Thanks to our pre-readers : Lord Talon, Ratbat, Seratia, Kahlil Noriega,
Jonathan Lloyd, Black Ice, Skuld63282@aol.com and Ezrial1@aol.com.
C&Cs and MSTs are welcome!

Disclaimer: All Ranma 1/2  characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Co.

All Fushigi-yuugi characters belongs to Yu Watase.

Fushigi Mizu (Chapter 2)
by: Rani

 Bright light quickly disappeared that left everyone speechless. All of
them was dumbfounded and shocked at the turn of events. Instantly,
everyone started to talk about the event which just happened as all of
them made their own conclusions.

 "Maybe it's a UFO"

 "A UFO?"

 "I think it's one of those experiments of the science club again."

 "Didn't Miss Hinako sucked their energy because they tried to use her
for their experiment?

 "It must be one of those plots the Principal has to have our hair cut."

 "The principal is on Hawaii now, vacationing as usual. Hey! I heard
that Tatewaki was to take his place..."

 Everyone was excited to tell their friends the details that happened in

the library. By the time the lunch bell rang, everyone was out of the
library.

 Except Akane. She was still looking for Ranma, wanting to give him a
piece of her mind, not to mention her mallet for teasing Ryoga. The poor

boy had enough problems already in his mind and Ranma was adding to it
with her tricks and disguises.

 "Ranma! Where are you?" Akane whispered furiously

   Akane didn't hear any reply and she began to search around the aisles

and on top of the bookshelves but she couldn't find Ranma at all.

 "That's strange, I know Ranma was here with me before the incident
happened." Akane thought. She started to get worried. Something might
have happened to Ranma. Like she might have been sucked into the book.
Remembering Ranma's sudden disappearance when the book hit her.

 "Akane! You are getting paranoid! She must have ran away and hid
somewhere." Akane consoled herself. "I'll find her and she will get it!
That pervert!" she silently said as she began to pick her things up, she

was going to be late for lunch.

 But as she reached for the door, she remembered the book that she threw

at Ranma.

 "The book! I need that for my project!" Akane said as she ran back to
retrieve it.

 Akane retraced her steps, she found it at the floor. Exactly where
Ranma was standing when she hit her with it, picking the book up.

 "The Universe of the Four Gods... Strange! It looks brand new." Akane
said as she examined the book.

 Akane was about to open the book when the bell rang, signaling that
lunch time was over and she could hear the sound of the students
returning back to their classrooms.

 "Great! I haven't eaten yet and I'm late for my class already!  Ranma!
You'll be sorry  when I am done with you!" Akane silently swore and
placed the book with her things and ran as fast as she could, not to
miss her next class.

 "I wonder where Ryoga is?" Akane thought. She knows that Ryoga was with

Ranma before the whole incident happened.

 Somewhere, still in the library, a pile of books moved. Suddenly, a boy

with a yellow bandana burst out of it. He looked very, very furious.

 "Ranma! Where are you! Fight me like a man!" Ryoga shouted as he
searched for Ranma.

 "You are going to pay for insulting me!" he added. He went out through
the wall.

 "Another one of them Flo," the janitor said. They watched the scene.

 "Kids today don't have respect for the library!" the librarian
answered.

      * * *

 In the depths of the mystical forest, Taiitsu-kun could hear a shout
coming down from the sky.  It went on for a few more minutes when she
heard the shout end with a loud thud.

 "It is done." Taiitsu-kun announced.

 In the enchanted mirror, she could see a girl landed in the desert. She

has red hair and blue eyes.

 "She is here." She said softly.

 Her mirror emitted a bright red light.

      * * *

 < Desert >

 "Stupid tomboy! How come she always has a bad timing? " Ranma
complained, as she rubbed her sore head.

 Standing  up to ease her muscles, she felt strangely drained like she
went on a roller coaster and threw her on the ground.

 A strong current of air rushed that swept her hair and skirt. It was
strange, there was no window on the back of the library.

 Ranma lifted her head, she realized that this was not the library.

 "Where am I?" Ranma wondered.

 There was no sight of books or classmates in front of her. Instead, all

she saw were acres and acres of sand surrounding her.

 "This is not library! This is a desert!" Ranma exclaimed.

 Ranma's eyes grew wide open. "Desert? What was she doing in here?" She
thought as her body went numb. Her heart stopped beating.

 "Oh God! I am in the desert!" Ranma started to freak out.

 "What am I doing here? How did I get here?" Ranma asked herself.
Concentrating to remember the things that happened before she was
brought here.

 I was teasing Ryoga. Akane saw us and got angry. She had a book in her
hand. She threw it at me. The book opened on a certain page. I picked up

the book...

 Suddenly, pieces fell together. "It's the book!" Ranma realized.

 "Hahaha! I am in a book! I was actually sucked in by a book!" Ranma
said while she laughed.

 Her laughter suddenly changed into a groan.

 "I am sucked into a book! What am I thinking?" She moaned.

 Looking around the place, Ranma couldn't explain it but she felt as if
she'd come home. Like she had been here before, as if she had been born
here.

 That thought however was interrupted by the sound of horse's hooves and

looked around for the place the sound was coming from and saw a small
wagon coming to her.

 The wagon stopped when it reached Ranma. Ranma looked up to see an old
woman on the driver's side.

 Ranma was a little surprised that an old woman could handle a wagon
with
seven horses tied to it. Yet there was something familiar about the
woman's gray hair and blue eyes. Images of a woman calling her came into

her mind.

 "Reigen! Reigen! Come here my child!"

 Ranma quickly shook all of her thoughts away when she realized that the

old woman was talking to her.

 "Could you please repeat what you said?" Ranma asked.

 The old woman didn't looked angry when Ranma asked to repeat her
question. She looked as if she knew the reason why.

 "I asked if you were lost," the old woman answered.

 Ranma was thinking. Maybe if she can find a town, she might get some
answers why she was here and at the same time find a way to get home.
This place was giving her the creeps. It was all too real to her.

 "Yes, Could you take me to the nearest town?" Ranma asked.

 "Konan?" the old woman asked.

 "Yes, Konan," Ranma answered "Wherever that is anyway." she silently
added to herself.

 The woman was silent for a moment before she agreed. But she could only

take her to the outskirts of the country. She mentioned.

 Ranma agreed. There she reasoned, she could walk until she reached the
town and fix this mess she got herself into as soon as possible.

 Ranma climbed up inside the wagon, she saw lots of food, a small cot
and clothes inside. Because of the events that happened, Ranma forgot
her tiredness and hunger.

 The old woman, noticing Ranma's tired and hungry condition told her
that she have some food, clothes and  some rest.

 Ranma thanked the woman gladly ate the offered food and changed into a
new set of clothes. She examined herself after she changed. The pants
and shirt looked like a uniform of some soldier, but she didn't care, as

long as she was able to get out of the Fuurinkan uniform. The soldier's
uniform was surely for a man. It hung loosely on her , hiding her
curvaceous body. It made her look more like a boy than a girl. Ranma hid

her hair with a piece of cloth, as her gleaming red hair was very
unusual and she didn't want to attract any attention.

  Satisfied with her appearance, she decided to take a little nap and
once she laid on the small cot, she fell asleep quickly.

 The old woman driving the wagon smiled. It was a long time since she
had seen Ranma. She knew that Ranma would face a lot of obstacles before

reaching her destiny.

  "Sleep well my child. You still have a long way to go," the old woman
whispered softly.

      * * *

 Tamahome was tired. He had been searching for Miaka for days but still
there was no sign of her.  He was already thinking that she was returned

back to her world by Taiitsu-kun.

 Tamahome disregarded the thought quickly. It was impossible. Miaka was
the Sazuka no Miko. She was the only one capable to summon  Suzaku  and
everyone knew that, even Miaka herself.

 It was already nightfall and Tamahome decided to sleep underneath a big

tree. He decided that he'd continue his search early the next morning.

 As he settled into his sleep, he could not remove the worry and fear he

felt in his heart.

 "Miaka..." Tamahome whispered sadly.

 Tamahome had never loved any girl more than her. Her mere voice could
make Tamahome forget all about his problems and fears. Everything about
her was perfect. Her brown hair shined brightly against the sun, her
eyes were like mirrors to her soul,  her face that was so beautiful and
sweet , her slim body and  cute smile. Everything.

 Tamahome could still remember the last time they had talked. It was
under the moon and the stars. Her ideals, passion and commitment about
Konan's security made Tamahome, if possible love her more.

 Never had he seen a girl so selfless as Miaka. Putting her safety and
life just for a country she had little knowledge of.

 Their last kiss still lingered on Tamahome's lips. The sweetness and
coolness of it. Sealing their love forever.

 "I'll get you back Miaka." Tamahome promised before he closed his eyes.

      * * *

 The old woman reached the outskirts of  Konan by night time. She woke
Ranma who was  still asleep on the cot. Ranma was first surprised but
then remembered  her situation quickly and climbed down the wagon.

 "Just follow that path and you would reach the town in no time." the
old woman said.

 Ranma thanked the old  woman for her kindness and started to travel
down the path the old woman  had pointed out.

 The old woman, watched Ranma walk away  and whispered softly "Take care

of her for me, Taiitsu-kun. She is the key to everything."

      * * *

 Ranma walked for a mile before fatigue wore on her. She still felt
tired even after the short nap she had.

 Satisfied at the progress she made, she decided to sleep underneath a
nearby tree. Then she would continue her journey to the town the next
morning.

 As soon as Ranma found a suitable resting place. She plopped down and
in a short while, she was already snoring .

 Unaware of  a person asleep beside her.

      * * *

 The bright rays of the sun and the sound of birds slightly woke Ranma
up. Still half-asleep, Ranma tried to go back to sleep when she felt
oddly warm. Since the air was still cold despite of the sun, she
wiggled closer, wanting more of the warmth.

 Ranma noticed that her cheeks touched something broad. It felt hard and

warm. Her nose inhaled the scent. It smelled like sweat and musk.
Although Ranma was still half-asleep, she couldn't stop herself from
enjoying the smell.

 At that moment, Tamahome was dreaming that he was holding Miaka. He
noticed that Miaka's front seemed a lot bigger and softer and she
smelled of Roses, not Jasmine. But he didn't care as long as Miaka was
with him.

 "Miaka... " Tamahome groaned.

 At the sound of Miaka's name and a man's groan, Ranma was fully awake.
Her eyes shot wide open and saw a blue-haired guy holding her in his
arms.

 "You jerk!" Ranma shouted

 Tamahome's eyes opened just in time to see a hand punched him.

 It didn't hurt him much but it was enough to make him fully awake.

 He saw a man wearing Kotou uniform.

 "An enemy!" Tamahome realized. Wondering what a Kotou soldier would be
doing here. Tamahome suddenly remembered Chiriko's presumption. "Chiriko

is right! Miaka must have been kidnapped by Nakago's men!"

  Tamahome's anger sparked. Believing that Miaka was in Nakago's
possession seemed to increase his anger. He wasn't angry, he was
furious.

 And the thought that the soldier punched him made him angrier. He
wanted to beat the hell out of this soldier.

 Tamahome's ogre flared up. It increased his strength and power ten
times more. He was ready to kick ass.

 Ranma's anger has the same intensity with that of  Tamahome's. How dare

he do that to her! She was a guy! No man had ever gotten that close to
Ranma. Even Mikado who was the one to kiss her didn't stand a chance. He

got what he deserved.

 Ranma knew that it wasn't the real reason that she was furious. It was
the fact that she rather enjoyed it made her feel bitter and angry.

 Ranma was about to call him a pervert when he attacked her. Caught
surprised, Ranma fell down.

 "You are a weakling," Tamahome said as he looked down on his enemy.

 Ranma was pissed off by the man's haughtiness. She wanted to teach him
a lesson. She used her chestnut fist to attack him.

 This surprised Tamahome, he was able to counter almost all of the
punches but he felt pain around his midsection.

 Tamahome fell down on his knees in pain. "You are a weakling," Ranma
said, her eyes twinkled. It was her turn to tease Tamahome.

 Tamahome never considered defeat. He stood up, his dark blue eyes
focusing on her blue ones, told her "Release Miaka, or else you will
die! Enemy!" Tamahome warned. His ogre flared up more.

 "Who is Miaka? I don't know her!" Ranma answered. She realized now that

their "reasons" were different from one another.

 "Don't play games with me! Kotou soldier! I am prepared to kill you for

Miaka! Give her back! Tamahome said. He was serious.

 "Arghhh!" Tamahome shouted, releasing punches that were less than Ranma

but strong enough to destroy a tree behind Ranma.

 "He's good. Better than pig-boy." Ranma thought, amazed at the jerk's
strength.

 Ranma dodged each attack with ease but that didn't stop the worry she
had in her heart. She didn't want to fight him but he has to pay to what

he did to her. Hugging her as if she was his girlfriend and for calling
her a weakling.

 "Give her back to me! I'll be your captive just don't hurt her!"
Tamahome said. His blue eyes  looked deeply to hers.

 Ranma felt that he wasn't an enemy at all. She didn't want to fight him

anymore. So she decided to leave him. She needed a diversion and she
knew what to do.

 She collected all of her energy into a chi ball.  Once she was
satisfied with the size, she released it to distract him and give her
time to escape.

 Tamahome was able to dodge the ball and saw the soldier ran off to
town. Tamahome didn't give up easily. He followed the soldier.

 "Come back here!" Tamahome shouted.

      * * *

 Taiitsu-kun saw everything from her enchanted mirror. She shook her
head in disappointment.

 "Must she do all the work?'

 Looks like she has to show up in Konan again.