Eric McGinnis wrote:

Okay folks, heres a preview of a piece a buddy is writting.

Ranma Rifts X-Over  by Loiosh

Rumiko Takahshi owns Ranma.
Kevin Siembieda owns Rifts.

                Prelude: Hidden Witness

        Akane Tendo sat on her bed palying with her pet piglet, P-Chan. There
was a faint, almost hesitant knock at the door. "Who is it?"

        "It's me. Ranma" softly, a bit nervous.

        Akane set P-Chandfown on her bedand got to her feet. Walking quickly,
she opened the door and pulled Ranma in by the arm. She stuck her head
out and looked both ways down the hall before closing the door. "Did
anyone see you?"

        "No way. Our Dads are are out, Kasumi's shopping, and Nabiki's at a
bussiness meeting.

        Nervously, they looked into each others eyes. P-Chan, sitting forgotten
on the bed, watched in wide-eyed horror as theirfaces moved closer
together.

        Their lips touched lightly, their eyes closed. P-Chan, his eyes opened
past the normal limits of any pig, dropped his jaw with shock. Enraged,
he rocketed toward Ranma's head with a loud "BWEEEEEE!!!"

        Before his target could even react, the P-Chan Rocket ricocheted off of
several walls and both sides of his head before pausing.

        Ranma fell to the floor with a solid thump. Akane picked up her pet,
"P-Chan, what's gotten into you?"
With a shrill squeal, P-Chan wriggled out of her handsand crashed
through the closed door. Akane looked at  at her broken door, and then
at Ranma stirring on the floor.

        "Wow," he said, "That was some kiss. What happened?"

        "I don't know, P-Chan just went nuts and attacked."

        Ranma's head snapped around to stare wide eyed at Akane. "P-Chan was
here! Poor guy."

        Akane looked at him suspiciously. "Ranma, what are you going to do to
my pig?

        "Nothin', if I can help it."

        Before either of them could say anything, the familiar bellow of Ryouga
Hibiki sounded from outside. "Ranma, come out here and face your death
like a man!"

Chapter 1

	It was a beutiful sunday morning on the vacant Nerima 
lot.  The blade broken only by two white circles.  The inner 
circle had a 50' radius, and the outer measured another ten.
Nabiki was anouncing the bout with a wireless mike in the center 
of the chalked circles. "Attention spectators. Welcone to the Final 
Grudge Match between Ranma Sautome and Ryouga Hibiki. The loser to 
accept voluntary and permanent exile from Japan. Betting tables will 
remain open until the beginning of the match.
	"The match will begin in 5 minutes. For your safety please remain 
outside the chalk circles, the producers will not be responsible for 
any injuries.
	"Refreshments are available at the concession stand near the 
entrance and videos of the match can be reserved for 6000 yen each."
	

	Near the back of the lot Ranma prepared for the fight by slowly 
moving through the base forms of Anything Goes.
	Akane stood behind him with her hands clasped apprehensively in 
front of her skirt. "Ranma are you sure you can't get out of this
fight?"
	He didn't even pause in his exercises as he spoke. "I wish I could,
Akane, but you saw what happened. It was all I could do too keep him
from 
killing me then and there."
	"What d'ya mean? You've always beaten him before."
	"Yeah, but he's never been this mad before."
	" Why is he so angry at you, Ranma?" she asked, her voice tinged 
with suspicion.
	Ranma paused for a moment, thoughtful, then continued. "He found out 
that a girl that he liked didn't like him, and decided to take it out on
me.
	Akane narrowed her eyes. "What girl?" she asked
	Ranma stopped and turned around to put his hands on Akanes shoulders.
"Akane, you know that I love you, right?"
	Her eyes softened. "Yeah. I love you too."
	He relaxed a little. "Do ya trust me?"
	Akane looked at him, stunned by the intensity in Ranma's gaze. He was 
holding his breath awaiting her answer. "Yes, I trust you, Ranma."
	He released his breath and smiled, his relief was palpable. "Okay then, 
here it is. I love you, only you. You are the only woman that I want to
spend 
the rest of my life with. Okay?"
	Akane sniffled a bit and moved in to hug Ranma. "Okay." whispering into 
his ear, she said "Ranma, you be careful today. 'Cause if you lose, I'm
gonna 
miss my family."


		On the other side
	Ryouga sat in lotus, meditating. He frowned, something was odd.
	There was a lot that the Lost Boy did not know. He'd never really 
stayed in one place long enough to learn much of anything besides the 
occasional martial arts technique. One thing Ryouga did know about,
though, 
was stone. The land had never hidden things from him as it had from
others, 
and this patch of earth was hiding something. 
	It wasn't the ground itself, which was firm, dark soil, held in place
by healthy green grass. It was different. He sought deeper and found . .
.DIRECTIONS!! 
Lines so clear and bold that even the Eternally Lost could find them
with no trouble. 
Lines that laid out a clear path to the circle in which he was to do
battle today.
	Even the crowd was affected, although they most likely were not aware.
They 
were  lined up in the precise pattern of these directions, just enough
extra 
crowding that it would be clear to anyone observing the force of the
ground 
beneath
	He had seen something similar before. In Egypt, once or twice in 
Scotland, but never quite like this. It seemed as if the power in these
lines 
was absorbing the energies of the crowd and carrying it to the ring. He
must 
guard his own power or be weakened in the fight.
	He got up and walked unerringly toward the circle. He would not get
lost HERE.