My BAKA Gaidin

                  Wheel of Time (Crown of swords)

                           Ranma 1/2

 

Keys

*(thoughts)*

 

Chapter 2

 

             In the grand city of Caemlyn, there was much trouble boiling. People lived in fear since they had been taken over. Two foreign armies were in the city with Aes Sedai and Asha'man somewhere about too. Aes Sedai, women who could channel the one power, Asha'man, men who could channel the one power. Put them together and there isn't much more to fear than that. There was no need to mention the Black Tower was somewhere near by also.

 

             Ranma wouldn't have cared for any of those situations. It wouldn't scare him even if he'd known. What had scared him was the girl in front of him. She had used some kind of power to hit him, but that wasn't what scared him either. She had screamed and stared daggers at him, that scared him a little, but that was nothing Akane couldn't do. What had scared him was when she explained to him what the feeling meant. After some boring lectures with screaming of "Are you listening!?" she had told him he was bonded to her.

 

             Siuan had finally cooled down with Ranma enough to get some questions answered. He seemed to be confused at where he was. He had no idea about the world or even about Aes Sedai. It was hard to believe someone could be that ignorant, but he seemed to be telling the truth. Whether he was telling the truth or not was not the real problem.

 

             The boy, Ranma Saotome, had not even known he was bonded.  Ranma was very poor at keeping his face straight, either that or he was a very cunning liar. Siuan would have to right either one of that if he was to become her warder. There was little choice; Blues could only bond to one man at a time. The other choice was to pass him to someone else, but that would mean extreme embarrassment and even if a tenth part of the situation got out, there would be more than embarrassment to worry about.

 

             The answer would have to wait as her true assignment lay elsewhere. The party that was to tell the Dragon Reborn that 'they mean no harm' needed her for some mysterious reason. Siuan had told Ranma about what a warder's job was, he hadn't liked it at first, but he seemed to accept it now. "Come along Ranma, I have things to do," she commanded him to follow.

 

             Ranma sighed at his new life beginning. Siuan said that there was almost nothing to break a bond short of death and the others were not all that better either. He couldn't just leave, he could feel her and letting her die was unthinkable. Besides, she had coldly stated the facts of the effects of her dying would have on him. Revenge and death was not such a nice future.

 

             Ranma noted that Siuan was a mean one. She had a temper like Akane and a mind and expression like Nabiki. *Probably the only reason she told me the death thing was to have me follow her around forever* His life wouldn't give him something good for a change. He hadn't got much of the Aes Sedai thing and Ranma hadn't thought she would want to repeat anything or he would have more flying objects at him. *Does every girl I meet have the power to beat the crap out of me?*

 

             The two walked down the street with the Aes Sedai giving her Aes Sedai serenity and Ranma, her warder, sulking behind. *I need to get him in some decent clothes,* Siuan mused. The unusual form fitting clothes Ranma had on would definitely draw some attention. Siuan gave a sigh as it would take a lot of work to make him a suitable warder. *Burn them! A lake full of catfishes to sort out and in comes another one!*

 

             "Oi, Siuan, where are we going?" Ranma from behind asked her.

 

             Giving him a cold stare he quickly shut his mouth. Off to the corner of her eye, Siuan spotted a familiar sight. Aes Sedai, but not anyone that was part of the group. Even without the shawl, she could notice an Aes Sedai, but she could also see that she was a Red. Quickly she sped her pace with Ranma looking around in puzzlement.

 

             Finally Siuan and her warder went into an inn and ordered rooms.  She Shoved her bag at Ranma all the while giving him a commanding stare "Bring these to my room and stay there till I come for it."

 

             Ranma gave back a defiant stare, but said, "Sure, whatever," and going off.

 

             Siuan's attention went back to the owner of the inn, one of her eyes and ears. "Tell me what has been going on in Caemlyn. And how many Aes Sedai are here."

 

             Ranma put the stuff on the bed inside the room. *She was afraid of something back there. Great, I thought I was done saving Akane every other day and now this* He looked around for something to do, but nothing much came to mind. *I'm going to have to talk with her and if I'm lucky I won't get hit by anything. Well at least this time I'm not engaged to her or nothing* He chuckled with the last thought.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             "Finally, food!" As fast as Siuan had seen Ranma move before, it had done nothing for her now as the would be warder moved faster then lightning getting to the food prepared out. It was an amazing if not startling sight. She had never seen anyone move that fast towards food. *What is he?* Of course, she had to repeat that thought as Ranma seem to move even faster as what can be barely called eating.

 

             "You have no manners Ranma." Siuan said after she had seated. "I will not have that since you are now my warder." She tried to ignore the gruesome scene while at the same time examined him, she began to eat herself.

 

             "I have manners! It's just that I'm hungry." Ranma shot back, finally slowing down to a somewhat normal speed. Half the food on the table was already gone by this time. *Ain't my fault I was hungry. To think of it, it's been a long time since I've been this hungry* "Umm...Is there more coming or do I have to order?" Siuan finally lost her mask of Aes Sedai calmness.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             On the rooftop of the Inn, the familiar white cloaked figure sat shaking a sphere like object. "Oh ultra magical eight ball, which Ajah should I visit. Is it Red, Green, Yellow, Brown, Blue, White, Gray, or Black? Wait, I shouldn't choose blue, but then it will be the ultra magical seven ball." Giving it a bit of thought, she began to reach into the cloak. "I wonder if I have a purple here somewhere..." she muttered to herself.

 

              After a replacement, the ball told her to torment the Reds. *Lucky me, they're close by*

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Back inside with everything back to normal, Ranma was eating normally or as normal as he could get of what's left of the food. Siuan on the other hand was the image of a Queen on her royal banquet. "Where are you from Ranma? I have never seen that type of clothing before," Siuan asked. *It looked like clothes Domani men would wear, but he was not even close to a Domani*

 

             That was true enough as Domani were copper-skinned. They were also known for their flirting. *If he dares drawing any kind of unnecessary attention, I'll skin him*

 

             "I told ya, I'm from another world, I think," answered Ranma in between bites.

 

             "Some people think anywhere beyond their farms are a different world." Siuan had again wore that no nonsense Aes Sedai look. To Ranma it reminded him too much of Nabiki or Cologne.

 

             "Fine, don't believe me," said Ranma not really caring. *Better change the subject. If she's anything like Nabiki, she'll probably poke into some things I don't like*

 

             "You were afraid back there. Who did you run away from? I am your protector or something right? I'll protect ya."

 

             Siuan gave back a slight frown. *Perhaps he isn't as thick as he appears* "You would be of little help, It is a Red sister and I would not swim near any silverfishes." Finally finishing up her plate, her eyes gazed back at her warder. "You must change those clothes of yours. If anything would get unwanted attention, it would be you. I have already prepared some."

 

             "Hold on a minute!" roared Ranma. "I'm not changing my clothes for anyone!"

 

             "You will do as I say. I will not have a fool warder." Siuan's voice went up slightly. *He will learn I'm not to be disobeyed* She hadn't needed to control a warder in years but tonight... *Compelling would put the fool boy in his place*

 

             Giving a tug on the bond to do as she command, nothing of the decades of Aes Sedai training prepared her for what would happen. As if the power just backlashed, a wave attacked her mind, a hammer would have been softer. Wide eyed, her sight was even more startling. Ranma at that moment went brighter then almost anything she had seen before. Stumbling uncontrollably she fell to the floor.

 

             Siuan had an ability that was not part of her Aes Sedai-ness. She could see a ta'veren. They shone with brightness above others. The most powerful she had seen was, one Rand al'Thor, The Dragon Reborn. Ranma Saotome, her warder, now came in second.

 

             The brightness was gone in an instant. Nothing of what she had seen was there. Her head was pounding with agony. *What happened...*

 

             "Siuan, what happened? Are you alright?" she heard Ranma say.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             A 'thump' could be heard as the cloaked figure fell to the ground and seemed to be in pain. "Ahh, that hurts!" she muttered. Slowly with agony, she got up. Something had just mentally slammed her head. There was little that could explain what happened. "Baka, Siuan. Maybe I should have kept the blue in the magical eight ball." Tormenting Siuan would not be so bad right now.

                                   

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             On a plane of pitch-blackness, a figure stood there. "Mom?" Ranma asked. Something was not right here, on top of this his mind was fuzzy. Without any thought he moved closer.

 

             The figure who looked like his mother was smiling, a polite smile. "You'll do fine," he thought she had said.

 

             Suddenly, she frowned, she looked like Akane now. Something began to stir behind her. Like a cloak it wrapped around her as she began to struggle against it. It slowly pulled her into the darkness. Ranma began to run towards her. "Siuan!" he screamed. He could now clearly see that face to be Siuan's. "NO, Siuan!"

 

             "RANMA, GET UP!"

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Ranma's eyes shot awake. "Siuan..." he breathed out. Quickly he scanned the room. *It was a dream...nightmare* Calming down, he could now see it was morning. After Siuan fell last night, he helped her to her room and that was it. It was odd how she suddenly fell.

 

             "With the way you have been sleeping I thought someone killed you in the night. You better learn to keep your eyes open, I don't want to lose another one." Siuan glared at him with daggers as he struggled out of bed. "There is little time, we must move. Some sisters are here and I don't want to be."

 

             "Umm, ok," Ranma replied when a soft thump was heard behind him. "What's this?" He looked at the pile on his bed.

 

             "These are your clothes," Siuan said, cool and demanding as he ever seen.

 

             "I told ya, I'm not wearing them" he spoke back angrily. *I don't think so!*

 

              A discussion promptly took place, shortly followed by shouting. Oh yea, Ranma got hit over the head with his own shoe this time.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             A few hours and miles later, our Aes Sedai and warder traveled the road with Caemlyn a dot to be barely seen behind them. Siuan led the front with Ranma a bit back on the rear. Ranma was struggling a bit having minor trouble with the horse that he had on. Siuan was doing little better and perhaps even worse at riding then him. He was wearing a gray cloak. *This cloak is hot as anything with the sun. At least I didn't have to wear the stupid clothes*

 

             "You better start doing your job as a warder, Ranma. I have been doing all the things you should have been doing. I will have no nonsense as I would not mind spending money for one instead of two." Siuan was looking ahead giving no notice of him. Ranma said nothing.

 

             Suddenly, she felt it, the one power being used. Very powerful if she could not see it, but it was close. She felt a woman channel and something must be about if she could feel it from here. Making her horse go faster she sped towards that location. Ranma gave a second before following closely behind.

 

             Off a distance they saw a black cloaked figure just before Siuan's eyes went wide. A fireball streaked out of its hand directly towards her.  Desperately Ranma flew from his horse grabbing his Aes Sedai and diving into the ground.

 

             As Ranma tried to get up he was lifted off the ground by some invisible force. He tried to struggle out, but nothing worked. Siuan was in the same situation, but had not struggled much.

 

             "Settle down and be quiet, Ranma, you can't do anything," she said while she glared at two black cloaked men.

 

             "Should we kill her?" one asked.

 

             "No, take them to the M'Hael," answered the other.

 

A portal promptly opened and all went inside it when it closed.

 

             Behind a withered tree, our white cloaked figure stepped out. Surveying the area she said, "Not good. I did not expect this." She gave herself a bit of thought. "Well I better do something." A portal promptly opened for her too as she disappeared.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             In the palace of Cairhien, Rand al'Thor was not happy. Someone came wanting to speak to the Lord Dragon, something about a black cloaked man. It hadn't taken him much thought to know what it meant. *Burn you, Taim*

 

             "Bring her in," he commanded.

 

             The door opened and came in a girl. It was an amazing sight. She was pretty with fair skin and a slender body, around his own age if not a year or so younger, but that was not what was amazing. The girl wore pure white silk, with a large emerald brooch, a thick golden bracelet on each arm, and a light blue belt tied to the waist. The brooch sparkled as she moved with each step. Rand had seen odd arrangement of clothing before, so this was not very startling. What was amazing was the color of her hair. She had very long hair, a bit lower than her waist that was braided in two equally large, thick tails. The color of the hair was a startling light shade of green and if that was amazing, her eyes were purple, a pure color of purple. Rand internally struggled to keep himself expressionless and focus on the reason she had came.

 

             "My Lord Dragon, I'm...my name is Philia. I was...." She seemed to be very uncomfortable, stumbling and franticly scanning the room and back to Rand. "I am a scholar...that is I was traveling and there was a...I mean near Caemlyn, I found a black cloaked man and he...I think there was a message since...something of Aes Sedai, a lot of them and a...a tower, black tower." She was hard press with speaking the whole line. Clearly she was in a panic. "Lord...my Lord Dragon, I'm sorry if it was not clear...I will try..."

 

             "It is alright, Philia, I know what you mean. You may go now," told Rand. Aes Sedai and black tower, it only meant one thing. "By the way, why is your hair green?" She looked confused by the question, then examined a strand of her hair and left without an answer. As soon as Philia scrambled out, he would be making a trip to the black tower. *I doubt Elaida could send enough to take down the black tower without me noticing. Still it is serious*

 

             Outside the gates of the palace, Philia smiled to herself. *Aes Sedai eat you heart out* Everything she said had been somewhat true. There was a black cloaked man and Aes Sedai and the black tower. *A bit of acting and he thinks he knows everything* Turning around in to a narrow alley it was her turn to be startled.

 

             "What! How! Who... It can't be..." She was more then startled at the sight in front of her. In front of her was an image of a woman, a misty, transparent image of an Aes Sedai, Moiraine Damodred. "How can you be here...you should be or maybe..." Looking around the area to see if there were any spectators, Philia gave a big sigh. Clearly she was more then startled.

 

             "I do not know," replied the image of Moiraine. "I was sent here to give this to you." She held out a rolled up letter as transparent as her hand.

 

             Taking the letter from her, it suddenly became as solid as everything else around. Philia opened it and began to read...

 

             I'll bet you are surprised right now and angry after you read this, so I am already running. You are now stuck here for an indefinite amount of time and you are to drag around Moiraine Sedai here with you.

 

             P.S. HA HA

 

             At first Philia looked at Moiraine with an angry expression, then she gave a bigger sigh.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

A SD figure clasped in a cloak of pure white, with some red decorations along the edges is seen trying to slip away.

 

             "Ackk! I don't like this job anymore! Look at this...I don't wan'na do this chapter's explanations!!"

 

             Being sued for false advertising she finally starts this chapters lecture.

 

             "Male Channelers, bad people, they go crazy like raid your refrigerator, wreck your house, cause property damage...basically like any other men, only they can channel. Aes Sedai especially Red Ajah are sometimes called witches because they wack them with brooms to get them out of your house."

            

             "Compel, a thing Aes Sedai do to their warder...a 'Call me queen thing,' I think."

            

             "Ta'veren, they do weird stuff to people and events. Great way to get rich or find if your boyfriend is really cheating on you."

 

             "Men in black-cloaks (Asha'man), the Dragon bloody Reborn's personal channeling army of men."

 

             "All seven colors of the Ajahs for Aes Sedai, too long, here's an excerpt of the 'Darkone's Dictionary' by Joe "Uno" Shaw and Bill Garrett:

 

<snip>

Ajah

 

             Societies among the Aes Sedai, to which all Aes Sedai belong, except the Amyrlin Seat who is the sole member of the Rainbow Ajah. They are designated by colors: Blue, Red, White, Green, Brown, Yellow, and Gray Ajah. Each follows a specific philosophy of the use of the Power and the purposes of the Aes Sedai. For example, the Red Ajah bends all its energies to finding men who can channel and gentling them, so that they cannot spread the truth, which the Reds see as vicious lies. The White Ajah loses touch with the world by dedicating itself to questions of philosophy and truth, which have no application to the real world. The Brown Ajah, on the other hand, knowingly forsakes involvement with the world to see knowledge and study history, which any fool knows will repeat itself anyway, so why bother studying the past? The Blue Ajah mucks around with causes, manipulating governments and societies for their own benefit and personal pleasure. The Yellow is primarily interested in healing, but seldom affiliates with 'regular people', so they're not much good. The Gray likes settling arguments, but as everyone knows, the best way to settle an argument in your own favor is to start it and blame it all on someone else. In this way, the Grays are like the Blues, but much craftier. The Green Ajah talks about preparing for battle, but its main interest is in meeting guys. There are rumors of a Black Ajah dedicated to serving Ishamael's 'needs', but these rumors are hotly denied.

<snip>

 

             "Hopefully there will be no next time on 'Explain The bloody World of Wheel Of Time.'"