My BAKA Gaidin

                      Wheel of Time Series

                           Ranma 1/2

 

Keys

*(thoughts)*

 

Chapter 4

 

             A mind floated in the void, everything was dark, quiet, nothing moved, nothing happened, nothing was here, but the presence of herself. She felt light and fuzzy, but calm. Millions of questions flowed in the void, but each one meaningless and went pass in the blink of a second, until many undefined moments later. The usual questions surfaced to the mind, *Where am I? What happened? What's going on?* Rays of light pierced the void and promptly swallowed everything.

 

             It had been seconds before her vision cleared, a wave of heat and drowsiness swarmed the mind and finally, slowly, things came back. Slowly she sat up from the bed, just in time to see a figure, guard, running out the door. She was confused, but calm, she probed into her memories to figure out what happened.

 

             Looking around the room, there were a number of furnishings and the remaining guard standing next to the door as if nothing had happened for the whole day. He was an Aiel, she knew that, it was very hard to mistake it once you know what an Aiel was. A rugged man with a harden face wearing faded clothes with the trademark veil and short spears. The fact that she was in the palace had been easily puzzled out, but why.

 

             Flashbacks attacked her mind with images of hurling winds that she saw just before everything Faded. *Arr, Ranma you idiot!* Looking at the guard again she figured she was in Caemlyn or Cairhien, chances are she had been rescued by Rand. Observing more she found something more startling.

 

             On the corner of the mirror that was mounted nearby, she saw her refection or more accurately not her reflection. The opening of the door brought her out of her daze, before her was Rand al'Thor and a bigger then normal group composed of Aes Sedai, Maidens, and too many others for her comfort. *I'm Moiraine... In Moiraine's body at least. How?* Giving a look at the Dragon she knew things were getting very much out of control.

 

             The person who looked like Moiraine though with years of experience was still trying to keep a bearable straight face. This suited her purpose anyway as not even the legendary Moiraine Sedai could keep an entirely composed face when one woke up to the faces that most seasoned ruffian would cringe at.

 

             Briefly scanning the crowd, she opted not to say anything that would have been bad. A slight raise of her eyebrow betrayed her, but again it would be perceived as another Moiraine like quality.

 

             "Moraine, where have you been? We thought..." Strangely the first to speak was one Kumira Sedai, while she was one very commanding and authoritive Aes Sedai, she knew opening her mouth will give her another...uncomfortable session to speak before the Wise Ones. Another fact that seemed to slip her mind was that Kumira likely never seen Moiraine in her lifetime.

 

             "Moiraine, I thought you were dead. What happened to you?" Finally Rand spoke as if unsure of what he was seeing.

 

             After a few silent uncomfortable moments, "Well answer!" the old leathery face Sorilea a demanded. She had the face that told it was not a good thing to speak before her. Everyone, but Rand, who spoke before her usually started praying to the creator, likely what Kumira was doing.

 

             *What to say...what to say...* The mental brainstorm was blowing with chaotic ideas to solve this unpredicted situation. When all else fails, stall.

 

             "I...I... should get dress first, please leave." Oh not one of the group liked the first word out her mouth, but after a few more silent moments all the while having some frowns, they left.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Rays of sunlight peered though the leaves of semi-normal trees woke our Aes Sedai from her well-needed rest. Siuan for the first time in a while felt relaxed and well rested. It wouldn't last as haunting memories of why she was in the middle of nowhere slowly, but surely came back. There was much to think about, even in her ten years of being the watcher of the seal, the flame of Tar Valon, the Amyrlin Seat; she had never had so much trouble facing a subject no matter how disturbing it was. *The boy, Ranma, he can...Oh light! I'm bond to a... But how, it should of...* Not a thought was completed as they kept clashing with still more new ones.

 

             Standing up, she was barely aware of her immediate surroundings. The trees were still green if still looked withered and the air was moist unlike the dry air of Andor. She was faintly familiar with it; the land was by the sea, which would mean she was near the cost. Growing up a fisherman's daughter in Tear, Siuan could never forget the way the salty summer breeze felt even if it wasn't summer. *I'm in Tear...no, maybe Illian. Ranma, where is he?* Looking around, her warder was nearby with his face flat on the ground, unmoving. She briefly checked the link to see if he was alive, the fact that Ranma was, wasn't surprising, as it should.

 

             Rolling the sleeping form over, Siuan used the standard procedure of probing his body and soul. *He's...he's not there, Oh light! Wait. There's a faint link* Any Aes Sedai would feel his mind was empty as well as soul, but Siuan's bond felt something more, like a faint thread as fine as a catfish's whiskers, but her warder was not lost, barely.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Ranma felt faint, but forced himself to stand despite that. The familiar effects of being trampled by mobs of angry women or when all of his fiancées meet were usual causes of such awakenings. After he stretched and checked all his body parts were in place, he scanned the surrounding. There was a much-expected pause as he recognized that he was standing inside the Tendo residence. Usually, it would be the spot he gets caught by Akane when she'd cooked breakfast. It's wasn't right as the last thing he remember was fighting off hordes of black cloaked sorcerers while protecting a violent...

 

             *How? What happened... was it a dream...* Using a newfound talent, he faintly checked the back of his mind where a warder would check for his Aes Sedai. *Siuan's there... then it was real. Where is she?* The link was weak, but he'd learned it would be if the distance between them were far apart.

 

             Finding himself back at the Tendo's, the first thing he knew he should do was to check up on everyone. As much as Ranma convinced himself he was leaving, he still wanted to go back. *Saying hi is fine, I guess*

 

             "Yo, everyone!" he bellowed out. A slight pause, no answer. Ranma gave a quick look outside and assumed it was still morning, everyone should be around and eating breakfast, unless of course Akane was cooking. *I guess I can say hi to the tomboy before I run*

Walking into the predicted room, everyone was there, "Hello everyone. Hi Pop." Again nothing, maybe they were ignoring him.

 

             "It's been quiet around here Tendo," the familiar voice came out of the ever-familiar bald father.

 

             "It's been awhile Saotome. Ranma being gone is working very well to my house." The voice behind the paper commented. "He should be back soon, his love and honor for my daughter will draw him back any day now."

 

             "Of course Tendo, but the lesson for tricking me to take his place of his duty to sit with Akane and her rare cooking... would be learned." Genma explained to his long time friend. Akane gave a "Humph!" at that.

 

             "Are you sure it wasn't because he wanted to visited Auntie Saotome again," our ever blunt Nabiki said with her ever casual tone.

 

             Genma glasses seemed to reflect the morning sunlight despite the probability of it happening at such an uncomfortable time. "He probably learned his lesson and coming back right this minute," continued the bald headed father like Nabiki never spoke.

 

             Ranma, during the interaction already noticed he wasn't seen so gave a well planted kick trying to send Genma into the pond when it faded right through. After a bit more testing he knew that he was perhaps a ghost or something like it. After frustration passed, Ranma ponder if it was another trick or something of the sorcerers he fought just before everything blacked out.

 

             "I don't care if that idiot ever comes back. I hope he stays away!" Akane finally spoke up. Standard comment really, but Ranma seemed to give a cool stare towards her at that.

 

             He needed to figure out something when something not so familiar was standing outside near the pond. An odd woman was standing there looking directly at him. "Who are you!" bellowed out Ranma, stepping onto the grass.

 

             "I'm Moiraine," replied the musical voice of the out of place figure. "It's seems we don't belong here." She was short and slender, Ranma observed. He couldn't figure out what, but something told him she belonged to whatever world he recently became apart of.

 

             "Do you know what's happening? Are you causing this?" Ranma was also known to be blunt along with some other things.

 

             "I know little more than you do, but something has happened for us to be here. We must find a way back." Moiraine was never known for being blunt, but when she is, there were ten other things the Aes Sedai was hiding.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

            

             Inside the walls of Cairhien, the fake Moiraine was trying to get dress while deep in her own thoughts. *Ok, so somehow I'm in Moiraine's body, even though she never came with one. I guess it makes sense now... I never thought destiny would spin me into its events. Imagine me, Maintainer of Destiny...well off duty Maintainer of Destiny stuck in something she was toying around with*

 

             Looking in the mirror she observed that the dress was being stubborn, *Stupid dress, easier to just mumble a spell or have my normal clothes* Blinking a moment, she looked around and stuck her hand at nothing and it seemed to bend into some hidden wall. *At least I can still access my pocket space, so much more convenient. Maybe I can get one of my usual...no I should keep my image of being Moiraine, the pattern might have ill effects if I change completely* The physical appearance of Moiraine gave a devious smile, *Maybe it still can be fun*

 

             Arranging her hair, she cursed that she had to wear such uncomfortable clothing. It was made of silk and of fine quantity, but that was below standard from her usual, as the custom made material kept proper normal temperature, smoother than any silk, never dirty, the list goes on. Such things spoiled her over the years, but she guessed it wasn't very bad.

 

             Doing a mental check she tried to keep in mind some less than obvious, but important changes, *My power would have to be limited now, poopers. Maybe a couple of magic boosters will pass as jewelry* Spells weren't a problem if one can control the power needed to focus it. *Now it's time to put on my best Moiraine impression, don't think I can keep them away much longer* As an after thought, *Perhaps I can wield the One Power too*

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Siuan had to figure out something. She could leave Ranma, but the power and mystery behind him would be lost and he was her warder, even if the wool-headed fool can't do anything right. *What can I do, light help me* Healing wasn't her specialty and with the power she has now, it wouldn't do much good if Siuan was a Yellow.

 

             A thought came back to her, *How was I able to open the portal...* Too many questions, finally Siuan decided to drag him to some shelter, the land was dry, but there was some indication of used land. It might have been used for hunting and with it shelter. With some luck there might be one close.

 

             Wincing under the bulk, she swore that the fool would wish he was dead by the time she was finished with him.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Ranma looked at the close door which led to the closet, nothing was out of the originally, but he felt the pull of the bond toward it. Moiraine said little. She seemed to know about him and Siuan and would say little except to tell him what to do. Moiraine was like Siuan in a way, Ranma felt both had that cold demanding stare, and look. But while Siuan would get angry, argue, and eventually throw things at him, Moiraine just smiles and suggests something else that would ultimately lead to what she wanted.

 

             He didn't like Moiraine, in a way she was almost like his mother trying to persuade him/her to do something. All that niceness was worse than any bullying Siuan could do. He had enough experience with Akane. Facing Moiraine had been like trying to fight Kasumi...well it wasn't that much like Kasumi. Moiraine was... also like Nabiki only even more harder to figure out and manipulative. Siuan was hard to dodge, but Ranma Saotome's 'make her so angry that she hits you and forget about what she was talking about' technique worked on his Aes Sedai.

 

             Thinking back, he knew Moiraine was holding back something. She was the one that suggested for him to try to feel the bond between Siuan and him. How she could know about that, Ranma couldn't figure it out. She also told him that if he wanted...needed Siuan, he would somehow find her. *How does she know about this...*

 

             Ranma was no master detective or he would have noticed that Moiraine also wore the gold serpent ring.

 

             "Don't know what this door got to do with the way out," said Ranma while feeling the smooth surface of the closet door. Moiraine also put her hand on the door and to their surprise both hands began to melt through.

 

             "Interesting," commented Moiraine, "Well we have a way, let's go Ranma." Just then Akane came though.

 

             "I'm going to school now father," yelled out Akane moving quickly towards the outside. Ranma gave her passing a searching look.

 

             Moiraine's only response was a slighting raising her eyebrow. "Shall we be going?" He only gave a nod and both disappeared through the invisible portal.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Rand sighed as Moiraine left; as usual the Aes Sedai kept her mouth shut, claiming she knew nothing. The talk had shifted from asking where she had been to what he had been doing. It would be very much like every Aes Sedai to sway the conversation a different direction, but there was something different about Moiraine. He didn't know what, but she was nicer and friendlier or more generally, showing more emotion. Not that anyone could tell, but he just knew that something was slightly different with Moiraine. *Is this a new tactic she's using? Was she hiding from me all this time, feel it was time to push me again... the Tower is broken, what is she up to now. Can I... did I ever trust her*

 

             Giving a quick look towards the door he knew the others would question her many times more then he had. Ranma knew Moiraine liked to work alone, "Never trust Aes Sedai," Moiraine had written in the letter. *I think I trust you Moiraine, I owe you even if you tried to leash me. I'll help you keep them off your back...*

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Ranma followed Siuan's lead, after going through the door he woke up being carried by Siuan. They gave the usual exchange of greetings, Siuan sending out a sharp lecture of how useless he was and Ranma trying his best to rebut, 'Ranma style'. He was happy to be back with Siuan, dealing with her was easy compared to Moiraine.

 

             Ranma's mind was else where now, he couldn't help but wonder what happened. *Was it a dream? Who was this Moiraine, what happened to her?* There was a calculating look that Moiraine kept giving him, he couldn't help but shudder at that. Ranma wouldn't want to be around her that much, being around Siuan was enough for his nerves, but he wanted to find out what happened. *Who ever she was, she knew something*

            

             It was a short talk before something came up. He saw that it was a small patrol of three soldiers and two women. One was strangely leashed to the other. Ranma unconsciously tensed up from the link that meant Siuan was really worried about such a small group. From the way he saw it they wouldn't last a minute with him. She had gone as far as almost throwing something at him to  get away from the patrol.

 

             Passing the patrol, Siuan had again took the lead much to Ranma's displeasure. When he asked who they were and why was she so afraid, exact words:

 

              "What are you so afraid of, with me here they wouldn't last a minute."

 

             Siuan as usual said, "It was none of your business," he protested, but her bullying finally convinced him to accept. Ranma quickly dropped it.

 

             Inside Ranma's mind, he was deeply disturbed. Something felt different, more accurately the bond. He could still feel Siuan, but something else was there like another invisible hand waving at him, every time he checked it, it kept going back to Siuan's bond.

 

             "What did you do back there?" Siuan asked out of no where, putting him out of his self-analyzing.

 

             "What are ya talking about?" came the reply.

 

             "Whatever you did with the wind back there. You were glowing. Don't hide your channeling from me!" commanded his Aes Sedai.

 

             "I don't know what you mean. Channel what? Look, it was technique using my chi." Ranma tried to get it all out while clenching his teeth in frustration.

 

             "Chi? What in the light is that!"

 

             Ranma suddenly walked in front of her and put them both to a halt. Siuan could see Ranma was looking around at the surrounding trees and bushes. "What, Ranma?"

 

             "There's someone around, watching us," Her warder whispered to her. "Come out!" Ranma called out, getting in to a defensive stance all the while shielding his Aes Sedai.

 

             Seemingly out of no where a figure stepped out from the camouflage of the woodland. A tall built man with a little gray around his temple stood out. His face was stone hard, like chiseled from a mountain. He was dangerous, Ranma could tell, perhaps the most dangerous he had seen so far. "A surprise to see you Siuan Sedai, what have you brought here, a young lion cub ready to pounce?"

 

             Siuan's face never changed through the meeting while her companion on the other hand looked back at Siuan. "It's a surprise to see you too, Lan Gaidin."

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             The fake Moiraine looked out from the window of the palace of Cairhien. *I wished I knew where Moiraine was* It had been an exhausting day trying to maneuver around all the questions. It was especially hard for that Wise One Sorilea  and Verin Sedai as they kept asking questions. That was when she felt something that she hadn't felt before. Perhaps it was because the day occupied her so much. *There's something...like a feeling at the back of my head, An invisible hand maybe...weak, but I can feel it. Is this the feeling of a bond?*

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Out in the middle of nowhere, the sky was scattered with muffled sounds. Dozens of large shadows danced by the single light of a small lit campfire. Bodies as large as trees lay in the crumpled heap as a single human boy threw around more. The red bamboo umbrella was swung around like a bat and with the power of a battering ram. The boy with his trademark back and yellow striped bandanna ducked under the slash of large wicked sword as the nasty spiked club of another had been kicked away.

 

             Ryouga Hibiki also known as eternal lost boy, snarled at the incoming armored creatures. They just came out from the night, at first a couple, then more. Though their weapons were deadly, they had little skill above looking hideous. He guessed someone would fall under the constant attack, but he had been more hard pressed the time he was constantly slammed by boulders.

 

             The impact of the Ryouga power punch left the final creature sprawling on to the ground. He knew there was another, It was probably the leader as the black cloaked figure glided toward him with uncommonly grace. Quickly turning around, he faced ready to pound who ever dared to attack him. Staring into the face of the maggot faced creature; he felt a chill shiver down his back. The wicked glowing back blade went into motion, as did Ryouga.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             A SD figure clasped in a cloak of pure white, with some red decorations along the edges gets pushed out. SD looks like she had seen better days...

 

             "Umm...my demonic contract says I need to do another explain Wheel of Time stuff."

 

             "Sorilea, A wise one, who bullies you into thinking she's wise. Think of your oldest meanest teacher...then think of her oldest meanest teacher...about 5 times later you get Sorilea...who needs Holloween"

 

             "Kumira, Green Aes Sedai. Aes Sedai and Royalty, you get a work out from bowing...think of what she gets, she probably does twice as much to Sorilea."

 

             "Lan al'Mandragoran, Moiraine's ex-warder and a bunch of other's warder...guy sure gets around."

 

             "Next time I am doing a formal protest to this."