Ok all here is chapter three all spell checked as well as grammar fixed for
you.
Thank you Gary.  I really do appreciate it.  Anyways I would, as always
appreciate
any comments you have to say about this.  It is already up on my homepage,
but without the fixes so you can see what poor Gary had to had to put up with
here.  Anyway I will be writing much faster starting soon, for school is
almost
out for the year.  And aside from my job I should have a fair amount of free
time.
Anyways here it is.  Enjoy!!



	The horse stumbled jolting Ranma's memories to a halt.
Grumbling to himself he reached up an suprisingly dainty havd to
push the wet matted hair out of his eyes.  Well, the rest of that
fateful night had been rather uneventful.  He had walked the old
fool back to his room in the hayloft, stoping by the pantry to
take some food.  As usual Aunt Nodoka had caught them, and as 
repayment the storyteller had offered to go to the nearest town,
Upper Gralt, to buy some spices for her.  Well, he had also made
the one offer that Ranma should have refused, he offered to take
Ranma with him.  And with a little cajoling and wheedling it was
decided that Ranma could accompany him.  Much to Ranma's eternal
regret.

Chapter 3  Divergent Paths
All characters belong to those who created them.  These
being Eddings and Rumiko Takahashi.

	The day of the trip had dawned beautifully, the
crimson sky slowly giving way to the azure sky of spring.
Ranma woke early, his excitement evident to all at the
breakfast table.  After eating he went to the barn to
join the storyteller(who oddly enough didn't seem to have
a proper name like other folk).

	The horses were all hitched to the farm's wagon
and all was ready for the almost day long trip.  The 
storyteller looked up from the corner where he appeared
to be dozing.  "Well, boy, are you ready to go?  Well, come
on then let's not keep the horses waiting, shall we."

	The ride up was long and the landscape, while 
pictorial, was quite monotonous.  For a while the storyteller
passed the time with his stories.  Finally Ranma asked a 
question that had been bothering him for a long time.

	"Why don't you have a proper name?  All I have ever
heard you called is Old Bear by Aunt Nodoka.  But otherwise
I don't think I have ever heard you called anything."

	"Well boy I have many names, when you have been
around long enough you acquire names.  And some change them
as often as one might a hat."

	"Well then what should I call you?  I feel a little
silly just calling you 'Hey you'."

	"Your right, that would be a little aquward.  Well
then, what would you like to call me?"

	"Hmm...well Aunt Nodoka calls you Old Bear, so why
don't I call you Mr. Bear.  No that doesn't sound quite right."

	"Well let's see here how about Mr. Panda,  I think 
it suits me just fine.  Don't you think, Ranma my boy."

	"Mmhh," Ranma mmhhed giggling,"perfect.  I have a question
about your story the other night.  How does it end, you never
finished it.  And it is silly nobody could live as long as Belgenma
he would be oh I don't know how old today."

	"Well for your first question, the story doesn't have
an ending yet, because it hasn't ended.  And Belgenma would be
about seven thousand now."

	"Now that's impossible, no one can live to seven thousand the
oldest man in the entire district lives over on Akira's farm and he
must be at least 80 by now.  I heard Durnic say so."

	"And Nerima is quite a large district isn't it.  And you are
how old?"

	"I am seven." Ranma replied slightly sheepishly, "But I will
be eight next easteride."

	"I see and you must be a very smart boy to have learned just
what is possible in seven years.  Though many stout and reasonable
people would agree with you.  Many reasonable people who will live
their entire lives without one extraordinary thing happening to them,
who will be completely happy with their lives.  Don't be surprised
if some day fate calls upon you to take some role in her game.  Yes
you, boy, don't give me that look.  I know that you might wish to
live a normal life, and you very possibly may, but then again you
might not.  Now, boy, would you like to hear another story?"

	From that point on the trip was uneventful with 'Mr. Panda'
telling stories about far off lands, beautiful princesses and even
a dragon or two.

Note:Sorry about Mr. Panda anyone have a better idea please let me
know.

				***

	The town of Upper Gralt was, to Ranma, a very fine place.
The townsfolk in their fine clothes sitting outside on their porches
seemed to him the finest people that he had ever seen.  "This is a 
very fine place isn't it Mr. Panda?"

	"I suppose, it is a town much like any other.  What do you
say about going to the inn and getting something to eat?"

	"Well I am a little hungry."

	As they approached the inn Ranma looked at the sign that had
what was probably supposed to be a bundle of grapes on it.  Underneath
it there was some writing.  "What does the sign say?"

	"What, can't you read it for yourself?"

	"No sir, I was never taught."

	"What!  Your aunt has some explaining to do.  She has been
neglecting her duties.  Well, we will have to see about that when
we get back won't we my boy?"

	"You mean Aunt Nodoka knows how to read?"

	"Yes she does, though she thinks it a waste of time and
doesn't see much use for it.  I shall definitely have to talk
with her when we return.  Now let's eat."

	The in was dark and smoky.  There were a number of tables
about the room with but few patrons present.  One man had his head
on the table snoring quietly in a small puddle of his own drool.

	All in all the meal wasn't what Ranma was used to.  The
roast was obviously cooked earlier in the week, and even the milk
(which Ranma had protested to drinking) was watered down.

			     ***

	Aunt Nodoka's spice merchant wasn't far from the inn, just
a couple of muddy streets down.  As they drew near they noticed
there was a carriage outside with two rather large (if stupid looking)
guards standing next to it.  Ranma couldn't help but notice 
Mr Panda's curse at seeing them.

	"What is it Mr. Panda, what is wrong?"

	"Those men, they are Thulls.  And that means that a Murgo
is inside talking to the spice merchant.  Well I suppose we should
get what was on your Aunt Nodoka's list, but I don't think we will
be staying here tonight like I had planned, boy.  We are leaving as
soon as we are done here."

	The Thulls eyed them warily as they entered the merchants
shop.  The interior was dim and as they entered they rang the bell
on the door which hushed the voices from the other room.  Two
figures emerged.  One was a man in rather colorful clothes with
graying hair who was obviously the merchant they had come to do
business with, the other was a younger looking man with a dark
coloration dressed all in black.

	The merchant hurried toward them.  "Well now sir what can I
do for you today.  If your list is too long I am afraid you will have
to come back tomorrow, for at the moment I am quite busy.  Yes quite
busy.  So sir what do you need?"  His voice was dry and quite nervous
sounding.

	Much to Ranma's surprise, an old feeble voice spoke from beside
him.  "Well kind sir my mistress sent me here and she gave me a list
it is here somewhere."  The merchant fidgeted as Mr Panda fumbled
through his clothes.  "Ah here it is sir, not much."

	The merchant gave the list a cursory glance,"Ah yes I will have
no problem filling this, I will be right back."  And he hurried off
into the other room.

	The Murgo emerged from the shadows of the room.  "What is your
name boy?"

	"Hiroshi sir." Ranma quickly lied.  If Mr Panda didn't want
them to know who they were he wasn't going to give them away.

	"Are you from around here boy, you don't look it." 

	"Well sir my father was an Arend he was, they say I take
after him in looks.  Now my brother he looks more like my mother.
He got into trouble the other week for snooping around the farmhouse.
Gerd gave him a sound whipping.  Gerd has a strong arm two.  He is
the farm smith and when..."

	"Enough boy quiet.  Here take this.  Unfortunately brains
can not be bought."  He tossed a coin onto the ground which Mr
Panda took and passed to Ranma.  Though the coin Ranma received
was not the one tossed by the Murgo, having a noticeably different
stamp on it.

	The merchant chose that moment to return with a bag which
he handed off to Mr Panda for a few coins.

	After they left the shop and had retrieved their cart Mr
Panda turned and looked at him with a stiff expression.  "And 
what were you doing back there boy?"

	"Well sir you were acting like someone else so I figured
you didn't want them to know who we were, did I do something wrong?"

	Mr Panda's expression softened considerably, "No, boy, you
did just the right thing, sorry I snapped at you.  You did the right
thing, but we must be going now.  Come, boy."


	The ride home was long and uneventful.  Basically for some
odd reason Mr Panda didn't want to talk, which worried Ranma incessantly.
Although despite his worries Ranma fell asleep somewhere on the way home.

				***

	"Wake up Ranma...wake up.  You need to get to your bed."

	The voice was his aunt.  He smiled bleary eyed at her and
slowly made his way into the house without much help.  He tried to
go back to sleep, but after aunt Nodoka left the room he lay there
listening to every little creak of the familiar house.  After a bit
he heard voices from the other room.  Aunt Nodoka and Mr Panda
arguing over something.  He strained to make out what they said.

	"...was a Murgo at your spice merchants today."

	"Was he a Grolim?"

	"Not even I can tell that with certainty.  You know that.
Even so I don't think that the boy is safe here any longer.  I am
taking him with me when I leave tomorrow, at first light."

	"NANI!!?!?  You can't do that.  You know the deal, old man,
this generation is mine to raise."

	"You have been neglecting your duties, little girl.  The boy
can't even read yet.  You should have taught him that ages ago.  If
there is even the slightest chance he is the one we must prepare
him."

	"Whatever you old fool.  Very well I will teach him...
There are you satisfied?"

	"You have had your chance.  You failed.  The boy is no
longer safe here.  The Murgos are everywhere.  They travel about
disguised as honest merchants.  I had thought your little backwater
beneath their notice, but apparently it is not.  Tomorrow I am
leaving and the boy comes with me.  And that is final!  I will
teach him, he will be a man among men.  This I swear upon our lives."

	"Very well.  He may leave with you, but know I will hold
you to that promise old man.  I shall keep my sword sharp awaiting
your return."


End chapter 3

Next - Chapter 4 Long Journeys

Well I hope you enjoyed this.  All previous chapters can be found
on my homepage at http://members.aol.com/HHDeNi/index.html