Reaching the end of the path. Hawk looked around and whistled, �Nice�simplicity
at it�s finest!� he drawled in a sort of Brit accent. Ranko snickered at the
comparison and would have said some thing if she not spotted a well aged old man
standing on the steps. Even just standing there quietly, Hawk can literally feel
his experience and wizened mind, until the man swung his gaze to him and
brightened �Come, Come!  We don�t get many visitors here!� Hawk nodded dumbly as
he crawled out of his stunned hole that he fell into. With not much success, his
throat felt very dry as he neared the man, the power coming off of him is
absolutely tremendous. He tried to speak of some formalities, but his mouth
opened and closed with nothing coming out, except a strangled �Gaah?�
The man raised an eyebrow, wrinkling his forehead, �Well? Speak up young man!�
That shook Hawk up. He instantly dropped his pack to the ground with a loud
thud, �The name�s Hawk�David KnightHawk�.� He managed to stammer out and stuck
out his hand nervously quick. The man chuckled, �Interesting name�� trailing off
as he clasped Hawk�s hand, his brow furrowed in concentration then shook out of
it a minute later as he let go, �You can call me Dragon-Sensei�or just Sensei.�
All Hawk could do is nod dumbly again.
Dragon bowed curtly and waved over the twins, pulling them back to the sparse
building, �Students�� getting their prompt attention, �I believe we have found
the next Element�� he said simply, all three now under the wooden awning. Ranko
gasped and leaned off to the side to see Hawk still standing there, like a
statue with his finger still pointing dumbly into the air. She leaned back, her
eyes wide and completely silent. Ranma�well�his eyes bugged out of his head as
realization sunk it teeth into his mind, looking over Sensei�s shoulder to Hawk,
�How�?� was all that he managed to get out.
Sensei chuckled at the both of them, �There are times that I wonder as well�but
I�ll have to check him over to find the marking�� stopping as Hawk finally
snapped out of it to walk up to the dojo, not catching anything that have just
perspired, �Excuse me? But I have need to speak with these to as well�it is
fairly important�� he finished sheepishly with his hand behind his head. Sensei
nodded, �Very well�� and swept into the dojo, appearing faintly annoyed.
The twins slowly turned to Hawk, �What is it that you need to talk to us
about?� they chorused. Walking back to his pack, he waved them over, �Something
that can increase your mental and physical faculties.� He said, digging into his
pack. The twins looked to each other and shrugged, looking back, Hawk has dug
out a small featureless case. Opening it, Hawk let them see a pair of six inch
long plastic cylinders filled with a milky white liquid, both marked differently
and a strange looking gun type device, �The Aristanian conversion�something that
I am also made of as well, but I�m more of mental and psychic than physical like
these special variants are�� trailing off as he held and gestured to the two
vials. Ranko and Ranma both looked intrigued but stayed silent, �This is part of
the contract that you two signed�� shrugging his shoulders, �We might as well
get this phase of the deal done and gone�� The twins shrugged at the same time,
�Ok�let�s get this �conversion� over with.� Ranma said, looking at the two vials
dubiously. Hawk nodded, �Kewl!� he exclaimed as he dug into his pack again and
pulled out two large crystalline shards, each measuring about a foot and half
long and about 2 inches thick.
The twins can feel the enormous amount of Ki emanating from the shards.
Pointing curiously to the shards, �What are those?� Ranko asked simply. Holding
the shards up to the light, �These my dear, Ranko are 100 percent pure Psilite
crystals.� She looked at Hawk with a blank expression, �These�� gesturing to the
crystals, ��are going to become part of you to increase you Ki reserves and help
better focus your current Ki abilities�� he trailed off at their shocked
expression, �It would take FAR to long to explain it to ya guys�� spinning
around, as if trying to find something, �You guys have someplace that you sleep
at or something? I need you two to be laying down for this�since you are going
to be unconscious for a few hours at least��
Gazing at the shards with an absolute curious expression, �How are these��
pointing to the crystals, ��going to get with in us?� Ranma�s expression looked
partially mortified. Holding up his hand, �Need not worry�all you two have to do
is hold these and they will be broken down and made a part of you�� he chuckled.
The twins looked to each other again, then walked off to the other end of the
Dojo, waving for him to come along.
Obediently following them, Hawk entered a sparsely decorated room with just a
pair of futons on the floor, not much else is evident. Shaking his head, �Not
much of a place for personal effects?� he asked them sarcastically. The twins
both laughed half-heartedly, apparently a bit afraid of something of what they
have to do. Hawk patted them both on shoulder, �Don�t you two worry! I�ll be
right here to keep an eye on things if something were to happen�� he started
when their heads snapped to him, �NOT LIKE THAT!! Not with you two�I mean, in
and outside of this room.� Sweeping the room exasperatingly. Swinging his eyes
to the both of them, they sighed a breath of relief, �Now�both of you lie down
so we can get this show on the road�� he finished, almost loudly.
They nodded and complied. They both stretched out on their individual futons,
arms flat on the mattress, both completely still as they studied the ceiling.
Shaking his head, Hawk prepared the gun-device and one of the vials. He set the
device off to the side and picked up the crystals. Placing one of them one Ranma
�s chest, �Now hold this with both hands and don�t ever let go�� trailing off
with his finger in the air. He spun to Ranko with a slight blush, �You��
coughing, ��don�t need to hold it�heh.� He snorted and flushed even redder.
Before she could say anything, he reluctantly and VERY quickly placed the shard
between her ample bosom, careful of not touching anything.
Standing back up before Ranko can retort, �Now�When I inject these,� gesturing
to the device he put back into his hand, �You will only have a moment, about 2
minutes to be exact, to put those shards directly to your skin�� They nodded as
they understood, Hawk flushed again, �Meaning�bare-chested�� he muttered. Ranma
stifled a laugh at his discomfort, Ranko turned a beet red.
Taking his shirt off already, Ranma smirked as his gaze came back to Ranko. Who
seems to be rather embarrassed by the upcoming ordeal. Not as much as Hawk
though. He slapped a vial into the Device, �Ok�Ranma you�re first�� Ranma nodded
and laid back down onto his back. Hawk put the device up to a vein in Ranma�s
neck and pushed a button on it.
Ranma�s eye�s widened from the intense pressure being exerted through his neck.
Before he could yelp in pain, the pressure was gone and he could already feel
drousy. He clutched the PsiLite shard to his chest firmly and closed his eyes.
Ranma was asleep before he let out one breath of air. Turning back to Ranko,
�This�ll hurt a bit.� Hawk said, taking out the used vial and slapping in the
other one. She nodded and laid back down, also clutching at her own shard,
almost fearfully, she screwed her eyes shut when she felt the business end of
the device press against her neck. Hawk concentrated on minimizing the pain to
her and pulled the trigger. Unlike Ranma, she hardly felt a thing as sleepiness
washed over her. Opening her eyes, she noticed Hawk darting out of the room at
Mach speed. Smiling, �Shy�isn�t he?� she asked herself as she quickly took her
shirt off, baring her chest, �Gonna have to work on that!�. Absolute drowsiness
came at her in a tidal wave as she clutched the shard between her breasts and
fell asleep.
Closing the door as quietly as he can behind him, Hawk breathed a sigh of
relief. He wiped the nervous sweat off of his brow, then scrubbed his face
tiredly, �Damn powers�always take a lot out of me�� he mumbled to himself. He
then felt a firm hand grasp his shoulder, looking over it. Hawk saw Sensei,
�Come with me to the main room and take off that damned armor�there�s no need
for it here�� Hawk nodded and then started unfastening his torso armor.
Watching Hawk intently. Sensei noticed a flaming dragon adorning his upper arm,
leading into his chest, just over his heart. His eyes widened in surprise.
Feeling a pair of eyes watch him, Hawk looked up to Sensei, �What? Something on
me?� looking himself over and spinning around in a circle. Sensei shook his
head, �No, my student�it is that you are one of the chosen�� trailing off as he
heard stiff metal clanking onto the floor. �Chosen?!?! What the hell�?!?� Hawk
panicky asked, he stopped at Sensei�s raised hand. �I mean you have been chosen
by the Fire Dragon Elemental�� looking up to Hawk with steel in his eyes, �I
will _DEFINITELY_ be training you in that portion of the �Four Dragon Elemental�
style.�
Putting his hands up defensively, �Whoa! Hold on here! I just came here to learn
some martial arts for company field missions, not to be �chosen�!!� practically
immersed in almost sheer panic. Sensei sighed and placed his hands on Hawk�s
bare shoulders, ceasing his babbling, �You do not know that this style is the
most powerful known in the MegaVerse�� he chuckled as Hawk�s face dropped and
his eyes bugged out, �It is probably why you are working for my old friend,
Mai�she usually thinks for the VERY long term�� taking his hands of Hawk�s
shoulders, he looked to him with steel etched to his face, ��and I know that
there is going to be a menace that is going to plague the universes in a few
hundred years or so...and we need the best fighters from across those universes
to fight them off.� Sensei�s eyes took an almost pleading look to them, �Do you
not want to defend your home and your loved ones?�
Looking back to the closed door, Hawk slumped his shoulders, �Yeah�I would��
trailing off as Sensei started laughing lightly, �What?� he asked him, miffed at
being laughed at. Coughing to side step his laughter, �I take it that you have
taken a liking to the Wind Dragon Elemental�Ranko, isn�t it?� Hawk flushed,
�Yeah�I guess so�� glancing back to the door, he snorted, �Quite observant of
you�� glancing to the door again, �We have to leave them alone for awhile, since
the conversion has to be left undisturbed for the next 12 hours to at least to
settle in.� Hawk said, deciding to change the subject. Sensei nodded, �So
then�during the meantime, I will start training you until such a time has
elapsed!� he exclaimed, slapping Hawk�s shoulder excitedly. Hawk jutted his
head, �Yep�need something to do��
* * * * * * * * *
Still flat on his back, Ranma shifted his body with a groan. Sitting up, his
body felt like it was on fire, feeling like a thousand thousand pins driving
just into his skin. He laid back down, groaning in pain, �Ugh�What did I get
myself into�� he asked to no-one but air. The door creaked open, Ranma looked
down his nose to see Hawk coming in with a smallish tray of something. Ranma�s
stomach growled angrily, �I see that I have come just in time!� Hawk exclaimed
softly. Another groan filled the room as Ranko came to a moment later. Hawk
quickly covered her with a small blanket, trying to suppress a glowing blush on
his face, even though he noticed that she has the look of distess on her face
and she is coated with a layer of sweat. He set the tray between them, before
Ranko could say anything, �You two must eat this before you black out again��
pointing to the tray, which has several bars that look like candy. They looked
at him dubiously, Hawk shrugged his shoulders, �That..!� gesturing to the
�candy-bars�, ��is super concentrated high-everything food rations, eat as much
of it as you two can�you are going to need it, believe me on that.�
The twins stared at the tray. Gathering their reserves, they both took one of
the bars. Ranma took a bite of one, he grimaced a bit but noticed his hunger
subsiding a bit then reassert itself in force, �Not too bad�at least no where
near as bad as Akane�s cooking!� he beamed, then started taking in as many of
the bars as he can. Ranko giggled at the comparison, without saying a word, she
dug in as well.
Kicking back against the wall, Hawk crossed his arms as he watch the two eat.
�Sheesh�those two are FAMISHED!!� he wondered to himself with much amusement. A
moment later, the twins finished. Both looked ready to conk out again, Hawk went
back to the tray, motioned to pick it up. He noticed that Ranma is already out
like a lamp. Shaking his head and trotting over on his knees, he picked up the
tray and started to get up.
Before he could get up, he felt a gentle, warm hand clasp his arm. He looked
down to Ranko�s face, she looked to him with a measure of adoration and no small
amount of fear, �Don�t leave�� she whispered as she wrapped the blanket more
tightly around herself, almost cocooning her.
Concerned as to why she might be scared, �Why don�t you want me to leave?� Hawk
whispered her. She glanced at Ranma�s sleeping form, then back to Hawk, �I�ve
been have a nightmare�� trailing off as the memory hit home, ��about�those�men��
stopping herself as she shut her eyes, some tears coming out.
With a lot of indecision later, Hawk�s shyness fell to a smoking heap thanks to
that look on her face. Putting the tray down, he stepped over the trembling
Ranko, determination chiseled to his face. He lain side-by-side to her, she didn
�t notice him until he slid an arm under her pillow, his hand reaching up to her
shoulder and the other around her slender waist. Whispering into her ear, �I won
�t leave you�� She started when he pulled her closer to him, ��Ever�� he
finished off with a breathy whisper. The intense warmth she felt coming from
Hawk and his words seemingly eased her mind of its turmoil, his steady breathes
comforted her even more as he wrapped her up firmly in his arms. She nuzzled up
to him and drifted off to sleep.
Carefully kicking off his shoes, trying not to wake Ranko up. Hawk couldn�t help
but feel some form of attachment to the little red-head he held in front of him.
Thinking, �I wonder what pocessed me to say all that to her�� The day�s hard
training caught up with him as he yawned, cutting off that trail of thought.
Shifting around a little, still careful to not wake her, he made himself
comfortable on the futon and drifted off to sleep.
Peeking through a crack in the door, Sensei smiled, �All is as it should be��
* * * * * * * * *
The Next Day at Dragon-Sensei�s Dojo�
Letting in a sharp breath as he came to. Ranma felt more�alive,
stronger�smarter, since many things came to him in crystal sharp clarity. He
lifted his hand in front of him. His eyes widened as he gazed upon on the
immense muscle tone down it. Feeling it with his other hand, it is rock hard.
No, it felt more like super tight corded steel. Letting his arms down, he looked
over to his sister. His eyes bugged out when he saw Hawk�s arm wrapped around
her waist. He was about to tear Hawk apart until his saw Ranko�s comfortable,
almost blissful face. �She never looked that peaceful for as long as I can
remember,� Ranma thought to himself, with a crooked smile. He put his hands
behind his head, thinking of what has changed within him.
A thunderbolt went through his mind as a thought occurred to him. Looking back
over to Ranko, he noticed that she didn�t change at all. �Maybe it is something
that we cannot see�� he pondered. He didn�t get a chance to ponder long as she
awoke with a wide yawn. Her movements stirred Hawk from his own sleep. His head
popped up from behind hers. Ranma snickered at the incredibly sleepy look on his
face and the massively tousled hair. Hawk let his one arm move from under the
pillow, with his other hand, he scrubbed at his face to work some of the cobwebs
out.
After rubbing her eyes some, she looked over to Ranma. Her jaw slammed into the
floor with an audible thud. �My GOD! You�ve gotten huge!!!� she exclaimed, her
eyes very wide as she scanned him over. Ranma started and he looked down
himself. His eyes nearly came out of their appropriate sockets as he saw that
his pants are either strained to it limit in some places, in many others it gave
up the fight. The rends in the fabric shown the immense, ripped muscle beneath,
when he moved to get a better look at himself, more of the fabric torn. Looking
back to Ranko, he gestured to himself in a utterly shocked expression. Then his
stomach growled, loudly.
Dissolving into a fit of laughter when Ranma�s face fell, Ranko couldn�t help
but laugh. �Maybe we should call you the Incredible Hulk now?� Hawk chimed in
sleepily, getting up from the futon. Ranma�s angered face snapped over to Hawk,
�I thought we weren�t going to change?!? I�ve turned into a damned MOUNTAIN!! My
speed�!� Hawk held up his hand to silence him, �HEY! Don�t Worry about it, your
speed should not be effected�� looking Ranma straight in the eye, �In fact, it
should be enhanced, though not as much as your strength.� He finished with a
�smarmy� smile.
Gaze turning inquisitive, Ranko looked at herself. Holding her arm out in
front, �Hmmmm�I don�t look different�.� She then ran her hand up and down her
arm. Surprisingly, her skin is still peach soft, yet, when she tenses a muscle
she can see the individual cords under the skin. Her eyes went wide and her jaw
slackened when she saw that, the blanket she held around herself starting to
slip in her awe. She heard a loud pair of coughs, then the blanket slid some
more, making itself known once again to her. She snapped her arms around the
blanket, holding it up before it fell any further.
Ranma�s eyes widened at the speed she snatched up the blanket. He let out an
appreciative whistle, �Damn! Your speed�incredible!� He shook his head, then
motioned to get up. More rips resounded through the air as he moved. Both Ranko
and Hawk snorted down laughter as he got to his feet. Ranma noticed that the
ground seemed more far away than usual as he looked back down, now the rest of
the cloth that could be called his pants absolutely gave up and slid off of him,
leaving him in quite constricting boxer shorts. He groaned and slapped his hand
to his forehead.
Coming out of her fit of the giggles, she noted that Ranma is now on his feet.
She started her trailing gaze from his feet, all the way up to his head.
�Jeeeez!! You literally are a MOUNTAIN!!� she exclaimed as she strained her neck
to look him in the face. Now feeling very small as Hawk too stood up. She sat
down on her rump in a huff, pouting with her eyes clamped shut since she didn�t
get any height increase. She would have continued to do so if not for a firm
hand gripping her shoulder, she looked up to Hawk, �Don�t worry about it�you
have�other attributes that are definitely more superior to ours, since I guess
that your particular conversion is more geared towards speed and agility.� He
finished with a flashy smile. Spirits instantly lifted, she nodded happily.
There was a knock at the door. Sensei stepped through the doorway as he opened
it. �GOOD GOD!� he exclaimed as he looked over Ranma, �Looks like you really are
the Earth Dragon Elemental!� he finished, squeezing Ranma�s massive arm.
Shifting his eyes to Hawk, �Looks like Mai has outdone herself this time
�round!� Hawk nodded, would have said something if not for a round of gurgling
growls. Sensei chuckled at the troop�s simultaneous blush when their stomachs
made themselves known that they are currently empty, �Well..How about we get
something to eat first, then we�ll see what you three can truly do?� he asked
all three of them. They all nodded. �Good! Let�s go then! We have a long day
ahead of us!� He finished, waving them all out the door, pausing for a moment to
let Ranko get a shirt on. Sensei�s eyebrows shot to his hairline as he made a
mental note of how fast she did do that. ��_REALLY_ outdone herself�� he
pondered as Ranko skipped, literally out of the door, seemingly much more
energetic than usual.
* * * * * * * * *

In a long forgotten realm of Space-Time, something stirred, but still slumbered
on. His time of freedom has not yet come, but what is time to a true immortal?
He stilled once more to dream. To dream of his lost love from many millennia
ago�

* * * * * * * * *
 Lifting his head to a disturbance from somewhere, Dragon-Sensei tensed for what
is to come, but quickly past as it disappeared. Sensei was in the middle of
testing the new abilities that Ranko and Ranma had attained. Ranma, true to form
of one his size, seemed able to lift a 10 meter wide boulder with little to no
effort. Would have tested him with more, but there are none, larger, boulders
anywhere nearby. Ranko, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. She moved so
fast that even Sensei seemed hard pressed in just keeping an eye on her. There
were times when she did move even faster, it created a sonic boom whenever she
tried the infamous Kachu-Tenshin-Amakaguri-Ken.
 But the Fire elemental, well�he had little to no fighting ability, at least
when compared to the twins. Sensei notice that Hawk prefered to use trickery and
a bit of subterfuge when it came to a conflict. He watched Hawk and Ranko spar,
�Seems that they have taken a liking to each other...� Sensei pondered to
himself, then noticed that Ranko cold-clocked Hawk across the clearing screaming
something like: �Don�t you dare hold back on me!!� Sensei inwardly smiled, ��the
twins will snap him into shape in no time.� He then went back into barking
traing orders to the troop with things degraded into a tickle fight between Hawk
and Ranko�

<Insert �Ranma �-Rifts Asunder: Rifts Earth Stories� Here>
* * * * * * * * *

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