Epiphany Chapter 3

By Tripolar Disorder

This is an alternative universe from the Ranma timeline.

To sum up chapters one and two.

In this Universe, Genma and Soun are dead.  Fell into the canal,
after a long night of drinking.

Nodoka believed her son was dead, and that Soun had been hiding
Genma from her, and making the Tendo girls lie about it.

When she confronted them, she found out that he was alive, just
scared to see her because of the contract.  She denied the 
contract's existence, and told them that see just wanted her son
back.  That was when she learned the truth about Ranma.

Ranma meanwhile has had a mental breakdown.  Seeing the pain that
his mother was in he confessed and the shock caused Nodoka to
faint.  Ranma-chan took this to mean Nodoka didn't want to love
her after all, and the stress of the whole situation caused the
breakdown.

Finally Nodoka learns about the Neko Ken when she witnesses one
of Ranma's Nightmares.  She began to hold Ranma-chan while she is
still asleep.

Meanwhile in Ranma's nightmare...................

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

Darkness.  A swirling mass of black, so dark that no light could
escape it.  He was trapped within the icy cold tentacles of the
darkness.  It played with him, permeated him, leaving him weak
and defenseless against the coming attack.

The cats were on him.  All over him.  Worse than the darkness, he
felt their claws tearing away at both his flesh and his mind.

Ranma struggled to retain control.  He could not let the cat in
him take over.  He tried to fight back, but the hopelessness he
faced could not be overcome, and he lost.

With the last strength he had left, he weakly cried out for his
mother.  

A terrible crash near his feet and he thought he saw her.  Nodoka
was there and she would save him.  But instead the figure tried
to remove his hands from his face, so the cats could rip out his
eyes.  He screamed out as he tried to keep his face protected.

Suddenly he was no longer in the pit.  He was flying, in her arms
as she seemed to burst from the darkness and soar upwards into
the sun.

He blinked and found himself in his room at the Tendo's.  He
cursed himself that it was all a dream, and that he had been
weak to be frightened by it.  He got up and walked over to the
door, and was about to open it, when a hand was placed on his
shoulder.

Ranma jumped and turned around to face his girl-side.  She was
wearing the familiar silk shirt and tie leg pants.  He noticed her
smile.  She turned her head as she followed him, as he circled
her.  She kept her hands behind her back, clasped loosely.

"Who are you?!"  He almost shouted at her.  "You another one of 
those mirror clones?"

Her smile changed to a frown, but only for a moment.  "You insult
me Ranma.  Don't you realize that you are still dreaming?"

Ranma gestured around him.  "It sure looks real to me."

The girl nodded.  "So I did a nice job huh?  The least you could
do would be to compliment me on my accuracy."

"Oh yeah, nice job.  Just curious, who are you, and why are you
in my dream?"

"You can call me Ranko, since we are so found of the name, and as
to who I am, I am your curse."

Ranma had a confused look.  "My curse?  You mean my cursed form?"

Ranko shook her head.  "No, I am your curse.  I am the magic that
causes you to change into a girl.  I have simply invaded your
thoughts and taken this familiar form."

"I'd ask how you got into my mind but I don't think I'd 
understand it."  Ranma sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

Ranko giggled.  "You would if you could stay awake in class.  It
is simple really.  Everything you see and hear right now is in
fact a series of electrical impulses in your brain.  I manipulate
those impulses and can make you see and hear me."

"I was right. I didn't understand it all."  As Ranma began to rub
his left temple.  "So why are you here anyway?"

Ranko turned around and walked over toward the wall.  She
continued to face it as she began to explain.

"Ranma, magic is a funny thing.  When the spirit of the springs
targeted you to be cursed, it didn't look into your mind.  But
once you are cursed, the magic gets to know you.  I have limited
intelligence.  Created by the springs the moment you were dropped
in the pool, my job is to make you a water magnet.  I influence
your actions to cause you to come into contact with cold water."

Ranko sighed and she turned around.  "I am sorry Ranma.  I have
seen the horrible things within your minds eye."  She sighed and
walked over to him.  Ranko then dropped down onto her knees and
gave Ranma a hug.  She held it for a long time before releasing.
Ranma, meanwhile had stiffened slightly before trying to comfort
the girl.

When she parted he could see her eyes.  She was beginning to cry.
Ranma was genuinely curious as to what was happening.  Ranko
noticed this, and she sighed.

"Ranma I know what you are thinking.  Why am I crying?  Magic is
not supposed to have emotions, but I do.  I have your emotions.
Your will is very strong Ranma and you have suppressed so much
of your personality that you were incomplete.  But when you got
cursed you started letting some of that out.  You started having
emotions again, but only when you were in your cursed form.  You
gave part of yourself to me, and now I am part of you.

I know you feel more comfortable in your female form Ranma.  I
think that everyone around you knows this, and most deny it."  

Ranko began running her fingers through Ranma's hair.  She undid
the pigtail and his hair fell loosely across his shoulders.  At
the same time Ranko's hair also fell, but it seemed to grow 
longer until it was near the small of her back.  She rocked her
head back and forth and Ranma watched her hair bounce in a simple
calming pattern.

"Ranma you like being a girl.  I know the truth and you cannot
hide your feelings from me.  I know that you feel trapped
sometimes as a boy, and that you don't hate your curse as much as
you make everyone think."

Ranma pulled away from her.  He stood up and walked away from the
redhead.   "You are lying!  I don't like being a girl.  Everyone
knows that."

Ranko stood up and walked over to him.  He step backward upon her
continuing advance.

"You feel the aches and pains of old wounds long past, reminding
you of all those things that your idiot father did to you.  Every
pain that you feel, I feel it too.

But when you look at this face in the mirror, you see a second
chance as a person.  A free spirit and a new life.  Gone are the
scars of a childhood lost.  I want to give you that new life.

You didn't get mad at me when I said you felt more comfortable as
a girl, just when I said you liked being a girl.   Stop denying
it, you only are lying to yourself."

Ranma was still backpedaling, until he hit the wall.  "but, but,
but,...."

"Ranma, I did not come here to convince you that you should be a
girl.  I came here because I wanted to offer you the choice.  I
want you to be truly happy and this is the only way that I can
do it."

Ranma braced himself against the wall.  "What are you going to?"

Ranko smiled again.  "You have accepted the curse Ranma.  The
only thing left is for you to accept me.  I will surrender myself
to you, and you can make the choice."

A look of pure surprise.  Ranma stood there, a singular thought
crossed his mind.  <She wanted to have sex with me.>  He was
brought out of his internal conflict by a slap upside the head.

"I DO NOT want to seduce you, I am giving you something more
important."

With that she threw herself at him.  Ranko wrapped her arms 
around his torso, and squeezed.  Ranma was stunned, but he felt
the urge to return the embrace, and did so.  Suddenly there was
a bright blue glow around them.  Ranma closed his eyes as the
light was so bright.  Ranma could feel a new source of power
engulf him.  He could feel it flowing through his veins and
giving him strength.  It felt strange, like softness and warmth,
and it calmed him.   When it faded Ranma found that he was
standing in the middle of the room again, and that he was a she.

She looked around franticly.  She even called out to the
emptiness, "Is this some kind of a joke?"  There was no response.

She was about to scream, when a soft voice echoed inside of her
head.

"Ranma-chan.  You accepted me, and so now I am part of you and you
have the choice.  Now it's time to wake up."

And with that, the room faded into darkness and Ranma-chan opened
her eyes.

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

Meanwhile.....

Nodoka had carried the sleeping girl downstairs, laying her on
the couch.  She had then gone in to help Kasumi with breakfast.

She returned to look upon Ranma-chan, who was still there.

Nodoka was about to wake her, when she noticed Ranma-chan's face
contorting and a dark blue aura formed around her.

Nodoka took a step back as the aura became larger and encompassed
more area.

As she continued to watch, the aura began to brighten.  Marbled
clouds of bright red flowed across it until it settled on a 
violet hue.  then it faded away.

She was concerned about what she just saw and was moving closer
when Ranma-chan's eyes opened.  She yawned and sat up.

"Oh man, what a dream."  As she scratched the back of her head.

Nodoka came over and hugged her.  "How are you feeling dear?"

Ranma-chan smiled, and returned the hug.  She looked around at
the living room.  "How did I end up here?"

"I carried you down here.  I saw you having a nightmare last
night and I heard you crying out my name, so I ran in to save
you, but I couldn't seem to wake you up."

"I guess the dream was important.  But it was disturbing.  I will
tell you about it later."  Ranma-chan shook her head.  "But not
right now.  I just wanna sit here and relax."

Nodoka frowned.  "I hope that you can tell me that the Neko Ken
was the worst of the training that your father put you through.
I do not want you to withhold anything like that from me ever
again."

Ranma-chan nodded, and Nodoka gave her another hug.  She didn't
let go for a few seconds, but just held on.    

Kasumi interrupted them by exiting the kitchen with food,
signaling the start of breakfast.

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

Breakfast went rather uneventful.  A few minutes after breakfast
however, Ukyo showed up.

She had been worried about Ranma since he did was not at school.
She had also seen Shampoo, who had told her that Ranma's mother
was at the Dojo too, and that attacking her was a bad idea.

at the current moment however, Ranma-chan and Akane were becoming
ill at the sheer volume of sucking up that Ukyo was doing.

Seventeen Okonomiaki all decorated with Kanji "Welcome Mama
Saotome" were sitting on every available horizontal space,
including the floor.

Then there was the flowers.  Ukyo had stopped by a florist along
the way.  Several large vases stood in the entryway, since they
could not be taken in any further.  A multitude of colors spilled
out from them.

Nabiki was standing there with a calculator trying to determine
the worth of the whole mess.

And Ukyo was calmly sipping tea next to Nodoka and Kasumi.

"It is nice to meet you Mrs. Saotome."  Ukyo was talking in her
'cute as a button' voice.

"The pleasure is mine.  I am glad someone at least has the 
decency to say hello before attacking."

Ukyo sweatdropped.  She had thought Shampoo to be joking about
that.  <Well...> she thought to herself <...at least I made a
better impression.>

Ranma-chan had decided to go take a bath and had left the room.

Ukyo and Nodoka were discussing the events that led to her being
engaged to Ranma, the stealing of the Yati cart and her sworn
revenge.

Ukyo was about to ask where Genma was hiding when everyone's
thoughts were interrupted by a scream.  Ranma-chan's scream.

Akane and Kasumi were the first to action.  Ukyo and Nodoka
followed in close behind.   Ukyo noticed that the Saotome
Matriarch's sword was already out, so she got her battle spatula
to the ready.

What the group found in the furo was a screaming redhead.  Naked
but all alone.  She was curled up, her knees up at her chest.
Her head just above the water.

As Akane had burst through the door she was in battle stance.
She and Ukyo did a sweep of the room and found no signs of any
intruders.

As everyone was trying to figure out why she was screaming, There
was a familiar "Oh my" from Kasumi before she put her hand in the
water.

"What is it Kasumi?"

Kasumi stood up.  Her face turned pale, and she pointed toward
Ranma-chan.  "The water is hot!"

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

Cologne was busy in the kitchen at the Nekohanten.  She was 
adding several rather strange looking herbs to what looked to be
pasta sauce.

She stopped a moment.  She felt the aura of Ranma, as if he was
just outside the kitchen and was, less then happy.  She hopped
out to find the dining area empty, but the aura was getting 
stronger.  It was coming from near the front door.  

Cologne became pale.  She had never witnessed such a focused rage
from Ranma before, and the worst part is that it was directed at
her.

She suddenly felt it spike, and she dove under a table.

A circular section of the front exterior wall exploded inward.
Flying debris caused a dust cloud that cut visibility to nothing.

When the dust settled she saw Ranma-chan standing in the middle
of a ten foot diameter hole in the wall.

Cologne hopped up on her stick.  Trying to hide her fear of the
immense aura surrounding the girl, She calmly asked.

"Hello Son-in-Law.  What can I do for you?"

No sooner than the words came out of her mouth, then she was hit,
and slammed into the wall.  The image of Ranma-chan vanished from
the hole in the wall.

Cologne was amazed, that she could move with such speed to fool
her own eyes.  Ranma's aura was so large at the moment that it
was almost impossible to determine where the girl was.

As she tried to move away from the wall, she felt the air near
her ripple, and was forcefully slammed against the wall again.

<Son in law is just playing with me.  The boy could easily beat
me or kill me at this point, but he isn't.  Thank goodness for
his ethics.> 

Nodoka looked about the room, and saw Cologne leaning against the
wall.  She pointed toward the Amazon.  "Ranma is not very happy
with you.  I myself have no interest in your well being, so I
suggest you put forth the remedy to whatever you have done to my
son."

Cologne paused a moment, her mind in deep thought.  She could not
come up with an answer and so she spoke.  "I am sorry to sound
naive, but what are you talking about?"

That was when she finally noticed Ranma-chan.  Just a few feet
away with with teeth clenched and settled into a crouched, ready
stance.

Ranma snorted out of her nostrils, and Cologne swore she saw
smoke.  "All right old mummy, Unlock my curse." 

"Indeed, please produce the cure.  It has been a hard week on us
already with Genma's death and all."  Nodoka had stepped up
behind Ranma-chan and put her hands on the shaking girl's
shoulders.

Cologne was already thinking.  She mentally listed all the ways
that one would use to lock a person into cursed form.  But each
time, it was denied, for she neither had the method, nor a cure.

Finally Cologne bowed head.  "Ranma I swear on the name of my
tribe that I have done nothing to you.  Please believe me.  If
you have been locked into your cursed form Son-....., Ranma, then
let me see if I can figure what has done it?"

Ranma stood there glaring into Cologne's eyes.  She felt the
girl's piercing gaze, and her aura pushing against her.  Then it
ended.

Ranma visibly calmed.  She turned toward Nodoka.  "Mom, she is
telling the truth.  She has never lied to me before on something
this important, and I believe she is telling the truth now."

Cologne picked up her staff.  She looked around the cafe.  The
hole in the wall, several broken and shattered tables were 
composing a pile of debris that was all created by Ranma in the
span of just a few seconds without touching anything.

<Ranma-chan was having a mental breakdown.  Her actions were
more violent and less planned.>  Then she remembered what Nodoka
had said.  <Ranma's idiot father was dead.  So now he will no
longer stand in the way.  But the stress of his death, and Ranma
somehow getting locked into cursed form was too much.>

She hopped over to the pair and looked Ranma-chan over.  "You 
used a great deal of energy there Ranma.  It would be best if you
get some sleep."  And with that, Cologne tapped a spot on Ranma-
chan's forehead and the girl collapsed to the floor, asleep.

Nodoka swept the redhead into her arms, glaring at Cologne.
"What did you just do to her?"

"I promise that I did not lock Ranma in her form this time.  I
have done so on a previous occasion to make him marry my great-
granddaughter, but this is not my doing.  I put her to sleep
so that we could have an easier time determining what happened."

Cologne instructed her to carry Ranma-chan upstairs where she was
placed on Shampoo's bed.  A western style mattress and box-spring
with a simple spread.

Cologne left the room and returned moments minutes later with
several boxes.  As she opened each box they appeared to hold
jewelry, but with the way the old woman handled them they were
much more than pretty gems.

Cologne dangled several of them over Ranma-chan, swinging them
back and forth in small arcs.  Each time Nodoka noticed a look
of disappointment, followed by the gems being tossed back into
a box and another taking it's place.

Meanwhile Shampoo had returned and curious as to why her arien
was sleeping on her bed.  She was shushed and so stood in the
corner and watched.  Nodoka had glared at her, a reminder of the
error of judgment that the purple haired girl had made.  Cologne
had heard the story and inwardly chuckled.  <Served the girl
right.>

After a minute Cologne looked up, and held a clear blue sphere
at Shampoo.  "Take this child and hold it so that we can both see
it."

Shampoo did as she was instructed.  In her hands the sphere
instantly clouded over until it was a smoky black in color. 

Nodoka was amazed at the transformation.  "What is that?"  she
asked.

Cologne took back the sphere and it changed back to it's original
clear blue color.

"This gems detects the presence of water sprite magic.  When in
contact with anyone effected by magic of a water based origin it
changes like you just saw.  Shampoo also has a Jusenkyo curse.
But look here."

Cologne placed it in Ranma-chan's hand and it did nothing.
"As I thought. Ranma is longer cursed."  She took the gem and
put it back in it's box.

"HI YAAA!!  Is no longer cursed, then why is arien still girl-
type Ranma?"  Shampoo was giving Cologne a quizzical Dog-head
tilt.

"I would like the answer myself child.  In the meantime, go fetch
a kettle of hot water and a pail of cold.  And do not touch my
pot on the stove!"  Cologne shooed Shampoo out.  She then turned
toward Nodoka.

"I would like to explain what happened to Ranma, because I am
certain I already know.  But first, did you see anything strange
happen to Ranma lately?"  

Nodoka's eyes bounced back and forth, she appeared to be involved
in mental calculations.  Finally she said.... "Define Strange.  I
have seen my son change into a girl, colored waves cross her 
sleeping form, and...."

She was interrupted by Cologne, "What do you mean by colored
waves?"

Nodoka sighed.  "Earlier this morning just before Ranma-chan woke
up, a large blue colored ball of light surrounded her, and then
it got bigger until it was about ten feet wide.  Then these red
streaks began flowing across it, and then the colors merged into
a violet hue, and then faded.  She woke up soon after."

Cologne pondered this for several moment before searching through
her gems and until she finally pulled out a silvery disc.  She
placed it on Ranma-chan's head, then her heart, and the upward
face changed two interlocking rings.  One blue and one red.  

"I did not believe it to be possible, but there it is."

Nodoka looked at it, and with a confused look, turned toward
Cologne.  "What is?"  

Cologne picked up her staff and tapped Ranma-chan on the forehead
again.  The redhead's eyes snapped open.  She sat up slowly.
Turning toward Cologne.  "Well, did you figure it out old Ghoul?"

At this time Shampoo had returned with the water.  Ranma-chan
took the hot water kettle and poured a little on her head.
Nothing happened.  She turned toward Cologne.  "I guess that is a
no."

Cologne knocked Ranma-chan on top of her head.  "You never let me
say what I was about to.  Ranma, I want you to think very hard
about being male.  go ahead and do it." 

Ranma closed her eyes.  She imagined her self changing.  At the
same time she felt the power within her grow until it came from
every fiber of her being.  then it faded.  She opened her eyes
and she was a he again.

Ranma lifted up his hand, entranced at his own appearance.

Cologne was also shocked but she decided now was a good time to
say something.  "I still don't believe it, but there it is, right
in front of my very eyes."

The collected mass turned toward her, and seemingly in unison
said "What?"

Cologne said flatly.  "Ranma has taken control of his curse."

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

End of Chapter 3

I was planning a couple of other things for this chapter but
when I was writing the nightmare/dream, this idea came to me.

It fits in the overall effect I am trying to achieve and I see
several new good plot twists to write off of this.  

A rewrite of the dream sequence to achieve the effect I wanted.
Hope it helps to explain things, or to leave my future ideas more
clouded.  Either way, what fun!!

So now Ranma can control his curse.  What effects will this have
on the Nerima Wrecking crew?

Chapter 4 is underway, Nodoka's profession is going to be revealed
and I will try not to make too much of an ass of Ranma's new ability.

Thank you all for the feedback on the discontinuity of the dream
sequence.
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