************ Meanwhile in the flat above Dr. Tofu's office Dr. Tofu awakens groggily wondering what the heck happened when Kasumi who was next to the good doctor put her arm as she smiled in her usual matter leaving Dr. tofu very nervous as he remembered exactly what had happened. ************************* Elsewhere in Nerima Nabiki has just finished her shopping. 'Well thanks to mom's return I finely got this PDA' Nabiki thought as she toyed with her brand-new thousand dollar PDA before someone carrying a great many number of boxes plowed right into her knocking her to the ground and destroying her PDA. Nabiki is of course enraged at this promptly jumps to her feet and hoists the young man responsible into the air by his collar "you had better be able to pay for that" Nabiki practically growls. Cowering in fear the young man replied "no ma'am I can't" before looking at a nearby woman who did not look happy seeing this Nabiki dropped the young man. "Now listen lady you had better pay for the damages to my PDA or else I will sue you from here to the moon" Nabiki demanded. "I'm not responsible for his actions he is merely a slave" the woman said coldly before motioning to young women to retrieve the fallen boxes after which the three leave leaving Nabiki and quite shocked alone with that terrified young man she had dropped. However before Nabiki could talk or even recover a salesclerk from the store she had just been in stepped outside "miss Tendo?" "What?" Nabiki said as she looked at her destroyed PDA. "The warrantee covers accidental damages" the clerk said extremely nervously while handing Nabiki an unopened PDA. After handing the clerk her destroyed PDA Nabiki spoke "tell your boss I'm taking 5000 yen off of his personal debt and 1000 off of yours". "Thank you" the clerk said before running off back into the store. "Damm" Nabiki muttered before starting to head home only to realize the young man that had run into her was now following her "and why are YOU following me?" Nabiki demanded. "You are my master now so I must go with you" the young man said in the most self humiliating way possible. Still fairly angry Nabiki just continued walking knowing that the boy would follow. ***************** Later however we find Ranma and Akane where just about to enter when Nodoka walked up with a tape recorder which raised Ranma's eyebrow slightly. However after Nodoka pressed play Ranma eye's widened quite far and even farther by the time the tape finished. "Your father is quite an odd man Ranma and I hope you can learn about who he is when he's not being the dishonorable thief .... And I hope he lets you learn" Nodoka said to which Ranma could only look dumb as a reply. Nodoka's only reply to this was to smile before walking off. "Well that was weird" Akane finely said before Nabiki was seen walking towards the dojo looking rather teed off with a young man behind her. "Out of my way" Nabiki growls as she pushed Akane aside needless to say Akane fights back only to be side kicked across the street after which Nabiki storms into the dojo followed by the young man that was behind her. *Cough**cough* "damm I forgot how hard she kicked" Akane managed to get out as she walked back across the street. "Are you ok?" Ranma asked while sounding concerned. "Yeah she just caught me off guard" Akane said dismissively "now let's see what got my sister so pissed off". "Yeah" Ranma said while wanting to know for himself what got Nabiki mad enough to side kick her sister. *************** As Ranma and Akane entered the tea room they found Nabiki fuming at the tea table while the young man that had followed her sat with his head down in the corner of the room. "So are you going to explain who that is or are you going to fume for awhile longer" Hishizuka asked with a raised eyebrow. After putting her unopened PDA down on the tea table Nabiki started to explain by this time she was done a few minutes later everyone in the room looked shocked to some degree. "A slave eh" Hishizuka said with a strange tone in her voice as she looked at the young man in the corner of room. "So what is your name?" Soun asked the young man. "Naiki sir" the young man said without even looking up. "Well Naiki you are no longer a slave" Soun said simply to which Naiki only replied by looking completely blank and Soun well Soun didn't know what to say after that. Rolling her eyes Hishizuka spoke "how long have you been a slave Naiki"? "For as long as I can remember" Naiki replied while looking confused to which Nabiki only replied by silently shedding a tear and excusing herself. ****************** A few moments later Ranma finds Nabiki in the training hall doing a very good imitation of her younger sister. "You ok" Ranma asked after watching Nabiki break a brick in half "No about a month before mom 'died' a good friend of mine vanished on her families trip to China... the day after the mom's funeral the truth came out she was sold as a slave in China by her parents" Nabiki said before setting up another brick to break. "Kami" Ranma mumbled while looking disgusted. "And did you see the look in his eye's he made Konatsu look like an egomaniac" Nabiki said after slumping down to the floor. "Kinda hard to miss" Ranma replied before Nabiki got up and left leaving Ranma to follow Nabiki back to the tea room where the two found Naiki still in the corner of the room and still looking rather nervous even frightened. Stealthfully Hishizuka led her middle daughter away to the kitchen. "So" "I guess I'll have to take care of him" Nabiki replied. "If you need any help you know where to go" Hishizuka replied before Nabiki nodded and left only to be replaced by Ranma "he has already decided that Nabiki is his master" "But he's not a slave anymore so" Ranma managed to get out before being interrupted. "He has been a slave for his entire life Ranma and right now being anything else terrifies him as much as it would any of us to suddenly find ourselves slave of someone" Hishizuka replied calmly leaving Ranma to scratch his head before leaving only to be replaced by Soun who looked rather blank "Kasumi's at Dr. Tofu's having some tofu to eat dear I'm sure she'll be home later". "Ah" was the only reply the Tendo patriarch gave before leaving. ***************** Later that day at around 5:50 Ranma and Akane arrive at the challenge field to find Kunou and Kodachi waiting. "..." was all Kodachi said as she nibbled on some popcorn while wandering exactly how badly Ranma would humiliate her brother with the bokutou he was holding. "I don't know what you are up to Saotome but you shall never win". Rolling his eyes Ranma stepped into the center of the challenge field "I've heard that one before Kunou". "..." was all Kunou said before growling and attacking with his famous strike attack however Ranma merely counters with one of his own this of course leaves Kunou stunned and Kodachi with a raised eyebrow "Strike one Kunou" Ranma said with a smug smirk. "You may have been able to copy my technique but you have not seen this technique before WIND BLADE!!" Kunou shouted slashing the air and releasing a concentrated bolt of air right at Ranma who smiles. "EARTH BLADE!" Ranma shouted before striking the ground which caused shrapnel to be propelled into the air and when the shrapnel and Kunou's wind blade both dissipated "strike two Woody" Ranma said calmly infuriating Kunou to no end as was apparent when he attacked blindly however Ranma got past his defenses almost immediately and slashed Kunou's shirt before distancing himself from Kunou "strike three Kunou" Ranma said before taking up an offensive stance and attacking 10 seconds later Kunou was down and out and Ranma hadn't even thrown one punch. "Well I better get my dear brother to Dr. Tofu's office" Kodachi said before dragging her brother off. "Come on let's go back to the dojo" Akane said while shaking her head. *************** And with that concluded time started to pass relatively uneventfully. Kasumi and Dr. Tofu began to develop a solid relationship which eventually led to her marrying the good doctor and moving out of the dojo this surprisingly took only a month's time. Also over this time Kodachi had become a friend to the usual group that hung out around Ranma rather than the insane gymnast she once was. Kunou however had not changed one bit. Ryouga had gotten lost and had not been seen for several days much to Ukyou's disappointment. Nodoka and Genma had left on a second honeymoon after Kasumi's wedding and were not due back for another month. Soun had started teaching classes once more after some 'gentle' persuasion from Hishizuka. Hishizuka herself just watched the goings-on of Nerima and stepped in when necessary with her ancient wisdom. Nabiki had tried with relatively little success to build Naiki's confidence and had finally just given up because of lack of ideas of what to do next. Ranma and Akane's relationship had begun to blossom under Hishizuka's watchful gaze -- which primarily meant she was keeping everyone out of the two's hair. Personally Ranma had changed quite a bit developing interests in everything from drawing to science and philosophy which unnerved Nabiki to no end although as far as common sense and tack went ... well no one ever said being smart and having those qualities went hand in hand. Akane on the other hand had been under the constant tutelage of her mother which had improved her cooking skills considerably along with her ability to be patient however she and Ranma's still had quite a number of fights. All in all everything had changed and how things would continue in Nerima ...well that would be telling wouldn't it so end on this chapter.