The Gathering Storm 0.2
Ranma's POV

The world spun in a dizzying blur of colors and sounds, like a kaleidoscope shattered by a giant's fist. One moment, I was locked in a fierce sparring match at the dojo facing down Ryoga for the umpteenth time, sweat dripping from my brow as I focused on my next move, and the next—crack—I was tumbling through an endless void.

"What the hell?!" I shouted, my voice swallowed by the chaotic rush of energy swirling around me. The pendant—the one I had thought was supposed to be my last shot at a cure—was pulling me apart, its magic overwhelming my senses. A chill shot through my spine, panic rising like bile in my throat. Why did I ever think messing with that thing was a good idea?

The day had started off normal enough. Woken up by Pops tossing me into the Tendo's pond—again—followed by a light sparring session to shake off the morning cobwebs. Nothing out of the ordinary. Akane yelled at me for something or other—probably for splashing her in the pond when I came out as my 'other' self. We… hadn't talked much since the disaster of a wedding. And that, well, that was mostly my fault.

I could still see the disappointment in her eyes whenever our gazes met, but the anger was never far behind. I think she actually wanted to get married that day, which made it worse. Every argument since then felt like fighting a feral cat—sharp claws, hissing words, and nothing ever getting resolved. I couldn't blame her though. The whole wedding fiasco had been a mess, and after Ryoga, Ukyo, Shampoo, and the others crashed it, any shot I had at going back to normal was destroyed. The way things were, there wasn't much I could do but try to move on.

Still, the whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth, and I wasn't exactly a happy camper these days. Since everyone eventually left to lick their own wounds, I decided to focus on what I could control—training, and finding some way to fix this curse. The Chest of Draconic Dreaming was a complete bust. Apparently, it could only be used by a maiden pure of heart, which immediately disqualified me in my current situation. The Tea of Eternal Life wasn't any better. Sure, it could give you eternal life, but that meant eternally cursed too. No thanks.

That's when I stumbled upon the Amulet of Davy Jones.

It was an old legend—something out of a sailor's ghost story from the 17th century or something. The details were foggy, but the important part stuck: anyone who found Davy Jones' amulet and took up his challenge was granted one wish. That had to be it. My last shot at breaking this damn curse. I didn't know what kind of challenge I'd be up against, but I figured I'd cross that bridge when I got to it.

Two months ago, I packed my bags and lied through my teeth. I told everyone I was going on a long training trip, searching for some ancient martial arts master. That story seemed to give the Tendo household a much-needed break from the usual chaos I brought with me. I could tell by the way they looked at me that they were relieved. Akane was especially eager to see me out, which… hurt more than I'd admit.

It took me almost the entire two months just to get a solid lead. I spent weeks hiking along the coast of Japan, following every rumor, every whisper. Eventually, I caught wind of some Martial Arts Fisherman bragging about a strange necklace he'd pulled from an old Dutch galleon. As soon as I heard that, I knew I was close.

The fisherman wasn't much of a challenge. His whole fighting style relied on using his fishing rod to trip people up, but the Saotome School of Anything-Goes focuses on aerial combat, so you can guess how that went. A couple of leaps, a quick palm strike, and the amulet was mine.

Now that I had it, the real challenge began. I spent the better part of my trip back trying to figure out how the damn thing worked. I tried everything—rubbing it like a genie's lamp, calling Davy Jones' name three times into the reflection of a lake. Hell, I even tried meditating with it, focusing my ki until I could practically feel the magic radiating off it.

Nothing. Not a flicker, not a spark.

Frustration gnawed at me. What the hell am I missing?

Today was supposed to be the day I'd finally crack it. I was determined. I had been up all night studying old myths and legends, searching for a clue in ancient texts and scrolls I'd borrowed from Cologne. But by the time dawn came, I still had nothing. So, I did what I always did when I needed to clear my head—I trained.

Ryoga showed up not long after, grumbling about some insult I'd thrown his way, and of course, a sparring match broke out. In the middle of a particularly fierce exchange, I decided to take a break and get some air. That's when I made the mistake of pulling the amulet out of my pocket, turning it over in my hands, trying to figure out the secret I was missing.

Then, all hell broke loose.

As soon as my fingers brushed the stone at the center, the world exploded around me. A sharp, almost deafening crack split the air, and suddenly I was falling, plummeting through an endless void. It wasn't just the sensation of falling—it felt like I was being ripped apart, like every molecule of my body was being torn asunder and scattered across the universe.

I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears, but it was faint—distant. Everything was distant, like I was disconnected from my own body. The pendant's magic flared, pulling me through time and space, warping the world around me.

I was trapped in the eye of a storm of energy. Colors I didn't even have names for swirled around me, and I could hear a roaring sound—like the ocean in a hurricane—crashing all around me.

What the hell was happening?

I reached out, trying to grab hold of something, anything to stop the spinning. My fingers clawed at the empty space around me, but there was nothing. I was helpless, caught in the current of this magical force I'd unleashed.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the chaos stopped. Everything went still. The colors, the sounds, the energy—it all vanished in an instant, replaced by an all-consuming silence. I was floating, weightless, in a vast expanse of white light. It was so bright that I had to shield my eyes, but even through the blinding light, I could feel the warmth of it on my skin.

For a brief moment, everything was calm. Peaceful, even. It was as if the universe had hit the pause button just for me.

Then I hit the ground. Hard.

"Oof!" I gasped, the wind knocked out of me as I rolled onto my back. The soft, gritty sensation of sand greeted me, and I realized I had landed on a beach. My whole body ached from the impact, but at least I wasn't dead.

I groaned, squinting against the harsh sunlight as I pushed myself into a sitting position. The beach stretched out before me, a vast expanse of golden sand that glistened under the bright midday sun. The sound of crashing waves echoed in the distance, the salty tang of the ocean filling the air.

"Where the hell am I?" I muttered, looking around in bewilderment.

The beach seemed to go on forever, the horizon stretching out until it met the deep blue of the ocean. Off in the distance, towering cliffs rose from the coastline, their rocky faces dotted with patches of green. It was beautiful, almost idyllic—if not for the gnawing sense of dread building in my gut.

I stood, brushing the sand from my clothes, and looked around. There was no sign of anyone else. No buildings, no people, no nothing. Just me and the endless ocean.

The pendant was gone. That much was certain. Whatever magic had brought me here, it had taken the amulet with it.

"Great," I muttered under my breath. "Just what I needed—another mess to clean up."

I had no idea where I was or how I'd get back. But one thing was certain: this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

I stumbled to my feet, shaking off the lingering dizziness from my unexpected, insane, what-the-hell-just-happened ride through the void. As my eyes finally adjusted, I took in my surroundings—my mind still playing catch-up with my body. The air here was thick, humid, with a kind of salty tang that filled my lungs. Almost like the beach on a hot summer day, except this was way more intense. The kind of scent that clings to your skin and refuses to let go.

Around me stretched a sprawling, jagged shoreline that looked like it had been ripped straight out of a nightmare. Black, craggy rocks jutted up from the sand, like the broken teeth of some giant sea monster, gleaming wet and slick from the sea spray. The sky above was a pale, washed-out gray, clouds swirling in slow motion like someone had hit pause on a storm that was just about to tear everything apart. I frowned, wiping the sweat from my forehead. Was it gonna rain, or what? The air had that weird, electric charge that always came before a downpour.

That's when I noticed it. Off in the distance, past the shoreline and the jagged rocks—whirlpools. Huge, spiraling whirlpools, dotting the water like someone had punched holes in the ocean itself. The water churned violently, twisting in tight spirals, the center of each vortex plunging downward into an abyss that I didn't even want to imagine. I swallowed, watching the sea churn. They weren't natural. No way. The whirlpools didn't just sit there like pretty decorations—they moved, slowly, but with purpose, spiraling around the island like some kind of invisible barrier, keeping the place locked in.

"Okay, yeah…definitely not in Nerima anymore," I muttered to myself, scanning the horizon. There was no sign of a city, no distant rooftops, no familiar landmarks. Just more jagged rocks and dense, dark forest creeping up from the beach. The wind howled low, carrying a strange whistle as it snaked through the rocks and trees. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I bent down, grabbing a fistful of the sand. Coarse, gritty, and cold. I rubbed it between my fingers before letting it fall back to the ground. Not exactly the best place for a vacation. Not that I was expecting a nice tropical island after getting sucked into a magical vortex or anything, but still. A part of me half-expected some goofy-looking pig or a spatula to come flying at my head, like this was some weird prank Ryoga, Ukyo, or Shampoo cooked up.

Yeah, fat chance of that. They couldn't pull something like this off even if they tried.

I walked closer to the water's edge, the sound of the crashing waves almost drowned out by the roar of the whirlpools. They were closer than I thought, only about a hundred meters from shore. Their pull was strong enough that I could feel the current tugging at the loose fabric of my pants. Something about those whirlpools made my skin crawl, like they weren't just spinning water, but something more...alive. A shiver ran down my spine, and I instinctively stepped back.

"This is nuts," I muttered. "Gotta figure out how to get the hell off this island, fast."

But as I turned to leave the shoreline and head toward the forest, a splash of movement caught my eye—a figure, struggling in the water. I froze, squinting. Someone was out there, getting tossed around by the waves, fighting against the pull of the whirlpools.

"Hey!" I shouted instinctively, but the wind and waves swallowed my voice. Without thinking, I dashed toward the edge of the water, my eyes locked on the figure. They were too far out—caught between the shore and the deadly spiral of water. I couldn't make out any details, just the frantic splashing and the occasional glint of light reflecting off something…metal?

I swore under my breath. There was no time to think. Leaping onto one of the larger rocks at the shoreline, I propelled myself forward with everything I had, diving headfirst into the ocean. The cold water hit me like a slap in the face and the expected change came on, but I ignored it, kicking hard as I swam toward the struggling figure. The current was stronger than I expected, pulling me sideways as I fought to keep my course straight. My female form had never been as strong physically as my normal one, it was always better at speed and precision, but strength was what I needed here and now. Beggars couldn't be choosers.

The figure was thrashing now, their movements more desperate as they fought against the pull of the whirlpool. I could see them more clearly now—a girl, blue hair plastered to her face, her arms flailing as she tried to stay above water. Her body glowed faintly, a strange blue aura surrounding her, but even that didn't seem to be enough to escape the current's grip.

"Hold on!" I yelled, pushing harder against the water. The current was relentless, tugging me back every time I surged forward. My muscles burned, but I forced myself to keep going, my hand finally closing around her arm.

She gasped, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and relief as I pulled her toward me. Up close, I could see the exhaustion in her face—her lips were blue, and her skin had that pale, almost translucent look people get when they're half-frozen. She was wearing some kind of strange blue-and-white uniform, like something out of a comic book or a cheesy space opera. What the hell was she, a cosplayer? I didn't have time to ask.

"You alright?!" I shouted over the roar of the waves.

She nodded weakly, coughing up water. Her voice came out in ragged gasps, "C-can't…hold…much…longer…"

"Yeah, I noticed!" I growled, gritting my teeth as I fought to keep us both from getting sucked back into the whirlpool. Her arm was like dead weight, and I could feel her slipping in and out of consciousness. If I didn't get her out of here fast, we were both gonna end up as fish food.

I wrapped one arm around her waist, kicking hard against the current as I started to swim back toward shore. Every stroke felt like a fight against a thousand hands trying to drag me under, but slowly, inch by inch, I made progress. My lungs burned, and my legs felt like they were gonna give out, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. Not yet.

After what felt like an eternity, my feet finally hit solid ground. I stumbled onto the beach, half-dragging, half-carrying the girl with me as we collapsed onto the sand. I lay there for a moment, gasping for air, the roar of the whirlpools still echoing in my ears.

The girl beside me coughed, rolling onto her side as she spat out more water. She looked like she'd been through hell, her whole body trembling with exhaustion. I sat up, glancing at her again. Up close, she looked younger than I thought—maybe around my age, maybe a little younger. Her blue hair, wet and tangled, stuck to her face, but her eyes, a deep, determined blue, were wide and sharp despite her condition.

"You okay?" I asked, pushing myself to sit up.

She nodded weakly, still coughing. "Y-yeah… I'm…alive…"

"Good," I said, leaning back on my hands and staring up at the swirling clouds overhead. "Because I'd hate to go through all that for nothin'."

She managed a weak smile before another fit of coughing overtook her. I frowned, glancing back at the whirlpools still churning in the distance. Whoever this girl was, she wasn't normal. No regular person could survive in that kind of current, let alone fight against it like she had.

"What the hell were you doing out there, anyway?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.

She shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "Got…caught in the current…couldn't control it…"

"Yeah, I figured," I muttered, looking back out at the water. "Those things aren't exactly friendly."

She didn't respond, her breathing still ragged as she lay back on the sand. I sighed, standing up and brushing the sand off my pants. "Alright, stay here. I'm gonna check out the rest of the island. Maybe find us some shelter or somethin'."

The girl looked up at me, her eyes full of a mix of gratitude and exhaustion. She nodded, too tired to speak. I gave her a quick nod back before turning and heading toward the dark line of trees that marked the edge of the forest.

This island was strange. No doubt about it. And if I was gonna figure out a way off it, I needed to get a lay of the land—and fast.

Ami's POV

The salt stung my eyes, the cold water soaking through every inch of my uniform, weighing me down. My muscles screamed in protest as I fought against the current. I tried to summon my power again, feeling the familiar tingle of magic stirring in my fingertips, but it was no use. The swirling water around me drowned out every spell I attempted, sweeping away my control like it was nothing.

I couldn't keep this up much longer.

My breaths came in ragged, shallow bursts, water filling my lungs with every gasp. Panic gripped my chest. I had faced monsters, witches, and even death itself before—but this… this was different. I couldn't think. Couldn't focus. The water was relentless, pulling at me with an invisible hand that seemed determined to drag me under.

No… not like this.

I tried to kick again, tried to stay afloat, but my body felt heavy, sluggish, as though the sea itself had wrapped around me, trapping me in its icy grip. I could barely feel the magic now, flickering weakly beneath my skin like a candle guttering in a storm. My limbs ached. Every second I spent fighting made me weaker.

My vision blurred, the gray sky overhead merging with the angry sea below. I wasn't going to make it.

And then… something grabbed me. Strong hands wrapped around my arm, pulling me through the churning water. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. My mind, half-frozen and delirious, couldn't process what was happening. But the grip was real, warm, and solid, and it dragged me out of the current with a force I couldn't fight.

I coughed, sputtering as I tried to focus, to see who—or what—had saved me. Through the haze of exhaustion, I saw him. A girl, not much older than me, her bright red hair plastered to his face, her eyes sharp and focused as she swam toward the shore with me in tow.

I wanted to say something—to thank her, to ask who she was, anything—but all I could do was nod weakly, my body too exhausted to do much more. My head lolled forward as I struggled to keep my consciousness from slipping away entirely. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was the strange glow around him—a faint, almost imperceptible aura. It wasn't magic, at least not the kind I knew. But it was something… something powerful.

When I came to, I was lying on my back, the gritty texture of sand pressing against my skin. My uniform clung to me, soaked through, but at least I wasn't drowning anymore. I blinked up at the sky, the swirling gray clouds seeming calmer now, less oppressive than before. The roar of the whirlpools still echoed in the distance, but it felt… farther away.

I turned my head slightly, just enough to see my rescuer sitting a few feet away, staring out at the ocean. His face was set in a frown, his eyes scanning the horizon like he was sizing up the whirlpools themselves, trying to figure out what they wanted.

My mind raced, piecing together what had happened. I'd been pulled into the water by that strange current, swept away before I even realized what was happening. My magic—my powers—had been useless against it. That terrified me more than anything else. How had I let it get so out of control?

I pushed myself up, my arms trembling as I tried to sit upright. My body felt like it had been wrung out, every muscle screaming in protest. But I was alive. I had to focus on that.

The girl noticed me moving, turning his gaze back toward me. Her eyes were sharp, but there was something about his expression that felt... odd. Like she wasn't sure if she was supposed to be mad at me or relieved.

"You alright?" she asked, her voice almost gruff and spoken with a manly intonation that didn't fit her light voice but not unkind.

I nodded slowly, my throat too raw to say much at first. After a moment, I managed to rasp out, "Y-yeah… thanks to you."

She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal, but I could tell she was watching me closely, studying me. I felt exposed under that gaze, like she was trying to figure out exactly what I was and whether I was a threat.

I swallowed, forcing myself to speak more clearly. "I… I'm sorry. I lost control. The current was stronger than I expected."

"Yeah, no kidding," she said, her tone blunt but not cruel. "What were you doin' out there anyway?"

I hesitated. How could I even begin to explain? I didn't know how I'd ended up on this island myself. One minute, I'd been investigating an anomaly in the water patterns—something that didn't match any known currents or tides—and the next, I was here, fighting for my life against a force I didn't understand.

"I… I don't know," I admitted, feeling the weight of the truth settle over me. "I was trying to analyze the water, but… something went wrong. There's something strange about this place."

She snorted, glancing back out at the spiraling whirlpools. "Yeah, you don't say."

Her sarcasm would have bothered me more if I weren't so exhausted. Instead, I just nodded in agreement, wiping the wet hair from my face. The air around us felt heavy with tension, like the storm that had been hovering in the distance was finally creeping closer.

I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself for warmth. My powers were returning slowly, but not fast enough. I could feel the energy within me, dormant and sluggish, but there. It would take some time before I could fully summon it again.

The girl—whoever ahe was—stood up, uselessly brushing the sand off her wet pants as she did. "Well, you're alive, so that's somethin'. You sure you're alright?"

I nodded, feeling more stable now. "I'll be okay. Thank you… for saving me."

She shrugged again, like it wasn't a big deal. "No problem. Just stay away from those whirlpools next time, alright?"

I managed a weak smile, though it didn't quite reach my eyes. "I'll try."

She turned toward the line of trees that bordered the beach, the dark forest looming like a wall between us and the unknown. "I'm gonna check out the island, see if I can find some shelter. You can stay here if you want."

I hesitated, glancing between him and the ominous forest. I didn't like the idea of staying here alone, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to venture into the unknown with a complete stranger either.

Still, she had saved my life, and right now, I didn't have many other options.

"I'll come with you," I said, pushing myself to my feet. My legs wobbled, but I steadied myself, drawing on the last reserves of my strength.

She raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "Suit yourself."

Together, we started walking toward the forest, the strange, unsettling sound of the whirlpools fading behind us as the shadows of the trees swallowed us whole.

Ranma's POV

The forest was thick, and the deeper we went, the stranger it felt. The trees were bent and twisted, their trunks spiraling upward like they were being pulled toward the sky by some invisible force. The branches, too, curled in odd loops and swirls, creating an almost dizzying effect if you stared too long. Everything about this place seemed off. Even the leaves, dark green and glossy, were oddly shaped, curling at the edges in tight spirals.

"Hey," she said, her voice breaking the silence. "Thanks again for… you know. Saving me back there."

I shrugged. "Ain't a big deal. You'd have done the same for me, right?" I shot her a sideways glance, noticing her small smile of acknowledgment. It seemed like she was warming up a bit.

The air was damp, and the ground squished underfoot as we walked. The towering, twisted trees overhead cast deep shadows across the forest floor, where patches of strange, spiral-shaped plants grew in clusters. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, though by what, I had no idea.

"So... what's your name anyway?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

I paused for a second before answering. "Ranma. Ranma Saotome."

"Ami Mizuno," she said, brushing a strand of damp hair out of her face. "Sailor Mercury, technically. And technically I shouldn't be telling you that, but after seeing me—well—you know, with the water and all…"

"Sailor Mercury?" I raised an eyebrow. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I'd heard enough weird titles in my life not to be too surprised. "So, like, you're a sailor or somethin'? Or is that just part of the name?"

Ami gave a light chuckle, though it sounded tired. "More like… guardian of water and wisdom. It's a bit complicated."

"Right. Complicated." I scratched the back of my head, pretending to understand. As if my life wasn't complicated enough.

We kept moving, the strange forest making me more alert with each step. The rustling of the undergrowth made me stop and glance around. The last thing I needed was some oversized animal jumping out at us. The forest seemed like the kind of place where that could happen at any second.

The silence stretched on for a while before Ami spoke again, her voice curious. "What about you? You're not... normal, are you?"

I snorted at that. "Not exactly." I considered telling her about the curse—how I changed into a girl whenever I got splashed with cold water and back into a guy with hot water—but I wasn't in the mood to explain it all right now. "Let's just say I got my own set of problems."

Ami nodded, seeming to accept that answer for now. We both had our secrets, it seemed.

The further we walked, the stranger things became. The forest was full of life, but not the kind I was used to. Strange, cartoonishly large creatures wandered around in the distance. At one point, we passed a group of giant snails, their shells swirling in intricate spiral patterns. They were bigger than a man, and they left a shimmering, twisting trail of goo behind them as they slowly made their way across the underbrush. I nudged Ami, pointing at them.

"That... isn't normal, right?" she asked, her voice low.

"Not where I'm from," I muttered, eyeing the creatures warily. "Not sure what to expect here."

As we walked further, we found even more bizarre animals. A massive, spiral-horned deer-like creature wandered past us at one point, its antlers twisting into loops so large they looked like they could've been used as swings. Another animal that looked like a squirrel, but the size of a horse, scampered up one of the twisted trees, its bushy tail spiraling like a corkscrew.

I couldn't help but grin. "This place is like a damn cartoon."

Ami just stared, clearly still trying to process everything. "It doesn't feel real..."

"Welcome to my world," I said, though even I had to admit, this place took strange to a new level.

After a while, my stomach growled, loud enough to startle both of us. I realized that between fighting whirlpools and wandering through this bizarre forest, I hadn't eaten anything since… well, I couldn't even remember when.

"We need food," I said, eyeing a nearby bush full of strange, spiraling fruits that hung like twisted ropes. They were bright red and twisted around themselves like springs.

Ami frowned, clearly hesitant. "Are we sure they're safe to eat?"

I picked one of the fruits and gave it a cautious sniff. It smelled sweet, almost like an apple but with a tangier, sharper scent. "No idea. But I'm starving, and it smells good enough."

Before she could stop me, I bit into it. The juice exploded in my mouth, tangy and sweet at the same time. I grinned, chewing thoughtfully. "Not bad," I said, taking another bite. "Kinda weird, but not bad."

Ami looked at me like I'd gone crazy but eventually picked one of the fruits herself, taking a small, tentative bite. Her eyes widened, clearly surprised by the taste.

"It's... good," she admitted, though she still looked skeptical.

We grabbed a few more of the spiral fruits, stuffing them into our pockets as we continued through the forest. The farther we went, the darker it became, and I knew we'd need to find some kind of shelter soon. The twisted branches overhead made it hard to tell how much time had passed, but it was definitely getting late.

"Over there," Ami pointed toward a cluster of trees ahead. At first, I didn't see anything, but as we got closer, I realized there was a small cave hidden at the base of one of the spiral-shaped trees. The entrance was narrow, but it looked deep enough to provide some shelter for the night.

"Looks good enough," I said, stepping forward to check it out. Inside, the ground was dry, and the walls were lined with smooth stone, twisted like everything else. It wasn't exactly cozy, but it would do.

"We'll stay here tonight," I decided, sitting down against the wall of the cave. My body ached from the long day, and the thought of finally resting sounded like heaven. I pulled one of the spiral fruits from my pocket and took another bite, savoring the sweetness.

Ami sat down across from me, still looking a little wary of the cave but too tired to argue. She ate in silence, staring out at the forest beyond the entrance.

"Think we'll be safe here?" she asked after a while, her voice quiet.

I shrugged. "Dunno. But it's better than being out there with the giant animals."

Ami gave a small nod, though she didn't look entirely reassured. Neither was I, but for now, this was as good as it was gonna get.

As the light outside dimmed and the strange sounds of the forest grew quieter, I leaned back against the cave wall and closed my eyes. I didn't know what kind of place this was or why everything seemed to be spirals and weird animals, but I had a feeling we were in for a lot more surprises before we found any answers.

And tomorrow… well, tomorrow was another day to figure it all out.