¤Ranma age 13 five minutes before Aldveni's awakening¤

Ranma and Genma stumbled into the cave they were using for shelter from the storm carrying sticks.

"Well, boy, didn't your old man tell you he knew where to find firewood?"

Just as Ranma was about to reply he felt something drawing him further into the cave. Never one to ignore his instincts he headed further into the cave. Genma, sure Ranma could take care of himself (after all he, The Great Genma Saotome, had trained him), set up the firewood and started making a fire.

Further into the cave markings on the walls and floor dimly glowed blue as he passed them. He came across a circle (which he could see because everything was glowing except it) made up of intricate marks and sigils with a statue of a plump, pale skinned, raven tressed woman smiling joyfully. Her eyes carved out of emeralds her lips made of ruby. It was a very impressive statue. The jewels highlighted the joyful expression on her round face her arms were spread wide and held forward as if awaiting an embrace from a dearly loved person. Her figure was voluptuous with prominent breasts and wide hips her plump stomach uncovered by the two piece garment carved onto her. The garment consisted of a sleeveless top that stopped at her stomach a long skirt like thing that came to her knees but left her plump legs exposed.

Her feet were bare. The statue had two medallions around her neck. A silver round one that depicted a sword on one side and a stallion on the other, and a gold heart shaped one that depicted the sun. Ranma, not knowing and not caring what the circle meant or why the statue in the statue was in it, stepped over it to have closer look at the strangely detailed statue. One he got within a foot of the statue the circle brightly glowed an ivory light that mixed with the surrounding blue culminating in a pale blue flash. Ranma suddenly found himself pulled into a hug and found his face squished into something soft, warm and pleasant. When the spots cleared from his eyes he saw he was face first in a large bosom so he tried to jump back. Tried being the Key Word. What ended up happening was both of them falling over with the woman the statue depicted laying on top of Ranma. And so Ranma thought, 'Hey, this feels kinda nice.'

"Oh dear, I'm awfully sorry about that," the woman said blushing and sitting up astride Ranma's pelvis, "I've just waited for you so long that I had to hug you." the woman explained while making no move to get up and even adjusting herself so she was more comfortable. She smiled brightly at Ranma who looked confused and flustered.

"..."

"Oh! Mayhap I should explain myself. My name is Aldveni..."

*The next morning *

Genma awoke to find Ranma asleep, laying with his head on a strange woman's lap. His first thought was: 'That's my boy just starting puberty and already a Lady's Man. Just like his old man.' He was impressed the woman was on the heavy side but carried herself with confidence that only enhanced her beauty and made it more noticeable. His second thought was: 'Hm. He could get some experience around women and that will make him a better fiancé for Tendo's daughter. Plus saving my ass when I write to No-chan about how our son is already being 'Manly.' Now I've got to make sure he goes along with my plan...' Genma snapped his fingers and smirked 'I know!' He took a deep breath and bellowed, "Boy! Who is this strange woman and why are you letting her coddle you?! Did I not teach you that a hard life means a hard body; and you stray from this path and fall into a woman's lap? Oh what did I do to deserve such a worthless and disappointing son? You shame your Father Ranma!" Genma burst into crocodile tears at the end of his rant.

Aldveni, who was admiring Ranma's body and enjoying the feeling of his head on her lap turned and raised an eyebrow at Genma having no idea what he was saying. Ranma, on the other hand, was startled awake by his father's shouting and as he stood up and stepped away from Aldveni came up with an eloquent rebuttal. Truly this rebuttal fit this situation and captured his current mood perfectly. It, as all good rebuttals do, started out with a large rock being tossed at the annoyance. The annoyance dodged as expected. "Ah, put a sock in it, Pops! It's too early for me listen to your crap!"

Genma's response was no less eloquent and captured his feelings perfectly. "Boy! How dare you talk to your Father that way! Show me the respect I deserve!"

Ranma looked puzzled "I thought I was, you Stupid Old Man."

"Boy! I'll teach you to disrespect your elders!" Genma roared and launched himself at Ranma.

"Bring it, Old Man!" Ranma launched himself at Genma.

And thus began the morning sparring.

As the Martial Artists traded blows Aldveni's eyes widened in wonder. It was beautiful. It became even better when they started bouncing off the walls of the cave. Her entertainment and joy at the display of combat took an abrupt U-turn when they started to head near the Statue Circle. "Oh no! Wait! Don't go into that circle without your destined one! You'll turn into a statue!"

The two martial artists were intent on their match and ignored her. Genma's left arm crossed the circle and turned into the same kind of stone Aldveni had previously been made of. As he performed a spinning back kick that knocked Ranma into the cave wall, (fortunately his path did not go into the circle) his right leg crossed the circle on the follow through. Only when he put his foot down did he notice his leg seemed heavier, come to think of it his arm seemed heavier too. He looked at his arm which seemed to be encased in some sort of stone. He looked at his leg and saw the same case was true. His reaction was perfectly reasonable. "Waugh!" He jumped away from the circle failed to account for the change in weight and crash landed.

Aldveni and Ranma watched as Genma ran around like a chicken with its head cut off and continued to watch as he somehow adapted to the new weight of his stone limbs and bounced around like a grasshopper on speed. Aldveni, being what she was and who she was recorded the whole thing with observation magic.

Ranma finally composed himself and asked Aldveni, who had a circle of glowing runes and sigils in front of her "So, what happened to Pops?"

"He put his limbs in the Stasis/containment circle and the residual effects turned his limbs to the magically superconductive yet nigh unbreakable stone composed of multiple materials and multiple residual and lingering magics. The effects are only reversible through intervention of the subjects destined one or the first in their romantic heart."

"..."

"You didn't understand a word I just said did you, darling?"

Ranma smiled cockily and said "Not a word."

Aldveni let out a put upon sigh. 'Hopefully he'll ask a question after this shorter explanation' she thought while watching Genma calm down and do kata to adjust himself to his new limbs. "Basically he put his arm and leg into the circle that turned me into a statue and now they are made of Spellstone and they can only be turned back by his destined on or the person he's in love with."

"Oh. What's spellstone?"

For some reason the joyful expression on Aldveni's face made him very nervous.

*One long lecture about spellstone later*

"...And that is what spellstone is. Any questions?"

Ranma and Genma looked at each other and nodded.

"Can you let us go now?" Ranma asked.

Aldveni blinked and looked contrite. Which was contradicted by her answer, "Oh, no. I just couldn't do that. You wouldn't have learned anything. Maybe next time you'll know better than to run when I'm teaching." She smiled sweetly and walked to the mouth of the cave, "I'm off to hunt for some food boys. Don't go anywhere." Aldveni's musical laughter echoed as she disappeared from the cave.

"I have no idea what she was saying but it didn't sound good." Genma spoke.

Ranma looked at his father in shock. He thought about his and Aldveni's first conversation and realized something. "It's probably magic that I can understand her. I did free her after all."

"Who is she? And how did she bind The Great Escaper Genma." Genma asked.

"She'd the godess of joy, comfort, and body, Aldveni. Apparently I'm her consort...whatever that means. I'm guessing this is a goddess thing."

Genma was silent. A goddess, eh..'

Even thought they knew she was beyond human they were both stunned when she brought in a bear.