OK, this is huge, I'm sorry, kill me later...

Anyway, this is a kind of continuation-ish fic I thought up one night. It's
also the first fic I planned in advance, so tell me if it works.  You'll
notice I do alot of work with Cologne...partially in reaction to the
"Cologne isn't evil" discussion we had.  

Another note: Yeah, I drop some of the later characters (ie Konatsu).  My
source material is Viz's stuff and the Synopses on the Ranma FAQ, and
frankly, I don't have enough of a feel for Konatsu or Akari to work with
them properly.  Besides, I've read up on Akari a bit, and she is just so
WRONG for Ryoga.  Ukyo/Shampoo/Akane (hell, even Kodachi) is a far better
match, IMO.  (Don't flame me.)

Oh, I hope everyone figures out the crossover bits....

C&C (private!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Welcome.

Christopher Angel
cja124@mail.usask.ca

Ranma 1/2: The Reckonning

All original Ranma 1/2 belong to the great and mighty Rumiko Takahashi. 
Viz owns the rights in the states, and I apologise for using these
characters without permission.  Please don't sue me....

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

Cologne sat washing vegetables in the back of the Nekohanten.  She hated
doing it, but since she was the only one who could and stay human, it was
her job.

"<Grandmother, there's a wierd man here to talk to you!>"  Shampoo's voice
rang though the restaurant.  

Cologne dried her hands and pogoed out to the eating area on her
ever-present staff.  As she passed her grandaughter, she swatted her
lightly.  "Japanese, girl.  You can't get better if you don't practice."

Shampoo nodded and sighed.  "Yes, grandmother."  She went back to cleaning
tables. *I don't want to get better.  I want to get Ranma to marry me and
return to China!*

Cologne turned to the man in the door.  He was an American.  Very young, by
her standards, maybe in his early thirties.  He had the wiry physique of a
scholar and was of about average height.  He wore black clothing, much like
a school uniform but without the buttons.  His face was lightly tanned and
he had light brown hair in a rather conservative cut.  He was strangely
familiar.  "What do you want, child?"

The man smiled in amusement.  "Child?  You MUST be Artmaster Koh Lon."

Cologne's blood ran cold.  The title of Artmaster was one she had not heard
for two thirds of her very long life.  It was a title that carried a great
deal of weight, and brought to mind memories best left forgotten.

"Who are you?!" she demanded.  The man slowly pushed back his sleeves,
showing the black runic tattoos that ran from his wrists up past his elbow.
"A Loremaster..."  She tore her eyes from the tattoos.  "Martial"  she said
softly.  A faint sorrow crept into her bones.

The man nodded sadly, echoing her sorrow.  "Don't you recognize me?  The
time has come."  He looked her in the eyes.  "They are stronger this time. 
We must be stronger still.  This time there must be many."

Cologne's sadness gave way to horror.  "They have become that strong?"

The man smiled at her warmly.  "There is always hope."

Shampoo and Mousse watched the conversation from the kitchen.  "<What are
they talking about, Mousse?>" Shampoo asked quietly.

"<I do not know.  The man's a Loremaster, whatever that is.  His name is
Martial.  He is calling your grandmother an Artmistress.  He's also
pronouncing her name right.>"  He grimaced at the buxom amazon.  "<This
sounds like trouble.>"

Cologne turned to the whispering pair.  "Shampoo!  Mousse!  Stop
eavesdropping right now!  Shampoo, go to son-in-law's and get them to find
that idiot Ryoga, if they can. Get them all, and I mean them ALL to gather
in the dojo.  We will follow you shortly.  Mousse!  Go to that okonomiyaki
girl's restaurant and get her to do the same."  She swatted Shampoo as she
ran past.  "And speak Japanese!"

***

Ranma stood in the dojo, glaring at Mousse while he tried to pry Shampoo
off of himself.  "What's this - leggo willya? - about, Mousse?"  Ukyo
inserted her battle-spatula between Shampoo and the young man and pried
them appart.  "Thanks, Ucchan-hey!"  Akane booted him across the room.

"RAMNA, YOU JERK!" she yelled at him.

"I didn't do nothin', ya tomboy!" he yelled back.

"Ranma, how dare you!" Ryoga roared, storming in from the bath, slightly
damp.

"Hey, P-Chan," Ranma greeted, dodging the punch Ryoga threw at him.  "Long
time no see!"

"Who's P-chan?!"  Ryoga yelled, throwing another punch.  Within moments,
the teenage martial artists were involved in a full-fledged brawl.

Cologne and Martial stood in the doorway to the dojo, flanked by Soun,
Genma, and Nodoka.  Kasumi and Nabiki stood behind them.  They watched the
mayhem that was unfolding in the dojo.  "Do they always behave like this?"
Martial asked Cologne.  She nodded.  "Excuse me," he called into the room,
and was completely ignored.  "HEY," he yelled, without any response.  He
sighed and turned to Cologne.  "Could I impose?"

Cologne lept into the fray, and used her staff to incapactiate the
fighters, using a combination of trips, blows to the head, and pressure
points.  Within moments, the action had stopped, and all the fighters
glared sullenly at Cologne, who glared haughtily back.

Martial chuckled.  "You've picked up a few tricks, haven't you, Koh Lon?" 
He smiled indugently at the former combattants.  "My apologies, children,
for interrupting your play."

Ranma rubbed his aching head.  "And who the hell are you?"  Akane glared at
him, but he ignored her.  "Another ploy by Cologne to make me marry
Shampoo?"

Martial looked at the elder in suprise.  "Koh Lon, what have you been up
to?"  He waved his hands.  "None of my business, I don't want to know."  He
looked at Ranma appraisingly.  "You must be Ranma Saotome.  I've heard a
great deal about you."  He sat cross legged on the floor, and waved for the
others to do the same.  "Sit, children, sit.  You wish to know who I am,
and what I want.  Well, I will tell you."  No one moved, and he sighed. 
"Do I have to ask Koh Lon to MAKE you sit?"  He smiled at the sudden rush
by everyone to sit down.

***

"My name is Martial.  As in the Art.  I am a member of a group known as the
Loremasters.  We are the repository for a great deal of knowledge.  Want to
know how to make greek fire?  We know.  Want to know how the pyramids were
really built?  We know.  Want to know all the secret techniques of any art
in the world?  We know.  It is our job to guard that knowledge.  Not to
keep it hidden, but to make sure that the secrets are never lost.  To use
those secrets to defend humanity, wherever he may be, from his greatest
enemy."

The man pulled out a rosary chain.  "Look at this rosary.  Imagine each
bead on this chain is a world.  An alternate Earth, if you will.  Linked to
each other, like the beads on this chain.  On one, there's no magic, no
martial artists that can demolish whole city blocks, merely normal,
everyday people.  On another, the world is focussed around a huge
metropolis, and robots and power-armor are every day occurances.  On yet
another, five young girls and a young man defend the earth from evil
demons.  In another world, the gods are merely maintainers of a huge cosmic
computer system."  He smiled.  "There are an infinite number of Earths, and
each one is different.  Each one is...special."

"Oh please,"  Ranma sighed.  "You don't expect us to believe this."

"Quiet, boy, and let me finish."  Ranma shut up, more because of the icy
glare from Cologne.  "On one of these Earths, a dark power grew.  It
discovered the other earths, and began to pillage and conquer them.  Their
first stumbling point was the world of the Loremasters.  We used all of our
knowledge to stop them, yet still failed."  A longing look grew in the mans
eyes.  "I still remember our sky.  It was a deeper, more true blue than
yours.  There was this one flower, called the day-night, because the petals
were the blackest night in daytime and glowed like the moon at night." 
Tears misted Martial's eyes, but he angrily fought them back.

"The Dark Earthers entered and corrupted my world.  It is a blasted
wasteland now, the people scattered across the multiple dimensions.  We
have but one goal: to defeat the Dark Earth."  Determination rang in the
man's voice.  "We found there are other worlds, like ours.  Worlds where
the people had fantastic abilities, who could aid us in our fight.  We
managed to halt the Dark Earther's advance, somewhat."

"Somewhat?"  Ryoga asked.  He sat wide eyed, listening intently, like a
child at storytime.

"We have not stopped them, yet, but we have slowed their advance.  Not too
many Earths from this one, there is a rather primitive world, populated by
a kind, innocent people.  It has become our battleground.  We have driven
them back each time they attempted to conquer.  Koh Lon here fought in the
last great battle.  She was my Ar-erm-MY SENSEI's Artmistress."  He
chuckled at their confused glances.  "A Loremaster's knowledge is useless
unless someone can apply it for him.  My, uh, sensei trained Koh Lon in
many techniques."  He gave her an amused look.  "Although she seems to have
picked up a few since she last saw her husband."

"HUSBAND?"  the listeners chorused.

Martial smiled indulgently.  "At the time, the Amazons followed some
ridiculous law that required an Amazon defeated by a male to marry him." 
He glanced over at Cologne and chuckled at some private joke.  "It was not
an...uneventful marriage."  Cologne looked embarrased, and Martial looked
at her in shock.  "You're not STILL following that law, are you?"

"Ranma is Shampoo's fiancee!"  Shampoo volunteered.

"No he's not, he's Akane's!"  Soun retorted.

"Ranchan is MY fiancee!"  Ukyo asserted.

"THREE fiancees?"  Martial exclaimed.  He looked at Ranma with no little
awe.

"Don't forget Kodachi!"  Nabiki called in.

"That nutcase is NOT my fiancee!"  Ranma yelled.  Martial laughed.

"Oh, Koh Lon was right, he DOES have potential."  Martial chortled.  The
group looked at him in suprise.  "Who else but a man with Artmaster
potential could have not one but FOUR women chasing after him," he
explained.  

"I am NOT chasing that pervert!"  Akane yelled.

He looked at Akane then at Ranma with no small amusement.  "Lots of enemies
too, boy?"

"There's Ryoga, Mousse, Kuno, Gosinkugi," Nabiki was counting names on her
fingers. "Umm, well, Herb wanted him dead, Tarou could probably do with
having him beaten a bit, there was that Saffron guy, and I probably missed
someone that Mr. Saotome hasn't told us about."

"Alright already! So what does that have to do with anything?"  Ranma
glared daggers at Martial.  "I still think this is a bunch of crap."

Martial sighed, and looked sadly at Cologne.  "They never believe, do
they?"

"We didn't," she informed him.

"I could hope."  He sighed again, and looked at the others.  "Hang on kids,
we're going for a little ride."  He started to glow white, and he brought
his hands together in a deafening clap.  The world dissolved.  "And away we
go!"

***

The university students looked at the phenomenon in shock.  There, in the
middle of the student center, sat a group of orientals teenagers, dressed
in strange clothes.  A white man in dark clothes was with them, a little
old oriental lady, and two middle-aged oriental men and a woman.  The
dark-clothed man stood up and the others did the same.

"Welcome to Base Earth," he proclaimed like a showman.  "We call it Base
Earth because the only thing special about it is the fact that there IS
nothing special about it."

He glowed white again, and brought his hands together in a clap.  "Let's
blow this popsicle stand!"  The party disappeared.

The students shook their heads and went to class, muttering about strange
oriental students and Japanese speaking tour guides.

***

On a deserted highway in MegaTokyo, a group of people suddenly apeared out
of nowhere.

Cologne bapped Martial with her staff.  "Stop showing off."

He pouted at her while he rubbed his head.  "You were never any fun, Koh
Lon."

He turned to the others.  "Welcome to MegaTokyo!  Now, if everyone would
move to the edge of the road, the show will be starting in," he glanced at
his watch as he hearded the people to the edge of the highway.
"5...4...3...2...1...Now!"

A robot with thrusters out of its back streaked down the highway, narrowly
missing Martial's head.   It was followed by four people in power armor,
obviously women.  One of them turned to the group.  "Get the hell out of
here!"

"Gone!" Martial said.  "Give that Boomer one for me!" He closed his eyes
and the group faded out of existence.

Sylia Stingray stared at where the people once stood.  She shook her head. 
"Damn Loremasters..."

***

A group of people suddenly appeared on the street.  They watched five
attractive young girls battle a demon.

One of them, a westerner, looked at the girls' costumes admiringly for a
moment.  "This job DOES have it's perks, you know," he remarked to the
young Japanese man he was standing beside.  The man, dressed in a red and
black Chinese ensemble, nodded slowly.

"I'll say," he breathed, looking at the girls fight.  "Owww!"  He yelped as
another girl pulled a hammer and whapped him one.  An elderly lady whapped
the westerner at the same time.


"Ranma, you pervert!" The girl yelled.

"I didn't do nothin'!" He yelled back.

"Martial, grow up," the old woman said peevishly.

"I seem to recall a certain Amazon who once wore a similiar outfit," he
grinned at her.  "She looked better."  He ducked the second swat from
Cologne, and laughed.  He concentrated and the group disappeared.

A black cat with a strange mark on it's forehead gazed at the spot the
group had vacated, and sighed.  "Martial," she said with a disgusted voice,
then sighed again.  "Oh well, it could have been Happosai."  The cat
shuddered.

***

The group reappeared in the Tendo Dojo, this time in the living room.  "You
see?  There are other worlds.  Do you believe me now?"

Ranma grudginly nodded.  "Fine, I believe you.  Now what do you want?"

Martial looked at him in suprise.  "Are you daft, boy?  I need fighters! 
This world has some of the greatest martial artists in all the universes,
and the cream of the crop," he waved his hands grandly "is here."

"Why should we help?"  Akane demanded.

"Because it's the right thing to do?"  Martial suggested.  Even Cologne
gave him a disgusted look.  "Fine, fine.  Damn mercenaries."  He muttered,
then sighed. "Because, with my help you can become the best damn martial
artists you could possibly become.  'Martial' is more than a name, it's a
title.  It's my field of expertise.  No one, anywhere, knows more than me
about martial arts than me."

"Nice ego," Ryoga told him.

"Is it ego when it's true?" Martial countered.  "Ask Koh Lon."  She nodded
sagely at their questioning looks.

"I know a great deal, children, yet to him, I am the barest beginner."

Martial grimaced as the calculating looks flashed across their faces, and
one after the other, they nodded agreement.  "Alrighty.  First things
first, I must judge your potential and training."  Almost as one, the young
people started to head to the dojo.  "Exactly where are you going?"

"To the dojo," Ranma replied, puzzled.  "How else can you tell without a
sparring match?"

Martial laughed.  "Boy, I don't need such things.  Come here."  Warily,
Ranma walked over to him.   Slowly, Martial touched his forehead with the
palm of his hand.  A white glow appeared around him and Ranma.  They stood
like that for a moment, and then the glow disappeared.  Martial grinned. 
"Nice curse," he said offhandedly, then frowned.  "Hmm, Lightning Fist,
Dragon Whirlwind, and Ego Blast."  He turned to Cologne.  "I asume those
goofy names he has in his head were your idea?"  She nodded.  "Stop being
creative," he scolded.  "Inventive training methods, though."  He grimaced.
 "Who was the idiot who taught you the Cat-Fist, boy?"

As one, the eyes in the room turned to Genma, who paled.  "It seemed like a
good idea at the time..."

"And now I have a phobia to train out, as well as reconciling his cat-mind
with his human one," Martial finished for him, angrily, then sighed.  "He
does have Artmaster potential.  Nice to see training him will be quick.  No
specific weapon skills, lightning quick, reasonably strong and tough." He
smiled.  "I so like trainees with promise.  Next?"  Ryoga walked up to
Martial, who repeated the process.  And pulled away with shock.

"TWO of you?  Koh Lon, this is excellent!" he happily cried.  "Two
Artmasters!  Breaking Point and Depression Blast, hmm...that second one
might be trouble, but I can work with it.  The mis-direction thing is
workable, I suppose, but that..." he trailed off at the look of abject
horror in Ryoga's face.  "...that's life, I guess," he finished lamely, and
nodded slighly for Ryoga's benefit.  *I'll keep your secret, boy.*
"Stronger than a horse, tough like a brick wall, and reasonably fast and
skilled.  Weapon expertise in the combat umbrella, throwing bandana and
sword-belt, as well as some reasonable competency in unarmed combat."  He
grinned, and looked at Ranma, then Ryoga.  "This WILL be fun."

Shampoo's turn was next.  "Amazon, huh?  Nice outfit.  Reminds me of a
certain Amazon I once knew," he said, looking her up and down, and was
rewarded by a whap from Cologne.  "Stop that.  Anyway, child, you have a
great deal of potential, although not as much as them," he indicated Ranma
and Ryoga.  "Lots of dexterity, good unarmed combat skill, too dependant on
the bonbori and to a lesser extent on the katana.  Poor defense."  He
smiled at her.  "You'll do, child. You'll be exceptionally helpful with
dealing with his phobia," he indicated Ranma.  Mousse replaced her.

Martial looked at him in shock once he completed the examination.  "You're
a Hidden Weapons artist!"  Mousse nodded.  "But...you can see!"  Ranma
snickered.

"Yeah, and a butterknife is sharp," he volunteered, then gulped at
Martial's fiery glare.  Martial turned to Mousse.

"Tell me, boy, was your eyesight this bad before you started training?" 
Mousse shook his head.  "And let me guess, all your teachers were as blind
as you, correct?"  Mousse looked at him in suprise, and then nodded slowly.
 Martial cursed.  "Of COURSE they were!  Hidden Weapons is supposed to be
used without sight!"  Mousse remained silent, the shock on his face
speaking for itself.  "Hidden Weapons forcusses on projectiles and the
ability to hide what you're doing.  That's why so much of your arsenal is
smoke screens.  You're supposed to NOT use your eyes when you fight this
way.  Your teachers have been taught wrong all this time!"  He cursed
again.  "Your body was telling you something your mind didn't know!" 
Mousse looked dejected, and Martial patted him on the shoulder.  "Don't
worry, son.  You're very skilled, given your unique handicap, and you've
adapted to your curse quite well.  We'll fix it."  Mousse smiled slighly
and walked off, only to be replaced by Ukyo.

"Okonimiyaki martial arts?  I haven't seen one of you for ages!"  He judged
her skills.  "You're the most balanced of the lot, girl.  You too have much
potential.  We'll have to give you some unarmed training though, as much as
those spatulas give you both ranged and close-range attack ability, without
them you're useless.  You're quick, though, and somewhat strong."  He
looked over at Akane.  "You're next."

He tested her, and then looked at her, agast.  "YOU'RE a martial artist?! 
Koh Lon, how good is she?"

Before Cologne could answer, Ranma answered for her.  "She was good enough
to trounce a few dozen boys before class every day.  She's a clumsy
tomboy," he wilted a little under Akane's glare, "but she's pretty good."

Martial looked at Akane with no little awe.  "You're that good? 
But...but...you CAN'T be!"  He seemed to be in some shock.  "You have NO
potential at all!  In fact, if I didn't know better..."  He trailed off,
and then seemed even more shaken.  "No...it CAN'T be..."  He suddenly
grabbed Akane's head.  "Forgive me, child!" He glowed again, but this time
the glow was a black aura.  He locked eyes with Akane, and she screamed in
pain.  A second later, he did as well.

"AKANE!"  Ryoga and Ranma yelled, leaping for them.  Before they could
reach them, the two people flew apart, crashing into the opposite walls. 
Ranma and Ryoga ran to Akane, and tried to see how she was.  They were
pulled away by Kasumi, who looked at her sister closely.

"My little girl has been killed!"  Tendo wailed.

"I'll kill him!"  Ranma yelled.  As one, he and Ryouga turned and lept at
Martial's unconsious form, only to be swatted out of the air by Cologne.

"You will do no such thing, son-in-law."  She placed herself between
Martial and the others.  "Whatever he did to that girl he did to himself as
well."

"Granmother, what he do?"  Shampoo asked.

Cologne shook her head, and turned to examine Martial.  "I do not know,
Shampoo.  I have never seen that before.  Whatever Akane is, he seemed very
suprised to see her."  Martial groaned and started to wake up, as Akane did
the same. 

"She's like me," he said, holding his head as he stood.  "She will be a
Loremaster."  Akane got to her feet, aided by Kasumi.  Martial locked gazes
with Akane.  "You see?"  Akane nodded.

"I...guess so," she told him.

Martial grimaced and tried to shake the fuziness form his head.  "I hate
doing that."  He turned to look at Kasumi.  "Your turn, child."  Kasumi was
a little frightened at this, but came over anyway.  He tested her like he
had the others, and smiled at her.  "Such a kind heart," he said, placing
his hand on her cheek.  "It is truly a pleasure to touch the soul of one
like you."  He turned her away.  "Go, child, this darkness is not for you
to fight."  Kasumi looked at him with a little confusion, but smiled shyly
and returned to her father.

Nabiki walked up to him, scowling.  "I am NOT a martial artist," she
decared.  Martial tested her anyway.

"No, you are not.  You are, however, far too clever for your own good."  He
grinned at her.  "I like that.  Don't worry, you won't be involved."  He
looked at Genma, Nodoka and Soun, and shook his head.  "I don't suppose any
of you are healers?"  He sighed at their negative response.  "Damn."

"What about Dr. Tofu?"  Genma asked, both happy and insulted he wasn't even
considered.  "He's a doctor, and he's even a martial artist."

Martial turned to Cologne crossly.  "And he isn't here why?"  She shrugged.

"I'll get him,"  Genma ran into the yard, leapt onto the roof and bounded
from rooftop to rooftop over to the clinic.  "Hello, master," he was heard
to call.  Soun turned pale.

A little old man bounded past the doorway.  "What a haul!"

Martial froze, stunned.  "Happosai?!?!"  He ran to the doorway.  "You old
reprobate!  Haven't you died YET?!"

Happosai suddenly appeared before him.  "Martial! Long time no see!  You're
looking well."  He grabbed Martial's hand and shook it vigorously,
grinning.  The others in the room looked on suprised.  Cologne sighed.

Martial laughed unwillingly.  "I thought the Sailor Scouts fried you with
that Planet Attack."

Happosai snorted.  "Hah.  They actually thought I was a youma.  I'm
insulted.  They were as bad as the Knight Sabers.  Steal one little panty,
cop one little feel, and they bring out the heavy artillery."

Martial looked at him with a mixture of amusement and sterness.  "You
ransacked the Silky Doll and hid in Nene's power armor."

Happosai shrugged.  "Details."  He gave Martial another grin.  "So,
training again?  Can I help?"

"NO!"  Martial shouted.  "Last time you helped I ended up married!"

"You're still mad about that?"

Martial smiled mysteriously.  "Oh, I'm not mad..." he gave Cologne an
amused glance.  "It had it's moments." He wiped the smile from his face and
glared at Happosai.  "Keep away from my trainees, you hear?"

"You don't really expect me to do that, do you?"  He bounded away.

"I can hope!" he called after him.  He turned to the others.  "I LIKE that
man.  No pretense, he's a lech, plain and simple."  He grinned at the
others, relishing their suprise.  Just then, Genma bounced into the yard,
followed by Dr. Tofu.  

Tofu examined Martial warily, then bowed respectfully.  "Loremaster, I'm
honored."

"Hmmph.  Enough with the pleasantries."  Tofu walked up to the other man,
who touched his forehead like he had the others.  "Excellent!  Shiatsu
training, extensive martial arts training."  He smiled. "You don't like to
hurt people, I like that in a healer."  He looked the young doctor up and
down.  "You know what I am, so I'm safe in assuming you know why I'm here. 
Can I count on your aid?" The young doctor nodded.

Martial looked up at the others, and smiled wickedly.  "Get lots of rest
tonight, children, for tommorow, we begin to train."  He turned to Akane. 
"Is there somewhere we can talk?   We have much to speak of."  Akane
nodded, and led them man up to her room.

Ranma watched to two go and scowled.  "I don't her being alone with him. 
He did something to her."  He turned to Cologne.  "What the hell is going
on?"

Cologne looked after Martial and Akane.  "You need not worry, son-in-law,
she won't be harmed with him."  She smiled at a memory.  "Martial may talk
like a lech, but he's a decent man.  This is very odd, though."

***

Akane sat on her bed, and indicated for Martial to be seated on the chair
by her desk.  "You must have many questions, child," Martial began, but was
interrupted.

"Akane."

"What?"

She looked at him angrily.  "Call me Akane.  You're not that much older
than me, calling me child makes me feel like a little girl."

Martial chuckled at some private joke.  "No, I suppose I shouldn't call you
that."  He rose and looked out the window.  "Akane, I would be lying if I
said I was not suprised to meet one such as you.  You're like me, a
Loremaster, at least in talent.  Do you know what that means?"  She shook
her head.  "Have you ever heard the saying: 'Those who can, do, those who
can't, teach?'"  Akane looked at him silently.  "Loremasters are the
embodiment of that.  I can help Ranma and the rest become extrodinary
fighters.  In months I could take Ranma and Ryouga to levels far beyond
their current ones.  In a year, they could surpass Koh Lon, or Cologne, as
she's called now."  He grimaced in distaste.  "Yet I have very little
fighting ability of my own.  That was why I was so suprised by your skill."

"I have been practicing all my life," Akane reminded him.  "But it did
always seem to be a lot more difficult for me than others," she added
bitterly.  Martial shook his head, and sat down again.

"That shouldn't matter.  It's like someone who's tonedeaf trying to learn
music by ear.  It's not just difficult, it should be impossible."  He
paused, and prepared himself for the difficult question he was about to
ask.  "Akane, I would like to train you as a Loremaster.  As my successor."
 He paused.  "There is a cost.  You will have to rely on the others for
protection.  As time goes on, your skills will atrophy, whether you train
or not."  Akane didn't seem to like that.

"But you're not much older than me," she protested.

Martial laughed, as if she had said something funny.  "I'm not quite as
young as I look.  Besides, this little venture is going to be awfully
dangerous.  I'd like to make sure my learning isn't lost."  He suddenly
smiled.  "Besides, it's easier than trying to write it all out."  His humor
left him as suddenly as it came.

"We're fighting for more than revenge, aren't we?"  Akane probed.

Martial nodded.  "The Dark Earth is evil, Akane.  Pure, unfettered evil." 
He looked at her sadly.  "The best way would be to show you."  He took his
hands and placed them at her temples, like he had before.  "It won't hurt
this time."  He concentrated, ans the black glow appeared again.  For a
long moment they remanded that way, perfectly still.  The glow disappeared,
and Akane slumped back.

"I..thought I knew, when you showed me before, but..." she seemed to be at
a loss for words.

"You didn't know the half of it."

Akane was silent for a moment.  "I wish we could show them.  I want to
help, but Ranma and Ryoga are merely going to come because I will, and
Shampoo and Ukyo will go because of Ranma, and Mousse because of Shampoo. 
The only one who's coming for the right reason is Dr. Tofu.  The training
in exchange bit will only be another excuse."

"Akane, whether it's for pay, honor or love, we need them," he reminded
her.  Akane angrilly shook her head.

"No, I won't accept that," she insisted.  "There has to be a way..." she
trailed off again as an idea occured to her.  "I've got it, we CAN show
them."  She leapt to her feet and took Martial by the arm.  "Come on!" 
Martial let himself be dragged out of the room.

***