Legal: The characters of Ranma � were created by the great Rumiko Takahashi,
Dr. Strange was one of the greatest creations of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
I am using them without permission, hopefully for the purpose of
entertaining someone.  If anyone who has a right to sue me has that desire,
I have almost no money.
 C&C is appreciated, you can contact me at brendan@wiltonnewyork.com.  And
if you want to see the earlier parts of this and my other stories, you can
find them at http://www.wiltonnewyork.com/Brendan
--------

Ranma Saotome: Master of the Mystic Arts
By Brendan O�Donnell
Chapter 3

 Ranma stood in a large white room eyeing the glowing blue glyphs covering
one wall.  Holding his hands over them, he spoke in a tongue mixing Latin
and Egyptian with languages that were ancient during the great melting of
the ice when the sphinx was shaped.  The glow faded leaving a white wall.
Ranma lowered his hands with a sigh and nodded to himself.
 �Done.�  Walking to the center he knelt by the box he had carried from the
Ancient One's temple.  He clapped his hands together, and rubbed them a
moment before extending his right over the silver disk in the center of the
top.  Chanting to himself, he slowly closed the fingers of his hand.  The
wax holding the disk in place evaporated, allowing it to float into Ranma's
grasp.
 With a contented nod, Ranma put the disk down beside the box.  Beginning a
different chant he traced his right forefinger along the edge of the lid.
He spiraled the digit inward to rest in the center.  The paper charms
ignited with purple flame, and were gone in an instant.
 "That's that," Ranma commented as he calmly took the lid off the box.

 "Akane, have you seen Ranma?"
 "I think he went up to the attic, Kasumi."
 "Oh.  Would you please tell him dinners ready?"
 "Ok," Akane responded to her sister as she walked to the stairs to the
attic.

 "Ranma, Kasumi wanted me to tell..." her voice trailed off as she refocused
all her attention on studying the enormous room that she knew had not been
there two days ago.  "you..."
 "Akane?"  Ranma responded, turning to stare at her.  �How�d you get in
here?�
 �I... Kasumi...  What have you done to our attic!?�
 �Calm down I haven�t done anything to your attic. I folded a small pocket
dimension with some help from the local spirits.  A little manipulation with
the entry spell and no one�ll be able to enter without permission.�  He
looked at her closely.  �You shouldn�t have been able to find your way in
anyway.�
 �Ah, what do you mean?�
 �I�ll have to check later but successfully opening the entry is probably an
indication of a fair amount of untapped magic ability in you.�
 Akane blinked.  �You mean I can do magic?�
 �No, you can learn.  If I knew more myself I might consider offering to
teach you.  But the Ancient One would probably get mad if I tried anything.�
 �Ranma, Akane.�  Kasumi�s voice called up the stairs.
 �Ah, just a minute!�  Ranma called back.  He picked up a small paper charm.
�Just need...� he commented to Akane as he reached out and plucked a hair
off her head.
 �OW!  What do you think you�re doing!�
 �Prevention,� Ranma responded as he folded the charm around the hair.  He
then opened a small box and dropped it in.  �Just a protective charm in case
Kuno tries something else.�

 �Hey, what do you suppose is going on?�  Ranma asked as he saw a large
group of students assembled in the courtyard before the high school.
 �Oh no not again!�  Akane commented in a disgusted tone.  She glanced up at
the clock tower.  �It�s Kuno�s fault, before that spell he told everyone
that anyone who beat me in a fight could go out with me, and so every day I
had to fight this bunch of perverted jerks before school!�  She glanced at
the clock again.  �ARRR, they�re gonna make me late!�
 �Not this time.�  Ranma took two running steps and leaped, crossing the
remaining distance to land about fifteen feet before the school gate.  He
centered his breathing, and gathered his mystic power.
 �What�s he doing?!� Akane asked as she ran up to his side.
 Ranma raised one hand before him, his first and last fingers outstretched.
 �Wheel of Bromogden, Power of the Sage.
 Entrance now this mob and silence their rage!�
 As he spoke something shimmered in the air before his hand, like a barely
visible wheel, that grew with each word.  The students in the courtyard
relaxed their combative stances and looked quietly at Ranma.
 �You�ll be late for class,� Ranma said quietly.  The former mob turned
their heads in unison to look at the clock.
 �OH Damn! Look at the time!�
 �Ah! I don�t want to have to stand in the hall!�
 �The vice principal said he�d call my folks if I was late again!�
 As one they charged into the school at a run.
 �I can fight my own battles you know!�  Akane commented angrily as she
stalked past where Ranma stood, just lowering his hand.
 Ranma glanced at her with a slightly annoyed expression on his face.
�Sorry, next time I�ll let you be late!�

 Kuno stood on top of the clock tower.  �The fair Akane Tendo.�  He
continued gazing at the front gates a moment.  �Yet where is the Pigtailed
goddess?�

 �Nabiki Tendo!�  Kuno sat facing the middle Tendo daughter.
 Nabiki looked at Kuno with an expression of distaste, then opened her bento
and focused her attention on beginning lunch.
 Kuno slammed his fist on the table.  �Look at me woman!  You must tell me
who that red-haired girl is!�
 �Must?�  Nabiki looked him in the eye.  �I don�t value many things, but my
sisters happen to be at the top of the list.  You�ll have to go somewhere
else if your interested in anything that could compromise Akane�s
 happiness.�
 �How can she know happiness while she denies her love for me?�
 Nabiki took a moment to look at him with an ice-cold half-lidded glare.
 �What I want from you has nothing to do with your fair sister who I shall
again date with when she is free of Saotome�s foul magic.  I simply want to
know about the pigtailed goddess who appeared above the pool two days ago.
Do you know anything?�
 Nabiki picked up her Bento and started eating.
 �Nabiki Tendo!�  Kuno roared.  Seeing no response, he reached into his
pocket and pulled out a thick roll of thousand yen bills.  He peeled five
thousand yen off and placed it by Nabiki.  She glanced at it and continued
eating.  Another five thousand joined it.  Nabiki took a sip from her drink
box.
 Nabiki put down her chopsticks and looked at the pile of fifty thousand yen
on the table.  She looked Kuno in the eye.  �Money can�t buy forgiveness.
But you aren�t asking me about Akane.�  She looked at the pile of yen again.
Kuno added ten more thousand yen bills.  �Ok, Ranma and the girl you�re so
interested in are the same person.  One body, one soul, one mind.�
 �That monster!�  Kuno yelled as he stood and ran for the door.
 Nabiki looked after Kuno as he left the room.  Sighing she shook her head.
�Idiot�s too mild a word.�

 �Ieyasu Tokugawa.�  The teacher said as he wrote the name on the board.
�Born...�
 �RANMA SAOTOME!�  Kuno screamed as he kicked in the door to the classroom
and charged inside.
 Ranma looked at Kuno charging at him, bokken raised high, and rose to his
feet.
 Picking up the eraser, the teacher glanced back and hurled it.  It slammed
into Kuno�s face, raising a cloud of dust and causing the kendoist to
stumble against the wall.  �In the hall, Kuno!�
 Kuno blinked the chalk dust out of his eyes and looked at the teacher.
�Yes sir.�
 The teacher turned to look at the class.  �Sit down Saotome, class is in
session.�
 �But...�
 �In the hall!�
 With a sigh Ranma walked into the hallway.

 �Now vile sorcerer, for your crimes against the Pigtailed Goddess, no, for
your crimes against all women!  The Heavens themselves have chosen me to
become the hand of divine vengeance!�
 �What are you babbling about?�
 Kuno raised himself to his full height and pointed his bokken at Ranma with
his right hand.  �Your crime is hidden no longer.  Nabiki Tendo has revealed
that you have claimed the Beauteous thunder goddess�s mind and body!  Now I
shall make you release her!�  Kuno took a step forward, and raised his left
hand to take a two handed grip on the bokken.
 �Hold it Kuno, the girl you�re ranting about doesn�t really exist.  A year
ago I was accidentally cursed to turn into a girl at times.�
 �Hah!  You cannot stave off your defeat with unlikely stories and vile
magic this time Sorcerer!�
 �You are an idiot, aren�t you.�
 �Enough talk!�  Kuno charged forward, filling the air before him with a
flurry of thrusting attacks.
 Ranma raised his arms, crossing his wrists before him, first and last
fingers of his fists extended.
 Kuno�s thrusts suddenly rebounded off an unseen barrier between him and
Ranma.  The force pushed him back a step, then narrowing his eyes, Kuno set
his feet and refocused his attack against the shield Ranma had erected.  He
smiled as he felt his blows begin to force the barrier back.
 Ranma extended his right hand.
 �To quell this foolish raging act,
 Come Crimson bands of Cyttorak!�
 Something looking like a large red ribbon passed through the shield between
Ranma and Kuno.  Kuno had time to attempt one thrust at it before he was
snared more tightly than the time he had lost a fight with a Martial Arts
Giftwraper.  (Who Kuno still claimed had only beaten him with magic powers
received from selling his soul to Santa Claus.)
 �What!  Vile Santaist, I shall not yield to...�
 Ranma gestured and Kuno floated out the window.  �Shut up Kuno.�  Another
gesture extended a crimson streamer to loop round Kuno�s mouth.  �Now I want
you to listen.�  Ranma looked Kuno in the eye.  �I am a true sorcerer, but
unlike you I do not use my magic to control other people.  I�m going to
release you in a moment, but first let me give you a little warning.  You�re
an amateur, so I�ll tolerate some foolishness from you, but if you push me
too far you�ll force me to take action.�  He looked at Kuno, then with a
gesture moved him over the pool, where the bands instantly dissolved.
 Ranma braced himself against the wall a moment, then pushed himself upright
took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.  �I guess I�ll have to think up
something to do if he keeps this up.�

 Shan�s astral body floated through the air above Nerima, contemplating the
city, especially the building far beneath.  �That shield looks pretty good
Ranma.  I could break it if I dared move openly, but I can�t let the Ancient
One know of my true allegiance.  I am the unseen hand of the fourth Baron of
Mordo.�  He drifted down and circled a block away from the Tendo home.  �A
shame, I might have been able to convince Genma to help me again.�  He felt
the mystic aura of the area.  �A potent nexus of mystic forces.  He really
lucked out.  Eh?�  Turning Shan redirected his attention toward a slim
thread of mystic power, which struck at the barrier around the Tendo home,
dissipating on contact.

 �Ranma Saotome! I shall not rest until I have freed Akane Tendo and the
fire-hared thunder goddess from your unwholesome grip!�  Tatewaki Kuno
looked at the small pile of old leather bound tomes on the table before him
and laughed.  �Soon Ranma Saotome, soon.�  He laughed louder, then stopped,
closing his eyes as his head rolled backward.  Shan�s astral body leaned
through Kuno to look at the books he was studying.
 �You should really thank me, you know.  Whatever reason you have for hating
Saotome, you�ll want better revenge than a half-botched curse of dandruff.
Let�s see.�  With a gesture, Shan started the pages slowly turning in the
tome Kuno had been studying.  �Not too advanced, but there are a few good
spells here.�  He opened and looked through another book.  �Hmm, nothing too
challenging in itself, but if I could get this guy to combine them . . .�
With a quick gesture, Shan moved a notepad and inkset onto the desk.  He
held his hand over Kuno�s a moment, then allowed it to sink into the arm,
which then rose, picked up the brush and began to write.

 Akane sat beneath the tree, looking up at the branches.  �I wonder where
Kuno is,� she commented as she opened her lunch.  Glancing at Ranma and
Nabiki she added, �After what he did, I�m not sure I trust him when he�s not
where I can see him.�
 �I wouldn�t worry if I were you,� Ranma commented as he began paused from
devouring his own lunch.  �I�m not sure where he got the books but from what
I saw I should be able to counter anything he tries to come up with.�
 �A-Actually he got the books from me,� A voice spoke up from beside the
tree.  Pivoting their heads, the three saw a very frail looking boy with
darkly shadowed eyes and a nervous expression.  �I-I�m Hikaru Gosenkugi.
Don�t worry if you don�t remember me, no one does.�
 �You mean you�re responsible for the worst months of my life?!�  Akane
clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking ominously.
 �I-I�m very sorry, it wasn�t my idea, but when he found out, and I was sure
none of them would work, the way you kept hitting him...�
 �Calm down, both of you,� Ranma said raising his hand.  He looked at
Gosenkugi.  �You say Kuno got his spellbooks from you.  Where did you get
them?�
 �Well, I�ve sort of been picking up magic things for a few years now.  I
used to hope they�d keep bigger kids from picking on me, but I�ve only tried
magic twice and both times it didn�t work right.�
 �And how does this lead to Kuno?�  Nabiki asked.
 �Well, the second time I tried using something from the books, it was that
time you agreed to sub for the Rhythmic Gymnastics team.  You remember,
Kodachi...� Looking at Akane�s scowl, he continued, �Well, I tried to use
one of the spells from the book to distract her before the fight so she
wouldn�t try to ambush you, but it didn�t work at all right...�
 �Well she didn�t try to ambush Akane,�  Nabiki commented.
 �Well no, but the spell was supposed to...  Well it�s not important.  After
that we started getting together from time to time.  We aren�t going out, I�
m not what she�s looking for in a boyfriend and she�s not...  We just talk.�
He sighed and shook his head.  �Anyway, Kuno learned that I had the books
and decided that they should go to �The chosen of the heavens.� And I didn�t
want him to hit me so I let him have them.�  He looked at Akane with an
embarrassed expression.  �I�m sorry, I was thinking of telling you about
what was happening when I learned he tried something on you, but you kept
hitting him, so I thought maybe I wouldn�t need to.�
 �And is that confession all you came here about?�  Nabiki asked.
 �No, I wanted to warn you that Kodachi told me that Kuno�s not in school
because last night he was doing something with the books till he collapsed
right before sunrise.  I just wanted you to know.�
 Akane looked at him.  She smiled.  �Thanks, I guess I�ll forgive you for
helping Kuno, but don�t let it happen again!�
 A smile covering his face, Gosenkugi bowed, declaring, �Thank you, I�ll be
good!�  *She smiled at me!  I can die happy now.*

 As the final class of the day ended, Ranma put his books away and rose to
his feet.
 �Hey isn�t that Kuno?�
 Ranma stood and walked to the window.  Kuno was indeed walking through the
gates, tightly griping a bokken with both hands.  Ranma frowned and looked
closer at the bokken.  The wood was discolored, darkened to a hue similar to
dried blood.  The back of the blade was covered with a series of knife
marks, forming a series of clumsily carved runes.  Gathering his magic
senses, Ranma examined the jumble of spells permeating the weapon and its
wielder.  His eyes widened in surprise.  �That idiot!�

 �Saotome!  Come out and face the wrath of the heavens!�  Kuno screamed.
Raising his bokken, he slashed at one of the trees, which was shattered by
an shimmering force projecting from the attack.  �Where are you sorcerer!�
 �Here!�  Opening the classroom window Ranma calmly hopped out and dropped
to land lightly on his feet.
 Kuno looked at him and scowled, hardening his unkempt face.  �Ranma!  I
offer you one last chance, release the pigtailed goddess and I shall spare
your life!�
 �I�m not the one whose life�s in danger, Kuno.  And I am not keeping anyone
a prisoner.�
 �Enough talk!�  Kuno stepped forward, slashing downward with his bokken.
Ranma jumped aside as an unseen force smashed into the wall he had been
standing in front of.  Kuno charged foreword, slashing up toward the
descending Ranma, who halted ten feet in the air and floated leisurely back.
 �Coward!�  Kuno screamed as he began to furiously attack the sky.  �Come
down and face me!�

 �What�s wrong with Kuno?�  Akane asked from the window where she was
watching the fight.
 Nabiki glanced at her sister then looked back at the fight.  �What do
you... mean,� she trailed off as she concentrated her attention on Kuno, who
she realized was looking increasingly haggard and worn as she watched.
�Wait, Kuno doesn�t get tired this quick, and even after those time he�d
worked himself to exhaustion he never looked this bad.�

 *Not good.* Ranma thought as he looked down at Kuno.  Looping back to avoid
the latest attack, he unleashed a fast mystic bolt as he soared downward.
 �Hah!�  Kuno proclaimed as he struck the mystic bolt with his bokken,
shattering the attack.  �Now it ends!�  He drew his bokken to his side,
gathering his strength.
 Ranma touched the ground, then with a quick spin leaped away from the site
where he had landed, along with two other Ranmas jumping in three different
directions.  Each of the Ranmas landed, spun and leaped away in three
directions as well.  One more jump brought the nine Ranmas together.
 Kuno paused, looking from Ranma to Ranma.
 The Ranmas raised their arms and spoke in a single voice.
 �No mystic force that man may wield,
 Shall shatter Seraphim�s bright shield!�
 With a scream, Kuno charged at the Ranmas, lashing out with the fast
thrusts he had used against Ranma the day before.  The shield before the
Ranmas became visible as blow after blow hammered into it.  One thrust
penetrated the shield, and struck a Ranma who dissipated into nothing.  A
second later another false Ranma faded away.  �You shall fall Ranma
 Saotome!�
 �YAAH!�  Ranma screamed as he appeared to Kuno�s right and stepped in,
smashing a quick palm strike into Kuno�s hands.  The bokken flew through the
air to imbed itself in the school wall.
 Kuno pivoted, his hollow face raging.  �Ranma Sao...� He trailed off as he
collapsed.
 Ranma exhaled loudly as he let his illusionary doubles fade into
nothingness.  Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to keep his footing as
the world pivoted for a moment.  Then he knelt down and rolled Kuno onto his
back.  Moving his hands over the kendoist�s form, he invoked the Mists of
Morpheus to aid his final spell.  Then he collapsed onto his back.

 �Are you ok?�  Akane asked as she knelt by Ranma.
 Ranma opened his eyes and looked up at her.  �I�m fine, just enjoying the
nice weather.�
 �Damn it, what were you playing at!  If you know it would do that to
 you...�
 �I couldn�t see any alternative.  Well, just one illusion might have been
enough, but what�s done is done.�
 �That�s not good enough.�  Nabiki responded as she walked over to join her
sister.  �Kuno�s an amateur as you said, so why didn�t you just use your
professional strength magic to take him out?�
 Ranma sighed and closed his eyes.  �Because I wanted to stop him not kill
him.�
 �Kill?�  Akane said in a meek tone.
 �The mix of spells he had linked to his bokken were linked to him and
everything was powered by his life energy.  If I had just used a directed
counterspell, the defensive enchantment would have drained him into a
lifeless husk fighting it.  The only option was to physically get his bokken
away from him.  Before he depleted his life energy flailing away looking for
me or trying to hurt me.�
 �Will he be alright?�
 �I cast a small healing spell, he�ll sleep for a few days and when he�s
awake again he�ll have recovered the life energy he depleted fighting me.�
 �I hadn�t expected you to be so into Kuno�s wellbeing,� Nabiki commented
with a smirk.
 �Hmph.  Just because he�s a jerk doesn�t mean I want to see him hurt,�
Akane responded with a scowl.
 Taking a deep breath, Ranma pulled himself to his feet.  The world shifted
a moment, then felt firm again.  *Ok, first to put a wrap on that bokken,
then I�ve gotta carry Kuno here home.  Ah, the perils of being a
compassionate sorcerer.*

 Ranma dropped the four books on an empty shelf recessed into his sanctum�s
walls.  �Hopefully this�ll make sure Kuno doesn�t get in over his head
again.�  He took out a piece of paper, and unwrapped it to glance at the
black hairs inside.  �But it doesn�t hurt to make sure.�  He rewrapped the
hair and set it down by the books.  �Well tomorrow I�ll make sure.�
 Turning from the shelf, Ranma walked to the center of his sanctum and sat
in a casual lotus position.  He sighed tiredly.  �Well, at least I�ve got
some motivation to use the ambient power rather than taping myself.�  He
closed his eyes and began breathing in a focused controlled manner, his
hands raised to cup a non-existent object at chest level.  Half a minute
later his eyes snapped open.
 His eyes focused in total concentration he floated two feet into the air.
He moved his hands slightly as he manipulated the mystical energy to cause a
set of five rubber balls on a table rise and begin orbiting him along five
different paths.  A quick hand motion expanded the orbit of two while
calling the other three to dance a tight formation over his hand.  Another
gesture and two balls began to circle his arm while the third floated just
over his finger and floated motionlessly.  Another gesture gathered all five
balls over his open palm.  A slight twist of his wrist returned them to
their original position.
 With a slight grimace, he glanced toward the shelf he had built to hold the
scrolls the Ancient One had given him.  �Well, time for the most exciting
part of the day.�
 Ranma was not a scholar by nature.  Or more accurately, he had an
impressive affinity for learning, but had never seen any purpose to learning
anything besides Martial Arts until the day he became the Ancient One�s
pupil.  He had hated studying the scrolls at first, and only pursued his
studies out of a stubborn refusal to let anything stop him from learning Mag
ic.  Over the months, his attitude changed somewhat, though his same
stubbornness prevented him from acknowledging it.
 Ranma picked up the scroll and opened it.  Anticipating being able to take
a small nap before Kasumi served dinner, he began to read as fast as he
could while still reading every word.
 He paused and reread a line.  �Wait isn�t that.�  Ranma read the passage
again more slowly.  �Ah, so that was the Sumerian name.�  He resumed
reading.
 �Hmm,� Looking up Ranma raised a hand, and with a slight motion levitated a
second scroll to him.  Opening it he scanned down the paper till he found a
section which he examined, comparing it to the first scroll.  �Yes, that
could be it.�  He refolded the new scroll and resumed his study of the
first.

 �Ranma, dinner!�
 Ranma looked to the entry to the sanctum, from which Kasumi�s voice
reverberated.  He glanced down at his watch.  �Aw, man.�  Refolding the
scroll, he levitated himself a few feet higher into the air, unfolded his
legs and canceled the spell, dropping him lightly to the floor.  �Lost track
of the time again.�



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