Dragon, Mages, and Martial Artists

by Dani Yanega

Mousse steals an artifact from Cologne, he uses it to send Ranma to another world. The problem was when he used it Ranma-Chan was fighting Ryoga and Kuno saw Mousse banish is pigtailed Goddess and hit him into the aftermath of the spell. Now all three are on a new world. A world at war with their Gods.

4. Chapter 4

Ranma 1/2:

Dragons, Mages, & Martial Artists

Crossover: DragonLance

By: Dani Yanega

Published 8-19-18 - Completed

(Dani: Legend is listed in Profile. My profile is also where I will address specific questions or issues that readers ask about.

I do not own many of the Characters in this story though some are mine all the KNOWN characters belong to those who originally created them. Thxs.

Please also NOTE I write Alternate Universe (AU) stories whether they are crossover or not. The AU applies to ALL characters. Thus this will make them OOC to the original Story and I like it that way. So if you plan to comment that Akane is not like that sorry I write her like I like to. This goes for all the characters it makes the story more fun for me to write that way. Got to have some antagonist and some friends :D)

Chapter Four

The growing group finally headed out. Tika went and retrieved some water during their delay so Ranma could change back. He thanked her after he had changed. They headed out, with Sturm and Tanis at the lead. They were followed by Flint the women and Riverwind. Raistlin followed behind them with Carmon by his side. The boys from Nerima followed them Ryoga and Mousse then Ranma. Tasslehoff was walking with Ranma.

"That was really neat what you did for Raistlin! Can you teach me how to do it? How long does it take to learn? Can I learn to fight as you do? Will you do that black lightning trick again that was really interesting?" Ranma just smiled at the little Kender and nodded or shook his head were needed.

Since they had gotten a late start, they decided to travel a couple of more hours after the sun had set. Ranma put his senses on full alert as did Ryoga and Mousse. They then spread out among the others as to be their early warning system. Raistlin's staff lit the way.

Ranma had let his aura show, so he could help with the lighting but was told quickly to shut it off. He looked at Raistlin with confusion and a little bit of hurt pride, as he wanted to help too.

"Ranma although, we are heading for a town that caters to mages. We are not the most favorite of people on Krynn. If you and your friends go walking into town glowing like that they will lynch us all." Ranma nodded his understanding and his aura winked out.

They finally found a campsite three hours outside of town. There were other fires nearby meaning other mages or travelers were headed into Kadesh. Ranma went to gather some wood and water while the others setup camp. He came back twenty minutes later soaking wet, female, and cussing up a storm.

"I swear that old crone must live everywhere! Stupid people can't watch where they throw out their water." She dumped the wood next to the fire pit and set the bucket down next to it.

She then stormed off to change into dry clothes. Ryoga and Mousse watched and actually felt sympathy for their enemy. For each had, had a run in with the old woman and her never miss ladle.

Dinner that night was light it was left over berries and nuts from breakfast and salted meat jerky. The group went to bed shortly after supper and Ranma changed back to a male before taking first watch. No one saw the glowing eyes in the trees at the far side of the camp. Its gaze fell on four things, the Staff of Magius, Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse. The visitor's gaze lingered on the male portion of the Nerima wrecking crew. The eyes watched Ranma most of all. He was sitting on a boulder over looking camp, his legs crossed in a lotus position. His eyes were closed and his face serene. He essentially looked as if he was asleep. That however was not the case.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ranma got comfortable on the boulder and took a meditative position. His back was straight and his legs crossed. He 3closed his eyes and let his senses stretch out into the surrounding area. No one really knew how far Ranma could detect danger. He of course knew. He practiced pushing his senses to their limits. He would push them farther and farther out. Just increasing their distance was not enough as he pushed them ever farther he had to wait and let his ability to read what they told him to catch up. He had to wait until he could trust what his senses told him at those distances before pushing them farther out. He was proud that he could check up to and sometimes passed one hundred and sixty yards (Dani: about 1/10th of a mile).

A guy had to protect himself from sneaky fiancées, crazy gymnasts and idiotic rivals. He did not get far when he felt the power near where Raistlin and Carmon were. It felt like the magical power in Raistlin only dark more malevolent. He felt its gaze on him and he let his body relax and his breathing slow. He wanted to and succeeded in giving the impression of being asleep. The watcher waited another five minutes to be sure all were asleep. Ranma figured he would not wait too much longer after all he would not want a shift change while he was there. The figure stepped out of the shadows and into camp. Ranma slowly opened his eyes a crack to see what it...he was doing.

All Ranma could see was black mage's robes. Though, he read everything about the man for putting in his juoural later. The man went to Ryoga and Mousse first and gently touched them for a moment. Ranma snorted quietly as those two above all should have felt this stranger near them. Ranma could tell though they were in deep slumber. He pulled his hand away and though Ranma could not be sure because of the light. He could have sworn the man smiled. The man turned toward him but did not venture toward him. It would have put him to far into the camp to escape. He stared at Ranma his eyes glowing like burning embers in the moonlight, from within his shadowy cowl. The mage then turned and headed for Raistlin.

Ranma had seen enough. He watched while the man tried several times to relieve his friend of his staff. Ranma quietly stood up on the boulder and pushed up and out as he flew over the camp. His direction took him toward Raistlin and the black mage. Ranma flipped in the air and then landed softly behind the mage. The mage was so intent on taking the staff he had not noticed the blue light glowing behind him. He had however noticed the angry golden hourglass shaped eyes. Eyes that had woke up because of the glow, but instead stared at him.

"Ack!" The mage jumped back into a solid wall he knew was not there before.

He reached back but quickly pulled his hand back as the heat was too much. He next began to sniff the air as something was burning. He looked over his shoulder when a gurgle escaped his lips, as he stared at the angry glowing demon behind him. He opened his mouth to scream but it died in his throat. He saw the demon kept pointing at something. His curiosity got the better of him and he followed Ranma's jester. It was then he realized he was on fire. He lunged forward, toward the woods a scream of terror and pain escaping his lips. The rest of the camp was up and looking around for the commotion that had awakened them. They turned to Ranma who shrugged his shoulders. With a cocky grin, he told them.

"Just a mage, he wanted directions to the stream." He returned to his perch and began searching the area for any other visitors.

Raistlin just stared at the martial artist a slight chuckle passed his lips as he shook his head. He rolled over and pulled his staff tighter into his grip before falling asleep. The rest of the group just stared between Raistlin and Ranma their mouths agape. When Sturm relieved him, Ranma jumped into a tree near Raistlin and Carmon and went to sleep but after years of traveling with his father, he left his senses on wide scale alert.

(l(l(l)l)l)

The group entered Kadesh, and took up residence at a local inn near the exit to the small town. They wanted to stay only long enough to replenish their supplies and to try to help the boys cure their curses. The companions left Ryoga, Mousse, and Ranma at the inn to guard their things. Raistlin and Carmon went in search of a cure while the others went to get supplies. The three boys sat at a table in the corner. As Ranma was in his element as he teased the two martial artists, a wide cocky smile that had been missing since they arrived.

"If you knew he was there why, didn't you big deal martial artists attack him when he touched you?" Ranma asked his eyes twinkled as he was in his element.

"You were on guard duty we were waiting for you to act!" Ryoga growled not liking his skills mocked.

"I thought that he wanted to have sweet and sour pork or maybe roast duck." Ranma said with a shrug of his shoulders as his senses began to warn him.

"RANMA!" Mousse laid a restraining hand on Ryoga's shoulder.

"Not now!" Mousse growled in a barely heard whisper.

Ryoga reluctantly nodded his agreement. He then noticed Ranma was acting strange, stranger then normal even for him. He let his senses flood through the room though not as strong as Ranma's. Ryoga stiffened as he felt the foul presence. Mousse tensed next to the lost boy as even he could feel the evil in the room. The two cohorts kept their eyes pinned on Ranma, as he seemed to be the most sensitive to it. They watched as Ranma looked around the room. Then his gaze fell on a man in black robes heading toward them.

The man was five feet eleven inches with unruly brown hair with with a receding hairline. He had a round face and deep brown eyes. Hi nose was long and crooked as if broken several times. It ended over a pair of slightly thicker then thin lips. He looked to be in his mid to late forties, and was heavy set (Dani: think FLABBY Genma). He carried an oak staff with an ivory carved skull on top that had yellowed with age. There was a black opal in the left eye and a white opal in the right. He wore a black set of robes similar to Raistlin's and had a large cowl collar that could be used as a hood. On his feet was a pair of black leather soft sole boots

"Greetings young ones!" He told them as he arrived at their table with false joviality.

"I am Dargus!" He bowed to them keeping his eyes on them at all times.

"I do not mean to disturb your festivities, but I could not help but sense an aura of magic around you three yet only one of you wears mages robes." He said as he looked at Mousse, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"We're not mag..OWW! That hurt!" Growled Ryoga after Ranma kicked him hard under the table with a chi-enhanced foot.

"I would ask you to join us, but we are waiting on our friends." Ranma told the man in black.

The mage fidgeted nervously as Ranma's eyes bore into him. His sapphire blue orbs glowing red in the firelight. Dargus then felt another pair of eyes on him and turned to see the boy in the white robes glaring at him as well. He knew they were not mages and that the magic in them was unique. It was magic that he wanted it was magic; he would use to claim what should have been his. The Staff of Magius belonged to him, not that upstart red mage. He was so weak, without the staff. He and his magic were useless. He smiled at the boys before him, reminding them of Nabiki about to make a deal. They all shuddered and turned from him. Dargus sat down next to Ranma who inched away from him. He leaned in toward them in a conspiratorial manor.

"I can tell that the magic within you is unfocused and uncontrollable by those such as you." He smiled as the look on their faces told him he hit home.

"I can help you. I can remove that magic from you and with it the problems it brings." Ranma looked at the man with distrust but Ryoga and Mousse saw salvation.

"You can remove our curses." They both asked, Ranma glaring at them.

"Yes and I will do it for nothing!" Dargus told them smiling to himself as the two across from him ignored the other.

"I need to know all there is to know about the curses before I can help you though. I don't want to do something that might harm you." His insincerity grated on Ranma's nerves.

Ranma sat and glared at Mousse and Ryoga as they told the man in black about the curses. Mousse gave the most information as he lived near Jusenkyo and knew the most about it. Ranma watched Dargus as he listened to them talk, the mage's eyes unfocused and staring. When they finished Dargus picked up his mug of ale and motioned for the boys to follow him. Ranma grabbed Ryoga and Mousse's arms. His eyes flashed anger at their gullibility.

"Are you guys stupid? Raistlin is going to remove the curses. We don't know anything about this guy except that there is an aura of evil around him." Ranma snarled in a low tone, Dargus watched from a distance.

"You don't own us Saotome! You may have faith in Raistlin but we are not sure. This guy says he can do it and we are going to let him try!" Ryoga snarled Mousse nodding his agreement.

"I shouldn't do this but I am going with you. I want to make sure you two don't regret this." Ranma said a sad look in his eyes, but neither Mousse nor Ryoga saw it.

Ranma followed the three out back into an alley. He sat down on some crates his legs crossed and his senses honed for any deception. Dargus stared at the pigtailed martial artist anxious and confused.

"I can not help you if you are over there young man." Dargus told him his eyes narrowed slightly.

"That is because I don't want _your_ help. I will wait for my friend to cure me." Ranma said a sneer on his face.

Dargus scowled, the magic from the two boys in front of him would be enough to get what he wanted. The fact that Ranma would retain his portion of magic did not sit well with him. If Ranma allowed Raistlin to have the magic of his curse, it could tip the scales back in the red mage's favor. Dargus smiled as an idea came to him. He walked over to a crate near Ranma and sat down his ale. He then took a few steps toward Ranma, as he expected Mousse and Ryoga stepped closer to him in an effort to be cured.

Dargus began looking through his pouches for the items he needed. He pulled out a crystal to hold the magic until he could transfer it to himself. He next brought out the herbs to weaken the boys so they could not fight the withdrawing of the magic or if by some chance they wanted to change their minds. Then he retrieved the final item, a small vial containing a potion that would erase the removal of their magic from their minds. One must cover one's tracks. Dargus smiled as Ranma and the two boys watched him intently.

He then pulled a small mortar and pestle from his robes. He sat them down near Ranma and began to mix the herbs with a little of the potion. Ranma watched him closely and when he turned his head to try to warn his companions against this folly. Dargus smiled and dropped some of the mixture in his ale, when the other two's attention was focused on Ranma. Ranma may not get much but any amount would be helpful. Ranma sneered at the other two boys. His eyes narrowed to tiny slits. Dargus watched him with a smile as he saw his opening coming.

"Look guys why don't you wait for Raistlin, this guy could be a crackpot mage wannabe. Look at him he probably couldn't cast his way out of a paper bag with holes in it!" Ranma smirked, as the mage grew angry.

"You don't know anything _boy_!" Dargus snarled and threw the ale at Ranma's opened mouth, as the cursed boy got ready for another tirade.

Ranma sputtered slightly as some of the ale went down her throat. Dargus watched fascinated as Ranma changed into a petite redhead with very nice endowments. He would even have some fun with her before he left. He would show her how to respect her betters. Dargus then turned to Mousse and Ryoga and handed them the bowl. Neither of the boys noticed that Ranma was no longer moving.

"Each of you needs to place a small amount on your tongues it will deaden any pain that might occur." Dargus then pulled out the crystal and began the gaining of his power.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Raistlin and Carmon walked toward the inn. Carmon tried to aid his brother. Raistlin glared at the gentle giant, his eyes narrowed to tiny slits. Carmon backed away a few steps as he watched his brother walk beside him. He watched, as his brother grew stronger and farther away from needing him any longer.

"Do not baby me brother I do not need any assistance." He watched as Carmon's shoulders fell and could not understand why he was doing this.

"Yet brother yet." Carmon perked up slightly then stopped as Raistlin paused at the entryway to the alley behind the inn.

"I sense black magic down here and I also feel the boys." Raistlin headed down the alleyway preparing a fireball spell.

He stopped in shock as before him stood a black mage with Ryoga and Mousse immobile in front of him but excitement on their faces. He then spotted Ranma-Chan trying to move, rage on her pretty face. Carmon stood behind him confusion on his face.

"What are they doing Raist?" He looked at his brother and took a step back at the rage he saw there.

Raistlin did not answer him as he prepared his spell. He saw as the black mage held a crystal out to the three boys and watched fascinated as the magic of their curses were pulled toward the crystal. He saw the pig's silhouette shrouded in a yellow glow. From Mousse, he saw the duck surrounded by a light green.

He nearly fumbled his spell when in a blue glow he saw not the curse being pulled from Ranma but that of his male form. He then noticed Ranma had broken whatever magic was used on her. She glowed a bright blue causing the black mage to turn and face her.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ranma-Chan could not move she tried to force her body to obey her. She could feel it respond just a bit but not enough to do any good. Ranma-Chan started to force her ki through her body in massive amounts. Finally glad for the fact the old ghoul, Shampoo and Kodachi had used so many drugs and potions on her. She had learned how to counteract them enough to break their hold. Ranma stopped struggling when the spell started to pull the curses from Ryoga and Mousse. It was when she saw her curse being pulled from her that her rage broke the last of the spell. For before, her in a blue light was not her female form but her male side.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Dargus smiled evilly as the curses had begun to leave the three boys. His smile widened even more when he saw it was not the female cursed form but Ranma's original form the spell pulled from her. His smile widened as the curses merged and began to coalesce in a large ball in front of him. He paused and watched transfixed his eyes widened with awe. While the magic dance before him in colors yellow, green, and blue blended. He watched as the human curse over powered the other two and absorbed them into it. He was glad to see that, as he had not wanted to turn into a duck or pig.

A blue glow from the side caused him to turn and when he moved the crystal, it directed the curses in the same directions. He stood in shock. For there stood Ranma-Chan on the crate as she, glowed a bright blue tinged with black. Dargus lifted his staff. He had what he wanted. The black opal within the skull's one eye had begun to glow. Dargus aimed his staff at the glowing redhead.

The magical fire slammed into Dargus' arm that held the crystal causing the mage to lose his grip on it. The crystal flew forward and landed at the feet of Ranma-Chan. The pull of the crystal still had the Jusenkyo magic and pulled it into Ranma-Chan slamming her back against the wall. It encased her in blue, green, and yellow. Her eyes widened and mouth opened in a silent scream.

"NNNOOOO!" Dargus screamed, as he tried to race forward but another fireball stopped him.

He watched in horror as his power retreated into the little redhead. He then turned and saw Raistlin behind him another fireball at the ready. A snarl appeared on his lips as he glared at his rival.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS MAJERE!" Dargus shouted enraged and threw a small vial on the ground before them.

Electricity sprang from the ground wrapping around Raistlin, Carmon, and the three Nerimans. It held them immobile as Dargus slunk back into the inn. The spell did not stop there. It opened each of their minds to the other. The group stood in horror as they lived the lives of the others. They were not just bystanders watching the others lives they actually re-lived the lives of each person. Raistlin and Ranma it seemed had lived lives that were similar but Ranma's was still worse by far. When the lightning that coursed around their bodies stopped, Raistlin collapsed into his brother's waiting arms. Carmon, Ryoga, and Mousse where effected the least of all of them. Raistlin watched as a weakened Ranma fell from the crates to land roughly on the ground before her enemies.

Ryoga and Mousse stared blankly at the wall across from them their minds frozen in horror at the lives lived by Ranma and Raistlin. They had heard the stories of Ranma's life but to live it was another thing altogether. They both decided they would have died during the Neko-ken training. The crash at their feet brought their gazes to the body of Ranma-Chan unconscious before them. Ryoga looked down Ranma's life still vivid in his mind. The images were soon pushed aside by the memories of his life. He decided that Ranma deserved that hell for what he had done to him and Akane. He then turned and walked away. He wore a sneer of disgust and self-satisfaction on his face. Mousse never took his eyes from the girl's sprawled form.

Ryoga stopped when the point of a sword met his throat. He followed the sword up and saw it attached to Carmon. In one arm, he held his weakened brother in the other his broadsword its point embedded in Ryoga's throat.

"You will pick her up and help carry her into the inn to our room." Carmon snarled at the fanged boy before him Carmon's face full of rage at what this fool had done to Ranma.

"She'll wake up on her own, I am not helping her!" Ryoga snarled back his anger growing at the warrior before him.

"Then you don't leave this alley alive!" Carmon growled in a low menacing voice pushing the sword deeper into his soft flesh.

"I still don't like you Saotome, but I now can understand your need to call even your enemies friend." The others attention was pulled to Mousse still standing over Ranma-Chan's body.

"Ryoga we took an oath of honor to help each other until we could leave. You leave her here and I will make sure it is known back home how dishonorable you really are." Mousse said not even looking up from Ranma's fallen body, remembering his shattered heart at finding the picture of Akane and Ryoga.

Mousse bent down and began to lift the limp body of Ranma. He draped her arm over his shoulder and pulled her to a standing position. Mousse soon had help as Ryoga stood on the other side of the unconscious girl. He draped her other arm over his shoulder and then helped to drag her to the Majere's room.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ranma slowly opened her eyes her mind cloudy and her memory Swiss cheese. She looked around and found herself in a room she did not recognize. She bolted upright, and then just as quickly fell back holding her head a low moan escaped her lips. A cool compress was placed on her head and she turned her head slowly a wince distorting her features, as she looked into the golden eyes of Raistlin Majere. Ranma gasped slightly at what she saw in the usually guarded eyes. She could have sworn she had seen pain, disgust, and pity as it flickered0_97 _5 acvoss the hourglass shaped orbsXloch. In a oove(that rdminded her mf #h"Û0 ¥!rrsid10248997 ;5Nabi+i, the emotions fled from the golden mawe afd became comd !nd compassionless.

"You, Ryoga and Mousse_will èave no!2ecolì%ãtion of what happened to you. I alreafY talked with them and they only remeeber us leaving the three of_inu in the inn. ×hqt eo you remember?" Ra:0 =678_04istlin asked the firl that was |ying on his bedôrch&40^charrsid00048997 ` guarded hope flashing quickly in his eyes.

Ranma closed her eyes and a jumble of memories coursed through her brain. Disjointed images of lives she had not led, of pains she never felt. Ranma opened her eyes as one memory stood out. A memory she was afraid to think of and more importantly afraid to believe. She slowly turned and looked at the mage next to her, the pain that filled his eyes confirmed what she feared.

"That _bastard_ locked me as a female didn't he." Raistlin was surprised she remembered any of what happened in the alley but nodded.

"He gave Ryoga and Mousse some herbs in a clear liquid. He told them...told them something about pain." Raistlin's eyebrow arched as he watched Ranma trying to remember.

"Did you take any Ranma?" Ranma slowly shook her head, then her eyes widened.

"He threw his ale at me and I swallowed some of it, not a lot but some." Ranma looked to her friend her eyes shining with tears she refused to let fall.

"Ryoga and Mousse had the potion full strength they don't even remember how they got to their room. I suspect yours was in the ale and thus diluted. He must have wanted all the magic from your curses. He needed you immobile so that he could steal yours as well." Raistlin said as he shook his head slightly.

"I suspect from your memories that all the drugs and potions people have forced down you, your resistance to them is fairly strong, coupled with the fact that he weakened your dose. It allowed you to get free easier. You will however have memory lapses but the fact you do remember some may help the rest of your memory to return eventually." Raistlin told the girl as she continued to lie on the bed staring at the ceiling.

"Then you all have seen my life." Ranma asked quietly not really wanting to know the answer.

"Yes, just as you and the others have seen ours, but only I and Carmon remember it. I have already told him not to tell the others, for like me I know you hate pity." Ranma nodded and smiled slightly at him.

Ranma turned her head back to stare at the ceiling. Raistlin paused shortly before going on. A scowl crossed his young face as images of the life Ranma led filtered through his mind. His golden eyes raged with fire turning them a coppery color as the images of the Neko-ken crossed behind his eyes. They were followed by a sardonic smile as Raistlin pictured the tortures he would put the bastard through if he ever met him (Dani: sorry censored, way to violent even for me *SHUDDER*).

"Ranma do you remember why you three decided to allow the black mage to remove your curse instead of waiting for me?" Raistlin asked a slight bit of hurt crept into his voice.

Ranma closed her eyes as she searched her fragmented memory. She tried to piece together as much as she could. Pictures flashed through her mind like snap shots in time. They were incomplete and out of sequence but she tried to put together what Raistlin had wanted to know.

"I don't know?" She finally said sweat pouring down her face.

"I only remember I didn't trust him, an...and I think I tried to keep them from letting him help them. I remember feeling the evil coming from him." She told her friend as she looked out the room's only window at the foot of the bed.

"I see I can believe that you probably did try to stop them. From your memories your encounter with badly cast magic and failed cures tended to make you more cautious." Raistlin told her as he rubbed his chin.

*BANG...BANG...BANG!*

"OOOOO! Make it stop!" Ranma whispered as she held the sides of her head not seeing the small sad smile on Raistlin's face.

Raistlin looked at the door an angry flush on his face. Ranma cringed and grabbed her head at the loud noise. Raistlin patted Ranma's shoulder then covered her up. He got up to answer the door. In front of him stood another redhead this one angry. Her green eyes flashed with rage. Carmon stood behind her pleading for forgiveness, Raistlin was sure.

"Where is she?" Tika asked her voice cold as she looked into the room.

She surveyed the Majere room for her quarry. Her eyes fell on the lump in the bed its breathing smooth and relaxed. Tika barged into the room and went up to the bed. She quickly gave Ranma-Chan a cursory examination. Ranma stared at her confusion in her sapphire blue eyes and embarrassment reddening her face.

"She will be moved to mine and Laurana's room we can not have a young girl in a room with two men." Tika told them as she stood up her hands on her hips.

"HEY!" Tika ignored Ranma's outburst, Raistlin tried to hide his smile.

"I am afraid that won't be possible. Do not forget _girl_ that Ranma is a _boy_ in a woman's body!" Raistlin told the angry redhead who would not budge on her demand.

"_SHE_ is now a girl and we will teach her to be a girl!" Tika told the mage a smug look on her face.

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!" The outburst had finally drawn their attention to the other redhead in the room Ranma glowed a dark midnight blue.

"I AM A GUY! I WILL NOT LEARN TO BE A GIRL! AS SOON AS RAISTLIN REMOVES THE JUSENKYO MAGIC I WILL BE A BOY AGAIN!" Ranma-Chan screamed as loud as she could to get her point a crossed.

"You didn't tell her did you?" Tika accused the red mage.

"Not yet but it seems my brother told you when _it was not_ his place to do so." Raistlin glared at his brother who looked guiltily back at his younger twin then over to Ranma.

"Tell me what?" Ranma asked confusion on her face her aura winking out.

Raistlin looked hard at Carmon who nodded. He came up and putting his hands on Tika's shoulders pushed her gently out the door. Tika struggled not wanting to leave the two alone, but Carmon would not let her reenter the room. Raistlin pointed to the bed and he sat down on the one across from it. Ranma sat on the bed her legs crossed as she stared at him, her head tilted to one side.

"Ranma can you remember anything that had happened as the black mage started to cast the spell." Ranma looked at the golden-skinned mage her mind sorting through her mental snap shots.

"I remember a fireball, lots of pain and a ball of blue, yellow, and green." Ranma looked at her friend a small smile on her face.

"Yes, well ah...um!" Raistlin tried to remember the mage's name from the shared memories.

"Dargus!" Ranma suggested to her friend as Raistlin nodded.

"Well Dargus was about to blast you with a spell and I stopped him with a fireball. It caused the Jusenkyo magic to collide with you. Ranma we don't think the magic can be removed, not without your death. It also locked you in your female form there is no way for you to turn back." Raistlin sat staring at the dumbstruck girl sadness for some reason he still could not fathom filled his heart.

"Ranma there is more!" The redhead looked at him not sure, if she wanted any more news today.

"You understand with my eyes all I see is decay do you remember." Ranma nodded a vague memory of that curse being laid on the mage.

"When we first met and I looked at you and your _frie...companions_, in your cursed form you had _no_ sign of decay as they didn't either. In your true forms Ryoga and Mousse had signs of decay but it was still not as it should be. As the decay tried to take over them, a white light would flare and stop some of it but not all. I would guess they would live almost as long as two maybe three elves." Ranma stared at the man before her, her mind absorbing all this information.

"You however when the light flared the decay vanished completely. I don't understand why there should be a difference unless it had something to do with how you got here." Raistlin finished his eyes trained on the redhead before him.

"Then something has changed hasn't it?" Ranma asked her voice small and uncertain.

"Yes it has, even though the magic of their curses have been removed. I can detect trace amounts still within them. This must be because of the length for which they had the curses. There is not enough for them to change but it is enough to affect them. I dare say if either fell into a spring now the new form would be their permanent body." Ranma looked at the only true friend she had her eyes widened with shock.

"Ryoga and Mousse will still live longer than average lives, though they are starting to show decay it is minimal and there is no white light to fight it back. They may now live the life expectancy of a single elf. You however...!" Raistlin paused unsure if he should go on.

"I however what?" She asked him her eyes flashing in the candle light of the room.

Raistlin looked at the girl as her icy tone ran through his body. No longer was there any white glow fighting the decay for there was no decay left to fight. Her entire body was shrouded completely by the white light. Sometimes it was so bright Raistlin could not look at her. He sighed and explained what he now saw. Ranma listened patiently nodding at what she was being told. When Raistlin finished, Ranma rose and walked to the window. She looked back at her friend then jumped out the window. Raistlin ran to the window a scream escaped his lips as he looked down but did not see his friend. He then looked up and saw her hopping from roof to roof, as she headed out of town.

(l(l(l)l)l)

"We have secured Genma. He can't leave until I release him." Cologne told the others as she returned to the main room of the Nekohanten.

"I am afraid my husband has finally done something even Soun will not forgive him for." Nodoka shook her head, her eyes filled with pain as flashes of her husband's journals flash through her mind.

"Yes true, but that will be taken care of later tonight. Right now we need to try and reach son-in-law." Cologne told them as she placed an old chest on the table.

"I do not know if there is a time displacement where they went but if there is it should not cause the spell any problems." She told them as she rooted around in the chest.

"I do not know how long you will have to talk to son-in-law so tell him what you have to say and say it quickly." The elder continued as she placed candles, a small burner, and small metal bowl in the center of the table.

Shampoo came in carrying a tray of an array of herbs and spices she sat them down next to her great grandmother. An eight-inch fighting knife on the tray also. Cologne sorted through the small bottles organizing them for easy access. She then began her preparations.

The assembled group watched as Cologne placed the fragments of the artifact into the bowl with some of the spices and herbs. Shampoo lit the candles as Cologne began to crush the mixture together in the bowl. She then picked up the knife and making a slice across her palm of her left hand. She let some of her blood flow into the mixture. She then held out her hand to Nodoka who looked at it with confusion.

"For the spell to work it needs some of the caster's blood as a magical catalyst. It needs your blood to use it as a tracking device to locate son-in-law. The panda has already made his donation." Cologne smiled like a shark on a feeding frenzy.

She pulled a vial from her robes filled with the dark red liquid of life from Genma Saotome. Nodoka nodded and held out her hand. Cologne made a slash across her palm and let her blood flow into another vial. When the small receptacle was full, she pressed some of Nodoka's shiatsu points to slow the flow of blood and speed her healing.

Nodoka and her family watched the Amazon as she placed a dressing mirror of extreme age on the table. It was square and they could tell hand made. It had a dark oak frame with dragons carved around it. The mirror was three feet tall and two feet wide. The mirror was attached to a stand so that it could sit freely on any flat surface.

Nodoka's mother pulled up a chair next to her daughter on her left and her father took the one on Nodoka's right and then placed his behind his wife. It bothered the Takashi patriarch that he must take this position, but he also understood the Amazon's matriarchal society, after all an international business conglomerate must understand all his customers.

Cologne placed the burner and small metal bowl of her blood, herbs, and spices in front of the mirror then took her seat. She then added Nodoka and Genma's blood to the mixture. The group then listened as she began chanting over the mixture with arcane words they could not understand. They watched as she took a long sliver of bamboo and lit it from one of the candles. She then lit the mixture.

A flash of flame shot up then a cloud of gray smoke with red tinge billowed from the bowl. It clung to the front of the mirror. They watched as the gray smoke moved over the surface of the mirror as though it were alive. They all gasped as an image began to appear in the mirror. The first thing they noticed was the bright red hair as the image had begun to clear.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ranma finally stopped running when she reached a clearing in the forest surrounding Kadesh. She jumped up into the nearest tree and rose in its branches until she was hidden from anything below her. She sat on a fairly, heavy branch. She took a deep breath but refused to cry. She would not allow that _bastard_ the satisfaction. She sat on the branch her head bowed her hands clenched into fists in her lap. Her hands so tightly clenched that her knuckles were white and her nails dug into her hands cutting open her palms allowing them to bleed unchecked.

She leaned her head back against the tree and looked up into the sky. She stared at the constellation of the scale for Gilean, the only God still in Krynn's sky and the God of neutrality. As she stared at the stars, her eyes fell to two of the moons of Krynn Lunitari and Solinari. The last moon Nuitari was seen like those of Dargus' ilk.

She watched as the two moons moved through the sky looking like they were almost touching. She remembered Raistlin telling her about soon how the two moons would overlap and would look like a eye but with no pupil. She slowly closed her eyes as exhaustion and stress over took her. Her head leaned against the tree trunk. The two moons light covering her like a blanket in the night. A faint glow of black showed on top of the red and white light of the other two moons.

The three moons illuminated the area when their glow on Ranma was blocked suddenly as a ball of grayish smoke tinged with red formed in front of her. The smoky ball darkened and began to solidify as it hung suspended in the air in front of the dozing martial artist.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ranma's mind was a jumbled mess and disjointed images of what happened in the alley flashed through her dreaming mind. Memories of those she left behind as she slept precariously perched in the tree, as her subconscious mind began speaking to her in her mother's voice.

"Ranma!" The voice brought forth the image of her mother; Ranma stretched her hands toward the image in her mind.

"_Ranma_, dear wake up!" Ranma's dream took her home to her own room in the Saotome house.

Her mother tried to get her to rise for school. A soft sad smile played on the lips of the sleeping girl. As in her dream, she jumped up and hugged her mother tightly and her mother returned the much, needed embrace.

"RANMA!" Ranma's eyes snapped open as she nearly fell from the tree.

Her eyes unfocused she stared at the coalescing smoke before her. Her eyes widened as the image of her mother appeared before her. She slowly reached out with her bloody hand toward the image. Her mother's cut and still bleeding hand reached for her child.

"Mom is that you?" The redhead asked her hand stopping mere inches from the suspended ball of gray smoke.

"Yes dear it is, but we don't have much time the magic won't last long." Ranma sighed deeply as she nodded slowly.

"Where are you son?" Nodoka asked her parents looking at their grandchild with confusion.

"I...We are on a planet called Krynn. It is a planet of magic and dragons and war." Ranma told her mother her eyes showing the signs of the battles she had already fought.

"Then the Hibiki boy and Mousse are with you?" Nodoka asked the petite girl.

"Yeah their here." She answered dejectedly.

"Son, listen to me we are going to try and find a way home for the three of you but you need to find a way to communicate with us so we can open the portal." Nodoka told her child, Ranma started shaking her head.

"I have nothing to come back to mom. I...I am stuck as a girl thanks to Ryoga and Mousse's stupidity, plus they won't let me come back." Ranma hung her head unable to look at the shock in her mother's face.

"Son-in-law, how did you get stuck? Quickly tell me I might be able to help you undo it." Ranma' head rose at the voice of the old mummy.

Ranma told her of Dargus what happened as she could remember it. She included what Raistlin had filled in for her. Cologne nodded her eyes alight with anxious greed and curiosity. She then looked up at Ranma and her eyes narrowed.

"Son-in-law, tell Mousse if he comes back I _will_ kill him on the spot. He will die for not only stealing that artifact which had a death penalty on it but for consorting with an evil sorcerer and allowing it to harm another." Cologne's eyes flashed and Ranma could tell she meant it.

"NO! YOU CAN'T!" Ranma's eyes stared wide with shock.

"You ask me to set aside his punishment even though he will betray you in the end?" The elder asked as she looked at the confused martial artist.

"I don't want to be responsible for his death. Please can't you just banish him or something?" Cologne's eyes narrowed, as she was about to turn the young girl down, when Nodoka held up a parchment.

"We side with Elder Saotome in this Elder Cologne and as the majority here in Japan the death penalty is revoked." Nodoka ignored the shock gasp that came from her child.

"You are weak, to show mercy to one who does not deserve it." Cologne told them while shaking her head in disgust.

"No elder we show mercy to one who made a stupid mistake, but we do not stop you from issuing another punishment." Cologne's eyebrow shot up then she nodded in agreement.

"I agree then, from this moment on Mousse will no longer be an Amazon, and with his return will begin his banishment." Cologne told the group before her as she turned back to see a stunned Ranma.

"Elder Saotome I will try to figure a way to release you from the combined magic of the curses. I am afraid however your friend is correct if you try to remove it the same way as before you will die." Cologne told her, the shock falling from the redhead's eyes.

Ranma opened her mouth to ask more questions her mind a jumble of confusion. Then she noticed the others beginning to fade. She shot forward toward the swirling smoke her bloody palm touching the surface.

"MOM DON'T GO PLEASE MOM, I NEED YOU! DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!" Her cry tore at Nodoka's heart as she leaned forward placing her bloody left palm on the smoke covered mirror against her child's right palm.

"NO!" Cologne was able to get out before the mirror exploded in a flash of grayish red light.

(l(l(l)l)l)

The explosion knocked the three elders back from the table. Keitaro caught his wife while his eldest son caught his sister. Cologne just flipped in midair and landed solidly on the top of her staff.

She stared at the destroyed mirror sadness at the loss of a family heirloom. Her eyes were then drawn to a strange glow of grayish red. She turned and saw Nodoka's family as they stared down at her with worry. Nodoka's cut hand was glowing with a grayish red light. Cologne jumped from her staff to land next to Nodoka and put her left hand still bleeding into Nodoka's still cut and bleeding left hand. She examined it carefully. Small bolts of lightning coursed over hers and Nodoka's hands as the glow slowly began to fade. The shark like smile on her face made the Takashi family very nervous.

(l(l(l)l)l)

A bright light flashed as a percussion wave of air slammed Ranma back against the tree. Her head mashed into the trunk. The cracking sound filled the grove. She fought to stay awake as she slowly begun to fall from the tree. Ranma grasped out to grab the tree branch to try to steady herself but miss calculated as her mind went black and she toppled over to fall from the tree.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Carmon followed his brother as Raistlin ran from the inn. The worry on his baby brother's face scared him. He had never known his brother to care so much for someone else. He shuddered as memories of Ranma's life came back to him. In a way, much of her life was similar to the life Raistlin lived. They both in some ways were the victims of others and were mostly alone. Raistlin though still had him and Kitira though mostly him.

Carmon followed Raistlin from the town and into the nearby woods. He wondered how the red mage knew where to go. It was as if he knew right where to look. Raistlin had never hesitated but kept moving almost as if he knew something bad would happen. The two Majere men drew closer to a clearing. Carmon thought he could hear voices coming from within the grove of trees. Then he heard the anguished wail of Ranma asking her mother not to leave her. Carmon shuddered as he remembered the death of his own mother.

They entered the grove just as the bright grayish red flash exploded near one of the trees. They heard the explosion of air as the light winked out. Raistlin turned at the sound of rustling leaves and a soft grunt. He spotted a small glow of grayish red and headed toward it. Carmon followed him toward a tree and the two looked up to see a gray red light falling toward them. In Raistlin's greenish light Carmon just made out the falling body of a young girl. He was about to push his brother away so he could try to catch the girl but was stunned instead.

When Raistlin however pushed him back as he took a position under the falling girl his staff balanced on its end as it waited for its master's hand to return to it. Carmon was in shock as his weaker brother pushed him away and he actually felt the strength behind the shove. As Carmon stared in awe at his brother, unable to understand where this new strength came from. He watched with widened eyes as Raistlin reached up and grabbed the falling body of Ranma Saotome as she fell from the tree. He watched the dead weight of the girl hit his brother and they both collapsed to the ground.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Raistlin struggled to sit up holding an unconscious Ranma in his arms. He began looking for injuries when his eyes were drawn to her right hand. He reached out to touch the still glowing gray red hand. He quickly pulled his hand away. When small bolts of lightning arced toward his hand. He felt strong magic but not of his world. He flicked his wrist and the small dirk he kept up his sleeve appeared he cut the palm of his right hand then reached out again, took Ranma's hand and this time allowed the small bolts to strike at his golden hand. There was no pain, though the gasp that escaped Carmon made Raistlin realize it looked painful to him.

"It is alright brother I am in no danger." Raistlin reassured his brother quietly, before the big man did something stupid.

As the lightning swarmed around his hand, he felt the power weakening. He smiled evilly as he pushed a small amount of magic through the glowing gray red light surrounding Ranma's hand. His smile broadened as the grayish red glow split in half and covered his hand as well. He watched with fascination as the glow slowly absorbed into both his and Ranma's hand. He then felt the connection. His eyes widened as he felt the strong presence of a woman. She was worried about the young girl in his arms. He started to rise when he felt the other. A strong willed woman of great age but her connection was not as strong.

Raistlin looked down at the girl in his arms. A knowing smile appeared on his face, a look of anticipation in his eyes. For he was like Ranma with a new martial arts technique, Raistlin smiled a cocky grin as he realized he had a new source of magic to work with.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Tanis and Sturm burst through the trees surrounding the grove. Worry on their faces as they remembered Tika's hurried story of what had happened. They had lost sight of Carmon and his brother when they left Kadesh. The flash of light was their only clue as to where to look. They stopped just inside the grove and stared in shock. Raistlin held tightly to the young stranger her glowing gray red hand in his right hand. Raistlin's hand covered in the same eerie color. They watched in fascination as the light absorbed into the hands of the two people. They worried when Raistlin gasped his eyes wide and unfocused.

He soon began to rise with Ranma clutched tightly in his arms. When he paused his eyes going unfocused again and a small grin grew on his face. Tanis hated that grin it usually meant trouble for those around the mage. He walked up to his friend Sturm close behind him.

"Is he...!" Tanis stopped seeing the form of Ranma.

"Is _she_ alright?" He amended as he helped steady Raistlin when he stood.

"Yes but what are you doing here?" Raistlin asked his voice showing his displeasure at their appearance.

"Tika sent us she was worried. Is it true is she stuck?" Tanis asked the red mage.

"Yes, but that was something _Ranma_ should have told you!" Raistlin growled at them scowling at his brother with uncontrolled rage.

"The last thing _he_ needs is to have those other two know about this!" Raistlin's eyes flashed at the half elf and Knight of the Rose.

"I agree but I am afraid it is to late, Tika already told everyone." Tanis told the mage as he looked at the redhead in the mage's arms.

"We need to get back the others are worried! What happen to her?" Tanis continued as Raistlin picked up his staff and started walking.

"I don't know but when she regains consciousness I will find out." Raistlin pushed past his brother shrugging off his attempt to help with the small bundle he now carried.

Carmon's shoulders slumped and his eyes filled with sadness as he stared at his retreating brother. He jumped when a strong hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to see Sturm staring at him. The look he saw in the knight's eyes made him feel even worse.

"We all make mistakes Carmon, but as a warrior of honor you should have known better then to tell Tika what happened to the boy without his permission." Sturm admonished the other nodding in agreement.

"I just hope he can forgive me!" Carmon watched as the mage and martial artist disappeared into the darkness.

"I am sure both will eventually, come let us return. You will be needed to keep Tika out of trouble." Sturm told him his eyes shining with unusual mischief.

(l(l(l)l)l)

The warriors and mage entered the inn, to be confronted by not just Tika but the other two women as well. Tika came forward with every intention of relieving the red mage of his bundle. What stopped her were his glowing golden eyes.

"She is going to be staying with us!" Tika hissed out which had no effect on the mage.

Raistlin looked around the inn and found it almost completely deserted, save for the rest of their party. His eyes fell on Ryoga and Mousse who were talking among each other. They had smiles of triumph on their faces. His scowl deepened. His eyes were not the only ones that noticed the two boys from Nerima. Sturm and Tanis also watched them with keen interest.

"We have already had this conversation _girl_! Ranma is a boy in mind and spirit to force him with you will cause him nothing but problems, not only from within himself but from them!" The red mage hissed back as he nodded toward the oblivious teens.

Raistlin pushed past the three women and disappeared up the stairs. Tika started after them only to be stopped by Carmon. She turned her eyes flashing anger. She gasped and took a step back at the pain she saw in his deep brown eyes.

"I should not have broken Ranma's confidence and told you what happened, but then I guess we're even since you broke your word to me in telling the others." Carmon told her his shoulders slumped and voice filled with sadness.

Carmon then followed his brother up the stairs. Tika watched as he slowly trudged up the stairs to face the wrath of his little brother. Tika lowered her head a single tear traveling down her face. She stood quietly listening as Carmon shuffled slowly down the hallway to his and the mage's room. Her head snapped up at the laughter coming from the companions of Ranma. Her eyes narrowed as she started for them, only to be stopped by Sturm.

"We will take care of them later, come let us retire things will work out by morning." Sturm predicted.

Tika nodded and followed her friends upstairs. They all ignored the two teens from Nerima as they talked animatedly. The two boys' laughter followed the group upstairs. The friends cringed at the sound. Tasslehoff stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to look down at the two boys. He was surprised he felt anger. He turned when he felt a rough strong hand land on his shoulder. His dark brown eyes met the steel blue ones of Flint. Tasslehoff let the old dwarf lead him away and to their room. The Kender looking over his shoulder toward the inn's common room and two people he was beginning not to like very much.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Carmon slowly opened the door to his room. He could hear muffled voices deep inside the darkness. He entered and closed the door behind him. He turned to face the room and found Raistlin trying to keep Ranma from jumping from the window.

"Brother?" Carmon looked at them his face confused and angry.

"It is alright brother. Ranma just wants to sleep on the roof but I am trying to convince him it is not safe." Raistlin told his brother without even looking at him.

Ranma looked at the big warrior her eyes flashing in the candlelight. She tried to be angry but it was not in her nature. However, she was fast learning that art. Ranma stopped fighting Raistlin, turned, and faced the other Majere brother. Ranma walked up to Carmon she looked up at his six-foot tall frame and with a smile filled with sadness and pain; she laid a hand on his arm. She did this since she really could not reach his shoulder. She could but she did not want to float.

"Carmon it is alright. You didn't mean to hurt me by telling Tika and I know she didn't mean it either. She and you were just worried about me and *SIGH* it is kinda nice to have people that actually care about what happens to you. Thanks." She gave him a quick short hug then pushed past him and left the room.

"Well at least we can take her a blanket and pillow." Raistlin said as he walked up to his stunned brother.

Raistlin picked up a blanket and a pillow and followed Ranma out the door. Carmon watched him with confusion. He then shrugged his shoulders and followed his brother out to go check on their new friend.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Raistlin and Carmon stood out in front of the inn and looked up toward the roof. They just made out the silhouette of Ranma sitting on the peek of the roof. They looked at each other with amazement, when Carmon finally voiced what they were thinking.

"How'd she get up there?" He asked looking around for something that would help them get to the roof.

"It seems brother there is a lot to this martial arts we don't know." Raistlin explained a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

They stared back up to the roof when a movement caught their eyes. In the darkness, they could make out two shapes heading for the redhead as she sat on the roof. They watched as their eyes adjusted to the dark. They saw her stiffen as a faint blue glow appeared around her.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ranma slipped down the hallway toward a window at its end. She opened the window and jumped through and up toward the roof of the inn. She quietly walked to the center of the peek and sat down in a lotus position. With her back, straight she began to meditate as Doctor Tofu had taught her. A warm smile touched her face as she thought of the good doctor. He was her only true friend in Nerima. Well he and Kasumi, but Kasumi was more looking out for her family then she was for him. She still, however thought of Kasumi as a friend and always would. Sadness came to the smile as their faces appeared before her. Only to be replaced by that of her mother. She pushed that image away as she could not bear to think about her right now. She would talk to Raistlin in the morning about what happen at the grove but tonight she needed to think on things herself. She opened her eyes briefly and made out the Majere twins trying to figure out how to reach her.

She smiled and shook her head. She then closed her eyes and began to meditate. She did not need the pillow and blanket that she saw in their hands. She just needed to think. Her aura would keep her warm. She allowed a small aura to surround her as she remembered Raistlin's warning before coming into Kadesh. Ranma's meditation was cutoff when she felt the presence of two people she had not wanted to deal with at this time. She stiffened but kept her eyes shut as though she were still deep in meditation. She monitored their approach and their emotions. She knew why they were there and she knew they were not going to like the outcome.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ryoga and Mousse finally stopped Ranma bashing long enough to notice they were the only ones left in the inn's common room. With happy smiles, they headed up the stairs to bed. At the top of the stairs, they saw Raistlin and Carmon head down the back stairs carrying a pillow and blanket of all things. They shrugged and entered their room. Mousse lit the light and found Ryoga looking for something. He watched the lost boy for a moment trying to figure out what it was he was doing. When he could stand it no more he asked him.

"Ryoga what _are_ you doing?" Ryoga looked up at his friend in need his eyes filled with confusion.

"Ranma's things are gone." He said flatly, Mousse rolled his eyes.

"Of course they are she is staying in the mage's room, remember." Mousse told him with a small bit of exasperation.

Ryoga looked at Mousse first with confusion, then his eyes narrowed as he remembered Carmon removing Ranma's things. He lowered his head and shook it slightly. He then looked up at Mousse with a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, yeah I forgot. I guess that black mage's potion is working on me a little." He tried to explain away his forgetfulness.

"If Ranma is staying with the Majere twins why did they leave with a pillow and blanket?" Ryoga asked innocently to his companion.

"I don't know maybe Saotome is on the roof." Mousse told him, as he got ready for bed.

They continued to get ready for bed when Mousse's statement brought them up short. They turned and smiled at each other then left their room. They spotted the still opened window at the end of the hall. They headed to and out it. They jumped up and over the top of the roof landing squarely on the roof's surface. In the darkness, they made out the female form of Ranma meditating. They saw her aura flicker in but it was small and stayed tight around her. They had not seen anyone else on the roof. Nor had they paid any attention to the fact they had an audience below them. With smiles of sadistic glee, they moved toward Ranma.

The two boys stood a few feet away from the tense glowing girl their smiles growing even wider. Ryoga moved to sit on one side of the redhead while Mousse flanked her other side. They sat quietly for a moment both boys relishing the fact that they had won against their most hated foe.

"Well Saotome now that you are free from your engagements I guess the only thing left for you to do is marry Kuno." Ryoga told the girl, her eyes still shut, and her face showing no signs of listening.

"I am sure the old ghoul can find you a villager that will take you! I am sure she won't want to give up the chance of getting you into the tribe." Mousse added both looking for any response from their victim.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ranma's mind clicked at Mousse's comment about the Amazons. She then remembered something from the conversation with her mother. She remembered a scroll and the mummy calling her 'Elder'. She wish she had asked about that but there was not time.

Ranma's right hand began to tingle. She reflectively clenched and unclenched it as she felt something pull at her mind. She tried to block out the feeling as it did not hurt it was just persistent. She opened her eyes and they fell on the two men on the ground. She saw Raistlin's hand as it glowed a grayish red. She looked down at her hand she saw it was also glowing the same color. She brought her hand up to her face and studied it. Mousse and Ryoga watched her with anger and confusion.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Mousse and Ryoga were getting angry they finally won and Ranma would not rise to their taunts. Their eyes were drawn to the movement of Ranma's hand. They stared as she opened and closed her hand. Their eyes widened as they watched as it begun to glow a grayish red. When the same color glow flared from below, it drew Ryoga's attention to the ground where he saw Raistlin's hand as it glowed the same color.

(l(l(l)l)l)

"Elder what happened to my daughter?" Taji looked over at her older daughter who sat staring at her left hand.

"Well I am not totally sure but I believe when Nodoka and Ranma tried to touch each other the blood on their hands reacted with the spell." Cologne sat at the table drinking some tea.

Across from her sat the matriarch of the Takashi clan her husband sitting next to her. Their children surrounded their sister all had looks of worry on their faces. The youngest daughter Mirako was examining her sister and her hand.

"What does that mean?" Keitaro asked ignoring the glare, he received from the Chinese Amazons.

"Well I am not sure but since what ever happened, also seemed to have affected me. I would say that we might now have a permanent link to son-in-law." Cologne looked at them a wry smile on her face.

"Are you sure, Elder?" Nodoka snapped to attention at that statement.

"Yes and no. When I took your hand after the spell's abrupt end the spell absorbed into both our bodies. I am more attuned to strange phenomena then you and I felt a fourth power join us in that after spell." Cologne told them, her eyes taking on a faraway look of a hungry greed that reminded her granddaughter of Nabiki.

"What do you mean 'after spell'?" Mirako asked as this seemed to fit into her esoteric medical training.

"The spell mutated when Ranma and your sister tried to touch through the spell. The additional blood on their hands added power to the spell. I also believe that since son-in-law now carries the magic of three curses that magic added to the spells mutation." She paused and sipped her tea while gathering her thoughts.

"When the spell began to encase my hand as well as Nodoka's I felt a very powerful entity there as well. A man from this new world she is on. He is probably a magic user. I believe the spell added him to the link as it added me." The Takashi clan stared transfixed at the two foot elder their eyes opened wide in stunned awe.

"Are you sure I mean real magic?" Hiroshi asked as he stared at the woman with uncertainty.

"*SNORT* Fool you were just party to a magical communication and you now doubt its existence." Cologne shook her head and 'tsked' in disgust at the male's ignorance.

"I felt him as he pushed additional magic into the spell. I believe he was trying to strengthen the link so that Ranma could continue to communicate with us. I just don't know why. It may be he wants access to the magic in our world or he could just want to help Ranma. I however think it might be both." Cologne continued ignoring the glares, she received from the men in the room.

"How do you know that? I felt nothing like that?" Nodoka asked as she stared down at her hand a tingle drawing her attention.

"I am more attuned to reading such things child. I have learned much in my three hundred plus years." Cologne smiled at the worried mother as she watched her opening and closing her hand.

"You feel it too then, child." Nodoka looked up at the question with shock, but nodded.

"Yes it seems we are linked in a four way communication with Elder Saotome." Cologne finished as she held up her hand that glowed grayish red.

Cologne held out her left hand to Nodoka who reached with her glowing hand toward the older woman. They then watched as the smoke swirled around their clasped hands. The smoke shot up into a small geyser then ended in a sphere. Cologne pushed her thoughts threw their connection to the other side instructing the other two what they needed to do.

(l(l(l)l)l)

Ranma stared at her glowing hand her mind filled with pictures of her mother. Her face contorted into a grimace as the old ghoul floated around the image of her mother. She then looked down to Raistlin and saw his hand glowing gray red. She stood, ignoring the two boys on either side of her and jumped up and out from the roof. She flipped several times and landed gently on the ground between the two stunned men. Ranma smiled at them then held out her hand to Raistlin who smiled back and took her small delicate glowing hand into his larger glowing one. The two of them ignored the fact that Mousse and Ryoga had followed Ranma from the roof. Carmon on the other hand did not.

(l(l(l)l)l)

The two Majeres stared down at Raistlin's glowing hand, Carmon looking worriedly at his brother. Raistlin patted the big man's shoulder as he looked up at Ranma. Raistlin and Carmon watched their eyes wide as Ranma jumped up and out from the roof going even higher. They watched in stunned silence as the redhead flipped several times then straightened out to land softly between them. Ranma looked between the two brothers a cocky grin lit her face. Carmon stared at her with awed confusion. While Raistlin smiled down at her with something akin to pride. Ranma held out her glowing hand to the mage. He looked down at it, never noticing the arrival of Mousse and Ryoga. Carmon did and his eyes were as big as dinner plates at the ease with which they jumped from the roof.

Raistlin put his glowing right hand into Ranma's causing a gasp from the other three. The grayish red glow swirled around their hands then shot forth into a small pillar ending in a sphere. The group watched as an image began to materialize.

"Greetings son-in-law, it seems you and your mother have overcome our need to find a way to communicate. Though I do believe I and that strange man next to you must be present for it to work...at the moment." Cologne's craggy old face appeared before the huddled group.

Raistlin looked around and found the streets deserted. Ranma noticed this and started pulling Raistlin into the alley beside the inn. Carmon and the others followed them. Carmon following his brother's lead and kept watch for prying eyes. Once in the alley Carmon set himself to guard the entrance but stayed close enough to hear.

"Well aren't you going to introduce us to your friends, son-in-law?" Cologne asked as Nodoka's face became visible to the others.

"This is Raistlin and that is his brother Carmon Majere. The old ghoul there is Cologne an Elder of the Amazons. The other is my mother Nodoka Saotome." Ranma finished a sad wistful smile on her face as she stared at both women before her.

"Greetings mage, warrior, I am glad to see Ranma has met up with such fine young men. Tell me how long has son-in-law been there?" Cologne told them her eyes narrowing at the figure behind them before Raistlin could answer her.

"Do not hide _boy_! If not for the wishes of Elder Saotome Ranma, Nodoka, and Takashi Taji you would have been killed instantly upon your return!" Cologne snarled at the blind boy as he tried to hide behind Ryoga.

"Why do you keep calling me Elder, Cologne?" Ranma asked her curiosity finally overriding her desire to talk with her mom.

"It seems Ranma you are the member of two Japanese clans that have a history with my people." Cologne started; she then told her what her mother had found out.

Ranma listened to the Amazon elder her eyes widened with surprise and shock. She heard the rustling of paper behind her and knew Mousse was looking up the passages in his Amazon Law Book. Raistlin smiled evilly when the gasp escaped the blind boy's lips. When Cologne finished, Nodoka told her child of the Morboka clan, her training, in the Nijitsu art. She was now the Amazon matriarch and elder of that portion of their clan until a, Morboka clanswoman was trained.

The women finished by telling Ranma about her standing as the Saotome Matriarch and elder, as long as she appeared in female form at council, they would not mind her being male. Cologne and Nodoka glared at Ryoga as he laughed at the last statement. They then introduced Ranma to her grandparents, uncles, and aunt.

Ranma struggled to keep the tears in check as she found she was not really, that alone at home. She smiled softly as she thought of going home to be with her family. The wonderful thoughts were cut off when Cologne began asking questions of Raistlin and his grip on Ranma's hand tightened.

"So young mage it seems you and I will be working together to unfreeze son-in-law. What can you tell me of the potions and herbs used on him?" Cologne leaned in close to scrutinize the man before her eyes widened slightly at what she saw.

"My I have never seen such color for skin. What is wrong with your eyes? Why are your pupils shaped like hourglasses?" Mousse, Ranma, and Ryoga stood transfixed, as they had never heard Cologne so excited or ask so many questions before.

"It is an after effect of my taking my final tests to become a mage. That is all I can tell you. Also they have been here a little over a week." Raistlin stared at the woman before him.

His eyes saw nothing but he knew she was there because of the light from her strong life force. He remembered Ranma telling him this woman was over three hundred years old and not an elf. Therefore, he understood why all he saw of her was her life force.

"Fascinating, it has only been a day here and the potion used on those three?" She asked again of the mage.

"I found Dargus' ale mug and analyzed the content. I am afraid there was not enough left to tell what he used. He had taken the bowl were he mixed what he gave to Ryoga and Mousse. What he put in his ale to use on Ranma was too diluted." Raistlin lowered his head sadly.

"Don't worry young man; just take care of my child until we can bring him home!" Raistlin looked up at the voice to see a woman's decaying form before him.

"I will madam." He said finally as he turned to look at Ranma, seeing a bright white glow surrounding her.

"Ranma we have to go now we have a meeting at the Tendos. We'll talk later I promise." Her mother and Cologne broke the connection.

Ranma stared at the grayish red globe as it slowly dissipated. She sighed and turned to leave forgetting that Raistlin still had her hand. She stopped and looked at his deep and piercing gaze. Raistlin and Carmon led her back into the inn she finally giving in to the stress. Mousse and Ryoga watched her go, neither knowing what to say or do. Mousse owed his life to her and her family, even if he was banished. Ryoga thought about the fact that he was now an Amazon. He thought what that meant to him. He completely overlooked the fact that he was told his status was removed because of his lack of honor.

The two boys slowly walked back into the inn their minds deep in thought. They climbed the stairs to their room. Their eyes were glazed and full of confusion. They entered their room and slowly closed the door behind them. The still of night was broken when the scream echoed through the inn and town.

"RANMA THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"