"Hello, don�t everybody greet us at once."  The
call rang out across the clearing, startling Ranma.  Spinning
around, she recognized who it was, they were here.  Genma
waved, making Ranma�s anger boil up, but it was reined in
when he saw her, Nodoka.  Taking a step towards her, he
stopped.  Hold on!  She doesn�t recognize me, and I�m not
supposed to know her.  Damn you old man.  Hold on, who came
with him?  Is that?  Yes, it�s Durnik, standing beside Nodoka
looking protective and confused at the same time.  And
there, that�s...that�s, yes it�s Ukyou.  But what was she
doing here, her and Durnik for that matter.  She looked
positively furious too, not to mention completely washed
out.  Ranma was startled by the sudden appearance of Silk and
Barak, "Hello!" Barak rumbled rather loudly to the group.
Suprisingly, Ukyou crumpled to the ground when he appeared like
a rag doll.  Her trip to the forest floor was interrupted by
Durnik who held her protectively and cast an evil glare in
Baraks direction.

The Ranmariad Chapter 7:Anger and Night

No one in this story belongs to me.  This is a crossover
between Ranma 1/2 and the Belgariad by David Eddings.
All characters belong to their creators.  I have no
money, so don't sue me ok?
You can find the previous chapters at my webpage
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/3488/index.html
Note: Everything inside /..../ is a disembodied voice.
AKA the prophecy.  Another note when imagining the voice
of the prophecy imagine Cologne.  Thanks

	"What, I was just trying to be friendly." He said
somewhat defensively.  "How was I supposed to know that I
would scare her?"
	"Enough of that."  Genma suddenly interrupted.  "Let�s
just set the girl down and try to revive her."  He then shot a
quick glance in Ranmas direction and arched one eyebrow,
"Cooking, Ranko?"
	Sitting up defensively Ranma shot back, "Well it�s
not like I�d let them cook dinner you know.  If I had let
these two do it we�d have steak and beer for dinner.  Which
I might add is a fair sight better than what you could cook."
	Hearing what was being said about her taste in food
Silk turned toward �Ranko�, "What?  Can�t a girl get a little
beer now and then.  And what in the world is wrong with steak?"
	"Sure you can have all the beer you want for all I
care, but it just doesn�t agree with me that�s all.  Now as
for steak, there is nothing wrong with it at all.  But it
does get a little monotonous eating the same thing all the
time doesn�t it?"
	"Hey, everyone!  She�s waking up."  Durnik yelled across
the clearing. Ranma hurried to over to join him.

                                      *** 

	As Ukyou came to, she was handed a bowl of some kind of thick
stew.  "Huh, wah, where's the giant?" she asked nervously, still
not quite over her recent shock.
	Walking up beside her, Nodoka tried to comfort her, "Ukyou,
dear.  He's not a giant, just a Cherek.  They�re all big over
there, so don't worry about it he won't eat you."
	"She's right you know." The voice came from her other side.
Glancing over, she saw another strange girl, "Our hairy friend
there is completely harmless I assure you.  Well, at least he's
completely harmless to us that is."  Somehow, Ukyou didn't find
that comforting at all.
	The girl turned to Genma and shouted to get his attention,
"Hey Genma!  Aren't you going to introduce us, or are we going
to have to figure it out ourselves.  I'd really like to know the
names of my traveling companions if it's all the same to you."
	At this, Aunt Nodoka looked at Genma as well, "Yes old man.
I think it's about time you introduced us to your other friends."
	"Yes Nodoka." He said in a singsongy, childish voice.  "This
young lady is Silk," this while gesturing at the girl beside
Ukyou, "though I'd wager she'd take offense at the term.  She's
thief, a spy and she knows it."
	Silk cut in at that point, "And who says that you can't be a
theif and still be a lady?"
	Slightly flustered Genma continued, "Um...yes well, your giant
there goes by the name of Barak.  And that lovely little girl over
there by the fire is, oddly enough, a dryad named Xdera."  
	Glaring over her shoulder at Genma, Xdera called out, "I told
you to call me Ranko, you old fool.  Can't you even remember that,
or are you getting senile in your old age.  And another thing, don't
call me a little girl."
	Frowning, Genma continued, "Lovely girl.  Anyway, in case
you haven't guessed already I'm Genma.  Now, my dear Nodoka, why
don't you introduce your little troupe."
	Looking slightly annoyed, Nodoka took up the introductions,
"This man is Goodman Durnik, and the girl is my adopted
daughter, Ukyou.  Now, where is Ranma, old man, or do I have to force
it out of you?" Her hand moved slightly towards her katana.
	"Now now...no need to do anything...um...hasty dear.  You
needn�t get hostile.  I swear he's perfectly fine.  He was injured
on in a trip to Mooisa, and is recuperating nicely in that
monstrosity that they call a palace down in Algaria.  So you see,
there is nothing to get worried over."
	"You didn't send him _there_ did you?  Because if you did...
You know what could happen to him there, don't you."
	"Yes, yes dear I assure you he's fine.  Don't worry about it.
Now, let's eat dinner shall we."
	As Ukyou moved to get a closer seat to the fire, she glared
over at Ranko, who shot back a rather bemused look.  Ha, thought
Ukyou, as if she doesn't know what she did to me.  Stealing my 
Ranchan.  Her thoughts were disrupted when the present object of
her anger sat down...right next to her.

                                      *** 

	Ranma was completely confused.  He couldn't figure out what
he had done to get Ukyou so mad.  He couldn't even think of why she
was here for that matter.  Well, he thought to himself, there�s
only one way to find out.  That worked out, he moved to sit down
right next to his childhood friend.  "So... um Ukyou right?  Well,
I was wondering...  You see... um... why are you so angry at me?"
	Looking at her incredulously, Ukyou inwardly fumed.  After a short
pause she looked at Ranko her glare dripping daggers and proceded to
tell her _exactly_ why she was so angry with her, "What do you mean
'Why am I angry'?  Isn't that obvious.  You are here, that's my problem,
you little slut.  It was bad enough that when I thought you were just
some little girl who had stolen my Ranchan away from me.  But now I
know that you're a Dryad, and that's even worse.  I mean, I've heard
stories about you.  You don't have any men so you have to go and steal
other peoples men to...to...satisfy yourselves with, and have children.
How dare you take my Ranma."  With that she slapped Ranko, hard.
It took a few moments, but she realized that everyone was staring at
her.  Thinking on what she'd just said, Ukyou stood up and ran to one
of the tents in embarrassment.
	Outside, Ranko just sat there looking confused with one hand
held up to her cheek.  It was fairly obvious to anyone looking at
her that she didn't have a clue as to what had just happened.
Taking pity on the poor dear, Nodoka sat down next to her.  "Don't
worry dear I'm sure that she didn't really mean it.  Ukyou has just
had a hard life since Ranma left, and with these past two days I'm
sure she's just been under a lot of stress the past few days.  I'll
go and talk with her and see if I can't straighten things out.  By
the way, that dinner was very good.  My compliments to your
teacher.  It certainly wasn't Genma." With a little laugh, Nodoka
walked over to the tent for a little talk with Ukyou.
	Ranko still sat there with a very confused expression on her
face, though she wasn't holding her cheek anymore.

                                      *** 

	Ukyou lay on her pad crying.  How could she have been so
mean, so blind.  That poor girl obviously didn't have a clue as to
why she was yelling at her.  Now Ukyou felt horrible and she couldn't
say anything to Ranko. "She must hate me!" Ukyou sniffed rather
noisily.
	A voice at the tent flap softly intruded upon her self misery.
"Ukyou dear, it's me.  I think we need to talk."
	"Come in."
	Nodoka entered quietly, sat down and did nothing, said nothing,
but just let Ukyou cry on her shoulder.  After a time, the crying
came to a slow stop, and Nodoka gently spoke, "So, Ukyou, do you
want to talk about it?" 
	"Oh Nodoka." Ukyou almost wailed, "That poor girl, she had no
idea what I was talking about, did she?"
	"No, I'm afraid she didn't.  But that doesn't mean you can't
be friends."
	"Nodoka, she probably never wants to speak to me again in her
life.  How could we ever be friends?"
	"There now, I'm sure she understands you've been upset lately.
She'll forgive you, just give her a chance.  Besides you're probably
the only person she will really be able to talk to.  The rest of us
are really too old to have much in common with her, you know.  Well
except for Silk, but for some reason I think that Silk makes her
uncomfortable."
	"But, what would I say to her?  I was so mean and spiteful."
	"Well I'm sure it will take a bit more than this, but a good
place to start is always 'I'm sorry.'  But that can wait until morning.
Right now I think you need some rest."
	"Goodnight Aunt Nodoka."
	"Sleep well, Ukyou."  And with that Nodoka left the tent to rejoin
the group outside by the fire.
	As she lay there waiting for sleep to overtake her, Ukyou heard
snippets of the conversation outside.  She couldn't make much of
it, just the fact that they were going to head for Darine in the
morning.  When sleep overcame her at last, she welcomed the darkness
for tomorrow she would have to face her.  But that was tomorrow.

                                      ***

	As Nodoka returned to the campfire, Barak asked, "Well Mistress
Nodoka, did you find out what that was all about?"
	"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did Barak.  Years ago, Ranma was
good friends with Ukyou, and though he didn't know it, he was also
engaged to her." At this, there was a startled little gasp from Ranko,
lost in the crackle of the fire; however, Nodoka still took note, "Now,
back about ten years ago, Genma came and took Ranma away with him.
Seeing this as a grave dishonor to them, Ukyou's family took a very
radical step and abandoned her into my care.  For years, she's hated
Genma and longed for the day she could see Ranma again.  While he
has been gone, what used to be freindship turned into love.  So when
Genma came yesterday, he got a healthy taste of her anger.  When she 
learned that she could come with us and see Ranma again after all this
time, she was so excited.  Her life actually had meaning again.  She's
given herself a lot of stress over this and so when she saw Ranko, 
and no Ranma, she immediately thought the worst.  Now, however, after
thinking about it for a while she really does see her stupidity.  She
really does want you to forgive her, Ranko, my dear.  I sincerely hope you
do.  You'll surely need someone to talk to on this trip."
	Blinking, instead of looking enlightened, Barak just looked
even more confused.  As a matter of fact he really was more confused
so he decided to skillfully change the subject, "Um... yea.  So, Genma,
what is it we are supposed to be doing here?  Ranko didn't exactly
give us much information.  I was hoping you could fill us in on what
we needed to know."
	"Well I went to the Riva because I had an awful premonition that
something was happening.  It turns out that I was right.  A thief, one
of my former students, in fact, has stolen 'It'.  I have to warn you now
that you mustn't use either his name or 'It's' name.  Unfortunately for
us, I taught him the trick for picking your name, or any word you want
for that matter, out of the air.  Using this trick, he could hear our
entire conversation right now, and know what we were going to do."
	Barak sat there with a look of minor concentration upon his
face.  Suddenly, it was replaced with a look of complete understanding.
This look was shortly followed by the look one usually finds upon the
face of a poleaxed cow.
	Silk, with a look of concern marring her features, made as if to
speak and then changed her mind.  Apparently, she changed her mind 
another time, for she asked a rather intelligent question of Genma then,
"Genma.  This isn't the 'It' I think it is.  Is it?  I hope it isn't.  Great
day!
I pray it isn't.  Because if it's what I think it is that
means that... he can wake up doesn't it?"
	"Silk, I'm sorry to say that I do believe we are talking about
the same 'It'.  And remember, Happosai isn't awake yet.  So if we can
get 'It' back quickly enough..."
	Ranko, having finally regained her composure, Nodoka noticed,
spoke up.  "This is all fine, I suppose, old man.  But my question is,
what do you suppose to do about it?  I mean, we are apparently running
blindly after this man, I do hope you have some way of following him."
	"Relax, Ranko.  Do you seriously think that I wouldn't be
prepared, do you?"  He paused as if expecting a negative answer from
Ranko.  With no such answer forthcoming, and naught from her direction
but a steely stare, coughing nervously he continued, "Yes, well...
If he has passed by an area I can tell.  The object he stole leaves
it's mark on the very earth it passes over."
	"And exactly how do you tell this, old man?"
	Everyone looked at Ranko as if she were feebleminded.  Well,
everyone except Durnik, that is, who was curious as to how Genma
was going to do that himself, and said as much.  The astonished stares were
now split rather evenly between the two of them.  Genma chuckled
and looked at Ranko, "Ranko, you've traveled with me for a number of
years now and haven't figured it out yet?  Now, Durnik, here, I can
understand, I've just met him, but you?  I really should be more
obvious around you, I suppose, if you're that dense.  I'm none
other than the great Belgenma the sorcerer."
	Durnik started laughing, while Ranma did nothing more than
stare at him for a second or two.  Then is a small low voice, too low
to be heard by any of the group, she said, "I can't believe that old man.
If I did believe that, I'd have to kill you, and for some reason, I don't
want to do that."  Ranma sincerely hoped that Genma wasn't the
legendary sorceror.  By some inexplicable means she had actually
grown to care for the old fool.  If he was Belgenma as he said he
was that would mean that he had let her run around for four years
with this curse, when he could have just cast some spell and made
it go away.  If that was true then she would have to kill him, well after
he cured her that is.  Then, so everyone could hear, she said, "Don't
make me laugh, old man.  You?  Belgenma?"
	Looking slightly hurt, he returned, "Believe as you will, little
girl, but I expect you'll believe in time.  Now, as to my plan.  I
propose to travel to all the ports along Japan.  There aren't that many, only
four that I'm aware of.  Tomorrow, we are going to head north into
Darine."
	Looking faintly suspicious, Nodoka asked, "And how are we going
to be getting there, Genma?"
	"Ahh, that's all taken care of, isn't it?" With a questing
glance towards Silk, he saw her nod?, "Yes, Silk took care of it. We're
going to be wagoneers.  Carrying..."
	"Radishes." Silk supplied.
	"Yes we'll be carrying radishes."
	Nodoka was getting slightly angry. "You mean, 'It' has been
stolen and here we are plodding along some road carting radishes as
we chase after it?  Do you have any idea how slowly a wagon travels
in a day?"
	"Yes dear, as a matter of fact, I do.  It's about ten leagues
in a day, but there are way too many murgos about for my liking.  I'm
sure some of them are working against 'him' but some will be his agents
and I'd rather not attract attention.  And you have to admit that this
time of year there are no shortage of wagoneers."
	"I say that this is a bad idea, old man."
	"It's not your choice woman."
	This was the point in the evening that the conversation went
rather suddenly downhill.  Slowly, everyone decided not to take part
further in the conversation-turned-argument, and went to their tents.
As Ranma looked back at the fire from her tent, nobody was there
but the two, Genma and Nodoka, sitting there still arguing.

                                      ***

	Ranma entered her tent carrying the pot of hot water that she
had boiled for herself and slowly poured the liquid over her, now
his, head.  "Oh, gods, that feels good.  I've been stuck as a Dryad
for too long.  I think I'm actually starting to get used to it."  Ranma
couldn't remember when it was when he had started talking to himself,
it might have been when he noticed that there was a voice in his head
that actually talked back to him.  What bothered him the most about
the voice was that, apparently it was female, and an old one at that.
(Imagine Cologne)
	/What bothers you about being a girl so much Ranma?/ the voice
inside his head spoke without any hint of emotion at all.  Well,
except for the use of occasional sarcasm.
	"What bothers me about being a girl?  Oh come on.  I mean, I'm
a guy not a girl.  Of course it bothers me.  How would you feel if all
of a sudden you turned into a guy... aw hell, what am I thinking?  All I'm
doing is arguing with myself."
	/Come now, Ranma.  I've told you before, I'm not really a part
of you.  Even you should know that by now.  Besides I really don't
have any sex at all.  I have no body.  Anyway, would it really
hurt you that much to admit that it doesn't really bother you all
that much being a girl?/
	"Yes, gods damn it, it would!  Now, leave me alone and let me
think."
	/Fine.  If you're going to be that way about, it I'll just
leave./
	All of a sudden, it was gone.  He didn't exactly know how
it was gone, but it was gone all the same.  Before lying down, he
carefully closed and tied the tent flap so that no one could come
in.  Well, they could come in if they took the tent down, but that
was quite unlikely.  He set out a bowl with some cool water in it
for the morning and praised the gods that had inspired him to insist
on a separate tent for himself.  Lying back on his makeshift pillow,
he thought back on events of the past few dreary days.  In retrospect,
it was much worse anticipating meeting everyone again as someone
else than it actually was, except for Aunt Nodoka.  He was building
his friendships with Barak and Silk all over again, but Silk was
making him a little nervous.  Knowing her, she would probably be
able to figure out the truth if he gave her any clues, so as much
as it pained, him he was going to have to distance himself from her.
	Now the biggest shock of the evening, of the week for that
matter.  Ukyou was engaged to him, and , at least according to 
Aunt Nodoka, she was in love with him.  That was a suprise.  Certainly
they'd been close friends, but in love with him?  Slowly starting
to cry he, thought about all those years that they could have been
together, how things could have still have been, if it weren't
for this damned curse.  "Damn you old man.  Damn you for ever taking
me there.  Damn damn damn...  Damn.  Boys don't cry, damn it!"  Taking
the bowl of water, he poured it over himself drenching his covers in
the process.  Ranma curled up into a little ball as if a child and
cried.

Um...well there it is.  I hope you all liked it.  Some parts of this
I think are pretty rough and could use a bit of touching up, so I'm
asking for a little help in that department, I'm pretty sure I've gotten
the spelling errors, but if you see any others...  Overall though I
rather like this chapter.  Well anyway I'll have another installment
out whenever(hopefully soon though).

Sir Olin 'Neplusultra' Petty
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/3488/index.html