Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns Ranma ½ and Palladium Books Rifts: Psyscape by Kevin Siembieda.

It was the end of another school day for Ranma, instead of heading home like he usually did he was asked to stay behind by Miss Hinako. He wondered why she asked him to stay behind and hoped that it was not for some stupid reason to ask him if he would by her some candy; she had already done that before and with her sad puppy-dog eyes Ranma easily caved. One thing Ranma was for certain it was not because he was in some kind of trouble. He was actually maintaining pretty descent grades and was not causing any disruptions to the class, much to his own surprise if he was completely honest with himself.

The reasons for Ranma's changed actions if school were rather easy to know if one knew Ranma. One he did not have Genma barking at him stop doing homework and use the time for some kind of useless and often times crazy/dangerous Martial Arts technique. Two he was far from bored in his Class, in the past Ranma always found school to be tedious at best but in this unique Class there was always something going on. Three Ranma was not causing any disruptions simply because there was no need for it, no one really bothered him and no one tried to fight him. Four, he was simply more mature they he would normally have been, his duties and training as a Psi-Warrior and Mind Melter saw to that. And finally there was the final reason, his Mother and the rest of his Family. As far as Ranma knew he was the Heir to the Clan, not just some Dojo that did not have any practitioners other than himself and his father. He did not want to disappoint his Family.

When he arrived at the Teacher's Lounge he knocked and the door opened revealing Miss Hinako in her adult form. Silently Ranma was happy for this because her adult form was much easier to deal with then her child form. She ushered him in and over towards her desk and he idly noticed that in addition to papers that needed to be graded there was also several boxes of sweets scattered around. "I suppose you are wondering why I called you to see me?" Hinako asked.

"Yeah," Ranma answered. "I've been doing alright and as far as I know I'm not causing any problems. You've only had to drain me once." That incident happened two days after he first started attending class. A couple of the girls had passed him some notes and some of them were rather explicit in what she wanted from him. He yelped in response and Hinako drained him for speaking out of turn. Nothing since then had happened, Ranma never liked feeling weak so it was best not to get on her bad side and get drained again.

"You are correct Mr. Saotome," Hinako stated. "The reason I wished to speak to you is not school related in all honesty." Ranma was taken by surprise by that statement. "I am well aware of your Clan's unique nature and I believe I have run into a problem that requires their unique talents."

Now Ranma turned completely serious. This could be potentially a very dangerous situation. "What kind of problem have you encountered Miss Hinako?"

"On my way to and from the school there is an only abandoned building that I pass everyday," Hinako started to explain. "Up until yesterday there was nothing out of the ordinary about the building however yesterday on my way home from I sensed something very odd coming from the building, something I have never sensed before." Hinako looked contemplative as she continued, "I have had the ability to drain another's Ki since I was a young girl and because of that I have a great deal of experience sensing the Ki around me. It is required so I do not drain too much and cause lasting harm. What I sensed last night could only be described as the bending of the ambient Ki inside the building. It disturbed me greatly when I passed by and I felt that I should let the proper people know about it."

"I'll tell my family about it as soon as I get home today," Ranma answered. "And we'll be sure to look into it."

Hinako suddenly shrank down to her child form just as she was about to answer, "Oh goody that place was really scary." Her eyes started to tear up and she looked up at Ranma, "Could you by me some ice-cream to make me feel better?"

Ranma sighed knowing that even if he had his Empathy activated and could tell for certain that she was faking her tears he would still cave into her request. He never could and probably never would stand the sight of a girl crying. "Fine lets go."

What Hinako did not know was that she was not the only one to detect the strange event that messed with her Ki senses. The boy in Ranma's class, Tsugari Yugi, a technological and scientific genius detected an unusual energy spike in the same building Hinako did.

Yuji was a certified genius with a recorded IQ well above 200. When he was a young boy many people believed that he would enter college at a young age and gain a Doctorate before he was twenty. Yuji to the dismay of many did not follow that route, instead he only made slightly above average grades in a personal attempt not to stand out, at least not publicly. In private Yuji put his true genius to work inventing several devises and computers that years if not decades ahead of the rest of the world.

The reason for his self-imposed secrecy was because of an encounter he experienced two years after he was first tested for his genius. Yuji encountered a supernatural being, a mischievous yet rather friendly fox spirit. When he told his parents and teachers about the encounter they merely thought it was a child's overactive imagination, especially since the fox spirit disappeared not long after Yuji first met it. Further one teacher went on to say that the fox spirit could not exist because there was no scientific proof of such creatures. Since that day Yuji dedicated his life to proving that such beings did in fact exist.

Even though he was a genius he was still a child at the time and the fear of rejection stayed with him even now. For this he did not seek public acknowledgement until he had undeniable proof about the supernatural, which was why he kept his true genius and his inventions to himself.

When he joined Miss Hinako's Class it was originally for the same reason Ranma had. The Principle had discovered Yuji's true genius and put him in the class hoping it would motivate him to express that genius. The Principle was in fact correct that Yugi would express his genius in the Class. After witnessing Hinako's technique and her transformation he literally shook with glee for two days. After that he designed and built several devises that would pick up faint energy signatures and over time refined the process to detect what most Martial Artists and several Devil Hunters would call Ki. He had his proof but he needed more. His scientific curiosity made him search for more, especially after he detected other energy sources like Magic and later from Ranma Psionic.

Now he detected the strange energy spike that Hinako detected and was planning to investigate the source. "The source of the energy spike was just over a kilometer from the School," Yuji said into his recorded. "The energy source is similar to other energy sources I have detected but still different enough to be categorized on it's own. I'll need to investigate it up close and bring my more sensitive equipment. I'll head to the source tomorrow after School. On a side note I'll need to ask Father and Mother for an advance on my allowance so I can buy some new fiber optics for the new computer I'm building."

An hour after Ranma left the small ice-cream shop where he took Hinako he returned home. The moment he entered the house he was greeted the sight of some Chinese woman sitting with his Mother and seemed to be enjoying some relaxing tea. "Um hi Mom," he greeted, "You're that Amazon, Perfume, that beat Po…er Genma, right?"

"Yes Ranma she is here to speak about Genma and his debt to her Village," Nodoka answered. "She was here to discuss possible repayments for the damage he caused after you left."

"That took more time then I thought actually," Ranma said. "So did he try and promise me in marriage or something?"

"As a matter of fact yes Warrior," Perfume answered. "I came to Japan in pursuit of him found out this address and started speaking with your Mother a few minutes ago."

"Your Japanese has improved," Ranma pointed out.

"Yes, I took the time to learn your language better after you left," Perfume replied. "It made understanding your Father much better."

"You look like you need something, what is it?" Nodoka asked bring the discussion back to the present.

"Mom I need to talk to you for a minute about something," Ranma said.

"And what is that Ranma?" Nodoka asked.

"You know about my teacher Miss Hinako right?" Ranma asked. Nodoka nodded and Ranma continued, "Well she sensed something strange and according to her freighting at a building not far from School. I think we might want to look into it."

"I see," Nodoka mused. "We'll have to look into that later. For now we must finish our present discussion." Nodoka turned back to the Amazon, "Now, Perfume, where were we?"

"You were telling me that any debt your former Husband made is no longer any business of you're Clan," Perfume answered.

"Ah yes," Nodoka said. "Genma has made several illegal and dishonorable acts, including arranging marriages and not keeping the arrangement, and because of this he has been cast out of our Clan. Like so many other people he has deceived any act he has committed against you is now solely his responsibility."

"As Ranma, nor any other member of you Clan not committed any crimes against our Village I doubt the Elders will make any objections to that," Perfume stated. 'Personally I wouldn't want that fat moron in my Family Either. I would rather face banishment or some other punishment then enforce the Kiss of Marriage if he defeated me.' "Well if you might now where he is I will take my business with him directly."

"He is staying at an old friend of his in Nerima," Nodoka answered. "The name is Tendo Soun Master of the Tendo School of Anything Goes School of Martial Arts."

"Thank you," Perfume replied. "That will be my next stop then."

"I do make one request," Nodoka spoke up, "One of the Tendo Girls has caught the eye of our Clan Leader and I would like that you try and keep your business with my Ex-Husband away from them."

"Very well," Perfume replied. "If they do not interfere I will not act against them. And if one of them does I'll take it on an individual basis, not as the group."

"Thank you," Nodoka said. She turned to Ranma and he had a confused look. She assumed it was about one of the Tendo's catching Nanami's eye. Nodoka gave Ranma a look that conveyed that she would explain later and Ranma nodded. "Now Ranma would you clean up here while I escort our guest to the door?"

"Sure Mom," Ranma answered and then started picking up the tray and teacups.

At the entrance to the house Perfume spoke up, "Thank you for the tea, it was a wonderful blend."

"You are welcome," Nodoka replied.

"One more thing before I leave," Perfume said. "Many of the Young Warriors in my Village became rather smitten with your Son during his stay. Some of them may come by in the near future. When they do make sure he does not fight them and if he does only to submission not knockout."

"According to our information your Outsider Laws only apply on your Lands," Nodoka replied.

Perfume looked at with newfound respect. To have such information about her isolated Village speaks highly of their ability to gather information. "You are essentially correct," Perfume answered. "But some of our Young Warriors have yet to realize that we are not the center of the World and think only our Laws matter and are ignorant of the complications their actions bring. It is better to try and avoid that problem all together."

"I agree," Nodoka answered. "I shall warn Ranma to be cautious about any new Chinese girls in the area." Perfume nodded and then gave a bow before stepping out of the house. Nodoka returned the bow and waved good-bye to the Amazon.

When she returned to the tearoom she found Ranma waiting for her. "Now about this building…"

The next twenty-four hours passed very quickly for four individuals, Yuji, Ranma, Nodoka and Misago, all for the same reason. All four were going to the same building for the same reason, to investigate some anomaly that had been detected there. Nodoka would meet Ranma and Misago at the school after school and leave for the building from there. Misago was joining them because when entering the unknown one should have all the help one should get. Yuji would leave as soon as the day ended with his scientific equipment to further his evidence of the supernatural.

After school Nodoka was running a little late, she had to stop by the Shrine to pick up Misago's weapon, and this forced Ranma and Misago to wait for her. Yuji had no such delay and went on ahead. When Nodoka finally arrived she handed over Ranma's Chinese Broad Sword, he left it to get it professionally sharpened and Misago's Naginata. "Shall we go?" Nodoka asked.

"Yeah," Ranma answered. "Miss Hinako said the building was about a kilometer that way," Ranma pointed down the street directly across from the School Entrance. "It's an old three story office building that's been abandoned for a couple of years."

"I know that building," Misago said. "It's been condemned and scheduled for demolition."

"At least we won't have to worry about damaging private property incase we get into a fight," Ranma said.

"Let us go then," Nodoka stated heading off down the street with the two teenagers quickly following her.

At the building Yuji was scanning the outside of the building trying to see if there were any traces on the outside before going in. So far he was only detecting residual energy around the outside of the building but his equipment was detecting some stronger energy signature on the inside. 'Well I've learned all I can from out here,' Yuji thought. 'I guess its time to go inside.' Looking for a way it Yuji quickly found one at the back and went inside.

A few minutes later Ranma, his Mother and Misago arrived at the building. Before they entered the trio also scanned the building with their Ki and in Ranma's case his Psionic Senses. All three felt the area was saturated with some kind of energy field. To the three it felt like a mix of Magic, Chi, and Electromagnetic and other various energy sources all mixed into one. Ranma however felt something more. "There's someone in there!" Ranma stated with clear surprise in his voice. "I sense he or she's really curious and full of anticipation. Like he or she is looking for something."

"Can you tell us were they are Ranma?" Misago asked.

"No Empathy doesn't give exact location," Ranma answered. "Just a general feeling and a general location."

"So the only way to know for sure who is in there and where they are is to go in and find out," Nodoka said unwrapping her katana and moving forward.

Inside the building Yuji was making his way to the second floor where his equipment was telling him the source of the energy spike from two days ago originated. As far as he could tell what ever caused the spike had faded but there was still residual energy all over the floor. "I have narrowed down the source of the energy spike's location to ten meters from the stairwell entrance to the second floor. All my scanners tell me that the energy spike is a mixture of several energy sources including the new energy source I detected from my new classmate Saotome Ranma," Yuji spoke into a recorder. "Further this mixture of energy signatures is unlike anything I have every seen before."

Slowly coming up the stairs Ranma, Nodoka and Misago entered the second floor ten minutes after Yuji. So far no of them sensed any other beings, supernatural or otherwise, other than the one they sensed before they came in. They were curious why the person was in the building as much as they wanted to know what was the cause of the mixture of energy sources. "Who ever is in there is close," Ranma said. "I'm not sensing any kind of hostility or anything like that, so I don't think the person is dangerous."

"One can never know Ranma," Nodoka warned. "So we should still proceed with caution." The teenagers nodded and moved through the second floor.

In a bare conference room Yuji was analyzing his readings from the sensors he set up around the room. The conference room was the location of the source and Yuji had set up his sensors in a circle around a central point to cover as many angles as he could. He was looking through his personal computer when a familiar voice startled him, "Yuji, what are you doing here?" Turning around he saw Misago, Ranma and a woman he had not met yet standing just inside the entrance to the conference room.

Several kilometers away a person looked around the city around him with a curious gaze like he had never seen anything like it before. If someone were to look closely they would see the man's eyes were not quite right, like something about them was not quite human yet still held the signs of human-like intelligence.

Author's Note: I fixed the error of Nodoka's name in the last chapter.