Shadow Ranma 2x3

by Maximara

Dying Ranma gets a second chance from the Neko-ken on. Problem is he seems to have stumbled into a conflict where the fate of many worlds and the very future hang in the balance. Combination-rewrite 3x3 eyes-Yugioh-Sailor Moon-Ranma-later Hellsing.

3. Chap 03 Butterfly Effect

Ch03 Butterfly Effect

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi, 3x3 eyes (Sazan Eyes) is the creation of Yuzo Takada, Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi, Yugioh is Kazuki Takahashi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2, 3x3 Eyes, Sailor Moon, and Yugioh.

Chapter 3 - Butterfly Effect

Akane didn't wake up refreshed from a good night's sleep. In fact she had not slept at all. She heard a soft knock on her door, "Want to talk about it?" asked the voice of Ranko.

"I guess so," sighed Akane sitting up as Ranko opened the door and came in. "How did you know?"

"Pops had much the same reaction after I summoned Steelfeather and started training with her. He couldn't sleep for two days as she shattered what views of the Art he still had. Of course Pops being Pops put the whole thing out of his head and went about things as usual. I don't think that is true of you."

"Parvati, Hotaru, Pegasus, and Wiseman. They all have powers that make the Art look like a joke."

"No they don't." Akane turned toward Ranko surprise in her eyes, "On her own her smallest spells would drain Paravati's Ki to the point that she would regularly need a Wu to protect her, without the Art Hotaru would just plow into things because she cannot be killed and that could endanger those around her, and Pegasus would have to go around collecting souls like some Oni to increase his power if he did not have what little he learned from Ranma and Pendragon. As for Wiseman, I do not consider becoming a walking, talking corpse that great a power."

"But he is from the future."

"He is from a future which given what he told us went invalid about two years ago." Ranko than smiled, "For all her skill in Kunjutsu I can still on occasion get in a good couple of hits on Oni-chan. For all their raw power they are largely beginners compared to you in skill. If it had been left to Pops for all his skill in the Art Ranma would have had all the social skill of a brain damaged swamp rat." Ranko winced, "Be real, Ranma. Our father called you a weak weepy girl every time you tried to do anything social. Only Pendragon and later Steelfeather kept you from being totally inept. Now try to get some rest, Akane. You have deal with the Hentai Brigade and Kuno tomorrow."

"Don't remind me." groaned Akane.

"AAAGGHHH!" screamed Ryoga from the bathroom, "I AM BLEEDING!"

"Oh crud. Looks like his Hong-Nyan form only looks six years old." grumbled Ranko running to the bathroom. There shivering in terror was Ryoga pointing to the toilet. "Ryoga, what the blazes you think you are doing? You have bled before."

"From the nose not from... down there."

"Well calm down before you wake up the rest of the neighborhood. What is happening is perfectly natural. Every woman goes through this."

Ryoga calmed down a little, "Every woman? You mean even Pendragon, Steelfeather, and you?"

"Yes and it is not a one time thing either."

"Not a one time thing? What do you mean?"

"This is part of the monthly visitor we have been talking about."

"You mean I will go through this every month?"

"Every female who can have babies goes through this."

"Have babies?" Ryoga repeated just before his eyes rolled up into his head and he passing out.

"Why do I have a feeling this is going to be a long day?" commented Ranko.

Several minutes later Ryoga returned to the waking world finding Ranma shaking his head. "Ranma, why on earth didn't you warn me?"

"Because when I found out the monthly visitor Pendragon said it started as early as 8 or as late as 16. Since you looked six I figured you wouldn't have to deal with unless you were in Ran-Pao-Pao form and also figured the school could better prepare you because Pops kept interrupting Pendragon whenever I tried to get more details. In fact thanks to Pops other than the bleeding, some mood changes, and that it has something to do with having babies I know very little about the monthly visitor."

"Well the moron is dead and since Ryoga has woken up the house I think it is time to give you two the talk." said Pendragon from the door.

Several minutes later Ryoga was doing his level best not to freak out while Ranma was rubbing his head again. "It is a good thing Pops drowned," said Ranma "because it saves me the trouble of trying to beat him into an early grave. I cannot believe this; all that harping on being a man and baka-sama never told me this. How the freaking blazes did the moron expect me to keep the Saotome line going? Give me some half baked manual on how to do it on my wedding day?"

Ryoga blinked and looked at Ranma, "You seem to be taking this very well."

"You are forgetting about Ranko. Unlike Pai and Parvati, we talk to each other. Besides I found out about it accidentally walking in on Pendragon in the bath during one of her encounters with it and freaked out pretty bad back then. I thought she had been badly hurt training."

"Ranma, I just thought of something." said Ryoga.

"What?"

"What are we going to do about gym?"

"I had hoped the coach could provide some ideas on that. Problem is we left during lunch so we never got to talk to him." said Ranma while thinking, 'That and the fact I was trying to remember the order of the contests I had and so better deal with them this time around. Problem is some of them I know will not happen.'

'Right Ranma. Though I think we will still encounter some of the people we remember. Ke Lun and Mu Si will likely be arriving though for very different reasons than in the old timeline. At least I see no reason for the Old Freak to arrive early.'

'Pity as it means we have to wait to pound the stuffings out of the pervert so we can become Grandmaster of the Ryu.'

'True but it does not prevents us from being masters in a subschool but I have misgivings about your idea of creating another branch of the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu.'

"Sorry sis but the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu needs a new branch." said Ranma aloud.

Akane frowned having walked in to check on things, "What do you mean the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu needs a new branch?"

"Just what I said. Sazan magic and the ShadowRealm are complicated enough to be spun off into their own subschool. Besides with the Grandmaster of the Ryu who knows where we need something we can teach."

"What about the Saotome branch?" asked Akane.

"Pops is dead and what manuals he left behind are a mishmash of useful, stupid, and dangerous techniques. Besides I saw the look in your eyes when Ranko talked to you Akane. You are scared of the ShadowRealm. So is Parvati though she tries to bluster it off like Pops would do when he was afraid." Ranma paused for moment, "I am afraid of c-c-c-c-cats but I have received benefits from the Neko-ken in faster reflexes and better Ki access. The ShadowRealm is a good alternative and will build up other skills. Wiseman has given us good reasons to learn Sazan magic as well."

"To fight these Sailor Senshi."

"If it comes to that, there is something about him I do not trust." Ranma then frowned, "Where is Nabiki?"

'One year? That ruby would pay for all of us for five years. I cannot let something like this slip through my fingers because of Akane's temper,' Nabiki thought as she made her way to the guest room. 'I thought that pyramid Ranma and Ranko wear was plated because gold is so heavy but now I bet it is real gold but hollow inside. I need to find out more about them so I am in control of the situation.' Arriving in the guest room Nabiki smiled seeing Ranko's staff on the floor, 'What luck. A good art dealer should be able to tell me what people made this and so give me some idea on the what I am dealing with.' picking the staff up Nabiki frowned, 'It seems unusually light. I wonder.' thought Nabiki as she twisted the top. 'I was right. A false top. Now let's see what is in here.'

A moment later there was an ear shattering scream followed by what sounded like a wall being smashed. "That was Nabiki!" exclaimed Akane.

Running up to the guest room the group was greeted by a huge hole in the wall with a huge bird like creature right outside. "Ranko's Takuhi is a little confused. I suggest you bring her out to calm it down before it becomes upset." commented Parvati the moment she got into the room rubbing one of her shoulders.

'My Takuhi? Since when did I have...' thought Ranko as she scanned the room and saw Nabiki in a corner holding part of her spirit staff. 'Oh great. The spirit staff is like one of Pegasus' cards. Nice job Nabiki, now I got to get this thing calmed down before it turns this ward into a ruin.'

Before Ranko could so anything the Takuhi flew straight at the closest person that had caught its eye, which unfortunately turned out to be Akane. Ranko and Ranma watched in horror as the Takuhi gutted Akane. In a flash the room got ice cold and the moisture pulled out of the air caused Ranma to change into Ranko. "TAKUHI STOP!" yelled Ranko grabbing the staff out of Nabiki's hand. The Takuhi looked at Ranko, "GET BACK IN THERE. NOW!" The creature nodded and suddenly disappeared.

"What has... Oh no my baby girl is going to die." Soun said rushing to Akane as a red stain started to cover the floor.

Ranma was now mentally freaking, 'No! The whole reason I cam back in time was to save Akane not kill her earlier. Ranko, there is only one way to save her now!'

'Make her Wu? But how Ranma?'

'The Sazan Ryu said something about not pulling at the soul image of your student until they were ready. What if the manual was written to train Wu?'

'I hope you are right Ranma or as you said all this will have been for nothing.' thought Ranko as she looked at Akane with all three of her eyes.

Soun watched as a beam shot out of Ranko's third eye hitting Akane in the chest. He then watched as a white blob emerged from Akane's chest and went up the beam and into the eye. Looking back at his daughter he watched as a strange Chinese character appeared on Akane's forehead and the ghastly wound in her chest started to smoke and then healed.

"Well it seems that Ranma's choice for a wife has been made for him. Personally I would have waited a little longer. It seems to me that someone brazen and crafty enough to try and steal from one of us would have made a perfect Wu." smiled Parvati as she looked at Nabiki who tried to back up through the wall she was shivering against.

"Nabiki has cunning I grant you but she cannot fight. I need a Wu that can fight." said Ranko. 'Besides Ranma loves Akane not Nabiki.'

Akane opened her eyes, "What happened?"

"Off hand I'd say your sister Nabiki got greedy and did something on par with Pops," frowned Ranko. "To save your life I had to make you my Wu. I'm sorry the choice should have been yours and Ranma's."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU MADE ME A WU?" exploded Akane intense anger filling her eyes. Akane then grabbed a nearby chair, "RANKO NO BAKA!" Next thing Ranma knew Ranko was sent sailing from the room and into the Koi pond.

'Nice job sis, you have Akane hitting you. Wonder how long before she starts in on me.'

Several minutes later Ranma entered the room. "Akane, despite what my sis did the option I mentioned is still open but only if you want it."

"You are effectively asking me to become a Sanjiyan Unkara on top of being a Wu."

"Yes and for me to be your Wu." Ranma grabbed Akane's hand with both of his, "Think of it, Akane, eternal youth, immortality, and power so great as to be considered a kami."

"But what about children?" asked Akane.

"Parvati is the fourth of her line so that should not be a problem."

Akane frowned, 'The power of a kami and not just an ancestral ghost or even a nushi kami but a great kami. To learn martial arts beyond what I could ever learn as a mortal. Why am I even hesitating? After all it was Ranma who wanted to wait and Nabiki with her greed that forced the issue.' Akane then smiled, "Looks like you have a wife, Ranma, and when you get that water here I will have a Wu."

"Oh happy day. The schools are joined. I have not only had my daughter's life saved but gained a son-in-law." laughed Soun hugging Ranma.

'I should be happy as this is what I wanted.' thought Ranma, 'So why do I keep feeling that this is the worst thing that could have happened?'

'Because in the original timeline every time you two got close together something would interfere and blow the moment to pieces sometimes literally.'

'Perhaps but I have a feeling that we have really stepped into it.'

--

At the breakfast table the next morning Pai looked at Ranma, "Pai stiff and hurt all over. What happen to Pai?" she asked.

"I trained your otherself Parvati in some basics. Don't worry, it was mild compared to what Pops called training," said Ranma, "While he was right when he said 'the life of a martial artist is full of peril' he tended to use it just before going into some insanely dangerous and-or stupid training method."

"More Pai hear of Ranma's father less Pai like." Pai blinked, "Parvati say even at our worst we treat our Wu better."

"Wu." remarked Akane looking up at Ranma, "I am like Hotaru now aren't I?"

"Hotaru Wu, Akane Wu." said Pai frowning as her demeanor changed and her third eye opened, "Akane, as Ranko's Wu you will need training in Sazan magic."

"Parvati, she needs training in the martial arts first. From the Sazan Ryu Pops got a hold of I would say that the way the Sanjiyan Unkara channel Ki to power their spells is very wasteful. Pendragon tried one of the very basic techniques in there and was out cold for nearly half an hour. I managed to duplicate the effect with my knowledge of Ki and while tired I did not pass out and this was all before Ranko." said Ranma shoving food into his mouth. At least until a hilt of a sword was knocked into his head. "Hey, Oni-chan, what you do that for?"

"Genma is dead, Ranma," frowned Pendragon, "You no longer need to eat like a human vacuum cleaner for fear the fat fool will steal the food from your plate."

"But what if I run into somebody who challenges me to a martial arts speed eating contest?" asked Ranma knowing full well that he would encounter such a challenge in the form of Picolet Chardin II.

Pendragon smiled in a manner that gave Nabiki more chills than the frowning gaze her father would give her every so often when he looked out from behind his paper. "Once the water from the Pool of Drowned Female Sanjiyan Unkara arrives and Akane uses it if any such challenge happened you will specify that it must be with Sanjiyan Unkara dishes."

"Yeh that would do it. Looked and smelled great but the moment you tasted it the only thing you wanted to go was go find somewhere to throw up." said Ranma who slowed down slightly, 'Though I could handle it a little better than Pops because I had been forced to eat Akane's cooking before she finally started improving.'

After breakfast Nabiki rushed to the school the previous night's disaster fresh in her mind. Arriving she noticed a new girl on the grounds carrying a huge pole with a blade on one end. "Hotaru, what are you going here?" asked Ranma running up.

"My Uncle decided I needed to go to school but there was a major problem with my apparent age and my real one and so he needed a school that did not care about the normal entrance exam or middle school grades. When he went over his list he found Furinkan High School which had an unusually high number of martial artists within a ward that had a reputation for tolerating a lot of weirdness." Hotaru then looked behind her, "But I am curious, what is with all the boys being out here?"

"That is part of the weirdness Pegs talked about."

Akane looked up at the perverted boys coming toward her and smiled, "Not this time. In fact thanks to my husband Ranma I will never have you clowns degrade my skills again," she said her aura flaring as she held a card out. "Swords of Revealing Light!"

From behind his tree Kuno looked on in stupefied amazement, as the entire group of boys were suddenly frozen surrounded by strange glowing swords and Akane calmly walked around the group. "Don't worry it should wear off in short time, not enough for you to get to class on time but at least you will not be there for the whole day." Akane then smiled at a boy, "You know, Ranma, you were right that is more fun and faster than beating them silly."

'Ranma? Saotome Ranma! The vile sorcerer finally makes his presence known!' coming out from behind his tree Kuno charged, "Don't worry, Akane, I will save you!"

"Huh? Hey why aren't the swords affecting Kuno?" asked Akane.

"Because they can at best effect only one field at a time, and Kuno is coming from another direction namely Planet Delusion."

"Pai getting annoyed with True Blunder."

"Welcome to the group. Kuan-Yaa, revised!" yelled Ranma blasting Kuno.

"No matter what spells you throw, sorcerer, the mighty Blue Thunder fights on." said Kuno before falling down into a charred heap.

"You know Kuno I don't think they allow smoking on school grounds," chuckled Ranma, "Now let's get in before some other idiot shows up and make us late."

Inside the classroom the other students noted Hotaru sitting down after making her pole arm weapon disappear, "Hotaru, should you not be in an older grade?" asked Akane.

"Actually I should be in a younger grade but given my apparent age this was as young as Uncle could do without causing too many problems."

Since Ranma had found something useful in physics he paid far more attention then before in all his courses. English because that was the native language of Pegasus the most powerful man he knew, math because after that mess with the spirit staff he was certainly not going to let Nabiki anywhere near the budget for his dojo, and physics because it related to Ranko's power as a Sanjiyan Unkara. The other courses Ranma took notes in simply as physics had shown just because he thought it was not useful did not mean he might not need the information later down the line. Between classes he, Akane, Pai, and Parvati would try to answer questions about the early encounters with Kuno. Then came the special classes where the students had to move around rather than the teachers and Ranma finally came to gym his favorite course.

"Coach, I need to talk to you."

"You're Saotome Ranma, the boy who supposedly shares his body with his sister Saotome Ranko, right?"

"I see news travels fast. Yes that is correct and I need to tell you that Ranko and I are planning to switch weeks. For one week I will be out here and the other she will be out here. My main concern is the shower rooms."

"You are worried about how the other students will react." stated the coach.

"React and act. The first two days here I have seen way too many hormone happy idiots. I would not put it past any of them to try and splash me and bring out Ranko. If it went any further than that then we would likely have a repeat of what happened to Kuno."

"I understand and share your concern but I suspect that you do not want to be treated any differently than is needed. As long as you and Ranko really are two people and the other students do not strongly object there should be no problems. But I thank you for your honesty about the situation and for telling me."

"One other thing. Ryoga also changes form but he has only one personality. Because he gets lost so easily in his birth form she remains in her female form nearly constantly now."

The coach frowned, "You changed gender references in the middle of that second sentence."

Ranma blinked and frowned, "You just pointed out something I had not really realized. Because Ryoga is spending so much time in her female form both of us are thinking of Ryoga as a her rather than a him. I think I better talk to Ryoga."

At the end of gym Akane was having her own conversation with the girls of the locker room, "Look guys I have been around Ranko enough to know she is really a different person than Ranma; just as the same is true of Pai and Parvati." said Akane, "Their friends understand that, and you know me; if Ranma was being planning on being a pervert I'd pound him sillier than Kuno. He and Ranko are clearly different people."

"Ok, Akane, if you say this is not some scheme to peep we believe you," said Yuka her light brown hair framing her face. "I noticed that you and Hotaru have that same strange Chinese character on your foreheads. What does that mean?"

"It means we are Wu, unkillable immortal guardians." Hotaru then frowned, "Why did you tense like that, Akane?"

"I guess I am still getting use to the idea and dealing with the image of what happened to you fighting that whatever it was."

"Cardian according to Black Lady. It is created much like a ShadowSummons but these creatures are looking to absorb energy to save a tree their masters depend on. But they are using the wrong type of energy and so killing their tree. Fortunately this does not affect Uncle's plans. He will make his announcement at the regional championships this weekend. After two years of playing superhero we will finally be able to operate openly." smiled Hotaru.

"What do you mean 'playing superhero'?"

"Just watch the Dual Monster regional championship and you will learn everything."

"Well that explains Ranma and Ranko but what about Ryoga?" asked Sayuri.

Akane laughed, "Don't worry about her. She is so shy that she gets a too good look she'll pass out from a nose bleed. Besides if the stories about her getting lost are even half true I doubt we will ever see her in her male birth form."

Steelfeather smiled, "Interesting choice of pronoun, Akane."

Akane cocked her head to the side frowning, "Wait a minute, I said she." She then turned and looked as the girl dressing while her eyes were seemingly locked on the floor in front of her.

Steelfeather nodded, "It took us over a month to get here from the Pools and I have seen Ryoga in warm water form only twice all that time: when we met you at the dojo and first day of class."

At the end of the day everyone filed out and went home. In front of the Tendo household however Akane found a frowning Pegasus with a blond haired girl wearing a cloak beside him. "Pegs, I know that look," said Ranma frowning. "You had it way too many times dealing with Pops' antics."

"Ranma, right now I would rather be dealing with your father than Nephi." said Pegasus

"Nephi? Is she a new ShadowBeing you summoned?"

"No she is like Wiseman from the future. Problem is it is not the same future. Her little piece of idiocy has forced me to make some last moment changes in my plans."

"What did she do that has you so angry, Pegs?"

"This young lady next to me is Kujaku Mai and until lunch time today she was human. Nephi somehow merged Mai with her favorite card and turned her into this." said Pegasus removing the cloak.

"Harpie Lady." whispered Ranma looking at Mai. "She is as striking as Steelfeather." Ranma then looked at Pegasus, "Is she as good a fighter?"

'I knew that was going to be his response.' thought Pegasus as he smiled 'Hopefully it will produce the reaction in Mai I am looking for.'

"You don't see me as some sort of freak?" asked Mai.

"Freak? Why on Earth would I think that? I trained with a Harpie Lady for five years. Why would I think you were a freak?"

"Shampoo agree with Ranma. You very pretty and part of power respected by Honored Ones. Why you think yourself a freak?"

Mai burst into tears and hugged Ranma, "Thank you. Thank you."

"Not to throw a wet blanket on this but I think my father is not going to be happy with another house guest." said Akane.

"Don't worry about that. I just hope you don't mind me moving the Castle so Mai can be close to her new friends." said Pagasus as a shadow fell across them.

Looking up Nabiki gulped. Floating above them was a huge ominous looking Castle. "Hey Pegs, isn't having the Castle of Dark Illusions here going to cause problems?" asked Ranma.

"Once my little announcement is made, no it shouldn't. In fact, it is planned to have the exact opposite effect. You are looking at the headquarters for the League of OtherWorlds."

"League of OtherWorlds? What is that?" asked Akane.

"A sort of League of Nations for other realities where the varied worlds can hammer out their differences." grinned Pegasus gestured with his hand, "We already have representatives from the ShadowRealm and Sazan here and I plan on adding more as time goes on."

"Pegs, with all due respect DID YOU SPEND TOO MUCH TIME WITH POPS OR WHAT?" exploded Ranma. "You said yourself that only two ShadowBeings have shown any self will, Pendragon has no memory of who she even was, and Pai has been doing the Ryoga in warm water form bit for 300 years."

"I had planned to use the aftermath of the tournament on Duelist Kingdom to attract a better cross section of representatives. Nephi forced me to move up my timetable, and I am not happy about it. By the way the total is now up to three. Liltha a Dark Elf I summoned to help train one of my player eliminators has showed self-will."

"And how is this group supposed to work?"

"The reality is it can't not with that few people. But we have to give the impression that these other worlds are not going to invade Earth next Tuesday." Pegasus then smiled, "ShadowBeings have already captured Nephi and her friend Chubi-Usa so at least those two will not be running around going Genma on us for a while. And I brought my dear friend Shadi."

Ranma nodded at the boy in the white turban who walked forward, "Greetings, Saotome Ranma."

"Greetings, Shadi, wielder of the Millennium Ankh and Scales." replied Ranma.

Shadi frowned slightly and nodded, "Pegasus brought me to help Pendragon remember who she is."

"How?" asked Akane, "I thought the Millennium Items could only read surface thoughts and long held memories."

"That is the power of the Eye, my dear. Each Millennium Item has a different power. The Ankh can look into a person's deepest memories including ones they have themselves forgotten." responded Pegasus.

Shadi's frown deepened, "Don't you feel you are being a little free with that information, Pegasus?"

"Not at all," said Pegasus squatting so he could see Akane's forehead. "Thought that was why your soul was incomplete but I do not sense ShadowRealm Ki so I assume either Ranko or Parvati has themselves a new Wu."

"Her sister got a little greedy, and things got out of hand," frowned Ranma. "It was the only way Ranko could think of saving her life."

"Well shall we go in and make the offer?" said Pegasus as he walked to the house and knocked on the door.

After a few minutes of talking Pendragon agreed to letting Shadi go through her mind. Shadi brought the tip of the Ankh in contact with Pendragon's forehead and for a minute nothing happened then Shadi suddenly widened his eyes the Millennium Ankh dropping from his hand pulled to his chest by the strap he used to wear it around his neck. "I can't believe it."

"Shadi, what is wrong?" asked a nervous Pegasus fearful that his old friend has found out some horrorable thing about Ranma's old sensei.

"She... She is Omikami Amaterasu?" stammered Shadi his eyes nearly bulging from their sockets. "Saotome Genma the prize idiot of martial arts was a descendent of Omikami Amaterasu the Supreme Kami of Japan?" Shadi said swaying. He then seemed to compose himself and sighed, "Well they always say you can pick your friends but not your relatives."

"I knew you were powerful when I first met you but I never dreamed..." Pegasus said frowning, "Any idea on why she lost her memory in the first place?"

Pendragon who had been simply standing there suddenly started falling. Quickly Ranma ran and caught her. "I am sorry. I guess the shock of a human barbarian like Commodore Matthew Perry having so much power was a little too much for me." Pendragon looked around her as she stood. "What a strange house. Where am I?"

"You are in Tokyo which was known as Edo. Hate to give you another shock but Commodore Matthew Perry has been dead and buried for nearly 130 years," said Pegasus smiling, "my dear Omikami Amaterasu."

"You seem to be confident for someone facing what the Japanese people regard as a major Kami."

"Because I know for your all your immortality, eternal youth, and great magic power you like all Sanjiyan Unkara are beings of flesh and blood," chuckled Pegasus warmly. "I also know that supposedly the only time where more than one subspecies of Homo sapiens around was between 100,000 to 40,000 years ago. Since this was the first indication of man burying their dead I would say that in reality there were three subspecies of Man running around back then - Neanderthal, Cro-Magnon, and Sazan. Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon interbred producing modern man while Homo sapiens Sazan went to another Earth to live. But they would on occasion come back and interbred created what in Western culture would be called demi-gods."

"So do you consider you superior to us?" asked Amaterasu giving Pegasus an unreadable look.

"No, not even with my access to the Shadow Games."

Amaterasu flinched and then gave Pegasus an icy glare, "Shadow Games? I would warn you to take great care. The Shadow Games are no toy."

"I am not the one who needs to be told that." Pegasus replied his voice taking on a slightly less jovial tone. Ranma noticed Amaterasu shift and blink her eyes rapidly for a moment. "Finding out there you are not the only one there?"

"She calls herself Pendragon." Amaterasu then got a very nasty smile looking at the armor she was wearing, "I warned Tokugawa Ieyasu that one day the people of Japan would curse him and his dynasty for continuing the tradition of deciding what actions made a person's soul clean or unclean, but this was not quite what I had in mind." Amaterasu then gave Pegasus a look, "Pendragon trusts you and I think I can trust her judgment. Could you tell us something of what you have planned?"

"Certainly as at least one of you is going to play a critical role in what happens tomorrow."

--

Pegasus fidgeted again. "Uncle, could you please stop that. You are making me nervous." said Hotaru.

"Sorry, Hotaru I just wish I could have done this on my own time table. Even though we have them both under tight wraps I do not trust either Nephi or Wiseman. I do not even know if involving this Yugi person was that good an idea."

"Well, be careful when you tell them about Neo-Queen Serenity."

"Well I certainly will not be using that name given that Joey's sister is named Serenity. Wiseman seemed to have pulled a card from my counterpart's deck when he hinted at the fate of Yugi's grandfather in his timeline to get Yugi to play." Pegasus then smiled, "Get ready the announcer is about to give us our cue."

Above them an announcer proclaimed, "And to present the trophy and deck of tournament cards is Hotaru Tomoe better known as Saturn Sorceress and her uncle the creator of Dual Monsters himself Maximillion Peg-a-sus!"

Hotaru blinked as the trap door opened and the elevator pushed them up into the lighted arena. She walked beside her uncle nodding to the crowd. She then noticed the boy's cheeks turning crimson as her uncle gave him the trophy; while she knew that her outfit was borderline cheesecake Hotaru didn't think her skirt was that short. Perhaps it was being in front of millions of viewers. "I am proud to give you this trophy proclaiming you regional champion." Pegasus said as Hotaru pulled out the sealed deck of cards Pegasus had given her previously, "I am also proud to have my niece Saturn Sorceress present you with these new cards, rules, and invitation for an exciting tournament at Duelist Kingdom."

Pegasus may have been smiling on the outside but he was frowning on the inside. His Eye showed him Weevil Underwood was willing to do anything even cheat to win. 'Already Ranma's obsession with honor is having an influence on the ShadowBeings as a whole making them very unreceptive to cheaters. Sending Panik after this jerk on the Island might save everybody some headaches and Weevil a trip to the hospital. Oh well, time for the moment of truth.'

"I also have another important announcement to make. Steelfeather come down here." Pegasus watched as Steelfeather glided down through the girders of the stadium drawing gasps from the crowd, "As my friend Steelfeather shows Duel Monsters is based on real creatures and real magic. Originally from the ShadowRealm she has been the sensei of my good friends Saotome Ranma and his sister Ranko without whose efforts in the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu I would say none of us would likely be here. I have pulled a Castle of Dark Illusions into this world to serve as a meeting place between Earth, the ShadowRealm, and another reality called Sazan. And here is a representative of that world as well." Pegasus said gesturing to the trap door which lowered and then raised revealing Pendragon. "Some 100,000 years ago Homo Sapian existed as three separate sub species; sapiens, Neanderthal, and Sanjiyan. Sapiens and Neanderthal interbred to produce modern man while Sanjiyan left this reality, their powers, abilities, extremely long lifespans, and knowledge forming the basis of our religions and belief in the afterlife. This lady is well over 2,500 years old and is none other than Omikami Amaterasu herself. Now if you must excuse us we must get back to the Castle in the Nerima ward of Tokyo, Japan." Pegasus said activating a transport card in full view of the audience.

Several minutes later Pegasus, Hotaru, Pendragon, and Steelfeather arrived in Nerima. "How'd it go?" asked Ranma.

"If it went well this place should be a media circus in about half an hour. Now remember what I told you, Ranma. Pull them into the ShadowRealm but do not play a formal game there, just go though a training match. I do not want a Shadow Game complicating things anymore then they already are." Pegasus smiled as he felt his package being opened, "Get ready, Ranma, for the first time you are going to step into the ShadowRealm. Follow the script I told you because you will literally be doing this blind until they are actually in the ShadowRealm."

'At least I will not be deaf as well,' nodding Ranma then began, "Greetings, Yugi. I am Saotome Ranma the friend Pegasus mentioned. He was approached by a group from one of our futures; a future where an idealist girl became ruler of Earth and tried to solve the world's problems by cleansing everyone of their evil. To stop this future Pegasus trusted Wiseman which has turned out to be a horrid mistake."

"Sounds like a great idea. No evil no problems," said Joey frowning. "So, what is the catch that caused you to trust this Wiseman creep?"

"That is not going to do any good, Joey. That is just a video tape; he cannot hear you." said Tristan.

Ranma smiled and touched the Puzzle around his neck, "Thanks to the magic of the ShadowRealm I can."

"Everything around us is now like a black and white photograph!" exclaimed Solomon.

"That is because I have pulled you into the ShadowRealm." Ranma frowned as this place seemed totally devoid of the normal variety of Ki he had felt around him on Earth and for the brief time on Sazan. "Shortly after Wiseman arrived two visitors from a similar but different future arrived. From what Pegasus was told you and your friends were critical to the formation of their future."

"So if you can hear me then what was the catch that Pegasus would trust someone like Wiseman?" asked Joey.

"The catch was that the cleansing is nothing more than a magical lobotomy taking away a person's will for with no will there can be no evil. If you don't like it you and your decedents are exiled from Earth forever. Wiseman and his family are from Nemesis, the tenth planet of our solar system beyond the orbit of Pluto."

"That is monstrous." said Tea.

"That is why Pegasus initially trusted Wiseman. We now both realize he is a poster child for the old saying fight the dragon long enough you risk becoming the dragon. Worst he is not the only person from such a future. Nephi is just as messed up as Wiseman as she changed somebody into a ShadowBeing rather than kidnapping them." Ranma then pulled out his deck, "Since this is partly our fault we are going to give you some pointers on the new rules."

Several minutes later Ranma was sitting in the dojo frowning, "I know that look. What is wrong?" asked Pegasus.

"There was only one type of Ki in the ShadowRealm. The same type of Ki I felt in Akane before Ranko made her Wu."

"That is because the domain within the Items is not the real ShadowRealm." said Shadow Pluto grimly.

"Not the real ShadowRealm? Then what exactly is in the Items?" asked Pegasus.

"A domain formed by the souls that have been trapped within the items," explained Shadow Pluto. "I am afraid I do not have the details on how it was created as I was not there and most of the souls either did not know or cared any more. There have been a few arrivals like myself after the formation of the items, either captured as part of a Shadow Game or wandered in thinking the domain within was one of the afterlifes."

"You mean all this time I have been dealing with some sort of Pocket Reality formed by some egomaniac who wanted to play God?" glared Pegasus.

"That is a very accurate summation. The reason some souls are coming out aware is you are adding to the game for the first time in they cannot recall how long. The broader the game becomes the more rich and varied the domain within becomes."

"Great. To avoid confusion in the future among ourselves we should call the domain in the items the Septrimono Realm." Pegasus then got up as he heard a van drive up. "Well sounds like the tent went up. Let's see how the first act goes."

Several hours Ranma and Pegasus sat down both weary, "Pegs, that was stark raving nuts. I almost want to put up with Kuno for a full day rather than deal with that again."

"Actually by American standards that was mild. I think they went into shock watching Pendragon and my niece practicing out back."

"While she is not unskilled your niece is nowhere near either Pendragon or Amaterasu's skill level. She relied on her Wu status to hold her own." grumbled Ranma.

"I am hoping you can fix that." Pegasus smiled, "The one good thing is the reporters were not expecting to walk into that."

"Shampoo feel overwhelmed." said the very depressed girl coming in from the back.

"Don't feel bad my dear. If legend is correct Amaterasu has been around since 660 BCE predating even the beginnings of the Roman Empire by over a century. She has had 2,600 years to practice and train. No mortal human could hope to match that without magical help."

"Do you really expect all the creatures out there to sit down and have a talk in your League of OtherWorlds?" asked Parvati.

"Parvati, I am not an idealist fool; I know there are beings with whom we can not reason with. That said Wiseman and Nephi have opened incredible opportunities for us to offer those we can talk to access to places and times where they do their thing with a minimal of interference including alternate histories." Pegasus then frowned. "Besides if I am right we are going to need all the allies we can get our hands on."

"There is something you are not telling us." said Akane.

"Very perceptive my dear. The odds that two futures that went defunct two years ago still winding up here are so remote that it is clear they were maneuvered here. There is a third player with preventing Crystal Tokyo on their list of things to do but they have not made their presence known."

"You think they will?"

"Not in a way we will like. Not at all."

As day turned to night and everyone went to sleep Pegasus had no idea just how prophetic his words had been. At the End of Time itself a purple robbed figure chuckled its voice masked by a synthesizer. "Patient. I must be patient. After so many eons of searching I have finally found a timeline that I could shape to my needs. Wiseman and Nephi are the catalysts that will change this world into what I require for my successors. It will, if events go the way I plan, test my final method to make Crystal Tokyo nonexistent and give me the peace of nonexistence through all of Time!"

In the early morning Ranma, Akane, Parvati, and Shampoo prepared to watch a Shadow Match, "You sure recreating this Mayuan, the Gray Dragon Wizardess is a good idea?" asked Ranma.

"Well Nephi did hint that she is able to fight the God cards and her name is a corruption of Ma Yuan the name given to a three eye reptilian Killer of Gods in an RPG supplement called Deities and Demigods. Besides I get the impression that Mayuan kept Nephi in line." Pegasus handed a deck to Wiseman, "Remember, Wiseman, for this to work you cannot summon anything without a tribute that is level 5 or higher; you simply do not have the Ki energy required. I play Ultimate Offering and both Mysterious Puppeteer and Red Archery Girl in defense mode."

"Interesting choice." said Wiseman smiling at the card he drew. "You are not the only one who can use Ultimate Offering though. I use it to play Neo the Magical Swordsman and Dragon of the Fortress #1 also in defense mode."

"I tribute both my cards for my copy of the Dark Magician and place these two cards face down," smiled Pegasus.

"Let's see what my brother's favorite card does," said Wiseman. "I tribute my two monsters and summon forth the Blue Eyes White Dragon."

"Wait a moment; did he say his brother's favorite card?" asked Mokuba.

"Never mind that. There is the fragment of a human soul in both those things!" scowled Parvati pointing at the field.

Pegasus frowned as Wiseman chuckled, "A human soul fragment, how interesting. What is the matter, Pegasus? Don't tell me that all this time you thought I was Kaiba Seto."

"I don't know whether to be relieved or appalled. And human soul fragment or not there is no self awareness in those eyes, Parvati. I play Soul Exchange and reveal my magic card to be the Power of Tao and use it with Soul Exchange to fuse Blue Eyes and Dark Magician into Mayuan, the Gray Dragon Wizardess." Pegasus said looking down at the new card that had formed "5000/5000? Attack and defense triple against divine beasts? What in the world have I done?"

"Summoned something else that has a full human soul." scowled Parvati slowing rising from her seat.

"My lord?" asked Mayuan looking around. "Where is my lord and master, and who are you people?" she asked angrily.

"A human soul and free will. Well at least that is something. I don't want to think what would have happened if she had turned out to have that slave mentality most ShadowBeings have." said Pegasus under his breath. In a far louder and clearer voice he then announced, "Greetings, I am Maximillion Pegasus, that is Wiseman and those are my friends. As for where your lord and master is, I could answer that question if I knew who he was."

"My lord and Master is the one who I freely gave my Ka and Ba to form his guardian beast the Blue Eyes White Dragon. My master is Pharaoh-Priest Horemheb son of High Pharaoh-Priest Ay." Gray Dragon Wizardess widened her eyes as she looked at Pegasus and promptly went into a kneeling position, "Forgive this one's arrogance, my Lord."

"Mind telling me why you are doing that?" asked Wiseman

Mayuan replied, "Because he wields one of the Sacred Items."

"Sacred Items?" asked an annoyed Wiseman.

"I believe that Mayuan here is referring to the Millennium Items." commented Pegasus as he touched a terminal beside him. "According to my computer Ay and Horemheb were both Pharaohs of Egypt some 3,000 years ago which is roughly around the time we think the Millennium Items were made."

"Pharaoh-Priest Horemheb ruled 3,000 years ago?" yelled Mayuan stunned. "But that means my lord and master..."

"Grew old and died a long time ago," said Pegasus sadly. "However from what Shadow Pluto said I know that reincarnation is a reality."

"Reincarnation? What is reincarnation?" asked an angry Mayuan quickly standing.

"Simply put reincarnation is where the soul instead of going off to the afterlife returns to Earth to be born into an earthly body and live another life." said Ranma, "usually without memories of the previous life."

"Small comfort that is Pegasus. It still means my tribe is gone, wiped out in their efforts to stop my fiancé from conquering this world by putting him into an endless dreamless sleep." sighed Parvati.

"Are you telling me the entire basis for the Hindu pantheon is gone?"

"Gone, dead, buried." Parvati then swayed for a moment, "Blast I am not used to being in control for so long. I am so tired."

"If you would follow our example and talk to Pai more often you would have a lot less trouble." said Ranma frowning.

"Ranma, you have heard her. She is a near total ditz who makes that mortal Kuno look like a genius. Also there are things in our past that it is best she does not know."

"You need to talk with her rather than shoving her off in some corner of your mind, Parvati." said Pegasus, "It will be healthier for both of you."

'It might be healthier for everybody to change the direction this little talk is going,' thought Ranma. "Hey, Pegs, I looked over the new rules and they are identical to those of a Shadow Match."

"That is because the last contests at my castle on Duelist Kingdom were to be Shadow Matches. Risky I grant you but given what I was finding out about the ShadowRealm at the time a worth while risk. That is why I have hired such ruthless Eliminators; to make sure those who do make it to the Final Rounds have what it will take to do Shadow Matches."

"As long as they make sure Pegs. The Shadow Matches in their own way are as dangerous as the Shadow Games you told me about. We want these people challenged not sent back home looking like they went through one of Pops ideas on training. Or worse." scowled Ranma.

"How are you going to challenge Yugi, Pegasus? Thanks to me the incident that made him challenge my brother Seto never happened. And because of that no one other than us knows he has Exodia in his deck. And without that battle or the Puzzle he will not send the corrupted spirit that possessed my brother to the ShadowRealm where you were able to use it as an Eliminator."

"Stop it!" yelled Mokuba, "I refuse to believe that you are either me or my brother, Wiseman. Or that your supposed future events happened."

"Believe what you will, younger self; but it does not change who I am or my history." growled Wiseman as his hooded face turned toward Mokuba.

"Key thing in that statement is that it is your history, Wiseman. Not our future. Not anymore." stated Ranma.

"Ah but there is the rub, Ranma. While there may be no Sailor Senshi here, they do exist in my time. My spell was a delaying tactic because at the time I thought I could really change history. How long do you think we have before Neo-Queen Serenity and her happy bunch of peace and love nutjobs come back here to deal with me? To deal with all of us?"

"We will deal with that problem if it occurs." said Pegasus.

"Not if, Pegasus. When," said Wiseman.

--

Those words were echoed in the mind of Ke Lun who was impatiently waiting on a boat dock on China's coast. Until now her only clues had been the fact the Sanjiyan Unkara Sham Pu had managed to tick off had spoken Japanese rather than Chinese and traveled east rather than west toward the Kunlun mountain range. Now thanks to an obsessive Duel Monsters fan here she did not have to search all of Japan. That the Sanjiyan Unkara had not turned the girl into a Wu was something but the idea of her training a Wu was a little on the insane side. Wu didn't need martial arts training because they could not be permanently hurt or even killed. That meant the Sanjiyan Unkara called Saotome Ranko had other plans. That she had found out from the Guide that there were two Sanjiyan Unkara one who had come to the valley that way did not help.

Ke Lun suppressed a shiver as she had seen and recognized the Wu mark on Saturn Sorceress. The knowledge had been obscure enough she felt it was not something somebody would have stumbled on in making a card game. That meant that the Saotome Ranko that the outsider male named Maximillion Pegasus referred to was the Sanjiyan Unkara Sham Pu had challenged. She pitied the poor woman as far as the Joketsuzoku were concerned becoming a Wu was a fate worst that death. At least they did not consume the soul of their Wu as some stories claimed but you still had a part of your soul gone unable to go into the next life for eternity, an eternal slave of the Sanjiyan Unkara that did the process. Ke Lun quickly boarded the ship she had hired and paid double to help speed the trip. Getting to Nerima ward, Tokyo and doing some major damage control was still a priority.

--

In the morning Nabiki woke up and looked up into the sky wondering how she was going to do damage control on this little matter. Higher then it had been at night floated the Castle of Otherworlds above her house its lights flashing even in the daylight. Kuno already thought her sister was under the control of Mai and the rest and this was going to feed his little fantasy world faster than anything else.

'Well this is a fine mess you made. Instead of waiting you had to rush things and royally mess up. Now your sister is something called a Wu, a guy who has revealed that Duel Monsters is based off something real who has his own little floating castle which is parked right over your house, and oh yes the fiancé you could have had if not for being so stupid is a decedent of Amaterasu.' Nabiki looked at her ledger and sighed, 'I wonder if continuing to give Kuno pictures of my sister is a good idea. While Parvati may not give any more after that piece of idiocy I did, the gem she did give will more than pay for the lost of his income. I think it might be best to cut my losses before Kuno-baby does something that royally pisses off these people.' Nabiki then got up closing her ledger and dressed for school. Eating breakfast she noticed that instead of Ranma Ranko was there. 'Oh that is right this is her week. Well I am certainly going to have a challenge keeping the rumor mill under control after that stunt Pegasus did Saturday evening.'

Ranko sighed walking beside Akane, "Ranma would really like me to keep this body fit. Are you sure they do not allow slacks?"

"It is not a case of allowing them, Ranko; we just didn't have any."

"Sham Pu still say Honored One should not care what mortals think."

"Sister Parvati disagree." said Pai frowning.

"Parvati is right," said Ranko. "The mortals have access to power that are staggering and I don't mean the Shadow Games. They have weapons that can level entire cities in a single stroke. Pegasus's country the United States used two such weapons against Japan some 40 years ago. Imagine 100,000 people gone," Ranko snapped her fingers, "just like that. Some vaporized, others, like what Pegasus suspects happened to Merlin based on what Pendragon told him, died a lingering death. The mortals' science has produced things as powerful as anything magic can do; it would be foolish to dismiss such power." Ranko then frowned, "Worse science allows them access to this power without either having the proper training or wisdom to use correctly. It is not like martial arts or even magic where you need to train to a certain level before you can really use a technique or spell. Instant power with little or no work."

"How about instant idiot with little or no brains." said Akane gesturing to Kuno who stood at the gates to the school. "I am glad Pegasus told us about the downside of using the ShadowRealm. It would be so easy just to Swords of Revealing Light the jerk until he gave up."

"Too much ShadowRealm energy in one place risks creating a bridge realm between our world and whatever exists in the Items. Duelist Kingdom is nearly one as it is that is why Pegasus is keeping Wiseman and Nephi in the Castle less they do something that upsets the balance."

"Ah what fair vision is this before the Blue Thunder?"

'Oh joy he is starting to do the 'I must have them both drivel.' This was annoying the first time through.' mentally groaned Ranma.

"It is a vision of you going into orbit." growled Ranko kicking Kuno skyward in a place that sent shivers down every male in ear shot. "Hey, Akane, which you think went higher? Him or his voice?"

"Definitely his voice." giggled Akane.

"Shampoo think it take Stick Boy a while to get back as he not going to walk right for a while."

"Well it does go with his not able to think right very well, I think."

"I must say that is a little brutal but from what you told me of the guy somehow fitting," chuckled Mai.

In the homeroom Sayuri chuckled, "Hey, Ranko, I am impressed. You really showed Kuno."

"For all the good it likely did." frowned Ranko.

"Don't tell me you are sorry for doing that."

"Hmm? Oh good heavens no. But there was something wrong with Kuno's Ki aura."

"What Ranko mean?" asked Pai.

"I mean in most people one type of Ki dominates and is the easiest for them to access. For me it is blue for confidence, Akane red for anger, for Ryoga orange use to be her color but since she is not depressed her ki has shifted to a more blue. But Kuno's Ki looks like a box of crayons wildly shifting from one color to the next."

"You saying that the color of Ki can determine a person's dominate emotion?" asked Hotaru.

"Emotion or attribute. Why?"

"Because after seeing what it could do I tried to generate a Ki ball like Parvati did, and I get this color." said Hotaru gesturing. Inside her hand was a fist sized ball of Ki. But what stunned Ranko and Ranma was that it was black.

"Black Ki? Neither I or Ranma have any idea that that color means." Ranko said letting Ranma reach out and try and feel the Ki with her senses. "But it feels like the same sort of Ki we felt within the Septrimono Realm. The same kind of Ki we felt from Akane before making her my Wu."

"That was to save my life Ranko. If you had not done that I would be... dead." Akane finished looking at the ball of black Ki a horrid thought occurring to her. "Ki is colored not just emotions is it?"

"In theory that is correct. But Ranma only met one or two masters who could use neutral Ki and it did not feel like this. We both find this Ki disturbing."

"Pai's sister Parvati say with good reason. She had felt this before but at a much lower level. This the Ki a person has at the moment of death, but not understand how it can be sustained."

"Shadow Realm. The Realm of Shadows. The Valley of the Shadow." muttered the Tannin-English teacher looking at the ball of black Ki, "Also known as the Realm of the Dead."

Ranko shook her head, "Steelfeather does not have Ki like that. Never did. We could not feel anything like that from Pegs' wife Cynthia either and she was dead. No I do not think the ShadowRealm itself is the Realm of the Dead though the realm of the Items may touch on it along with the ShadowRealm."

Akane and Pai looked at Ranko, "What do you mean Cynthia was dead?" asked Akane.

"That is how Pegasus got his Eye in the first place; he was looking for a way to bring his wife Cynthia back from the dead. It was not until he bumped into Pops and the Sazan Ryu that he gained enough knowledge to do it and even then Pegs thinks it was only because her spirit hung around him after her death the whole thing worked anyhow."

'I take you don't want Akane trying to bring back her mother.'

'Of course, Ranma. She may have moved on making such a project doomed to failure. Also eventually somebody is going to dig far enough to find out Pegasus Cynthia died and was buried some five years ago and we need to nix the idea that the Items can bring back anyone.'

The homeroom teacher shook his head, "Class, we have two new students. Please introduce yourselves." Mai rose, "I am Kujaku Mai and I am a Harpie Lady." at which point she quickly sat down. Then a young boy rose who Ranma recognized immediately, "I am Kuonji Ukyo a practitioner of Okonomiyaki Kakuto."

'What? I thought we had a little more time before she showed up!' thought Ranma franticly.

'I think Pegasus's announcement gave her search more of a focus than in the original timeline. Result, she showed up early.'

'Great, so how do we deal with this? Akane is already set up to be my wife.'

'Same way we deal with the fact Pai and Parvati have no family name; we adopt them into the Saotome clan.' smiled Ranko as she composed a note and then had it handed off to Ukyo. 'Well lunch time should allow us to clean up this mess.'

Lunch time came and Ukyo walked over to the tree where Ranko, Akane, and several others were eating their lunch, "You wanted to talk about me regarding your father Genma and brother Ranma."

"Yes. First Pai I want you to know that we love you and Parvati like sisters and since your family is gone Ranma has decided to adopt you and Parvati into the Saotome clan." Ranko said talking bite of her sandwich.

"Pai so happy. Since Ranma love Pai and Parvati does this mean Ranma will make love to Pai and sister?"

Ranko promptly started choking on her sandwich, 'WHAT DID SHE SAY?' asked Ranma in a mental panic. Ranko finally got Ranma and herself calmed down while some of the girls went, "That is sick!"

"What sick? Amaterasu and Susanowoh brother and sister; sire many children. Same true of Zeus and Hera, as well as Osiris and Isis." smiled Pai. "Besides Pai find out royal families do similar thing with cousins so not sick."

"Pai, we have really have got to get you up to modern traditions rather than you working with something out of the 1600's." sighed Ranko. 'Mainly so you don't give me and Ranma any more scares like that one.' Ranko then shifted, "Back to the reason I wanted to talk to you. I have been going through my brother's memories and found some disturbing things. Ranma remembers you as a boy but the way Genma acted regarding your cart makes me wonder. So which are you, boy or girl?"

Looking around Ukyo opened his shirt to reveal bandages on his upper body.

"Ucchan hurt?" asked Pai.

"No, Pai those aren't bandages for wounds; they are binding bandages. They are used to hide the fact that Ukyo is really a girl." said Nabiki.

"Great going, Pops. You are so lucky you are dead. It saves us the trouble of beating you into a bloody pulp." groaned Ranko rubbing her head.

"Dead? Did you say Saotome Genma is dead?" asked Ukyo.

"Dead, buried, pushing up daisies however you want to phrase it," grimaced Ranko, "And since you are female there is only one reason I can think of for Genma winding up with your okonomiyaki cart. It was a dowry wasn't it?"

"Yes it was." glared Ukyo.

"Well we can deal with this by either admitting that you lost the cart to that Bakuchioh King jerk but the fact he cheats makes that whole mess suspect or we go with my original plan which was to adopt you into the Saotome clan as our sister."

"Why not go through with the original plan to have me as Ranma's wife?" growled Ukyo.

"Because to save her life I had to make Akane my Wu. Ranma and I agreed that I would make his wife Wu and we would use the Pool he fell into at Jusenkyo to make her Sanjiyan Unkara and him her Wu."

"What is a Wu? And does this have to do with that insane story that you and Ranma share the same body?"

"A Wu is an unkillable guardian that we Sanjiyan Unkara choose to protect ourselves when we are helpless," replied a gentle voice, "and the answer to your second question is yes."

The group looked up, "Oni-chan." laughed Ranko.

"The Kami must be smiling on the Blue Thunder for him to be blessed to have so many loves." Kuno proclaimed to the woman.

"Uh, Kuno, that may not be a good idea." said Nabiki, 'Like coming on any of these Sanjiyan Unkara could ever be considered a good idea.'

The woman smiled her left hand going to the scabbard her thumb resting just below hilt of the sword. "I think you have me confused with someone else, young man."

"Formal speech?" chuckled Ranko, "Oh that means Amaterasu is out. This should be fun for the two seconds it lasts."

"Ah the Blue Thunder sees. He must prove himself by defeating you so that you may admit your love." Kuko then charged with waving the bokken.

The woman frowned and in one swift move the bokken was reduced to a stump. "As I thought, you are no Kunjutsuist." she said. She then looked at the sword in her hand turning the blade over in thought. "Then again this is no katana." the woman shook her head and passed the stunned Kuno who was still staring at the stub of his bokken. "Ranko-san, what is that?"

"That is the school idiot. He thinks every woman that catches his fancy is in love with him. If they say otherwise he thinks he has prove they are in love with him by defeating them in combat." Ranko shook her head, "Though you have managed to quiet him without pounding his sorry hide into orbit or at least into the next ward. Beautiful Ianijutsu I might add."

"Yes but I have not used a sword like this before. How was I able to use it so well? Pendragon is still in the depths of my mind."

"Likely something Pegasus called muscle memory. You do something so often that it is automatic. I imagine Pendragon practiced with Excalibur regularly and since you share the same body your muscles know how to react even if your mind did not." Ranko paused, "So what brings you out here?"

"I thought you would like to know how you are related to me," Amaterasu said resheathing the sword, "A long time ago a daughter of the Emperor who was traveling to her future husband was attacked by bandits. She alone survived but with no memory of who she was. A samurai of the Saotome clan took her in and valiantly tried to find out who she was. I found out her husband to be was dishonorable and appearing to the samurai gave my blessing for him and the Emperor's daughter to be wed. However to keep the Emperor from interfering I told none of them what had happened; she grew old and died without knowing the truth but she died with her honor intact something that would have likely not have happened had she married that other person."

Unbuckling her scabbard and setting it down on her right Amaterasu sat down. "Ah this is so pleasant. To temporarily lay aside formality and simply enjoy the company of others." Amaterasu then frowned, "though Pendragon cannot tell me what happened to my fellow Kami. Seems they were all gone by the time she woke up; a fact that troubles me greatly." Amaterasu shook her head, "Oh well that has been a mystery for 120 years, but I overheard something about adopting this young lady into your clan."

"Yes, it seems Pops was a little free with promises he could not keep."

"That is a polite way of say he was being a dishonorable idiot. Shadow Pluto showed me what your brother's life would have been if you had not met me as Pendragon." Amaterasu looked Sham Pu in the eyes her own turning as hard as flint, "I bare you or your people no malice for what you did in that other history even though you falsely claimed Ranma to be descended from a grave digger who in fact died childless, but try that crap in this one and you will have a blood feud with me. Understand?"

Sham Pu gulped, "Shampoo understand, Honored One."

'She must have seen a history where we did not meet Sailor Pluto.' thought Ranma, 'Looks like she did not like what she saw at all.'

"Since Shadow Pluto showed you my brother's past you then know why I am doing this." said Ranko.

"Yes and I approve. This young lady showed promise in the other timeline though near the end her desperation caused her to make some unwise choices. It will also address the other marriage arraignments the fool made."

"OTHER MARRIAGE ARRAIGNMENTS? WHAT OTHER MARRIAGE ARRAIGNMENTS?" screamed Ukyo.

"Could you yell that little louder I think there are some monks in Tibet who didn't hear you." winced Nabiki as she tried to shake the ringing in her ears out.

"Given what happened she has every right to be furious and so am I. Not to mention sickened by the fact that Genma was of my blood line. At least Ranma and Ranko have shown themselves to be people of honor in this history."

'Oh oh, I defiantly do not like the way she said that. I guess some of my efforts to get cured angered her.' thought Ranma.

"Oh well. While Wiseman and Nephi show time travel is possible it does not do you any good as your own present remains as it was. That means doing damage control on Genma's stunts. Though, I find parents who value their children's future so poorly as to make such agreements in the first place equally disgusting. Given the situation and the question of given loosing your potential dowry to a cheater before the agreement adoption is the best method of solving this mess. After all no one in their right mind would want a blood feud with a line descended from me, Omikami Amaterasu."

"Omi. Kami. Amaterasu?" asked Kuno weakly slowly turning, "How can this be? No sorcerer is that powerful. No sorcerer can have enslaved the supreme goddess of Japan."

'Hey it looks like Kuno is finally getting a clue.' thought Ranma.

"There is only one explanation. You are a foul demon pretending to be Amaterasu!"

'Well there goes that hope. I think we better step in before either Amaterasu or Oni-chan kills the idiot.' mentally sighed Ranko.

Amaterasu's right eye started to twitch, "What did you say?" she asked her third eye opening as she slowly rose.

"Never fear, Akane, the Blue Thunder will rearm himself and free you from this sorcerer's demon servants." said Kuno as he ran off to find another bokken.

Ranko watched as Amaterasu gripped her hand into a fist that was so tight her nails drew blood, "Amaterasu, he is just a delusional mortal idiot. Not worth bothering with."

"That hurt. I have not been insulted like that since Susanowoh tried to force a union between us and I ran into that cave." Amaterasu them developed a smile but it was not a pleasant one. "He wants a demon? Well thanks to Pendragon he can meet a demon; a demon named Omikami Amaterasu."

"Now don't go off and do something crazy just because you are ticked off at the school idiot. You are supposed to be the model of Japanese decorum and tradition..." started Akane.

"The, I believe the phase is, poster child for Genma's idea of women as weak weepy little things." grumbled Amaterasu, "While his ideas on women were not uniquely his, they were out of date. Some traditions are good as they provide stability but others are harmful as it narrows my people's growth. I think I should pay respects to Japan's last Shogun in Norfolk, Virginia as it will clear my head and dull my anger." she said reaching back, picking up, and putting the scabbard back on. She then walked off her face now a mask showing no emotion.

"Boy, Kuno really hit some nerves there." frowned Ranko.

"Perhaps you should talk to her." said Ukyo, 'Even if that woman is not the real deal there is no way I am getting into a blood feud with someone that skilled with a sword.'

"Problem is I am not as skilled in Kunlun travel as she is. I could wind up anywhere in the United States." replied Ranko.

"Shampoo not understand. Why last Japanese Shogun be buried in foreign land?"

"Because a Shogun is a military commander who had total control over the country sometimes beyond that of the Emperor himself," frowned Ranko, "The last person to have that kind of power was not Japanese; he was an American named General Douglas MacArthur."

--

"I cannot believe the gall of that Kuno." exclaimed Akane as they walked home after school, "Coming on to Amaterasu of all people."

"Akane, given the baffoon does what passes for thinking below the waistline does this really surprise you?" Ranko then tried the change the subject as Kuno was not high on her list of favorite things, "Kind of hoped Ucchan would join us. She has some impressive skill."

"Stick Boy worse than Mousse." grumbled Sham Pu, "At least he only fixated on Shampoo not every girl in sight."

'Ok so that didn't work. Might as well talk about the True Blunder.' thought Ranko, "I am almost tempted to use some of the Spring of Drowned Girl water on that idiot and send him to the Jakou but nobody deserves that."

Sham Pu shivered, "Honored One Ranko right. Even Stick Boy not deserve that."

"Huh? I meant not even the Jakou deserved Kuno."

Sham Pu stopped for a moment and started to laugh, "Honored One Ranko right. Despite what they do even Jakou not deserve Stick Boy."

"I think I would get the joke if understood more about these Jakou." asked Akane.

"They are a group that uses the Spring of Drowned Girl to strengthen their blood lines. They throw animals into the pool and marry them."

'Ranko, with all due respect that is sick."

"Pai and Parvati disagree. If animals given intelligence by pool then it alright."

"Afraid that pool only give human female form not mind, Pai." said Shampoo.

"Then Akane right that is sick. Pai not feel well thinking about it."

"Then don't. It will just give you nightmares." scowled Ranko who looked at Mai. "We need to see how well you can defend yourself in case that idiot comes after you to free his loves. A quick spar before dinner should give us a clue on what needs work."

Moments later Ranko was rubbing her head while Mai was pulling a blood soaked talon out of Akane's chest. "Ok definitely needs work." Ranko then noticed that it was very quiet all of a sudden. Looking up she saw Akane's wounds close up while Mai was looking at her blood stained hand in horror. From the doorway Nabiki was loosely holding her camera, 'Kami-sama, Akane dear sister, what has Ranko done to you?'

'I am like Hotaru. I can't die.' Akane thought putting her hand to her chest where the wound had been. She then glanced over at Ranko who was frowning, 'Ranko is concerned but not freaking. Why should she? I'm her Wu; her immortal indestructible guardian. How can I be taking this so calmly? I am not even human anymore!' Akane turned as she heard a sob.

"Is that why you so readily accepted me? Because you are not human either?" asked Mai tears in her eyes.

"No, Mai." said Ranko who pulled out a thermos and poured the hot water over her head. Ranma continued, "We accepted you because we know what you are going through. Well most of us do. I wasn't born Sanjiyan Unkara, Ryoga was not born Ran-Pao-Pao, and Akane was not born Wu. Sham Pu is human and well Pai and Parvati still have a lot to learn about being human. Using Pops as an example, just because you look human does not mean you are a good human being. I was treated far better by Pendragon a Sanjiyan Unkara and Steelfeather a Harpie Lady than by my own father who was a human being. I guess what I am trying to say being human is not so much what form you are in but what goes on in your head and heart. Does that make any sense?"

"Ranma saying being human more a matter of heart and mind than body?" asked Pai.

Ranma nodded, "Something like that. Let me give you an example, Mai. What would call a person who dug a pit, filled it with vicious starving animals, and then threw their only child into the pit after covering them in food?"

"An inhuman monster. But that is only a hypothetical case; no one would really do that." responded Mai.

"My father did that. To me. I was only nine at the time." said Ranma locking eyes with Mai.

Mai looked into Ranma's eye and saw only sincerity. "Kama-sama," she whispered.

"Fortunately I wound up in Pendragon's lap right afterwards. Otherwise who knows what other insane training Pops would have tried." Ranma then pulled out some manuals and started thumbed through them. "Blast it Pops, didn't you bother getting manuals that dealt with the basics?" Ranma grumbled as he went through manual after manual. "How did the baka expect me to teach anyone up to Dan level where they could actually learn some of this?"

Ranma finally snapped the last manual close. "Baka. Ok, I hate it; but I have no choice. Mai, the one thing you can do right now is fly. If the Blue Thundering Moron cannot reach you he cannot hit you."

"Isn't that going to attract a lot of attention?"

"No more than having a Castle floating overhead does." Ranma gestured with his thumb, "Though you are right in that I am surprised that other than the press we have not heard a peep from anybody. Well any way you can fly..."

"I can fly?" repeated Mai flapping her wings several times quickly becoming airborne. "I really can fly!" stammered Mai her eyes rolling up into her head and she fell down to the ground unconscious.

"Not if you keep fainting when you try it." sighed Ranma. "Come on Akane, let's wake up Mai so she can at least get used to the idea of flying around and then get Ranko out here."

Several hours later after dinner. "Well once you got over the shock you flew real well, Mai." smiled Ranko.

"Thanks, Ranko. Pegasus said it was best if I lived in the Castle. At least until he can convince the majority of the demon hunters that we are not part of some mad plan to take over the Earth."

"Mad plans seem to be more Wiseman's style. He still worries both me and Ranma."

"You should be more worried about my empty headed mother than Wiseman." frowned Black Lady from the door well.

"Come on, your mother cannot be that bad!" exclaimed Akane.

"My mother would regale me with her exploits. Believe me it can be that bad." Black Lady then stuck a dramatic prose, "For doing something I do not like in the name of the Moon I shall punish you!"

Everyone looked at Black Lady in her supposedly dramatic pose and started laughing. "You are telling us your mother spouted off and acted like Kuno? Well I guess it must have caused her opponents to get too busy laughing to do anything else." roared Ranko. When Ranko noticed Black Lady was not laughing Ranko got worried, "Please tell me you are exaggerating."

"Nope. If anything I look less ridiculous doing it because mother and her friends were doing in sailor school uniform like outfits."

"You mean in your future the world is ruled by the equivalent of a female Kuno? No wonder you guys wanted to change the future." groaned Ranko.

"Is it any wonder that Wiseman's back up plan was to wipe out everything? I mean who in their right mind wants to be ruled by a woman who spouts drivel like that everyday and has a husband who used do nothing but throw roses and make speeches of encouragement?" asked Black Lady.

"But that no happen so we not need to worry." commented Sham Pu.

"Problem is it did happen as far as Wiseman is concerned. If he could come back here what is going prevent Nincompoop-Queen Simpleton from coming back as well?" frowned Ranko. "Why do you think Pegasus is doing something this risky this quickly? Because he knows we need to build a defense before Queen Airhead shows up and tries to improve our world."

--

The next day Ranko woke up tired. 'Nice move, Ranko. That little reminder resulted in an impromptu War Council that threw out a lot of ideas but could not come up with a real plan of action other than wait and see.' thought Ranma.

'Sorry, Ranma. Everyone one was there when Wiseman made his little announcement and I didn't want him to appear to be another Genma.' Ranko thought as she went to the bathroom. Seeing Nabiki leaving it she frowned, 'At least I can address this problem.'

"Hi Nabiki. That stunt you pulled, it was not about money was it?"

Nabiki turned and saw Ranko giving her a thoughtful look, "No it wasn't." she admitted.

"It has always been about control hasn't? The money that control brings is just icing on the cake; though, not unwanted icing as I have not seen a single student since we came here."

"You seem to have a good grasp of things." scowled Nabiki.

"Enough of a grasp to realize that Kuno would not have been chasing Akane as long as he has unless someone was feeding his delusions. Soun is such an emotional wreck the only thing he is good for is as a walking water fountain. Kasumi is so busy being the mother of this household she has no life out of it. Akane certainly did not want Kuno's attention. That leaves you. But the one thing I have not figured out is why."

Nabiki snorted, "Ranma's father must have been a total idiot in martial arts if you believe Kuno degraded my sister's skill. Little miss can do no wrong sucked in the Art before Kuno got the idea she wanted to date him in his head. I thought Kuno going after her would wake her and father up; that it brought in some badly needed cash was as you said icing on the cake. Then he got the idea of the dating battles and things went on from there."

"And how long we you going to let that pervert go after me, sis?" asked a very angry voice from behind Nabiki.

Nabiki turned and faced Akane her eyes glowing with red Ki brighter than the one surrounding her body. "Put me in the hospital and we will be out on the street in a month."

Akane blinked her red aura wavering, "But the insurance."

"Used up roughly five years ago. Ranko called it right. Father has not had a student in years. Only the fact he had the house paid off allowed him to extend the insurance as long as it did last. When I set up my first betting pool I found out not only could I bring in the money we so badly needed but I could control people. I had power. With that power I could eventually have anything but what I really wanted. It may be a poor substitute but I take what I can get."

'Ironic, Nabiki wanted the same thing I did first time around; control over her life. But she didn't use martial arts and so I did not see it then.' thought Ranma.

"You think this power you have comes without a price?" glared Ranko, "Genma wanted total control over his son's destiny. It cost him his wife, what honor he may have had, a part of his humanity, and finally his life. Genma believed that his path to power had no price and all it got him was an early grave."

"You fell into a pool of power and gave Akane the power of Wu. Are you telling me there is a price there too?" fumed Nabiki.

"Yes, even if the cost is not totally clear now there is a price. Remember that Nabiki; all power has its price. You better know what the payment for your power is before you go any further."

"I have already paid my price. It was the death of our mother!" Nabiki yelled turning and going down the stairs.

--

Breakfast had been quiet which was made up by the trip to school. Steelfeather had joined the group to help give Mai some moral support trusting Mokuba's care to Shadow Pluto and Liltha. "I cannot believe that Nabiki was encouraging Kuno and his idiocy." grumbled Akane her hand flexing into a fist a red aura surrounding her. "That she would use me like that makes my blood boil."

"As I said all power has its price. Ranma's first three years of skill came at the high price of nearly no social life and abuse by an over enthusiastic father. Even with Pendragon and later Steelfeather keeping Genma in check Ranma missed out on any meaningful relationship with anyone other than his little training group."

"What is our price, Ranko? You hinted that you have some idea on what it is." asked Akane.

"To be in this world but not really a part of it. Having to deal with things that would send anybody but a Dan in the Art or hardened warrior running off into the hills to hide." Ranko sighed, "At least that is what the price used to be. Pegasus and his League of OtherWorlds has thrown all that out the window."

"But Honored One Ranko still believes there is price?" asked Shampoo.

"Oh yes Sham Pu. There has to be a price and sometimes the price is too high." frowned Ranko.

"Today the Blue Thunder will emerge victorious. I will defeat the evil sorcerer Saotome's Ommoraki and free you."

"Get airborne, Mai. You too Steelfeather. True Blunder has made attacking you two his project of the day and I do not want him at either of you right now." snapped Ranko as she blocked the bokken with her spirit staff. "Hey True Blunder, don't you at least know the difference between an Ommoraki and an European harpy?"

"The sorcerer Saotome has bewitched the pig haired girl. His lust knows no bounds but then neither does the bravery of the Blue Thunder!"

"That is it!" snapped Ryoga morphing into her Ran-Pao-Pao form destroying her outfit again and causing some nosebleeds, "I am tired of you bad mouthing us because you are living in some delusional dream world. PREPARE FOR PAIN TRUE BLUNDER!" yelled Ryoga as she started pounding on Kuno.

"Pai didn't know that body part bended like that."

"Uh, Pai, it doesn't." said Akane sweetdropping.

"Oooh that's going to hurt tomorrow." said Ranko.

"Yeh, Ryoga. Teach True Blunder his place." cheered Sham Ph who was jumping up and down clapping resulting her chest making movements that resulted in even more nosebleeds.

'I have got to remember not to get this guy or anyone else of this happy group mad at me.' thought Nabiki staring at the carnage being inflicted on Kuno.

Ryoga stepped back from Kuno pointing at the now pathetic figure, "Behold the eight wonder of the world, the human pretzel."

"Well at least that will keep him occupied for a while. Let's get to our class room before the bell rings."

"Hello, class. Looks like this is the week for new students." said the homeroom teacher his eyes starting to get an unhinged look, "Picolette Chardin II please stand and introduce yourself."

'Looks like Pegasus' announcement put up a neon sign saying 'Here's Saotome Ranma'. At least the Old Freak is in a cave or I would be worried that he would show up early too.' thought Ranma.

"I am Picolette Chardin II a second Dan in La Belle France Ryu, a Ryu that specializes in speed eating." said the young man smiling as he sat down.

'Ok time to nip this mess in the bud now.' thought Ranko, "Sensei. I would like to mention that my brother Ranma has adopted Pai and Parvati into the Saotome clan so you now have family names for both of them."

Steelfeather chuckled, "I wonder if you two just didn't get dealt Aces and Eights."

"Pai not get reference."

"It's an American term Pegasus talked about. A famous gunfighter was killed with those cards in hand hence the name the Dead Man's Hand." commented Steelfeather shaking her head. "I was there when Amaterasu was shown the future your brother could have had. Seems Ranko's father Saotome Genma and his pal Soun paid for a restaurant bill by promising one of their unborn children in marriage."

"Wait a minute did you say her father was Saotome Genma?" asked Picolette.

"Let Pai guess. Genma engaged sister to brother Ranma."

"Nope as Genma and Soun offered their, at that time unborn, daughters." smiled Steelfeather.

Parvati groaned taking over the body in her anger, "Oh that is just freaking great. Ranma and Ranko tried to so something nice for us and even dead the moron still managed to screw it up. ARRRGGGGHHH!" Parvati yelled a bright red aura shimmering around her filling the room with heat.

"Parvati, calm down before..." suddenly the room was filled with a downpour, "you set off the sprinkler system." Ranko sighed looking up.

"Can this day get any more screwed up?" growled Parvati who was forming steam as the water hit her hot aura.

"Even in great pain I the Blue Thunder will triumph." exclaimed Kuno as he hopped into the room waving his bokken in his one free hand.

"Does another appearance of Kuno the True Blunder count?" gestured Ranko.

"Never fear for I shall free you all from the evil sorcerer Saotome and his demon minions."

"Mind telling us how given you look like a human version of the Gordian knot?" asked Steelfeather her head resting on her folded talons.

"I fight on, thing of evil." stated Kuno as the tried to hop and strike with his bokken as the same time. Instead he managed to trip and fall down.

"What are you? The human version of Timex?" asked Steelfeather getting out of her seat, "Ok I am taking you to the school doctor so he and at least untangle you body and hopefully put you on something so your mind will at least work a little better than it currently does."

The Tannin-English teacher who had being watching his smile getting larger and wilder all the time finally burst out laughing, "Now I understand, I died and this is Hell." the teacher then ran out and down the hallway laughing like crazy, "I'm in Hell. BAHAHAHAHAHA."

"Ok, tell me how to turn this indoor shower off and then direct me to the school doctor." growled Steelfeather.

--

Author's note: Yes things are moving at a break neck pace even by the standard of assuming the 38 volume manga covers only a year but remember Pegasus effectively gave everybody looking for Ranma a roadmap. That means a lot of people will be showing up way earlier. It also means Ranma is going to have to deal with his mother a lot sooner than he wanted.