Ranma 1/2: Ranma No More Alternate History By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com (please respond to this e-mail address) Chapter Eight Two hours later, after the ship makes it to open sea, Ranma stands at the bow and practices his martial arts; Ryoga watches, giving advice, when he didn't quite get a Hibiki style right. If Ranma is anything it's a fast learner and Ryoga soon does not need to correct him. As Ranma finishes his training, his warning sense goes off, he is being watched. He opens his eyes, looking around, he notices that on the bridge deck stands two of the monks. They are watching him and Ryoga. Ranma again shudders but doesn't know why. Just then a large wave hits the bow of the ship causing it to dip low in the water. Ryoga is far enough away to be missed by the splash of ocean water onto the deck; Ranma isn't. Ranma watches as the monks nod knowingly when he shifts to a she. They then turn and walk away not saying anything, but Ranma gets the feeling that they were just waiting to prove he was cursed. /*\*/*\ Ranma storms down to her cabin with Ryoga following close behind so he would not get lost. When they enter the cabin, Ranma collapses onto her hammock, with her arms crossed across her chest, anger still evident on her face. "That stupid sailor, I should have thrown him overboard, instead of just pounding him, hmpft!!" "Now Ranma, he didn't know, the captain didn't think you would want the whole crew to know about your curse. He thought we'd get to Japan without it ever revealing itself." Ryoga chuckles. While Ranma lays in her hammock pouting. "Yeah, Yeah, big deal at least your curse wasn't revealed to those weird monks. Man, they give me the _creeps_." Ranma sulks in her hammock as she stares at the ceiling of the cabin. "They're not that bad Ranma, I think they bother you because of the upbringing you had with your father being in trouble all the time." "Yeah, I guess, the proverbial good and evil. I suppose that _could_ be it, but I think it's more than that. There is something..I don't know it's like they take control of me..no not me the Neko-Ken, it's like their talking to the c.c.cat inside me and it's _freaking_ me out!" Ranma shudders at the thought, of the Neko-Ken being let loose. "I think you're imaging things Ranma, they can't talk to the Neko- Ken." Ryoga states then thinks to himself so as not to upset his friend any further. [At least, I _hope_ they can't!] Ranma looks thoughtful for a moment, when a stray thought enters her mind and she then voices it to Ryoga. "You know, I wonder what happened to oyaji when Ku Lon and the others got back to the village?" Ranma begins to smile evilly. "I don't know but he probably got what he deserved." "I hope so, YYYYAAAAWWWWNNNNN, I asked if the guide had heard anything, but all he could tell me was that he heard some very painful screaming coming from the direction of the village, but it was so faint he wasn't sure." Ranma replies sleepily, as she rubs her eyes. "Man am I tired, I think I'm gonna take a nap, what about you?" "Yeah, I might as well take one to. If I try to go back up on deck, I may end up in Scotland." Ryoga snickers, Ranma rolls over giggling under her breath. Ryoga lies in his hammock with his hand behind his head. [Man, I can't believe how things have changed, a few short weeks ago I was out for Ranma's blood now we're best buddies, (sigh) at least I'm not alone any more. It is nice having someone to travel with, and being with Ranma has helped me get over my frustrations, a little about being lost all the time. YYAAAAAWWWWWNNNN, yep time to take a nap.] Ryoga rolls over and covers himself with his blanket and goes to sleep. Neither of them notices the gentle wisps of lavender smoke coming under the door. As the martial artists sleep soundly the door to their cabin slowly opens, revealing the two monks that had seen Ranma's change earlier. They come in closing the door behind them. They walk up to the petite red head and gently roll her onto her back. They stare at her, just watching her sleep, their eyes glowing the hollow green their leader's eyes did earlier this morning. Then one nods to himself as if satisfied. The other goes to Ryoga holding a small glass of cold water over him. He pours it on him and then watches him change into his cursed form. The monk looks up at his companion then pours hot water onto Ryoga converting him back to his human from. They then slip out leaving a burning red and yellow candle in the cabin. /*\*/*\ Ranma and Ryoga never woke up the rest of the day. Around midnight when all is quite their door again opens and this time all six monks come in. They all squish into the tiny cabin, the leader close to the girl. As the other monks settle in around the room the leader leers down at the sleeping beauty, he reaches out and caresses her cheek then slowly moves down to her breast. He lustfully caresses it, secure in the knowledge that Ranma would not find out. As soon as four of the monks took their places in the true north, south, east, and west of the room the leader and his second in command each stood over the sleeping boys. They then place their left hands onto the boys' hearts and their right hands onto the boys' foreheads. The other monks start chanting in a language that even Ranma's Great Grandmother would not recognize. As the chanting continues the leader and his second start their own chanting, as they chant they start glowing a golden white. The auras slowly start to cover the two sleeping artists, as well as the two monks. The aura begins to seep into the sleeping boys' bodies, becoming a part of them. When the golden white aura is completely absorbed, the leader removed his hand from Ranma's forehead and placed it on Ryoga's heart. While his second in command, removed his hand from Ryoga's heart and placed it on Ranma's forehead, thus making a complete circle. The four other monks continue their chanting gradually getting louder. With the connection complete the golden white aura starts moving like an electric current through the four people, the sleeping martial artists and the two monks. While the four directionally positioned monks begin to reach the climax of their chanting, the golden white light starts moving faster through the circle of four. The chanting continues to increase in speed, while the light starts to move faster and faster between the other four. It finally starts moving so fast it is a blur and begins to obscure the people it is coursing through, soon surrounding them in a ball of golden white light. When the four chanting monks utter the last syllable of their chant, the golden white light explodes outwards, filling the room. Then when the light finally disappears, with only Ranma-chan and Ryoga left in the room.