My BAKA Gaidin

                      Wheel of Time Series

                           Ranma 1/2

 

Keys

*(thoughts)*

 

Chapter 6

            

             It was getting dark; night seemed to come very fast, that was very odd for a season, which looked like it was going through a drought. The sky was cloudless. It wasn't the best of nights to be outside as the air was dry and it was still hot even with the sun going down. It was better than the day though. His surroundings were much nicer than everywhere else he had visited in this world. Whoever lived here was rich, a noble he guessed.

 

             Ranma was not in deep thought unlike what was shown on his features. He was just looking. He had been doing too much thinking lately. A lot of things ran through his mind, but he pushed it aside; right now he was at peace with himself.

 

             He had been surprised Siuan hadn't come looking for him. Her emotions told him that she wanted to rip him apart, which he didn't know why, but she said nothing. *What does she want from me?* Everytime she would glaze at him with those determined eyes, but nothing followed.

 

             She had been hurt, but was healed. A whole group of magic users...all women. He never understood them, the only one he could somewhat relate to was Birgitte the archeress warder. He remembered Siuan had been most astonished by Chi. Was it that important? She hated or feared it, he didn't know why. *If using chi was that bad, how would she react to the curse?* Akane had called him a pervert for that and if anything else the curse gave nothing but trouble.

 

             Ranma decided to just relax, trying not to think; it would only further confuse him. He got this habit after arriving at the Tendo's. It was sometimes better if he just got away from it all for one moment. He was a man though, and he wouldn't run from anything.

 

             "It's a beautiful sight"

 

              A voice, he hadn't felt a presence, but someone was behind him. The voice was familiar; he had wondered what happened to her or even if she was real...now...

 

             He spun around so he could see her, or an image of her. Faint and misty, she was there with those big dark eyes, that serene face, and that ageless face. *Ageless?* A brief image of those two Aes Sedai came into the mind. They were old with their hair pure white, twins, but the face; they had an ageless face to them, just like her.

 

             "You're an Aes Sedai," he breathed out. "Are... are you real?" He was taken aback by all these new information.

 

             "I'm real, I can be sure of that," a musical voice, calm yet firm. He could remember Siuan doing that a lot too, though she added that harsh side to it. Hers was a more calm and pleasurable one.

 

             "How, what are you?" He was in a ready stance now. This was not Ranma's first time at seeing a ghost, but one could never be too careful.

 

             "I have no knowledge of how this happened, but it appears I am linked to you." The answer struck like needle.

 

             "Linked?" This conversation had a nagging familiarity to the one he had with Siuan.

 

             "I seemed to have to be near you. At first no one could see me, but then, right now...I felt closer to you, almost as if I can feel your presence," Moiraine had not dropped that serene face. She was quite a sight, like a queen talking. "Then I knew you could hear me."

 

             *Linked...like a bond* He remembered he almost felt another bond a while back. Checking carefully, he could feel Siuan inside the house and there was a faint hint of a second one, near by, but whenever he tried to look too carefully it always went back to Siuan. *How?*

 

             "Is something wrong Ranma?" Moiraine voice sounded like she almost cared. Ranma had no idea with her. Siuan had been easier to tell, even if she hid it with her cool face. But with all that he could still feel what was inside her.

 

             The last time he had been with Moiraine, she played him like Nabiki. Like his mother, she made every suggestion sound so right and like Nabiki, she would always have that hint that she was right and he was wrong.

 

             "Interesting," came another new voice, this one too sounded too familiar for his mind. Ranma thought he had gone insane. Had she thrown her voice, he swore Moiraine was now behind him. Spinning around fast, there was a person behind him, sitting idly on a rock. *Was I so startled that I didn't feel that presence too?*

 

             Cloaked in white, this person had a hood that hid the face in mystery. She had on mostly white from what little the cloak hadn't hid. There were red triangle like patterns embroidered along the edges of the cloak and she wore blue slippers that sparkled with a crystal light. Right now the person was sitting casually on a large rock cross-legged. From the voice it was a she, and probably could be Moiraine's twin if not Moiraine herself.

 

             "I was wondering where she had went." A musical voice, almost teasing, unlike what the image besides him usually sounded like. This voice had more emotion to it, not Moiraine's serene tone.

 

             Pulling the hood back, she revealed her face, the serene face of Moiraine Sedai.

 

             "But, but how?" Ranma half muttered, half shouted.

 

             "Long story..." the cloaked Moiraine spoke. "To say, I brought you here and was gave you a hand, a bit, when you used the Hiryu Shoten Ha. Now we have this situation here." She explained as if everything had been so obvious.

 

             *What? She caused this? Who was she, what did I ever do to her?* Ranma was confused, amazed, and angry all at the same time. "Who are you? Why did you do this to me!?" She only gave a friendly smile back.

 

             "Me...ooh_ Destiny. No? How about Philia then? I used it a while back. I always liked that name," she answered all too casually. Philia knew Ranma well and already knew what his thoughts were beforehand.

 

             "You, Ranma, was needed in this world, didn't Siuan tell you the story? I guess not." She had not even skipped a beat at that. "Well the Dark One soon will be upon this world, and you are needed to save this world." *Well the reason I brought him here was to help* Ranma was stunned by the explanation, she knew something like that would keep him from complaining. For him to protest was to lose honor. "You might want to ask Moiraine sometime."

 

             "Me? DarkOne?" Ranma responded with his mouth open. *To fight an evil in this world, to save this world* His head was spinning, all these questions popping up in his head, it was hard to think straight.

 

             Seeing he was stunned she went on. She liked keeping secrets, but it would be much easier to get some facts known. "And we are all linked now, Me, you, Moiraine, and Siuan I suppose, though I don't think anyone besides you and me can see Moiraine over there," Philia's tone suddenly got more serious. "For me, I think we're bonded. How? I have no idea how one can be bonded to two people, but I can feel it as much as you."

 

             She gave him no time to think and Moiraine acted like if she was not there. How well it fit to bully Ranma. Dropping a heavy pack that Ranma had lost a while back, "Something you left behind. You might not want to tell Siuan yet; she has enough problems for now, may we speak again, ta-da." And with a flip into the air she was gone.

 

             Ranma blinked a few times *Bonded? Linked? Hey she'd disappeared!* Everything just became a blur, she, the girl who looked like Moiraine never gave him a chance to think. It was one shock after another and now she just disappeared. Looking back, Moiraine was still there as if nothing had happened. She gave a slight arch from her eyebrow as an indication she was alive. *Why can't life ever be easy...*

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Off to a distance Philia smiled at her performance, it was just so convenient that Moiraine was also there. Ranma was so easy to maneuver, but then she knew him quite well. She always liked doing these mysterious roles, it was just fun. *What to do now, visit Rand?* Well now it was all a big game, but not with anyone in particular, it was with the pattern. The ultimate force, if go about wrong could cause much damage because of her interference.

 

             "I wonder if there are any little trinkets for him, he might have a hard road ahead of him." Destiny was spinning on the young boy and she was directly linked to it. She could feel him, the bond allowed that and he could feel, if a little harder, her. *It's been awhile since something this exciting happened*

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Siuan was tired; healing took a lot of energy when it was a wound this serious. Ranma had rescued her, *Maybe that boy was good for something* She was too tired to deal with him now and she didn't want to think about what the boy had again done, again. It wasn't channeling, or at least it hadn't looked it, but it wasn't natural either. Ranma had been amazing, that sword in his hand had became a blur. It was sword fighting on a new level. Again and again, he had shocked her with something new, she could not deal with it right now.

 

             There was a knock on the door, it was Elayne with her head high and graceful form. She had also received some healing, but not as severe. Siuan herself felt like collapsing, at least this time it would be on a bed. Another game, probably on the topic of going to Caemlyn. She was too tired for this right now, but it was not so tiring for her to sleep yet.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Sleep came and went, but it wasn't very restful. Ranma couldn't sleep much; it wasn't so much of the resent discoveries, but the new feelings that seem to nag him to no end. It wasn't so much of the one he had with Siuan, but the other woman, the one that he couldn't see right now, Moiraine. He knew she was there, just that he couldn't see it.

 

             It hadn't taken him long to figure out the trigger for his sight of her spirit. One had to devoid the mind of wandering thoughts and focus; feeling and sensing, almost as if one would sense the aura of an opponent. He didn't need that now; the unusual bond told him she was close, very close.

 

             Giving up sleep was almost a pleasure at the first crack of light, strangely he wasn't feeling as tired as he should. Perhaps it was something about being a warder, Moiraine had told him a little of what a warder gets. They hadn't talked much. Ranma still wasn't comfortable with anyone that had this strange age-less face. She told him a little of the history of this world. There would be the rising of some powerful evil that would destroy everything. That was as much as he got and some tibbits on Siuan's behavior that he knew all too well already.

 

             Stretching his senses Moiraine seemed to shimmer into his view, standing outside a small window. The place was big, but there were also a lot of people, mostly women staying here. Turning she flashed him one of those piercing glazes. She was pretty with that serene face and big dark eyes, but nonetheless he couldn't put an age too her.

 

             Giving a smile she asked, "Waking up early?" It almost looked as if she was being friendly. He wished he knew what to do with all this.

 

             "Yea, couldn't sleep much," came the simple reply. He got dressed with his usual, a blue sleeveless shirt with black pants. He was glad he had his stuff back, as there had been no way to salvage the red one. Giving a brief glance at the sword, he left it sitting in the corner and went out for his usual practice. Ranma hadn't needed to ask for Moiraine to join, she had to stick to him. *At least this time I don't have multiple Fiancees following after me*

 

             Moiraine followed the young warder with flowing grace that easily matched the most skillful warder. She couldn't help but to silently admire Ranma. There was so much potential in him. Yet she knew he was stubborn, more so then most males. A strong hand wouldn't be able to handle him; there was the need for different tactics. She could handle that, after two years of trailing after the boy to become The Dragon. Still, Ranma had to be approached very carefully.

 

             *The boy is very closed to the world. Something must have led him to be so weary. Strange for one so young* Moiraine knew full well the Ranma was not from this world, brought by the mysterious girl. She had her reasons for pairing up her old friend Siuan and him together, Moiraine just didn't know what. What would she do, somehow use him to get back to Rand? Moiraine had the faintest hint that her death was not the end then, but nothing could prepare her for now. *Should I help Siuan mold this boy or the girl on her unknown plans?* It was undecided as of yet.

 

             She had little choice but to follow the boy out to the simple courtyard as she was bounded to stay close. It was impossible to go more then eye distance from Ranma, whatever the reasons it limited her very much. Her only contact to the living world was through him and the boy simply ignored her most of the time. There seemed to be no way to talk to the boy unless he wanted to. That annoyed Moiraine to no end. *Am I to be cursed with mule-headed stubborn males!?*

 

             Out in the courtyard, the sun was barely up. He liked it this way. It was peaceful and a good time to get a workout to push away the daze of his life. With the weather like it was now, this was a good time to be outside with the baking sun coming even before mid-day. Mentally scourging through his mind, he wanted to find the most complex kata for full concentration. Ranma didn't want to think of what he was going to do. He wanted to go home and now he had a way, but would he? The double of Moiraine had sent him here, and had obviously caused the bond so there had to be a way to undo it. But again he was here for a reason, to fight a great evil. Moiraine had mentioned this unnatural heat was the work of this 'DarkOne' and it was a duty of a Marital Artist to defend against evil.

 

             Motions of each punch became kicks, almost like an after image. Spins and pivots danced faster than the dust, a block for every punch, a punch for every kick, a turn for every kick, it was impossible to distinguish any pattern, but it flowed. *A master at his art* Lan was a bit more surprised with the skill this young boy showed. *Wouldn't a Green love this one* Lan mentally chuckled at the side thought. *Where had Siuan picked up this one?* Traveling across the lands, never once had he seen one like him.

 

             Lan supposed the boy was a great choice to be a warder; young, talented, and supposedly easy to mold into the perfect warder. But he knew the boy was not so easily changed. He had an uneventful past of stubbornness and something else that made him untrusting to everything. It wasn't his place to meddle in any Aes Sedai affairs though; the first time he had, it got him bonded.

 

             Ranma noticed the sun was much higher now, it seemed to happen faster then normal, but with only a couple of days on this world, he couldn't tell for sure. Shifting stance he closed his eyes and began a free-floating kata. Voiding any wandering thoughts, he let natural movements flow with no pattern that was preplanned. A way to analyze any flaw for himself.

 

             That was a bad thing as by doing so, also extended his senses. Moiraine suddenly popped in and he almost missed a step entirely, still not used to expecting a presence popping out of nowhere. Sighing he tried to ignore it and kept his focus on his kata.

 

             Giving up, he shifted his thought to something else that plagued him. Leaving him alone and away from the only place he had called home in a long time. He kept thinking maybe he could go back, but he knew it was not the so called loss of honor that led him away from the Tendos. He wanted to leave for a long time, then an opportunity arose and that time he took it and ran. Running was how he ended up here. *Should I run again?*

 

             *What should I do* The question had been running through his head over and over again. He hadn't expected an answer, but he also hadn't expected whispers suddenly popping up around him too. Ranma stopped in mid motion scanning the courtyard dumbfounded. There seemed to be many, many women staring at him, most of them with smiles on their faces. There was only one thing Ranma could do; he gave his famous bashful one hand behind his head and laughing cutely pose. At least it was cute to the women's point of view.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Siuan woke up in a heap. She felt as if she just went through a nightmare, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember anything after lying still on the bed. Looking out, the sun was already up, not much of a surprise to her; the day's seemed like it was becoming shorter and shorter.

 

             She worked out of bed and went about her routine, she idly fixed the essentials and into a nice comfortable dress. She felt a minor headache accompanied from having a rough night, but pushed the nuisance off. All her chaos was finally sorting out again. She was to get back to the moving camp where she came from and today she would kick her irritating young warder into place. Ranma seemed to be responding, more slowly then she liked, but nonetheless shaping into what a warder should be.

 

             Stepping out of her room, she lingered around, hoping the morning meal would be around somewhere. She may be an Aes Sedai, but she didn't need to be waited on hand and foot. Getting to a large pile of women, she saw Ranma.

 

             He was in a hypnotic dance of motion, deadly yet graceful beyond comparison. She was awed that a human body could move in such a state and on top of which, his eyes were closed, giving no hint of hesitation from lack of sight.

 

             Some nonchalant gossip suddenly floated into her ears. Giving a another good glance at Ranma, she realized that he was wearing an almost identical version of clothing that she first seen him in, except this time it was a royal blue instead of the bright red of the previous. It was the tight vest hugging his form that no doubt had most of the surrounding women's sights. This had her furious.

 

             Ranma was a fairly handsome boy, added with his graceful movements and glistening sweat that further oiled his firm muscles and powerful form, he was a sight for every girl's fairytale of their Sun Prince. That, in itself, couldn't really make her furious, but the fact that a warder was not suppose to attract attention had. It won't do if every girl tries to marry off her warder while she had Aes Sedai business to attend to. *Those clothes must go!*

 

             Suddenly he stopped in mid form and was almost startled by his audience. He seemed to further awe his admirers by doing an almost childishly blush and laugh in such away that it got half the girls giggling and giving outright smiles. She must admit it was cute, but the fact of it just got her more angry.

 

             "Yo Siuan!" She almost winced at him. *The boy had no subtlety at all!*

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Ranma followed Siuan, he knew she was mad, for what reason, he had no idea. Outwardly she was the presence of calm. These Aes Sedai seem to do that too much. He just did not understand women.

 

             Closing the door, Siuan's first question went off. "How long have you been channeling?" She should have sat down and go about it slowly, but the bottled up frustration was close to its peak.

 

             "Channeling what?" Ranma remembered something about that. *Maybe she meant being able to focus my chi*

 

             Siuan frowned at him. "The one power, you mule headed fish gut. Don't bother hiding it, I should bundle you up to be gentled right now if not that you're my warder."

 

             "What power? There's probably a lot of powers out there, which one?" Ranma scratched his head. She was bent all out of shape for some power and she can't even explain it right.

 

             *Arrhh!* "Don't play dumb with me, how long have you channeled Sadin! You know anyone who does will go mad. If you have any hope from it, you must tell me."  Her calm voice suddenly went up a notch, not to mention her eyebrow going down to a dangerously low one.

 

             "Hey, what you getting bent out of shape for, I ain't know what power you mean, but using chi won't make anyone go mad."

 

             "What is this chi you talk about you fish gutted fool? Stop your pathetic excuse to mask your channeling."

 

             "How am I suppose to explain it to a violent tomboy like you, who is about to pop a vein." Ranma was getting sort of annoyed too.

 

             "How dare you speak to me like that! I'll make you regret the day your father stole his first kiss to your mother!"

 

             Ranma glared at her, "Hey tough talk for someone who needs saving every day. An old mummy like you shouldn't be looking so young in the first place." One of the things he did pick up from Moiraine was that Siuan was some high up person or such and much older then she appeared.

 

             *THAT...THAT...IRATATING BOY!* All sense fled from her mind except one thing...

 

             "DIE!"

             "GAH!" sprouted a startled Ranma.

 

             Ranma was surprised when Siuan unexpected lunged at him with both hands reaching for his throat. She was a face of pure rage.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Rand lazily got up from his royal bed in Illian. His vision slowly getting forms from the blurs he had. He was still hurting, but it hadn't mattered, he would endure. Getting dressed in a rush, he needed time, today he would fix Illian from the Forsaken who ravaged this place for his own end. Suddenly a knock came to the door. "Who is it," he barked out.

 

             A creak opened, "I'm sorry my King, but umm there do be a Mistress is here, to see you my liege. She was, she says her name do be Moiraine." That was a surprising. *How had Moiraine gotten here. What is she doing here*

 

             The door opened and Rand saw a hooded figure almost gracefully slide in. The face revealed to be Moiraine as she pulled the hood back. The clothing however was a startling one. It was a pure white cloak that seemed to flow without a single wrinkle anywhere within his sight, framed with red triangle like patterns embroidered along the edges. A big broach was clasped under the neck with an almost equally big jewel. He couldn't place what kind of jewel it was as it sparked with an almost mysterious light of purple as the same color of the jewel. *What is she trying to do?*

 

             "Hello there Rand, how are you feeling today?" She gave him a bright cheerful smile. Idly she plucked out the crown clinging on the rack. "The crown of swords," she mused. "It doesn't look so comfortable, do you really have to wear this?"

 

             Rand frowned; he didn't want to play her game. She was a master at it and he was better to be straightforward and get to the end of it fast. "What do you want, Moiraine."

 

             "Want? I want to see you in good health. You look very grim and perhaps in pain. If there's anything I could help you with; I ask, please tell me." She never once skipped a beat and never once lost her smile.

 

             What was she getting at, Moiraine always wanted him in good health, but nothing is ever gotten at first glance with Aes Sedai. "I'm fine" He would not rely on any Aes Sedai. *Maybe, if I could trust you...maybe...*

 

             "You don't look it and I don't feel it," She slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them just as slowly. Her voice suddenly dropped to an uncomfortable level. "I know you don't seem to trust me, and you are hurting. I will help you with what I can and my agenda would not change even if you don't accept it.  I'll be looking at the wonderful palace scenery, and yes I will be trailing behind you."

 

             Almost as gracefully she stepped out of the room and without a sound the door closed. *Still Aes Sedai you are, Moiraine*

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Ranma leaned back on his bed. After a little run around with Siuan, he had a good breakfast, though not as filling as he would of wished, and now he was packing to get back to some main Aes Sedai camp. *That woman was almost as violent and unbelieving as Akane* He suppose he should go through with it, if still having to stick with the violent tomboy. He now also had the option of going home if he could find Moiraine's twin again.

 

             Stretching his sense he picked out Moiraine not far from where he lay. "Could you explain what Siuan meant by this channeling-mathingy that got her got all bent out of shape?"

 

             "It is quite a serious thing that you stumbled on, though Siuan always did have a nasty temper. Any of my sisters would be angry." Moiraine stood there a presence of calm and serenity even with the rude way of asking Ranma had made.

 

"She does not understand your powers, she relates them with the male channelers that channel the one power. The men with black cloaks that you fought a few days ago."

 

             "She afraid of those sorcerers, eh."

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

Lan looked at Ranma with a sword held out towards him. "You should keep it, it'll help you when you need it most."

 

             "I don't need it. I got my marital arts to protect Siuan. I don't need a sword to help me" Lan nodded, the boy seemed determined on this. He had heard those two would be going back to the rebel Aes Sedai with little chance they would have to face shadowspawn. Even if they did, Lan felt the boy's skills would do as well as any sword.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             Looking at the gateway, he was ready.

            

             "I saw you fight, you are very good. Maybe we will dance someday wet lander," the red head girl with the ponytail said to him with a toothily grin.

 

             He shuddered, it reminded him of some very familiar images. *I don't know why you want a dance, but no way* leading his horse a bit faster he went through.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             The gateway slowly parted slowly falling like folding curtains back to the surrounding normal view. Ranma knew a little of where they were going, but being dropped off in the middle of nowhere was still odd. Suddenly he felt a powerful spike from his senses. A strangely familiar, but unknown aura. Then it was clear with the all too familiar phrase.

 

             "RANMA! PREPARE TO DIE!"

 

             Whirling around with some surprise in his face there he was, Ryouga charging head on at him with full speed. There were some differences though; he knew that much at a brief glance. There was an extremely powerful aura around him, a dark one. Then everything happened at once.

 

             "SHI SHI HOKODAN!"

             "WATCH OUT!"

 

             Ranma pivoted with all his speed snatching a surprised Siuan to the nearby ground. It was almost second instinct now to protect his Aes Sedai from any harm. The power of that chi blast was much more powerful then the usual ones he took from Ryouga. Rolling to safely he quickly turned and went after his opponent also heading fast towards him.

 

             "Get cover! I'll handle this!"

 

             Siuan didn't believe this; A rugged boy suddenly voiced the death of her warder out of nowhere. The startling thing had been that the boy was glowing a sickly yellow dark green aura. Before she could do anything something large shot toward her at rapid speed only to be saved by Ranma. Now he was off to fight the person. *That simple minded fool!* With a great yell she called for Ranma to stop. *He's going after a male channeler of all things. Even worse, one gone mad!* unconsciously she should of taught him the proper way to subdue male channelers.

 

             Ranma after the first glance at Ryouga knew something was wrong. His face was the usual "I'm going to kill you while depressed" face, but there was a lack of consciousness in it, almost as if he was in a trance or so far gone, nothing registered. The large aura around him was another indicator. Extreme emotions filled him, so much of hate, anger, and depression could be felt, it left room for little else.

 

              "Hey Ryouga, snap out of it, you almost killed a girl!" No response; something was very wrong.

 

             Resign to beating him into consciousness, Ranma met his opponent and ducked under the expected punch to the head. Then the unexpected happened. A shearing pain slammed into him as he staggered back. *What!* Grunting he pivoted off a sidekick already in motion. Another hit slammed into him, this time he staggered and fell. Rolling to the side he gave a flying leap back to a farther safer distance. It had been a good thing too as a small crater was imprinted on the ground he stood with Ryouga's fist still there.

 

             Siuan watched Ranma run head on like a puffed up fish ready to be gutted. She had already embraced the source, it would not be a good thing to face a male channeler gone mad.  She was no match for the strength of Males who wielded Sadin and at her current level, it would be next to impossible. Males were more powerful then females in the one power as much as very Aes Sedai hated to admit, and hers was as low as most Aes Sedai could be. Watching Ranma get close to being killed she wove a weave of spirit as powerful as she could make it and threw it toward the glowing boy hoping he was weak enough that he wouldn't resist. It hadn't resisted to her surprise it vanished before it reached. *What!*

 

             Quickly she wove air to bind, which also mysteriously vanished in front of him. Air had been the strongest of her powers and it was useless. Fear ran through her body as the ground suddenly shook making a crater around the boy. *How could this be happening!*

Stumbling back the boy seemed to be ignoring her completely.

 

             Ranma winced at the wounds he took somehow even after clearly avoiding the punch, but still it had hit him. *Was this some kind of technique Ryouga learned? Maybe he gone mad from it* Ranma deduced that somehow Ryouga had extended his chi through his attacks to hit him even if he avoided the actual attack. *I will not be beaten just because he thinks he found a new weapon to beat me*

 

             Surging his battle aura to increase he leaped up for a deadly actuate flying jump kick towards him. *I'm going to have to be more careful with his attacks* Ryouga blocked the kick, but a second spinning mid air foot almost instantly smashed into his ribs. To Ranma's surprised not a single grunt came out from it. With next to no hesitation he ducked also bracing the expected side effects of Ryouga's wild punch.

 

             "KAA!" With a yell a full twenty punches shot out to Ryouga's stomach. Nothing happened.

 

             Suian had little choice but to stand there as her warder engaged in battle. She could do nothing and trying to shoot off fire or anything of that nature would mostly likely hit Ranma too. *We should not be fighting a mad channeler in the first place. One should get more sisters to handle him* When she yelled for him to get back, he just told her he'd handle it. Surprisingly Ranma was doing fairly well against the boy and also surprisingly he too possessed a similar sort of barehanded fighting skill. Unless her eyes were mistaken, Ranma also had a bright blue aura around him, she kept telling herself it was a trick of her mind or something.

 

             Ranma winced as he embraced another hit from Ryouga's new technique; his attacks were doing even less then normal damage. Nothing registered that could indicate any hurting. Even in Ryouga's depression state, he took a grunt here and there, now not even a twitch of an eye was made. *Could he have toughen up so much or his new technique do this?* Ryouga's aura was startling now, much more then he could make himself, surely Ryouga couldn't of advanced so much from the last time they met. *He's doesn't even know he's exhausting himself. For the pig boy's own good I have to take him down fast.*

 

             He knew it was a downward fight as he was only exhausting himself too, he decided to hit him with everything he had. Sprinting unexpected toward Ryouga's extended punch he felt a scorching pain as he narrowly evaded.

 

             "KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"  

             "MOKO TAKABISHA!"

             "MOKO TAKABISHA!"

             "MOKO TAKABISHA!"

 

             Without a moment of hesitation Ranma followed his amaguriken with a powerful chi blast to his opponent's abdomen, followed by another, and then another, each bigger and more powerful then before. The last one he thrown had made a small cloud of dust. Panting he was satisfied with from the finally grunt that came with the flying Ryouga. Then though he was unprepared when he was slammed by him running out of the cloud.

 

             "BAKUSAI TENKETSU!"

 

             Ranma desperately put his hands up to shield against the flying shards of hard ground and rock that flew everywhere. Then he went flying as a flying kick caught him in the chest. It was a very powerful direct hit. He could dimly hear Siuan screamed out his name as he hit something from his flight.

 

             "Ranma!" Siuan yelled out as the body of her warder was sent flying into some dried, dead trees. She could also feel the pain he was in, so much that it could of mean death. He wasn't dead though, the bond told her that much. Taking some advantage of the moment, she wove a fireball that was sent towards her unsuspecting objective, she didn't stop at that as another was followed, she wasn't taking any chances. It struck, but it barely smudged the clothing. She felt a great amount a fear rising above the already existing ones. Only years of mental exercise keep her from running as of now, weaving air into earth, a bolt of lighting that rivaled the amount she could wield lashed out. (In other less flowery words close to being burned out)

 

             Stumbling around while shielding his eye's Ryouga face was suddenly of frightful rage.

 

             "SHI SHI HOKODAN!"

 

             She yelled as she threw herself to the side with the extra push from the passing blast that followed with a loud explosion. Rolling on the hard ground she struggled to push herself back up bracing the pain and the low ringing in her ears.

 

             "KAA!!"

 

             A speeding air kick empowered with the full power Ranma gave took an unsuspecting Ryouga's head. He was satisflied that it had sent him soaring a short distance. This was getting too much, his full power did little and now everyone was in danger. It was time for the Hiryu Shoten Ha. He was a little fearful of it after last time and with Ryouga's blazing aura it could happen again. He couldn't calculate the safe distance Siuan needed, but it was the only thing left now. "Siuan get away from here now!"

 

              The clouds were gathering now. Everything was getting darker and rumbles from the sky could sparsely be heard. With a grim smirk he barked out, "Yo, Pig-boy you gone so low as to go after defenseless women. Come on let's end this. I'm going to make bacon out of you."

 

             The bandanna-clad boy needlessly was already upon him as he started his circle. Pain was sent across his body each time he narrowly avoided a punch, slowly he needed to keep his concentration and bracing the attacks at the same time.

 

             Siuan slowing tried to get to her feet, the fool was going to  throw himself away to save her. It was honorable, but foolish, as running away in the first place would have been the better course of action. She was going to do something very foolish too, this menace needed to be put down, and she didn't think she could run very far in her condition. The horses had already ran away. The clouds for the first time in months had gathered too, but she couldn't care less for that right now.

 

             Slowing she strained to hold onto the source. It was never meant to be use this way, no one would ever be stupid enough to try, but after seeing what could happen, she hope she'll live to curse herself and the fool boy who would be her warder.

 

             Weaving a simple flow of air and fire, a warm mist started to surround the area. She had chosen her strongest element and wide spreading weave to do this. She could not think she could weave a gateway with her power. Then she plucked a strand of air loose. It felt slippery. The Aiel girl had mention that, though not to her. The botched unweaving of the gateway away from the Seanchan had caused an explosion very powerful and very big. She had heard stories of explosions by unweaving. Now she was going to try to do it on purpose. *Oh light let us live through this!* Slowly she pulled another one, and pulled another.

 

             Ranma was almost there, into the center, and Ryouga's still following. He also felt a bit more damped, but he could not tell. *Closer, closer...* He was calm and already concentrating the power for a full Hiryu Shoten Ha.

 

             Siuan was almost there, it was already very slippery and barley able to hold on too. *A boat in a whirlpool can only swim in and hope to get out after it's been suck in*

 

             "Now!" Siuan screamed out in the heat of the moment.

             "HIRYU SHOTEN HA!" Ranma cried.

 

             A great surge of wind blasted out of Ranma's hand, swirling, picking up everything from rock to dirt. The Tornado spun higher and wilder, sucking everything including them in. It was a mad twister on the loose, still gathering more power and more speed. It started to expand and then compact as it almost started to become a circular band of wind. Slowly it died down and the sky rained. The ground below was lumped up and cleared from everything, like a big round plate holding two human forms.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             "Moiraine, do you accept my proposal to be my advisor? I have to talk to the council about the army out on the countryside." Rand caught Moiraine looking out a balcony. He was trailed by his two Asha'man. He had warned them not to do anything to Moiraine.

 

             She turned and smiled at him, then the unexpected thing happened. Moiraine went limp and fell into his arms.

 

                                    < OH MY! >

 

             A SD figure clasped in a cloak of pure white, with some red decorations along the edges walks out. SD throws away a couple of scattered notes.

 

             "Why are there so many women with Ranma? I would like to know too."

 

             "Unweaving, you pull a little here and there and it either disappears or blows up in your face. Kinda like everything else in life."

 

             "The end! Wait... that was a cliff-hanger, dang."