A/N: Got it done well ahead of schedule. Here is chapter 3. A little bit of drama in this one.

Ranma couldn't sleep. Everything that Akane said and didn't say ran through his mind on repeat. He needed to get some straight answers about what in the hell was actually going on. Client privacy be damned, this was all too personal. It appears that whatever was going on started seven years ago and was the catalyst for the decisions Akane made when she left Nerima. A fact that made him even more angry because that meant she had not trusted him. After all they had been through she still hadn't trusted Ranma to protect her. Everything leading up to that was a lie.

There was a small thump heard in the room next door. His ears perked up but he didn't detect any ill intent nearby. Still he sat up quietly and strained to listen. There was a bit of shuffling and then silence. Just as he began to relax back into bed he heard Akane's muffled scream. Ranma shot out of bed and ripped open the door on reflex.

There standing by the side of the bed was a huge bird creature with the face of a human with deep bottomless black eyes. Akane lay sprawled and motionless on the bed as if she was a discarded doll. Those black eyes blinked once before Ranma lost himself in a rage he had not felt in years. No one touched Akane.

Chapter 3: The Guardian

Ranma flew across the room and landed a solid hit to the side of the bird's head before following up with tossing it out the window. He stopped for all of two seconds to verify Akane was still breathing before launching out the window after it. His body was super heated as rage and fear consumed him. The image of Akane's body sprawled on the bed was painted on the back of his eyelids. He landed lightly on the balls of his feet and scanned the area for the intruder. At first he didn't see, it had concealed itself in the branches of the nearby trees.

Tracking the birds movement through the trees, Ranma prepared for a chi attack. "Moko Takabisha!" with a yell he let loose a devastating blast that ripped through the tree the creature had moments before landed in. But it was ineffective as the creature flipped itself out of the way at the last minute. The bird creature retaliated by kicking up a wind storm with the flap of its huge wings and sent it hurling at Ranma. The speed and strength sent Ranma flying back into a nearby brick wall.

He wasn't out of the fight yet though. Growling in frustration Ranma pulled himself out of the rubble. The damn creature was faster than he thought. This was a creature he had no experience with, he would have to tread carefully.

"You're going to regret that." Ranma launched himself back at the bird. "Hiryu Shoten Ha!" Ranma launched a series of punches faster than the eye could see at the bird. The creature managed to dodge most of them but not all. The bird attempted to swipe Ranma's legs out from under him with its long stork-like limbs. Ranma caught the creature off guard by flipping over the bird and resumed his attack, sending it careening toward the base of the hotel building. Ranma stalked towards the intruder prepared to deliver a fatal blow, determined to eliminate the threat to Akane.

"Ranma, Don't!" A voice screamed just seconds before his chi infused fist met its mark. He managed to just pull the punch before it landed. A golden streak flew at him, before he could react it landed, curling around his extended fist, sinking small sharp teeth into the back of his hand. He was met with a very alive looking dragon with ruby red eyes that glared at him. "Ranma, She means us no harm." Akane came skidding to a stop next to him, pale and shaking. Toshi trailed a few steps behind her.

Ranma watched her as he tried to rein in his emotions. Tried to tamp out the flames of his fear and rage. Akane was here, she was ok. Akane placed a tentative hand on his arm trying to reassure him. He grunted and relaxed. He looked down at the small dragon and shook his hand to dislodge him. Dukkeobi took the hint and floated off to land on Akane's shoulder to watch Ranma passively.

"I am sorry to have startled you. It was not my intention to frighten you so," A smooth oddly female voice called as the creature stood and brushed debris from its form. Ranma quickly stepped in front of Akane, placing himself in the creature's path. He wasn't taking any chances. "My name is Jiyana and I come on behalf of our flock to speak with Akane."

"She is a Byangoma, they are fortune telling creatures," Toshi moved to stand near Akane. "They don't often trouble themselves with human affairs."

Jiyana was tall, standing nearly seven feet tall, her body resembled that of a stork with disturbingly human facial features. Her eyes were a fathomless black that seemed to absorb the light around them, her face devoid of any expression. She caulked her head to study them in a very bird-like behavior before turning her gaze to Akane. "I am sorry I hurt you, you frightened me when you screamed and I fear I may have overreacted. It's been a few centuries since I was last in the presence of a human."

"That's understandable, I am quite alright now." Akane moved to stand beside Ranma, never one to take being sheltered well. "Why were you looking for me?"

Ranma watched Akane out of the corner of his eye. Other than a slight pinched look and being a tad pale she appeared to be telling the truth. Dukkeobi chirped and then wrapped his tail around Akane's neck to stabilize himself before falling asleep again, though Ranma noted he stayed in his true form.

"Yes, we have seen you. We know of your quest and I was sent to provide guidance and warning." Jiyana shifted from foot to foot as if impatient.

"Let's return to our rooms for a chat then, before someone decides to come investigate." Toshi waited for confirmation from his companions before he moved toward the building again. Jiyana decided to simply fly to the window Ranma had thrown her through. Akane turned to follow Toshi but before she could take more than two steps Ranma stopped her.

"Are you sure you are ok 'kane?" His gaze was questioning and soft.

Akane smiled. "Yes I promise, other than a light headache I should be fine."

While that may have been true Ranma also noted that she looked like she was ready to drop, and he was not sure how well her injury would have taken the excitement. Before she could again move or protest, Ranma scooped her up and jumped up to her second story window. He moved towards her bed and deposited her gently. Akane looked at him in confusion but he refused to meet her eye.

Toshi entered the room just after out of breath. "Thanks for just leaving me down there." He huffed in aggravation, Akane giggled and patted the bed next to her which Toshi gratefully and dramatically flopped on.

"Now what is it you came to tell us?" Akane said as she turned her gaze back to Jiyana.

Jiyana ruffled her feathers and shifted. "I bring the words of prophecy."

Ranma grumbled and leaned against the wall next to the bed. "Great, prophecies are rarely good things."

Akane swatted at him playfully and was rewarded with a heart stopping smile. She turned back to Jiyana before she could get too flustered. "Please continue, we appreciate any help we can get."

"The keeper's fate is sealed; only death can bring peace." Jiyana seemed to grow and her voice took on the quality of a wind rustling through the leaves of the trees. "Return to where it all began and know his name to break the chain. But be wary of more than just the old ones, for evil takes all forms. Trust your path and keep good company, beware of deceit that resides in the heart. We the Byangoma believe your path can succeed but be warned that should the artifact fall in evil's grasp it will be at the peril of more than just the keeper."

"Well that's great. Where did it all begin? And we are no closer to finding out who is behind all this." Toshi looked thoughtful; the document Akane was reviewing on the airplane may be the key they need. "I don't suspect you can read ancient texts, can you?"

"The Byangoma does not have a written language, we deal in the land of dreams and tomorrows. We rarely concern ourselves with the past or present." She looked thoughtful. "We have seen him before, many lifetimes ago, he was here before time, he was here at creation, banished to dwell in the darkness alone, shunned by all that is life and light. He has been forgotten to time."

"Well that's more than we had before." Akane said sadly.

"Who is the keeper?" Ranma's voice was filled with tension. He had an idea but didn't like the implications.

"I am," Akane hesitated, not liking the look Ranma was giving her. "It is a responsibility handed down through the women of my family. When one falls, the next is called."

"Only death can bring peace? What does that mean, whose death?" He uncrossed his arms and glared, "Yours?! I don't fucking thinks so" His mood got darker by the moment. He was fuming. He didn't get Akane back in his life to let some stupid prophecy take her from him again. Not going to fucking happen. "What is this artifact?"

"It is a magical artifact passed down through my family from one keeper to the next." Akane briefly touched just below her sternum and a soft hum and glow illuminated beneath her skin. "It melds with the keeper's life force."

"Akane, I am not sure you should be telling him all this." Toshi frowned at her. The artifact was a tightly guarded secret that very few were aware of and even less understood what it was.

"Look you pompous prick you dragged me into this to protect her, the time for questioning loyalty is way past," Ranma loomed over Toshi, agitated and ready for a fight. Toshi's useless ass could disappear for all he cared. The guy was likely more of a liability than help. "Besides I didn't see you trying to defend her when she was out cold."

Toshi just glared "We have handled things thus far by ourselves, this is hardly the first time we have been attacked. The artifact gives Akane certain abilities to protect herself." He stood to loom back at Ranma, their height difference only slight. " I am her guide, I provide mostly technical support, I'm the damn book worm in this. But I am trained for combat and I trained Akane myself." Toshi may be the knowledge seeker but his toned body and feline grace spoke of tightly coiled power as well. "Most keepers are also paired with a Guardian who provides more defensive support but the magic has never made them known to us, which is why I hired you, and I can, and will fire you." Ranma growled and made it as if to grab Toshi, Akane quickly tried to insert herself between the two before a fight could break out.

"Not true, a Guardian was called." Jiyana fidgeted as Toshi turned to her in surprised disbelief.

"Not possible. Akane would know!" The room was tense as he realized what that meant. Akane felt all the blood drain from her face at the Byangoma's comment. "Akane?"

Akane wisely moved out of easy grabbing distance as she watched the thunder cloud of Toshi's face. He didn't anger easily but it was always scary when he did. "Toshi it's not what you think I swear." She jumped as Toshi lunged for her, knocking her down into the nearby table. "Ouch get off me." With little incentive necessary Ranma ripped Toshi away from her and sent him hurtling towards the wall. Placing himself between them in case the idiot tried that again.

Catching his breath and still furious Toshi tried to rein in his temper. "Who, Akane? Who did the magic call and when? And don't you dare lie, I can read you like a book."

She fidgeted and swore. She had hoped to take this secret to the grave. She knew what it looked like. Things had never been easy for the two of them, the lack of guardian forced Toshi to try to pull double duty, forcing him into a role he felt very under equipped for. She knew he loved her and never held that against her. But now to find out that there was always another option, that she had hidden this from him, it would break that trust.

"In the beginning." She moaned as if in pain. "I wanted to tell you but I wasn't sure how to make you understand. Then too much time had passed so I just let it go." She looked imploringly at Toshi, "Please Toshi try to understand! Everything was so chaotic in the beginning, I made choices that may not seem right to you but were decisions that I had to make."

Toshi just stared at the woman that had filled his whole world the last seven years. The woman who he stood next to and guided, protected and cared for. How could she put anything above that? But then it dawned on him, she wouldn't, not anything shy of protecting someone she loved. With that realization his gaze swung to a confused Ranma. "You." He whispered. "It was always you." Looking back at Akane, "wasn't it?" She sagged in defeat.

"Mind telling me what the hell is going on here?" Ranma was feeling a little left out and a lot like he was stuck in the middle of a lovers' feud. It was the last place he wanted to be.

"It's you." Toshi said with a little more conviction. " Tell me Ranma. Seven years ago you left the Tendo Dojo for a training trip only to return two weeks later to have Akane break your engagement. But before she did, did anything happen?" Ranma looked at him confused. "Like a little voice calling to you, telling you to guard and protect her. Did you touch her and feel that little thrill of power course through your veins with a sense of purpose? Even now, after all these years, I bet you still have that deep seeded need to protect."

Ranma looked at Akane uncomfortably but she was sitting on the floor and very purposefully not looking at them. It was an embarrassing thing to remember now. He had come home to find a rather somber environment but one glance at Akane had his pulse speeding. At the time the overwhelming need to touch her, to hide and guard her, swept through him. And then when he had let his hand touch her ever so lightly he felt a liquid fire course through him. It was like all the feelings he had for her just intensified. He had thought he had briefly seen it reflected in her eyes as well but she had pulled away from him before he could be sure. "Um yeah, maybe, something like that I guess." He screwed up his face in thought, not quite understanding yet. "But it was kind of my job anyway, I mean I always protected Akane before, demons and kidnapping were not unusual for us, so I didn't think much of it. Why?"

Toshi laughed without humor. "Because you were called to be her guardian. And instead of telling you what it meant Akane decided to hide the knowledge and leave you behind," there was a vicious edge to his voice now.

Ranma just stared at Akane in disbelief. "What?" His shocked whisper roused something in her and she turned to him as the first tears fell.

"Please try to understand, I knew what you would have done. This is a death sentence Ranma, In the last 50 years no keeper has lasted more than a decade. It killed my mother and destroyed my father. My life was forfeit the day that the artifact chose me! I couldn't allow you to follow me down that path."

His heart raced and the sense of betrayal intensified. How could she? After everything he had done, after everything she had said. "You had no right to make that choice without me. We had always tackled these things together. I had fought for you, protected you from so many things before this. I fucking killed a demi-god for you!" He couldn't look at her just then. He needed to break something. "You told me you trusted me, apparently that was a lie." The anger, the fear, the years of loneliness and regret, the helplessness and rage all came boiling up and his body was fairly vibrating with it. He had to let it out. He jumped out the window and raced to the nearby woods.

Back in the room Akane jumped when she heard a broken scream of rage and then saw the night light up for one brief moment, followed by a loud percussion of multiple trees falling to the earth's floor all at once. Ranma was not handling the news well.

Toshi looked out the window in surprise before turning his gaze back to the Byangoma who had stood back in the corner as a quiet observer this whole time. Taking a moment to compose himself into being the rational one, he tried to remember the purpose in all this. "Any other revelations we should be aware of?" Jiyana simply shook her head. "Any ideas on where to start looking for information on where to find this beginning you spoke of? Or who this master puppeteer is?"

At this Jiyana perked up. "Yes actually." She seemed to become excitable. "We have seen, there is a library in Guatemala lost to time, remnants of civilization's of the past. Some of its volumes have been found. They speak of the beginning. You must go there, but be wary, the texts are more than simple books. Tread carefully or they may bring more trouble upon you. He is always watchful. He knows of your plan."

"Great." Toshi ran his hands through his hair deep in thought.

"We could head there after we speak to Huoshi," Akane offered.

"We could…" Toshi moved towards his room to grab a laptop. Akane knew better than to disturb him when he was trying to figure out a puzzle, this was Toshi's element. It was a very familiar sight that brought her a minuscule amount of comfort. She instead crawled back onto the bed to wait him out. She gently stroked Dukkeobi's head and was rewarded with a comforting purr. His energy levels were so low. His brief flight to stop Ranma had depleted much of his reserves. She coaxed him down off her shoulder and gently nudged him to resume his place around her arm. He seemed to sigh as he once again resumed his form as an ornamental cuff and promptly went back to sleep. "Ah, ha! Here it is, I found the dig, the volumes are being stored at a museum in Mexico City." Toshi became excited and animated, " I think the best bet is to split up, if whoever this guy is really does know what we are up to then we need to move fast. You and Ranma can continue to Shishapangma and I can head to Mexico City."

Akane looked startled. "I don't think that's a good idea."

He looked up from the screen and sent her a sad smile. "Akane, look, Ranma is better protection than me, especially now that we know he is the guardian, he can tap into the artifact to help protect you in ways I can't. I am far more useful in Mexico City digging up these texts."

"What's going on now?" Ranma had returned. He was calm but there was a storm still brewing below the surface.

"Jiyana just informed us that we can find some of the information needed in Mexico City. I was just informing Akane of a plan to split up, you two can continue on the current mission and I can follow up on this lead, then we can meet up later." Ranma just nodded, it seemed the best course. Divide and conquer.

"No, Toshi," Both men turned to take in Akane. Akane looked fierce and defiant. Toshi got up and went to kneel in front of her. She deflated a bit as she looked into his green eyes, eyes she knew so well, Her next words came out as a pained fearful whisper. "Seven years Toshi, in all that time you have never left my side." Ranma decided to make himself scarce.

"I know Akane," Toshi took her hands and gave them a little squeeze. "In light of everything I think it's for the best, I am still mad as hell at you, and this will give you time to work out things with Ranma. Promise me you will be careful though, and let Ranma do his job."

Akane gave him a hesitant nod. "Fine, I know you're right. I don't like it though. You don't know what you are walking into and I won't be there to help."

He gave her a devilish smirk, "I'm probably safest away from your temper." She smiled and swatted him. He stood dropping an affectionate kiss to her forehead before he moved back to his computer to continue making arrangements.

"I will leave you to your plans then." Jiyana bowed and made to leave.

"What if we need to contact you. How do I reach you?" Akane didn't want to lose such a valuable resource, and the prophecy was not all that clear.

"You don't," And with that the Byangoma took flight leaving the noisy overly emotional humans to their schemes. It would be many centuries before she allowed her brothers and sisters to talk her into being the deliverer of prophecy again. She hoped to stay in her roost far from meddlesome humans.