This is hopefully the first chapter in a continuing series.  The
continuation of this is all depended on you, the reader.  Tell me how I am
doing, and I will continue writing.  I will post it once.  If I get no C&C,
I will repost it once.  If I still get nothing, I won't continue writing.
You like it, you tell me.  If you don't like it, tell me.  I am willing to
change.  Besides, there is magick in your comments.

If you are looking for Vampires, Garou, Fae, or Wraiths, do not read this.
This is going to be the story of one Ranma character's Awakening and her
quest for Ascension.

C & C will be respected, a title will be cherished, and flames will be
laughed at.

Now, let the story begin...

*******************

By your will, so it is done.
By your deed, so you are changed.
        -Warning to all new Mages

Chapter One:  The End, and the Beginning

        This was not going according to plan.  He was the new kid at school,
and needed money.  She gladly gave it to him, and only at one point over
prime, with a week collection delay.  He had accepted with a shy smile and
walked away.  Today was supposed to be collection day, and was supposed to
be fairly routine, but the boy refused to pay.  Even with the threat of
Ranma hanging over his head.  "I can take care of that wimp.  Send your best
at me, bitch.  I'll eat them for breakfast, and send them right back at you."

        Nabiki sneered at the man, and turned to walk away.  <Yeah, we'll
see who eats who for breakfast.  Now to think of someway to blackmail Ranma
into beating this guy.  Or maybe I could get Ryoga to do it.>  Nabiki's
thoughts were interrupted by the man's hand on her arm.  He was squeezing
it.  Hard.  "I don't remember dismissing you.  In fact, I think that you
were leaving without permission.  That's not allowed.  Now I have to punish
you.  I think that this day might turn out better then I planned."  He
leered at Nabiki and reached his hand over to grab the front of her jumper.
Nabiki's mind was working on overtime.  <Rape?  He's going to rape me.
OhmygodRAPE!!!  What should I do?  Well, at least now Ranma will have a
reason to kill this guy.  But I don't want to give Ranma that reason.  What
do I do?  Calm down, stay cool.  We'll think of a way out of this.  I should
have stuck with the martial arts daddy taught me.  OHGODHISHANDISMOVING.
_STAY_ _CALM_.  Remember what you saw in that video.  Yell for help.>
Nabiki opened her mouth to shout, but the man thought of this and immdietly
covered her mouth with his hand.  "Scream, and I'll kill you where you
stand, and no one will ever find the body." he told her.  Having said that,
he ripped the front of her school dress off, leaving her in her blouse and
skirt.  <No, I can't let him do this to me.  What would everyone think?
I've got to stop him, but I don't have the power to do anything.>

<#Yes you do.#> a voice declared inside her head.  Nabiki decided that it
sounded a lot like Cologne.  <#You have all the power you need to take care
of this little pervert.  Watch, and I'll show you how#>  Nabiki looked over
to the side, to see Cologne standing not two feet away from her.  The rapist
took her head sway as a sign of submission, and moved to rip off her blouse.
Nabiki saw Cologne stand straight up, and throw her hands all the way down,
with the palms facing out.  Cologne looked up to the sky, and all of the
sudden, the world went white.  Nabiki's last thoughts before submitting to
the allure of unconsciousness formed two words.

<...I......Understand>

And all went white.
        And she was freefalling.

*********************

        In a posh hotel room in New York City, three people looked up.
"Guess we should be going.  Kate, can you run a scan and tell me where that
event was localized?"  The girl called Kate nodded.  The 16 year old bounced
merrily away to start her spell.  "Jei, I hope that this doesn't turn out to
be another wild goose chase."

        "We'll know in a second, Tim.  We'll know in a second." the woman
named Jei sighed.  Tim just nodded and closed his eyes while he waited.

        "Japan.  Nerima ward to be precise.  I've already got everything
else set up, just let me know when." Kate announced to the two adults.  The
young X-tatic Cultist loved these adventures.

        "Alright.  Open the portal." the man they called Tim pronounced solemly.

        Kate smirked.  This was her favorite part.  Although she was
powerful enough to do this without using any verbal or somatic commands, she
still loved opening portals the way she used to.  Poetry.

        Gate to the Heavens
        Gates to the Moon
        We need to travel
        And travel there soon.

        Let us not walk
        And let us not run
        Gate take us east
        To the Rising Sun

        And with a flourish, a portal opened and the three mages stepped
through.

******************

        "Huh?"  The young martial artist looked towards the white pillar
that was visible.  "That looks like a ki blast.  Wonder if that was Ryoga."
Ranma said to himself as he practiced at the Tendo Dojo.  He noticed that
the blast was situated over near Furinkan High School.  <Might as well go
check it out.> he thought.  Ranma tried to ignore this growing suspision
that it wasn't Ryoga.  Ryoga had wandered off only yesterday, and it wasn't
like the lost boy to find his way back this soon.  <Nah.  It was Ryoga.  It
had to be.> Ranma thought to himself.

        Ranma took all the shortcuts to Furinkan and wandered to the site he
thought that the blast took place at.  He blinked a few times to make sure
that he wasn't seeing things.  The image in front of him never wavered.
There was Nabiki, looking for all the world as if she had just collapsed
where she stood.  Her clothes were ripped, and she looked very disheveled.
"What...the...hell?  Nabiki?"  Ranma ran over to the fallen Tendo, concern
and anger warring for dominance over his face.  <Gotta get her out of here.>
Ranma picked her up carefully, and made his way to Dr. Tofu's as fast as he
could with his delicate load.

******************

        "<Granddaughter, watch over the shop for a while. I have to go to
Dr. Tofu's with a gift.>" Cologne said as she hefted a rather large book
under her arm.  She had been so busy trying to get Ranma to marry Shampoo
that she had forgotten to give this to him.  Cologne looked over to see her
graddaughter nod in agreement, and then she was out the door, using the
rooftops to speed her journey.  <This should be an appropriate.  After all,
he did go out of his way to help Shampoo when she first arrived here.  These
should be helpful.> she thought as she arrived at Dr. Tofu's clinic.  As she
walked in to the waiting room, she was surprised to see Ranma and Akane.
Akane's eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying, while Ranma
tried to hide the look of concern for Akane that crossed his face.

        Akane looked up to see the Nabiki enter the room.  She was being
supported by Dr. Tofu, and looked a little shaken.  Akane just started
crying harder and ran to her sister, grasping her in a tight hug.  Nabiki
looked a little taken aback by this, but put her arms around her younger
sister.  "I'm alright." Nabiki said as she rocked her sister.  "I'll be
alright.  Cologne helped me out.  I'll be alright."

        Cologne looked up sharply at Nabiki's comment.  She knew that Nabiki
wasn't attacked at the Nekohanten, and Cologne hadn't left there all day,
save just now.  "How did I save you, child?  I haven't left the Nekohanten
all day.  There is no way that I could have saved you." Cologne put the book
down on a nearby desk and made her way over to Nabiki.  Something didn't
seem right about her.  Something seemed different.  <Her ki seems to be
glowing.  Almost as if it had a life of it's own.>

        "Actually, it does have a life of it's own." came a new voice.  Five
pairs of eyes turned to see the three newcomers.  The one that had spoken
was a tall caucasian man, with long brown hair.  He was wearing a black
trenchcoat and slacks, and a white shirt.  Behind him and to his left was a
dignified looking Chinese woman.  She looked no older then mid-twenties, and
had her hair tied into a long braid that reached past her knees.  To her
right stood a young woman, probably no older then Ranma and Akane.  Her hair
was red, the intensity offset only by the sharpness of her green eyes.  The
trio moved foward as the man continued to speak.  "Welcome, Tendo Nabiki, to
the land of the Awakened."

********************

        Back at the schoolyard, the would-be rapist fell from a tree.  <That
bitch's blast was strong.  And it wasn't Forces, either.  That was a pure
Prime attack.  Nyrbyndlyrd will be interested in knowing that.>  The air
around the boy seemed to warp and fold in upon itself, and he was gone.

**********************

Well, that's it for now.  Send me C&C, or else I won't write the next
chapter.  I would really like to know how I am doing.  Anything will be
appreciated.  Flames, constructive, destructive, instructive, anything.  And
I will try and write back.


J. D. Farber
Firm believer in the Ryoga/Ukyo match
Owner of Ryoga's Travel Agency
Member of the Order of the Cold Shower
Member OLA (Weapon: Scottish Claymore)  #%SHING%# #%SHING%#
Right hand of Sailor Jupiter
Fianna Kinfolk
Verbena Mage
Known to some as Arcady Sabo, House Lugosi

Dakedo Akane warau to kawaii yo.