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Ranma 1/2
The Crystals of Reality

by James Epnett
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Chapter 1 -- The Guardian (Draft)

Section 2
	

	Ranma eyed his new opponent. It was hopeless. He
had never in his 16 years on this Earth thought this day
would come. 

	But it had. All the training. All the time
consuming practice and dedication to his art. It all
meant nothing at that very moment. He had finally met
his match. 

	The small white golf ball seemed to stare back at
him as he watched it. It lay there silently on the large
patch of smooth green grass that surrounded the small
white hole in which he was supposed to knock the ball.

	Akane looked at Ranma, her hands on her hips. She
let her golf club rest silently against her hip while
she waited. 

	P-Chan sat on the ground on the opposite side of
the hole, watching Ranma, a small grin covering his
little piglet face. 

	"Come on, Ranma!" Akane called. "Other people want
to play golf to."

	A thin coat of sweat gleamed on the pig-tailed
martial artists forehead. He moved into position and
lowered his club so that it rested just behind the ball.
His tongue lolled out of the corner of his mouth and he
squeezed an eye shut, concentrating on the ball and the
hole.

	With a sudden, fierce battle cry, Ranma pulled the
golf club back and swung it forward. It struck the ball
and sent it into the air with great speed and verve. 

	P-Chan squealed and fell flat on his belly as the
golf ball rushed over his head. He looked up at Ranma
and screeched in anger.

	Everyone surrounding the hole flinched as the
sound of the golf ball striking and embedding into a
tree rung out through the course.

	Ranma stood silently for a moment, staring after
the ball. He suddenly threw his club to the ground. 

	"Jeez! I ain't no good at this, Akane! It ain't
like I can figure out what were supposed ta be doin! Why
do we have to learn this game anyway, huh??" Ranma
turned to his fiancee, his face twisted in frustration.

	Akane stifled a chuckle and picked up her pitching
wedge. She walked past P-Chan toward her ball, looking
up at Ranma. "I told you,  it's something we can do
together, Ranma. Plus, there aren't that many full-sized
golf courses in Japan. It's a chance for us to do
something new."

	She stopped behind the small white ball and looked
up at the green, which she stood roughly a foot from.

	Ranma moved away from the green, picking up his
club. 

	Akane aimed her club at the ball and swung. The
ball flew into the air for a short moment and then
landed on the green. It rolled slowly towards the hole
and fell in.

	Akane smiled to herself and turned to face Ranma,
who looked rather astonished by the ease at which she
managed to sink the ball. "It isn't that difficult. You
just have to know what you are doing." She paused, then
said, "And don't hit it so hard. What kind of club did
you use?" 

	Ranma watched Akane as she approached him. He
lifted his club. "This big wooden one." He held a three
wood up in her face. "There are too many of these
things, so I just grabbed the nearest one."

	Akane stifled a laugh and pulled a putter from her
golf club holder. "Here, use this one." 

	Ranma took the club and handed the three wood to
Akane. He looked the small metal club over. "This tiny
thing?" He shrugged and walked over to the tree. He
reached up and pulled the ball from the bark and dropped
it. 

	The ball rolled down the hill that the tree stood
on and back onto the green.

	Ranma walked back to the green and stood over the
ball, looking down at it. He lowered the golf club and
began taking slow, deep breaths. He pulled the club back
and swung again - hard.

	The ball soared into the air and flew toward a
tree. Ranma watched as it hit the tree and bounced off.
It flew and hit another tree and bounced back towards
the green - and right into Ranma's face. 

	"URK!!!" Ranma shouted as the ball struck him
directly between the eyes. His body fell backwards from
the force of the small white ball and he hit the ground
hard, groaning.

	"Good grief." Akane walked up to Ranma slowly,
shaking her head. "Anything Goes Martial Arts wont help
you on the golf course, Ranma. You're now training in
Akane's Anything Goes Golf." A small grin covered her
face.

	Ranma sat up slowly, his hand over his face. "Hey,
if ya can learn to boil water correctly, I can knock
that lousy ball into a hole." He sprung to his feet and
turned to face his ball, a big red dot tinted his skin
between his eyes.

	Akane smirked, bending down to pick P-Chan up, who
instantly snuggled into her arms. "If you say so,
Ranma." She walked over to the golf cart and picked up
the score sheet. She marked a three under her name.
"It's a par 3. It isn't THAT hard."

	Ranma looked over towards his ball, which lay
several inches from the hole. "Okay ball...." His hands
hung down by his hips. He wiggled his fingers as if two
guns were strapped to his waist. 

	Akane and the other players watched, curious looks
on their faces as Ranma slowly approached the ball.

	Ranma's face twisted in a childish smile as he
kicked his golf club out of the way. "It's just you and
me now." 

	Akane chuckled to herself. She could almost hear
the whistling music before a gunfight from old American
western movies playing in her head.   

	"Take this!" Ranma cried as he flung his body
towards the ball. A large cloud of dirt and grit rose
into the air, covering the golf ball and Ranma's flaring
arms and legs. 

	Akane stared in disbelief and her cheeks flushed
red as complete strangers began to watch the rather
childish scene, whispering amongst themselves, Ranma's
grunts and oofs becoming louder as he continued to fight
the golf ball.

	"Don't tear up the green, Ranma!" Akane yelled,
watching. 

	The cloud suddenly began to clear, and Ranma could
be seen laying on his back, his legs pointing up into
the air. His pants and tai-chi top were both torn and
tattered. 

	The pigtailed marital artist breathed heavily,
laying on the green, exhausted. His eyes opened slowly
and he realized that the golf ball lay on his forehead,
right between his eyes.

	His eyes crossed and he looked at the ball. "You
are a worthy foe. We'll just call it a draw." With that,
he sat up slowly. 

	The golf ball rolled down Ranma's nose, over his
chest, and off of his body. It whirled steadily along
the green, between his legs, until it hit and fell into
the small white hole.

	A smile washed over Ranma's face and he was
suddenly on his feet, doing a small victory dance. "Yes!
Witness my newly developed Saotome School of Anything
Goes Martial Arts Final Attack: The all powerful
Beat-The-Ball-Into-Submission Technique!"

	Akane watched Ranma, a disbelieving look on her
face. She sighed and picked up the score sheet. "Well,
at least you finally got the ball in." Under Ranma's
name, she wrote 247. 

	Ranma strolled over to Akane and glanced at the
score sheet. "247. That's good, right?" He looked up at
his fiancee, smiling smugly. 

	Akane opened her mouth to speak, then paused. She
grinned weakly and nodded. "Well, you're certainly
improving."  

	Ranma smiled and tossed his club into the club
holder. 

	Akane held up the score card and looked up into
the sky. "It's starting to get late."

	Ranma looked up and noticed the pink tint that had
started to envelop the sky's normal blue color. He
looked over at Akane. "What time is it?"

	"7:15," Akane said, looking at her watch. She
lifted her golf bag and began forward. She stopped and
picked P-Chan up in her arms, who instantly snuggled up
against her chest. 

	Ranma followed Akane, carrying the rest of the
equipment. He moved up next to her and glanced over at
her. "So, did ya have a good time?" 

	Akane smiled lightly and nodded. "Yeah. I'm a lot
better at this game than I thought I would be." Akane
glanced at her fiancee. "Thank you, Ranma." 

	Ranma nodded, feeling that same nervousness again.
"Yeah, well, don't mention it." 

	Akane smiled and turned her head to look forward -
just in time to see the tall figure she had all but run
into. She started and stepped back. 

	Ranma looked forward and almost instantly had a
very distinct air of defense around him. 

	The man looked up at the couple. Ranma noticed the
pale, deeply lined features of the young man's face. He
could also tell that he was very well built, and was
either a martial artist or a body builder. 

	Akane let her eyes travel up the man's body, as he
was so much taller than her, to his face. "Oh, excuse
me," she said, stepping to the side. 

	"No, excuse me, madam," replied the man, bowing
his head. He looked up slowly and let his eyes travel
down Akane's body. He smiled, a rather tightlipped
smile.  

	P-Chan looked up to see the man. His little piglet
eyes bulged in his head and he began to squeal and
struggle. 

	<It's him,> Ryoga tought, struggling. 

		Ranma looked over at P-Chan, and then up at
the man. His eyes narrowed slightly, noticing the path
the man's eyes kept taking. 

	Akane dropped her golf clubs and held onto P-Chan
with both hands. "P-Chan! What's wrong?!" 

	The man leaned forward and lifted Akane's golf
clubs from the ground. "Forgive me. It seems I have
spooked your pet piglet." 

	Ranma reached out and took the clubs from the man,
slinging them over his shoulder.

	"It's okay," Akane replied, cuddling P-Chan close.
"He starts easily." 

	Ranma watched the man for a moment. There was
something he didn't like about him, besides how he kept
sizing Akane up. Maybe it was the way he carried
himself, or his aura. Ranma wasn't quite sure, but he
found himself unable to relax. 

	The man looked between Ranma and Akane for a
moment. "Well, if you will excuse me." The man circled
around the two teens and continued on down the trail. 

	Ranma turned to watch the guy go. After a few
moments, he turned back to look at Akane. "Come on,
Akane. We should go." 

	Akane nodded and looked down at P-Chan, who had
begun to relax. "That guy was creepy. He scarred poor
P-Chan to death." 

	Ranma began down the trail, leading Akane slowly.
"Yeah. Well, I'm sure P-Chan would tell us why he
panicked like that if he could." Ranma glanced down at
P-Chan, who returned a knowing look. 

*	*	*      

	"So that was the amazing Ranma. He doesn't look so
wonderful. Then again, looks can be deceiving." He
smiled at an irony only he could understand. 

	There was a brief pause. 

	"Still, he should be no challenge. Not after
tonight, anyway." 
	
	The man walked slowly up to the Cat Cafe. He
stopped out side the front door and watched the building
for a moment. 

*	*	*

	Mousse stood behind the sink in the kitchen of the
Cat Cafe. He reached down into the soapy water and
grabbed at some of the items below the surface. 

	He pulled up the scrub brush and began to scrub at
it with the steel wool.

	Cologne stood behind the stove, on a highchair,
working a skillet over it that contained an order of
stir fry. She jerked the skillet upwards so that the
food within would move and stir itself. 

	She looked up from the stove, over at Mousse. She
sighed and sat the skillet down. "Boy." 

	Mousse did not answer as he continued to clean the
scrub brush idly, lost in his only little fantasy world. 

	"Boy!" Cologne called again, a little louder this
time. 

	No answer. 

	"Boy!!!"

	Mousse jerked back to reality as an empty tin can
hit him on the back of the head. He reached up and
rubbed the point of impact. "What?" 

	"You're washing the scrub brush," Cologne
informed, annoyed.
	
	Mousse pulled his glasses down from his head, onto
his face. He waited for the sink to come into focus. His
face flushed red and his flesh grew warm. "Oops." 

	Cologne shook her head and returned to cooking.
She mumbled under her breath as she poured the food out
into a carry out container. She hopped off of the stool
and moved into the main room. "Shampoo! Order up!" 

	Shampoo bounced into the room from upstairs and
glided over to the counter. "Hiya! Great grandmother
call Shampoo, yes?" 

	Cologne leaped up onto the counter and placed the
food down. She nodded. "Yes, child. I have a delivery
order here." 

	Shampoo moved quickly to pick up the canister.

	Cologne gave her the directions to the home of the
order. "Oh, and Shampoo." 

	"Yes?" 

	"Be careful, child." 

	Shampoo blinked at Cologne's warning and then
smiled, an almost childish smile. "Shampoo always
careful!" With that, she bounced out of the cafe and
into the streets. 

	Cologne watched her go before heading back into
the kitchen. She walked over to the stove and hopped up
on the stool. She waited for a few moments and then
sighed. "I'm going upstairs, boy. Be sure to get those
dishes spotless and take care of any customers that come
in." 

	"Yeah, yeah," Mousse replied, now scrubbing the
bottle of liquid soap with a sponge. "I've got it under
control." 

	Cologne groaned and leapt from the stool.
"Cretin," she mumbled, walking to the door.  

*	*	*

	The man watched Shampoo hop on her bicycle and
head down the street. He nodded, as if expecting this,
and turned his head back towards the Cat Cafe. 

	He watched for a long moment, pulling his coat
tightly around him to fight the annoying chill of the
autumn air. He watched patiently, looking in through the
glass windows at the restaurant, which was all but
empty. 

	The kitchen door suddenly opened into the main
room. No one could be seen moving through the door, so
he assumed it must be the old one, Cologne. He nodded
again, as if expecting this as well. He watched as
Cologne stalked up a set of stairs towards the upper
floor. 

	His eyes rose from the lower lever to the upper
floor, where he could see a dark window. A light
suddenly flashed on. After a moment, Cologne appeared in
the widow. 

	She looked out the window at the city street
below. Slowly, she reached up and pulled the blinds
down. 

	This was his chance. He moved towards the entrance
to the Cafe and walked in.     
	    

*	*	*

	"Ranma, I'm heading to bed." 

	Ranma looked up to see Akane walking past him,
towards the stairs. "Okay, Akane. Good night."

	Akane smiled. "Good night."

	Ranma watched her disappear up the stairs. He
looked around the living room. Everyone else had already
headed up stairs as well. 

	His eyes skimmed over the floor of the living room
until he found what he was looking for. Sleeping
silently next to the door leading to the veranda was
P-Chan. He snored softly as he rolled around onto his
back. 

	Ranma stood and moved hurriedly towards the small
piglet. He had to hurry, before Akane remembered she had
left her `pet' down stairs.

	P-Chan awoke with a jolt as he felt his body
lifted harshly into the air. He knew immediately that it
was not Akane, due to sent and the harshness of his
awakening. He looked up to see Ranma carrying him across
the room. 

	Ranma stopped at the stove in the kitchen and
picked up a kettle. He hurried back to the veranda door
and jumped off of the terrace, landing next to the koi
pond. 

	He put P-Chan on the ground and poured the hot
water over him. 

	Ryoga stood up and glared at Ranma, balling his
fist. "Ranma, what's the big idea!" 

	Ranma tossed a set of Ryoga's clothes at him.
"Here, ya forgot these here once when ya fell into the
koi pond." 

	Ryoga looked down at himself and cried out in
embarrassment, his face flushing a light pink. He pulled
on the clothes in a blinding array of movements.

	Ranma waited impatiently, tapping his foot on the
ground. He looked off into the distance while Ryoga
dressed. 

	Ryoga finished pulling the ties up around his legs
and stood up straight, looking over at Ranma. "So what
do you want, Ranma. I was trying to sleep."

	Ranma turned to look at Ryoga. "Tell me everything
ya know, Ryoga."

	The lost boy stared stupidly at Ranma. "What are
you talking about?" He crossed his arms over his chest. 

	"Don't play dumb," Ranma warned, his tone dead
serious. "That guy at the golf course today. You totally
freaked when he came near ya." 

	Ryoga swallowed hard and turned his back. "I don't
know what you're talking about, Ranma. See ya." Ryoga
started for the back wall. 

	The pigtailed Martial Artist moved forward swiftly
and grabbed Ryoga by the shoulder. "You ain't goin no
where till ya tell me what ya know about him." 

	Ryoga turned to look at Ranma. "Why does it
matter, huh?" 

	This was going no where, and Ranma knew it. He
decided to try a different tact. "Did ya see the way
that guy was lookin at Akane?" 

	Ryoga tensed and turned fully to look at his
rival. "What do you mean?" 

	"Come on, man, he was practically un-dressin her
with his yes. Don't tell me ya didn't notice." 

	Ryoga narrowed his eyes. "He was what?" 
	
	Ranma smiled inwardly. He had taken the bait. "So
tell me everything ya know about him." 

	Ryoga sighed, the look of ire never fading from
his features. He looked at Ranma and began.

*	*	*

	Mousse raised his head at the sound of the bell on
the front entrance to the restaurant jingling. He
dropped the scrub brush, which he had been stupidly
scrubbing with a sponge, and turned to walk out of the
kitchen. 

	He walked into the main room and looked around. At
the counter stood a man in dark clothing. 

	Mousse walked up to the counter and stopped before
a hat-stand that stood next to the man. "May I help
you?" he asked the hat stand. 

	The man looked over at Mousse and stifled a laugh.
"You must be Mousse." 

	Mousse nodded to the hat-stand. "That's right. Who
are you?" 

	"Ka'lar!" 

	Mousse and the man both turned abruptly towards
the stairs. 

	Cologne stood in the stairway, looking at the man,
her eyes wide. 

	"Greeting, Cologne," Ka'lar replied, smiling. "I'm
gratified that you remember me." 

	"How could I not?" Cologne asked, edging her way
towards the counter. 

	Mousse looked up from Cologne at the hat-stand.
"You know this man, great grandmother?" 

	Ka'lar reached out and tapped Mousse. "I'm over
here." 

	Mousse pulled his glasses down and turned to face
Ka'lar. 

	Cologne nodded. "I know him all too well."

	Ka'lar turned from Mousse to face the ancient
Amazon. "Before you ask, I think you know why I am
here." He paused for a moment and smiled, his cold,
tightlipped smile, and then added, "Guardian." 

	Mousse blinked. "Guardian?"

	Cologne stopped and looked at Ka'lar for a long
moment. "You're the one..." 

	"Indeed I am." Ka'lar nodded and moved further
into the room, towards Cologne. "And it is time for me
to take control."  

*	*	*

	"So basically, you don't know nothin about him,
right?"

	Ryoga nodded, his expression sour and frustrated.
"All I know he was following me when I was at Hokkaido."

	"And you said he didn't have ANY equipment out
there?" Ranma arched a brow. 

	"Exactly. I don't know how he could have survived
being so deep in the mountains without equipment. I
never even found the remains of a camp fire."

	"Chances are you circled his camp for several
hours, Ryoga." Ranma shook his head and took a few steps
towards the house. <A further theory,> Ranma though, <Is
that the deep dark wilds of Hokkaido was a small
national park.>

	"Hey, don't bring my sense of direction into
this," Ryoga snapped, barring his two, fang-like teeth.
"I'm telling you, there wasn't a camp out there."

	"Okay, okay," Ranma conceded, turning to face the
lost boy. "Then tell me why he would be followin you." 

	"Why don't you tell me why you're so interested in
knowing so much about this guy, huh?"

	Ranma grimaced. "Cause..." He paused for a moment.
"Cause I think he was watchin me train this morning." 

	"Tell me why he would be following you?" Ryoga
asked sarcastically. 

	"I don't know. But he WAS at the golf course
today, and I really didn't like the way I saw him lookin
at Akane." Ranma punched his fist into his palm. "And if
I find him...."

*	*	*

	Shampoo moved down the street on her bicycle,
annoyed. The smell of cold stir fry invaded her
nostrils, and it only annoyed her more. It figured that
the address she had been given was a dead end. 

	"It was probably tomboy Akane. She try to make
fool of Shampoo," she said aloud, turning a corner. She
peddled faster so she could get home quicker and get rid
of the smoldering food.   

	Shampoo made her way up the street that the Cafe
was on. She pulled her bike to a halt and hopped off.
She leaned it up against the wall and walked towards the
front door. 

	She slowed down and looked towards the windows.
There was no light coming from within the Cafe. This was
odd. Shampoo knew that the cafe didn't close until
midnight, due to the autumn rush. 

	She walked up to the door and pressed her hand
against it. It swung open and stopped when it hit a
fallen chair. 

	"Great grandmother?" Shampoo called in a small
voice. She poked her head into the building and stepped
in. 

	The room was a wreck. The chairs and tables were
all but overturned and scattered out throughout the
room. Shampoo looked around in shock, taking in the
sight of her destroyed home. 

	"Mousse?" Shampoo called his name too, walking
deeper into the restaurant. 

	"Sh--Shampoo...?"

	A shaky voice caught Shampoo's attention. She
walked hurriedly over to the counter and leaped over it.
She landed next to the form of Mousse. 

	He lay on the ground, his glasses on the floor
next to him. His clothes were torn and stained in what
Shampoo could only assume was blood. 

	Shampoo kneeled next to Mousse and gasped at the
sight of him. "What happen to Mousse? Is Mousse all
right?" 

	Mousse opened his eyes and looked up at her. "He..
he killed great granny... He..." Mousse's head fell to
the floor and he was unconscious. 

	Shampoo stood up in a sudden motion and looked
around the room. "Great grandmother?" She moved across
the room hurriedly, looking through the rubble and
debris. 

	She lifted up a table and gasped to see the form
of Cologne laying on the floor next to her staff.
Shampoo kneeled and shook Cologne. "Great grandmother?
Shampoo here for you." 

	Cologne's head fell to the side, her breath came
in deep, labored gasps. Mousse had been wrong. 

	Shampoo shook Cologne again. "Great grandmother?" 

	"It's too late..." Cologne whispered. "Too
late..."

	Shampoo jumped to her feet and looked around the
room. She suddenly noticed something. From the door at
the top of the stairs came a brilliant glow. She bolted
towards the stairs and took them three at a time. 

*	*	*

	Ka'lar stood before the old bamboo door. He
reached out slowly and pulled the door open. Beyond, the
brilliant glow from earlier had begun to die. 

	He stepped into the room slowly and squinted in
the light. Through the glow, he could make out the shape
of three, perfectly designed crystals, each one floating
above a separate pedestal with a green emerald at the
center of each.

	He looked up at the brilliant display and bowed
his head, closing his eyes. "Crystals of Reality, I have
come to claim what is mine." 

	The flashing of the three crystals began to strobe
out of rhythm, creating a magnificent show of color.

	"I have chosen the three that will feed you, make
you stronger," Ka'lar continued, "With the collection of
each one's subconscious, your power will grow until you
bestow to me, your new Guardian, the power of Reality."
He slowly lowered to his knees, bowing down.

	Shampoo suddenly burst through the bedroom door.
She looked around and squinted in the bright light that
filled the room. She could see the old bamboo door to
the closet hanging wide open. She sprinted towards it
and into the other room.

	She stopped and looked down at the man who knelt
before the massive display of energy. 

	Ka'lar turned his head and smiled. He rose to his
feet slowly and turned to face Shampoo. "Ah, Shampoo." 

	Shampoo looked at Ka'lar in astonishment. "Ka'lar!
What you think you doing?!"

	"I have come to collect what was rightfully mine,
dear child." Ka'lar rose his hands slowly up into the
air. He closed his eyes and continued. "I summon thee to
active life! Take the subconscious of the three I have
chosen and drain them to make you stronger!"

	Shampoo suddenly bolted towards Ka'lar. She leaped
into the air and spun her body around, bringing her foot
around in a spinning heel kick. 

	She never made it. She grunted as she felt a bolt
of pure energy surge through her body, and she cried out
in pain as she soared through the air and into the wall.
She slid down it onto the floor, unconscious.

	Ka'lar threw his head back and laughed, a mad,
exaggerated laugh.

*	*	*

	Ranma stopped mid-sentence as his body jerked
violently, as though he had just woken up from the dream
of falling. He blinked and shook his head. He looked up
and saw Ryoga, who looked as confused as he felt. 

	Ryoga shook his head and turned to look at Ranma.
"Did you feel that?" 

	Ranma nodded. "Yeah. I don't know wha--" His words
caught in his throat as his body jarred yet again. 

	An explosion of light and energy suddenly
surrounded the two teenage martial artists.

	"What's going on?!" Ryoga called against the
inrush of sound that accompanied the energy. 

	"I don't know!" Ranma yelled back. 

	Ryoga suddenly looked up at the Tendo home as
Akane's voice echoed around them. She was screaming. 

	Ranma heard this too and looked up towards the
home. He took off suddenly, moving towards the house. 

	He stopped and found that he could not move as a
sudden pressure began to surround him. He tried to lift
is leg, but the pressure and sound continued to grow. 

	Ryoga fought the extreme pressure, but his
endurance was slowly breaking down, and he toppled over
onto his knees. 

	Ranma also fell to his knees. His hands rose to
cover his ears as he fought to drown out the horrible
sound that continued to grow louder as the pressure
continued to build. He felt his ears pop, and breathing
was becoming difficult.

	Ryoga suddenly toppled over onto his chest and
found himself drifting into unconsciousness.

	Ranma could no longer take it. His mouth opened 
and he screamed.      

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Next: Chapter 2 - Ranma (Part 1)

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