Author's Foreword:

Some of you may remember one of my really ancient projects, co-authored
with Jeremy Blackman, Ta'veren 1 / 2.  Said project was, in fact, one of
the causes of the FFML's existence, because it caused the list's founder
White Wolf (aka Cherry Tiger) to get into anime.  However, for a variety
of reasons (including my co-author's glacial writing speed), it ground to
a halt after five chapters and remained dead for years.

Recently, however, my Wheel of Time interest has rekindled, and I decided
to revamp the project to reflect my current anime interests as well as my
old favorites.  The first few chapters incorporate the best of my own work
from Ta'veren 1 / 2, as well as some of the core concepts, but I've
heavily revised the rest of my old material, and changed a lot of things,
including a fair amount of the cast.  If you liked (and remember) Ta'veren
1 / 2, I think you'll enjoy this.  Or so I delude myself.

The story should be comprehensible even if you aren't familiar with the
Wheel of Time, although it'll be funnier if you know what's being
parodied.

The tone of this story is farcical, though I expect it will eventually
turn fairly serious.  Read and enjoy.  I hope.



***

Wheel of Anime:  Book 1 - The Eye of God

By John Biles

http://www.thekeep.org/~wombat/Jordan/

***

Excerpt from the Prophecies of the Ronin, written by Moemi Sedai in AB
200.

And the Ronin shall walk the edge between two halves, wielding fire and
earth with one half, air and water with the other.   He shall be born
where he died, and be raised in a land not his own that he shall make his.
A mark of shame shall he make a mark  of pride once more.  Both paths must
he master, else she shall die and the world die with him, for her life is
the hope of the world.

Excerpt from Commentaries on the Prophecies of the Ronin, written by
Kirsten Sedai, of the Brown Ajah in 456 NE.

 	This passage is hard to interpret, especially since Moemi Sedai
kept switching genders for no apparent reason in the last  sentence...This
is usually thought to be the result of scribal error, or perhaps Moemi
Sedai's famed penchant for various ales, yet the references to wielding
both halves of the one power make even less sense.  No man can wield
subin, no woman dubin.  Thus, this prophecy seems unfullfillable.  It does
however, make clear the Ronin will be reborn on the Roninmount that marks
his grave...

****

Prologue:
	Roninmount
****

 	Maison Ikkoku lay in ruins.   A man who had forgotten his name
wandered through the rubble..."Kyoko!  Kyoko, my darling!  Where are you?"
As he walked, flurries of dust rose into the air.  He was unkempt, and
unshaven, his brown hair a bedraggled mess.  He staggered down the damaged
steps, a slightly crazed look in his eyes.

	From a distance, a man dressed in finery quietly watched his old
foe wander through the wreckage of shattered dreams.  He sighed.  What a
pathetic wreck his old enemy had been reduced to.  Even though this was a
worthy revenge on the wretch, a small part of him felt revolted to see
Yusaku Godai Telemon reduced to such a state.  He silenced that part of
him, it was dead and gone, the past, and of no importance.

	He was here on a mission of mercy...cruel mercy, a mercy that
would only bring new pain...but mercy none the less.  His old enemy Yusaku
Godai Telemon had gone mad...and Ishamael, the destroyer of hope, was here
to heal him...so that he might fully comprehend what he had done.

	Godai continued to wander, but now he saw the visitor.  He turned
and gazed on Ishamael with bloodshot eyes.  "Kyoko!"  he called.  "Kyoko!
We have a visitor!  It's...It's...who are you?"

	Ishamael greatly regretted that Semirhage was sealed away; her
talents would have been most useful at this moment.  But one made do with
what one had at hand.  He took a moment to thank the Great Lord of the Dub
that he was protected from the taint on dubin...the taint delivered to the
male half of the One Source by the Great Lord when so recently, Godai had
lead his hundred companions to Streamline Mountain and sealed the Great
Lord away from the world.  But as they did so, the Great Lord's final
stroke had tainted the male half of the One Power, leaving the male
wielders of the Power to slowly go mad and destroy the world...as Godai
had done here.

	Ishamael said, "Don't you remember me?  It's Sakamoto, Godai!  We
were about to go out drinking."  He crept closer.  Concentrating for a
moment, he reached out and touched the One Power.  It filled him, flowing
through him like a raging river, trying to rip him apart.  But he was the
master.  He reached out, weaving a tangle of threads of fire, water,
earth, air, and spirit, encasing Godai before Godai could pull himself out
of his haze long enough to defend himself. The power flowed through Godai,
and Godai's mind cleared.

	Godai stared at Sakamoto.  "Didn't you die?" he asked, trying to
remember what had been going on.  Then  he looked around and saw what he
had done.  His family dead.  His friends dead.  His home destroyed.  And
worst of all....Kyoko....He reached out with the Power, trying to find
her....only to discover he had been shielded...his link cut off.

	Ishamael laughed.  "You shall have all of eternity to contemplate
what you have done.  I shall laugh as the dark one gives you eternal
life...for it will give you an eternity to contemplate your own evil.  You
may have called me the destroyer of hope...but even I never did what you
did...to those who trusted you and counted on you for help and
protection."

	Godai's face turned red.  "No...no...Ishamael?"

	Ishamael revealed his true face.  "Oh yes. "

	Godai stared at him.  "How can you be free?  I bound you!  All of
you!  Don't tell me I failed at that too."

	Ishamael grinned again.  Light glinted off his teeth.  "Yes."  he
lied.  "We are all free.  All of us.  We merely wanted to let you wreck
the world  for us.  You did a good job.  You didn't fail at that, Ronin."

	Godai glared at Ishamael.  "I am not a Ronin!  Not anymore!"

	Ishamael smirked.  "That is what they came to call you.  You
seemed to take it as a badge of pride, of late."

	Godai growled a bit, and poked at the shield.  "Not the way you
mean it!  I am not a failure!  I am not!  I got Kyoko, not you!"

	Ishamael laughed it off.  "And you are the one who killed her."

	The memory came back to Godai...Him destroying the building in a
burst of rage...killing all...Kyoko!!!!!!!  He howled and punched at the
shield with all of his might, calling the Power to him, regardless of the
Taint he now knew dwelt within it.  The shield tore like paper.

	Ishamael blinked...and in that moment of hesitation it was too
late.  Godai seized the Source and called power... power... more power...
The area  was awash with fire...burning, cleansing, destroying.  The earth
cried out and rose as the area was immolated.  Ishamael seized the Source
again and Traveled, even as the flames engulfed him.

	When men finally returned to the site, they found only a mountain
burned black...with a five carved in the side near the peak...the five,
symbol of the Ronin, the great leader of the war against the Shadow...and
the greatest victim of that war.  And  the wheel turned onward, weaving a
new age into the Pattern, the Third Age.  An age to last three thousand
years...But in time, all things come to an end... For while there is no
end to the turning of the wheel of time, there are ends.  And also
beginnings.

***

CHAPTER 1
    The Beating Was Not a Beginning

***

	The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving  memories
that become legend.  Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten
when the Age that gave it birth comes again.  In one Age, called the Third
Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a young man was getting
a beating.  It was not his first beating.  It would not be his last.  The
beating was not a beginning.   There are neither beginnings nor endings to
the turning of the Wheel of Time.  But it was a beginning.

	"Ranchan!  Ranma Al'Thor!  I've had enough of you!"  The noise
reverberated across the village as Ukyou Al'Vere, wielding a table, chased
Ranma Al'Thor, Ryouga Ayabara, and Kurz Cauthon out of The Winespring Inn.

	"Hey!  It wasn't my idea!  Why are you just yelling at me?"  Ranma
stopped for a moment.  He was a dark haired young man, at the edge of
adulthood.  He had long black hair tied back in a loose pony-tail.  He was
dressed in red and black woolens, a red shirt with wooden ties over black
woolen pants.  The clothing showed off his muscular figure.

	"Because I expect you to know better!  We all know what Kurz is
like, and Ryouga just follows you two around like he was someone's pet...
but you, I expected better of you, Ranchan!"  Ukyou stood with a table
still clutched over her head in her hands.  Her long brown hair was pulled
back in a braid like Ranma's.   She wore the usual purple wrap-around top
and black pants she wore when waitressing for her father at his inn.  Her
face was clenched with anger.  Her arms barely strained at lifting the
table.  Indeed, many whispered in the village over her almost supernatural
strength.

	Nearby, Ranma's friends Ryouga and Kurz stood, uncertain whether
to run, abandoning Ranma to his almost certain fate, or to stand by him
and accept a share of the beating. Ryouga Ayabara was stocky, dressed in
brown leathers, still wearing his apron from the forge.  He had short
black hair, tied back with a yellow and black bandana to keep it out of
his eyes when he worked at the forge.  His clothing bulged due to his well
defined muscles.

	Kurz Cauthon was tall and lanky and very blond.  While he had
some definition to his figure, he could not measure up to Ryouga for sheer
power.  He had blonde hair down past  his shoulders and a clean shaven
face.  Blue eyes gazed at the angry Ukyou , trying to get a feeling for
whether to stay or to run.  He was dressed in a green woolen shirt and
black pants, with brown boots.  A long wooden push broom was clutched in
his hands.  Among other "occupations", Kurz picked up a few extra pennies
doing cleaning for people...In fact that was how they had gotten
in trouble...

	It was spring cleaning time at the Winespring Inn.  The feast of
Bel Tine  was coming up soon, and everyone was frantically getting their
good clothing out of storage, cleaning house, and preparing food and
treats for the festival to come.  The grip of winter was retreating, and
spring was in the air.  Every year, just before Bel Tine, the Al'Veres
held the rite of spring cleaning, as everything was hauled around,
cleaned, dusted, and generally prettied up for Bel Tine.  This year, the
village was anticipating a visit by a gleeman and fireworks, so the inn
had to be twice as clean as usual.  Mistress Al'Vere finally broke down
under her daughter and husband's cries for help, and hired Kurz to help
out.  Kurz roped his friends Ryouga and Ranma  into helping.  Things were
going well, until Kurz had decided to be funny.  This was never a good
sign.

 	Kurz had snuck into the kitchen...and planted some herbs in the
tea Mistress Al'Vere was making.  He had filched them from the village
Wisdom.  They were supposed to make people burp...Sadly, Kurz didn't know
anything about herbs, so he took henwort, which cures the cough, but
tastes like dirt and oil mixed together, and he put it in the pot for the
customers, who reacted badly.  To say the least, Mistress Al'vere, her
customers, and her daughter, were not amused....Especially when Kurz broke
out laughing.  It was time for the beatings to commence, thus leading to
the present tableau.

	Kurz looked nervously over at Ryouga, who was busily watching
Ukyou swing the table at Ranma, who leaped and dodged.  Kurz said, "Hold
her off, Ranma...I'll...ah..go get help."  He turned to go and ran right
into Hinako, the Wisdom of Nerima's Field.

	Hinako says, "Mr. Cauthon.   Being a delinquent again, I see.
Tisk tisk.  And you know what we do with delinquents."  Miss Hinako,
Wisdom of Nerima's field, did not look very threatening.  In fact, she
looked like little more than a ten year old with a single black braid
running down her back, clad in a yellow dress, several siizes too large.
She waggled a finger at Kurz, who paled.

	Hinako continued.  "And put down the table before someone gets
hurt."  Ukyou paled a little and put down the table.  Kurz started to back
away from her.  He instinctively brought his broom up between them.

	Hinako said, "Threaten me, will you?"  Her squeaky voice was full
of anger.  She pulled out a small silver piece with a hole poked through
the middle.  "Wisdom Delinquent Punishing Attack!"  She traced a circle in
the air with it...Energy crackled and was sucked out of Kurz, through the
circle, and into Hinako...who began to grow.  As Kurz collapsed, she grew
to her full height of nearly six feet, aging and developing to fill out
and fit her dress.  Soon, she stood before him in all her glory.

	With a now deeper and fuller voice, Hinako boomed.  "And to
complete your punishment, you will apologize to everyone."  She turned to
glare at Ryouga and Ranma.  "And you two will make sure he does so!"  She
stormed into the inn.  "Come help me, Ukyou .  We have work to do helping
all those poor people who drank henwort."  Ukyou nodded and followed her
inside.

	Ryouga lifted Kurz off the ground and dusted him off.  "That
just...creeps me out when she does that."

	Kurz shoke with tiredness, saying, "Just like an Aes Sedai out of
the legends, she is."

	Ranma laughed.  "She's too short to be an Aes Sedai.  Besides, she
can't be one.  She's never been to the White Tower, or even out of the Two
Rivers for that matter.  All Aes Sedai learn their tricks at the White
Tower.  The Delinquent Bashing Attack is just something our Wisdoms do.  I
doubt they're all Aes Sedai in disguise."  He looked off towards the inn.

	Ryouga said, "Buck up Ranma.  Ukyou never stays angry for long.
She'll be wanting to dance with you at Bel Tine.  All the ladies will."

	Ranma said, "You haven't been whacked half as many times in the
head by her as I have.  She'll probably get over it once it sinks in that
it's all Kurz's fault, but..."  He continued to stare at the building.

 	Kurz moaned a bit and croaked, "C'mon Ranma.  You know she never
stays mad at you.  Oh...let's get out of here before Hinako comes out and
zaps me again."  He staggered off muttering about women.

	Ranma nodded and followed after his friend, giving one last look
back towards the inn and sighing.   Ryouga turned and plodded after them.
"Cheer up, Ranma.  We're gonna have a gleeman and fireworks this year.
It'll be great.  It's been years since the last time we had fireworks."

	Kurz blushed a little as they headed towards Master Luhan's
smithy, where Ryouga lived.  He was the one responsible for them not
having had fireworks for so long.  When he was little, he had been the one
to nearly blow up the inn trying to cut some fireworks open.  And he had
left a trail of tampered with fireworks all over the village.  And as
usual, he couldn't remember where he had left them...After that, the
village had decided to not to have fireworks again until Kurz was old
enough that they could trust him not to tamper with them.  However after
many years, they had decided to take the risk anyway, despite still not
feeling he was safe around fireworks...or them around him.

	Soon, they reached the smithy.  Ryouga paused.  "Can you get Kurz
home, Ranma?  I've got to do some work for Master Luhan. And if I don't
set out right now, I won't make it to the forge in time to get any work
done today."  Not because Ryouga was slow...but because he tended to get
lost.  A lot.  As in, getting lost trying to leave a room with one exit
level of lost.  Kurz still looked pretty shaken.

	Kurz said, "I'll get home okay.  Don't worry about me."  He pulled
himself together and walked off, right into a water basin for horses.  It
tipped over and flung water all over him.  He shook from the chill and
fell down.  "Okay, maybe I could use a little help."

	Ranma laughed and took Kurz by the arm and helped him stagger
home, then headed out of the village to ride home.  He mounted his mare,
Lugosi.  He lived with his father Genma Al'Thor on a small farm about five
miles out in the countryside to the west of Nerima's field.  They lived a
little ways into the Westwood, the forest that ran on to the Mountains of
Mist far to the west.  He walked through the silent woods along the road.
Ranma had lived there for almost all of his life, certainly all of it he
could remember.  He knew every inch of the road from home to village.  A
pine cone out of place could set him on edge, knowing something had
happened.

	Thus it was that Ranma could sense something was amiss today.  The
silence was oppressive, rather than peaceful.  The birds were absent.  The
animals were hiding.  Something was wrong.  Far off, he heard slow
hoofbeats.  Some instinct lead Ranma to dismount and lead Lugosi a little
ways into the woods.  The hoofbeats grew louder.  A cloaked man in black
rode down the road on a black horse.  He paused periodically, turning to
sniff the air.  His horse seemed to need no guidance for he rode without
reins.  Ranma stared.  It almost seemed that the two were one, and the one
bode ill.  Lugosi almost whinneyed, but seemed to fear to do so.  For a
long time, the man did not move...the world seemed to stand still...
nothing happening, nothing at all.  Suddenly, the man had moved a quarter
mile down the road to where Ranma had  left the road.  He sniffed the air.
Ranma held his breath and ducked out of sight.  For a long moment,
silence...the strange feeling that nothing was happening, then the a sharp
thwacking sound, followed by the thwap of a falling body.

	For a moment, the world was still, then Ranma heard a flat,
emotionless, almost metallic voice.  "D'oh."  Ranma peeked out.  The man
had ridden into a branch and fallen off his horse.  The man staggered to
his feet.  The horse whinneyed and took off running.  The man took off
running after it.  The horse turned and bolted into the woods.  The man
followed.  Ranma paused as the sound of repeated thwacks as the man ran
through branches without pausing or dodging gradually faded away into the
distance.   Thwack.  "D'oh."  Thwack.  "D'oh."  Thwack.  "D'oh."  Silence
for a time. Then suddenly, Thwack.  "D'oh."  Thwack.  "D'oh."  Thwack.
"D'oh."  The thwacks and d'ohs came in pulses..gradually fading into the
distance.  Ranma shivered.

	"What a strange encounter,"  Ranma thought.  "That guy gave me the
creeps."    He slowly walked Lugosi back to the road, mounted her, and
headed down the road towards home.  Soon, the forest was back to normal.
Only an occasional distant crashing sound reminded him of what had
happened.

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

    The sun rose the next morning on the village of Nerima's field as the
peddlar rolled into town.  It was the day of Winternight, the last day of
winter, the prelude to the grand celebration of Bel Tine, that ushers in
the spring.  The village was in a flurry of cooking preparing for
tonight's feasting and tomorrow's celebration.  This year, Happousai had
prospered, and he brought several wagons.  He chuckled as he and his
drovers parked the wagons outside the Winespring Inn.  Perhaps this year,
he would finally find what he was looking for.  He hopped down off the
wagon and started shouting out orders to the five drovers he had managed
to employ this year.

	Happousai was a short man...a dwarf, some would call him.  They
usually came to regret it.  Only three feet tall, he had brains enough for
three men twice his size, and more skills too.  The Two Rivers was one of
his favorite stops, though usually he had less goods when he came through
here.  The ladies were pretty, the people held him in good regard, and he
was sure what he had been looking for all these years was to be found
here...somewhere.  Not to mention, the best tabac in Andor was to be found
here, and if there was one legal and moral thing Happousai enjoyed,
smoking was definitely it.  He  lit his pipe and headed over to the inn to
arrange for his housing before he was noticed by the populace. Soon the
time would come to sell his wares and keep an eye open.  But for now, he
wanted some food, a seat that wasn't moving, and a skirt or two to look
up.

     A little while later, Ranma rode into town with his father, Genma.
Genma was huge in contrast to his son.  Most of his bulk was muscle,
though he had a well-fed belly.  He was wearing green and brown today--a
green shirt, a brown jacket, and brown pants.  He rode a huge horse named
Sentarou.  Sentarou was a huge brown horse with a somewhat erratic
disposition.  Many the time, Ranma had seen Genma go crashing off into the
forest on Sentarou's back because an angry squirrel had spooked Sentarou.
But Genma loved the horse, and few other horses were willing to carry him
without complaining.  As usual, Genma had a white bandana tied open over
his head to help keep the sun off his shiny bald head.

     Genma said to Ranma, "Ranma my boy, speed up!  We need to get to the
inn before all the food is gone!  I'm hungry."

     Ranma laughed a bit.   "You're always hungry, pop."  As they passed
the first few buildings, Kurz ran up to them.

     "Have you heard the news?"  Kurz sounded quite out of breath, as if
he had been running a long time.

     Ranma blinked.  "News.  What news?"

     "Happousai is in town.   He brought three wagons!  And fireworks!  We
haven't had fireworks in ages!"  Kurz didn't mention that he was in fact
the reason behind this absence of fireworks.  "And there's a lady and her
bodyguard in town."

     Ranma and Genma both blinked this time.  "A lady?"

     Kurz nodded.  "She's some kind of scholar, here to collect stories
and stuff.  She's been talking to old man Jordan and his wife Rumiko for
hours. "  Ranma nodded.  Old man Jordan and his wife were just full of
stories of the old days, the kingdom of Tomobiki, Queen Shinobu and her
love, Inaba the Usagi, Conan the barbarian, hero of ancient Cimmeria,
Benten, who flew to the moon on her skychariot, Anla the wise counsellor,
and many other stories besides.  Ranma, Ryouga, and Kurz had spent many an
hour in The Winespring Inn on a cold winter night listening to the old man
and woman rattle on about stories of the First and Second Age...the times
before the Breaking of the World.  "And she's got this fellow with her,
he's some kind of warrior.  Very stern and impressive.  Biggest moustache
I've ever seen, too."

     Genma nodded.  "All ladies have bodyguards, if they are wise.  What
is her name?"

      Kurz blinked and thought hard.  "Lady Eleanor of Aquitaine.  And the
fellow is named Roland."  The group started moving towards the inn again,
the horses moving slowly through the streets.  People were rushing
everywhere, getting food, delivering food, getting the laundry done in
advance, cleaning their houses inside and out.  It had been a long hard
winter, but it was finally over.  The town hummed with happy, busy
activity.

    Ranma nodded.  A thought came to him.  "Does he wear a black cloak?"
Ranma hoped this was not the fellow he had seen last night.

     Kurz said, "No, he wears a blue cloak, to match the lady's blue
garb."  He paused.  "You saw a black cloaked man, too?"  He shivered a
bit.

     Genma said, "There are many people with black cloaks, boy.  Focus on
the food that is waiting for us! "

     Kurz said, "I saw him in the woods near my house, Ranma.  He was
chasing some horse..."

     Ranma laughed.  "Yes.  He fell off when I saw him.  It was odd.  I
could have sworn that he moved...in pulses.  As if he didn't move at all,
then he would move really fast."

     Kurz shuddered.  "Yeah....just like that old story..."

     Genma said, "Lagmen never come this far south.  They're too busy
harassing the Borderlands.  And what would they want in the Two Rivers?
Perhaps he's here to buy some tabac for the Dark One's pipe?"

     Ranma and Kurz hung their heads.  Genma rattled on.  "There hasn't
been a Lagman this far south since the Fanboy wars.  And if the Fanboys
have broken through the borderlands, there'd be a lot more of them here
than just one Lagman.  Don't worry about it.  Probably just a traveler,
passing through."

     Ranma shook his head, but remained silent.  Arguing with his stubborn
father was a game for fools.  A traveler going where?  He was sniffing the
air...like he was a hound or something.  But what game is he seeking?,
Ranma wondered.

     Soon they reached the center of town.  Three wagons were pulled up on
the green.  A crowd was gathered around old Master Happousai, who was
starting to peddle his wares.  Several dozen of the village folk were
oohing and ahhing over the fine cloth, the pots and pans, and the many
other goods he had brought.  Genma vaulted off his horse and bolted
inside, looking for food, leaving Ranma to take the horses around to the
stable.  Ranma and Kurz stabled the horses, then headed back to see what
was for sale.

     Kurz said, "Did you really bring fireworks, Master Happousai?"  There
was an eager light in Kurz's eyes.

     Master Happousai smiled wickedly and tossed a round globular object
to Kurz.  He caught it instinctively, then noticed it had a burning fuse
on it.  Kurz asked, "Hey, what's this?"

     Master Happousai laughed.  "A firework just like the one you nearly
blew yourself up with as a child. "  Everyone laughed.  Kurz saw the
burning fuse and tried to toss it away.  BOOM!  It exploded showering
confetti all over Kurz, who staggered back.  Everyone stared for a moment,
then joined Happousai in laughing.   "Beware my wrath, boy, beware my
wrath."  He laughed some more.  Kurz began to laugh as well.

     At that very moment, the doors of the inn opened up.  Two unfamilar
figures and a familar one charged out.  Ukyou was in the lead, with a
worried look on her face.  She was followed by an impressive tall fellow,
and by a woman as short as Happousai, walking with a staff twice her size.
The tall fellow was handsome in a stern way, with steel grey eyes, a long
brown moustache, and long dark brown hair that ran down to his shoulders.
He wore brown leather with metal studs, and had an impressive looking
sword strapped to his belt.  A small golden crane clasp held in place two
corners of the blue cloak draped over his shoulders.  On his right hand
was a simple silver ring.  His companion was dressed in a loose blue dress
of silk and lace.  She was tall and elegant, matching her companion for
height, with long green hair flowing down her back, and an expensive
looking golden and silver hairpiece atop her head.  She strode along with
a walking stick firmly clasped in her right hand, though she didn't seem
to really need it.

     She spoke with a lilting voice.  "Decided to start the fireworks show
a little early?"  Everyone laughed some more.  She looked over at Kurz,
covered in ash and confetti.  He still looked a bit stunned.  She quickly
moved over to him, followed by the tall fellow.

     Ukyou said, "Kurz?  Are you okay?  What happened?"  She had a look of
concern on her face.  Ranma scowled just the tiniest of bits, telling
himself he wasn't jealous at the amount of concern she had for Kurz's well
being.  Kurz, for all that he was irresponsible and somewhat flighty,
seemed to be becoming increasingly popular with the ladies of late.

     Kurz said, "Just a little...joke...on me...by Master Happousai...."
He smouldered a bit.  The noblewoman finished moving over to him.  She
took a careful look at him and poked a few points on him with her staff.
The poked places felt cool for a moment, then warmed.  The feeling spread
through his body.  He blinked and straightened up.  His eyes cleared.  "I
feel much better.  Thank you, Lady Eleanor.  What did you just do?"

     Eleanor nodded.  "It is called shiatsu," she said.  "I learned it
from a Wise Woman down in Ebou Dar some time ago."  She carefully looked
up and down at Kurz.  "You must be Kurz Cauthon."

     He blinked.  "You..You know me?"  A sweatbead formed on his forehead.
"What did I do this time?"  he wondered.

     "Jordan-san told me many stories about the people he knew when we had
our talk last night.  Including you and how you wanted to know all about
fireworks when you were a child."   Her lilting voice, so at odds with her
appearance, soothed Kurz.  He actually smiled.  "I have come to your
village seeking to learn of the legends of your past, the stories of
fabled Tomobiki, and ages before that.  The old blood runs strong in the
Two Rivers, I have found."

     She looked over at Ranma and blinked.  Roland followed her gaze and
also blinked.  Then the look of surprise vanished from their faces as if
it had never been.  "And who are you, young man?  You have the look of an
Aielman to you, yet I would swear there are no Aiel west of the
Dragonspine Mountains."

     Ranma blinked.  He had always known that he looked different, but he
had always assumed it was because his mother, Nodoka, was from outside the
Two Rivers.  All he knew of the Aiel was that they all dressed in black
veils like a mourning woman, killed without warning, and could hide in the
shadow cast by your finger.  His father had fought the Aiel in the Aiel
war...many years ago.  There he had met Ranma's mother, Nodoka, a woman of
Caemlyn in the far away capital of Andor.  Or so Ranma had always heard.
There was no way his gentle mother could have been an Aiel...and his
father certainly wasn't.  He couldn't sneak up on a paper bag, although he
was an impressive fighter.  Well, impressive by local standards, anyway.
The Two Rivers was not noted for producing blademasters.

     "You must be mistaken.  My father is Genma of the Two Rivers, and my
mother Nodoka hailed from Caemlyn."

     Eleanor looked at him impassively, then smiled.  "I would like to
meet your parents.  They must have a few interesting stories."

     Ranma frowned a little.  "Pop's stuffing his face inside.  But mother
died many years ago of disease..."

     Eleanor nodded.  "Then I shall talk to your father.  Will you come
and introduce me to him?"

     Ranma nodded.  "Sure.  I haven't much to do until he finishes
eating."

     The little group turned and headed into the inn.  Inside, pleasant
smells drifted out of the kitchen, along with the sounds of frenzied
activity.  Master Al'vere and several members of the Village council were
busily planning the Bel Tine celebration  and trading stories of Bel Tines
past.  At another table, Genma was wolfing down food as fast as it could
be brought to him.

     Ranma pointed.  "Follow the sound of chewing, and usually you'll find
pop."

     Lady Eleanor nodded.  She glided across the room to him.  Roland
pulled out a chair opposite Genma and she hopped into it.  Genma kept
eating.  "Greetings, Genma Al'Thor, may I speak with you?"

     Silence.

     "I understand you have traveled outside the Two Rivers?"  She sat
awaiting an answer.

     Chewing noises.

     "Hello?"

     More chewing noises.

     "Master al'Thor, have you heard anything I've said?"  She leaned
forward a little.  Roland frowned.

     Genma finally looked up.  "You're after my food!  You can't have it!"
He pulled his plates closer to himself.

 	Eleanor sighed.  "I am not after your food," she said.

 	"Then you don't matter," he said, and turned back to his food.

 	Her eyes flashed and she turned to Roland.  "If you will?"

 	Roland stepped forward and plucked the plate out from in front of
Genma with blinding speed.

	Genma stood up, but Roland held the plate up out of his reach.
"Someone wishes to speak with you before you stuff yourself," he said to
Genma.

 	"But...my food!"

	At this moment, the door flew open and Hinako ran into the room.
She looked around for a moment and headed for Kurz.  "Been playing with
fireworks again, have you?  You're trampling ash everywhere!  I knew this
would happen. "  Her hand clamped down on Kurz's shoulder and spun him
around to face her.  "Hmm.  No obvious burns. Just ash, and some clothing
damage.  And little flecks of paper everywhere.  How odd."

     Kurz sputtered under her glare.  "I..I...I didn't do anything! He
tossed it to me!  I certainly didn't do anything wrong!"

     Eleanor turned and stared at Hinako.  "Is she your sister, Kurz?"

     Kurz laughed loudly.  Hinako turned crimson.  "I am the Wisdom of
this village!  You will treat me with respect!  I am not a child!"  She
turned and glared at Eleanor.

     Eleanor nodded.  "So the stories were true."

     Hinako blinked.  "What stories?"

     "That the Wisdom of Nerima's field appears to be a child, but is not.
That you possess many...gifts."  Eleanor cocked her head to one side,
briefly bearing a resemblance to an owl.

     "All Wisdoms possess gifts.  To see the wind, to punish delinquents,
skills of healing and the like.  If I didn't have these gifts, I would not
be the Wisdom.  And who might you be?"  Hinako tugged her braid irritably.
Like all the women of the Two Rivers, she regarded her braid as the clear
mark of adulthood.  Having outsiders constantly mistake her for a child
was quite annoying.

     "I am called Lady Eleanor of Aquitaine.  I have come to the Two
Rivers to collect stories of the past.  I dabble in history and herblore.
This is Roland, my bodyguard."  She pointed to Roland with her staff.

     Hinako calmed down.  "Ahh.  You have come to the right woman, if you
wish to learn of herbs."

     "That too I have heard.  I hope that you can spare the time to
discuss such matters with me."

     Hinako smiled.  "Certainly.  There are few here with the patience to
study such things.  Although, I have taught Ukyou some of my lore.  She
may be a Wisdom herself one day."

     Ukyou smiled.  "I hope to be worthy of that.  Although they won't
need me here for many years, creator willing.  "

     Eleanor turned to Ukyou .  "Do you have the gifts of a Wisdom also?"

     Hinako nodded.  "I have seen the signs, although we have yet to see
them manifest, I think.  And she studies hard, and is eager to learn. "

     Eleanor nodded.  "Perhaps I should speak with both of you then."  At
this moment, music started up outside.  A harpist was playing and
beginning to sing. "LISTEN TO MY SONG!" he shouted as he began.  Ranma and
Kurz blinked.  No one in Nerima's Field owned a harp, which could only
mean...

     "A gleeman!  The gleeman must be here!"  Kurz sprinted outside,
followed by Ranma.  The women shook their heads as a unit.

     "Boys."

     Outside, Happousai's mercantile spiels had been interrupted by a tall
thin fellow with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail.  A pair of
thick glasses perched on his nose.  He dressed in casual green and black
clothing, with the patched cloak of a gleeman on his back.  He held a
small harp, which he played, as he sang a portion of the song of The Great
Hunt of the Horn.  Ryouga was here, watching him sing.   Ranma and Kurz
headed over to him.

     "A real gleeman, Ranma!  We haven't had a real gleeman in ages."  He
smiled as they listened to the gleeman perform the part of the song that
tells of the assemblage of the hunters in Illian, far to the south, three
hundred years ago, for the last great hunt of the horn, the horn of
Valere, that would one day be sounded at the Last Battle, to call the
heroes of old to fight for whoever blows the horn.

     "Wow.  This is going to be the best Bel Tine we've had in my memory."
Kurz said.  "Fireworks, a gleeman, visiting nobility...wow.  All we need
now is an Aes Sedai, and we'd have everything..."

     Ranma laughed.  "What would an Aes Sedai want in the Two Rivers?
Buying tabac for the Amyrlin seat, I suppose?"

     Kurz looked at him.  "That's what your father said about lagmen, too.
Or whatever that black cloaked fellow was."

     Ryouga started.  "Black cloaked fellow?  Like Daisuke was talking
about?"

     Ranma turned his full attention to Ryouga.  "Daisuke saw him too?"

     Ryouga nodded.  "Yes.  A creepy fellow with his face hidden in a
black cloak.  Daisuke saw him riding out towards the mountains yesterday.
No one in town saw him at all."

    The gleeman finished his singing.  He sauntered over to the three
boys.  Looking up and down Kurz, he said, "You must be the lad who likes
to play with fireworks."

     Kurz's face turned red, and he said, "Burn me!  Has someone told the
whole world?  Make one mistake, and they never let you forget."

     Five red and blue balls flicked out of the gleeman's sleeves, and he
began to juggle as he talked.  "Sorry to make fun of you, lad.  Forgive a
gleeman for having a little fun.  My name is Basara.  I know you must be
Kurz Cauthon.  And your friends?"

     Ryouga blinked.  "I am Ryouga Ayabara, and this is my friend Ranma
al'Thor."  Basara looked more carefully at Ranma now.  He blinked.

     The balls faltered in their intricate path.  "You look like a..."

     "I am not an Aiel!  I'm born and bred in the Two Rivers."  It was
Ranma's turn to look angry.

     Basara nodded.  "Sorry, lad.  I suppose the lady Eleanor must have
been pestering you earlier about that?"

     Ranma blinked.  "How did you know?"

     Gentle laughter filled the air.  "A nosy one, she is.  Full of
questions.  On the ride down here, she kept me busy asking me about my
past, ancient stories, comments on monuments we passed by.  And she and
Roland, if that's really his name, are the only people here besides myself
who might really know what an Aiel looks like.  Or do you get more
outsiders than I might think?"

     Ryouga said, "No, Master Happousai and whoever is helping him in a
given year is about the only outsider to come to the Two Rivers, along
with a few other peddlars and traders.  And most of those never come
further south than Kumon's Ferry."

     Kurz said, "You don't think that fellow's name is really Roland?"

     Basara nodded.  "Perhaps, perhaps not.  All I know is that I've never
heard of the likes of her in Aquataine....not that I've memorized all the
ranks of nobility of Cairhien, but..."

     Kurz's eyes widened.  "She's all the way from Cairhien?"

     Basara nodded.  "She has the mark of Cairhien in her voice, the way
she speaks, lad.  That is a mark that few are skillful enough to hide. But
whatever her true origins, her companion is a Borderman if I've ever seen
one...and I've never heard of a Borderman named Roland."

      It was Ryouga's turn to get big eyes.  "You've met Bordermen...and
Fanboys?  Lagmen??  Are they...real?"

     Basara shivered.  "I've never seen a live Fanboy...or even a dead
Lagman...but they are real.  Mark my words.  Only the Borderlands keep
them from ravaging out of the blight, like they did in the Fanboy wars.
It is their bravery that lets us dream that the Fanboys and lagmen are no
more..."

     Kurz shuddered.  "Well, I hope they keep it up.  I'll never see a
Lagman or a Fanboy if I can help it.  Well, unless..."

     Basara narrowed his eyes.  "Unless?"

     The three boys looked at each other.  Ranma said, "We...might have
seen one...on the road."

     Basara blinked and shook his head, as if to clear it.  "You think you
saw a Lagman?  Here?"

     They quickly related their experiences, and the gleeman thought for a
moment.  "It was alone?"

     The boys nodded.

     "Hmm.  Probably just a traveler.  If it was a Lagman, though...Well,
keep an eye out.  And don't go telling everyone...but you might want to
tell the village council, just in case."  He nodded his head.  "Yes.  That
would be wise."

     Kurz shook his head.  "I'd better keep quiet then."  Memories of past
meetings with the village council drifted through his head...some of the
memories were only mostly unpleasant.

     Ryouga nodded.  "We can try.  They might listen to Ranma."

     A voice they did not expect spoke.  "Listen to Ranma about what?"
They all jumped a little.  She laughed.  It was Ukyou .  "What did Kurz do
this time?"

     Kurz spoke with the voice of wounded innocence.  "I didn't do
anything!"

     Ryouga nodded.  "Several people think they've seen a Lagman in the
woods."

     Ukyou laughed.  "A Lagman?  Was it here to buy wool for uniforms for
its Fanboy friends?  Perhaps it wanted to hire Cenn Buie to thatch its
roof?  Or Willy Shatner to sing for it?"

     Kurz blushed.  Ranma stared at the ground.  "It just didn't look
right.  The way it moved and everything..."

     Ukyou laughed again.  "Well, if it comes to the village, we can
invite it to dance with us on Bel Tine."

     Ryouga blinked.  "Invite a Lagman to dance at Bel Tine?"

     Ukyou pointed a finger at Ryouga and lectured, "You know there are no
Lagmen in the Two Rivers.  There hasn't ever been a Lagman this far
south."

     Basara shook his head.  "Sorry to contradict you, but they came much
farther south than this during the Fanboy wars.  In fact, the kingdom of
Tomobiki was overrun and destroyed by the Fanboys towards the end of the
wars.  The kingdom could have been saved if not for the late arrival of
the army sent by the Covenant of the Ten nations to its aid.  And that was
only because of the jealousy of the wife of the army's leader towards
Queen Shinobu of Tomobiki."

     Ryouga nodded.  "Because Queen Shinobu was a better channeler than
her.  Old man Jordan drags out that part of the story every time he sees
someone acting jealous..."

     Ukyou blinked.  "This area was part of the kingdom of Tomobiki?"

     Basara nodded.  "All of the Two rivers, parts of western Andor, and
the Mountains of Mist.  Tomobiki itself was just up inside the mountains a
short distance.  I suppose the survivors of the kingdom eventually became
the folk of the Two Rivers."

     For a moment, everyone's eyes were misty with dreams of days gone
by...the glory of ancient Tomobiki.  Then Ukyou sighed.  "Well, that's
over and gone.  Ranma..."

     Ranma blinked.  "Uh, yes?"

     Ukyou said, "Will you and your father stay and celebrate Winternight
with us?"  She sidled over to Ranma, a little closer.  "I need a dancing
partner for tonight.  Or will I have to dance with Daisuke again?"

     Ranma frowned for a moment, then smiled.  "If you offer my father
food, he'll agree to anything.   I'd be happy to stay.  "

     Ukyou smiled.  "Good.  And we shall have excellent music for the
dancing, with a gleeman in town."

     Basara smiled and bowed.  "Thank you, good lady.  I shall strive to
be worthy of your praise. "

     The day passed quickly.  Ranma took care of a few purchases that he
and his father would need tomorrow for the festivities.  He spent the
afternoon practicing shooting with Daisuke, Ryouga, Kurz, Jon, Steph,
Jerem, Jefer, Orlan, and several other boys his age from the village.  It
was a common and enjoyable activity.  Ranma was quite good with the bow,
but Kurz and Jefer were even better.  As usual, it came down to a contest
between them, with the others trying to compete.  Ukyou watched, amused by
the constant banter.  She was as good a shot as any of them, but with her
strength, arrows tended to be driven through the target and into nearby
trees or buildings, usually destroying the arrow in the process  As a
result, she didn't participate in casual archery contests very often.  Her
strength was a source of frequent speculation in the village, but no one
really knew where it came from.  Certainly not her mother or father.
Ukyou had always been that way, so the village folk simply accepted it the
same way they accepted the abilities of the village Wisdom.  It just was.
If things happened, you dealt with them.  The Ronin's number had been
scrawled on her door once or twice by troublemakers, but she paid it no
heed.  She knew she was no Darkfriend, and so did most of the people of
the village.  Troublemakers like old Willy Shatner or Cenn Buie simply had
to be ignored.

     Soon the sun began to set, and the evening chill crept across the
village.  Winter had been long and hard, and it seemed Winternight would
live up to its name.  Many of the villagers gathered with their families
this night to celebrate and exchange gifts.  Others gathered at the
Winespring Inn to celebrate together, to listen to music and stories of
times gone by, to fellowship with the guests from beyond Nerima's field.
And most importantly, they came to dance!  Basara was in fine fettle that
night, playing everything from country tunes like "Fox in the henhouse",
"Tinker, mend my pots", "Harvest Moon" and "The Ultimate Country Song", to
more sophisticated tunes, like the ballad of Odin One-Eye and Dunsinane,
the Caemlyn Waltz, and Ramen's Folly, a ballad about foolish king Ramen
Damodred of Cairhien.

     King Ramen brought down the Aiel upon his head by cutting down the
sapling of Miltonbradliena, the tree of Life, suitable for players 8 and
up, to build a housing development, and to make a monogrammed throne for
himself.  The Aiel had given the sapling to the Cairhien 500 years ago,
for reasons unknown, giving them permission to trade with the isolationist
wierdos of Cher, who all had bad taste in clothing, but made very good
silk.  Cher had once been allied with the other kingdom beyond the waste,
Bono, the sunny land, but the two nations had since parted on bad terms.
Also, all of Ramen's checks to the Aiel for silk bounced that year.  The
Aiel got annoyed and decided to foreclose on his head.  The result was the
Aiel war, in which king Ramen was slain and the property values of the
housing development plummeted after the Aiel killed all of its
inhabitants, burned it to the ground, and rearranged the ashes to spell,
"Treekillers suck." in huge letters, easily visible from space, except
that no one in space was watching.   The Aiel were finally driven back by
the united armies of the nations, after a fierce battle on the slopes of
the Roninmount, home to the White Tower, home of the Aes Sedai.  They
returned to the Waste on the other side of the Spine of the World, leaving
behind a land full of rapidly dropping property values, and a note to the
new king noting they had confiscated the royal treasury to pay off Ramen's
bad checks.

     The Aiel remained figures of mystery, legendary black veiled warriors
who slew without warning or mercy, bound in a web of incomprehensible laws
and taboos, known as tic'tac'toe.  It was even rumored that some women
among them fought.  They could hide in the shadow of a single upraised
finger.   The Aiel were thought of as strange and alien barbarians, but
also as the greatest warriors of the time.

     To counteract the glum mood induced by this ballad, Basara switched
to a lighter tune, "The Adventures of Lupin Farstealer."  It was a light
and spritely tune, the humorous adventures of the legendary gentleman
thief and explorer.  The tables had been cleared away, and it was time to
dance!  Ukyou whirled across the floor with Ranma, Ryouga with Rache
Hompso, and even master Happousai joined the dance, short as he was.
Genma got up and danced a turn with Mistress Al'vere, while Roland did
Hinako the honor of a dance.  Soon many others joined in, and the dancing
was properly begun.  Only Kurz was not there, for he was off with his
family and relatives at their home out in the countryside.

     Many different pairs whirled across the floor before the night was
through.  They danced into the wee hours of the night, until everyone was
too tired to go on.  Ukyou sagged in Ranma's arms as they danced one last
dance, "Farewell to Barns".  Ranma smiled quietly to himself.  If only
there could be more moments like this, and fewer like yesterday morning.
Finally the music died down.  Genma got up.  "Time to ride home, Ranma my
boy."

     Ranma yawned.  "All the way home?  Tonight?"  He rubbed his eyes.

     Genma said, "Come on lad!  Sleep makes you weak!  Exhaustion, that is
what makes you strong."

     Ranma tried to clean out his ears, hoping that he had misunderstood.
But as usual, Genma was too busy babbling words of Wisdom to repeat
himself.  Ukyou clung to Ranma as he tried to get out the door.  "Ukyou.
I have to go."

     Ukyou yawned, and sleepily said, "Don't go, Ranma.  Don't go.  It
will only..."  YAWN!  "...bring you trouble. "  She rubbed her eyes.  "I
think I dozed off for a moment there."  She stood up, and looked Ranma in
the eye.

     Ranma smiled nervously, then tried to get her to let go.  She
reluctantly released him.  "I'll see you tomorrow, Ukyou ."

     She smiled.  "I will dance with you again on Bel Tine."  He nodded.
He staggered outside with his father.   They soon mounted up and rode off.
The ride soon woke up Ranma, even if it did not make him happy.  They rode
quietly through the night to their farm.  It was a several hour ride,
which did nothing to endear the trip to a tired Ranma.  Finally, they
arrived at their little farm.  Genma headed inside to start a fire to warm
the house, while Ranma took Lugosi and Sentarou around to the stable.

     The night was silent, cold, and clear, a full moon shining down as
Ranma left the stable.  Somewhere, a branch broke.  Ranma turned, and saw
a shadowy figure in the woods for a second, light glinting off a small
circle near it's right shoulder.  Then it was gone.

     Ranma stared nervously into the woods.  He heard another branch
break.  Someone was there.  He backed towards the stable, hoping to get
his quarterstaff before whatever lurked in the darkness could emerge.
Visions of bandits, wolves, lagmen, and giant wombats danced in his head.
As several figures emerged from the shadows of the forest, he ducked into
the stable and grabbed his quarterstaff.

     It was the smell of pizza that reached him first.  One of the figures
was munching on a slice as they approached, while a second guzzled Jolt,
the breakfast of caffeine freaks.  One carried a large mallet, the other a
odd metal thing that resembled an L with a loop inside the bend.  They
stared at him for long moments.  They wore tattered armor and had unkempt
hair.  Both had a small circlular pin near their right shoulders.  One's
pin said, "Arshes Nei is a babe." The other pen said, "Live Long and
worship the Great Lord of the Geeks for eternity, or suffer forever, you
hoser." in really tiny print.

     Ranma stared, feeling a chill across his spine.  They spoke. "What
Star Trek episode contains the most violations of the Prime directive?"
Ranma stared at them.  What was a Star Trek episode?  the Prime directive?
"Name all the characters from Mortal Wombat III and their secret moves!"
He stared.  Wombat?  He had never heard that story.  "How much of a babe
do you think Minmei is?"  Ranma wondered briefly who Minmei was...more
questions.  "So would you rather see A-ko, B-ko, or C-ko naked?  Don't you
agree that G Gundam sucks?  Name all the apperances of the 33-SUX boomer!
In alphabetical order!  Would you rather be an Invid or a Paranoid?"  The
questions became increasingly arcane and incomprehensible.

     Finally, Ranma couldn't take it any more.  "SHUT UP!  JUST SHUT UP!
I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY MORE!  I AM NOT ANSWERING YOUR STUPID QUESTIONS!"

     The Fanboys growled.  "You're not worthy!"  One leaped at him at with
the mallet.  The other said, "set phaser on kill!"  It pointed the L at
Ranma, and squeezed something.  Nothing happened.  Meanwhile, Ranma swung
up his staff, blocking the mallet, then swinging it down to hit the Fanboy
in the stomach.   It staggered back.  He struck the L knocking it away.
The Fanboy ran after the L, yelling something about paying too much for
that phaser to give it up that easily.  The first Fanboy tried for a
second swing and got a staff to the head.  He passed out.  Ranma turned to
the second one and rapped it on the behind, knocking it down.  The staff
spun around and came down on the Fanboy's head.  The Fanboy collapsed from
the blow.  Ranma breathed a sigh of relief.

     "That wasn't so hard.  I thought Fanboys were tough."  Then he
realized they had gotten back up.  "Hah!   Send more Fanboys!"  one of
them shouted.  They rushed at him again.  A fierce fight ensued.  But only
one of them had a functioning weapon.  Ranma soon knocked away the mallet
and methodically beat them unconscious, then he heard sounds of fighting
from the house.

     "POP!"  He charged into the house, kicking open the door.  Inside,
two Fanboys lay battered unconscious, but five more were rampaging through
the house.  Three of them had broken into Genma's private chest and were
rummaging through it.  The other two were scarfing down food from the
kitchen.  Ranma's father was nowhere to be seen.

     Ranma shouted, "YOU FLAMING BASTARDS!  What have you done to my
father?"  The Fanboys blinked.  The two scarfing food kept eating, but the
other three turned around.  They were holding various trinkets they had
extracted from Genma's chest:  Some medals Genma had acquired during his
travels, one of Nodoka's scarves, a deck of cards, a card that said, "I
met the Dirty Pair and lived", an empty wine bottle made out of
cuendillar, a bunch of left socks, a copy of the Anvillanian national
anthem, and a small bottle of water.  It was the bottle that caught
Ranma's eye.  The bottle he had been told never to touch.  His father had
found it on his travels.  Ranma never understood why he wasn't supposed to
open it...what good was an unopened bottle of water?

     The Fanboys began their usual run of babbling.  "Would you date Shun
if he was really a girl?  Do you think Priss or Linna is better in bed?
Do ninjas really cause the world to turn into those blurry speed lines
when they leap into the air?  What are those drops of water on people's
foreheads, anyway?  What was the fourth Kanji in the third scene of Riding
Bean on that sign?  Name five continuity errors in BGC!"  Ranma growled
and leaped at them, quarterstaff in hand.

     Ranma yelled, "I don't know or care!"  He leaped onto the bed and
attacked them from above.  He now saw his unconscious father on the floor,
along with two dead Fanboys.  A sword lay by his father.  Ranma blinked
for a moment.  "A sword?"  he thought.  Where did that come from?"  In
that moment, the Fanboys emptied their hands and grabbed for their
weapons.  One of them emptied his hands by throwing the contents right at
Ranma.  He tried to swat the objects aside.  For a moment, the world
slowed and he realized the bottle was coming...right...at...him.  It
bounced off the staff and onto his forehead, shattering, pouring water all
over him.  His body tingled, the sensation spreading like a wave over his
entire form.  He trembled.  The Fanboys stared, their eyes bulging.  Ranma
took the opportunity to smack one of them in the head, knocking him down.
The other two chopped at him with their axes.  He leaped up over their
heads, rebounded off the wall, and smacked both of them in the heads.
They crumpled and collapsed.   "What's with them," he thought, "Since when
is a wet guy a big deal?  I wonder why that bottle was supposed to remain
sealed, anyway?"

     The two Fanboys from the kitchen shouted, "You are already dead!" and
charged.  Ranma ducked low and lashed out with the staff, knocking them
off their feet.  Before they could get up, he rapped each of them in the
head.  He heard more footsteps  outside.  He bent over and grabbed the
sword.  It had blood on the blade, which was made of some black metal.  A
heron was stamped into the metal on each side.  The hilt was white and
unadorned.  Ranma grabbed the scabbard, hastily cleaned the sword blade on
a Fanboy's naked Nene by the pond shirt, and buckled the scabbard to his
belt.  Then he started trying to rouse his father.

    Genma moaned a bit when Ranma shook him.  Finally, he opened his eyes
and stared at Ranma.  "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"  Genma promptly fainted.

     Ranma blinked.  His mind quickly concluded that something had to be
wrong with him.  Fanboys were incomprehensible, but if his father was
yelling, something had to be wrong.  He paused and looked down at himself.
It was at this moment he realized the problem:  he was now a she.  She ran
and looked at herself in the mirror.   She looked more feminine than Ukyou
now.  Her shirt was very tight on her substantial bosom, but a few inches
too long now.  The same for her pants, now tight at the hips and too long.
She was certain she must have become shorter.

     The first thought that crossed his mind was, "At least I'm old enough
to braid my hair."  Then he snapped back to reality and began to panic.
"That bottle must have had some kind of hallucinogen, or I'm asleep in the
saddle...this can't be real!  I can't be a girl!  I can't! "  She began to
breathe hard.  Far off, she heard even more crashing noises.  More Fanboys
coming.  She grabbed her father andd dragged him outside.  Oddly, he
seemed lighter than usual, much lighter.  She quickly saddled up Lugosi
and Sentarou.  It wasn't until she picked him up and threw him onto
Sentarou's back that she realized she seemed stronger than before.  She
blinked and looked at her arms.  They looked rather smooth and pretty,
certainly not muscular enough to pull that off easily.  Then again, so did
Ukyou's arms and she was strong as an ox.  Shrugging, she grabbed some
rope and tied Genma in place in the saddle.  Then she lead both horses out
of the stable.  The Fanboys began to boil out of the woods.  And leading
them was a Lagman.   The world seemed to turn to jello, as everything
slowed.  Ranma kept trying to slap Sentarou to get him to move, but
nothing seemed to be happening.  She dug her heels into Lugosi, but Lugosi
didn't move.  Finally, she gave up and tried to draw the sword.  "If only
I knew how to use this," she thought.

     The world suddenly snapped into a blur of motion.  Sentarou took off
down the road towards Nerima's field in a blur of motion.  Lugosi bolted
after him, and the sword suddenly arced up out of the sheath in Ranma's
hand.  At that moment, the Fanboys and the Lagman dashed forward.  The
sword flew up and struck the Lagman's descending blade, shattering it,
right as Lugosi took off running.  Far behind him, he could see the now
once again lagged Fanboys and Lagman stuck far behind him.  By the time
they were in motion, Ranma was far down the road.  Way off in the
distance, she could see Sentarou running at high speed, Genma bouncing
along in the saddle.

  	How on God's green earth will I ever explain this?  Everyone is
going to laugh at me, Ranma thought.  Not to mention...Ukyou .  At least
we can share a wardrobe, I suppose, but...ack!  What am I thinking?  How
did that water do this?  I don't wanna be a girl!  Maybe...maybe it will
wear off...Why did Pop keep this?  Why?    He galloped through the night,
leaving the Fanboys far behind.  I never knew Pop kept a sword.  A good
sword.  It broke the Lagman's blade like a knife through butter.

     Sentarou galloped off out of sight.  Ranma wondered how a horse that
large could run that fast.  She settled in for a long ride.

*******

 	Basara looked up at the sky.  The village had sunk into the quiet
of exhaustion, but he wasn't tired yet.  So he sat down on a stump and
began to quietly play his harp and whisper his song to the heavens.

	He heard footsteps and turned, seeing Lady Eleanor.  "You dance
divinely," he said to her.

	She smiled at him, though he could see her eyes assessing him.
"And you sing like an angel," she replied.  "I expect in time, the whole
world will listen to your song."

	He laughed.  "You flatter me, good lady.  So what brings you
outside on a cold winter's night?  Seeking comfort on a lonely night?"

	"You are quite forward," she said.  "Not every woman can be won
with but a song."

	Grinning, he looked up at the stars.  "Well, sit down," he said,
scooting over on the stump.  "I promise I don't bite."

	She came and sat down by him.  "I'm surprised to see a gleeman
come this deep into the Two Rivers."

	"And noblewomen come all the time?" he asked.

	She laughed and looked up at the stars.  "Touche.  Though I
suppose the legends of this land would interest a gleeman as much as
myself."

	"I am always in search of new treasures."  He glanced over at her.
"A good song can be priceless."

	"I noticed that one of your songs was missing an ending," she
said.

	He started.  "It was?"

	"So whatever did happen to Lupin Farstealer?"

	Frowning, he stared up at the sky.  "I don't know.  The last that
was seen of him twenty years ago, he apparently decided to steal the Eye
of God as one last job before retiring.  As if he wasn't already too old
to even steal candy from babies.  The last verse talks about him setting
out, but it's just...too depressing.  They wanted a happy song."

	"You wanted a happy song," she said softly.

	"Yes," he said.

	"Perhaps he did find the Eye of God," Eleanor said.  "If the
rumors are true, it could be used to cross over into all the worlds of If,
so perhaps he's moved on to stealing entire worlds."

	Basara laughed.  "I suppose so.  No one's seen the Eye of God in
years, have they?"

	"None since shortly after the Aiel War, which was the last time
Lupin Farstealer was heard from, that I know of," Eleanor said.  "But I
doubt it's going anywhere.  It takes a man and a woman channeling together
to activate it, I understand.  But given its potential for destruction,
it's best that it stay lost and unused."

	"I cannot argue with that," he said.

	Eleanor's head suddenly turned and she stared off into the
darkness, then rose.  "I suggest you ready the knives you've hidden in
your cloak and sleeves, Basara.  I fear we are about to have trouble."

 *******

 	After a long, exhausting ride, Ranma finally rode into Nerima's
Field.  He could see smoke rising from deeper inside the village, and
could hear the sounds of people fighting a fire.  He was startled to see
several people waiting for him.  Basara, Ryouga, and Ukyou were waiting
for him at the edge of town.

     Ryouga shouted, "Is that you, Ranma?  We saw your father gallop in
unconscious.  They took him in to be healed by the Wisdom, but all he
remembered was Fanboys attacking the farm."

     Ukyou cut in.  "Are you okay, Ranma?  Your father was babbling about
doom and curses and lagmen and fate and stuff.  And he kept insisting he
didn't have a son anymore.  And...oh Ranma, I was so worried. "  She
started running towards him.

     Basara and Ryouga followed her.  Ryouga was carrying a heavy umbrella
that Ranma had never seen before.  "A whole squad of them and a Lagman too
snuck into town and tried to burn down Ryouga's house.  If Lady Eleanor
hadn't sensed them, the whole town might have gone up in flames."

	Ranma finally spoke.  "Sensed them?"

 	Basara nodded.  "It seems Lady Eleanor is no lady.  She is one of
the Aes Sedai, and Roland her warder.  With their help, we drove off the
Fanboys before more than a stable could be burned."  He shook just the
tiniest bit.  "But we still don't know how the Fanboys got here.  So they
did attack your farm?  I wonder if...hmm."

	Ukyou blinked.  "Ranma?  Are you okay?  Your voice seems odd."

	Ranma shuddered.  "I...am most definitely not okay."  She spurred
Lugosi forward into the light   Everyone stared.  Ryouga's jaw dropped.
Ukyou started.  Basara rubbed his eyes, removed his glasses, cleaned them,
took a second look and tried cleaning them again.

     Ukyou .  "R...Ranma?"  She couldn't believe it.  There was no
way...it wasn't possible.

     Ranma nodded.  "Well, I finally found out what that bottle does."

     Basara seemed lost in thought, or perhaps asleep.  He was very
silent.  Finally, he muttered something in the Old Tongue.

     "What was that, Basara?"  Ranma said.  Perhaps the gleeman had heard
of some story, some tale that might offer some way out of Ranma's
predicament.

     "Have you ever heard of the story of Futaba the Changing man?"
Basara asked.  They all shook their heads.  "Most of Futaba's saga is
lost.  He was an Aes Sedai from the age of Legends, before the war of the
Shadow and the breaking of the world.  He  too changed into a woman.  He
suffered some sort of ancestral curse.  He transformed back and forth
whenever he got excited.  You might have the same problem."

   Ranma blinked.  "But Dad doesn't have that problem.  I think the water
did it...somehow."

     Basara nodded.  "I've never heard of magic water, but I never
expected to see Fanboys here either."

     A lilting voice spoke.  "Nor I.  So you did indeed survive.  And now
I understand your father's statement that he no longer had a son."  Lady
Eleanor had arrived, along with Roland, moving silently out of the
darkness.

     "Is Pop okay?"

     "He will be fine.  He just needs rest.  I did the best I could for
him."  She paused and hopped over, then poked Ranma's left breast with her
staff.  "Hmm.  Quite real.  Amazing.  The water of transformation.  I will
enjoy studying this."

     "Studying this?  I don't intend to stay this way any longer than I
have to!"  Ranma was irritated.  "And stop poking me there!"

     "And how do you intend to change back?"

     "Uhh...."

     "No matter.  We must be on the road at once to get your friend before
it is too late."  Lady Eleanor mounted her horse and gestured at the
others to follow.

     "On the road?"

     "Do you think the Fanboys will have forgotten your friend Kurz?  He
too is in danger.  Indeed, all the Two Rivers is in danger as long as you
stay here.  Get your horse and anything you cannot bear to leave behind,
Ryouga.  We must ride quickly."

     Ukyou blinked.  "What?  Where are you going?  Why?  You are NOT
taking Ranma anywhere without me!"

     Eleanor nodded.  "I have no intention of leaving you behind, girl.
You have potential, girl.  The old blood is strong in your veins.  You
will do well in the Tower."

     A loud voice boomed from the darkness.  "You are not dragging off Two
Rivers men and women without explaining yourself to ME!"  Hinako strode
out of the darkness in her adult form, her yellow dress full to bursting
with her now adult form, her voice deepened and loud.

     Eleanor calmly turned to face Hinako.  "Ah, yes, the Wisdom.  I am
taking these three boys and girl because the Fanboys are after the boys,
and the girl needs to be trained in the Tower."

     Hinako blinked.  "Whatever reason would the Fanboys have for wanting
to kill Ryouga, Ranma and, uh...three boys?"   Then Hinako took a look at
Ranma.  "R..Ranma?"

     Eleanor said, "I am Aes Sedai.  They are no longer safe here with
Fanboys looking for them.  I can protect them better than you.  They need
to go to the tower where they will be safe.  For they are ta'averen.  The
wheel bends the pattern around them, and they bend the pattern in turn.
The forces of the Shadow fear them, and seek to strike them down.  And now
I see that Ranma has further need of my aid.  Perhaps in the Tower he can
find the cure he seeks."

     Hinako raised an eyebrow.  "What has happened to Ranma?"

     Eleanor shrugged.  "I do not know.  Some kind of water transformed
him, he said."

     Hinako blinked.  "Water?"

      Roland said, "We must go swiftly.  The lagmen and Fanboys will
return in larger numbers soon.  We must go before the sun rises if we
intend to remain hidden."

     Hinako said, "I don't know if I can trust an Aes Sedai."

     Eleanor stared a moment.  "You too are a channeler and would benefit
from training in the tower."

     Hinako got red in the face.  "I do not channel!"

     Eleanor shook her head.  "I saw you blasting Fanboys to bits only an
hour or so ago.  May I ask how you did that without channeling?"

     Hinako said, "Any Wisdom can do that!"

     Eleanor nodded.  "Then all Wisdoms must be channelers, for that
cannot be done without the One Power.  The same goes for your own
transformation."

     Hinako said, "I am no manipulating Aes Sedai!"

     Eleanor said, "You may come or stay, as you please.  We must leave,
and leave now."

     Hinako hesitated.  "Then I will go to protect my people.  But if I
find out you mean them ill, I WILL stop you."

	Eleanor nodded.  "I would expect no less.  All of you, prepare
yourselves."

	Basara said, "I am going also."

	Eleanor blinked.  "As you like."

	Basara said, "I don't trust Aes Sedai either, but I'd rather not
stay and wait to see if your theory is correct.  Perhaps I will get a good
tale out of this."

  	Eleanor looked him up and down thoughtfully.   "Alright.  You may
be useful."

	Soon the group assembled and headed out towards Kurz's place.  As
they approached it, Roland slipped off into the darkness.  Ukyou stared
after him.  "Where is he going?"

     "To scout ahead.  There may be more lagmen lurking around here."  She
peered about in the darkness. Ranma felt the hairs on her neck rise.
Hinako tugged her braid nervously.  Ukyou blinked.  For a moment, she
could have sworn Eleanor was glowing.  Ryouga nervously swung his umbrella
around in small circles.  Basara kept flicking knives in and out of his
hand.  "We ride onward."

     Soon they arrived at Kurz's place.  On the way there, Hinako braided
the hair of a protesting Ranma, telling her that everyone would think she
was a child if her hair wasn't braided.  There were dead Fanboys
everywhere with arrows through them.   Eleanor had a whispered
conversation with Kurz's father, and soon Kurz joined them, carrying a bow
and a quarterstaff.  He rode his horse Forget-me-not over to the others,
rubbing his eyes.  When he saw Ranma, he fell off his horse.

	Ranma looked down at him.  "Kurz?"

	Kurz said, "Wow.  They didn't tell me there would be a cute girl
on this trip.  I'm Kurz Cauthon.  And you are?"  He got back up on his
horse.

	Steam blew out of Ranma's ears.  "I AM NOT A CUTE GIRL!"

	Kurz blinked.  He had never met a girl who didn't want to be
called cute.  "Should I have called you a cute woman, instead?"

	"It's me, Ranma!"

	Kurz looked around.  "Ranma, where?  They said he was here, but I
don't see him."  He then ogled Ranma, who he obviously thought was rather
cute.

	Ranma growled.  "I am Ranma!"

	Kurz blinked.  "What?"

	"That stupid water turned me into a girl!"

	"The one your dad said not to open?"

	"One and the same.  The stupid Fanboys hit me with it."  Ranma
shook her head.  "They might be able to help me at the tower, Eleanor
says."

     "We're going to the White Tower?  With Aes Sedai?  And all that?"
Kurz shuddered.  He had heard many fearsome tales of the White Tower and
the Aes Sedai:  master manipulators all.  They were bound not to lie, but
the truth you heard from an Aes Sedai might not be the truth you thought
it was.  For three thousand years, all Aes Sedai had been female, since
the Breaking of the World.  At the end of the war of the Shadow, the Dark
One had placed a taint on dubin, the male half of the One Power.   The
male Aes Sedai had gone mad from the Taint and rampaged, shattering the
world and civilization.

 	For three thousand years, the female Aes Sedai had gathered at the
White Tower on Roninmount, to counsel the nations, battle the shadow, hunt
down male channelers before they could do any more damage, and to prepare
for the day when the Dark One would one day escape his prison and bring
about Tarmon Gai'don, the last battle.  In those days too, the leader of
the war against the Shadow, the Ronin, would be reborn to lead the armies
of light against the Dark One.  Three channelers had claimed to be the
Ronin in the last year.  Two of them were still on the loose.

	Ukyou nodded.  "Lady Eleanor seems to think Hinako and I could
become Aes Sedai."

	Kurz shook his head.  "Why would you ever want to do that?"

	Lady Eleanor spoke.  Everyone blinked as they realized she had
returned.  "Because the talent cannot be wasted.  Hinako already channels
whether she admits it or not.  Ukyou has the talent to learn how.  They
must be trained.  Tarmon Gai'don approaches.  The Tower will need their
strength when that day comes."

     Ryouga shuddered.  "Surely Tarmon Gai'don is not coming soon.  The
Dark One is imprisoned in the prison made for him by the Creator at the
dawn of time with the Forsaken.   The shadow cannot touch the world while
he remains sealed away.  The..."

     Eleanor shook her head.  "Trust me.  The Dark One is beginning to
stir once more.  His minions will hunt you and take you, to die or be
turned, until you are safe at Tar Valon.   Now we ride!"

	She spurred her horse.  The others nodded, and followed. They soon
emerged from the forest, heading cross country towards Taren's Ferry.
Ranma looked back towards Nerima's Field and his home as the sun began to
rise off to their left.

	When will I see home again, Ranma wondered.  At least this way,
you'll all be safe if those Lagmen really are after us.  We'll lead them
away from you all.

	Far away, someone cursed and sniffed the night air.  The ones he
was hunting thought they could escape him.  They would learn they were
wrong.  He had searched too long to lose them this easily.   He gave the
command and the pursuit began.


End Chapter One

******





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