Ranma 1/2: Ranma No More Alternate History By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com (please respond to this e-mail address) Chapter Nine Ranma wakes with Ryoga shaking the stuffing out of her. Slowly opening her eyes, she looks up at Ryoga, mumbling. "What, can't a guy get some sleep around here?" Ryoga crosses his arms over his chest and smirks at his sleepy friend. "First, at the moment you're not a guy, but a girl. Second, the captain wants to see us." He reaches over to the table and grabs a cup of hot water. He then douses Ranma with it. The cup clatters to the floor; Ryoga's eyes go wide with surprise as nothing happens. Ranma goes into shock as she stares at her unchanging body. Then she looks up at Ryoga with fear visible in her amethyst eyes. "I..I didn't change OH Kami-sama I'm a girl permanently." "Ranma calm down, maybe you should talk with your grandmother. She might know what's happening." "I am my great grandmother Ryoga, I know everything she does!" "_No_ you don't! You know the spells but, you don't yet understand the mysticism behind it, now calm down and talk to her!" Ranma takes a deep breath. She nods at Ryoga. Then settles into a lotus position in the center of the cabin floor to meditate. Before she can start, a knock comes to their cabin door. Ryoga opens the door and sees the captain standing there. "I'm sorry sir but, I need to talk to you and your companion _now_." Ryoga shakes his head, with a nervous glance over his shoulder at Ranma. "Now is not good, we have a problem." The captain raises an eyebrow, then pushes his way in. He sees Ranma-chan on the floor in a lotus potion with her eyes closed. The captain turns to Ryoga. "I _told_ you to change her back, I can't have her going around beating up my crew." "I _can't_ change back." The captain snaps around and looks into a pair of cold amethyst eyes. "Then it is true!" Both Ryoga and Ranma glare at him. "What are you talking about?" Asks Ryoga, as he places his hand firmly on the captain's shoulder. The captain winces a little when Ryoga squeezes slightly, as the captain tells them what he knows. "The monks disappeared last night. They were seen entering your room late last night. I didn't believe the witness at first, because he had been drinking, but..." "What happened?" Ranma asks, the captain gulps as he sees fire alight in her eyes. "He doesn't know for sure, he heard the monks chanting for more than two hours. He said there was a flashing golden white light. Then there was an explosion of golden white light, then all was quiet. The witness also said that the monks never left your room. That's why I need to talk to you, what happened with the monks in here last night?" Ryoga and Ranma look at the captain with confused faces. "This is the first we heard of this captain. We were asleep the whole night. There was no one in our cabin, well, at least we don't think there was, anyway." Ryoga said thoughtfully. The captain looks at them and can see they were telling the truth. He then faces Ranma. "I would _prefer_ that you stay in the cabin until we land; I can't have you putting my crew in traction when they get too friendly." Ranma narrows her eyes and stares coldly at the captain, as she rises and stands but mere inches from his face, a sneer on her pretty face. "I _will_ not stay in this room for the duration of this voyage. You tell your men I am a martial artist and if they want to stay healthy _stay away from me_!" The captain backs away from the fiery redhead. He nervously nods his ascent, then leaves the room. Ranma glares at the door for a few more minutes before taking a deep breath. She sits back down on the floor and returns to her meditation. /*\*/*\ Soon Ranma is inside his mind again as he steps through the darkness, he notices he is male again, and heaves a sigh of relief. Although he has grown accustom to his female half he is still a guy. Ranma sits and waits for his grandmother. While he waits, he begins to notice how quiet it is. He starts to look around frantically. Just then it dawns on him; he can't hear the Neko-Ken. "You won't hear it any longer grandson it was melded into you, into _us_ last night." Ranma turns around and stares where the voice was coming from but could see nothing. Suddenly a full-length mirror appears in front of Ranma. His eyes go wide. A gasp escapes him, while he stares at his reflection. /*\*/*\ Ryoga sits on the hammock watching Ranma closely in case she needs help, when suddenly Ranma gasps; Ryoga is by her side. It is then that he sees it on her forehead, a circle with the Tao symbol in it. The left side of the symbol is gold while the right side is white. He goes to the cabin's mirror and removes his bandana; there, on his forehead, is the same symbol only in reverse. Ryoga reaches up and gently touches the emblem. He feels a warm, comforting sensation move through him. He is surprised as he also feels a mild electrical current at the same time. Then an idea comes to him. Leaving his bandana off he sits in front of Ranma, assuming the lotus position making sure their knees touch. He then grasps her smaller delicate hands into his larger callous covered ones. Then closing his eyes, he begins to meditate. /*\*/*\ Ranma looks in awe at his reflection. The first thing he notices is the cats eyes staring back at him. The second thing he sees is that his ears now come to a point. Finally he notices his great grandmother in the mirror behind him and she too has been effected by the Neko-Ken merging. Then he sees the Tao symbol on her forehead. He turns and reaches out to touch it when she turns him to face the mirror. He then sees the same symbol on his forehead "What happen to us grandmother?" She shakes her head and is about to speak. When someone beats her too it. "Oh, I don't know I think you two look darn cute as cats." They turn to face the new voice and are in shock as Ryoga steps out of the darkness. Minus his bandana and with a glowing Tao symbol like theirs. Only his symbol is white on the left and gold on the right. A sly grin crosses his face, showing his fangs. What really shocks them, besides the fact he is there, is that he too has the appearance of a cat. With his fangs, he looks even more feral then Ranma and Ra Koh. Ranma steps away from the mirror so Ryoga can see himself. He stares agape at his reflection. "H.Ho..How is this possible I don't _know_ the Cat Fist!" Ryoga stammers out as he stares at his reflection, gently touching one of his ears. Ra Koh grins mischievously then turns to her great grandson. "What I want grandson, is for you to introduce me to your friend." She asks as she lightly slaps the back of her grandson's head. Ranma cringes a little then he smiles sheepishly. "Sorry." "Sorry _what_, grandson?" Ra Koh asks with her hands on her hips tapping her toe with mock anger on her face. "Sorry, great grandmother." She smiles at her grandson then turns to look at Ryoga, who was busy trying to look occupied elsewhere, while holding in the laughter. "Great Grandmother this is Hibiki Ryoga, flea bag extraordinare, also my friend and companion since Jusenkyo; Ryoga, this is my great grandmother Takashi Ra Koh." Ryoga sticks his tongue out at his friend then, bows to the little red head deeply to show his respect for her. She smiles at him then returns the bow. "You have done well in choosing your friends, grandson. Now let us sit and try to figure out what is happening." The three sit in a circle looking at one another, when Ranma blurts out "_How_ did you get here?" He asks looking at Ryoga. He tells them what happen while Ranma was in his trance, about finding the symbol, on Ranma and himself, and as he finishes his narrative. "...after touching the Tao symbol, I knew I could become a part of your meditation. I took the lotus position making sure our knees touch then I took your hands in mine and began to meditate and here I am." Ryoga finishes with a shrug. Ra Koh smiles at his deductions, then looks at them with a serious expression. "Now boys, tell me what you know." Ryoga and Ranma told her all they knew about what happened yesterday and last night. Ra Koh nods, as she absorbs the information. When the boys finish she asks. "Did either of you smell anything funny in your room last night?" Ranma shakes his head no, but Ryoga looks hesitant then answers. "Well I thought I smelled lilacs in the room last night, but there wasn't any flowers in the cabin." Ra Koh nods then stands and starts pacing; the boys watch her as she starts mumbling to herself. This goes on for several minutes, then she stops and gets very stiff. She turns to stare at the boys, and then asks... "Call up your battle auras for me." Both boys look at her confused, but comply. Ranma's comes up purple as is now his aura's color and Ryoga's a faded greenish yellow, but intermixed with them was a golden white light flashing sporadically throughout their auras like lightening. She then calls up her own, like Ranma's it is purple now, and it to has the golden white light flashing through it. "What is it grandmother?" Asks Ranma with some surprise as he stares at his aura, jumping a little when a golden white light flashes. "I don't know grandson, I do know that lilac is usually used to mask the scents of other herbs such as sleeping herbs. _AND_ you are going to have to start paying attention to things like that." She scolds Ranma, while shaking her head, she thinks for a few more minutes. "But the Tao symbols and the golden white light, I just don't know about those." "Well maybe who ever did this will tell us when we need to know." Suggests Ryoga as he too stares at his aura, some how taking comfort in the golden white flashes. "That is possible, young one, but my concern now is that Ranma is stuck in female form, and _that_ is not good. Did you see if you were stuck in human form?" She asks Ryoga. He shakes his head. "I was to worried when Ranma didn't change I forgot to check." He says looking sheepish. Ra Koh smiles and pats his shoulder. "Well I think I might have a solution but, it can not be tested here." Ra Koh finishes. Ranma looks at his grandmother hopefully. "I don't think your stuck grandson I think one of the things that happened is the monks gave you and Ryoga control over your curses. I agree with Ryoga they have future plans for you two, it seems I will be along for the ride." "What kind of plans grandmother?" Ranma asks; Ra Koh shakes her head. "I don't know child, but when you and Ryoga wake up I want you to concentrate on your other forms; Ranma you on your male form and Ryoga you on your wolf form. You should be able to change when you want too, not by being hit with water. _BUT_, and grandson I know you aren't going to like this, you need to use your cursed forms so do not try staying in your true forms all the time. You need to get use to them, because they can be helpful to you, at times." "_But_ Grandmother, I don't like being a girl." Whines Ranma with a pout. "Do you think I like being a wolf at least your still human." Glares Ryoga; Ranma sticks his tongue out at Ryoga and he reciprocates the gesture. "_That is enough!_ You will both get use to your cursed forms, _AM I CLEAR ON THAT!_" Both of the boys cringe and nod sheepishly. "Good, now Ryoga, you may have some problems in defending yourself since you are an animal. I think even your wolf form can learn some martial arts moves. You will have to adapt them to that form though. Also practice your ki moves, you will have to change the delivery as you don't have hands. You may also need to change what emotion you use, I do not sense the depression within you any longer." Ryoga raises an eyebrow, and reaches inward, to find she is correct. She pauses and thinks for a moment, both boys watching her intently. "Ranma you know the 'Breaking Point' technique but you did not go through the training. You will need to do that before we go see your mother, and..." She sighs heavily as she continues. "I want you to put Ryoga through it as well." Ranma's eyes go wide with surprise. "But _Grandmother_, he is not an Amazon and if they find out, they..." Ra Koh puts up her hand to stop her grandson. "I know child, but he will need the protection it offers; I will figure a way around that problem, but you may not like it." Ranma looks at his grandmother suspiciously, but she says nothing further and breaks the link between them. /*\*/*\ Ranma and Ryoga wake with a start; Ranma jerks his hands away from Ryoga, and stands up. They look at each other, then out the porthole. It is now the middle of the night. "Jeez, how long were we in there, anyway?" Ranma asks, not really expecting an answer. Ryoga just shrugs then goes to pick up his bandana. He then turns and smiles at Ranma's back. He starts to concentrate; the gold side of the Tao symbol begins to glow. Ryoga feels the tingle associated with the changing of forms. He looks down to find he is now a wolf, he then looks back at Ranma and grins a doggie grin then jumps her. Ranma is knocked to the ground from behind, the air being pushed from her lungs. Gasping for air, she struggles to get the heavy weight off her. All she could manage is to roll over and look directly into the maul of a giant wolf wearing Ryoga's clothes. "Man have you got bad breath!" Ryoga lowers his snout closer to Ranma's face and pants even heavier, all the while grinning as best he could. "PPPUUU, man go brush your fangs." Ranma states turning her head to the side. Then it hits her, Ryoga is a wolf. Smirking, she begins to concentrate and the gold side of her Tao symbol begins to glow. She feels relief when she begins to feel the tingle of the change. Once Ranma finishes shifting to his male form he is now strong enough to throw Ryoga off. Ryoga pivots in mid air and lands on his paws, again the gold side of his Tao symbol starts glowing brightly. Ranma watches as the right side of Ryoga's Tao symbol glow gold while Ryoga shifts back into human form. "I think we will need to practice changing more so the shifting can be faster and with less effort." Ryoga states as he brushes off the dust on his pants. Ranma nods and can now see what his great grandmother had in mind; a curse that can be controlled, is not a curse but an asset, especially if it is a surprise. The two boys get ready for bed, and make plans to talk more in the morning. Ryoga, after replacing his bandana starts to climb into bed when he notices something. "Hey Ranma, your symbol is _gone!_" Ranma looks in the mirror, as Ryoga removes his bandana and finds his is also gone. Ranma then shifts shapes the symbol reappears briefly as he changes then fades once the change is complete. "Cool!" Was all Ranma said. She then turns and crawls into her hammock changing to a him as she goes.