Ranma 1/2: Ranma No More Alternate History By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com (please respond to this e-mail address) Chapter Forty Three The warriors turn at the sound of a voice they had hoped not to hear for a long time. They come face to face with the three leaders of the different monk sects. Nodoka looks at them with confusion, fear, and underlying anger, while she watches them approach. Her daughter moves in front of her to protect her from them. The monks look at the warriors their eyes flashing from beneath their cowls. They step closer as the warriors close rank around the only non member of their group. Nodoka wants to protest but a shake of Ukyo's head stops her. The six leaders step forward to face the gray monks. "You are doing well warriors, but you will need to expand your training program, to include more soldiers." One of the monks tells them, to Msu Tsu it sounds like Tal Kom. "We will be setting that in motion tonight." Alex tells the monks as he shifts from his true form to his mage ego. "That is excellent warrior, but you must hurry." Another one tells them with a slight tinge of worry to his voice. "Why, what is happening?" Ran Koh asks though she can guess the answer. "'He Who Devours the Dark' is starting his preparations for his return, it is only a matter of time now." The last monk tells the leaders of the Light Warriors. The leaders of the warriors look at each other with dread. They then feel the strength of their teammates come to them. They stand straighter and stare down the monks. Taj asks the next question. "You said you could explain why our training is going so fast?" She looks at the three monk with suspicion. "Yes we can, it is part of the magic we used to enhance your curses and powers. You all will learn anything with in days, by the end of next week those of you who have martial arts skill will equal the level of Ryoga and Ran Koh as they are now. The beginners will be not be far behind, the more you train the batter you will get and the faster you will learn." The one that sounds like Tal Kom tells them, then another steps forward toward Ran Koh. He reaches out and gently strokes her cheek, with a look Ran Koh does not like. Her mother does not either and breaks away from the other warriors. She comes up from behind and slaps the monks hand away from her daughter. He turns and glares at her, then smiles as the same look appears in his eyes for Nodoka. Ryoga steps in front of his _mother_ and begins to glow with his forest green multi colored aura. The monk then turns back to Ran Koh. "Ran Koh will however, will be almost god-like by the time the war starts, it seems her learning curve is very short, and _Ryoga_ will be close behind her." The monk turns to face Ryoga, snarling at male half of the Tiger Sect, the third monk comes forward. "You must hurry, with the training, for your time is short." He then turns to Nodoka and bows deeply. "I think that school should be low on the list of priorities at this time madam, I believe if you were to call the school you could get them the right to only go for half a day. Their training and that of their army must take precedence." He tells Nodoka with a slight bow. "My children, and their friends need to go to school, but I will try to get them on a half day schedule without reveling anything." Nodoka tells him then bows. The monks begin to glow, their trademark colors, as they glow the three colors expand out toward the sect leaders. Ran Koh casts a worried glance at her mother and is about to push her away from the glowing light when a chain wraps around her waist and pulls her to the other warriors. Ran Koh visibly relaxes as the light finally engulfs the six leaders. When the light fades the monks are gone and the Light Warriors six leaders stand like stone statues with looks of horror on their faces. Nodoka frees herself from Msu Tsu chain and goes to her children. She gently puts a hand on each of their arms. They look at her; she gasps at the depth of sadness and horror that fills their eyes. When she looks to the other leaders she sees the same in their eyes as well. She turns for help from the rest of the warriors and finds that same haunting look. "Daughter what is wrong?" She asks taking her daughter by her shoulders. "The last gift the monks have given us is to detect the evil that is coming, and to be able to judge roughly how soon we must fight and I am afraid mother it will be soon." Ran Koh tells her with a shudder. "I think training should be continued tomorrow, we need to go talk to the Elders about the training. With 'He Who Devours the Light' starting to prepare for his attack, we need to as well. The sooner the warriors from China arrive the faster we can train them." Ukyo states quietly, all the leaders agree. The warriors head for Michael's van. This time the three magic users travel back to town using their magic, to start the negations. They all hope it will go easily as they can not afford any complications. /*\*/*\ The magical users walk into the Nekohanten. They are surprised to be met not only by the elders but, the doctors, Kasumi, and the Takashi males. Taji comes in from the kitchen a few minutes after they enter the restaurant. "What are all of you doing here?" Alex asks with a little confusion. "Nodoka called from the van and told us to have the head of the Takashi clan here for when you arrive. She also told us about the monks visit, Keitaro will talk to the school in the morning to be sure your schedules will be altered to accommodate the training regime." Mas Cra tells them. Ran Koh nods then bows to her clans men and then elders. The magic users take a seat at the table and Alex pulls out the document. He pushes it toward the elders they begin to look it over. Hiroshi gets up and reads it over their shoulders. While Alex begins to explain. "This is the legal document that Ran Koh told you I would draw up. You will note please that this document not only covers Ran Koh's _gifts_ but all those of the Light Warriors, and the others that join our fight a representative will sign for each major group." The elders look up at him with slight smiles, and a small amount of confusion. "That is in the event that other members of the Light warriors have skills they wish to contain control over. Ukyo for one has her skill with that kick ass spatula of hers. Ryoga has his family art which if I understand correctly makes them extremely strong and durable." Alex seems uncertain if he should say the next one; Ran Koh makes the decision for him. "Then there is Msu Tsu, his skill as a Hidden Weapons Master is another, then let's not forget our medical specialists, the Amazons have a lot of forgotten knowledge and some they have forgotten with the death of Ra Koh since she did not have time to train an heir. The doctors also have knowledge you don't and can not afford to have you claim their skills and deprive them of their profession." Ran Koh tells the old warriors with a look of determination. Then she turns to the doctors with a small smile. "Who will sign for your group as you will need to work with the Amazon healers. There will be cross training going on there as well, just remember that what Amazon techniques you learn are the Amazons and though you may use them to help your patients you may not teach them to others without the permission of the counsel of elders." She says looking to the elder for confirmation, she receives it when both women nod, and she smiles then turns back to the doctors. "I will represent all medical personnel that are not Amazons." Dr. Tofu stands and bows to the party. "Then I will represent the warriors, that are not Amazons." They all turn to face the visitor who has entered the restaurant. /*\*/*\ Akane and her friends enter the Tendo home, still laughing at a joke known only to them. After removing their shoes they head for the living room to find Akane's father and houseguest sitting quietly in the living room. Their wounds almost gone from the misadventure when they tried to steal Ran Koh and Genma's burns are almost healed as well. They slowly look up, both men looking pale and very gaunt. "Daddy, you and Mr. Saotome will need to get your own dinner tonight Suka, Yuri and I are going out." With that the girls turned and head for Akane's bedroom and to prepare themselves for the nights festivities. The men watch them go, then they turn to each other, both try to jump for joy but neither has the strength or mobility to do so. They just look at each other and smile. /*\*/*\ Deep in a swamp in Louisiana, surrounded by gnarled Spanish moss covered trees; shadowy figures weave in and out between the trees, gliding over the swampy water. When they pass the alligators make a dash for the swamp and the insects that fill the air disappear, and make no noise. The shadowy figures move slowly toward a black glowing light on an island in the middle of the swamp. The trees of the island have the appearance of bony, clawing fingers as they try to dig their way out of the grave. As the shadows get closer to the center of the island the black light pulses faster. Low chanting can be heard coming from the center of the island, the shadows are pulled toward the voices. At the center of the island there is a large glowing black orb sitting on a pile broken bones. Two groups of six monks in black surround the orb. They are gnarled and twisted as they hobble in a circle going in different directions. The inner ring going clockwise the outer ring going counter clockwise. The shadows are pulled toward the circling monks flowing through them and into the orb causing it to grow and glow more brightly with its black light. The trees on the island begin to sway and move like actual hands digging to escape from the ground. A black glow surrounds all the islands trees, growing brighter as the chanting gets louder. Black lightening starts to form around the trees. The lightening then shoots out from the tree merging with the other trees around them. This starts from the edge of the island and slowly moves toward the center. The chanting gets louder and faster pulling the shadows in quicker. The lightening from the outer edge of the island reaches the inner circle of trees then burst toward the orb. The lightening strikes the black monks who writhe in pain while continuing the slow ambling march. The monks that are hit with the lightening turn to the black orb and direct it toward it. The lightening hits the orb and is absorbed into it. It glows brighter then the black glow begins to travel down the broken bones and travels slowly out in all directions across the island. The black evil moves from tree to tree pulling the life force from all the living creatures that have made their homes there. The blackness tendrils up and snatches fleeing birds from mid air as it travels back out toward the edge of the island. The black evil coalesces on the north side of the island then slowly enters the swap. When it enters the muddy waters it begins to pull in life force of the creature there into itself. Then the tendrils reach out and surround the predators of the area changing them perverting them into evil mindless monstrosities. The black evil changes more then a dozen of the alligators into humanoid beings. These evil creatures follow the blackness as it travels another hundred yards from the island along the muddy bottom of the swamp. When the blackness stops it is at the edge of a deep pit. The blackness slowly enters the pit and disappears into its blacken depths. Its chosen guardians swimming around the pit protecting the evil as it does its work. The water begins to bubble as the top of the black misshapen spires begins to leave the pit, absorbing the mud and life around it. The blackness pulls back and returns to the island and as it leaves the path it makes in the mud a path as black as the evil, is sucked into the growing black living rock. Building more spires and growing wider. The black evil reaches the island and travels back toward the center where the black monks still chant around the glowing orb. The blackness crawls slowly along the ground toward the orb. The blackness slithers between the chanting and shuffling monks, then recedes up the pedestal of bones, being sucked back into the orb. The black lightening still flashing and being transferred to the orb by the monks to add to its power. The orb grows and pulses in a pattern matching the chanting. The blackness fills the orb to overflowing and begins to flow out and around the orb expanding as the orb grows covering the monks who scream in pain. Deep in the center a red glow begins to form and pulse.