When the signal was given, Ranma splashed himself, transforming into a girl. But then things started to go crazy. He felt himself change back and forth between his different forms. If felt as if his body was fighting a battle. Every time he became a boy he felt the curse trying to change him back, but it seemed to be getting harder as the magic pulsed through his body. He had completely lost track of the others due to the constant shifting of his forms.

It was one of the few times in his life he was thankful for his curse. When he changed forms it was a comparatively minor thing since he only shrunk a few inches, unlike Moose or Ryouga, who shrunk several feet. He could only imagine how dazed they must have felt.

Oddly, he felt another strange sensation envelope him. Every time he changed forms, it would feel different than it normally felt. Something besides a simple change in sex was happening to him, but he didn't know what or how. He was starting to feel tired though. Extremely tired who would have known changing sex could be so tiring so..... tiring........

As his body slowly lowered to the ground he fell fast asleep. His body still changed form every so often, but with each transformation his body gradually started shrinking. So much that by the time he finally stopped shifting forms, he had shrunk over four feet in his male form. His girl form also changed, she had lost nearly 3 feet from her height. But unlike his male form, there were much more pronounced changes to his girl form. Which amongst other things were tall pointed ears.

Ranma laid there in the grass for nearly an hour before he was discovered. As he approached, Ranma slowly opened her eyes, due to the sudden stench that suddenly flooded her small nose. She looked up to see an ugly, green skinned tusked creature approaching her. Besides the fact that it smelled like a month old garbage dump, it didn't look very nice. Doing the first things that came to mind, she let out a high pitched scream and ran away from it as fast as her tiny little legs would carry her screaming the entire way.

Varlon had been on his way back to Freeport from visiting a former student of the Ashen Order. He left to open a small inn just outside of Freeport in the western provinces known as the common lands. When he suddenly heard the shout of a little girl nearby followed by the guttural shout of an orc. He quickly took off running.

He had heard rumors from both the militia and some of the common land residents about the orc setting up a new settlement close to Freeport led by some orc lord named Shin Ra. This news had greatly upset the citizens of Freeport. Freeport was the world's largest city-state, the trade center of all Norrath, the last thing anyone wanted was the constant attacks typical of Qeynos or the Elven and Dwarven city-states on Faydwer.

The scream got louder as he caught site of the girl. The orc had her trapped against the mountains. Varlon became angry with himself. He was to far away to save the girl. She was a cute little Elven girl too. He cursed the orcs. How could anything be so evil as to kill a defenseless child, especially one as cute as that little Elven girl?

He watched with morbid fascination as the young orc lifted his ax above his head and down toward the girl, only for the girl to dodge to the side. Something suddenly seemed to happen as the girl's hair began to darken, as she started to grow a bit taller and took on a more human appearance. In fact he thought she seemed to look like a human boy now.

The orc gave a confused grunt and swung his axe again. Just like before, the boy dodged the ax, and as the ax hit the ground he sent a kick to the orc's shin. The orc roared in pain and fury as it raised its ax again. the little boy moved to dodge again, only to trip over a branch falling right in front of the orc.

This time Varlon reached the orc in time. With one swift kick and the orc was left without his weapon. It turned angrily to look at Varlon. But Varlon was also angry. Angry at what the orc was going to do. He viscously attacked the small orc, just as he had planned to do to the little..... child.

The orc hit the ground with a sickening thud. Seeing the orc fall the boy ran to Varlon and grabbed hold of his leg tightly. He felt the boy shift ever so slightly and looked down. He saw little Elven ears sticking out of a small messy mat of red hair tied back into a pig tail. The girl looked up to him, her small almond shaped sapphire eyes wet with tears. He picked the now girl up and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Not knowing if she would even understand him, he said. "Shhh, there now, there no reason to cry, its gone. That mean orc won't hurt you. You're safe now." he said with a smile.

Seeing Varlon's smile, she smiled back. Her blue eyes shining brightly, she hugged him tightly around his neck. "You're a cute little kid, you know that? So know the question is who and what exactly are you?"

The girl just rest her head between his head and shoulders, sighing contentily. He chuckled to himself. "Well elf or not we can't leave you here by yourself in these woods."

Together they started towards back towards Freeport. It wasn't long before he felt a shift on his shoulder. He carefully tilted his head to look at the child he was holding and just as he expected he was now holding a little human boy. He mentally shook his head. Who ever or what ever this child was, the child was spectacular. He thought perhaps the child to be an enchanter, for they would often cast spells on themselves to make other perceive them as other races. But that was just an illusion, he'd felt the child literally grow in his arms. And the child's bravery! To stand up against an orc at the child's age was incredible. Sure it was only an orc pawn, the equivalent of young orc teen. But for a child that young it must have seemed a great monstrous beast. which except for the big part was actually true he thought.

Still to not only to fight back, but to actually hit hard enough to hurt the orc through its thick hide said a lot about this child. This child was extremely special. The first thing he would do is bring this child to the elders of the order.

After reaching the guild House of the Ashen Order. He tucked the child into bed and quickly ran to academy of arcane science. It took him a while to find the section for those who trained to be enchanters. After finding it he quickly found the headmaster of that department. "Headmaster if I may have a moment of your time. I have a few questions I need to ask you."

"Why yes of course, what may I do for you brother..."

"Varlon" he answered quickly. "My name is Varlon. I was just had a few questions on magical illusions. How exactly do they work?"

"Ah now that is a familiar question, although usually from my students not from a monk. Its somewhat hard to explain unless your versed with the use of magic."

"No, no. I'm sorry I mean to say one cast a spell of illusion on themselves, is it real? Does the person actually change his form and body?"

"Why no of course not, as you said its just an illusion. Yes we gets some of the abilities granted of a person like an elf's vision, but we are still the same person despite what others perceive."

"So if I were to hold someone in my arms as they cast a spell of illusions I wouldn't feel a change as their body took a new form?"

"Yes that is correct. That would be impossible since one does not really change form."

"How difficult is it to cast these illusions spells?"

"Some aren't very difficult at all. After a few years of training as an enchanter most usually learn their one or two illusions spells. While others are extremely hard to do, and must take years of study."

"So no child should ever be able to cast one then?"

"Of course not! Even the most simple of spells require years of training and large degree of intelligence."

"I see, thank you headmaster. You have help shed a great deal of light into a situation I've recently encountered."

Varlon returned to his room. The monk he had left to watch the child said he hadn't woken yet. Dismissing the monk, he began to prepare food. He was almost done making food, when he felt a pair of small arms wrap around his legs. He looked down to the curious eyes of the little elf girl. "Ah your awake! you hungry?"

She nodded her head as her stomach grumbled loudly.

Varlon laughed. "I guess that's a yes! Well have a seat I'll be done in a minute."

He finished the food and sat down at the table. "Here you go dinner's ready." He was surprised to see her eyes light up just before she began to dig into her food with gusto. "You sure like doing that a lot don't you?"

The girl continued happily eating at her food. "So what's your name?"

The girl looked up "I dun know, the food was yummy can I have more please?"

Varlon smiled "yes of course, here have some more." he poured her some more food, before asking her. "Why were you in the forest alone?"

"I dun know. I just woke up and that icky yucky smelly ugly thing was there and then you came and rescued me!"

"What about your parents?"

The girl shrugged again. "I dun remember anything"

"Well, how would you like a place to stay? If you want you can stay here with me."

"Can I?

"Of course, but you're going to need a name."

"Hmm....." he said visibly trying to think.

"What about Aeril?" Varlon suggested.

She nodded approvingly and held out her plate again. "Can I have more?"

Varlon laughed aloud. "Sure you can. You one hungry little one aren't you? You can have as much as you'd like. This is your home now. "

*****

From that day on, Varlon took care of him raising him like his own child. He called for headmaster Tolan to see if he could explain Aeril's strange change. But after witnessing it a few times he could no sooner explain it than Varlon. The only thing he did notice is that the change usually happened during emotional times.

Varlon noticed that Aeril would change into a girl during times of extreme emotion especially happiness or sadness. When he started training Aeril in the ways of being a monk, he found the boy a natural. He took to the art like a fish to the sea.

Varlon also noticed that he would usually take his male form while training. He was extremely skilled and was always the best of his class which was usually with students much older than him. But whenever some started to prove to much for him, he would usually switch over to his female side which was much more agile.

He was so good that Varlon took began to take him outside the gate. Many of the young ones would come out here to hunt the large animals that would bother many of the travelers. Aeril got bored of fighting those animals and looked for something harder to fight. His answer was the small skeletons that would often appear.

It was suspected they came from the cursed Nekultos forest, home of the insidious Dark Elves. It was a well known fact that due to the dark magics of that forest, many undead roamed tt forest. So much that now even the Dark elves themselves would hunt them. Often some of those skeletons would wander away from the forest into the commanlands and into Freeport.

Many of the young would be adventures would often take the mantle of protecting there home from the undead. Aeril also took to the hunting of undead. He hoped to one day get good enough to try to earn his white training sash, which would make him an official member of the ashen order.

One early spring day when he and Varlon were returning to the city from fighting off some of the large animals, they noticed a large commotion near the west gates. When they got there they found several guards arguing with a large ogre.

To Aeril he was the largest person he'd ever seen. Heedless to the danger Aeril ran up to the ogre to take a closer look. "Look Varlon what is it?"

The ogre turned to look at the small boy. "Stay away from him Aeril, that's an ogre. Ogre's are very mean and like doing bad things to children. Let the guards take care of him."

The excitement was too much for him and he turned into a girl. "But he's so big! He's even taller than you."

The ogre's eye's went wide when he saw the change. "Is you boy?" he said to her.

The girls eye's brightened. The tall ogre thing was talking with her "Hi! I'm Aeril! And this is my pappa, Varlon. What's your name?"

The ogre was going to say something, but noticed the looks the other were giving him especially Varlon. "Me is Bomba the Big! Me uh wants to uh live here. No like living in Oggok, is smelly and food is bad! Me want sell to eat good food."

"We know the kinds of food, you'd like to eat ogre. You're not welcome here. You and your kind have ruined your own lands, you'll not ruin ours!"

"Please Mr. Let Bomba stay! He's a nice ogre! He won't hurt anyone watch!" Aeril ran and jumped on the ogre, grabbing onto his legs.

"Aeril! No don't!" Varlon yelled out, but it was to late. The ogre quickly picked him up. He was about ready to attack the stupid beast, scared of what it might to do to his child. But instead of the many things he had thought, the ogre put the child behind is head, as if he were going to give her a piggy back ride.

"Wow! I can see so far from up here! Can we keep him?" wrapping her little arms around his neck, giving him a big hug.

Varlon looked at the ogre for a second. When she hugged him, his face changed for a second. Now he had fought ogre's many time. In his opinion the lot of them were stupid beasts. He had seen many emotions show on an ogre's face. From anger, hate, and rage. But his face held none of that. It was a soft look one similar to look one has when they remember a fond memory. He saw both happiness and sadness in the ogre's face.

The ogre noticed Varlon looking at him and he quickly picked the child up and placed him back on the ground. "Bomba stay here, and eat good food."

"Please! Please! He's a nice ogre!" Aeril pleaded to Varlon he said "Please! Pretty please!"

Varlon sighed. "I'm sorry, but it not my decision! The guards are the one who have to decide."

"Absolutely not! We can't have your kind around here!"

Aeril got mad and became a boy again. he ran to the guard and kicked him in the shin. "Aeril! That was uncalled for!" Varlon said scolding him.

"But its not fair! All he wants is food and a nice place to stay. What happened to all that talk of peace and love! He's a nice ogre! If he wanted to be mean he woulda done something mean. But he walked up to the gate and asked permission. Why must you be so mean to him? What has he done to be treated so mean?" Tears came to his eyes switching him to a girl as she became sad. "Why can't you give him a chance? Please let him stay? Please? He's a nice ogre!"

The guards looked at each other. They had all come to love Aeril. The sometimes boy sometimes girl was full of passion. He would often bring the guards lunch or some small trinket.

Malin, the guard he kicked earlier, could remember the day Aeril came to the gate dragging a great sword. The sword itself taller than the boy, but he pulled it by himself refusing anyone's help. It took the boy a great deal of time, but when he finally reached the gate he proudly presented the sword to him as a gift to help protect the city.

Malin felt touched. The sword was old and thoroughly rusted, but how could he refuse the boy. He had dragged it all the way to the gate, just to give it to him. Just like before he found it hard to deny the boy turned girl. Most people thought of the city militia as corrupted and evil. He saw the way many of the city's clerics and paladins would glare at him as they past. He could not help that militia leaders were corrupted, he joined the militia to help protect the city. Could the boy have been right? Could this be a rare ogre?

"Please" the girl continued "I'll bring him food if you want. I'll even feed him everyday! Pretty please!"

Malin looked at the ogre. "If you are what you say ogre, you may sell your wares at the city gate to who ever, might buy from you, where we can keep an eye on you. Do anything even slightly questionable and I'll personally have kick your large hide from here all the way back to Oggok."

"Thank you so much Malin! I'm sorry for kicking you!" She said somewhat she Then looking at Aeril who was once again climbing the ogre he said. "Come Aeril, let the ogre set up his shop. We still have more training to do."

"Ok Varlon. Bye Boomba I'll bring you some food later!"

As they walked away Boomba looked after the child and plopped down heavily on the ground just outside the city gate and set up camp. And made a small booth so he could sell his few wares.

Time went by and Boomba sat outside the gate feeling miserable. He had yet to sell a single thing. But true to his word Aeril, brought him food everyday. Boomba watched him as he fought. He saw the boy fight the skeletons everyday, and admired his skill as a fighter. While the rest of the children fought rats and snakes, this child fought skeletons. He was proud of the boy, and quite fond of him. Not only did he feed him everyday, since no one else would even so much as talk with him, but all the boy gave him all the loot he received from killing the skeletons.

Within a few months Boomba already had a large collection of rusty weapons and several sets of tattered clothing. But for all his wares he still hadn't had a single customer.

That all changed after a late day in the fall. He was preparing to pack his wares when he saw a young boy out chasing after a skeleton. At first he thought it might have been Aeril, but the boys hair wasn't in the familiar pigtail Aeril had. He was about to ignore the boy and put his stuff away when he noticed a large orc sneaking up on the boy. The large ogre took off running toward the boy.

One of the guards seeing the ogre running toward the boy, thought he was running out to hurt him. He called for reinforcements and ran after the ogre. With his sword in hand he swung at the ogre leaving a gash in his massive arm. The ogre screamed in pain and swung at the guard. The blow caught him directly in the gut, driving the wind out of him.

A scream caught both of there attention. They both looked up to see the large orc beating on the boy. He attempted to run but the orc knocked him down. Boomba began to run toward the boy. His large muscled legs got him to the boy in no time. The orc was to busy beating on the child to notice the large ogre, so when the first blow came he was completely taken by surprise.

One kick from the ogres large foot pushed the orc back ten feet landing roughly on his butt. Not giving him a chance to stand the ogre slammed his large fist into him again and again. Finally satisfied the orc would do no one any harm again he turned back to the boy.

In the time it took him to kill the ogre he noticed several guards surrounding the boy. Guard Malin was there, looking extremely worried. Seeing the large ogre they parted. The ogre knelt down next to the boy and began chanting and suddenly the boy was covered in a blue aura. One of the guards was about to stop him when Malin stopped him. "Stop it damn you. Don't you see he's healing him. He's my son, let him heal him."

Boomba stood after a few minutes. "He good now. Need sleep. He tough warrior, he live and fight tomorrow. Boomba go sleep now."