Legal: The characters of Ranma ½ were created by the great Rumiko Takahashi, Dr. Strange was one of the greatest creations of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
I am using them without permission, hopefully for the purpose of entertaining someone. If anyone who has a right to sue me has that desire, I have almost no money.
C&C is appreciated, you can contact me at And if you want to see the earlier parts of this and my other stories, you can find them at Saotome: Master of the Mystic Arts
By Brendan O'Donnell
Chapter 6
Ranma lay on her futon, shaking her head as she dreamed. She could see Dr. Strange standing in the mountains, watched as the Eye of agamotto grew and opened revealing a brightly glowing gateway.
Dr. Strange stepped through, and the portal vanished behind him. Stepping onto a spiderweb thin pathway with determination, Dr. Strange began to walk, following a glowing speck of light. As the light vanished, he saw a gateway resembling the amulet and stepped through.
Into a vast space, empty except for a point just before Strange, where it seemed like a galaxy had been shrunk to the size of a dot. The dot suddenly began to change, growing, and reforming into a manlike shape. Or rather the shape of a man used as a mold into which the entire universe was poured.
I AM ETERNITY
Ranma's eyes opened and she rose into a siting position, sweat pouring down her face as she gasped for air. She reached up to rub her forehead. "Woah, that was. . ." wiping off the sweat she pulled herself to her feet. And looked around. Her father was sleeping beside her in panda form. And outside the window the sun had almost half cleared the horizon.
Ranma paused and looked at her hands a moment. Rising to her feet she quickly made her way to the bathroom. She ran a bucket of hot water, and poured it over her head.
A smile blossomed on Ranma's face as he clenched his larger masculine hands. "Back to Normal." He frowned. "Assuming that normal will mean anything with what's on the horizon."
"You ok, Ranma?" Akane asked as she, Ranma and her sister walked along the canal. "You don't seem all there."
"I'm fine, just this morning, I had a dream."
"Must have been some dream." Nabiki commented. She glanced at Ranma's masculine figure. "I'd expect you to be a little excited about turning back."
"It was more than just a dream. That I'm sure of." Ranma said simply.
"So what happened?" Nabiki asked.
"Something incredible." Ranma replied. He looked down the street, and his gate shifted a moment as he stared. "Wow, I didn't expect him back so soon."
Standing before the gates was the ragged looking figure of Ryouga Hibiki.
"Yo! Ryouga!"
Ryouga blinked and looked forward. He smirked. "I didn't think you had the courage to face me after you ran out on our last fight."
With a scowl Ranma accelerated his walking toward the school. "In case you've forgotten, you got lost in the middle of our fight!" I helped you get lost, but it wasn't cowardice, I just had a higher responsibility.
"SHUT UP!" Ryouga screamed angrily. "Do you think I was just taking a run for my health?! I suffered to get back here!" Shifting his grip on his umbrella, he jumped forward with the yell "Prepare to die Ranma!"
Ranma casually dodged the incoming blow. Twisting around he stepped past Ryouga, raising his hands in a casual defensive stance.
Ryouga pivoted, snapped open the umbrella, and threw it at Ranma. Ranma leaned away from the spinning weapon. Eyes narrowing Ryouga pulled off a bandana, and jumping forward, snapped one end around Ranma's wrist.
"No running away now, Ranma!" Ryouga proclaimed as he stepped in, kicking at Ranma. Who casually ducked under the attack, yanking Ryouga's arm down between his legs. A kick to the back of his knee forced Ryouga to the ground, with one arm still in Ranma's tight grasp.
"So who wants to run?" He commented with a smirk as he adjusted his position on Ryouga's back.
Ryouga's eyes tightened angrily. "You dare." He grasped the earth with his free hand. "Try to force me." With a quick motion he raised both legs straight off the ground, supporting his and Ranma's weight with the one arm. "TO MY KNEES!?" Straightening his arm he threw the pair into the air.
With a twist of his body he shifted his arm back to a forward stance. As he and Ranma fell they traded blows. As the pair hit the ground a quick motion of Ranma's snapped the Bandana tying him to Ryouga. He leaped away and landed in a defensive stance.
Ryouga snarled angrily. Reaching up he pulled off his bandana, then a dozen more. Spinning them he took a step forward. "Try dodging this!" Suddenly the air was filled with bandanas.
Ranma glided back, bobbing and moving to avoid the bandannas.
"Look out!"
Ranma looked at the wall where Akane was crouching over her sister who was lying face down on the ground. His eyes narrowed.
"AN OPENING!" Ryouga screamed as he charged in at Ranma.
Ranma raised one hand above his head and gestured. The bandannas were all suddenly drawn to crash together to form a yellow and black ball overhead. With his other hand he gestured at Ryouga. Who suddenly found the air he was charging through thickening. Like water. Like honey. Like setting concrete.
Ranma turned toward Akane who was helping her sister to her feet. "How's Nabiki?"
"I'm fine," Nabiki replied. "Akane just decided that it'd be fun to knock me flat on my face."
"Well maybe I should have let one of those bandannas cut your head off!"
Ranma turned back to Ryouga. He raised a hand, and the lost boy stumbled forward as the bindings evaporated. "What were you thinking!?" Ranma commented as He walked toward his opponent. "That Bandanna trick could have killed someone. And I don't mean me."
Ryouga was standing there looking at his hands. With eyes filled with uncertainty he looked at Ranma. "What? . . . How? . . ."
Ranma gestured dismissively. "Sorcery. I've been studying for the past year. But that has nothing to do with our fight."
"Our fight."
"Yeah, do you want to start over? And don't worry I never use magic in a straight fight."
"Never use. . . Don't patronize me!" Ryouga replied angrily. "I don't want your pity! And I don't want your charity!"
Ranma shook her head. "What are you talking about. Magic has nothing to do with a man to man duel, so I don't use it!"
"This isn't some game, this is a battle of honor! I'm not here to pretend to fight you while you pretend to fight back!"
"All right." Ranma said angrily. Ryouga blinked as Ranma raised his right hand to his mouth, and bit down hard.
"Rrr," Ranma extended his hand, let the blood flow to pool in the center of his palm a moment, then tilted his hand so the blood could drip to the earth.
"By my eternal honor."
Drip.
"By the Art I wield."
Drip.
"I vow never to use magic in any one on one fight between Ryouga Hibiki and myself."
Drip Drip
"Earth, Sky and all powers that be, witness this compact, bound by my living blood."
Drip Drip Drip.
Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small bandage and deftly tied up his palm. "There. No magic as long as the fights one on one."
Ryouga blinked, and looked at the blood on the ground. "No magic." He grinned. "Your gonna regret that, you know. I haven't stopped training, and I've even
picked up a few new tricks."
"You want your umbrella?" Ranma replied with a smile
With a smirk Ryouga walked to where his umbrella lay. "Hah, you're going to regret being so generous after I'm done with you."
As Ryouga squatted down to pick up his umbrella, space suddenly folded in on itself and tore open besides Ranma. He stared at the vortex, then a great force with a vaguely familiar feel reached out and pulled him into the portal.
"Ranma!" Akane called as she ran into the field and jumped into the closing vortex after him.
Ryouga pivoted as he heard Akane's cry, then stared at the closing hole in space. "He just. . . Damn you Ranma! That's the last time I let you run away from me!" He ran at the vanishing rift in the fabric of reality, and passed through the spot it had been at full speed. The wall beyond didn't slow him down any more than the empty air.
Ranma looked around himself. He realized that he was floating in a pocket realm between several dimensions. Decided on a direction to think of as down, he drifted to a standing position on the unreal ground he envisioned beneath his feet.
"AAAA!" Came a cry from behind him. Turning he looked at Akane who was sprawled on the pseudo ground.
"Akane?" Ranma walked over and extended a hand down. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw that whirling thing and I thought you were in trouble so. . ."
"Jumped in after me? That was stupid."
"Well excuse me for trying to help!"
"What could you do too help?"
"I. . . Well. . . I'm a martial artist too!"
"You can't punch anything strong enough to create that kind of portal."
"Well, didn't you say I had . . . potential?"
"That means that you might be able to do something in a few months with intense training." Ranma shook his head, and looked around. Seeing three figures nearby, he started walking toward them.
"Hey, where are you going?"
Ranma glanced back. "I had to have been called here for a reason, and they probably have something to do with it."
Akane scowled, then ran after Ranma.
"Ancient One!" Ranma called as he recognized the eldest of the three figures.
Raising a hand to touch his forehead, the ancient one looked at his newest pupil. "Ranma."
"Ancient one." One of the other figures muttered as he stirred from unconsciousness. Shaking his head briefly, Dr. Strange instantly willed himself to an upright stance and floated to the Ancient one.
Ranma looked at Dr. Strange, then at the third floating figure. "Is Mordo still a threat?"
"No, Mordo is harmless now." Dr. Strange replied simply.
"Harmless?" Mordo responded, as he floated to a standing position and gathered his power. "Do not dismiss me so easily!"
Raising one hand Dr. Strange lashed out, imprisoning Mordo in a simple mystic restraint. "Without Dormammu's support you are nothing."
"Do not waste any energy!" The ancient one looked at Dr. Strange. "Now that Dormammu has chosen to act directly, you must be prepared."
Akane looked at the four sorcerers. She sighed, then blinked in surprise as they suddenly stiffened defensively. Glancing around she saw nothing. "What's wrong."
"Something's about to happen." Ranma said.
Suddenly the fabric of reality began to buckle and shift. About fifty feet away from the quintet a tear opened in space, and through stepped what seemed to be a man dressed in strange red armor. A few feet from him, another tear opened, and a small wave crashed through. It quickly elongated and reshaped, pouring into a vaguely humanlike shape. A third portal allowed a great snake with two arms and long blue hair to slither through. A fourth and a fifth portal opened, then a dozen more each allowing another alien being to enter the place. The only common factor of the creatures was a palpable aura of power and menace that surrounded each and every one of them.
"I have heard of some of them." Dr. Strange said quietly.
The Ancient One nodded "Each the dread lord of a different dimension, their names are only spoken in whispers. Only a command from Dormammu could have brought them all here."
"Who are the humans?" Asked a muscular figure in red golden armor, toped by a red helmet.
"The old one is the ancient one." Replied another of the entrants. "I do not know the others."
"I am one of the disciples of the Ancient One." Dr. Strange said with a confidence filled voice.
"I am another." Ranma said, stepping between the growing hoard and his teacher.
Mordo pulled himself straight. "Tremble in my presence, for I serve the Dread Dormammu!"
"Silence Mordo!" Dormammu's voice rang through the space. A great light suddenly ignited, and a blazing portal opened, extending a walkway of solid light. "Is there no limit to your false bravado . . . Your shameless, unjustified boasting??"
"Dormammu!!!" Mordo cowered back from the newly created path.
From the great light, stepped Dormammu, who walked purposefully into the pocket dimension. "Stand aside bungler! The very sight of you merely reminds me how worthless you have proven to be!" He declared as he passed Mordo.
Dormammu came to a halt a few feet from Dr. Strange. "Now, before this gathered assemblage," He raised a hand and pointed. "I challenge the mortal Dr. Strange to engage in combat with me!" Letting his gaze begin to fall upon the fearful crowd, he continued. "And to the victor, shall go the prize of prizes . . . the most coveted treasure of all. . . He who emerges triumphant, shall claim the total mastery of all the Earth, and the supreme voice in the highest council of the known dimensions!
"Thus speaks Dormammu!"
Once again, Dormammu acknowledged the presence of the other dimensional lords. "How speak you all?"
From many a cry of approval rang out. Many of the assembly had failed in their own attempts to defeat the Ancient One and enslave the earth.
Other's however were filled with a sense of eventual doom. They knew that earth's fall would be soon followed by Dormammu's continued expansion by claiming their own realms as well.
I must accept! I have no other choice! If he is not vanquished now, there may never be another opportunity! "I accept the challenge!" Dr. Strange proclaimed.
"Then heed my terms. . . And prepare to abide by them, doomed one!" He raised his clenched hands, showing the small disks attached to the backs of both. "Our only weapons shall be our mystic minds. . . and these enchanted Pincers of Power!" From the two circles on the edge of one disk, extended two appendages of solid light, curving together, to almost meet at their ends. "Neither you nor I shall use any other spells or incantations! Is it agreed, accursed human?"
Dr. Strange began to remove his cloak of levitation. "Hand me my pincers! I do hereby agree!"
Dr. Strange handed his cloak and amulet to the Ancient One. "No matter what befalls, I shall bring no dishonor to my calling, to my trust, or to the faith you have placed in me!"
The Ancient One nodded. "May the Hoary hand of Hoggoth rest lightly on thy brow, my son! May the Eternal eye of Agamotto ne'er turn away from thee!"
Two of the Pincers of Power floated to Dr. Strange, who took them and placed them on the backs of his gloved hands. Curving rays of power emerged from the discs at a thought, a moment of focus caused the rays from his right hand to meet, forming a circle. According to his own terms, it is not power, but skill that will decide the outcome, for we shall be evenly matched! Then, let the battle begin!
In the Dark Dimension the girl who had risked everything to aid Dr. Strange was kneeling before a portal showing the fight. Wrapped in Dormammu's spell, she couldn't even turn her head or close her eyes longer than a blink.
Dr. Strange stepped into the clear area where Dormammu stood alone. "Face me, Mortal!" Dormammu declared. "Stand ready to meet your deadly destiny!"
Dr. Strange extended his pincers to a half-moon shape. Hands moving before him, he advanced on Dormammu, who had half extended his own pincers and moved toward him.
Dormammu struck with a low right, which Dr. Strange avoided, while guarding against his raised left hand. A quick testing attack was blocked by Dormammu's pincer, the two mystic weapons crackling as they commingled. Then Dr. Strange attacked with his other hand.
Dormammu's free pincer rose to catch Dr. Strange's attacking hand at the wrist. Its energy cut off, the pincer went inert.
My hand will soon be paralyzed if I do not quickly break free! Dr. Strange pushed back for a moment, then suddenly fell back on one leg, twisting his arms as he kicked his front at Dormammu's legs. I did it!
Releasing one pincers grip, Dormammu extended one hand to catch the ground. While pulling with his other hand at Strange's entangled pincer, he lashed out with a low kick.
I relaxed too soon! Dr. Strange thought as he tried to control his fall.
A moment later, Dormammu struck again at his downed adversary with both hands. "Hah! Now I've trapped both your pincers!"
He's been toying with me till now!
One of the watching powers commented quietly, "Strange is as good as beaten!"
Akane swallowed nervously. "W-what's going to happen?"
Ranma simply looked at the pair. "The fight's not decided yet." I didn't get much chance to spar with Dr. Strange, but I do know that he's a decent fighter. He still might get out of this.
Dormammu began to slowly pull at Dr. Strange's entrapped wrist. "Once I touch your head, your brain will be stupefied! Your will shall become my will!"
Dr. Strange pushed, resisting Dormammu's greater strength. Then as the hand was inches from his face, he suddenly pulled it past his head, into Dormammu's other hand.
"No!"
The pain of his two pincers clashing made him release his hold on me! His just freed hand reached up to grab Dormammu by the shoulder. "Why do I no longer hear you gloating, Dreaded One?" Dr. Strange said as he hurled Dormammu away from himself. "Is it because one cannot crow while being tossed about like the humblest, most lowly of creatures?!!"
Dormammu instantly rose to his feet and advanced back toward where Dr. Strange again stood. "For untold ages, none have ever dared taunt Dormammu! And now I shall show you why!"
Both pincers extended, Dormammu began another attack. "I have had centuries in which to study the art of combat! No one that lives can be my equal!"
While dodging and blocking, Dr. Strange responded. "Speak not to me of equals, Dormammu!" He stopped a retreat, striking with blows that Dormammu had to block. "I have pledged my very lift to prove I am your superior!"
"Never!" Dormammu extended his pincers to lock both weapons onto the pair strange wielded. "No mere mortal can overcome Dormammu!
"Yield, Human! Yield I command you!"
"Not while life flickers within me!"
Ranma looked on, pushing aside his worry and making himself think analytically. Dormammu's more familiar with the weapons, and he does know how to fight, but if he's ever had to fight seriously it was long ago. That's Dr. Strange's advantage.
One of the witnesses commented, "The human fight's has the courage of an enchanted one! But his cause is hopeless!"
"Only to those without faith can there be no hope!" The ancient one responded, not taking his eyes from the fight.
"Enough!" Dormammu declared, forcing Dr. Strange's arms down. "It is time to end this tiresome parrying!" He kicked out a blow which Dr. Strange moved his leg to avoid. Shifting his stance, he struck again, pushing at the back of Dr. Strange's leg while forcing his arms down. "You shall not escape by twisting about again! Not while I keep your arms pinned back!"
His strength is beyond any humans! Dr. Strange thought, as he tried to find a way to throw off Dormammu's grip. Suddenly his hands came together, and Dormammu shifted his pincers grips. He's pinned both my hands with one pincer, and his other hand is free!
Dormammu pulled the hand holding Strange's arms downward, while holding his other hand, pincers extended a foot away from his opponents face. "The game is ended, Strange! The victory is mine!
"Now beg! Beg for mercy to your conqueror!"
Dr. Strange suddenly shifted his legs, pushing himself back into Dormammu's chest with all his strength. "Though a thousand deaths be in store," twisting his body he set down one foot and swung his trapped hands. "A disciple of the Ancient one will never beg!" Dormammu's grip dissipated as he was thrown to the ground, and Dr. Strange leapt after him, his pincers striking to seal Dormammu's power at the wrists.
"And now Dormammu, it is I who have your hands pinned beneath me!"
The crowd was silent, most shocked by this turn around.
My deadliest enemy is actually winning! Strange is defeating Dormammu?! Baron Mordo thought as he looked at the fight. It cannot be! It must not be!! He raised his hands gathering his power. At last I have a chance to redeem myself in the eyes of Dormammu!
Beside the Ancient One, Ranma's gaze swept along the crowd. This is just the time when someone would interfere. His gaze stopped on Mordo's raised hands, the mage's just completed spell erupting forward. NO! Ranma raised his hands, channeling as much of his strength as he could into a shield between Mordo and Dr. Strange.
Shattering Ranma's shield like glass, Mordo's attack struck Dr. Strange from behind, throwing him to the ground.
Dormammu rose to his feet and looked down at his adversaries still form. "You shall pay for that Mordo! By the Seven Rings of Raggador how you shall pay!"
Mordo cringed back in terror as Dormammu advanced on him. "But Master, I thought I was helping you!"
"You. . . A bungling, talentless, powerless mortal. . . you dared to presume to think you could help Dormammu??!!
"You were merely a tool of mine, a hireling! But you dared go over my head, you dared act on your own, without a command from me!"
"I meant no harm! I wanted to help!. . ."
"SILENCE!!!" Raising his hands Dormammu crafted a spell. "I shall transport you to the Dimension of Demons where you will pay for your folly until it suits me to return you again!" Releasing his magic, Dormammu caused a portal to open like a scroll beneath Mordo's Feet.
"No Dormammu. . . NO! Have mercy, I beg you! Mercy. . .!"
Dormammu released his spell and looked at the closing portal. "Mercy? Bah! That is a word for humans, not for The Dread Dormammu!"
Dormammu turned back toward the assembled spectators. "Though I did not win in the manner I would have chosen, still am I the sole survivor! Therefore I demand my prize! I must be crowned master of all dimensions!"
"Stop!" All the assembled turned to the voice.
"I am also the Ancient One's apprentice." Ranma said stepping forward. "And I say that if Dr. Strange's body is to injured to finish the fight, I offer my own!"
Dormammu hesitated, looking at Ranma, then Dr. Strange. "The strain of the transition, the unfamiliarity of bodies, I could win too easily!"
"Are you refusing the challenge?" Dr. Strange asked as he pushed himself to a sitting position. "If you are than you must have wanted Mordo to attack me, must fear to continue our fight!"
Dormammu stepped forward angrily. "Those rash words have sealed you doom! Now, you shall both surely die!" He raised a hand and extended its pincers. "I posses the power to erase you all from existence in an instant, yet I prefer to continue our battle as before. . . using only physical weapons!
"Claim your surrogate body! I grow impatient to end this!"
Dr. Strange limped to his master and sat. Closing his eyes he separated his astral body. Floating to Ranma, Dr. Strange's astral form looked at his fellow mystic. "You are sure you want to go through with this?"
With a smile Ranma responded, "We are fighting for all who live, not just ourselves. Besides I hate being on the sidelines during a fight!"
"Then let us begin." Dr. Strange's Astral body vanished into Ranma.
Ranma closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Reaching within, he collapsed his mystic defenses, then reached deeper, drawing up the knowledge of his body's functioning. He felt Dr. Strange's mind mixing with his own, and quelled his instinctive fear, opening everything he was to his elder student. Then feeling Dr. Strange's prompt, he let go of his body, and his astral form floated free.
Dr. Strange opened the eyes of his borrowed body. "It is done."
Ranma floated to hover by the Ancient One. "Now we just have to wait and see."
"Indeed, my student. I commend you on your courage."
Akane shook her head I thought I
heard Ranma but I couldn't make him out. Looking at the Ancient
One she asked, "Who are you. . . I mean is Ranma. . ."
With a
kindly smile, the Ancient One lifted a hand before her eyes. "See
what is hidden."
Akane blinked. Where there had been empty space, there was suddenly a very translucent image of Ranma. Gingerly extending a hand, she pushed her fingers into the empty air where his arm appeared to be. "Wow."
Ranma raised a finger in a quieting gesture, not taking his eyes away from the match that was building.
Dr. Strange stepped forward. Ranma's studies allowed him to pass along the knowledge and reflexes so that I can use this body at it's full potential. If I can hide that fact it will be to my advantage.
Pincers extended Dormammu lunged forward, smiling at the awkwardness of Dr. Strange's dodge. "Hah! Just as I thought! You back away from my simplest blow. You know you can't fight me in that body!
"You gambled that I might hold off on seeking the kill until you had time to adjust to that apprentice's shell." Dormammu advanced, striking again and again. "Thought to stall me while you gained strength and skill each minute! You shall not have the chance!!"
Positioning must be right, Dr. Strange stumbled and his body jerked to keep from falling. I hope he thinks that stumble was real!
With a triumphant cry Dormammu stepped forward, lashing out with both pincers at his opponents unstable body.
"Wha. . . What will happen. . ." Akane said quietly, looking at Ranma. Ranma was floating beside the Ancient One, both faces the image of calm. Wait Akane looked closer, examining the curve of Ranma's phantom lips to see if there really was a barely visible smile.
Now! Dropping into a wide stance, Dr. Strange suddenly shifted to one side, his right hand lashing forward to meet Dormammu's oncoming attack. His Pincer shot under Dormammu's, to catch his wrist, and sealing the power. Then a quick pivot slammed the caught limb into the other, the single pincer sealing both of Dormammu's.
"And now. . ." Dr. Strange forced both of Dormammu's hands above his head. With his left hand, Strange now struck, his pincer encircling Dormammu's waist. Raising his arms, Dr. Strange held Dormammu over his head.
"And now you are helpless! Using your own weapons, Fighting with your own rules, I have won!!"
Shock rippled across the assembled spectators. "Dormammu has been vanquished."
"What now? Dormammu's wrath will be beyond measure!"
Releasing the pincers Dr. Strange flung Dormammu to the ground. He raised the hand of his borrowed body. "Now the price of your defeat! You must swear never to turn your power against Earth. . . And we shall ALL be witnesses!"
Slowly rising to his feat Dormammu clenched his fist. "I could have destroyed you a thousand times, in a thousand ways. . ."
"No Matter! You swore conditionally when the match began. We await your oath!"
Dormammu stood, and his boundless power began to swirl violently around him. "I do so swear!" His power rose higher and fiercer. "And now let there be an end to this!" He looked to the ancient lords. "Return you all to your dimensions!" As the lords fled through hastily crafter portals, he raised a hand and formed a gate to the Dark Dimension.
"I must be alone." Dormammu said, looking at his human adversaries. "I must plan my plans of vengeance!"
With a small smile the Ancient One said "No matter what plans he makes, earth shall be safe! For he has so sworn!"
With a gesture, Dormammu formed a portal and cast the four humans back into earth's dimension.
"AAAAAAHHHH!!" Akane screamed as she saw the vast city spread out far beneath her, and felt the rushing wind as she plunged toward the distant ground. Then the wind stopped.
"Calm down Akane," Ranma's spectral said as it floated in front of her.
She looked around. The Ancient One was casually sitting on thin air seemingly unconcerned by their height. And beside him, Ranma, or rather Dr. Strange in Ranma's body was floating. His red cape fluttered on his back, and his original body floated just under his outstretched right hand. She was floating up to just below his left.
"Well, that's the Tokyo tower, so I guess Dormammu sent us all to the area where he grabbed me and Akane." Ranma commented.
"Then where should we land?" Dr. Strange responded. "I assume you're impatient to regain your proper body?"
"Not too faded yet, but we definitely should get it done." He began to descend toward the city below. "The dojo's this way."
Akane opened the doorway. "I'm home!" She called.
With a rumble her father and sisters stormed into the entryway.
"AKANE!" Soun cried as he grabbed her, tears spraying from his eyes. "Your safe!"
"Dad," Akane commented uncomfortably. "I haven't been gone that long,"
"However long it's been, you did leave through that whatever it was." Nabiki said, pushing past the pair. She paused as she looked at Ranma, taking in the red cape on his shoulders and the man he was holding. "Ok, Saotome, start talking."
Ranma looked at her, then glanced to one side. He raised two fingers of one hand, and the center of his circular amulet suddenly cracked open, a dazzling light pouring from the crack.
Nabiki blinked, then stared at the second Ranma who was floating just to one side of the first. Her jaw dropped as she pointed from one to the other. "You. . . He. . ."
Raising a translucent hand the floating Ranma said, "I'm Ranma." He gestured to the old frail looking man behind them. "This is my teacher, The Ancient One, Sorcerer Supreme of the Earth Dimension." He gestured to the other Ranma. "This is the Ancient One's first student Dr. Strange. Circumstances necessitated that I loan him my body for use."
"Loan your. . . I won't ask about interest."
Kasumi smiled. "Oh my, will you be staying for dinner? I'll want to go to the market if we're having guests."
Dr. Strange shook Ranma's head. "You needn't put yourself to any bother, we can stay at a hotel. . ."
Akane scowled. "You just saved the world! We are not throwing you out!"
Ranma nodded. "Indeed you can sleep in Pop and my room."
The Panda made a surprised sound and held up a sign saying "Don't I have any say in this?"
Ranma's astral body floated right in front of his father. His eyes glowed red and his hands began to blaze with a blue aura. "They get the room, we get the Dojo."
In the Dojo Dr. Strange put his body down. He stepped away from it and sat on the floor. Arranging himself, he glanced at Ranma. "I will be ready momentarily."
"So why all the fuss?" Nabiki commented.
Ranma glanced at Dr. Strange. Turning to Nabiki and Akane he responded, "This was an unusual split, in essence I separated the part of myself which really knows how to make my body work, and passed it to Dr. Strange. Now he's got to shift it back to me, and it's a delicate procedure."
Akane blinked. "That's why Dormammu thought you, no, Dr. Strange wouldn't be able to move right."
"It's an unusual technique, and you really have to trust whoever your offering your body to."
"Ranma." Dr. Strange said quietly. Turning his head, Ranma floated to his body, then sank into it. For a few moments he sat, still save for the steady motion of his chest. Then Dr. Strange's Astral Body emerged. A moment later he floated down and merged with his own body.
Ranma opened his eyes and rose unsteadily to his feet. Dr. Strange rose a moment later.
"It's done." They both said in near unison.
Nabiki looked at Dr. Strange, then at Ranma. She then turned her gaze to Nabiki. "So who is this Dorma Moo, and what does it have to do with what where you and Ranma have been?"
"Shampoo thought girl in Tokyo?" Shampoo commented as she glanced around the train.
"This Hokkaido lead is worth following up." Cologne responded. That was the Ancient One at that house! What is he doing in Japan?!
Shan knelt at the center of a crude magic circle scratched out in the earth. Before him floated a small pot, wobbling in the air.
"Let Doubts become Sureness
Let Sureness become Might"
The contents of the pot began to boil and glow, directing a small pillar of light toward the sky. Shan a piece of silvery metal resembling a cross between a horseshoe and a tuning fork and released it into the stream, where the light began to bleed into it.
"Might of Certainty
Power of Agura"
Sham plucked a hair from his head. He dipped an end of it into the pot, then raised it to touch the metal object. The hair suddenly expanded and grew, wrapping several inches of the object.
"I Claim Your Power for My Own!
Become Mine, Talisman of Certainty!"
He grabbed the metal object with both hands. The Circle became filled with light as the newly created talisman shone with a light that spread to encompass Shan as well.