[Ranma/Tenchi][FanFic][Repost] Tales of Ranma and Achika Chapter 01

[Darwin Cruz]

Pug Productions
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Author: Pug
cr...@alum.rpi.edu
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Insert standard disclaimer here: A fan fiction
based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga series, Ranma 1/2.
The characters of Ranma 1/2 are the property of
Takahashi Rumiko and her licensees. All characters
portrayed in this story are owned by their
respective creators and companies. I don't own any
of them. Please don't sue me.

Genra: Ranma/Tenchi Muyo Alternate Reality,
cross-over.

Version notes:
Ver: 1.00 created: July 7 1999
Ver: 1.25 Major grammar corrections. Major
spelling corrections. Addition of Spam.
(What is Spam? Spiced Ham? I think not!)
Special thanks to Chad Walker for proof
reading.

C&C 12/7/99 - 14/7/99 (dd/mm/yy)
Chad Walker,csw...@hotmail.com(main)
csw...@mail.austasia.net (FFML /
alternate)
Ver: 1.30 Minor grammar corrections.
Ver: 1.99 Final revision. Better word wrap.
Completed July 28 1999
Ver: 1.999 Final revision. Better word wrap.
Completed 2001

Summary: Ranma is finally free of the fiancée mess and in a quest to
find a cure to his cure stumbles upon a place called the Masaki shrine.
There he meets a young pretty girl named Achika Masaki.

Tales of Ranma and Achika

The Girl who wasn't and the Princess who was.

Chapter 1.

It was a peaceful night at the Tendo residence.

Alone in the dojo, Ranma sat enjoying the moment which was all too
rare. Given an hour ago, anyone passing by would have heard the yells
and screams of 'tomboy' and 'pervert'. And who could forget the
resounding battle cry of 'Ranma no Baka!'

It was another fight, just like the others in a long string of never ending
mayhem. Ranma shook his head, which had yet another lump in it
thanks to 'Mallet-sama'. And that was the problem. In over the past
year of staying in the Tendo home, he and Akane were still fighting as
if he had just gotten there the day before.

"Nothing changes..." he sighed. It had been two months since the
failed wedding attempt. He had hoped that with such a drastic event,
everyone would finally see things in focus and realize that things had
just gone too far. He had also hoped against hope that Ukyou,
Shampoo, and Kodachi would finally give up on him, and that Akane
and he could finally come to an understanding.

"If only she wasn't so jealous, and short tempered, and could cook,
and..."

Things seemed to look better the first week after the wedding. Both
Shampoo and Ukyou had apologized for the destruction they had
caused. Akane had even stopped hitting him. But paradise didn't last,
and life got back to 'normal'.

The bickering, the arguing, the rivalries, all of it came back in full
force. He had forgiven everyone for all the trouble that they had
caused, and everyone took it as a sign to resume what they had been
doing before. Shampoo was back to her 'glomp of death', his father and
Mr. Tendo were again hounding him about the engagement, and Akane
was once more sending him on those one-way trips into the great blue
yonder.

Ukyou had come by that afternoon and before leaving had dropped off
one of her okonomiyaki specials for him. As luck would have it Akane
came home just in time to run into the 'cute' fiancée. Seeing the
package, the inevitable argument began. It ended with his foot in his
mouth and Akane's mallet on his head.

And that brought him back to the present.

"The Kami must hate me!" He groaned feeling the dull ache in his
head.

"A yen for your thoughts Ranma?" a voice asked.

"Hi mom," he replied facing her directio.

The handsome woman looked at her son fondly. Nodoka, matriarch of
the Satome clan was dressed in her usual kimono and the ever-present
Saotome family blade was strapped to her back.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked taking a seat in the dojo next
to him.

"I'm just trying to figure out why my life is so messed up." He said.

"Oh, is that all." Nodoka said smiling.

"You think I'm being silly don't you?"

"Not at all dear. But the way you put it, it seems that the weight of the
world is on your shoulders." (1)

"Well it feels like it."

"Is it because of the argument that you and Akane had? My son these
things happen..."

"But they've been happening for the past year now. After all we've
gone through, Akane and I are still at each other's throats. Then there's
Ukyou and Shampoo. They're still after me. I don't even want to
mention Kodachi. They just don't give up. If any or all of them ever
get together everything just explodes."

Ranma frowned. "Things have gotten so out of hand. I just don't know
what do any more. It's like my life is a leaking roof. I have one drip
coming down so I get a bucket to catch the water. But when I get there
another drip pops up. When I get a bucket for that, two more appear
and it just keeps going from there. I can't keep up anymore and I'm all
out of buckets."

Nodoka had never seen this side of her son before. He was best known
for his brashness, and arrogance. Ranma's tenacity, his refusal to give
up in front of any odds was his trademark. But what Nodoka heard
now, the tone in his voice, it conveyed the loneliness and despair within
his heart.

Doing only what a mother could do, she held him close to her and
gently rocked him. "I never knew Ranma, I never knew..." Nodoka
cursed herself. Her dreams, which she shared with Genma of joining
the two families, had blinded her from her son's pain. She had only the
best intentions, wishing that Ranma have a good wife by his side as he
walked the road of life. She had become quite fond of Akane during
her time with the Tendos. With the wedding, her wishes were almost
realized. But with that disaster, and now this... Her eyes were now
open.

"Thanks mom, I needed that." He quickly wiped his eyes. 'Crying was
un-manly', he reminded himself.

"Ranma, tell me something." Nodoka spoke. "What do you want to
do?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just wanted to know. If you could do anything you wanted. What
would it be?"

"I-I don't know..." He frowned. "What do you want me to do mom?
I'll do what ever you want."

"Oh, Ranma." She let out a rich laugh. "You are my treasure, and I am
so proud that you are my son. I know that, that which you hate most is
to see those whom you care for hurt. But I understand now that you
can't live your life based on the wishes of others."

"Mom..."

"Now close your eyes. That's right. Clear your mind. Forget about the
engagements, the fights, and the problems. Think about what you
want, Ranma. Look deep in your heart. What is it that you wish with
your life?"

With his eyes shut, Images flashed through his mind. Akane smiling at
him, Ukyou fixing him an okonomiyaki, even fighting with Ryoga.
The pictures jumbled in his mind. Then one by one they faded away
leaving only one image. It was what 'he' wanted.

"I... I want to find a cure for my curse," he said measuring his words
carefully.

"I know your feelings for the other girls, but what about Akane? I
know that you care for her the most, though you still wish to hide it."

"I care about her a lot... but I don't want to get married yet. At least
not the way I am now. When I do get married I don't want any one
forcing me to do so. I want to be cured. And maybe then it might be
her..."

Nodoka nodded her head. "I'm glad to hear you make your own
decisions now. You've grown to be a fine young man. Is it any wonder
why the girls chase you so?"

"Well, what good does it do me? You know how pop and Mr. Tendo
feel about the engagement. And besides that, family honor is at stake
also. I can't leave my responsibility. I'm right back where I started.
Nothing changes..." he sighed in resignation.

Nodoka studied her son, her expression serious. In a few moments she
had come to a decision, the hardest decision that she had to ever make.
But her mind was clear. 'Sometimes you just had to let go of the things
you love most'

"Don't be too sure of that Ranma. To live life, is to embrace change."

"I guess..." he said, unconvinced.

>From the house Kasumi's voice could be heard. "Everyone, dinner is
ready."

"Ranma." Nodoka spoke, stopping her son from getting up. "Sit with
me for a while longer. We rarely get to be together like this." 'And
these times will get rarer still' she thought to herself.

"Sure mom, I'd like that too."

****----***----****

"Another excellent dinner, Kasumi" Genma said patting his paunch.

"Just like your dear mother use to make!" Soun seconded, suppressing
a sob.

"Thank you Mr. Saotome. Thank you father." Kasumi said getting up.
"Would anyone like some more tea?"

"Kasumi dear, could you sit down for a moment? Every else please
remain seated. I have an announcement to make," Nodoka said.

All eyes turned to the older woman with interested looks. Ranma
raised an eyebrow. After their talk at the dojo, his mother had been
unusually quiet. Barely making conversation at the dinner table, only
to approve of Kasumi's meal. Even as he had fought his father over the
meal for the pieces of food, he read a troubled expression on her face,
which no one else seemed to notice.

"What's up mom?" He asked a bit warily.

"Ranma, this evening when we talked at the dojo, I finally understood
what you are facing and the stress it has put on you. What was once a
time-honored tradition of engaging your child to another in hopes of
bettering their lives has turned into a circus. The multiple fiancées, the
bitter disputes, and the curses have brought nothing but chaos and
destruction into your life. The failed wedding is proof of this." She
paused to glare at her husband.

Genma who was sitting next to Nodoka was beginning to sweat. His
eyes darted around the room looking for quick exits for an escape to.

Nodoka continued. "In trying to do what was best for my son, I made
the mistake of neglecting to ask him what he thought what was best for
him. I plan to remedy this mistake. Tonight I asked my son what 'he'
wanted. I had judged him as a man, and a man is responsible enough to
make his own decisions. Because of this, I have decided to no longer
support the engagement to the Tendo's, or any of the engagements that
my idiot husband has agreed to."

There was silence as everyone's minds raced to digest what Nodoka
had just said. Both Genma and Soun looked wide-eyed, disbelieving
what they had heard. Nabaki's eyes narrowed, thinking of the
repercussions that would soon follow. Akane felt a hollowness grow
within her. The hundreds of times which she had declared of never
wanting to marry Ranma were coming back to haunt her.

Ranma was just as shocked as the rest of the family. For almost the last
two years, his existence had revolved around the engagement to Akane.
Now the world was being turned upside down. 'Things are changing...'

It was Kasumi who broke the silence. "Oh my!" And the room
exploded.

"The two houses must be joined!" Genma and Soun echoed.

"Why don't you ask Ranma what he wants?" Nodoka suggested

"It doesn't matter what the boy wants! This is a matter of honor!"
Genma said clenching his fist in a noble pose.

"Ranma, you do want to marry my daughter Akane? Don't you?" Soun
pleaded. He was on the verge of bursting into tears.

Ranma glanced back and forth between his father, Mr. Tendo and his
mother. Then he saw Akane's face.

"Ranma?" the youngest Tendo daughter questioned. Her expression
was void of any emotion.

"Akane, I..." He felt himself faltering. Then his mother's words came
to him. '...you can't live your life based on the wishes of others.'

"Akane, I don't want to marry you. I'm not ready for it. I want to do
some things for myself first. Like find a cure for my curse. I'm
sorry..." He turned his face away, and looked down at the floor.

"I see," she said. Her voice was cracking. She got up from the table.
"Please excuse me everyone. I-I have some homework I need to
finish..." She quickly ascended the stairs, hurrying so that no one
would see the tears.

"Now the two schools will never be joined!!!" Soun wailed, as soon as
Akane left.

"Chear up Soun!" Genma said consoling his friend. "Ranma might not
marry Akane, but you still have two other daughters."

The two remaining girls looked at each other.

"Father," Kasumi said.

"Daddy," Nabiki said.

Before either could continue, Nodoka interjected. "Don't worry
yourselves girls. No one will force you into a marriage you don't want
either. "

They both looked at her gratefully and quickly excused themselves.

"Genma, I said that I would no longer support any of the engagements."
She said dangerously.

"But dear, " Genma said, cringing from his wife. "The honor of the
Saotome family is at stake. The pledge that Tendo and I made stated
that our children would marry to unite the schools. I cannot take back
my word. To do so would plunge the Saotome name into shame."

"And what about the other engagements? Did you plan on just
conveniently forgetting them?

"Well I... er..." Grabbing a glass of water, he splashed himself. He
pulled out his sign saying <I'm just a cute panda>

Nodoka shook her head wearily. "Genma, you foolish man you. How
could you have been so careless with our son's welfare? Your
unthinking actions have forced my hand." She paused trying to
compose herself.

"So that my son will be free of the obligations that my husband has
unjustly placed on him, and so that the Saotome honor can be
maintained, I here by disown my son Ranma from the Saotome clan.

"Mom!" Ranma gasped.

A faint "Oh my." Was heard from upstairs.

"Genma! Do something!" Soun begged.

Panda sign. <Nodoka, be reasonable!>

"I'm sorry Ranma, but this is the only way, "Nodoka said.

"But I don't want to lose you."

"Lose me? No Ranma, you can never lose me. I have loved you since
that day you were born. I have loved you though we were apart for ten
years, and I shall always love you. Your life is your own now Ranma.
What you make of it is up to you."

"Thank you mother." He gave her a hug.

"That will be the last that you will be able to call me that, Ranma. And
this will be that last time that I can call you my son..."

Giving her a kiss on the cheek, Ranma excused himself and ran up the
stairs to pack his things.

(-------------------------------------------------)

It was a clear day.

At least it was clear now. A spring shower had come by earlier, lasting
only long enough to soak a certain martial artist and trigger a certain
curse. Ranma wasn't surprised. She was use to being a 'water magnet'.

Ranma took a deep breath of the fresh air marching along with a firm
stride. She wore her usual red shirt and ankle tied black pants. On her
back she also carried a massive backpack holding the few worldly
possessions she had.

Sunlight filtered down through the emerald branches of the trees
painting the ground in marble patterns of light and shade. She enjoyed
the quiet solitude of the forest as she walked.

Three weeks had passed since she had left the Tendo home. Mr. Tendo
was an inconsolable wreck. Her father seemed no better. She found
out that his mother and father were also moving out of the Tendo home
shortly after her. Nodoka had decided that they could no longer impose
upon the Tendo's.

She had left on good terms with Kasumi and Nabiki, both of them
wishing her well. Akane wasn't there to send her off though.

Even now she could see the pain on Akane's face.

****----***----****

"Akane?" Ranma said speaking to the wooden duck with her name
carved on it. "Akane, it's me. I... I just wanted to talk. Akane?" He
knocked on the door a few more times.

He took a breath. "Akane, I just wanted to apologize for everything.
The engagement, the fights... You're not uncute or a tomboy. And
your definitely not built like a brick. I just said those things to get back
at you for the things you did to me... I'm sorry, Akane. Good-bye," he
said. With a sigh he headed down the stairs.

Just then, the door opened. "Ranma..."

"Akane..." He could tell that she had been crying.

"You're not a pervert, of a sex-changing-freak," She said looking at him
forcing a smile. "But you're still a jerk."

"And you can't cook." He said returning the smile. He instantly
regretted what he said, seeing her expression. "Akane, I didn't..."

"It's all right Ranma..." sadness showed on her face.

Ranma saw this and tried his best to console her. "Akane, you got
nothing to worry about now. Nobody's going to force you to do things
any more. And you don't have to worry about Kodachi and Shampoo
trying to kill you or poison you. Besides, who'd want to marry a sex
changing pervert like me anyway?" he said jokingly.

Before he could do anything, he found Akane on top of him. He closed
his eyes, expecting a mallet, for having put his foot in his mouth again.
It never came. Instead he felt something warm and soft touch his lips.

Akane stepped back breaking the kiss. "I would have." She said,
answering his question.

Ranma stood there dumfounded. "Akane, I... I..."

"Ranma no baka" Akane said softly. She turned her face, which was
wet with tears. And with a 'click' the door was closed.

****----***----****

'It's not too late. I could still go back...' she thought to herself. Ranma
felt her resolve crumble, as Akane's face formed in her mind. But then
another voice spoke within her.

'That part of your life is over. It is time to move on. Isn't this what you
wanted? Freedom? Change? Will you give up your dreams so easily?'

And then all was clear, the last traces of uncertainty were banished.
She continued her pace with firm purpose. With that, she closed that
chapter of her life.

Ranma unfolded her map. The most obvious place to begin her search
for a cure would have been China. This is why that early on she had
decided that it would be the last place she would go to. She was quite
sure that the moment she set foot in China, she would be facing
Shampoo, Cologne, and the might of the entire Amazon tribe. Once
she had exhausted all her options in Japan she would only then consider
going to China.

She had already come up with some possible leads for a cure. While
searching in one of the public libraries, there had been some references
to an old book that was suppose to have been able to grant three wishes
to the person who found it. It was called the "Book of Four Gods of the
Earth and Sky".

Another possibility Ranma picked up on was some information on
strange occurrences of demons roaming around Juuban. Battling the
demons were a group of young girls calling themselves the Sailor
Senshi. Their leader was some chick named Sailor Moon who had
supposedly healed people of demon possession.

The last place on her list of most likely places was a small holy shrine
located within rural regions of Japan. There had been some written
accounts of various people traveling there to pray for cures for various
afflictions. A number of them were actually healed.

Coming to a decision on which trail to follow first, Ranma had picked
the third one. She had enough experience with wishes gone wrong, or
not coming out the way the user intended. And her ego just wouldn't
let her go crawling to a bunch of underdressed girls for help.

'Hmm... I'm pretty close now.' She looked at the unfolded map on the
ground. Judging from where she was, she guessed that she was only a
little less than twenty miles from her goal. She was confident that she
could get there before the day was out, with time to spare.

'Thank Kami I'm not like Ryoga. No way in hell I'd ever find this
place.' She carefully folded up the map, placing it in one of the pockets
of her backpack. Somewhere out there, a certain martial artist with
fangs sneezed. (2)

Checking to make sure that everything was secure, Ranma started out
again. She bounded through the woods, strong legs carrying her over,
bushes, rocks, and trees as she made her way to the Masaki shrine. (3)

****----***----****

A faint blush of red touched the afternoon sky over the Masaki shrine.

Most of the patrons had gone for the day. And except for a young girl
sweeping the steps the place would have been deserted.

She dressed in a garb befitting that of a Shinto shrine maiden. Her long
black hair was done up in a ponytail, which reached down her back.
With a morose expression, she swept the ground.

'Nothing changes,' Achika Masaki, daughter of Katsuhito Masaki, the
keeper of the Masaki shrine, thought to herself. Tending the shrine had
been a routine part of her life ever since she was a little girl. She had
nothing against the traditions of the shrine; it was just that tradition was
so boring.

It happened every summer as school ended. While other children
enjoyed their vacation with outings and trips, she spent her time
tending the family shrine. She didn't mind the work though. In fact she
took her responsibilities very seriously. It was the lack of her friends,
which she found difficult.

The Shrine was located in one of the last remaining untouched areas of
Japan, hidden from the modern world. Its remote location made
visiting friends difficult at best. Sometimes her friends did come to
visit, staying over for a time. But there was little at the shrine to keep
teenage girls occupied, namely teenage boys.

Achika sighed as she resigned herself to another vacation of peaceful
solitude.

Her peaceful solitude was broken when she felt a touch on her
shoulder.

"Excuse me?" a voice, said.

"Eeep!!!" Achika jumped. She hadn't heard anyone behind her. She
spun around, taking her broom and gripping it like a sword.

"Ack!" Exclaimed the redheaded girl now in front of her. She
instantly leaned back to avoid the wild swing of the broom. As she did
so, the massive backpack she carried caused her to lose balance. The
redhead fell backwards with a thump!

Achika's eyes widened, as her heart got back to its normal pace. "Are
you all right?" She asked the prone form in front of her.

"Uuuuggh..." replied the fallen girl struggling to sit up right.

Achika dropped the broom and was quickly by the girl's side. "Here,
let me help you. I'm sorry about that. I didn't hear you come up behind
me."

"No problem." Said the girl, sitting up. "It was my fault. I didn't mean
to startle ya. I tried to get your attention before, but ya didn't hear me."

"I guess I was daydreaming." Achika said lamely.

"Yeah, I do that a lot too." The redhead smiled as she stood up.

"Well in any case, welcome to the Masaki shrine," Achika said bowing.
"I'm Achika Masaki, my father is the priest here." She returned the
smile.

"Hi, I'm Ranm... Ranko!" she said scratching the back of her head.
"Pleased to meet
ya! You got a very nice place here. I really hope that it's not
customary to attack the visitors," she said wryly.

Achika found Ranko's laughter contagious. Soon both of them were
laughing. She noticed that Ranko laughed out loud, with out restraint,
like a boy would. The redhead wore Chinese cloths, which were a little
large though snug enough to show off her form. And, judging from
that large pack she carried, Ranko was stronger than she looked.

"What brings you to the Masaki shrine?" Achika inquired.

"Well, I... just wanted to see what's here. I read about this place in
some books. It seemed very special. I wanted to find out for myself.
Would it be ok if I looked around?"

'I could always finish my chores later,' Achika thought. Besides, she
missed being around others her own age. "How about I show you the
place, Ranko?"

"Really? That would be great."

Achika smiled. "Follow me then."

****----***----****

Two girls walked down a dirt trail through the woods.

"It's very peaceful here," Ranko said.

"Yes, it is." Achika sighed, recalling her dilemma.

"Is something wrong with that?

"Nothing, I guess, if you like it. But it's always like that here. Nothing
exciting ever happens. Every year it's the same thing. Just another
peaceful summer."

"Ya won't hear me complaining." Ranko shut her eyes enjoying the
calm.

"So, Ranko, where are you from?"

"Nerima..."

"What's it like there?"

"Pretty hectic. So many things going on at once that it was hard to
keep track of all of everything. It's good to finally get away."

"I guess that saying is true."

"What saying?"

"The grass is always greener..." Achika laughed.

"I guess so," Ranko said rubbing her chin and smiling.

"We're here." Achika said after a few more minutes of walking. She
stopped in front of a cave decorated with wards.

"What is this place?" Ranko asked. Something about the cave place
caused her some unease.

"This is the demon cave of the Masaki shrine."

"Demon?"

"Um-hum. It's the legend of how the Masaki shrine was founded.
Almost seven hundred years ago a demon fell to the earth. It was an
evil creature, large enough to walk over mountains, strong enough to
pick them up and crush them. Its eyes burned with anger and it shot
out fire from its mouth. Ryoko was its name.

No one could stop it, and it seemed that the world was fated to be
destroyed. But then a warrior flew down from the heavens, riding a
ship in the shape of a dragon. He carried a sword of light in hands, and
set forth to slay the demon. The warrior's name was Yosho.

Yosho and Ryoko fought for two days and two nights. It was on the
third day that Ryoko was finally defeated. Yosho placed the remains of
the demon in this very cave, and sealed the place with his sword. Since
that time, Yosho's descendants have cared for the shrine."

"Ahhh..." Ranko said. "Wish I could have seen the fight."

"It's true!" Achika said defensively. She thought she was being teased.
Her friends had laughed, the times they had come up to visit her, when
she had told the story. She couldn't blame them because it did sound
like something out of a fairy tail. But she had been told the story ever
since she could remember. And the way her father had told it made it
seem all the more real.

"I believe you," Ranko said seriously. "I... I can feel it. I think it's
watching us."

Achika smiled. "Yes, when ever I come here I sense I'm being
watched. When I was a little girl, I played a game and talked to
Ryoko." She walked up to the mouth of the cave and bowed. "I'm
sorry to disturb you Ryoko. I just wanted to show my friend around."
Achika felt a slight breeze as if in response.

"Did Ryoko ever talk back to you?" Ranko asked.

"I believe so..."

As they left the cave, Achika caught something from the corner of her
eye. "I'll see you later, Ryoko," she said softly to the fleeting image.
"Come on, I'll show you the rest of the place."

"Lead on then," Ranko said cheerfully.

They continued chatting as Achika finished the tour. Though she had
just met Ranko she felt comfortable talking to the redhead. It was just
easy to talk to her. Ranko's face read like a book. The sincerity of her
expressions conveyed a feeling of trust, which was usually reserved for
close friends.

But despite her openness, Ranko was still a bit of an enigma. First of
all, what would a girl like her be doing at the shrine? It just wasn't
something normal girls her age do. 'Heck, I'd rather be some where
else' Achika thought. Second, whenever the question of family came
up, Ranko kept avoiding the subject, and a hollow expression came
over her. Not wanting to pry, any more Achika changed the subject.

"So Ranko, what are you interested in?"

"Martial arts," She said simply.

"Really?" Achika said a bit surprised. "My father practices Kendo,
and I know a little bit myself. What form do you study?"

"All of them," Ranko said brightly.

At first she thought Ranko was joking, but then she saw the look on her
face. "You're not kidding, are you?"

"Nope. I've been training since I could walk. Pop taught me a lot of
stuff, and I picked up a few tricks along the way." She demonstrated
with a quick kata.

"Your very good." Achika complimented. Any doubts she had were
gone. Though the kata was a simple one, Ranko had moved with the
grace and strength of a true martial artist. A master even, as she
compared Ranko's proficiency in the art with her father's skill in the
Masaki style of kendo.

"What's this place?" Ranko asked bringing Achika out of her thoughts.

"Huh...oh..." Achika found herself in a familiar area, a small pond of
blue water. At the center was a large tree, decorated with prayer strips.
There were stone steps leading from the shore to the tree.

"This is the Masaki holy tree."

"Aaahhh!!!" Ranko exclaimed. An excited look came over the girl's
face. "Is it true about this tree being able to cure people?"

Achika nodded her head. "Yes, there have been some incidents where
people came here to be healed of one thing or another. Sometimes the
people were healed, and other times they weren't. It's also said that you
can also pray for rain to the tree also."

"Do you... do you know if the tree can cure curses?"

"I'm not sure. But I wouldn't be surprised if it could. It's very special."
Then something came to Achika's mind. "You seem pretty interested
in the tree, Ranko. Is that why you came here? Do you have
something you what to have cured?"

"I... " Ranko shied away from her.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." She apologized upon seeing Rankos reaction.

"It's ok. But it's something I'd rather not talk about..."

Achika looked concerned. She remembered how ill some of the
visitors had been. Coming to the shrine had been their last chance. A
desperate hope.

'What could be wrong with Ranko? Is she sick? She looks so healthy.'
Achika studied the girl.

"Ranko, my father knows more about the history of the tree than I do.
When he gets back you could ask him whatever you want. He might be
able to help you find what your looking for."

"That would be great Achika." The girl instantly livened up. "Would it
be alright if I stayed here a little while?"

"Sure, Ranko. Please stay as long as you like. I still have some chores
to finish anyway.
Just follow the trail when you're finished. It will lead you back to the
shrine."

"Thanks for the tour, Achika."

"It was my pleasure." Achika smiled. Walking back, she thought more
about the girl she had met. Ranko, a brash, fiery, cheerful young girl.
But Achika saw a hidden sadness that the redhead carried. Ranko had
come to the shrine looking for something. Achika hoped that she
would find what she was looking for. Whatever the case, at least she
made a new friend.

****----***----****

Galaxy Police headquarters, the future.

The sirens were blaring and red lights flashed through the corridors of
the expansive complex.

As the tech officers frantically struggled to find the source of the alert,
the Grand
Marshal entered the command room.

"What's going on here? What is the cause of this?" The lion faced
Marshal asked.

"We are tracing the source of the alarm now sir." One tech said.

"It's coming through. The source is originating from... oh my god..."
the man at the terminal paled. "Main detention block, c-central
containment. It's a breach in the security field!"

The Marshal's face became a mask of worry. 'No... it can't be..."

"Sir, it's Kain!!!"

End (for now)

Spam notes:

(1) Washu <appears from nowhere>: Not literally the
entire world, but it would take a Herculean effort
to tolerate this situation. <Nodoka facefaults.>
Ranma: Please don't tell me you're another fiancee.
Washu: Heh, heh, heh. Of course I am, Ranma. So
you shouldn't have a problem with giving me a
'sample'...

(2) Ryouga: Where am I now? Man: You're in Hay.
Ryouga: Why's it so hot? Man: 'Hay, Hell, and
Booligal; the three hottest places on Earth.'
Ryouga: Huh? Man: It's just a quote I heard.
Ryouga: Booligal? I've never been there...

Well, he has seen hell...

(3) Over *trees*!? *Over* trees!? Yeah well, he's
Ranma, nuff said!

Story notes: I have been a fan of Ranma 1/2 and
Tenchi Muyo for some time now. I have enjoyed
reading fan-fic crossovers where the two casts
interact. But it was always the same thing, one
chaotic world collides with another to form one big
mess. So with this little experiment, I being the
all powerful god that I am, changed the timeline
just a tad. Ranma appears just a little bit earlier
in the Tenchi time line than he usually does. Where
could this possible go? I'd like to find out
myself.

Author's notes:

This concludes the first part of what I hope
will be a continuing series. Weather it continues
or not, will depend of the response to this piece or
work. Please feel free to flood my e-mail account
with various letters burning me in effigy. I look
forward to any "Creative Criticism" my pears are
willing to offer.

Cr...@alum.rpi.edu