Ranma 1/2: Ranma of Grayskull Crossover: Masters of the Universe By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com (please respond to this e-mail address) http://www.mindspring.com/~yanega/index.htm or Visit my Mirror site at: http://www.ranko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.htm Chapter Twenty The sorceress and Battlecat pause as she goes to bring back He-Man and She-Ra. Though the sorceress wants to tell them she is sworn not to by the big green tiger. He tells her it is Ranma's place not theirs and she reluctantly agrees. What they do tell them is why Ranma is so attached to little Meriana. "We understand the part about the cat spirit and it makes perfect sense but to be able to have so much rage as to destroy the entire Horde base single handedly." He-Man shakes his head in total awe. "Is it He-Man, you heard her tale the same as I she killed a God on her world to save someone she believed she loved. She also blew off the top of a mountain." The sorceress reminds the twins. "That is it isn't it?" She-Ra asks the protector of Grayskull. "She was so alone and lonely as a child even with her father there, that Meriana is a kindred spirit for her." She-Ra tells them her eyes taking a far away look the sadness evident. "It was hard for you wasn't it sis?" He-Man asks her as he takes her hand in his. "Yes! I know what she went through the loneliness, the isolation, never really belonging. She doesn't want Meriana to feel those things." She-Ra tells them her head bowing to hide the tears. "She felt betrayed and abandoned. She didn't know who to trust and when all you have is someone like her father or Hordak you want more. You need more but the anger is so hard to deal with when you don't know why you're angry." She-Ra tells them as she stares off into nothingness her eyes glazing over. He-Man watches his sister guilt and anger flooding through him. Guilt for not being there, and anger for not being there. He stares at his sister his eyes narrowing when he feels an emotion he very rarely feels, _hate_! His hate for Hordak for stealing his twin, his hate for Duncan for not saving her. His hate at his parents for not doing more to safeguard them and his hate for the sorceress for not finding his sister sooner. The hate flows through him, filling every portion of his being. Then just a quickly it is gone. It is their destiny to be the protectors of Grayskull and if Adora grew up on Eternia she could not fulfill that destiny. He reaches over and takes his sister into his embrace. She leans into him her head resting on his right shoulder as she still stares off. Her arms clasping a hold of his right arm as she holds on tight afraid if she lets go she will fall back into that lonely world were there was no one for her. "Ranma fears she will be alone, that she will never know true and unconditional love. That no one will stay with her because they love her. Than everyone she believes loves her wants something or wants to possess her as a piece of art or trophy. From what she told us even her mother had placed conditions on her love. Until just before she was pulled here." She-Ra whispers her tears falling onto her brother's strong shoulder. The small group sits for a while He-Man holding his sister and the sorceress wondering how her daughter felt growing up. Did she have these feelings, did she feel alone and unwanted! The sorceress clutches at her chest in despair hope beyond hope Teela never had feelings such as She-Ra and Ranma. /*\*/*\ Ranma's eyes flutter open and she looks around her room. She is a little surprised to be back at Grayskull. She doesn't remember how she had gotten here. She tries to sit up but a wave of dizziness washes over her causing her to fall back onto the pillow. [Man, I wonder if Ryoga's bad sense of direction is contagious?] She thinks rubbing her temples, when she suddenly freezes. "Excuse me miss, I am sorry to bother you but can you tell me the way to the Tendo Dojo?" The voice feels her with dread, she is not ready for him. She turns to look at him and Ryoga gasps and steps back as he finally gets a good look at the girl in front of him. Her hair covers her body in waves of flame and her cat eyes blaze with an eternal flame glowing there. Ranma stares at her arch nemesis, but does not see recognition in his eyes. "Straight through that door make a left at the first intersection follow it for about three blocks and that should put you right at the gate." Ranma sighs as she makes up directions knowing Ryoga will get lost the minute he leaves her room. "Thank you miss." Ryoga bows to her, his heavy pack balancing perfectly on his back. Ranma watches as Ryoga runs through the door and turns right. She shakes her head as she hears his footsteps fade into the distance. She chuckles a little but winces when her head throbs with complaints. "Well I either gotta make sure those robots don't hit me or I need to toughen up more. I think I'll do both." Ranma says to herself sitting up on the edge of the bed. "I think my next order of business is to move into my new home." Ranma hears a gasp at the door to her room. She turns to see the sorceress there her eyes filling with tears. Ranma smiles sheepishly at her, she then slowly gets down from the bed and bows deeply to her hostess. "Sorceress I thank you so much for taking me in but I need to have something of my own. There is only a small problem." The sorceress looks at the young warrior curiosity poking through the tears. "I still need a place to stay until I repair the castle in the Valley." Ranma winces as she waits for the explosion, she didn't wait long. "OH, RANMA OF COURSE YOU CAN STAY HERE!" In her excitement the sorceress did not see the pain on the martial artist's face at her shout. She also misses the widening of her eyes when the woman glomps her in a tight hug. The sorceress finally lets go pushing Ranma back from herself slightly. Still keeping her hands on Ranma's shoulders. Ranma quickly puts a smile on her face for the woman she has come to care dearly for. "She-Ra and He-Man have gone home. Battlecat told me what happen but at his insistence I did not tell them about your last conversation with Angela." Ranma's face darkens slightly, then the anger fades and she nods. "Thank you, I know they consider her a friend. I will still help because the lives of so many hang in the balance but I do it for them not _Queen Angela_!" The sarcasm is not lost on the sorceress she decided a change of subject will be helpful. "So how badly damaged is the building? What kind of supplies do you think you will need?" She asks seeing the grateful look on her guests face. "Well surprisingly it is not in to bad of shape just some missing quartz blocks here and there. The wall around the castle is in pretty bad though. I am thinking I might just level it as a low wall. Maybe two feet high just so I can cordoned off the garden." Ranma finishes as she and the sorceress walk into the throne room. "Quartz castle?" The sorceress asks a memory tickling the back of her mind. "Yeah *SHUDDER* pink quartz although pink is not my favorite color it looks nice in a castle and I can use the stones from the wall to repair the castle." Ranma tells her completely missing the look on her face. Ranma sits down near the mosaic and waits for the sorceress to rejoin her. The woman comes back into the room carrying a tray of tea with a very large book floating behind her. She smiles at the young girl and sits down next to her. "The quartz castle is familiar to me somehow so I thought I would check the book of legends." She tells Ranma while pouring the tea. "You don't need the book I can tell you what you need to know." Ranma tells her with a heavy sigh and small grin at her surprise. "Do you know the reason for the mist around the valley?" Ranma asks the sorceress as she settles on the floor next to her strange and wonderful guest. "No, no one has been able to determine what it is. I do sense great power from within the mists." The sorceress tells her looking thoughtfully in the direction of Ranma's new home. "Pleas do not tell anyone else what I am going to tell you!" Ranma asks pleading with her very expressive face. "I promise Ranma not even the twins if you don't want them to know." She tells the warrior concern on her face. "Thank you, and no not even them. I might tell them later but I don't want them to know yet. I fear they may try to close the rift and I don't want that." Ranma says absently as she looks into her cooling tea. "Rift? Ranma what are you talking about?" The sorceress looks at her guest her curiosity running wild. "The protective mist around the valley is caused by a rift in the fabric between our world and the spirit world. There are rifts all over the place, really, just not large enough for humans to notice. I guess Spirit Weavers can detect them though. I being half Spirit Weaver can use those rifts to augment my powers with the spirit world." Ranma pauses and looks at the shock on the face of her new friend, a warm smile on her face. "The rift around the valley is a large one a very large one. There are over hundreds of thousands of spirits living in the mist. They claim the valley as theirs and travel between the two worlds. They are however locked into the valley. They can not freely roam the world." The sorceress looks at the girl her eye brow arching with skepticism. "It is true of any rift the spirit has some leeway in where they go. I mean they can travel a certain distance but if the exceed that distance it could destroy them." Ranma continues not noticing the looks given by her friend. "How do you know all this Ranma you were not a Spirit Weaver when you came here." The sorceress asks trying to hide her disbelief from Ranma. "When I went there to check out the valley the spirits awakened my powers. It seems all Spirit Weavers must have their powers awakened at a rift. Not necessarily that large but large enough for spirits to pass through. Then during the awakening the spirits cram into your mind the abilities and limitations of your powers. I am limited to about thirty-two miles from the rift, then my powers cease until I am near another rift. I believe the distance will vary depending on the strength of the rift." Ranma continues staring into the shadows of Grayskull. "It was the spirits that allowed you into the valley correct?" The sorceress asks her keeping this information in her mind to transcribe later for the next sorceress. "Yes actually it was also them, well Jagar and Karamer that gave me the information I needed to present myself before King Randor and Queen Marlena. Oh and here I won't need this any longer. They pushed the Eternian language into my head as well." Ranma hands back the choker with the amber crystal. "Although it is a little archaic it still helps and since Etheria uses a similar language I am fine for now." The sorceress nods and places the choker next to her. "Some time soon I would like you to sit down and write all you learned about Spirit Weavers for our library here at Grayskull the information may help the next generation of sorceresses." The falcon woman tells Ranma then her eyes go wide. "Did you say Karamer and Jagar?" Ranma giggles at the shock on the woman's face. "Yes I did. You know the history of them don't you?" The sorceress looks at Ranma confusion on her face. "I thought I did!" The protector of Grayskull tells her an eyebrow arching as she looks at her in a sideways glance. "Well I am sure you know that before Jagar came the first king, Eternia was ruled by small Baronies. Each fighting with the other for supremacy. There was a revolt and at the end the people selected Jagar and his descendants as their king. It was Jagar who put into the decree that the people of Eternia has the right to remove the royal family if they misuse their powers." The sorceress nods as she remembers that part of Jagar's history. "What of Karamer?" She asks while sipping her tea. "Well Jagar and his wife Taia were preparing to ascend the throne; Jagar spotted a young woman with long vibrant red hear and deep blue eyes. She was watching the preparations for the coronation. He was intrigued. He and she; Karamer struck up a friendship almost immediately." The sorceress' eyes widen with shock. "Their affair as very short and passionate. Though it wasn't by their choice the affair ended. Jagar's advisors got wind of his..time with Karamer and tried to get him to stop. He refused, he even went as far as to tell them he will divorce his wife and take Karamer as his queen." The gasp from the sorceress draws Ranma's attention, she smiles at the size of the woman's eyes. "The advisors at first were going to have Karamer killed and blame it on bandits. When a really old advisor found an old legend about Eternia and decided to invoke it using Karamer." The wide eyes of the sorceress were soon replaced with curiosity. "The legend states that Eternia is the center of the magical worlds and the most powerful magic can be cast at its center. They decided to build Grayskull and have Karamer be its protector, for once she was the sorceress of Grayskull she couldn't be anything else including queen. She would be the sorceress until her replacement comes to claim her position." Ranma's face shows sadness at the plight of the star crossed lovers, but also knew they should never have gone that far. "So they waited for Jagar to be away on business then one of the advisors sought out Karamer. He told her Jagar needed to see her it was an emergency and that he was to take her to him. Karamer fearing the worse agreed. She followed the advisor to his location. She tried to leave when all they found was the other six advisors. The men over powered her and knocked her unconscious. They used the spell in the legend to build Grayskull around Karamer. They never realized they furthered their own plans by doing it that way." Ranma looks down to her empty cup a tear plopping on her hand. "What do you mean Ranma?" Ranma looks up to her friend a said smile. "By magically building Grayskull around Karamer they locked her magic to Grayskull. They are why you can not leave Grayskull as a human, why none of the sorceresses could leave Grayskull once they came to fulfill their destiny. The last part of the spell was a simple phrase but one which changed the lives of every Grayskull sorceress. Lets see if I can remember what it was?" Ranma pauses but looks up when the sorceress recites the last line of the spell. "Let she who protects the Castle of Grayskull do so in the form that best suits her and fulfills Grayskull's purpose." The sorceress looks over her throne where the castle's motto hangs. Ranma follows her eyes and sees the last line of the spell. Ranma gets up and walks over to the throne. She looks up at the carving of the words that forever change the woman who enters here. She then looks down at the throne and reverently caresses the arm of the stone chair. Ranma then turns to face the newest in a long line of protectors. "When she woke she started to look around Grayskull, confused and frightened. When she entered the throne room that was over the throne." Ranma told the sorceress as she pointed to the last line of the spell. "She stood before the throne and read the incantation. A cylinder of light shot up from the floor to the ceiling capturing her. The floor then began to lower taking Karamer with it. She was lowered into the harnessed power of all magic in the universe. When the floor brought her back up. The light faded and she lifted her arms and her body morphed into that of young dragon." Ranma finishes turning back to the throne and spell. The sorceress comes up next to her friend and places her hand on Ranma's shoulder. She stares down at her throne and frowns. She was given the choice to be the sorceress not banished into it. The guardian did not like that, not at all. She looks up at the incantation and her frown deepens. "What does this have to do with the valley and the Quartz castle Ranma?" The sorceress etches every detail into her memory for transcribing later. "Jagar built the castle for him and Karamer. When he found out what his advisors did he exploded. He would have killed them all but Karamer would not let him. So he settled for removing them from their positions. He also cursed them for their interference and deception. They left the capital that day for fear Jagar would still carry out their executions. Jagar tried to get Karamer to leave her post and join with him, but as you know once you are sorceress you can not leave until your destined replacement is found even if it is centuries." Ranma turns and looks the woman in the eyes her flaming eyes blazing brightly. "He was a minor mage did you know that?" Ranma asks her friend who shakes her head with surprise. "Yes and he used that magic to create the spirit rift so that in death they could be together. They live in the mists now and it was they who pleaded my case to buy the valley. They feared I would close the rift thus locking them into the spirit world, but I can't do that. I told them that their protection around the valley would be the best for me and the innocents around me because of the power I wield." Ranma tells her as she returns to the floor by the mosaic, the sorceress with her. "They are there together now?" She asks in awe, as Ranma nods. "There was so much of their history lost after their deaths. There was a civil war as Jagar and his wife had twin sons and each faction wanted one of the sons to rule." The sorceress explains. "I can ask about it for you." Ranma tells her with a small smile. "Do you need help repairing your..your new home?" The sorceress asks her voice cracking slightly. "No like I said there isn't much damage. I will have to get furniture though. I do that gradually I guess. I can get the basics to start." The sorceress nods looking back into her cup of tea. "Sorceress can I ask you question?" Ranma looks at the woman before her. "Of course Ranma." The sorceress looks at her friend worry flashing quickly across her face at Ranma's serious expression. "Well it is more like two questions really, I was wonder what you look like in your other form?" Ranma looks at the woman before her. The sorceress smiles at her new friend. She stands and spreads her arms out to the sides and transforms. There hovering above Ranma is a falcon of red white and blue. Ranma holds out her arm and the bird lands on it. Ranma's eyes go wide when she hears the sorceress' voice in her head. {I am called Zoare in this form! I communicate as you can see through telepathy.} Ranma smiles and nods gently tossing the bird up. Zoare hovers again, then her body reshapes itself back into the woman who protects Grayskull and all its secrets. The woman then takes a seat next to Ranma again. Ranma looks up a broad smile on her face. "Thank you for trusting me with that." Ranma tells her. The sorceress sees a flash of pain flicker across Ranma's face. It passes so fast she is not sure she has seen it but she knows she did. She wonders what would cause such pain for someone so young. She tries to take Ranma's mind off of it by asking about the other question. "Ranma you said you had another question?" The sorceress is glad to see her friends face loose the tinges of pain. "Yes I do and if I am outta line tell me. I was just wondering why you don't tell Teela you're her mother?" The sorceress' tea cup falls from nerveless fingers. The sorceress stares blankly ahead her eyes wide with shock. Ranma giggles as she continually opens and closes her mouth like a fish out of water. Ranma watches her for a few more minutes then her impatience kicks in. Ranma waves her hand in front of the sorceress' face snapping the woman from her shock induced trance. "R..Ranma you haven't..How did you..By the ancients you didn't tell..!" The sorceress stumbles over her questions fear filling her eyes. "No sorceress just like it is my right whether to tell He-Man and She-Ra about Angela it is your right and yours only to tell Teela the truth." Ranma places her hand on top of the nervous woman's hand. "As to how I know..!" Ranma shrugs as she starts to clean up the spilt cup of tea. "Your life forces are too similar to be anything but family. I use to practice reading peoples life forces. I would use the Tendos and the Amazons to practice how to determine family members. Then when I was out and about I would read people's life force as practice." Ranma finishes with the tea and sets the broken cup aside. "So when are you going to tell her?" Ranma looks at the woman her eyes gazing into the woman's before her. The sorceress stares into the flaming eyes of her guest. A shudder travels down her spin as the flaming pupils stares deep into her soul. This subject is painful to the woman but one she knows she can not brush off. Even though Ranma has given her an out, she feels it is only right to tell her why. "I am the Sorceress of Grayskull Ranma." She tells the Mystic Warrior as if that was an explanation within itself. "Yes, and?" Ranma is not going to let it stand at that alone. "It is my duty and destiny to defend this castle and the power within from those who would misuses it. If Teela were to be used as a bargaining chip for access to Grayskull I would pay it gladly." Ranma looks at the sorceress sadness filling her eyes. Ranma sees the love and pain that flows through the sorceress on the subject of her daughter. Even though she never took care of Teela the sorceress still lovers her daughter totally. Ranma wonders what that is like. She knows her own mother loves her, but, is it like this or does it still hinge on being a 'Man among Men'. Ranma looks into the eyes of the sorceress and sees the depth of her love for Teela and believes her when she says she would hand over Grayskull to save her daughter. Ranma feels the tinges of jealousy at the Captain of the King’s guards. She knows if it was her mother that she would put her honor above the life of her child. A single tear rolls down the warrior’s face as she realizes the seppuku pact will for always and ever keep her from her mother especially now. She knows she can never really believe her mother truly loves her because of her accepting that contract from Genma. "Teela is a great warrior, sorceress she can defend herself. Plus there are those that would not allow harm to come to her. I am one, she and I are becoming friends and I cherish and protect my friends. For I have had so few I can call true friends until I arrived here." Ranma tells the woman looking at her with deep concern and caring. "I know Ranma but I cannot take that chance, what if..!" Ranma cuts her off with a wave of her hand. "Sorceress life is full of what ifs. My _life_ is one big 'what if'. Think of it this way what better way to make sure Teela is ready to become sorceress of Grayskull then to be trained by her mother." Ranma smiles with her usual cocky smile. "She can learn to use Grayskull now so the transition will be easier later. I mean if she is to take over for you. She may not be but if something happens before your time someone needs to step in. It will also give you a chance to really get to know each other. If she has knowledge of magic she can fight it better even if her magic is tied to Grayskull." Ranma continues her argument to see her friends happy. "Please sorceress for ten years of my life I never knew my mother. I always wondered if she would love me or be proud of me. I also felt that I had done something so bad that she sent me away because she wanted nothing to do with me. I am sure Teela has these same feelings all children do." Ranma looks at her friend her eyes shining with tears she refuses to let fall. "I will think on it Ranma but I won't promise anything." Ranma smiles at her a smile that is soft and gentle. "That is all I can ask from you and for Teela." The two women clean up the tea then head for bed. Ranma enters her room and stares at herself in the mirror her mind going over what she told the sorceress. She wonders if her mother is proud of her if she can love her for who she is becoming. Deep down Ranma knows that the girl before her is who she is now. She doesn't want to be stuck as a girl and she really doesn't mind the curse any longer but there is something within her that says this is who she is now. Ranma sighs deeply and a vision of her mother scowling at her and fingering the Saotome Honor blade appears before her in the mirror. Ranma cringes but can not tear her gaze from the image. Her heart breaking with the loneliness of having no one who will love her as the sorceress loves Teela. Ranma finally turns from the mirror and heads to the bed. She turns of the light and lays staring in the darkness her memories and emotions flooding through her. They keep her awake for many hours but finally she falls into a restless sleep. /*\*/*\ The sorceress watches as Ranma goes into her room, she then sits on the throne of Grayskull and thinks over what the martial artist has said. Her tears following down her face as the pain of being so close to Teela yet never claiming her overwhelms the guardian of Grayskull. The sorceress lays her hand down on the arm of her throne, it laying on something rough. She looks down and sees the lotus locket of Ranma's. She picks it up and opens it. She looks at the picture of Ranma in her male form with the woman she knows as her mother. She can see the pain and fear in Ranma's eyes as she stands close but not touching next to his mother. The sorceress brows furrow as her eyes are drawn to Nodoka's hands in which is a sword. One hand on the scabbard the other on the hilt, ready to pull it free. She looks at the woman's face and sees pain in her eyes as she stares at her son. The sorceress wonders what can cause that kind of pain, and her mind reflects on Ranma's life and what expectations everyone put on her. The sorceress closes the locket and rising she puts it back on the arm of her throne and heads to bed. She knows she won't be sleeping much as she has much to think over.