Disclaimer:

Everyone knows what is supposed to go here: I do not own any characters or stuff from Ranma ½. All of that belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and the various companies that it has been licensed to.

'Thoughts'

"Spoken"

#Chinese#

Signs

AN: So… I'm back attempting this again.. I hope that with work that I'll become a decent writer with the practice and the critical reviews of my readers. Also I hope that you'll enjoy the story. For those of you who have read this in the past I've reworked it again to clean up glaring errors. I'm still in need of a proof-reader though.

:In this time line the wedding has occurred as normal but Phoenix Mountain has not occurred yet.:

Now on with the story:

It was around 3:00am on a Monday morning at the Tendo dojo, most people would assume that all the occupants would be asleep at this time in the morning considering that three of the occupants would be going to school in the morning and two of the occupants had just passed out drunk. But if one was to look close at the roof of the dojo they would notice a young man reclining in a relaxed position with his hands behind his head looking up at the stars. This young man (if one could look close enough) was dressed in black pants and a red shirt that he was usually wearing at all times of the day. He had black hair that was drawn up in a short pigtail in the back and deep blue eyes that had a very troubled look in them.

'It was that same dream again,' Ranma thought while enjoying the cool air, 'I haven't had that dream since I was cursed. Why have I started having this dream again? And why is it always exactly the same? It all started again after that disaster of wedding.'

Ranma cringed as he remembered the hurt look on Akane's face just before everything went to hell as they say. Putting the thoughts away for now he got up and stretched, ' Maybe if I do some katas it might help to clear my mind,' Ranma jumped off the roof and headed into the dojo so he wouldn't disturb any one and then began running through katas beginning with a simple one meant for stretching and then working up to more complex ones. 'Huh that's odd,' thought Ranma coming to a stop in the middle of one of his speed based katas, 'I could have sworn that I am doing this faster than I used too. Hmm, let's see if I am right,' Ranma began the kata over and concentrated on doing it as fast as he could. 'Damn that was faster by at least a few seconds, I think that is the fastest I have ever done that complex of a kata.' 'What does it all mean, the dreams, my speed increase, gahhh.' Ranma thought shaking his head, 'I should probably head back to sleep so I can be awake for breakfast.'

Ranma left the dojo and headed back up stairs to the guest room that he and his father had been staying in the last three years, stripping down to his boxers he crawled onto his futon and went back to sleep. Little did he notice the person watching from the shadows as said person was using the Umi-senken technique.

'Hmm,' thought Happosai leaving the room, 'could he be the one that my master is looking for? It would be a shame if I lost one of my star pupils. But I have no choice but to keep on eye on the boy now.' Happosai thought rubbing his chin. Lighting his pipe he proceeded to write a note and left it on the table before bounding off into the night destination unknown (he was probably off to get more things for his "collection".)

If Happosai had stayed a little longer he would have seen what most would consider a very strange or scary site depending on whom you asked (even people living in Nermia). Ranma was twitching in his sleep and was starting to produce a very intense aura which was starting to burn anything that Ranma was touching but did not seem to be hurting items that weren't in physical contact with him.

Even though most people would consider Genma to be an idiot he had spent a lot of time in the woods around fires and knew what one smelled like. So smelling one whilst he was sleeping in a place that there should be no fires startled him more than a little bit. Jumping up to find out why he smelled smoke he looked rapidly around he saw that his son was floating about 6 inches off the ground as was producing a dark orange aura that was burning everything on Ranma, which wasn't much at this point. He was down to just a few scraps of clothing.

Genma's eyes opened extremely wide as he went to grab his son and shake him awake. "Wake up boy," said Genma reaching for Ranma, "Ow, ow, ow, ow ,ow," Genma was shaking his hands because they got burnt by Ranma's aura. 'Hmm that hurt, I guess that I will have to wake him up the usual way,' Genma thought as he grabbed the bucket of water that he carried in stuff space, he then proceeded to toss at it at Ranma. 'That should do it,' Genma thought as he watched the water travel towards Ranma and than Genma's jaw hit the ground as the water turned to steam before it even touched Ranma. Genma was worried at this point because he never knew the dream to progress to this level before.

Oh yes Genma knew that the dreams had come back and knew that his son was waking up multiple times during the night before going back to bed again but never had this happened before. 'I have got to do something,' Genma thought, "BOY GET UP RIGHT NOW," yelled Genma throwing one of his many signs at Ranma, this too had no effect because the sign burned up on impact with Ranma's aura. But it did have the effect of waking up the household as Genma found out by the light turning on in the room and the following be said through the door that was slid open.

"Oh my," Kasumi said in her usual fashion.

"Ranma you Pervert," Akane said as she was the first to take in the fact that Ranma was naked and didn't even notice anything else, like the fact he was on fire.

"Well this is a new one," Nabiki said as she thought of how she would use this new information. She also pulled out a camera to get pictures that she could sell to the girls at school.

"Genma what's happening to Ranma," asked Soun who at least showed some concern.

"I don't know old friend," replied Genma, "I woke up when I smelled smoke and found him like this. I tried waking him up but that aura keeps burning everything that I have thrown at it."

Everyone looked at Genma in concern.

"Is he ok," asked Kasumi moving closer to Ranma, "He looks frightened. Is there anything that we can do?"

"I don't know," replied Genma even more worried at this point, "I really don't know…"

"I'll call Cologne," said Nabiki after taking an entire roll of film worth of pictures. "She might know what's wrong with him."

As Nabiki left the room Soun cleared his throat, "Kasumi please keep an eye on things in here. Genma and I will be downstairs discussing a few things," Soun finished pulling Genma out of the room. When they reached the downstairs area Nabiki had just finished talking to Cologne "She is on her way, I am going to head back up stairs and keep an eye on Ranma so I can ask him why he decided to do this and wake me up," Nabiki grumbled as she headed back up stairs, let it be said it's not a good idea to deprive Nabiki of her sleep.

Soun waited till Nabiki had entered the guest room before turning towards his old friend, "Does this have anything to do with the prophecy Genma?"

"I don't know Soun I know that he hasn't dreamt since we left China but this is the first time I have seen this aura before, but it could very well be the omen that we have been waiting for." Genma replied.

"Hmmm, in that case I should probably prepare that room again. It's been a while since you and I have been in there and read the prophecy. If we are right we don't have much time left," said Soun looking towards the dojo, "Have you let your clan know yet?"

"No I haven't I wanted to make sure before giving them this news. But the last word I received from Nodoka stated that the clan's where ready and that the elite had been picked out." Genma replied with a thoughtful look, "I am hoping that we have prepared Ranma enough for what lies ahead though."

Just then there was a knock at the gates, "That must be Clogne ." said Soun, "I will show her in, you go up to your son."

"Good evening thank you for coming out here at this time in the morning." Soun said bowing towards Cologne , "If you would please follow me, Ranma is up in the guest room. "

"Nabiki told me what was happening over the phone. I don't know what I can do but I will do my best," replied the matriarch following Soun up the stairs. When they reached the room Akane was sitting off to one side watching Ranma while Nabiki was standing in the corner and Kasumi was kneeling beside him and had laid some wet towels down on the floor beneath him so that he didn't hurt the wood.

"Hmm this is interesting," Cologne said while approaching Ranma and hopping off her staff. "He seems to be producing an insane amount of power tied to anger and fear. That is why it's producing so much heat. It also appears he is locked in a dream state. Also his normal chi and ki flows are being fed into it at the moment. If his ki keeps depleting at this rate he will die."

Meanwhile inside Ranma's dream… 'No not this dream again,' Ranma thought, 'although this time it feels different.' Ranma looked around but all he could see was gray mist in all directions. He could feel a few auras next to him but the only one he could discern was Akane's. 'Hmm Akane is here again, I wonder who the other ones are and why they are here.'

Feeling another presence enter he looks around but he can't see any one. "Show yourself," Ranma yelled getting into a fighting stance, "I can feel you out there."

"Hahahahaha mortal you are no match for me," Ranma heard without seeing anything, "You are a fool and as such you will die without knowing who you truly are." A fireball came flying out of the darkness towards Ranma who leapt out of the way before it hit him.

Ranma retaliated by firing a Moko Takibisha in the direction that the fireball came from.

"Do you think you can hit me with such pathetic attempts," the voice taunted from the darkness, "you are weak and because you are weak you and every one you care about will die."

More fireballs flew out of the darkness this time one of them hit Ranma who wasn't able to jump in time. 'Gahhh, I have got to figure out where there coming from,' thought Ranma dodging more fireballs traveling at him, 'I can feel his presence but it's coming from all around.'

'Maybe if I try to focus my aura I can find him' Ranma began heightening his battle sense pulling his aura in and focusing his ki and chi more and more till it was a tight ball inside of him. His senses becoming sharper and sharper as the core of his power increased, boosting his sense of self and spirit. Also the fog in the dreamscape became clearer and clearer. 'Almost there,' thought Ranma, 'I have to do it right this time. I won't let it end like the rest.' "There you are," Ranma shouted as a shadowy figure formed in the mist, "You're going down MOKO TAKIBISHA" The energy ball flew at the figure but dissipated before impact.

"That attack was pathetic. Do you think just being able to see means that you could actually hurt me?" asked the Figure, "This makes it all the more fun for me, now I can increase my attacks without fear of discovery." The figure crossed his arms like an X with his palms facing behind him.

"Fires that sustain life, fires that consume life, fire which brings destruction, hear that which calls your name."

Ranma was starting to get a little nervous because the figure had never done this attack before. Ranma could see the figures aura starting to slowly condense and swirl around him.

"I command thee; destroy this puny mortal," finishing his chant the figure flung his hands forward, "PHEONIX BLAST." A huge blast of flames and ki flew at Ranma who at the moment was just standing in place with his eyes closed.

Opening them at the last moment Ranma leapt into the air and fired his own ki blast back towards the figure. 'This will only buy me so much time. I need to find a way to beat him this time.' Watching as the figure just batted his ki blast away as if it was nothing.

"You still don't learn do you?" The figure asked chuckling to himself. "You don't even come close to my power and yet you still try the same attack over and over."

"Phoenix Blast," shouted the figure throwing another blast towards Ranma but as Ranma jumped to doge it he chuckled to himself and launched another blast into Ranma's flight path.

Ranma seeing the incoming blast fired off his own ki attack towards the incoming fire ball and watched helplessly as his attack dissipated and the fire blast detonated upon impact sending him flying through the dreamscape.

Coming to a hard landing about 20ft away he stood up and brushed himself off. 'Damn that hurt,' Ranma thought preparing to close the distance between him and the figure. But his eyes widened as the figure just disappeared even to his senses.

"What's wrong boy? Not used to losing?" the figure asked standing right behind him.

"Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken," Ranma yelled as his fist blurred hitting the figure close to 500 times in under a second. But surprisingly the figure didn't even move. Heck the figure didn't even have a scratch on him.

Before Ranma could even register his surprise the figure raised his hand. "My turn," said the figure and then hit Ranma with a straight armed hit to the chest knocking all the wind out of Ranma's lungs and launching him through the dreamscape to a tumbling stop quite a few feet away.

'Damn I can't hit him this time either,' thought Ranma as his body traveled through the air coming to a rough stop. Picking himself up again and trying to regain his bearings he began trying to figure out a way to beat this guy.

'He's really good,' Ranma acknowledged to himself as he began to increase his power, 'it's time to pull out all the stops.' Ranma launched himself towards his opponent moving a lot faster than he had before. Dodging his opponents attack he shouted " Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken," this time unleashing near 700 punches in the same span of time he actually managed to launch the figure backwards.

The figure twisted in the air and came to a light landing on his feet. "Better but still nowhere near good enough," the Figure laughed, "But now that you're finally getting serious I can start to have even more fun."

The figure launched himself towards Ranma and engaged in melee combat. The figure was punching fast enough to get through a lot of Ranma's blocks at first but Ranma kept pushing more and more energy into his arms allowing him to keep up and actually start scoring hits back on the figure.

"I grow tired of your weak hits," the figure said knocking Ranma away from him with a powerful kick. "Time for you to die like the weak girl you really are..."

To Ranma's surprise and dismay he changed to his female form "Hey I am not a girl and I am not weak."

"Oh yeah?" the figure asked gathering his hands faced outwards at his side near waist level. "If you're not weak than have this." "Quad Phoenix BLAST," the figure shouted launching four flaming balls at Ranma faster than the speed of sound.

'Oh shit…' was all that Ranma had time to think as they impacted into her creating a thunderous explosion.

"Hahahahha… all mortals are foolish, no one can fight my power. Now to kill his fiancé," the figure said launching himself towards where Akane was, but then stopped as he felt a huge power surge behind him. Turning he saw the battered form of Ranma emerging from the fire. Her clothes were mostly tatters and she was bleeding from multiple places, especially her left arm where a huge gash ran across her shoulder.

Struggling to keep herself upright Ranma was getting pissed, 'Who does this bastard think he is? First be beats the shit out of me and now he threatens one of my fiancés.' "NO ONE THREATENS MY FIANCES," shouted Ranma her aura exploding around her blowing all the dust away. As she got more and more angry her aura turned from its usual blue color to one of a dark red.

Meanwhile in the real world..

"What do you mean he's dying?" yelled everyone in the room.

"What do you think I mean, he's tied his ki and chi into his anger and they are going to run out soon if we don't find away to wake him up," replied Cologne. "He's loosing control of his emotions and anger is one of the most dangerous to use. It grants the user tons of strength but it tends to burn out the body faster than any other emotion. It also has the side effect of clouding ones judgment. Ranma also seems to be receiving wounds to his chi. If it continues he will start manifesting visual wounds."

"I am going to try and break the link but if this fails Ranma will die." The matriarch moved over Ranma and put her hands over Ranma's heart and closed her eyes. A soft white glow covered the elder as she focused on the knot that is Ranma's life force. 'Please let me be in time,' thought to herself, 'According the prophecies he will be needed to lead once again.

AN—
And here we have the end of the revised first chapter, the remaining three shall be coming out soon. Again I am looking for a pre-reader because I do tend to miss things even after multiple re-reads.