Chi Journeymage

by tutcat

Same as all the time

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2. They are owned by there respective owners. Not out to make any money or fame on others work.

This is a collection of threads I was able to save of a web archive that has shut down recently. Some had been edited so my text reader would work better. So original authors and extra stuff was removed from the thread .

On the ones that have not been edited I will be editing them so the original authors will get credited for their parts. Also if you have the parts that I'm missing let me know in a PM will edit them in. Same with other threads if you have them will post for others to be able to read.

If you don't like Lemons and or Limes DO NOT READ this story.

Chi journeymage

Ranma starts his day

by Bast!

Ranma woke up slowly, as always, for sleep was one of his favorite things in the world, and he begrudged its end.

In other words, he was starting to get just as lazy as his father.

He lay with his eyes closed for a while, trying to hold on to his dream. It had been something about... a girl... or something... He grunted, frustratedly, when he realized he had already forgotten all but the most vague impression of it. It had been pleasantly warm and fuzzy, but he had no idea what it had been about anymore.

Grudgingly he opened his eyes and took stock of the situation.

A Little Pussy

by James M. Zema

Ranma froze, his body stiffening as he took in the lithe, slender form of Shampoo's body. His eyes slowly wandered over to the ribbon, tied around her tail, that was the only article of cloth- Tail?

Restart: Going back to bed

by Kestral

Ranma hated dreams like this.

You'd get up, do something, then poof - it was all a dream and you hadn't actually gotten up yet.

While trying to get back to sleep, Ranma realized:

Beginning A Birthday

by Kender

It a few moments, but he remembered that that morning began a special day. It was Ukyo's birthday! He hoped that she would surprised when he gave he his present. It'd take a bit of work, but the smile he'd get for giving it to her would be great.

The problem was that he had to get up and get ready. And that would take a bit of planning. Especially since he had to:

Gift Shopping

by Kender

Ranma knew that he wasn't the world's best shopper, and actually took pride in this. Stuff like shopping were supposed to be a girl thing, weren't they? Akane sure seemed to like it when she dragged him on one of her shopping trips.

But he had to go out and buy Ukyo a gift for her birthday. And he actually had the money. Keeping his old man and Nabiki clueless as to the existance of his secret stash, small as it was, had been no easy task. Still, the getting of the money had been even harder, what with being able to save so little at a time. It was worth it though. He could do things, like buy gifts for his fiancee. Just as he was doing now.

His main difficulty at this point was finding something to buy. He'd been to a bunch of stores and none of them had what he wanted. It was getting late and he was getting desperate. So he decided to try the store he had just seen, which happened to be:

Spells 'R'anma: Yer a wizard.

by Greyman

The shop might have looked out of place in an American mall, but actually fit right in in Nerima. So Ranma didn't immediately notice anything remarkably odd until the a man in a faded blue bathrobe embroidered with silver zodiac symbols greeted him from behind the counter.

"Good morning, Ranma," the old shop keeper called out happily. "You've come to the right place to get a present for your cute fiancee, or maybe even to fix that curse of yours." He smirked as he imagined all the possible ways he'd fix the curse. "You may wonder how I know about this..."

"Yer a wizard," Ranma guessed, noticing the 'don't ask: I'm a wizard" sign above the old man.

"Well, it's because ..." the wizard began in a bored voice then looked startled. "Er, yes. Yes, I am. I should have guessed that you'd recognise magic right off the bat. Very well, what shall it be: a cure for your curse, a present for your fiancee, both –if you can afford it (which I doubt)–, or perhaps something else?"

Spells 'R'anma: Do I look like an idiot?! ...don't answer that...

by Jryu

"Ferget it! I'm outta here!" an alarmed Ranma backed away. "Do I look stupid, or something? Sheesh!" And Ranma bolted from the store.

A pretty brunette walked from the back. "Wow. You actually let one get away. I never thought I'd see that."

The Wizard smiled. "Not so much a surprise as you'd think, Dannie."

"What do you mean?"

"Just watch..."

Spells 'R'anma: Do not pass door, do not keep 2000 yen...

by NekomusumeSlave

Smiling smugly to himself as he stepped outside he congratulated himself on not getting into something weird only to find himself back in the store he just left? HUH?!

"Silly boy this IS a wizard's store, you simply MUST buy something... or else..." The wizard looked amused. He looked more amused as Ranma attempted to get out using several methods only to find himself back inside.

"Okay so I have to buy something, anything in order to leave?"

"Quite so. I see you understand your dilemma."

"Ah crap."

"Of which species? We carry a wide assortment..."

"Hah? Nevermind."

"Trying to solve that fiancee mess of your's hmmm? That was always a favorite of mine back in the day..."

"What the hell?"

"I believe I can arrange that..."

Realization hit him... This was definately NOT a good place to be. And it was increasingly likely that the wizard was going to get tired of word games and the 'no loitering, violaters will be violated in an unessacerily violent act of violence' sign gave him the idea that staying would be a VERY BAD THING. So he had to look around, grab something, and be out of there About now would be best. What to get though? There was...

Spells 'R'anma: Oh no, care of Jusenkyo. alas poor Ranma.

by Kestral

"Jusenkyo flasks?" Ranma asked pointing.

The Wizard nodded.

They were all labelled. Correctly? Ranma wasn't willing to put money on that.

Ranma quickly found one. "Spring Of Drowned Man." If he could trust it, that would be perfect. However. This was that kind of store.

"Each cask is one dose." The Wizard smiled, ready to ring up the purchase.

Ranma considered the odds this would actually work. Waitaminute, what the heck was "Bishojo Bride" water?

Or maybe he should get something for Ryouga and get the pig off his back once and for all.

Spells 'R'anma: Mixing It Up

by Kender

The wizard smiled as Ranma did his 'never-gunna-be-a-girl' song and dance, and not only because the martial artist looked silly. No, there were... other considerations.

For his part, Ranma was in seventh heaven. Finally, his cure was in the palm of his hand. There would be no more change. No stupid jokes and put downs. No Kuno trying to date his girl side. Finally, he'd be a whole man again.

Unstoppering the flask, he poured it over his head. As the cool water flowed, he relaxed, enjoying the feeling of the liquid just pouring over his body, restoring it to normal. Soon he'd never have to be a girl again... And he wondered why exactly he could still feel the change coming about.

Ranma looked down and realized that he'd had another near-cure experience. Those were definately breasts on her chest. "What happened?!"

"The flask must have been mislabled," commented the wizard.

"'Mislabled'? I... how?!"

"It is really a problem keeping track of all the items we sell. Some are bound to fall throught the cracks somewhere."

Twitching slightly, Ranma was not happy that his cure had 'fallen through the cracks'. And now she had a whole new set of problems. That was because, as proven by Taro, the curses could mix. And Ranma was sure that they had in her case too. A smple check proved what she already knew and that she had poured over her head water from the:

Spells 'R'anma: Spring is in the hair or something like that

by Kestral

"What Spring was it?" Ranma-chan was very unhappy.

The Wizard's eyes twinkled with merriment. "Why, it looks like:

Spells 'R'anma: Frozen In Form

by Kender

"I can't..," Ranma began weakly.

"'Change back to your male form'?" said the wizard, "Yes, that's right. You can't."

"But you... I..,"

"It was an honest mistake, you understand. One container of water looks just like another when you have so many to label. And it does not make for exciting work."

"But I can't be a girl! I'm a guy!"

The wizard shrugged. "Not much to do there. Maybe if you find something else to use to do a similar task, you can regain your other gender."

Ranma looked off into nothing in particular. "I'm so dead. How are my fiancees going to take it? And my mother..."

Giving a look of underdertanding and sympathy to the former boy, the wizard sighed. "I did say it was a mistake, even if it was an honest one. Since you brought the water in good faith, I'll give you a little something in return."

That brought Ranma out of her mental haze. "Huh? You're going to give me something?"

"Yes, I am."

Blue eyes narrowed. "Like what?"

"Like this," said the wizard and with a wave of his hand:

Spells 'R'anma: Life Shifts

by Kender

Ranma walked out of the store with a haevy heart. 'He' was now a she, for the rest of her life. There would be no fiancees since girls didn't marry girls. All the years of tying to be a 'man among men' were wasted. Her father was probably going to sell her off. And the kids at school where going to just going to...

"Hey, is it... It is! Hi, Ranma-chan!"

... greet her happily?! "Uh... Hi Yuka."

"You look down. Is something wrong?"

"Kinda..."

Sayuri smirked. "Your mother was trying to get you in a dress again, wasn't she?"

"Nah..."

"Maybe Kuno's been after her again," put in Yuka, "With all that 'Ranma, I will date with thee' nonsense I'd be depressed too."

"So many girls would love to date a rich guy like him, no matter how stupid he is," commented Sayuri, "And he has to go after the two girls that hate him the most."

"What, do you want to date him?"

"Eww... As if!"

"With the way you were talking about him..."

"Gods, no! Just the thought makes my skin crawl."

"If you say so," Yuka said and turned back to Ranma. "We have to be going now. Ja ne!"

"Ja..," Ranma said half-heartedly. What the heck was that?! They were acting as if she were just another girl. But just the day before they had treated her as Akane's fiance. And the only thing that had changed was... that she had gone to that store!

She had to do something. But what? She needed more information. So she went to take to the rooftops and headed for the:

Spells 'R'anma: Wild Prospects

by Kender

A few minutes later, Ranma was leaping over the property wall of the Dojo. She took a few moments to look around and noticed that no one was home. It was odd, but not totally unexpected. Her father and Mister Tendo were probably off at a bar. Nabiki was likely bilking some poor guy out of his money. Akane might be with some other friends. And Kasumi was likely out doing some shopping or something.

"Uh... hello? Anybody home?" Ranma asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Ranma-chan is that you?"

"Eh... Hi Mom."

Nodoka smiled at her child. "Hello dear. Have you been having a good day?"

"Not really..."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Uhm... no, not right now."

"I'll be here if you want to talk. But right now you need to get upstairs to your room and change."

"Change? Why?"

"Your fiance is here and you ned to look presentable for him."

"My... fiance?!"

"Yes he is. He's waiting inside for you."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying that we have to get you ready so that you can have a nice afternoon with:

Spells 'R'anma: Dressing Up

by Kender

The news that she was engaged to Ryouga shocked Ranma to the point that she was in the room that she shared with her father before she knew it. Or what had been the room that she shared with her father. There as a bed, and all the stuff that one would expect in the room of a tomboy.

"Time to change Ranma-chan," Nodoka said, trying to help her daughter out of the clothing she was wearing.

"Um... Mom... I can dress myself..."

"Not if this is the way you do so. I will not have any daughter of mine go without a bra!"

Ranma crossed her arms over breasts. "Mom!"

"Here," said the Saotome matriarch after rooting around in the dresser, "Put this on."

The redhead took the offered piece of clothing and frowned, but put it on none the less. "Mom, I..."

"What's going on?" came Akane's voice.

Nodoka's face brightened. "Akane-chan. How nice. Now you can help get your friend here into a nice outfit for Ryouga-kun."

"Oh, so the two of you are visiting. Man, I wonder if this is what our fathers expected when they met Mister Hibiki on their training journey."

"What do you think? The green?"

"No... The blue. Brings out her eyes."

"Excuse me! I'm right here!" Ranma interrupted.

"We know dear," her mother replied, "But I want to make sure that you're ready to visit with your fiance.

Ranma hung her head and readied herself to be dressed up. She didn't know why. This was just the idiot Ryouga after all. She would get ready and somehow get through this.

So, as the mother and friend worked, Ranma thought about the coming situation. And it came all too quickly, staring with:

Spells 'R'anma: Meetings

by Kender

"Here Ranma-san," said a blushing Ryouga as he handed her a gift wrapped box.

The redhead blinked slightly as she took the offered box. "Uhh... Thanks, Ryouga."

"You're welcome. They were supposed to be good."

"'They'?" parroted Ranma, who then opened the box to find a colletion of fine Swiss chocolates. "They look great!"

"I'm glad you think so."

"And I'm glad that the two of you are having such a nice time," said a beaming Nodoka.

Ranma surpressed a shiver and turned to talk to her mother when she was interrupted by a new arrival saying:

Spells 'R'anma: Duck, Duck

by Kender

Out of reflex, the redhead cringed as the Amazon call went out. It was certain, but soon there would be a glomp and the usual mess. Why couldn't Shampoo... Hold on a second.

That wasn't Shampoo...

"Ranma, my love! Come to meeeeee!" *WHAM!*

"Mousse?!" Ranma said in disbelief.

Ryouga glared at the Amazon boy spread out on the Tendo's table. "Ranma's my fiancee!"

"She defeated me in battle!"

"Just because you bumped into her!"

Resisting the urge to bang her head angainst the table, Ranma turned to look at Akane.

The youngest Tendo just shrugged.

Mousse frowned and said,:

Spells 'R'anma: Fighting Fools

by Kender

"Ranma is my fiancee!" growled Ryouga.

"She defeated me, and that means that she's going to be mine!" said Mousse.

"Not a chance!"

"Ha! I won't let anyone stand between me and Ranma!" the nearly blind boy exclaimed before launching a chain at Ryouga.

The Lost Boy dodged the strike and swung at the robed teen. Mousse sent another series of chains at Ryouga, wrapping one arm in metal. Pulling down on the chains, the bandana wearing boy managed to yank the other boy foward into a punch.

"Stop it you jerks!" called out Ranma as Mousse grunted from the blow. She would have jumped in, except her mother had a rather firm grip on her arm. Not that she couldn't have shaken it off if she wanted.

"Fist of the White Swan!"

"Huh?" went Ryouga as he ducked and turned to look at his fiancee. Unfortunately, whatever the redhead had been about to say wasn't going to be said.

When Ryouga had ducked, the training potty flew right over his head and slammed right into Ranma's head. Her eyes rolled up into her head and she fell over like a cut down tree.

"Ranma!"

A Bright New Day

by Kender

The pigatailed center of chaos blinked several times and sighed. Stupid crazy dreams. They were alway there when you least wanted them. And you never knew what direction that they could take.

Dreams like the one that had just ended had to be the fault of Akane's cooking. Eating it before going to sleep made for some crazy dreams. Although, eating it meant that you were likely to go be unconscious whether you wanted to or not.

Sighing, the Saotome Heir turned over and realized:

Wet Wake Ups

by Kender

The problem with this half-conscious realization was made obvious by the 'wake up call' he was about to receive. He just managed to realize that he was to face another day of idiocy and lunacy wrapped in complete and utter boredom, otherwise known as school, when it hit him. Not the realization, but the contents of a pail.

"Ranma! Time to get up for school!" yelled Akane as the cold water hit him.

Ranma shot up on her futon. "What'd'ya do that for!"

"If you don't get up, you'll make us late!"

"Yeah yeah...uncute tomboy."

"What did you say?"

"What? I didn't say nothin'..."

"Oh really..?"

"Yup. Why would I say anythin' ta a macho chick like you..."

*WHAM!* "Stupid jerk."

As Akane walked away, Ranma-chan lay on the floor and twitched. She knew that she had to get up to get ready for school, but she had to rest for a few moments. Then she'd get up and prepare for her morning routine.

After removing the pail smashed into her head that was.

But once she did, she'd head downstairs to find:

Eat, Drink And Be Angry

by Kender

A normal morning meal in many places mean a quickly eaten meal that generally was a bit of a routine. Some would sit and eat while others would settle for the 'dash and dine' style, there was a sense of regularity that for the common soul, it was understandable. Friends and family could even set their clocks and meetings to the times that these happened.

Even in the Tendo home, there was routine. But in a house where the two house guests ate like the food would run away and the youngest daughter occasionally had the neighbors wondering if she had military chemical warefare divisions asking about her food, things were not as similar as they might like.

"Why don't you ever eat like a normal person?" asked Akane.

"'Cause I had ta change back after somebody dumped cold water over me," replied the pigtailed boy between bites.

"Well, I wouldn't have had to if you would get up on time!"

"Excuse me if I didn't want ta face an uncute tomboy in the morning."

"Grr..."

"Ranma! How can you treat my daughter so?!" barked Soun.

"You should treat your fiancee better!" ordered Genma.

Ranma snorted. "And why would I want to do that?"

"Ranma..." growled Akane. And then her eyes widened before she took a look at her watch. "Oh no! We're going to be late!"

"Aw nuts!"

And so the pair ran off for class, their dash marked only by:

Walk In Bashing

by Kender

Fortunately, there were no interruptions as they ran to the school, thus allowing them to get to the school before the bell rang. Once there, they would have an opportunity to get to class on time. In fact, there were students still walking lesiurely towards the building they'd be spending the day in.

On the other hand...

"So foul sorcerer, you dare to show these hallowed halls with the spectre of your dark nature!"

...that didn't mean that they didn't have to deal with one Tatewakei Kuno.

Said kendoist was in his usual hakama and bearing the familiar weapon. He stood firm, assured of his coming victory. There was no way that Saotome would pass this time, by his reckoning. And then the pigtailed girl and Akane Tendo would be free to date him!

But it was not to be as the boy who was the pigtailed girl and the youngest Tendo bashed him as was their routine. He went flying while they went to school.

So they walked towards the building,:

Sessions in Boredom

by Kender

If there was something more boring than school, Ranma had yet to find it. There was no fighting, no food during class and having a chi vampire for a teacher meant that not paying at least some attention wasn't always a good idea. So he sat, with 'the past participle' blurring with 'quadratic equations', while he tried to stav of his boredom. He did realize intellectually that he was supposed to know these things, but he couldn't understand why.

It wasn't like a martial artist would fight a periodic table and a sensei would never use an amendment to teach someone how to throw a punch. Besides, he'd been in and out of schools so much that he was a bit lost on some things.

What he did know was that some time during the day, something would happen. It might be as minor as a glomp from Shampoo, or it might be as big as another challenger, but he knew that there was going to be some wierdness that would happen during the day. He just didn't know when.

But he would find out during:

Walk And Talk

by Kender

"It was good of you and Akane to wait for me," commented Nabiki as the trio walked home after a day after school.

"Like we had a choice," muttered Ranma.

"What was that?"

"Uhh... Nothin'. Really!"

"Thought so," said the smirking middle Tendo as she tugged on the buckle on her schoolbag.

Akane frowned slightly. "Is something wrong?"

"The buckle won't stay closed for some reason. I've tried to fix it, but..."

"At least that's the worst that's happened today."

"You really shouldn't say things like that, Sis."

"Why?"

"You know what goes on around here. Saying things like that will only tempt the fates."

"I don't think so. For once, we're going to have a nice day, without some idiot messing it up."

Of course, this was not to be as they came across:

Grouping Without Battling.

by Kender

"Ranchan!" called out a certain chef.

"Ucchan!" replied Ranma.

"You were saying?" commented Nabiki.

Akane just sighed.

"What are ya doing over here Ucchan?"

His 'cute' fiancee shrugged. "I have to stop over at the store to see if I can get a new bag. The straps on this one are getting too loose. What about you?"

"We're just headin' back home."

"Oh my. I didn't expect to see you here," put in another voice. The group turned to see Kasumi standing there with a shopping bag on her arm and a bunch of books in her grasp.

"Kasumi, why are you here?" asked Akane.

"I had to go and borrow some books from Doctor Tofu's collection and I picked up some things afterwards."

"You see, Nabiki? Nothing happened."

"Ranma!"

At the sound of the new voice, Nabiki just gave her younger sister a look as the goup was joined by:

Bumping Into Trouble

by Kender

The call was all the warning that Ranma had as a curvy Amazon slammed into him. "Uh... Hi, Shampoo..."

"Shampoo too too glad to see Airen. Ranma take Shampoo to date?"

"Hohohohohohoho! My dear Ranma-darling wouldn't take such a harridan anywhere when I'm around," called out an arriving Kodachi Kuno.

"Who you calling 'harridan', Crazy Rose Girl!"

"Why you of course!"

"And what makes him your Ranma?" asked Ukyo.

"It is only logical. Why would he want a barbarian, a serving girl, or a gorilla when he could have the wonder that is me?"

"Shampoo show you who 'barbarian'!"

"No one calls me names, sugar!"

"Who are you calling a gorrilla?!"

Ranma took one look at the girls preparing to fight and:

See Ranma Run

by Kender

One of the prime tentents of the Anything Goes School was self-preservation, otherwise looking out for one's own skin. Happosai had taught his students very well the ways that the might be able to get to safety. (Usually with a crowd of angry villagers at their backs.) Genma raised it to new levels with his... techniques and ways to get out of facing the consequences of his actions. And despite the fact that he had a spine, Ranma had enough experience to realize that having all four of the girls who had an intrest in him being in one place could be hazardous to his health.

So he took the only option he could think of.

"Man, I'm outta here!" said Ranma just before he took to the rooftops to get away.

"Arien! You no run away!"

"Ranma-darling! Wait for your Kodachi!"

"Ranchan! Get your rear back here!"

"Ranma, you jerk!"

As the Fiancee Brigade leapt to follow the pigtailed boy, the two other Tendo daughters turned and looked at each other.

"Guess we might as well go home," said Nabiki.

"That might be best," agreed Kasumi."

and as they walked home, Ranma continued running until:

Stop And Find

by Kender

Ranma congratulated himself on his thinking as he landed back on the street. He was sure that they would never think of his idea. It just was too simple for him to double back. And now he was standing where the chase had begun, finally relaxing for a bit.

'Looks like Nabiki and Kasumi went home,' thought the pigatailed boy. That the two older Tendo sisters had left hadn't been unexpected. But it did leave him on the street alone. Not that it really mattered. He'd be back at the Dojo soon enough.

Yet he stopped just as he was about to leave. somthing had caught his eye and he turned to get a better look. What ever it was, it hadn't been there eariler, or, at the very least, he hadn't seen it. So he decided to take a look and found that it was:

The Fate of Books

by Kender

'Now why would somebody leave a book lyin' around like that?' thought Ranma. It was a perfectly good book, or it looked that way. That made it all the more odd that it had been dropped there like that. Most likely it had been dropped by accident, and the owner simply just didn't know.

Figuring that he'd like to have it back if it was his, he picked it up to take home so that he could find the owner. Maybe it'd have a name tag in it or something. He'd check it later, but first he had to get home. Then he'd read it to find out who it belonged to.

And so he took the book, only to later find out that it was:

Spellbook?!: Does it have martial arts in front of it?

by Kestral

Ranma looked it over and felt the temptation.

If it worked, and he could learn this stuff, he could be free of his curse. That was a pretty big "if" however.

There was also the chance it would get screwed up. Considering his life since coming to Nerima, he wouldn't put odds on it.

Still, there was this one. It was simple, he could lay hands on the proper materials, and handle the gestures and everything without a problem. It was even listed as a spell safe to teach a child apprentice.

All it did was create a small ball of light. Checking to make sure he was alone, Ranma prepared everything and was rewarded by a small globe of light. Odd. It was like doing a martial arts manuever.

Ranma blinked. It was like martial arts. That meant...

Well, among other things, it meant no way was he letting the old perv or some of the other idiots have this thing. If he could learn this stuff he could pull 'em out as martial arts secret manuevers later. Heh. Secret weapons were always fair in Anything Goes.

The old book was kinda fragile, so he had to hide it away safely. Somewhere that Nabiki or his stupid oyaji or that uncute tomboy or some rival wouldn't think to look for it. Which meant...

Ranma came back to the dojo whistling a happy tune. Hope, something that was rare and precious in his life, had just blown back into town.

Of course, he didn't realize that the spellbook was:

Spellbook?!: Chinese Sorcery 101

by Kestral

In Chinese mythology at least, magic involved martial arts.

Ki, chi, meditation, chakra, shiatsu, and similar concepts all fitted together with spells.

Therefore, this was martial arts related.

And we all know how focussed Ranma was about learning martial arts.

Meditation and seeking enlightenment was new to him, especially as action before thought was a primary tenet of Anything Goes. This was completely different.

So Ranma sat in a lotus position in the dojo, the book carefully hidden, as he remembered the salient points and tried to find the Buddha's Point.

Nabiki came by two hours later to see what Ranma was doing, noticed that he was glowing and floating two feet above the floor. She "eeped" and went to find her camera and get witnesses.

Kasumi saw this and nodded as if she'd expected this all along.

Akane saw this and would have malleted Ranma on general principles (how dare he go off and learn a new technique without telling anyone?! She'd bet he'd gotten it from Shampoo, therefore he'd been flirting with that floozie again!) but was stopped by Kasumi of all people.

Chi Spellbook?!: getting the basics down

by Kestral

Several other useful manuevers were quickly added once Ranma realized it was martial arts training. Of course, to keep from being malleted again or to keep someone (notably Nabiki, Oyaji, or Happosai) from learning of the book he'd had to arrange a training trip.

Some basic manuevers were easy enough once he grasped the concepts of the flows of chi of the world around him and of his internal chi. The pool of chi at the bottom of the belly - the vessels and the dams of the pressure points. Easy enough - he was already using some of that stuff. It was amazing once he grasped the principles behind it how much more he could do with it.

A Light In The Darkness merely let your chi form a visible ball.

To Stand Like A Mountain anchored your chi with the earth chi.

The Breath Of The Second Wind was something he already had the basics of and just refined it further with that. Fatigue and injury suppression.

Skin Like Unto Iron was similar. He already used similar techniques to keep from being injured. This was just more so.

To Pass As A Ghost was tricky. To be able to walk across rice paper without breaking it was the first step. When he was able to move across the water without disturbing the surface - he'd master that one.

What was concerning was that as soon as he'd mastered a lesson, the page turned blank. It wasn't that concerning though - not when there were techniques like To Purify Oneself - a technique by which the martial artist came into perfect tune with the universe and used that to "free themselves of all impurities, diseases, possession, and curses."

The problem was that this manuever required mastery of several other techniques, one had to master one's inner chi flows, and then regulate completely how one affected that which was around oneself.

That this was thoroughly neat and unlike any martial arts he'd ever studied, but was still definitely martial arts, was beside the point. It was that purification technique that made this so attractive.

Of course, this was something positive occurring in Ranma's life. Left unchecked he could gain control of his destiny for the first time in his life, he could attain self-enlightenment, develop as an individual, break the cycle that kept his problems continuing, and surpass the levels of martial arts mastery of Happosai or Cologne. Clearly, this could not be allowed to happen.

Everyone noticed that Ranma was gone evenings. Everyone noticed that his skills were growing. Everyone noticed how centered and thoughtful he'd turned. Ranma being thoughtful? Gaining some measure of inner peace and calm?

The reactions to this varied from suspicions from various Tendos to a thoughtful bemusement from Cologne to darn close to Happosai's guess that Ranma had finally discovered the wonder and beauty of women's underwear raids.

Five days into the studies, things got a bit more complicated when:

Chi Spellbook?!: Following A Horse

by Kender

As Nabiki beat through the brush and bushes as she followed Ranma's trail, she thought about what the last few days had brought. The younger Saotome male had changed and nobody knew exactly why. Akane outwardly put it down to meeting a new 'hussy' and worried. Kasumi worried about a sudden head trauma causing a personality change. Genma and her father had decided that he was out with some new 'friends'.

But Nabiki wasn't one to just jump to a conclusion. She liked to have at least some of the facts first. And her instincts were saying that something was up here. Someone just didn't change that much so quickly. So that lead her to changing into dark clothes and following Ranma to find out what was going on.

What she didn't expect to see was Ranma standing in one of the parks in the area, with a ball of light hanging in the air beside him. It didn't look like he was getting any help in that area. His attention looked to be riveted on the open book that he was holding in one hand.

Then, just as she watched, he walked up to a tree. The middle Tendo tensed, sure that when he stopped, he would turn around and see her. And so she prepared herself as she saw him walk to the tree and... walk up the trunk like it was it was just more ground?!

The sight surprised her so, that she didn't move as he did a lazy jump off the trunk and landed back on the earth. He nodded to himself and then called out, "You can come out now, Nabiki."

Her jaw dropped before she decided to:

Chi Spellbook?!: Little Butterfly and the Wise Horse

by Jamil Nate

Nabiki carefully climbed down from the tree she had chosen to hide in. So Ranma had learned new tricks from that book. Impressive, not the techniques in themselves but the fact that Ranma Saotome, of all people, learned something from such a mundane thing. Old scrolls, she could see it. Books, no.

She shook her head. Reading a book does not change your personnality. Either the book is magically altering Ranma (this is Nerima, a cursed book would fit here) or... Nah, couldn't be. Ranma can't be maturing and growing up, not a chance in Hell.

Ranma sat in the middle of the clearing, assuming a zazen position with seemingly no effort. Nabiki was nervous but managed to not show it. As long as he doesn't float in the air... "I assume that you are here to question me on my recent changes, don't you, Nabiki ?"

His voice was smooth and flowing like a gentle stream of water, not the brash and arrogant tone she was used to. His grammar had improved too. *I don't know what game you're playing, Saotome. But it takes more to faze me !* she thought in her usual smug way.

"So, Saotome" She smirked "You've freaked out everyone back home with your 'silent and thoughtful' act. It is no surprise everyone wonder about the how and why of this miracle... If it is genuine and not another one of your jokes"

The old Ranma would have sputtered and forcefully denied her accusation. She wasn't prepared for a calm and reasonable explanation "I have been training in meditation and chi mastery since I found this manual of martial arts. Anything Goes is sorely lacking in internal training, it is a physical hard style after all"

Nabiki was stunned. He was telling the truth ? He actually admitted his martial art style had weak points and sought to correct them !?

Ranma wasn't finished "A martial artist always tries to push back his limits to better himself. Since I settled in Nerima, I learned new techniques only as counters from something that was forced on me. Saffron and Phoenix mountain showed me the error of this way of thinking, had I been better prepared maybe Akane would never have been in so much danger"

A reasoned argument now !? Ranma Saotome capable of learning from his mistakes and smart enough to think of solutions !? This was beyond abnormal, it was a catastrophe for her and the dojo's finances !

"What is the matter, Nabiki ?" He smiled benevolently, it reminded her of Kasumi when she tried to explain something to you, making you feel childish and stupid at the same time. It was scary "I would have thought that my maturing would have made you happy. You've always thought I was unworthy of your sister like I was until recently"

And now he was able to read people !? Proving she was her father's daughter, she fainted when confronted with too much information that was contrary to her world view *THUD !*

"Was it something I said ?" Ranma was a little miffed. Nabiki prized straight and intelligent conversations. He gave her what she wanted and she just drops like that, umph...

He sighed and tried to revive her then noticed something on the book. The page it was stuck on showed a technique/spell that could help !

Chi Spellbook?!: The Dreaded Technique?! Amorous Nabiki!

by Kestral

The technique was fairly simple and Ranma thought he could handle it.

Two pressure points, here and here. Turn her over onto her back. Two more pressure points, here and here. Then carry her over to a park bench and begin a massage technique like so, drawing in ambient chi and channelling it lines like so.

Nabiki began to come to, and became aware that it felt good.

No, strike that. It felt good. Strong, gentle, practiced fingers easing the tension out of her.

Then it went up a couple of levels and good was no longer an adequate description. In fact, she would have trouble quantifying or describing this. This was beyond merely a good massage, and she was wondering if sex could feel as good as the back and shoulder rub she was getting. The back of her neck was gently but firmly tended to and Nabiki was sure that if she got any more relaxed or pleasured - she'd likely melt into a little puddle.

Ranma's hands gently eased her shoes off and began massaging the soles of her feet, working slowly up.

Nabiki's eyes were rolled back in her head. Who knew Ranma could do something like this? For all that she'd heard about it, Nabiki suspected sex wouldn't be this good. Then her mind shut down completely and she groaned from the sheer blessed pleasure flowing from Ranma-sama's hands.

Ranma for his part was just fascinated. He could see the lines of chi in Nabiki. How they'd been twisted and clotted and blocked. But if you did this and that and focussed chi in - you sort of renewed everything. She already seemed healthier than when he'd started. It was a little concerning that she'd gone so darn limp, but all the bad, polluted, chi was being pulled out and fresh chi pumped in, and from what he could see - Nabiki wasn't complaining.

On some level, Nabiki knew that at this point, she would do darn near anything to have Ranma do this again.

Ranma had, in his haste, not noticed the small handwritten note addendum to the technique. Nor did he fully understand what the consequences of using this technique could be.

Nor did he really notice that the technique of The Nirvana Massage Technique that was two pages ahead of where he'd stopped in the book was noted in that addendum as having another name due to some of the side effects that Nabiki was experiencing.

Chi Spellbook?!: A Tender Touch

by Kender

A haze of pleasure faded from Nabiki's mind as she returned to reality. Stretching lazily, she was reluctant to leave her little corner of bliss, even as she knew she must. She had just never felt this good, or this comfortable. There was a warmth that had spread itself through out her entire body that had it singing.

Opening her eyes, she noticed Ranma looking down at her. It was odd, but she only now noticed how good he was. Well, that wasn't true. She had know some of it, but it was only now coming out. Here was a boy who was honest, kind and generous to a fault. And now that he had that book, he was a hunk with a brain and the ability to use it.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Pretty good, Ranma-kun," Nabiki said with a smile. "You do realize what some guys would have done with a girl at their mercy?"

"I would never..."

The middle Tendo put a fingertip to his lips. "I know you wouldn't. I was only teasing."

"Oh right."

"You mind helping me up?"

"Of course."

As the pigtailed boy gave her a hand, she sued about how changed he had become. The old Ranma would have just panicked and taken her to the doctor's. This new and improved version had not only taken care of her, but had actually made her feel better than she had in years. She did have to wonder if their children would be as kind as he was...

Ranma stopped as he saw the brunette begin to stumble. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Just an odd thought." Privately, Nabiki had to wonder where the mental image of a pair younger of younger versions of herself and Ranma had come from. Not that it had been a bad one at that.

"So what do you want to do now?"

"Well I thought that I might hang around for a while."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I am," Nabiki said, even as:

Chi Spellbook: Whose book was it anyway?

by Kestral

While Ranma was unaware of anything other than his newfound sense of the lines of force and energies of life, one must wonder where the book had come from.

A book on mastering the forces of life energy just dropping out of nowhere? A spellbook that, in the right hands, could unlock the secrets of enlightenment? Who would have such a thing? And why?

To discern that, one would have to look elsewhere:

Chi Spellbook: Just A Book...

by Kender

"I'm sorry Sensei, but my mother so wanted to see the Tower that I must have dropped it," said the former-henchman-turned-mystical-apprentice.

"So old hag woman make you lose very important book?! Do you have any idea how special book is?!"

"Come on," put in Jade, "It's just some moldy old book. That could possibly happen?"

"You don't know what trouble it could cause!"

"Are you being a little bit too worried?"

"No! It was given to me by my teacher. Contained within those pages are a series of chi spells so powerful that they can only be done by a master."

Jackie shrugged. "Then we don't have anything to worry about then... OW!"

Uncle lowered his hand from where he had just smacked his nephew in the head. "Wrong. There is much to worry about! If that spell book got into the wrong hands, it could be very terrible! Evil chi wizards would use the spells inside to do who knows what! Even if inexperinced, manny bad things could happen!"

Everyone turned look at Toru. "Uh... sorry."

"Aiyah. Who knows what is happening right now..."

Chi Spellbook: Evil Inc.

by Kestral

In some genres, you'd expect villains to wear black robes (or armor) and to look sinister and get really good lines. In others, the black cowboy hat and to have a certain roguish charm. In still others, the villains might be black-clad ninja or something similar.

The villain headquarters would usually be located in a properly sinister location and look just the part - foreboding, merciless, harsh, or just plain nasty.

This was modern Japan however. Evil was currently wearing a tasteful olive Italian suit and sitting down at her desk going over reports from field operatives.

Evil was a middleaged Japanese businesswoman.

In the manner of most Ranma protaganists, she was a martial artist and fairly attractive as such things went. She routinely seduced maidens, played her little games of temptation into debauchery and things that were too nasty for even the typical Japanese to condone, before dumping the girl and moving on to the next after her life was well and truly ruined.

It wasn't that she hated women specifically. She simply hated. She preferred ruining men's lives through financial, psychological, or emotional means. Not that she didn't cripple a few sexually as well.

Her martial arts style? The dreaded art of the HellFist, a martial arts style developed by one of Happosai's seven siblings. Just as Happosai's style was based on Lust And Thievery, the HellFist was based on Hate And Suffering. It was not a quick-kill style, being developed to permanently cripple, scar, or break your opponent.

She thumbed an intercom. "Kejiro, explain your report."

Entering her office was a nervous little whippet of a man. "Just that. The manifestations have occurred in different places - though we have narrowed it down to somewhere in Nerima."

"Not good enough," she said coldly in response. "Someone is approaching mastery in the White Chi techniques. If this is allowed to continue, they might eventually pose a threat. Whereas if I possessed those secrets, I could become all the stronger."

Kejiro winced, hoping that she didn't want to practice poisoning or the Explosive Castration point. He'd seen the results of both around the office. If only he didn't have children who could be threatened, he could try to escape.

She considered the sweating sarariman for a moment, letting his nervousness and insecurities grow. "Use the Faceless. Strike every dojo in Nerima. A little strangeness in Nerima is normal and will be overlooked. Go. Your other duties will be suspended until you take care of this matter."

Kejiro practically fled.

The Faceless would destroy dojo after dojo and force the Masters to fight and thereby reveal if they were a chi master.

Then she could destroy that school in a way far more thorough than just defeating the dojo.

She sat back into her comfortable chair and got back to work. She still had a business to run after all.

After all, the Faceless were:

Chi Spellbook: Something Wicked...

by Kender

What had once been a pretty regular day changed, but no one knew why. It wasn't an obvious thing but more of a feeling. There was a chill that ran down one's back like that person's grave had just been danced upon. Shadows seemed larger, and there a nip in the air that had little due to the temperature.

Mothers grabbed their children close. Husbands sought out their wives. Incense was burned at family altars. Those so inclined crossed themselves. Animals scattered and ran.

For the Faceless were on the ride again.

It wasn't but a single person who didn't watch the passing riders, but none did anything about them. It wasn't their business, so why tempt fate? Besides, what ever could create such as what they felt would not be someone they would wish to face. They were just glad not to be the one that they were after.

That 'honor' was reserved for the bearer of a certain book, who at the moment was:

Chi Spellbook: fathers face the Faceless

by Kestral

Getting serious studying or practice at the Tendo dojo was an exercise in futility. It was normally pretty bad, but had recently gotten much worse with the fathers, Akane, Nabiki, various rivals - all coming by to try and figure out what the heck he was doing.

Just so that he didn't bring anyone back to his secret spot, he was using different ones. That particular rooftop there where the access door had rusted shut and only someone leaping rooftops could reach it. That particular area of the park over there. This place under the bridge. This section of tunnel for the trains that had been abandoned in the 80s. That section of the pump areas - with the old building near the center that hadn't seen use in some time.

Ranma slowly built up his chi and the channels and paths within it. That was something the book repeated over and over again. Go too fast and you'd either burn yourself out or literally burn yourself up. Shrinkage was also possible - explaining Cologne's stature when she'd been so tall before. She'd built up her chi reserves but hadn't gone through these methods.

Once again Ranma reached the state which had so helped him in these studies and which was causing so many people to wonder if he was a pod person. Zuzen. A state of no self where one could feel perfectly attuned with his surroundings. Reverberation with the universe.

Anyone looking at him as he reached that state would not have seen him, their eyes skittering over Ranma's form without consciously noticing. He was so much a part of his environment that it would be like noticing one leaf on a tree.

After spending a timeless moment there, Ranma went to the slightly more impressive part where he worked on strengthening his channels, his vessels, and his ocean. Or at least that was how the book referred to them.

Now Ranma floated a few inches off the floor, still in lotus, limned by a glow of blue that slowly edged its way to white. Not a pure white, not yet at least, but white.

This transcended the Art, yet it was the Art. And Ranma Saotome was an extension of the Art.

A Light In The Darkness a chi ball that was bright enough to read by, but didn't require much of a draw from one's chi to maintain.

To Stand Like A Mountain by anchoring your chi with the earth chi - one became unmovable.

The Breath Of The Second Wind a refresh technique to banish fatigue and heal minor injuries.

Skin Like Unto Iron was a refinement of a technique like his ability to punch through thick stone without injury. Except that the ironskin technique was a lot stronger than that.

To Pass As A Ghost had been learned. Not only could he walk across rice paper or water, he could walk across open ground with less trace than a passing breeze. It was also possible to walk or climb walls by means of such - though he was still working on that aspect.

Nirvana Massage which not only helped the recipient channel chi and left them refreshed and healthier, but tended to make them feel compulsively nice towards the chi master performing the technique.

As A Distant Thunder was masking one's chi "ocean" and abilities. Not invisibility but a way of seeming perfectly normal to those who sought to find him by means of his chi. Shampoo hadn't been able to find him with her bicycle o' doom lately.

To See The Unseen - while his normal danger sense and ability to sense his environment had been pretty good, this was like taking off blindfolds and taking out earplugs and unwrapping his head. He could close his eyes and tell how many boards were in this old shack, and how many nails had been used. He could hear the small insects that made their home here, and feel the small sparks of chi from the birds on the roof.

To Be A Feather In The Wind like the immovability technique, this was one that had to be actively invoked. Drawing chi from the lines in the air, he became lighter. He could jump enormous distances before the technique - afterwards he could fall from an airplane without a parachute and land softly on his feet without leaving a mark. Handy when he was still being launched regularly by Akane.

Seven League Boots was a refinement of his previous roofhopping high speed travel techniques. It hadn't required much effort to enhance the travel slightly in speed and distance travelled.

He was now working on the first combat technique in the book. What was interesting about it was that according to these notes, he could "tune" it for individual chi signatures so that allies wouldn't be hurt. The Divine White Wind technique had obvious uses in his life.

Nabiki, recipient of the cleansing/massage technique, felt it first. A wrongness in the air as if something unpleasant had just died in the crawlspace under the house.

Kasumi, attuned to life in the house, felt it second but had no idea how or what it was.

The back bell jangled. The one used by those who wanted to "challenge the dojo in fierce combat."

Soun frowned at the momentary feel as if something were wrong, but put it down to the presence of the Master.

Happosai snored. It had been a late night trying to find where Ranma had been going and had become a panty raid when he'd discovered Saint Hebereke's School For Girls. It had especially been a late night after finding out Kodachi Kuno booby-trapped her gym locker.

Soun and Genma both looked up again as the back door came off its hinges, and the two looked on as they entered.

Thirteen of them. Other than one short thin guy (about 4'8") they were all over six feet in height. Thick muscles, leather jackets and pants, biker boots, chains worn as ornamentation and backup weapons. Also skin that was rotting, old open wounds that weren't bleeding, shambling gait.

Quite obvious from just a look at the bizarrely cut and dyed hair and the above details. A biker gang. An undead biker gang. An undead punk biker gang. This wasn't quite as bad as the fact that they had no faces. It was a pale smoothness where there should be a face.

"We started with the letter 'A'," stated one zombie despite the apparent lack of a mouth. "Who's the champion of this dojo?"

Soun and Genma stand solemnly and say:

Chi Spellbook: Tomboy Fight

by Kender

Akane looked upon the guys in the biker get-ups and smirked to herself. Everybody knew that these types were just big jerks looking to cause trouble. Fighting them would be just like the morning hentai bashings had been. She'd defend the dojo and Ranma would come back to find out that she was a capable martial artist too.

"Ready when you are," she told the bikers as she got into a stance.

One of the Faceless walked over to her, preparing to land a blow. The youngest Tendo dodged it easily and landed an uppercut to the jaw of her attacker. His head snapped around with a sickening crack. Contrary to what was natural, he stayed on his feet and reached up to grasp his head with both hands. There was a 'snap' as he put his head back to facing the way it was supposed to.

"What the hell..?"

Her answer came in an onrush of all the Faceless. One slammed a fist right under her breasts right before another delivered a powerful backhand to her face. Each of her blows as they would land would be shrugged off as if they hadn't happened.

This one sided fight continued until:

Chi Journeymage: Zombies?! Fight at the Tendo dojo!

by Kestral

Akane Tendo, heir to the Tendo School Of Anything Goes, did have her good points. She was darn near fearless in a variety of situations that would have sent most of her classmates fleeing for the horizon. She was the equivelant of a 2nd dan in freeform kempo - which was what the Tendo School was based on. She was extremely strong and had good stamina - for a sixteen year old girl of her height and weight. Against the typical mugger, the idiots at school, or the average pervert - she was more than capable.

When her typical punches and kicks were ineffective, and a chain wrapped around one wrist, she adapted. She did a snap-roll that should have broken the thing's grip on the chain and freed her. Weapon use was disdained by the Tendo school - but she knew how to use a variety of them and could even the odds some once she reached her bokutoh.

It didn't quite work, she ended up on the floor with the guy covering her. When he landed that way, she reacted as to a pervert. She kicked him in the nuts without any reaction. So Akane produced a large mallet and slammed it home into the attacker's head. The head went sailing. The attacker continued to grapple with her.

She felt bones breaking as it held onto her with both legs and one arm while the other arm hammered down onto her. As she felt her teeth rattled she became aware that this was not some costume.

At which point, with the evidence being rubbed into her face, Akane realized exactly what she was fighting. No head. Or rather the head was over there now. The thing was now a Headless. A zombie. Undead.

Akane watched horror movies. It was a sort of love/hate thing. She hated that sort of thing, but she watched them all the time. Confronted directly with this sort of thing she screamed and froze.

She could see her father and Mister Saotome getting pounded into the ground though they had practically dismembered one of the other zombies in their fight.

She could see Kasumi being menaced and tried to struggle free.

"Bad zombies." Fwoom!

"We'll be back," said one of the Faceless.

Akane stared as the zombies were being herded out of the dojo by Kasumi throwing... salt?! And that when the white grainy substance hit the zombies there was a burst of blue flame?!

As Akane passed out, she realized:

Chi Journeymage: Fixing Red

by Kender

Ranma frowned as he knelt next to the prone form of Akane. The exertion that he would normally have felt from running so far in so short a time was not in evidence, but he was breathing hard. That was due to the combination of the healing technique and the urgency that he felt.

"What are you doing Ranma?" asked Kasumi.

"I'm trying to use a special technique to help her healing," the pigtailed boy said, "What happened here?"

"Some zombies came and challenged the Dojo's champion to a fight."

"They just left?"

"Oh that does mean that I will have to buy more salt."

Shaking his head as he went back to healing the unconscious younger Tendo, Ranma decided not to try to figure out the implications of what she was saying. "So, Akane decided to try and do it without me."

"That is what happened."

"At least she was here to defend the dojo boy! Where were you?!"

"Oh, you're up," said Ranma as he noticed that the new speaker was his newly conscious father.

"Just answer the question!"

"I was out training and came as soon as I knew that something was wrong here."

"But my poor baby..." sobbed Soun as he sat up.

"... Is going to be fine."

"She will?"

"Yes, she will."

"Oh."

"She will need to be made more comfortable. She's going to be pretty hungry when she wakes up. And we need to be prepared if those guys ever come back."

"They said that they would," put in Kasumi helpfully.

"Oh-kay. That means that we'll have to figure out what to do." 'And quickly.' Ranma frowned as he tried to think of the possibilities. He'd only come when those guys were leaving and that didn't lend him much to know about their fighting styles. But the fact that they were zombies meant a lot. He just had to wonder:

Chi Journeymage: Red Revelations

by Kestral

"This is a healing technique?" Kasumi asked, watching with Nabiki (who had had enough sense to hide when zombie bikers attacked the dojo - though she did have some nice shots when she developed the film later) as Ranma began glowing again.

"Yes. Broken wrist. Fractured skull. Three ribs on the left side cracked. Jaw broken - hairline fracture. Considerable bruising. Left collarbone split. Some infection - zombies apparently do not practice good hygiene. Severed optic nerve also on the left side." Ranma spoke in a distracted voice that was a different one than that of the brash young man he'd been.

Kasumi stared at Ranma briefly. That voice - that gentle but strong voice. Ranma was growing up at last and if this was the sort of man he would become- Akane was very lucky indeed.

Nabiki watched as the pained look faded from Akane's face.

"Her chi's blocked and distorted too. Can't tell if any of those zombies might have contaminated her." Ranma was quick and decisive now too. He regretted it, but there was only one thing he could do.

"The Nirvana Touch?" Nabiki guessed. "Come on, sis, you've got to see this. Besides, if you have witnesses Ranma - we can attest later that nothing ecchi was done."

Ranma nodded gratefully. Considering Akane's focus on such issues and her tendency to jump to conclusions, that had been one of his reservations. Not that he would have put it like that.

Genma and Soun's ears twitched. A secret technique out of the boy's hidden practice? And Nabiki knew about it and hadn't sold them the information? What was going on here?

Drawing from sky and earth was more difficult in Akane's bedroom than in the park, but Akane would be more comfortable there.

Nabiki and Kasumi watched as the technique was slowly done on Akane, and a feeling of warm peace seemed to flow through the room.

"Ranma, later on, do you think?" Kasumi was hesitant to ask, but judging from the muffled moan Akane gave in her sleep that was a very good massage.

A minor hesitation, but Ranma nodded. He'd been noticing light and dark and how people's chi flowed lately - not even intending to. It was somewhat disturbing to see the taint in so many. As if just the process of growing up fouled the channels somehow. Kasumi was cleaner than average but there were still blockages and stains. There was also this angry node of red in her lower chest he'd have to look at.

He'd also have to consult Cologne later. If anyone knew how to fight zombies, it would be the Old Ghoul.

Cologne stood on the rooftop, seeing the destruction that indicated the zombies had appeared here. Yet now that she was close she could feel something else tickling her senses. It was the work of a minute to determine who and where.

Now this was a fine riddle. Ranma's behavior had changed - and much for the better. Now that she had confirmed that he was becoming a practitioner of White Chi Magic, that explained a lot right there. It also threw a kink in Shampoo's acquisition of him as a husband. As a brash but talented martial artist, Shampoo's husband might stay in Japan or move to the village -either was a possibility. If Ranma were now progressing on an Epic Destiny - that was another thing altogether. She'd have to think about this at length over a hot pot of tea.

She felt Ranma's presence and felt the flow around her.

She felt intense pleasure as she soared through clouds of ecstacy. First the pain had muted down and now it was washed away by indescribable torrents of...

It was like being wrapped in joy.

It was sensual pleasures in levels that she'd never known before, in a soft-edged intensity beyond anything she'd ever imagined possible.

She didn't know that part of Ranma's newfound maturity and thoughtfulness resulted from his daily cleansing rituals and that he'd purged most of the taint his father and childhood had forced on him. That he still had some distance to go, but that he was already a Journeymage in Chi Mastery. She didn't know that at all and was still operating on the theory that he was sneaking off to be with some floozie. Akane wasn't clairvoyant, and as noted earlier had a tendency to jump to conclusions and run with them.

She did know that for all his brash immature jerk-ality - it was the occasional glimpses of something better underneath that kept her from terminating the engagement for more than a month at a time.

And here it was - in all its glory. Shining whitely through the darkness was a brief look at the soul of one Ranma Saotome.

"She's smiling but she's crying, did I do something wrong?" Ranma puzzled over the way Akane's cheeks glistened as the tears ran into the pillow.

Nabiki shook her head. "No, Ranma. I felt the same way. It's a girl thing. You wouldn't understand."

"Oh," agreed Ranma, putting it in the mental file marked "Things about girls that I don't understand" (currently three drawers worth and growing) and finishing up. "I'll be with you in a minute Kasumi."

Kasumi nodded as Ranma finished up. Things had been stressful lately and that looked very relaxing.

Chi Journeymage: Mystical Thoughts

by Kender

In the dining area of the Nekohaten, Cologne sat drinking tea alone. She had much to ponder and it was easier when no one was around. Shampoo was making deliveries and Mousse, if he was doing what he was supposed to, was washing dishes. That left her time to sit and think about recent events and their implications.

Ranma was on his way to being a White Chi Magic Master. That in and of itself could be very good news. Another ally to fight the darkness was always welcome, especially when they had as much talent as Ranma. (Although she did have to wonder where he was taking his instruction from.)

Unfortunately, that was going to complicate already a complicated situation. The boy was at the center of some very delicate relationships and this was certain to shake them up. In addition, White Chi Wizards tended to attract Dark Chi Wizards. And it looked like that had already happened, if those zombies had been any indication. Someone pretty powerful had to have sent such creatures and kept them working together at such relatively high intelligence.

So he was now a better catch in some ways, but he was also a danger in others. Not only was the balance between the 'fiancees' likely to change, but there was, at the very least, this unknown to worry about.

And she was sure that Shampoo would stumble into it before she could be properly warned.

At this point, the only thing that she could think of would be to:

Chi Journeymage: Danger, Will Robinson Ranma, Danger

by Kestral

Cologne decided she'd have to advise Ranma of the various downsides of the White Chi path. The increased power level of the new villains, the tendency for one to have Epic Quests and the like thrust upon you, and some of the bad techniques and side effects.

For example, if you channelled too much life energy and started carrying a load of it, the opposite sex would tend to find you irresistable. One of the reasons the old masters of such techniques usually became hermits who had a cold waterfall they could go meditate under.

It had never happened to her but she'd known a girl (my goodness that must have been two hundred years ago - where did the time fly?) who had attempted to reach the heights of that learning. She ended up never reaching it because she had ended up with six husbands and spending all her time and energy on other activities.

Hmmm. She needed to talk to Shampoo first.

Ranma finished using the Nirvana technique on Kasumi and admired her chi flows briefly. Her capacity for chi, the "ocean" and vessels, were in better shape than anyone else he'd examined lately and brightly shining in the gathering evening.

Meanwhile, in another room, Akane woke up and stretched. Marvelling briefly at the lack of broken bones and how good she felt, Akane remembered her vision of Ranma. How deeply he cared for her. And Ukyo. And Shampoo. And Nabiki. And Kasumi. And...

Akane also remembered the massage he'd given her. This being Akane, she also leapt to conclusions and ran with them. This particular experience was therefore:

Chi Journeymage: Red Revisions

by Kender

For most of her life, they youngest Tendo had run on a simple, yet iron-cored system. Denial became part of her make up. Even the most innocent of thoughts of the ecchi sense was rooted out with quick efficency. She simply denied her own self to persue what she saw in Kasumi. Loud protestations of disintrest resulted from when she was asked about Ranma, yet jealousy made her strike out.

If there had been one line that had described Akane Tendo up to that point, it was 'The lady doth protest too much.'

Now the anger and the negitive chi had been purged in a glorious burst of feeling. All the denials were pushed aside not only by the healing, but by the connection that she had felt. Finally, she could be sure that she did matter to Ranma and that he wasn't like Kuno and the others. There had been no hint of anything perverted about him. Heck, she now wasn't sure that he had actually done it.

But she was willing to... rectify that situation. Here was a man, like Doctor Tofu, only better, who she could see being with. He was special, kind and getting better every day. Especially with whatever he had been doing lately. He was just so strong and giving...

Hmmm... There was that dress that Yuka had dared her to buy a while back. She'd been all redfaced and embarrassed about it, but she was sure that Ranma wouldn't laugh if he saw her in it. Or maybe she could see if she capitalize on her strengths, like their joint intrest in the martial arts. Maybe a few... lessons would be in order. And maybe she could show him a few things of her own...

She would show him that a tomboy could be beautiful and desirable too.

In another room, Ranma shivered for som odd reason while:

Chi Journeymage: Meanwhile at the Nekohanten

by Kestral

There were some things that were best done with quiet dignity and ceremony. Cologne knew this.

"But great grandmamaaaaa," whined Shampoo.

"At last! Now you're mine, Shampoo!" Mousse told a suddenly very nervous customer. "Now we can be married!"

Cologne let out a deep breath. There were times she felt very very old indeed.

THWAM!

"Shampoo was saying 'no' to Mousse for many year before Ranma ever show up," Shampoo reminded the cratered Mousse. "Shampoo would marry complete stranger before marry Mousse."

Mousse pulled himself up and glared at that last remaining customer. "For stealing the heart of my Shampoo, I cannot forgive you!"

THWAM!

"Shampoo is not YOUR Shampoo. And was just example." Shampoo began to look thoughtfully at the customer. "Though Mister Customer do look cute and if Shampoo not get airen then maybe someone else help Amazon on rebound..."

The customer was trying to decide if fleeing for his life would be construed as a mortal insult.

Mousse pulled himself out of the crater slowly. "But Shampoo, my sweet, can't you see that we're destined to be together. We come from the same village, we speak the same language, we're of the same culture, and I've loved you since we were children!"

Shampoo glared at the duck boy. "If that so, then why Violent Pervert Girl not marry Stupid Stick Boy? Same argument mean they destined lovers, yes?"

Mousse blinked. "So if I get Akane and Tatewaki Kuno married, you'll marry me? I'll arrange it at once!"

Cologne, Shampoo, and the customer all blinked at the dust trail left behind as Mousse ran off.

"...but that not what Shampoo say. Stupid Mousse. He never look. He never listen. With him it always all about Mousse." Shampoo grumbled to herself then noted Mister Customer hadn't gone running to the horizon. Hmmph. Maybe if she dated someone else it would make Ranma jealous and he'd come to his senses?

Cologne cleared her throat. "Back to the subject at hand, Shampoo. You might consider other paths to take if you still intend to gain Ranma's affection. Clearly your current methods of winning Ranma's attention are not paying off and now that he is walking a path to enlightenment, are not recommended."

"How else could Shampoo win husband? Shampoo try open affection. Shampoo try sneaky. Now Great Grandmama say maybe should give up entirely. Shampoo no want give up, Shampoo love airen!"

Cologne nodded. "I've been in love myself, Shampoo. Sometimes it just doesn't work out. In any case... oh dear."

Shampoo looked from Mister Customer to her Great Grandmother, both of whom had gotten the shivers at the same time. How odd. "What is?"

"I feel a great dark disturbance," said Cologne, her eyes narrowed. "Something wicked is in the air."

Chi Journeymage: Rumble Of The Mountain

by Kender

There had been a great many things that had been seen on the streets of Furinkan. From fights between high powered martial artists, to giant monsters to the occasional times of mobs chasing old perverts, there was always an odd situation occuring. In fact, people had gotten used to it and had regular reactions to the various happenings.

And it was that learned instinct coupled with the normal kind that told them to keep out of the way of the new guy in the area.

It wasn't easy to miss him, and one had to be actively ignoring what was around them not to see him. He was a mountain come to life, clad in a trenchcoat, fedora and sunglasses, topped off with a scarf. But it was to see that the bulging form was definately not from fat, but by hard muscle. No emotion seemed to be coming from him other than a singular desire to do whatever he was suppossed to.

Whoever he was, he had the look of a freight train and the feel of one too. Those who saw him thanked their kamis that he wasn't after them. And that gratitude was followed by sympathy for the poor soul who was.

While the giant made his way to his destination,:

Chi Journeymage: the Mountain's passage

by Kestral

His name was Akuma. The Dark Ha'dou was simply his own brand of Dark Chi and while he didn't care for the Dark Chi Mistress, he didn't care for anyone.

He was Akuma and it was the fight that drew him. For months he'd heard of tough fighters in Nerima. Apparently this Ranma Saotome was all sorts of tough shit. Except that some skirt apparently beat the snot out of him regularly - meaning that she was the top ranked fighter in the area.

Now that the Dark Chi Mages were on the move, Akuma had decided to investigate now and get the measure of this girl's Art before any secrets she might have were lost.

Standing over nine feet in height, with a build that had muscles packed on top of muscles, Akuma was the very antithesis of the typical Ranma challenger. Where a bishonen using a chopstick based martial art might normally challenge Ranma, Akuma was not attractive by any standard normally applied. He was of ainu heritage, had bright red hair, flattened nose, small eyes, thick bones, and lines of callous and scars darn near everywhere.

He looked like what he was - a deadly killer who lived for release in violence.

He stopped as someone began threatening him with a chi-charged bokken. Not a worthy target - skills were pathetic. Still, it was a momentary release at least.

Kasumi slowly came out of the massage and tried to control her feelings.

That had been - intense.

It had also left her feeling rather - naughty. Energetic and healthy but her normally suppressed libido had slipped its leash and was examining her memories of Ranma and speculating in depth.

Normally she was optimistic and cheerful, but now she felt so darn good it was hard not to find reason to break out into song or just find a nice chair and book and relax.

She found herself liking Ranma a good deal more than she had. Now he was beginning to blossom into his potential. What a pity Akane had spoken up for him first. Ah well, she was always breaking off her engagement to Ranma anyway.

Kasumi frowned marginally at the naughty thoughts. Not that getting Ranma to forget about Akane would be necessarily difficult, but the ways of getting him over her would definitely be naughty.

Ranma had gone racing off to find out what was happening at some of the other area dojos - particularly the Nekohanten and Ucchan's - and therefore couldn't be here.

Otherwise the amorous daydreams of three young ladies would have given him a definite case of the shivers.

Chi Journeymage: Meeting For Wisdom

by Kender

Even before the bell at the door rang, Cologne knew who it was. "Why hello Ranma."

"Uhm... Hello Elder. How'd you guess it was me?" asked the pigtailed young man.

"With your new abilities, I would have thought it easy for you to figure out."

"You felt my chi signature."

"Exactly. While your chi has been strong before, now it is much more so."

Shampoo looked from her great-grandmother to her Airen and blinked. "Ranma come to see Shampoo, yes?"

Ranma shrugged. "That was part of the reason."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I wanted to make sure that you guys were okay."

"Shampoo so happy!" declared the Amazon as she bounced over and glomped onto Ranma."

Cologne chucked at the display and shook her head. "I believe that he was talking about the zombies child."

"You knew about them?" asked Ranma with a scowl.

"Yes," answered the Elder, "But before you say anything, by the time I got there, the oldest girl had things well in hand."

"But they haven't come after you?"

"No, not as of yet."

"Do you at least know who they are?"

"That I do not know either, but I can give you some clues. They were obviously sent by a powerful chi wizard."

"What's a 'chi wizard'?"

"Someone like you, only further along."

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you think that you were simply training in some new martial arts style?"

"Um... yeah?"

"You weren't. What you were studying was a manual on chi magic."

"Hold on a second. You're telling me that chi is magic?"

"When used properly, it is. And you are well on your way to being a wizard." Cologne smirked. "That is, if you manage to keep going."

"Why would I stop?"

"Because of distractions. Take the last person that I knew that followed your path. She wound up with six husbands and never had the time to continue her studies."

"Six husbands?"

"Oh yes. Her studies had made her so the more attractive to the opposite sex. She did enjoy it though. Had a smile on all the time."

"How was that possible?"

"Shampoo?"

"Mmm... Yes great-grandma?" murmured the lavander tressed girl.

"What do you think of Ranma now?"

"He too too hunky. Nice and comfortable and sweet!"

"Oh man..," muttered Ranma.

"So you begin to see. But there are other concerns."

"Like what?"

"Like the person who sent those zombies. Whoever it was, they were definately a dark chi wizard."

"'Dark chi wizard'?"

"It is simple. Light and dark. Good and evil. You are becoming a light chi wizard. The one who sent those creatures was a dark one. Understand?"

"But what would this guy want with me?"

"To kill you most likely, or at the very least, to remove you from the picture. You represent a threat to this person, man or woman, and their path will not allow it. And anyone around you for that matter."

"Which explains the attack at the dojo."

"Exactly. And there is an new darkness that just came into the area."

"Just great," muttered Ranma as:

Chi Journeymage: Akuma vs Kuno

by Kestral

Kuno knew the beast before him was some foul creature summoned by the sorcerer Saotome. Yet a true samurai (such as himself) could overcome any obstacle!

The chi-charged bokken could shatter walls, slice through trees as if it were a lightsaber, and easily vanquish a beast like this!

Akuma grunted as the boy slammed the bokken into him repeatedly. How disappointing. This kid was going through the forms like this was some kendo match. He'd have to... disabuse him of that notion.

A single finger swept through the bokken, leaving Kuno with a stub in his hands.

Akuma punched the boy in the face. If he died, then he shouldn't have gotten involved in the fight anyway. Stupid kids.

Kuno came to a momentary rest four yards off and sending a pile of watermelons flying.

Akuma was slightly more impressed as the boy suddenly improved a lot and replaced his bokken from apparently nowhere, but this was getting boring. "HADOKEN!"

What followed was a very precise beating with specific bones being broken. For Akuma, it was all about the fight, violence was the only release he had in this life and it was also his only passion.

Kuno lasted longer than Akuma had thought. Nearly two minutes. Tougher than he'd looked.

Akuma looked around and continued his way to the Tendo Dojo. There was only one person around here he wanted to fight. The word on the street was that the best fighter here was either some guy named Ranma Saotome or some old sensei named Happosai. The word on the street also mentioned that both were regularly beaten by Akane Tendo. If some girl had an unbeatable technique that allowed her to beat those two - Akuma wanted it for himself.

The School Of Martial Arts Basketweaving. Flattened.

The School Of Martial Arts Bonsai. Pruned.

The School Of Martial Arts Candlemaking. Snuffed.

All in all, two dozen schools had been destroyed by the zombies. Of course, this being Nerima - they'd go out and reinvent themselves with a different focus soon.

A minor flunkie received the report. The zombies were up to the D's already, but so far only four schools had driven them off.

The Ryuki School Of Martial Arts Carpentry.

The Shag School Of Beatdown Martial Arts & Dance Hall.

The Angripper School of Martial Arts.

The Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts.

Something a little more powerful than the zombies, but more controllable than Akuma. Though if the Tendo place managed to defeat Akuma they would definitely be the front runner.

Even as the dojo of the Martial Arts Tea Ceremony was being razed, other dojos were repelling the zombies or outright defeating them. They couldn't even get to the ones that were on sanctified grounds.

He'd have to wait for Akuma and the zombies to whittle the list down some more. There seemed to be a lot of dojo to destroy in Nerima.

Akuma took the sign off the front door and gestured with it.

"We're closed!" Soun Tendo proclaimed.

A panda nodded vigourously.

Akuma grunted. "Then you don't need building."

"Huh?!" Soun blinked.

"Hadoken!" With a single chi blast, Akuma took out two of the dojo's walls. A moment later and the roof collapsed. "Flimsy."

"My dojo!" Soun went into shock.

"Hey you," Akane yelled as she finished tying her gi, "we've already had one challenger today."

Chi Journeymage: Call For Light

by Kender

Nabiki might have been more... affectionate towards Ranma as of late, but that didn't mean that she was all the way gone. Her hear might do a bit of a flip-flop at the sight of him, but her mind was as clear as ever in other areas. Especially when it had to do with matters of survival.

When a guy who looked like he'd seen hell and shrugged it off blew up her family's dojo, her instincts screamed at her that help was to be needed and fast. That meant getting the most help she could as quickly as possible.

Which was why she was chewing her lip while waiting for other side of the phone line to be picked up. "Come on... Be there..," she whispered as the sound of macho posturing reached her ears. All too soon the sound of violence would replace it and the trouble would really begin.

The ringing stopped and a familiar voice replaced it. "Hello, this Nekohaten. You want to order?"

A few minutes later, a scowling Ranma put down the phone and turned towards the door. "I've got to go Elder."

"Is something the matter?" Coogne asked.

"Some guy just blew up the dojo."

"Aiyaa... Is no good at all," breathed Shampoo.

Ranma snorted. "It get better. He did it in one shot."

The Amazon Elder looked grim. "Then time is something that must not be wasted."

"Exactly. I've got to hurry," said the pigtailed young man as he began to leave while,

Chi Journeymage: Akane vs Akuma!

by Kestral

Akane had felt better than ever and was better prepared to fight this guy than those zombies!

Akuma wondered if this could really be the Akane Tendo who was the best this district had to offer.

The fathers prepared to intervene.

Akane had faced perverts, and could handle minor minions just fine thank you. She believed herself a superior martial artist, it wasn't her fault that ridiculously powerful martial artists often ended up coming to Nerima.

Akuma was the killer of Ryuunoken, the Shotokan master who had trained Ryu and Ken Masters. He was one of the toughest, meanest, and most ridiculously powerful martial artists on the planet. Unless he got sloppy, he could take on Blanka or Dhalsim without breaking a sweat.

To kill using your chi was to step upon the path of the dark ha'dou. Akuma had known this and embraced the power of that path.

"Hiiyaahh!" Akane yelled, running forward and throwing a punch.

Chi Journeymage: Drum Of Pain

by Kender

Akane had survived angry fiancees, wannabe paramours and mobs of hormone driven idiots. For a girl who had only the traditional training, she was very good. The youngest Tendo was the best one could be if they followed the typical route in training. Years of practice in her family's style had left her wuite capable in dealing with the typical dojo destroyer.

Unfortunately, Akuma's only use for the 'typical dojo destroyer' was to use them for a training dummy.

He didn't even bother with chi attacks. Doing that would only speed up the time it took to beat her down. Besides, he wanted to give her the chance to show some of what she was supposed to be able to do. As it was, even simple physical attacks were going to be absurdly simple.

Taking advantage of her mainly traditional stance, he moved quicker than she could see and landed a blow to her belly. That drove all the air from her lungs as she doubled over in pain. The blow was followed by a back hand to the rear of her head that smashed her to the ground. As she tried to push herself up, the heel of his foot slammed into her spine, crushing her back to the earth and drawing a scream from her.

"Is this the best that you have to offer?" he sneered as he ground his foot into her back. "I thought that you were supposed to be something special."

"Why... you..."

"Humph." The dark chi warrior managed to get his foot under her long enough to kick her into the air. Once she was airbone, he landed a right cross followed by a left, both landing on her chin. Akane crashed back to the ground, tumbling head over heels as she did so. But recovery time wasn't hers to be had as he moved to fast for her to react and launched into a series of blows all aimed at her upper body and head.

From the sidelines, all Kasumi and Nabiki could do was watch in horror as their little sister was pounded into a fine paste until:

Chi Journeymage: Darkness in the clouds

by Kestral

Akuma stopped. This girl had nothing new to show him. One more punch and she'd die, and while he didn't care one way or the other if she died - there was no point in killing her. She just wasn't worth even that little effort.

He'd hoped that a quick display of power, blowing up their dojo, would get the practitioners to quickly show off their most powerful moves and techniques.

Soun and Genma attempted to leap on him. A Dragon Ascending punch launched the overweight fighter as if he'd been stuffed into a cannon and shot off. The other one was even more pathetic.

Akuma looked over the girl rushing to her sister's side with a first aid kit, and the other one hiding in the house. Both had bright chi, but neither looked to be a challenge.

The dojo destroyer reached over and casually crushed the dojo's sign.

Maybe one of the other schools would provide more of a challenge.

Akuma considered. Their dojo destroyed in both the figurative and literal sense. The three martial artists lay defeated at his hands. What more could he do to indicate that this school had nothing of value and could be discounted?

He felt the attack coming and casually blocked it. Considerably better than the champion of this dojo, but still weak by his own standards. Perhaps this new challenger would offer better sport?

The attack had been:

Chi Journeymage: Before The Strike

by Kender

Ukyo had been coming along to find out what had been occupying her fiance so much lately, only to find what looked like a wall of muscle in the middle of a destroyed Tendo yard. She gulped as she took in the sight of Akane, who was pretty much only identifiable by her gi. The other girl had been a rival for Ranma's affections, but she had never wished something like this upon her. Heck, had they not been involved with the same guy, they might have been possibly friends.

And she had followed with her first instinct, which was to attack the man-mountain that had not only thrashed Akane, but had beaten down Genam and Soun. Which, of course, had drawn his attention to her.

"A new challenger," said Akuma as he looked at the girl who had struck out at him. Perhaps this one would be a better opponent, though he doubted it.

The chef gulped as the evil chi warrior's attention focused on her, while:

Chi Journeymage: Equal time for Ukyo

by Kestral

Ukyo Kuonji considered Akane a friend. Not a very good friend. The time that she'd been out of commission and Akane had been helping out at her grill had ended up with some lost customers and threats of a lawsuit.

Still - she was far less adversarial than with Shampoo, and she'd have gotten along fairly well with Akane if not for the fact that she often felt a minor late-coming addon consideration - a minor player in the world that revolved around and deferred to Akane Tendo.

Especially where that regarded one Ranma Saotome. Ukyo was in the process of becoming bitter and resentful and hateful, her last hopes being on a bullet-train ride for permanent crushing.

She was fairly skilled as a fighter, though she spent more and more time practicing the cooking end of her Art instead of the fighting end. Better than Akane or Kodachi, not quite in Shampoo's league though she could hold her own against Shampoo for brief periods.

Against Akuma she might as well have been a first year student.

She managed to block the first punch with her main battle spatula even as the "wall of muscle" practically teleported to where she stood. That had bent her new spring-steel spatula into a "U" shape and rendered it useless.

The kick that followed that punch was part of a twelve hit combo that left Ukyo lying on the ground wondering if those white things in her blurred vision were her teeth.

She was in too much pain to be more than partially aware she was being picked up, shaken, and then casually discarded when it was obvious that she wouldn't be getting up soon.

She was vaguely aware of being forced through the wall surrounding the Tendo yard as everything began spiralling to blessed darkness.

"Aiyah! Look like warzone."

It was a measure of her remaining character than instead of satisfaction that Shampoo was about to get squished that she wanted to try and warn her rival off.

"Aiyah! Look like warzone." Shampoo had seen some pretty nasty martial artists and knew their battles could get fairly destructive. This looked more like the PRC had decided to send tanks or mortar fire into the compound.

There was this smouldering crater where their dojo had been. There were these smaller craters - some of which had occupants imbedded in the bottoms. There was a wall partially collapsed on top of Spatula Girl. Oooh those arms were definitely not supposed to bend there. Akane (as usual) came off relatively better. But only relatively.

Akuma turned to the new challenger.

Shampoo considered her options very carefully. She'd gone ahead of Great Grandmama and Airen in order to see this for herself (and maybe gloat at her rival's pain - though this was way past anything she would have done herself) but this was giving her very bad feeling.

So, what she'd do was:

Chi Journeymage: Sightless Pride

by Kender

The teenaged Amazon was strong, stubborn and affectionate. That did not include being stupid. If someone had managed to take out not only Violent girl, but Panda-man, Mister Tendo and Spatula Girl that quickly and visciously, then she had as much chance as a carton of eggs during a landslide. And he looked nasty to boot. "Shampoo is sure that you have too too many things to do, so she be leaving. Bye bye."

Akuma scowled as the purple haired girl turned to run. She had looked to be better than the other two, but apparrently she was also a coward.

"Do not worry my love! I will defend you!"

"No! Stupid Mousse, don't!" yelled the Chinese girl as her wannabe paramour leapt to her 'rescue'.

The evil chi warrior grunted as he saw a boy in white robes threw a set of chains at him, only to miss by a wide margin wo wind up tangling up the girl.

"Don't worry Shampoo! I have come to help you!" declared Mousse.

"That why Shampoo running! She go get help! No need you help!"

"So, you trying to get someone stronger," Akuma stated.

"Is that what Shampoo say? That not what she mean. She just go for stroll..."

"You will bring them. One way or the other."

"I will not let you threaten her monster!" put in Mousse as he took a suitibly impressive stance.

"You will be first."

Shampoo tried to struggle out of her chains as she watched Mousse face off with the unknown fighter. She was stuck, helpless to either fight or to run, all because of the soon to be pounded moron. And once this... person was done with him... All she could do was hold her breath as:

Chi Journeymage: Akuma versus Mousse, or...

Chinese Pressed Duck made EZ

by Kestral

Akuma was getting pretty disgusted. The "best fighter in the area" had been maybe a second dan black belt. The girl with the spatula had been fairly pathetic after she lost her weapon. Now some boy was challenging a single post that remained upright of the former dojo, mistaking it for him.

"Over here," grunted Akuma.

"Now I have you!" Mousse turned and let fly his attack.

One hand stopped the object and Akuma made out the new weapon being thrust at him. A training potty?! He was being assaulted with a training potty?!

Akuma rarely lost his temper lately. He was mean, nasty, vicious, and prone to overwhelming fits of violence when he was in a good mood. That this boy was clowning around and not taking him seriously at all?

Fwoom!

A rising pillar of dark hot chi formed around Akuma, darkening his features except for eyes that seemed to glow red as his rage built up beyond. "RRRRaarrrrrrr!"

The training potty shattered as Akuma's hand went through it, sending pieces off like shrapnel. That hand gripped Mousse's robes and flipped the boy up into the air.

Mousse was just pulling out his next set of weapons when he was volleyball spiked towards the ground. Akuma immediately landed on Mousse. "Burning Hadoken."

Akuma turned away from the smouldering crater that contained the smoking Master Of Hidden Weapons. "Now for you," he addressed the girl who was getting out of the tangle of chains.

Chi Journeymage: Kitty Crush

by Kender

Having seen the amount of power this... person had and his callousness in using it, Shampoo decided that running was a VERY good idea. There was no way in the depths of hell that she would win. That meant the more space that she put between her and the psychopath, the better it would be.

But Akuma decided to help her go down the street. So he punched the back of her head so hard that it sent her flying along the asphalt.

The Amazon landed face first into the sidewalk, but managed to get up enough to keep moving. Pain was one thing, but she didn't want to let him tag her again. And stumbling down the street meant that she would at least be further away.

Akuma took a moment to acknowledge the resilence of the child before he moved to strike again. A simple spin kick sent her crashing back to the ground. One more strike and she would be crushed like the others. He pulled back to to ready the blow and... realized that there was someone else there.

Turning to look he came face to face with:

Chi Journeymage: About Time

by Thrythlind

((AN: Boy, Shampoo sure is fast compared to the two chi powerhouses of her group...she got ahead with about a minute or to spare))

'Hold it right there!" Ranma shouted. Akuma paused and looked to the newcomer, grunting in acceptance. This boy...no, man rather, had an impressive amount of power. As did the old woman coming up behind him. Surely one of these two could give him a satisfying match before he crushed them.

Chi Journeymage: Ranma vs Akuma

by Kestral

Cologne went first to Shampoo (she had her priorities) then performed triage (determining the level of injuries and who needed treatment first) before gathering the crew and retreating to the house.

Shampoo had been the first to arrive simply because Ranma and Cologne had gathered necessary supplies which now could be used.

Kasumi hesitated briefly but then settled into an assistance role with the Amazon Elder. Nabiki merely stared at the battle taking place and used her camcorder to sell the details later ("girl's got to make a living") to those currently sleeping through it.

"Hadoken!" Akuma had realized that this wasn't going to be a pushover and grinned. At last he had an opponent who would give him a workout before he was crushed!

Ranma batted the chi sphere away. Seeing Ukyo and Akane and the fathers and even Mousse and the two fathers in this shape had caused him to forego the usual cocky don't-take-anything-serious reaction. This was not a simple duel.

Fwoom!

Ranma's battleaura had grown considerably since gaining the book. He still had some taint in what might otherwise have become pure white, but it was considerably cleaner than it had been. "You're going down, buddy."

"Pfeh," replied Akuma and ignited his own dark chi. Time for one of his own new tricks. "Glare."

Ranma felt the attack reach out, chi to chi, and wondered briefly at his own senses. The old perv had done this once - using his own battleaura to paralyze an opponent. It was a Dark Chi trick, and easily defended against if you were close to the opponent's level or if you knew As A Distant Thunder. Now the attack seemed more an opening shot, a casual testing of the other's defenses.

"Hadoken! Hadoken! Hadoken! Hadoken!"

P-chan was beginning to wonder what wartorn country he'd wandered into (judging from the craters and blasted ruins of a building) when he saw chi blasts similar to Ranma's Mouko Takabisha being rapid-fired from one really damn ugly slab of muscle. More alarming was that Ranma deflected each sphere skyward without apparent effort.

Ranma didn't think that Divine White Wind had been mastered yet, but this was a definite time to use it. One summoned all the light chi one could, first forming it as a shield around oneself like so.

P-chan saw Ranma's battle aura flare up and shape itself into a sphere around him and wondered exactly what he'd missed the past two weeks. Yeesh, you get lost on a cruise ship and spend some time in some place called the Caribbean, fight off martial arts ghost pirates, and by the time you get back they've switched things around. NOW what was going on?

The light erupted from the sphere in a wave that splashed out completely around Ranma. He discovered very quickly that until he'd built up some more, this technique would remain one to use only sparingly - it left him feeling exhausted.

Akuma roared in pain as the flames passed over him, his built up dark chi practically imploding at the touch of the white chi.

The two fell over, Akuma managing to shake the ground when he impacted. Things got quiet.

Akuma lifted himself slowly and noticed his opponent also getting up. Next time he'd know to dampen his own chi to shield himself against that attack. For now though, he'd retreat to recover.

Ranma just knew big and ugly would be back. He'd have to master more techniques, otherwise he'd never be able to pay the bruiser back for this.

P-chan shook his head. That white light, it had momentarily hurt but then it had felt - nice. Happy. Uplifting. Like Akane's presence. Or Akari. Arrgggh. He had to have them both!

Cologne shared a look with Kasumi, both of them having felt the same thing as the wave went through. A brief bubbling tickle of joy that passed through the household. There was a little bit of healing done on their patients as the wave had gone through, but it would still require a lot of work on their part.

Nabiki gasped and leaned against a wall. Dang. Why couldn't Saotome have been engaged to her if he was going to be able to do things like that?

At that point:

Chi Journeymage: Invisible Touch

by Kender

Taking a look at the two girls, Ranma realized that they were in pretty bad condition. Fractures and dislocations were just part of what had to be dealt with. The pair were going to need some pretty heavy healing if their injuries were to be dealt with. And there was one sure way to handle it.

Of course, he was a still a little impeteous and ignorant, otherwise he would have thought twice about using the Nirvana Touch.

Ukyo lost herself in joy as she realized that Ranma cared for her. That she was wanted and not a 'johhny-come-lately' made her spirit feel just as much better as her physical healing did. She mattered to him and she wanted nothing more than to share the pleasure of that knowledge with him.

Shampoo had never known that she could feel so much pleasure. She knew no how much she mattered to the boy... no, young man, that was her Airen and that he had never hesitated in trying to heal her. She wasn't seen as the Villiage Champion or the barbarian by him, but as a person and one that he cared for. That was something that Mousse had never given her and it made the duck-boy seem even less of suitor than someone like Ranma.

Cologne just looked at the boy and noticed what he was doing before shaking her head. She knew that he wasn't aware of the consequences of what might happen despite her earlier warning. But that would have to be dealt with later as she had people to help care for.

The group was moved inside to be made more comfortable. Ranma and Cologne healed the best they could, with Kasumi helping out, but it soon became simply a matter of waiting until they woke up. Until then, they had other things to do like trying to:

Chi Journeymage: White Chi, Dark Chi, and the other survivors

by Kestral

The schools surviving the zombies had been increased in numbers as the minor minions worked their way down the alphabet. Some were still marked off for consideration as it was unlikely their style could produce someone who could utilize chi to that extent.

Angripper School Of Martial Arts. As they were gaijin, some Nordic type, obviously they lacked the discipline and innate Japanese racial superiority to utilize their chi.

Anything Goes Martial Arts, Tendo School. Anything Goes was founded on a lack of discipline and panty raids. Also unlikely to produce anything of value.

Beatdown Martial Arts & Dance Hall, Shag School It was hard to take rock-n-roll martial artists seriously, but they were marginally more likely than the first two.

Martial Arts Carpentry, Ryuki School. A martial arts style practiced as part of martial arts construction and repair. Definitely a possibility and a stronger agent would be dispatched soon.

Fast Food Martial Arts - it was more likely they'd found out that salt repelled zombies than to believe a martial arts style based on french fries and fried chicken could be able to attain chi mastery.

Housekeeping Martial Arts - the sight of his zombie bikers being driven off by pretty young girls in maid outfits wielding brooms and kitchen appliances had been humiliating. Another possibility.

Old West Martial Arts - weren't guns illegal? And how in the world had someone gotten a six-shooter to fire what seemed to be hundreds of rounds?

There were others, but the number of silly styles being soundly crushed were many many more than those remaining. Other styles, such as the Hibiki style of Bando, had nobody at their home to defend the dojo from attackers.

Still, the nice thing about zombies was that they were pretty much inexhaustible. As soon as they finished one (or were driven off) they started on the next.

Cologne didn't pay attention to the two fathers. She'd hit their paralysis points or she'd have to deal with their nonsense and interruptions.

"So, Ranma, you must realize that you're not really practicing Anything Goes. This new style you're developing has little in common with Happosai's schooling."

"Yeah. It's not so much Saotome style of Anything Goes - it's more Ranma style of Whatever Works," agreed Ranma. While he'd taken a great deal of pride in being the heir of the Saotome School -this was sufficiently different that it was quite a marked departure from what he'd learned before. The book's techniques were fairly set and rigid, and he was adding his own flexibility to them. So it was Ranma style as he reinvented himself and combined the static of the book's chi mastery with the adaptability and chaos of the Anything Goes. He'd already decided this though, and the thought of how it would torque his father's shorts had just been an added bonus.

"So what is chi mastery?" Kasumi asked as she watched lines of energy, it was too calm to call it battleaura, flow from Ranma into Shampoo (who looked ready to melt into a purring little puddle despite being in human form) as he treated her wounds.

"Chi or ki is life force, Miss Tendo. A typical martial artist uses it to enhance their strength or speed," said Cologne as she went into 'venerable sensei' mode. "Ranma's Mouko Takabisha and Ryouga's Shishi Hokoudan are both more advanced chi attacks. There is also chi in the environment around us. Light chi is found most readily in places of great beauty. When you visit a beach or find a glade in the forest, part of the uplifting feeling you get is from white chi reacting with your own. As another example, a dark foreboding place that causes you to feel nervous or depressed for no other apparent reason is strong with dark chi."

"Sounds like the Force," said Nabiki. "You know, 'Star Wars'?"

"Where do you think Lucas got those ideas, if not from Eastern philosophy and legend?" Cologne shook her head and began filling her pipe.

"What is that, anyway? It's not tobacco?" Nabiki was wondering if maybe it was some Chinese secret formula.

"Hmmm? Oh just a blend of herbs that soothes the throat and helps replenish chi quicker, nothing special," said Cologne in reply. "Ah. In any case, Ranma is embarked on the path of a White Chi Mage, which means:"

Chi Journeymage: Bending The Law

by Kender

"What does that mean?" asked Nabiki.

"Well, it means several things actually," said Cologne.

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that challengers tend to be drawn to such Wizards."

"Oh my," said Kasumi, "Does that mean that there will be other people like those coming?"

"Possibly. That was a dark chi warrior child, and white chi threatens them."

The middle Tendo frowned. "And what else?"

"Well... how do you feel about Ranma?"

"What... do you mean?"

"I think that you know what I mean."

"I... um... don't think..."

"At a loss for words for once, now are you?" Cologne said with a chuckle, before turning to Kasumi. "And what about you my dear?"

"He is... a very nice young man..."

"I bet he is. But do you see?"

"See what?" asked Nabiki.

"That his path tends to attract members of the opposite genders to him. I can just remember a girl I was telling him about. All the trouble that she had..."

"What happened to her?" asked Kasumi.

"Nothing bad. At least, that's what I think that the smile that she had after she was with her six husbands meant."

"Six?" breathed the Tendo sisters.

"Yes. And then that's not the last of it."

"What else could there be?" put in Nabiki.

"White Chi Wizards are drawn to certain situations where such skills are needed. They usually need look for ways to help and protect others."

"So this makes the whole Kiss of Marriage thing..."

"Pretty delicate. If we were to have a White Chi Mage in the village, then we would attract suitors, challengers and those that would come looking for help. Not that we wouldn't refuse to help another, but we do have to try and be sure that the tribe would survive if a Dark Chi user attacked."

"So what do we do?"

"The first thing we do is to get my great-grandaughter, your sister and the chef healed and then we will have to:

Chi Journeymage: Allies and Associates

by Kestral

Cologne considered her information.

There were a lot of Chinese in Japan, and they tended to work for low pay and get a lot of discrimination. It wasn't like certain other countries where you had illegal immigrants being given full rights and the ability to vote in elections. No, Japan had some pretty strict immigration laws and even if you were oriental and born here - that did not make you Japanese.

The Chinese did have a sort of network. Not the kind that the Triads or the Yakuza had, but a network nonetheless. As a Chinese in Japan, the restaurant was one of the few venues she could pursue to give them a base of operations. Curios or books or a laundry would have been the other major choices.

As a Chinese Elder and one running a mainly successful business, she was part of that network. Delivery people would share information with her as part of the normal operation of that network.

As she had just gotten a delivery of cabbage prior to Ranma's arrival, she knew of some of the other schools that had survived.

She also knew that this was not the worst that the mysterious Dark Mage could have put out. They tended to work from the shadows and direct minions, but a Dark Chi Master would likely have stronger things to throw out than a pack of zombies. No, that had been a sort of test to cut down the weaker targets as the Dark Master sought out Ranma.

"There may be some allies we can get for this upcoming battle, though I've never saw the need to contact them before," admitted Cologne to the two sisters.

"Really? Who?" Nabiki asked, information gathering being near instinctual for her.

Chi Journeymage: The Local Ainu

by Thrythlind

An example of "being born here didn't make you Japanese" Cologne pulled the name out of her memory. The Manos had been in Japan long enough for there to be 108 generations of devil hunters. Not, mind you, 108 generations of Manos, but 108 generations of devil hunters. It was actually more something like 130 generations of Manos.

They long predated the Japanese empire, in fact long predated the Amazons themselves as a family, and yet they lived in scattered small families, most still bearing the name Mano, with little to no money doing the job they had for centuries.

The Japanese Manos had mixed a lot with the Japanese, but they didn't look completely Japanese. There hair was a slightly off color, their legs and arms were too long and spindly.

Chi Journeymage: A Hunter's Trip

by Kender

"So what's the big emergency this time?" asked Yohko as she sat in front of her grandmother later that afternoon.

"This is a matter of great importance! Don't take it lightly," Madoka told her.

The 108th Devil Hunter sighed. "It always is. So what is it? A bane of the Devil Hunters? Some evil ceremony? Some great unknown evil?"

"Well, we don't know who it is, but you have to go and help stop a Dark Chi Wizard."

"A what?"

"A Dark Chi Wizard. Someone who has dedicated their life to using their powers to hurt and lord over others."

"Sounds terrible," put in Azusa.

"It is. They have great powers that allow them to do horrible things to those who come up against them."

"So why did this wizard suddenly pop up?" asked Yohko.

"According to a Chinese Elder who's involved, there is this boy..."

"A boy? Is he cute?"

"I don't know. But he is on his way to become a White Chi Mage and whoever it is likely targetting him."

"So we have to protect some good guy from some great evil?"

"Not exactly, but..."

"Hey, he could be cute. And maybe he'll be greatful to me once I save him and he'll... ooohhh!"

"Wait a moment..."

"Come on Azusa! We have a job to do!"

"I'm right behind you!" chriped the younger girl.

Chi Journeymage: the burdens of karma

by Kestral

Ranma had just finished the healings when he was brutally assaulted.

Not this time by Dark Chi Masters or by zombies or anything like that.

No, this was an assault by two fathers.

"How dare you cheat on my little girl!" Soun asked with a fine disregard for anything like facts. "We demand the secrets you've been keeping from us!"

"Mffffmmmmmm," said Genma as he was in human form, but had a broken jaw and wasn't able to talk very easily. [How could you do this to your own father?] (flip) [That's right! Drop this new style! That you remain the Heir of Anything Goes...] (flip) [...is a matter of honor!]

"I don't think so, old man." Ranma cracked his knuckles. He thought the idea of using the Nirvana Touch on his idiot father was rather disgusting.

"Might I suggest a compromise?" Cologne offered.

"NO!" [NO!] responded the two fathers.

"What solution, Cologne-san?" politely asked Kasumi.

"Ranma could teach some minor techniques to a member of the Tendo household whose chi approaches the requisite purity," suggested Cologne. "Though a couple of other students might also volunteer." Her cane lashed out to nudge a certain other Amazon.

"Shampoo volunteer!"

Ukyo turned a flat gaze towards Shampoo. No way was she letting the bouncy rival have a lock on Ranma's time. "Me too, Ranma-honey. Having someone reliable to back ya up makes some sense ta me."

Ranma considered carefully, something that would have been nearly impossible for him before he'd started the purification exercises. Those same exercises might help though. And why was Cologne smirking like that?

Chi Journeymage: Thoughtful Horse

by Kender

"Are you refusing to teach them then?" asked the Amazon Elder.

Ranma rubbed the back of his head. "Nah, but it would be kind of stupid to try and teach them when I don't even have the skills mastered."

"I see. But then you will teach them afterwards?"

"Maybe if I can."

"What does that mean Ranma?" asked Nabiki.

"Well, if I'm going to teach anyone, I've got to be sure that we both know what we're getting into. I mean, if I just go teaching anyone, something could go wrong."

"You sound as if you've thought of this."

"Sort of. What with all the healing I've had to do, I've sort of had to."

Cologne raised an eyebrow. "And how will you tell if it is time?"

"I think that I'll just sort of know."

"Well then, it seems that you're adamant on that point."

"Pretty much. I mean, I don't want to teach a healing technique to Kasumi and have her accidently tap someone's 'Cat's Tounge' spot."

"Hmm... well then, I suppose that we should:

Chi Journeymage: Lunch

by Kestral

"Lunch?!" Ranma said, cheering up. Food was still a very important consideration.

Kasumi decided to go all out. She'd show Ranma how very much she appreciated that massage she'd gotten earlier. Maybe he'd do it again soon.

Ukyo vowed she'd make her best okonomiyaki ever. Just as soon as she could walk again.

Shampoo decided airen too too useful. Just as soon as her legs could support her, she'd make Airen too too delicious meal.

Cologne merely got busy. This was simply a lull between storms and best to take full advantage of it. Especially as using a lot of chi depleted one's body's reserves.

Genma grumbled a few minutes later as with his jaw broken he was getting a bowl of broth.

"So, any ideas on this Dark Chi Master?" Nabiki asked as Ranma's mouth was occupied by the task of eating enough to supply a Third World village.

"They tend to be hidden, mind you - the last time I ran into that sort of affair - I was still quite young," answered Cologne. "They also purge themselves of qualities like compassion. Power seems to be the overriding concern."

"So, a politician or something like that," speculated Nabiki.

"In any case," continued Cologne, "we should consider our options carefully. We have a little leeway now since the dojo was destroyed."

"But Ranma won," began Akane.

"It was a draw," said Cologne, "and your sign and dojo were both destroyed - as well as the champions of the Anything Goes school. Save one."

"It wasn't my place to get involved," said Happosai, surprising several who hadn't noticed him sneak in.

"Is Happosai the Dark Chi Master?" Ukyo asked.

"Hardly," said Happosai. "In order to become a Dark Chi Master, I'd have to discard my passions. Give up my silky darlings?"

"Oh, right," said Ukyo.

Just then someone landed lightly in the backyard. It was:

Chi Journeymage: Keeping House Relations

by Kender

The Tendo home had been host to many a martial artist. Before the death of the Tendo Matriarch, there had been much in the way of fighting skills being used there. Afterwards, it became the training ground of just one student. But once a certain pigtailed martial artist had shown up, there had been a varied group of combatants coming to the home of the Tendo Anything Goes School, and many of them had not looked like fighters.

But the person who alighted in the the yard was a new variation.

There had been many a pretty girl in the yard, but none of them wore what she was. Her clothing was a nicely fitting red maid's uniform with the skirt hem hitting about mid-thigh. The apron, bleached to a shining white, nicely framed her firm pair of breasts. Long legs stretched as her pantent leather clad foot landed without a sound.

"Hello, are you the owners of this school?" she asked softly.

"No, but we just may who you are looking for, child," Cologne told her, "Who are you?"

"Forgive me. I am Hitomi, of the Housekeeping Martial Arts School," the brunette said with a bow.

"I see... And you would be here because..?"

Hitomi straightened up. "We were assaulted by a group of biker who seemed to be... odd. We managed to drive them off and then heard of other schools that had been attacked."

"So this is happening often?"

"Quite. But my school is ending out representives to the ones that survived. Still..," the martial artist maid said with a wince.

"We had another... problem after the zombie bikers," said Ranma, "He's gone now."

"I see."

"So what do you want from us?"

"My senseis think that it would be best if we presented a united front, or at the very least, share information since there seem to be so many of these... people."

The Amazon Elder shook her head. "It is more likely that there are only a few. Zombies tend to be more resilent than most."

"Well then, what do you wish to do?"

"Hmm... first off, we will have to:

Chi Journeymage: Housekeeping Martial Arts

by Kestral

At first, most of those present had dismissed Housekeeping Martial Arts as fairly lame.

Kasumi had been interested though.

Cologne explained that it had gotten its start in cultures where the men were called off to war and the wives left behind had to learn to defend their home and families while this was going on. And so was born Housekeeping Martial Arts, which was then refined by domestic help practitioners over the centuries.

Apparently they did indeed have a few maneuvers which might appear ludicrous, especially coming from a girl in a maid's uniform who looked very cute and sweet but not exactly powerful, but was capable of producing a large number of knives, brooms, cleaning equipment and other domestic tools/weapons out of her apron pocket.

"Hmmm, bo techniques using a broom," mused Kasumi.

"Iron Cloth manuever using cleaning rags and dishtowels," noted Ranma. Hey, if they taught cooking maybe he could get Akane to take courses... probably not.

"Spray disinfectent used to eliminate odors and gropers," approved Nabiki who wondered about trying to get Ranma to challenge this school and thereby get Kasumi some help around the house.

Boot!

"Nice kick," said Akane, admiring the form. Hang time was good. She'd seen better but she'd also seen worse.

Chi Journeymage: Mists And Maids

by Kender

It was a strange group that walked away from the dojo. Led by a cute girl in a maid's uniform, followed Cologne and Ranma. Following them was Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo. And Nabiki followed, obstensively to keep an eye on her intrests. But that was not what made it odd exactly. It was the inclusion of Kasumi that was unusual.

Now, it was well known that the eldest Tendo was not one to join in on the adventures. But then again, none of them could take her to the Housekeeping Martial Arts school. There she could learn to use her kitchen implements to the fullest. It was a disipline that called to her. The chance to learn new skills and uses for the old ones sounded good. She could bake a cake and protect herself at the same time. Not that she wanted to hurt people, but she thought it might be neat to be able to leap like Ranma did.

But it was an odd place that they were brought to. Not in that as a building it was strange, but most dojos were not built of stone and have nicely pruned gardens. Walking down the stone path, they were lead into the entrance, expecting to find someone waiting for them.

They were not disappointed. They were met by a trio of girls who, other than the color of their uniforms, looked exactly the same. "Hello and welcome to the School of Housekeeping Martial Arts!" they chorused and bowed.

"Uhh... hi..," said Ranma.

"Come in and make yourself at home," said one triplet.

"Would you like a refreshment?" asked the second one.

"Would you like us to hold anything for you?" queried the third.

"Not right now children," answered Cologne.

"They're here because of the attacks," Hitomi told them.

"Oh, so these are others who were assault by those... people?" asked a new voice. The group turned to see a girl with long raven hair, in a black maid uniform, stockings and boots.

"Exactly Ayumi."

"Well then, Aya, Miya, Maya," Ayumi said, looking to the pink, yellow and orange clad girls as she spoke their names, "Go and tell the Master that guests have arrived."

"Yes!" said the trio and rushed off to do so.

"So what do we do now?" asked Ranma.

Ayumi looked at him. "We will just:

Chi Journeymage: Alliances and dojo busting

by Kestral

The old Ranma would have made a few stupid comments about their martial arts, gotten into a few brawls, get into a few fights and challenges, and otherwise been a jerk about it and never actually see anything interesting about these other (and therefore inferior) schools.

Ranma the Journeymage realized that most of these schools had the same basis as Anything Goes - these were all activities performed by people who then incorporated martial arts into that activity. Just as Happosai's panty raids and escapes had become the cornerstone upon which Anything Goes was built on, so to did these schools take something they were already good at and try to perfect it.

The buildings of the Housekeeping School Of Martial Arts were palatial, as one might expect. Graduates from this school could not only perform as butler, major domo, maid, or similar duty - but as highly trained bodyguards for the elite wealthy. As such, the rich and powerful who knew of this "little secret" kept it well financed. Not only as employees were the maids and butlers useful - the Japanese Secret Service and other agencies found the combination of martial arts and background character useful.

Nabiki began tallying things up around the place, noted the limousines with diplomatic plates, the obvious scent of money everywhere and was realizing some of the above. Which was enough to impress her with the potential to be made from such activities.

Kasumi noted that according to the bulletin board: there was a shooting range, sewing classes, and a guest speaker on foreign cultures and working at embassies. How exciting!

The sole negative commentary was not coming from Akane ("I can do that too") Tendo. It was from Genma and Soun, and Genma's mouth was still in a sling from the broken jaw he'd received fighting Akuma.

The group at the center courtyard obviously did not belong. There were no guys in tasteful-looking (ballistic cloth) suits nor girls in maid outfits present except along the periphery.

Ayumi stopped the group and indicated the representitives. "These are members from the other schools to weather the zombies."

A tall muscular Nordic looking long-haired blond guy turned out to be Sven of the Angripper School Of Martial Arts - the martial arts style of sacking and pillaging and battle of the ancient Vikings.

A Japanese man in a buzzcut wearing some kind of tool belt and carrying a heavy mallet caused Akane to gasp and stare with... hammer envy. Nobuo of the Ryuki School Of Martial Arts Carpentry - an ancient martial art developed during the Warring States period when samurai would make demands of their peasantry to build things faster and stronger before the next regime change or in case invading armies or bandits showed up.

A Japanese "hippie" looked stoned out of his mind turned out to be DJ Dan of the Shag School Of Beatdown Martial Arts & Dance Hall - a relatively new school which had its roots in capioera and a semi-reformed street gang.

A girl about the height of Ranma-chan, with her hair back in a ponytail and wearing a kimono, turned out to be Kimiyo of the Shrine Priestess martial arts & Demonbusting School.

Then there was:

Chi Journeymage: Moving To One

by Kender

The next person in the group was a short haired brunette girl, about Kasumi's age and height, but was much more toned and naturally tanned. Rin of the Strong Tide School of Martial Arts Sailing and Fishing looked back at them with a quiet confidence that made her look calm, but the harpoon on a chain that she carried said that she meant business.

Ranma looked at the people he'd met so far and wondered what is was that allowed him to find so many strange styles. The old him would have laughed at some of the stuff, but now he would judge them on their own merits. Even then, he could tell the others were making their own conclusions, especially the two fathers. (How and why they had joined in was beyond him.) Still there were other things to do than to ponder stuff like that.

So he turned his attention back and:

Chi Journeymage: Sensei of the House

by Kestral

You could tell a lot by the sensei of the martial arts style.

Which, of course, was one major reason Soun Tendo's dojo was perpetually empty.

Cologne - rigid, set in her ways, tradition bound. At least most of the time. There were her soap operas, and she'd become a bit more adaptable and less abrasive since discovering programs like "Whirlwind Of Love" and "Impetuous Place" had redeemed her ideas of civilization somewhat.

Happosai - no discipline or self-control, and a "to hell with consequences" attitude.

This particular sensei radiated calm and peace to some extent, one of those sensei who practiced an Inner Enlightenment style as Ranma was guessing. He was also very very centered, and British if he could guess correctly. Probably been here since the end of World War II from the look of him.

The elderly man looked slightly dismayed at the presence of Soun and Genma, gave Ranma a slight nod, and raised an eyebrow as his gaze passed Kasumi going over a brochure for his school.

After clearing his throat twice and not getting any attention, he focussed his chi slightly and brought his hands together.

Ranma, with his new sense for chi, realized what was coming and covered his ears just in time. The thunderous crack echoed briefly in the courtyard.

"Ahem," said the Master of the House, "we are here to discuss what is to be done about the recent attacks and compare notes on how to best respond."

Chi Journeymage: Stumbling Into A Nosebleed

by Kender

P-chan had wandered onto the grounds of the Housekeeping Martial arts school after one hell of a day. After being ecstatic over the fact that he'd finally found his way back to Nerima, he'd looked in horror at the damage done around the Tendo Dojo. But that didn't prepare him for the sight inside the property wall. It looked like a small, yet intense war had been fought inside there!

He'd called for Akane and feared the worst, but had gotten no answer. That gave him a whole new set of things to worry about. And he was... concerned about what could have done something like this when Ranma was around. Yet the whole place was empty, with not even Kasumi home. So he'd gone looking for them...

...and managed to find the koi pond.

Now in pig form, he was still dedicated to finding the youngest Tendo and her family, but being a porcine being was not going to be helpful. It did however lead him in a bizarre path (with a harrowing experience in the butcher's shop) to this rather grand place. It was large and stately with all the trappings that most folk only dreamed of. Dignity seemed to just poor out of it.

Then there were the maids and their rather short skirts. Long legged girls in very short skirts. Shapely long legged girls in very short skirts. Everywhere he looked, there they were!

"Oh P-chan!" said Akane as the boy-turned-pig managed to stumble his way over to her line of sight. "Ranma, his nose is bleeding!"

"Give him over. I'll... see what I can do," said the journeymage.

"You will?!"

"I guess..."

"Oh thank you!" declared the youngest Tendo as she grabbed him in a big bear hug.

"Uh... no problem... Just... one thing..."

"What?"

"Can you let go? I kind of need to breathe."

"Oops. Sorry," apologised an embarrased Akane as she released him.

Ranma stretched a bit. "That's okay."

Ryouga would have disagreed, if he'd been conscious. But while he was recovering from so many cute girls' in such short skirts and being literally crushed between Akane and Ranma,:

Chi Journeymage: Everybody, come together,

by Kestral

Many things were going on at the same time. Nerima chaos factor at work again no doubt.

Ranma was attempting to straighten chi flows in Ryouga without the Nirvana Massage Technique - for one thing he was able to see some of the pressure points on P-chan but wasn't quite sure what some of them did since they were in different areas than on a human body.

Soun shook his head and tried not to look as if he was puffing out his chest and bragging in front of a bunch of cute girls in uniforms. "Here we are, knee deep in inferior martial arts styles that we'll have to bail out of their problems. Right, Saotome?"

Genma grunted in affirmation.

The remark, far from drawing the admiration of the pretty young maids (well, most of them, there were a couple of first years who were attending the school mainly to try and lose weight) or the fisherwoman, drew glares and disgusted looks from those present.

Soun thought that maybe they hadn't heard him.

P-chan was remembering running into the mess that was the Tendo neighborhood, seeing Ranma fight Akuma (though he didn't know the name of the slab of ugly muscle) and wonder what new techniques Ranma had learned since he'd gotten lost on that cruise ship (as it was a Disney cruise he still had to find a way to get 'It's a small world after all' from constantly running through his head), and trying to come to terms with being crushed between Akane and Ranma.

More of the surviving schools had arrived.

They were now:

Sven of the Angripper School Of Martial Arts

Soun of the Tendo Anything Goes Style (though technically defeated by Akuma)

DJ Dan of the Shag Beatdown Martial Arts & Dance Hall

Nobuo of the Ryuki School Of Martial Arts Carpentry

Kikyo of the Fast Food Style Martial Arts

Housekeeping Martial Arts - it was their dojo so just about the whole school was present.

Duke of the Old West Style Of Martial Arts

Kimiyo of the Shrine Priestess School Of Martial Arts & Demonbusting.

Rin of the Strong Tide School of Martial Arts Sailing & Fishing.

Yohko and Azusa arrived, saw the boy whose hands were glowing as he healed some girl's pet pig, and immediately wished they had injuries the boy could lay his hands on and heal. Yeah baby!

There was also:

Chi Journeymage: Breaking Storm

by Kender

Mousse had awakened to find that Shampoo was nowhere nearby. A search revealed that she was not unconscious or worse, but that did not ease his fears. Neither did the realization that the fiend that had done this was not there too. That meant that she could still be in danger. So he had followed her trail to this place with the big stone buildings and all the girls around them. But they didn't matter as he found his love. Sure she might have changed her clothes, but he could show her how concerned he'd been.

Yohko went from day-dreaming about the cute boy taking the time to try and help a pet pig to standing in shock as another boy, this one in white robes grabbed onto her and started calling her 'shampoo'. That stillness lasted only a few minutes. Then she proceeded to bash the near-blind boy with assistance from Azusa.

Nearby, Sailor Mercury took in the scene and sighed. They'd come seeking answers, but things didn't seem to be settling down anytime soon. Not that her fellow Senshi were much help there, either. So she went back to checking out the scenery around her while waiting.

A glance told her that some of the martial artists weren't too at it themselves. Illiyana, the blonde practioner of the Wandering Circus School of Martial Arts, leaned her lithe body against a wall and let out a puff of breath. Sitting nearby in her conservative, yet attractive, outfit, Yuko of the Librarian Martial Arts School quietly read a book. Standing behind her with his arms crossed over his chest was Green Tiger of the Power Fist School of Martial Arts Wrestling.

"Now, if everyone will settle down, we canget down to business," the Sensei told the group.

"That we can," interrupted a new voice.

Everyone turned and saw a sneering guy in a leather jacket with spikes in the shoulders standing near to them. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name ain't important old man. But as for what I want..."

"Yes?"

"Well... Boys, come out and play!"

"What are you..," began the Master of the school... before the area burst with the sudden appearance of wild looking figures in ragged and mishmashed clothing riding around on motorcycles and modified ATVs.

"Ya want to know what I want? Really? To have a little mayhem and destruction!" snarled the leader of the new attackers. "And ta beat ya all!"

The people who'd been invited to talk about dealing with this sort of thing glared at the interlopers. These attackers seemed to delight in what they were doing and they hadn't even started yet. And as they settled in to begin their 'fun',:

Chi Journeymage: Everybody was kung fu fighting...

by Kestral

Ranma was relatively happy. New special manuevers, as long as they weren't as lame as Mousse's "Fist Of The White Swan" were something he enjoyed seeing. Particularly if they weren't used on him.

On seeing teenage mutant ninja bikers swarming to the attack, the assembled martial artists started showing off their stuff - possibly because everyone was thoroughly sick and tired of being attacked by this point.

"Both Guns Blazing," announced Duke of the Old West Style Of Martial Arts, who apparently was also using his Infinite Six Gun special manuever since he was firing a lot more than six shots from his twin revolvers. ATV tires came apart in shredded rubber.

"Loot & Pillage," announced Sven of the Angripper School as he began lobbing axes at the bikers that cut ATVs in half.

"Nail Gun," called out Nobuo of the Ryuki School Of Martial Arts Carpentry, before putting a handful of nails in his mouth and then spitting them out with a machine gun like effect.

"Do You Want Fries With That"," was the attack of Kikyo of the Fast Food Style Martial Arts, sending exploding bags of french fries at the attackers.

"Akuryo Taisan" drew a few startled looks from the disguised Senshi but turned out to be Kimiyo of the Shrine Priestess Style. Rei made a note to talk to her later.

Rin of the Strong Tide School disdained use of her harpoon on small fry like this. She simply used a net so they'd have someone to question later.

"Mongollian Piledriver" was the manuever of Green Tiger of the Pro Wrestling Style Of Martial Arts.

DJ Dan of the Beatdown Style of Martial Arts didn't get a chance to use his special manuever, as it apparently required a sound system that was taken out by one of the mutants throwing a chain through it. DJ Dan just stood there for a moment before getting run over.

Illiyana of the Wandering Circus Style did a backflip, ended up behind one of the mutants, and used her special manuever. "Poodle Pack Frenzy!" A dozen trained poodles came out of nowhere to begin chewing on what was apparently sensitive anatomy on the biker.

Yuko of the Librarian style either didn't have a special manuever or didn't bother to use one. She merely avoided every attack that came towards her. Ranma thought it looked like an aikido variant to him.

Yohko and Azusa beat down their own attackers, but as these weren't supernatural menaces weren't in their usual element.

The Sailor Senshi were reluctant to go into Senshi identity without knowing more about these groups, and so kept to the background.

Which was when the Housekeeping Style began showing what they were capable of.

Housekeepers or domestic staff often operated as a team, though lone operatives were also common.

In this case, the maids and butlers formed teams and began using simple bo-staff or naginata manuevers using brooms and mops. They progressed to Iron Cloth manuevers with dishtowels, and finally proved their school had a fair budget by emerging with *POOM!*

The mutant bikers came to a staring stop as a building moved aside and an A-10 Avenger slowly rotated to face them. The 72mm Vulcan gun under the cockpit glittered menacingly.

"We're not scared of..." the mutant leader announced.

"White Wind," came Ranma's attack. Grass grew back in the tire marks left from ATVs, trees broke out into new bloom, the air seemed fresher, and the mutants suddenly began collapsing.

Ami Mizuno stared at her computer, that was almost the same effect as one of Sailor Moon's Healing Escalations but pulled off without a transformation or sceptre!

"Hmph," said Soun. "Relying on weapons. Hardly a true martial art, eh Saotome?"

Genma nodded his head in agreement.

Kasumi merely appreciated what a useful martial arts technique Ranma had.

This was broken by:

Chi Journeymage: Rumble Of Danger

by Kender

Amongst the bushes there was a rustling and the various little animals that hadn't gotten away earlier started running out. Some of those there felt a rumbling in the ground. Those sensitive enough felt a chill go down their back. Ranma scowled as he turned to face it.

Out of the shadows came a large figure. A MASSIVE figure to be truthful. Easily three meters tall, he seemed to be obese as well. But that wieght looked to be in a mixture of fat and muscle. Which was demonstrated as he stopped at the overturned ATV in his way. Grasping the fender in one hand, he tossed the vehicle as if it was but a model before walking again.

Coming to a halt in front of Ranma, he stared down at the shorter young man in front of him. "So you're the chi wizard we've been lookin' for," growled the giant.

"And what if I am?"

With a chuckle, the giant slammed the fist of one hand into the palm of another. "Then we have orders to kill you. Nothing personal you see."

"What orders? And who are you?"

"Don't you worry. You don't need to do anything but die, little man."

As Ranma squared off with the massive man,:

Chi Journeymage: Senshi huddle

by Kestral

"Okay, what do we do?" Makoto asked as she casually glanced towards that major hunk-o-ranma (ahem) potential ally was facing off against someone her experience was telling her was Dark General material.

"I'm getting readings off the 'white mage' - he's using similar energies to Sailor Moon's, though different in some respects. His opponent is using similar energies to Dark Kingdom forces," Ami put in, really really hoping she'd get a chance to talk to the cute potentially helpful boy later.

"But he's not Silver Millenium, and his opponent isn't really Dark Kingdom, so we shouldn't get involved, right?" Rei put in, getting some really weird vibes from the situation.

"I can't tell," put in Setsuna. "The timestream right now is very turbulent. Something happened recently that has made tracing the change difficult and until things stabilize at least a little I can't check on Crystal Tokyo."

"The ocean is restless," mysteriously said Michiru, who had no idea herself but this sounded more elegant than "I don't know."

"They're good guys so we should help 'em," said Usagi, putting it in simplest terms.

"Where's Minako?" Haruka asked, getting another ominous feeling.

"You aren't facing him alone! There's no need for beer, Sailor V is here!" Sailor Venus stood proudly next to the major stud she'd found here and was going to latch onto like Daffy Duck on a big diamond as soon as the fight was over. The Senshi could use some allies, and Sailor Venus was prepared to snatch a major hunk as a boyfriend make a few sacrifices for the cause.

Ranma was vaguely aware of others taking stances near him.

"Hmmmph," said the big slab of lard and muscle. "Just a rank beginner I see. The boss is gonna be happy this one got nipped before you could actually be a problem." Eyes sought out a group of normal girls over there. See how the mage dealt with this. "Check this out."

A dart poisoned with a dark chi pattern was quickly flicked past the mage, Heart's thought was that the mage would either be disheartened that an innocent bystander was killed while he couldn't do anything, or he'd be a target when he tried to stop the skirt from croaking and being resurrected as a will-less zombie.

That girl with the weird meatball hairdo had seemed the best target, though it got intercepted on the way.

Chi Journeymage: Senshi under fire

by Ranma-mite

Naturally, a black glowing dart heading for Usagi was considered bad news.

Without any of them transformed, since they were in their civilian identities "undercover" - this became more of a problem.

So naturally, one of the Princess' guards took the hit.

She fell to the ground, in obvious pain, as the natural pathways of chi were choked and invaded - the tendrils of dark chi surging through her.

"Hold on, I can fix this, I think."

Ranma had done the unthinkable and left the battle - charging along after the dart once he figured out what it was. He thought he had the Nirvana Massage down to where he could make a tiny little change. Behind him, the various martial artists were giving Heart some difficulty - buying him a few moments.

The Senshi felt Ranma's presence. Soothing away the pain and hurt, reducing it from agony to a dull ache, cleansing as he filled her being and brought her to a crescendo of pleasure that washed away mortal concerns in a moment of epiphany.

"That should do for now," said His voice, setting pleasant aftertingles through her being. "I'll check up with her later."

She opened her eyes to behold her savior.

One of the others nearby cleared her throat as it was obvious the victim had some problems yanking her eyes off her current fascination.

Chi Journeymage: Heal A Tree

by Kender

Makoto hadn't hesitated before jumping in to protect her Princess. But she was not just trying to save the last of the line of Serenity. She was also trying to protect the girl who had come to the girl who had been feared because of her reputation. That blonde had ignored the asumptions of others and became a true friend to a girl who had been isolated and lonely.

Yet, there was another who had taken up residence in her heart. He was the wonder that had made her eyes go all sparkly. When she had been hit by something meant for another, it had been him who had not hesitated in helping her. This was not a boy, but a young man who was not only cute, but brave and skilled and ...oooh naughty thoughts area...

Unfortunately, her legs had the consistancy of overcooked spagetti and her normal strength had taken a vacation. So she was stuck as a bystander in the confrontation between the boy who had save her and the giant who'd tried to kill the Princess.

Said giant was heading in to blindside the fool who'd turn his back on him when,:

Chi Journeymage: Heart Vs. Ranma

by Kestral

Heart quickly began picking off the school representitives that were assaulting him.

Some were easier than others. The girl throwing heavily salted french fries with enough force to imbed them in a wooden plank could easily have handled your average mugger, and because zombies had trouble with salt - could have easily defended herself from the zombie bikers. The air shimmered in his palm a moment before she was blasted across the yard, the weakest of his current attackers and therefore one less annoyance.

The air shimmered around Heart and he directed the blast outward around himself, knocking away several of the others.

There was only one he was after - only one he sought the death of. The rest he might kill, but that would just be his hobby - first to business.

Heart was unnaturally big and strong. Three meters (nine feet tall) and extremely heavyset, pressure point manuevers were useless against him due to the layers of fat on his body. When he'd been recruited by the Mistress though, he had learned several Dark Chi manuevers that changed him from dangerous to the level that would have made him a challenge to many Western superheroes.

Shockwave- his concussive attack.

Like A Mountain- anchoring himself so that he couldn't be moved.

Fear Of The Dark- focussing his darkness so that it stood out, causing victims to see their worst fears projected in him.

Glare- Heart had the second version of this attack, such that he could paralyze the victim's lungs so that they suffocated.

Taint- creating a poisonous thread of dark chi that would cause victims to sicken or die - their lifeforce corrupted. There were also variants to cause them to be overwhelmed by their fears or driven mad or merely weakened temporarily.

Heart used Glare to deal with the weaker fighters and noted that several of them were already fighting it off. Most impressive. They would have to be killed or recruited. Of course, the Mistress being a Dark Chi Master - could use a variant of Taint called Seduction, turning them dark and evil through torture and carnal pleasures - Heart almost envied them.

Heart sent a quick Shockwave towards the distracted White Chi wizard.

Who batted it away?

Heart settled down into the fight in earnest.

There were gasps from those who had never seen Ranma fight, and there were not a few stares from those who had seen Ranma fight in the past.

Ranma was still a Journeymage. He only had a handful of techniques mastered. These were also White Chi techniques, and therefore the emphasis was not on destroying your enemies or dominating your environment the way Dark Chi techniques did.

A Light In The Darkness

To Stand Like A Mountain

The Breath Of The Second Wind

Skin Like Unto Iron

To Pass As A Ghost

Nirvana Massage

As A Distant Thunder

To See The Unseen

To Be A Feather In The Wind

Seven League Boots

Divine White Wind

and though he didn't know it yet Angel's Kiss had just inexpertly been performed on one Makoto Kino.

However, this was still Ranma Saotome. He had not replaced his skills with these new ones, he had supplemented the old.

To one who had studied the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken, Heart was moving in slow motion. Oh sure, if the big guy connected it would hurt worse than if Ryouga did. In many ways Heart was like Ryouga to an exponent. Strong and tough and hard to hurt - definitely an "Earth" element opponent.

Ami stared and made sure her computer was recording this. At times the cute potential ally of hers the Senshi was moving at acceleration rates that were flatly impossible. She'd studied anatomy. Accelerating from a dead stop to that kind of speed would be bruising internal organs, he'd have given himself a concussion from that kind of acceleration and deceleration. It was flatly impossible. Of course, Ami's worldview also included reincarnated princesses and household appliances stealing heart crystals so instead of denying any of this she started trying to work out the mechanics.

Minako began urging Ranma to use more kicks because she could get a clear look at his butt like that. "Yowza!"

Makoto really really really wished she could get involved. Her new sempai was not only a major hunk but she had to learn how to do that!

Cologne nodded. Ranma's speed had increased, and he was instinctively using his newly heightened chi reserves to defend himself and increase manuevers he had known before. At one point he used a Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken to throw over five hundred punches a second at his larger opponent. Still, he couldn't keep this up for long, he hadn't had sufficient recovery time since the fight with Akuma earlier to replenish his reservoir.

Shampoo, Akane, Ukyo, a number of martial artist girls, and two Tendo sisters all watched with slackened jaws as Ranma's usual grace and power became a thing of almost supernatural beauty. They winced as Heart managed to connect, then stared anew as Ranma slid to a stop with his feet leaving furrows in the ground - apparently unharmed by the blow.

Ryoga saw this last and felt a moment of despair. How was he going to beat Ranma when a blow like that could shake the earth from the force of impact, and now Ranma was laughing it off like a mosquito bite?!

The stalemate had to end, and it did when:

Chi Journeymage: Different Sailors

by Kender

Rin was a member of the Strong Tide School of Martial Arts Sailing and Fishing. It was a school that had hundreds of years of experience to it and that was how it came to be. Despite being created almost unintentionally, it had come from the need to protect oneself from pirates, bar room brawls and other forces of the sea. Increased balance from working on a ship during a severe storm, strength training from having to carry various weights at different times and having to hold one's breath for long periods while under water all became methods of training. Once those had become a school, the philosophy of the sailor had the basis of the school. Students learned to draw strength (chi) from the sea and the became either centered or stormy depending on the environment.

But she, the current heir(ess) to the school, had never seen a bunch of teenaged girls in identical fukus, save the color, challenge a giant capable of shoving people away with a gesture.

"How dare you attack a meeting of those who only wish to defend themselves?! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

Heart just looked at the blonde with the wierd hairstyle in the funky outfit and tried to figure out if he should simply swat her down or laugh heartily. She and the girls in the similar outfits with her just could not be serious. But no matter. If they wanted to play, then he would have to accomodate them.

The Sailor Senshi blinked as the wave of force came and flung them away. Having experienced such before, they were able to manage to get up. Unfortunately, having had it happen before still did not make it stop hurting. They did get to stand though and readied themselves to fight.

And Heart was willing to let them just as:

Chi Journeymage: Sailors of love and justice, heart of darkness

by Kestral

Heart growled. This was not going well. The "pushover" White Mage was pretty darn good at avoiding his attacks and clearly had some serious toughness. Nobody had ever remained standing when he'd used a dark chi infused haymaker on them, but this boy had.

The situation had further deteriorated because some of these idiot normal martial artists had cutting weapons. His fat and muscle body had been supplemented by special training. Punches and kicks, bullets and the like, he could laugh off. Likewise pressure points were ineffective against him. The few that could penetrate the layers of fat on his body, his Dark Chi level of mastery could reverse with a moment's thought. He had trained to the point where wrecking balls and explosives were ineffective against him - no bludgeoning or piercing instrument could damage him.

However, some of them had sharp edged weapons that could slice into flesh. His layers of fat and muscle would resist such weapons much in the way of leather armor - but they still hurt and could do serious damage to him.

Now some magic girls were attacking. Bad to worse to still worse.

"Burning Mandala!"

"World Shaking!"

"Aqua Rhapsody."

Screw this noise, he needed a breather. Ah, perfect.

Heart pulled out all the stops he could and used Glare at its most powerful setting. Not merely making someone helpless, but paralyzing their diaphragm so that they couldn't draw breath. It was a Chi vs Chi thing, the only thing that mattered was the distance in level of the user and the victim.

Unexpectedly, some of the lesser martial artists started fighting it off almost immediately. Including that girl in the maid uniform. Both the Mage and some pig were still moving despite being in the field of effect. Hmmm hostage.

"I'll just grab this little one, Mage. You'd better get busy or your little friends are going to die," announced Heart as he grabbed a squealing piglet and started walking away.

Ranma looked around. Shampoo was shaking but on her feet. Ukyo likewise. Akane's eyes were bulging, Kodachi likewise... Kodachi?!

The worst were some of those girls in the short skirts. The one with the computer was turning blue.

Cologne was trying to help some of the martial artists who had already fallen.

Chi Journeymage: Helping The Helpless

by Kender

Repressing a growl, Ranma let the oversized giant go, but swore that he would get Ryouga back. He would have went and gotten 'P-chan' back, but with the girls dying he didn't have a moment to spare. His only comfort was that if they kept the 'pig' as a hostage, then he'd be alive. Then once he could, he'd go and retrieve his friend/rival/enemy from their grasp.

Right now however, he had lives to save, starting with the shorthaired girl in the blue skirt. As she looked to be the worse off, she needed the help the fastest, and he was going to make sure that she got it. And once she would be in the clear, he'd move on to the next person that was most in danger.

Yet as he did so, he didn't realise how far he had come from the prideful boy that his father had raised. Or how much of that boy was still with him, as he didn't stop to think in his haste. Had he done so, he would have realized what exactly he was doing. Not that that would have stopped him, but he might have changed his strategy slightly if he had known what was going on. But he did not as he used the same methods that he had used to such great success before.

On the other hand, Sailor Mercury also didn't know what was happening. At first she had felt like she was going to choke to death, but now, she was over the moon. All from the healing hands of that strong young man...

And as she slid into a blissful rest,:

Chi Journeymage: After the Heart

by Kestral

Ranma the Journeymage was joined by Cologne after a moment.

Not that Cologne wasn't amused by this. Far from it. She expected this to be quite entertaining when it all hit the fan.

That somewhat studious looking girl who was practically a purring puddle over there, for example, looked like you'd need to zomp 10,000 volts through her just to get the smile off her face.

There were others, so it was simpler just to demonstrate the proper pressure points and Ranma could break the Dark Chi spell and not be buried under a crowd of girls who wanted to help him work off the excess life energy.

With that, the groups ended up exchanging phone numbers and returning to their respective dojos.

With two exceptions. Yoko Mano and Azusa comprised one of the groups that didn't want to go home just yet.

Yoko Mano, devilhunter, had just found Mister Right. He was powerful enough to take on evil wizards, had a body she could only describe with words like "luscious", and as he was also a martial artist could be counted on to have more stamina than the typical Japanese high school student.

"Yoko-san, you're drooling again," pointed out Azusa helpfully.

"Never mind that," said Yoko. "We've got to keep tracking Hunkma over there."

"I thought he said it was 'Ranma'," said Azusa.

"Whatever."

The Senshi had regrouped nearby to figure out the situation.

Rei blinked. "He's what?"

"A menace to Crystal Tokyo," repeated Setsuna.

"I knew it!" Haruka declared.

"Actually, his energy readings were almost exactly the opposite of a Dark Kingdom™ General(r) - more like Sailor Moon's own. He also seemed fairly... nice," Ami finally said, hoping her face didn't ignite from the force of her blush.

"That isn't why," said Setsuna.

"Why?" Makoto practically choked it out. "WHY is he a menace to Crystal Tokyo? Can't the kami give me a damn break here?!"

Setsuna let out a deep sigh, clearly they weren't going to just let this go. "Because he isn't supposed to be like this."

"I think a little more explanation is in order," said Haruka who had absolutely no illusions about what her own martial arts skills were like in comparison to those displayed by that boy. Maybe she could go to Senshi and kick his butt, in civilian ID she'd last slightly longer than a beer at a graduation party. If she were lucky.

Setsuna considered ways of not answering.

"Setsuna," said Usagi, foregoing the "chan" for now. "He saved my life, those of my friends, and beat someone who might not have been a Dark General but came really close. We need to know why before we condemn him."

Pursing her lips, Setsuna nodded. "Very well. I have trouble scanning him due to the chaos factors in his life, but Ranma Saotome is not supposed to be a White Chi mage, or that mature, and he's certainly not supposed to live long enough to see Crystal Tokyo."

"Huh?"

Frowning again, Setsuna tried it another way. "He is supposed to be a self-absorbed moronic egomaniacal martial arts prodigy who learns to fear girls at the hands of his various fiancees and rivals. He is supposed to go through a failed wedding attempt with one girl, marry her a year later, get food poisoning at the hands of that girl, then die a week into the marriage when they other fiancees go completely insane at his treatment of them - with him trying to protect the wife that both loves and hates him and taking the brunt of their attacks as a result. Eight months after his death, his wife gives birth to a lovely baby girl whom she shakes to death during that first year. This whole thing has the Tendo and Saotome clans in a bitter feud, each blaming the other for the way things turn out, which eventually leads to those two families being among those shipped to Nemesis. Something happened about a month ago that has changed all that."

Everyone blinked. Finally Hotaru cleared her throat. "He didn't strike me like that."

Setsuna nodded. "You see? He isn't that way. He shouldn't have been able to turn his back from the fight, much less-"

"Show nobility of spirit, the heart of chivalry, as he deliberately turned from the battle to save lives even if it meant he was an easier target." Ami blinked as she realized she had spoken. "Oh dear."

"So why does someone being better off mean he's a menace?" Makoto didn't see it. "If he's managed to improve himself, why does that mean he's evil!"

Setsuna fixed Makoto with a glare. "What makes you think that only evil people are a threat to Crystal Tokyo?"

THAT hit the various Inners like a grenade going off.

"...aren't we fighting for Crystal Tokyo because it's a utopian society where nobody suffers needlessly?" asked Ami in a quiet voice.

"Crystal Tokyo is the only hope for mankind's survival," said Setsuna, "and it is the future that I have been tasked to insure."

"But you're saying that you can't absolutely see the future of Ranma, right? So maybe he's not a threat to Crystal Tokyo." Michiru put in. While normally she would back Setsuna 100% - her intuition was saying that in this case Sailor Pluto was about to cause a major problem within the Senshi. "Why not research it further before we commit to anything hasty?"

Setsuna frowned. Crystal Tokyo was Order. Ranma was Chaos. Okay, maybe he was a little less so than before but he still reeked of it. How could he not be a menace?

Chi Journeymage: Paradox

by Jryu

"Usagi... I already know he is a threat. Not just to Crystal Tokyo, but to the entire Galaxy, if not beyond."

"WHAT?!" This collective scream drew some attention from others, and caused the senshi some embarrassed moments before they got back on track.

"Setsuna... Explain." Usagi was unusually blunt now, a sure sign that she was Not Happy.

Setsuna sighed. "We are dealing with Paradox here, Usagi. Because the Black Moon family managed to bypass the Gates of Time to travel to the past, if those that were in the past - and those exact people, not just similar but exact, do not go to the past, a paradox will form. That would be bad."

"How bad?" Ami asked.

Setsuna shrugged. "If we are lucky, it would only be a minor Paradox, and probably only erase a good chunk of the Milky Way Galaxy. Worst Case Scenario, the Paradox becomes Catastrophic, and results in the dissolution of our entire reality."

The collected Senshi became very nervous.

"Now, Prince Dimando and Safir are the descendants of Kikuko Saotome, Genma and Nodoka's daughter that won't be conceived until Ranma and Akane marry. Many of the other Black Moon Family members are descendants of one Tendo or another. If this does not come to pass... and right now, it isn't going to... then we will eventually be erased from existence. We wont die... we will never have been!"

"Isn't there... something we can do?!" Usagi asked desperately.

Chi Journeymage: Shining hope on a foundation of darkness

by Ranma-mite

"So we have to be not just 'soldiers of love and justice' but assassins now," stated Minako flatly. She was not happy by any stretch of the imagination.

"Ranma is not the first innocent who will have to die to forge the future utopia that is Crystal Tokyo, nor is he the last," said Setsuna enigmatically. Haruka and Michiru nodded, their suspicions confirmed.

"Excuse me?" Ami was by nature a healer, the idea of going around and killing people to forge their shining future was not terribly good.

"Even good intentions can form a cancer to threaten the entire organism," explained Setsuna. "There are many who will die to form Crystal Tokyo who might have been innocent of any wrong doing or evil intent. However, your future self charged me to assure that Crystal Tokyo occurred. Nice or not, only that institution will guarantee mankind's survival in the next millenia. And since both myself and the Black Moon family come from that future, it must take place to avoid the Paradox."

"How many?" Usagi asked, wondering how this could be. Utopia had a price?

"Counting the dead kami, those killed along the way, the people killed during the Great Freeze, the loss of sub-planes like Jade and the like," Setsuna paused and shook her head. "You don't want me to answer that question."

Several sick looks among the Inners, confirmed that they both wanted to hear the answer and they didn't want to know.

"How many?" Usagi repeated, dread creeping in her voice.

Setsuna pursed her lips as she considered not answering. Well, she was the Princess. "All told - somewhere between thirteen and forty billion lives."

Dead silence, even Haruka and Michiru being stunned by that.

"Forty billion?!" Usagi's pigtails were trying to stand up.

"Ami eventually kills her own mother, Rei kills her grandfather and Yuuichiro, everyone loses their loved ones. As I said, sacrifices need to be made for the common good. If you didn't want this sort of outcome you should never have hit me with that geas," concluded Setsuna.

Chi Journeymage: Duty is Heavier than a Mountain

by Prince Charon

"Paradox," said Ami.

"Huh?" grunted Makoto.

"Just what Pluto said. She's from that future, so are Chibi-Usa and the Black Moon Family. They are part of our history. If Crystal Tokyo does not happen, we will never have met them," said Ami. Her voice and face betrayed no emotion, but there were tears in her eyes. "What happens if the past is changed like that, Pluto?"

"Destruction," said Pluto. "The end of this world, to remove the source of the Paradox from the universe."

"All of the people we'll have to kill will die anyway, or never exist, if the world ends," said Ami, "so we're not really killing them, we're j-just deciding how they die. Can we m-make it painless, at least?"

"In a few cases, yes," said Pluto.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM ABOUT THIS?!" shouted Rei.

"What choice do we have?" asked Minako. "We do nothing, and the world ends, and everybody dies, we do as Pluto says, and lots of people die, but lots of others live."