Ranma 1/2: Ranma No More Alternate History By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com (please respond to this e-mail address) Chapter Seven Ranma and Ryoga leave the second entrance and seal it, but this time Ranma uses an Amazon technique to close the entrance. "Bakusai Teknetsu!" Ranma says as she jabs at the rock around the entrance. Ryoga watches expecting something to happen when nothing does he turns to Ranma with a smirk. "Need a little _more_ practice with that one?" Ranma glares at him. Ryoga tries to hold back his laughter, and is not doing very good job at it. Ranma reaches forward again with her finger and shouts. "BAKUSAI TEKNETSU!" This time the cave entrance explodes causing a minor cave-in sealing the door. Ryoga stares wide eyed at the pile of rocks. Ranma shakes him to get his attention, so they can leave. When Ryoga comes back to himself they prepare for their departure. They turn and look over the side of the mountain to the plateau below no one is there. It seems the soldiers have long since disappeared. Ryoga is about to drop down when Ranma stops him shaking her head, she motions for him to follow her. They start to climb the rest of the way to the top of the mountain. They reach the top about an hour later. They then start down the other side, away from Jusenkyo and the Amazons. Ranma knows that going down the opposite side of the mountain would put them closer to the coast and Japan. /*\*/*\ <"Well, that didn't go to well. Did it, elder?"> Dou El gasps out with a raspy voice, while she struggles to sit up in bed. Both Ku Lon and Mas Cra turn glaring at her. They feel guilty as they see her cringe. Ku Lon raises her hand to her forehead and rubs it as if trying to get rid of a persistent headache. <"No, it did not, Dou El, but at least we now have a safe house in Japan. The rest will come later. Now what to do about that fat _pig_, back at the village?"> <"I say make a panda rug out of him."> La Si growls while she slowly sits up next to Xian Pu who is already in a sitting position. Ku Lon shaking her head, replies thoughtfully. "No, no, although I like the idea, yes, I like the idea a lot. He is an Amazon by marriage, at this _time_, and we can use him to get a better clarification as to where Happosai is buried." Ku Lon finishes, while staring at the crude map Mas Cra was looking at Mas Cra grins evilly. "Then, I think we need to have a ancient _Amazon talk_ with Mr. Saotome" The other five Amazons begin to grin just as evilly as Mas Cra. /*\*/*\ Genma watches the village square from the porch of the guesthouse it has already been four days since the hunting party left. He hopes they will return soon. He needs to get back to Japan with Ranma so he can fulfill the agreement between him and Soun. He then stuffs the last piece of roast duck in his mouth. He wants to retire and let Ranma make the money so he can spend it and enjoy life. He reenters the guesthouse and heads straight to the bedroom for a nice afternoon nap. He is not even two feet from the front door when it explodes open, knocking him to the ground. Four very powerful women rush the fallen Genma, they truss him up hand to foot, then drag him from the house. They carry him through the village hanging from a six- foot staff by his wrists and ankles. Villagers jeer and spit at him as he is carried by. The four Amazons bring him to the counsel chamber, where they dump him unceremoniously in front of a very angry counsel of Amazon Elders. Genma looks up from the floor at eleven, glowing woman, and starts to cower and beg for his measly life by offering the counsel his son. He figures he can just steal him back and disappear in Japan. "I am just an old martial artist, take my son he is young and strong, he will work hard and make a good slave, please just don't kill me" Genma finishes sniveling as he prostrates himself on the floor of counsel chambers. "You _dare_ to barter with the life of an Amazon, you are not fit to be called _human_, let alone be allowed control over another's life!" Genma looks up, shock crossing his face, while staring dumbfounded at who spoke. He stares directly into a pair of dark glowing eyes of a woman even older looking then Ku Lon. She bangs a gavel to quite the audience, Genma gulps when he sees Ku Lon and Mas Cra along with the four warriors that went with them enter the room. "Ku Lon, Mas Cra, are you ready to make your accusations?" Mas Cra steps forward and addresses the counsel. "I will speak for our party at this point in time, Lav Dar. We accuse Genma Saotome of enslaving an Amazon. Of placing an Amazon in a position were their life will be forfeit if a _Man above Men_ promise is not met, and finally but by no means the least, endangering the life of that same Amazon, by subjecting him to the Neko-Ken training." Several Elders jump to their feet, rage clouding their faces, their auras glowing brightly. Ku Lon steps forward and addresses the counsel next. "Although Ranma refused to return with us he has agreed to supply us with a safe house in Japan, and as a gift to the Amazons..." She turns and glares at the cringing Genma as she snarls out the next revaluation. "He gave us some valuable information. Genma Saotome and his training partner Soun Tendo, are the students of _Happosai_" This time the rest of the counsel rose to their feet as well as the older members in the gallery of on lookers. Genma begins to sweat, and tries to crawl away from the very angry women. Suddenly Genma stops moving and starts to tremble as a large double edged sword appears in front of his face embedded into the floor mere centimeters from his nose. Looking up he sees the young purple hair girl from the tournament standing before him with blood lust in her eyes, and a feral grin on her face. /*\*/*\ Ranma and Ryoga travel for four weeks and finally reach the harbor. They would have made it sooner but Ranma made the mistake of allowing Ryoga to lead once that is why they ended up back at Jusenkyo. *** Flashback *** Ranma has to grab Ryoga several times as he nearly falls into several of the springs. He still can't figure out how they ended up in the center of Jusenkyo surrounded by the springs. While they were following the guide out of Jusenkyo, Ranma inquires about the landing of the Musk General that he shot towards Jusenkyo a week or so back. "Oh, Mr. Sirs, he land in Spring of Drowned Mouse very tragic story of mouse who drown in spring 340 years ago. But Mr. Musk not so lucky, he was Owl food when he left spring." Ranma turns a sickly green, thinking about it. While Ranma is talking with the guide about any information on Genma and the Amazons, Ryoga gets turned around and becomes separated from the other two men. When the guide and Ranma hear the scream and splash, the two men run to the springs. In a pool, swimming toward the edge, is a giant silver gray wolf dragging a giant backpack behind him. It climbs out and starts to shake out the excess water. Since Ranma is already cursed and immune to the effects, he blocks the guide from the spray to protect him from the curse. "RYOGA STOP YOU'RE GONNA CURSE THE GUIDE!" Shouts a now female Ranma. Ryoga stops and looks sheepishly at the guide and bows his head apologetically. "Oh, so sorry sir, fall into to Spring of Drowned Giant Wolf, and thank you Miss Sir for protecting humble self from curse." Ranma waves off the guides enthusiastic pleads of thanks and leads his friend back to the guide's hut carrying Ryoga's backpack and, fussing at Ryoga the whole way. "I told you not to move, didn't I tell you not to move, now look your cursed too. Well I suppose it could have been worse, you could have landed in a spring of drowned _piglet_ or duck or something." The wolf shudders at the thought of becoming something people would want to eat. They got to the Guide's hut and the guide pours hot water on Ryoga; he changes back to human form and dresses using the spare clothes in his backpack. They then left Jusenkyo, with Ranma leading. *** End Flashback *** It is during their travels Ranma learns that his female side can get more information and easier then his male side. Therefore, Ranma douses himself and goes to talk to the local fishermen. She wants to find out if a ship would be leaving soon and to see if any are heading for Japan. There were several leaving in the next few days but only one leaving today and they take no passengers. Ranma looks at the vessels and crew, she then begins to wonder if she should use her flight spell. She may be able to carry Ryoga as a wolf. They might make it safely to Japan. She goes back to where she left Ryoga and they discuss their options. Although Ranma is getting better with her magic she is still not up to where her Great Grandmother was when she died. She has the knowledge it is just that she doesn't have the skill. They opt to take a ship that is leaving the next day. Also during their travels Ranma was able to sell one of the ancient gold coins, she received close to $750,000 (American). It is Ranma; then who books passage for both herself and Ryoga. The weary travelers then decide to stay at a local Inn near the wharf for the night. /*\*/*\ The next morning they get up early and leave the inn to catch their boat. When they board, they are met by the Captain, who has a ships steward show them to their cabin. While they are being lead to their cabin the steward tells them that there are some other passengers, which will be boarding later that morning. Once the other passengers are onboard the ship will be leaving for Japan. In their cabin, Ryoga stows his gear in a small cabinet. The cabin is very small barely five feet square. There are two hammocks hanging on either side of the only porthole, which is across from the door. In between the hammocks is a small wooden table, which is bolted to the floor. There is a small bathroom and shower on the left side of the cabin; on the right a small free standing storage closet, which is also bolted down so it won't move. Ryoga sits on the hammock on the left side of the room and watches as Ranma does a few short katas. When he finishes, Ranma sits down on the hammock on the right. to give Ryoga room for his katas. Since Ranma was doing the sensei thing, he watches Ryoga and corrects him when he slips on the Anything Goes style. After about another hour, Ryoga completes the kata perfectly and they decide to go on deck. When they reach the deck, they notice a small group of six monks boarding the ship, they are being escorted down below by the same steward that took them. As they pass the boys. the lead monk stops and stares at them. They can not see the face because of the oversized cowl on his smoke gray robe, but the eyes were shining a glowing hollow green like cat's eyes. Ranma stares entranced at the monk, then shudders as the monk turns and follows the steward. "What's wrong, Ranma?" Ranma sighs and shakes his head. "Don't know, that monk just gives me the willies, like he was a c.c.cat or something." They turn and walk to the rail of the ship and watch as the vessel pulls away from the dock, and heads toward Japan.