Ranma 1/2: A New Awakening Alternate Continuation (minor crossovers) By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com Co-author & Concept by: "Jerry" starfire@brainerd.net Chapter Eleven By mid morning four Sylphs have left the apartment of the only two members of the Aurora clan and head skyward toward a large floating island. Ranko flying loops, spirals, and dive bombing her three companions, making one look slightly airsick. "Ranko, dear would you please not do that your making me _airsick_!" Aerial told her looking a little green around the edges. "Huh?" Ranko stopped and looked at her soon to be aunt with a confused expression. In her momentary pause Seran flew up behind her and grabbed her, he then tucked her under his arm. He flew on toward the floating island he called home. Aerial breathing a sigh of relief, Nodoka giggling and Ranko being indignant. "HEY! LET GO!" Ranko shouted while struggling to get free. "When we get there, my little hurricane I want you rested so your grandparents can get the full benefit of their future grandchild." Seran told her with a smirk. "Seran what has mother and father ever done to you?" Aerial asked with a slightly exasperated look. "Nothing, but they kept begging to meet Ranko and Nodoka and I warned them to be careful what the wish for, so hurricane Ranko is going to make an appearance." He finished with an even bigger smirk. "HEY, I ain't that bad..am I?" Ranko asked a little unsure. "That's 'I'm not that bad?' Dear and no you perfect just the way you are." Her mother told her as she giggled at her struggling daughter. Soon they reach the island they were looking for and landed in the courtyard of a large palace like structure. They land near a fountain with a statue of three frolicking dolphins and a mermaid. Seran puts Ranko down who heads straight for the fountain. "RANKO! GET DOWN FROM THERE!" Nodoka yelled as her child started playing on the statue, getting soaked through to the skin. She flew over to her mother and hovered in front of her looking sheepishly at her with her one hand behind her head. She looked apologetically at the adults. "I'm sorry, it's just that..well it looked like fun." She said with a small smile. Nodoka just shook her head while rubbing her forehead. Aerial laughed and smiled at the young sylph. She raised her hand and waved in front of Ranko and suddenly she was bone dry. "You will want to learn that spell dear, I found it quite useful when I played on that statue as did your poppa Seran." Aerial told the young girl, Seran hmpft and took Nodoka's arm and lead her toward the palace, while Aerial and Ranko followed giggling the whole time. They entered the main hallway from the courtyard and headed toward a room off to the left. Ranko looked around in awe at main hallway it was nearly one hundred feet tall with a sky light at the ceiling. The floor was sapphire blue marble. The walls were painted a pale almost white blue, with tapestries hanging on them. There were five balconies each donating a different floor. There was a spiral staircase going around the parameter of the room leading up to each level. The banister was done in deep red mahogany and shined with a high gloss. Ranko glided slowly into the room, spinning slowly to take in everything, she never noticed when Aerial pushed her slightly to keep her from bumping into a pillar. Nor did she see the tall gray elf approaching, until like the day she met Seran ran into him. She bounced off him, since she was fluttering she flew back into the pillar she was just rescued from. Ranko smashed into the pillar with her head making a dull thud. She slowly slid down it scraping her wings against the sculptured marble as she went. She hit the floor with an *OOOF* and *PLOP*. Nodoka and Aerial both screamed and ran toward the young sylph. "RANKO!" Came the simultaneous call of the women. Seran turned from where he was heading into the study in time to see Ranko, as she slid down the pillar, he turned and ran toward the young girl he considered his daughter. When he reached his downed daughter, Nodoka and Aerial are trying to get Ranko to talk to them. Seran reached in between them and pulled his daughter to him. Nodoka and Aerial watched with worry, and stunned surprise. While the new gray elf watched with interest, Seran looked down Ranko's back to see what damage to her wings could be seen, to his surprise there was such a minimal damage that he didn't bother with a healing spell. He watched the wings heal themselves. He leaned Ranko back slightly to see at her face and looked into a pair of dazed eyes. With a smile he looked at his daughter. "Do you always like to bounce off Gray Wolf family members, my little hurricane?" He asked a slowly returning Ranko. She looked at him with a bit of confusion, when he turned her to meet the Gray elf she ran into. "This is my older brother and heir to the Gray Wolf estate, Corsan." Ranko looked to where her poppa was directing and looked at an older version of her poppa Seran except without the wings. "So little brother, this is to be your daughter, if her mother is a beautiful as she is I will be terribly jealous and may have to try and steal them away." Corsan said smiling down at the petite redhead. Nodoka stepped forward and took Seran's arm and placed a steadying hand on her daughters shoulder, as she sensed Ranko was not understanding it to be a joke. Seran laughed, to which Ranko looked at him with confusion. "Brother I don't think you would be able to handle my little hurricane. Aerial still has trouble, and I know you would definitely since you do not work out much." Seran told his brother with a look of challenge that Nodoka missed but Ranko didn't. "Stop it you two, you are giving my sister-in-law and niece a bad impression of our family." Aerial told them while she moved in between the two men. "I apologize to you sister dear and to my future _in-laws_." Corsan said as he bowed to Nodoka and Ranko. "You must be Nodoka, I can see where your daughter gets her beauty. You will add a ray of sunshine to these dreary halls, and brighten my otherwise drab existence." Corsan tells Nodoka while taking her hand and kissing it. "EEEWWWW! You must be related to _Kuno_!" Ranko exclaimed as she made a face at the flowery talk coming from her soon to be uncle. "_Ranko_!" Nodoka scolded, but it had no effect as Seran started to laugh. "Yes Ranko he does, doesn't he." Seran agreed while taking Ranko's hand and Nodoka's arm and led them past his brother into the living room to meet his parents. Nodoka looked confused to her fiancé and child. Aerial came up beside her and eased her confusion. "It is because of the dreamwalk he did with Ranko, although he did not see all her memories the older ones are harder to see with such a short walk. He did see her most recent memories of people and events. I would say about the last year, maybe the last two." Aerial told her and Nodoka nodded, with a little relief. Corsan watched as the little soon to be family walked away, a jealous gleam crossing his face, which soon disappeared when a young gray elf boy came running up to him. "POPPA, POPPA, was that uncle Seran?" The little elf boy asked him. "Yes Erin and your future cousin and aunt also." Corsan told him while sweeping him up into his arms. Corsan turned and headed back the way the boy had come toward his quarters to retrieve his wife, and daughter for the introductions. Which would prove to be interesting, since he chose to marry a high elf and she did not really like other races. She was only polite to his family as long as she had to be until he inherited then she would establish her control. [If I let her!] He thought to himself, knowing the reason she really married him. /*\*/*\ The small group entered the living room which was quite large. The eyes are immediately drawn to a large white marble fireplace and mantle with a portrait of Seran, and what the new comers assumed was his mother and father since they looked like Seran and his siblings. Corsan and Aerial were also in the painting. It was painted with them in front of the fireplace they now faced. In front of the fireplace sat two large wing back chairs in a silver blue, with matching footstools. In front of them was a coffee table of cherry wood with a smoky glass top and in front of that was a four-person sofa of the same silver blue. At each end of the room were large bay windows which had matching chairs set in front of them. Standing at one of the bay windows was a talking couple, they looked to be in their early fifties in human terms. In Faerie terms Nodoka refused to guess their ages. The man looked like an older version of Seran but instead of Seran's ice blue eyes he had Aerial and Corsan's emerald green ones. The woman looked a lot like Aerial save her ice blue eyes and the soft honey blond hair. It seemed the Gray Wolf clan got its black hair from the father. The two people caught sight of the newcomers and stepped forward. The man looked at them with a stern visage while the woman had a light cheery smile and happy twinkle in her eyes. "Welcome to our home, you must be Nodoka, I am Yiri." The woman enthused while coming up to Nodoka and taking her in an embrace, then turning to Ranko. "You must be Ranko my your as pretty as your mother. Seran you have been telling tales, she is a very quite and pleasant young lady." Yiri hugs Ranko then turned on her son. "She hasn't warmed up to you yet mother, give her time." He shot back with a grin at both his mother and Ranko. "This is my husband Mychol." Nodoka and Ranko both bow respectfully to the patriarch of the Gray Wolf clan. Mychol raised and eyebrow, but followed their lead and bowed to them as well. When they stood straight Ranko was smiling at the older man, a gleam of mischief in her eye, but her mothers steadying hand on her shoulder kept her daughter in line. Seran leaned over to his fiancée and in a loud mock whisper. "Spoil sport!" He told her in her ear, Aerial let out a sultry laugh as Nodoka gave her intended a harsh but loving glare. Yiri and Mychol look from each of their children to the Aurora women with nothing but confusion. They shook it off and Yiri pulled a bell rope and waits for it to be answered. Soon a young male Gray elf entered the room and bowed slightly to the people standing there. "Torma take the luggage of our guests to their rooms. Nodoka and Ranko will stay in the suite next to ours." Yiri instructed him, Torma casts a spell and everyone's luggage is elevated and followed the elf out. Ranko watched fascinated and ran to the door of the living room to watch him and the floating luggage. She turned to Seran and jumped from the door to his arms which was over fifty feet. Both Yiri and Mychol noticed she did not use her wings, and were even more in awe when their son acted like he expected it and caught her. "Poppa Seran, are you going to teach that?" Ranko asked point to where the young gray elf had just left. "I won't but yes you will learn Gray elf magic, my little hurricane." He told her with a smile, while his father looked at them skeptically. Corsan and his family chose this moment to enter the room. His wife a tall woman of 5' 9" looked on at the display with distaste. Under the watchful eye of Nodoka. Corsan introduced his family to the future family of his brother. "I would like to introduce my wife Jara, my son Erin, and my daughter Yirko. This is Nodoka and Ranko." He finished pointing to the to Aurora women. Nodoka and Ranko both bowed to the family of Seran's brother, the children respond in kind but Jara just gave a curt nod. Jara has long white blonde hair and pale hollow blue eyes. She has the sharp angler features of all the high elves the new Sylphs have seen so far. Erin looked like his father but with the pale hollow blue eyes. The difference between his eyes and his mother's is that he carries the twinkle found in his grandmother's eyes. Yirko looked much like her mother but her features were the softer rounder structure of the Gray Elves. Yirko also had her fathers emerald green eyes save they were paler in color. She however took more after her mother in personality. She glared at the younger redhead and showed distaste at the outfit Ranko chose to wear. Yiri caught the look and stood between the two young girls facing her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. I a low voice she growled her warning. "You had better _not_ show your high elf haughtiness at my family or you will find yourself outcast from here as well!" Corsan cringed as he knew his mother meant it and so did Jara. "Why don't we head to the dinning room, I had the cooks prepare a late afternoon meal for you, since I knew you would be hungry and tired from traveling all day. I also at my sons request had extra portions made although I haven't the foggiest idea as to why?" Yiri told her guests as she led them to the dinning room. "I can explain that for you Mrs. Gray Wolf." Nodoka answered with a tinge of red. "Oh, please dear don't be so formal you can either call us by our given names or mom and dad, since you will be family soon. Why do we need the extra food?" Yiri scolded Nodoka lightly. "Well I am afraid that my daughter, myself and your son eat a great deal of food because of the type of martial arts we practice." Nodoka began to explain, the Gray Wolf clan stared at her with skepticism. "You see my daughter was trained in the Anything Goes style of Martial Arts, plus she is a master at manipulating her ki and chi, which uses a lot of energy. She has been training myself, Seran, and Raist and the more proficient we get the more food we need to eat to supply fuel if you will." Nodoka continued to explain. "_Oh, please_! Your daughter is a pig why don't you just come out and say so instead of making up some ridiculous excuse like that." Yirko piped in with disgust. "No Ryoga is the pig." Ranko responded back with a smirk. She also did not like her mother being called a lair so to emphasis her mothers point, Ranko's aura burst into existence. Ranko could see in the girl's face she was not impressed so Ranko upped the anti. She fired a small amount of chi at the girl, just enough to get her point across, but not enough to cause too much damage. Her mother stepped forward to stop her but Yiri and Mychol held her back. "Moko Takabisha!" The chi ball the size of a pebble was strong enough to knock the elf girl back a few feet and onto her butt, the front of her dress smoking slightly. Ranko walked over to her, hands on her hips and legs slightly apart. She looked down at the awe struck girl. "That was my weakest blast, you are lucky you have had no battle training or I would have used a larger blast." Ranko demonstrated by summoning a chi ball the size of a basketball. "The next time you insult my mother _I will forget_ you are not a warrior!" Ranko disbursed her chi and walked over to her host and hostess. She bowed deeply and respectfully to them. "Please forgive my outburst, but I am afraid I can not control my temper where my mother is concerned." Yiri just smiled at her and patted her shoulder, while she glared over a Jara and Yirko. "You have nothing to apologize for child, I would have been disappointed if you had not tried to protect your mother's honor. My granddaughter gets her bad habits from her mother, and they had better change and soon." Mychol answered before his wife could respond. He then took Ranko's arm and led her to the dining room the rest following close behind them. Mychol smiled down at the redhead who looked back over her shoulder nervously at her mother and poppa Seran, who smiled at her. "Tell me more about this ki and chi child it is fascinating." Mychol told her, Ranko looked at him with bright, and excited eyes, as she began to explain it to her new grampa. /*\*/*\ Ukyo woke the next morning feeling the best she has ever felt. She looked around her room and scattered about were little specks of rainbow light. She smiled as she stared at the sleeping pixies. She then noticed the paper on her desk and went to see what it was, when she finished reading her tears flowed down her cheeks. She had someone who understood, who would be there for her till Ranko returned. Ukyo left the room for a quick shower, when she came back the pixies started to wake up, the one with the flute began to play a melody for her while she dressed. She then went down stairs but when she started to prepare for the day she realized she had no knives to prepare her ingredients. The pixies helped by magically preparing the meat and vegetables. [oooo, man that is a neat trick, I wonder if Ranchan can teach it to me?] Ukyo thought as she finished getting things ready to open her restaurant. When Ukyo opened the doors it was a little after noon and several of her steady customers were waiting outside to see if she was going to open to their delight she did. They gave their best wishes as they took their seats and told her they hope her family member was feeling better. She smiled and told them she was. /*\*/*\ Akane walked toward Ucchan's with a covered casserole dish she had made. She worked most of the morning on it, and knew it was perfect. Although she didn't think it was suppose to be purple. When she reached her destination she was surprised to see Ukyo greeting customers with a bright smile. There was something else different about her but Akane could not tell what. She stared at the chief for a moment then her eyes widened and she almost dropped the dish of _food_ she was carrying. [Ukyo is not binding her chest! That is not possible, she can't do that unless..she..married..OH KNOW!] Akane stumbled forward toward the restaurant a little of the _food_ she carried spilling on the ground. Akane never noticed her casserole spilling out, she also never noticed as it started to sizzle and smoke turning the concrete black. She pulled herself together and entered Ucchan's with a forced smile on her face. /*\*/*\ Ukyo watched Akane enter with a covered dish, all the pixies around her began to shudder and convulse. Ukyo jumped over her counter and headed straight for Akane. When she reached Akane she bowed took the dish and exited the restaurant. Akane followed her as Ukyo went down the alley two buildings down and dumped the toxic concoction into a Dumpster. Akane exploded with a bright red aura until Ukyo came running toward her with frightened eyes. With all the gases built up in the Dumpster, Akane's creation was the catalyst it needed. Akane stood wide eyed as a giant mushroom cloud of fire billowed up from the Dumpster. Akane ran from the alley to see Ukyo leaning against the wall, gasping for air. Akane walked over and spun the chief around, anger flashing in her eyes. Ukyo just stared at her defiantly, daring her to do something. Akane excepted the challenge, she knew without her battle spatula Ukyo was easy pickings. "What did you do to my casserole!" Akane growled into Ukyo's face, Ukyo pushed her away and stormed off not even giving her an answer. Akane stared at Ukyo's retreating form and took off after her. Just before Ukyo reached Ucchan's Akane grabbed her shoulder spun her around into a kick to her stomach. Ukyo flew back into the wall of a building next to her shop. She slowly slid down the wall, to a kneeling position, holding her abdomen. Akane stood in front of the downed chief her fists clenched an angry snarl on her face. Her aura blazing around her body. "_I SAID WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY CASSEROLE_! She screamed at the woozy chief. Ukyo slowly raised her head, her eyes flashing red with fire. Akane took a step back, at the anger burning on Ukyo's face, her aura winking out in surprise. When Ukyo for the first time flared her own battle aura. Ukyo growled angrily and charged a shock Akane. /*\*/*\ The shadow watched the explosion in the alley, then followed along from the roof when the two girls walked away. The watcher gasped in surprised anger, when Akane attacked from behind. It could not understand why it felt the need to protect Ukyo. The shadow readied itself to do so when it stood mouth agape at the aura that flared around her. A since of brotherly pride seemed to overwhelm him. His eyes go wide with shock. [Where did that come from?] He thought as he turned his attention back toward Ukyo, he cringed while he watched her retaliate for the unprovoked attack. /*\*/*\ Akane did not even have time to get her defenses up as Ukyo charged her. Akane's shock left her the moment Ukyo's punch connected with her jaw, sending Akane back into a lamp pole. Akane struggled to her feet only to be met with a roundhouse kick to the stomach sending her across the street and into another alley. Ukyo waited and did not have long to wait, when Akane reappeared her aura was glowing in full force as she charged Ukyo. Ukyo seemed surprised when she dodged the devastating punch Akane threw at her, she was even more surprised when she jumped nearly fifteen feet over a back kick. Akane was also surprised as was the watcher. Ukyo did not look a gift _horse_ in the mouth as she flipped in mid air and landed with an extended leg kick to the side of Akane's head knocking her back into the wall she had been punched into. Akane slid to the ground unconscious and Ukyo turned and walked into her shop she picked up the telephone and dialed the Tendo residence. "Moshi, Moshi?" Came the cold voice on the other end, a grim smile crossed Ukyo's face. "Good afternoon, Nabiki, I suggest you come retrieve your little sister before Kuno finds her." Ukyo tells the middle Tendo with a sardonic grin. "What? What are you talking about?" Nabiki was confused, and she didn't like that. "Just what I said, she attacked me in an unprovoked attack, if she does it again I will file charges. She is now unconscious outside my shop so if you want her come get her." With that Ukyo hung up the telephone, and went to fill the orders of her customers. She first checked on the condition of her little guardians and they were slowly beginning to right themselves. While Ukyo prepared the orders she wondered where that hand to hand skill came from? [I am not that good, how was I able to beat Akane without my spatula?] She wondered as she sent the first plate of okonomiyaki flying across the restaurant toward the intended customer, to a prefect three point landing in front of him. She continued to fill the orders and send them flying, when her door burst open there stood Soun Tendo holding his youngest daughter. Who was still unconscious, behind them stood Nabiki her Ice Queen façade in place. Ukyo, however, caught the gleam of curiosity in her eyes before she buried it. Ukyo heard the pixies as the began casting protection spells around her, for some reason she wished they hadn't done that. Soun stepped forward, his demon head exploding to full force. The pixies didn't even seem to notice and neither did Ukyo, it seemed the protection spell kept her from being effected by that technique. Ukyo continued to cook for her clients and ignored the foolish man in front of her. The customers seeing Ukyo staying calm decided there was nothing to fear and waited for their orders and the soon to start floor show.