-------------------------------------
Name: cj
E-mail: cj <cj@stny.lrun.com>
Date: 6/3/98
Time: 1:34:14 PM

This message was sent by Chameleon 
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Some people have been asking for reprints of the first part of this.  Please 
send C&C, I need the ego boost.

                    LOST BOY OF AMBER
               A Ranma 1/2/Chronicles of Amber x-over
                       By C.J.

All characters from Ranma 1/2 are property of Rumiko Takahashi.  All 
characters from The Chronicles of Amber are property of Roger Zelazny. Any 
new characters are mine. Please don't sue me, I have less money than most 
college students (if that's possible).

PART1- ENTER THE LOST BOY

     The world was a dark and lonely place.

     While that was Hibiki Ryoga's general train of thought most days, for 
once he was looking at his environment. Glancing at the dead, blasted trees 
and dry, brittle undergrowth, he wondered, 'Did Saotome and I fight here 
once?'

    Saotome.  Just thinking that name brought Ryoga back into depression.  The bane of his existence.  The man, no, the half-girl pervert that was responsible for everything wrong in Ryoga's life.  The bread.  His pig curse. Akane's horrendous engagement.  He was just about to scream his frustrati
on to the skies when he felt a pain in his chest.

    Looking up, he saw an unusual sight.  There were six men before him, half on foot, like himself and the other half on some sort of creatures that vaguely resembled horses.  The men were wearing a kind of full plate armor and carrying swords, including the one standing in front of him, holding 
his sword to Ryoga's sternum.

     People!  This brightened his day considerably.  Ryoga started with his standard line.  "Excuse me, but can you tell me how to get to the Tendo Dojo?"

     The man in front of him looked confused, as if he expected Ryoga to cower in fear from him.  Then he grew angry and drew back his sword to attack.  'Bandits!' Ryoga thought, pulling his umbrella off of his pack.  'Well, I may not get directions from them, but at least I can get some exercise.
'

     A few moments later, the bandits lay about the site groaning.  Ryoga pulled his umbrella out of the tree that it was stuck in, and went over to the one that seemed to be the leader.  Picking him up by the breastplate, he shouted," Now, do you want to tell me where the Tendo Dojo is, or do I h
ave to get mad!"  The leader said something to Ryoga in a language he didn't understand.  When Ryoga shook him again, he merely pointed to the large bag on the mount he was on.  Ryoga dropped him and walked over, shaking his head and thinking, 'How could know what I want if he doesn't speak Japane
se?'  Reaching into the bag for a map, he got his hand caught in what seemed to be strands of silk.

     Curiously, he pulled it out and his blood turned to ice.  These weren't, bandits, they were much, much worse!  Turning around in a fury, all he saw of the men in armor were scraps of metal dusting away before his eyes.  Annoyed, he turned and walked into the trees, not once noticing the dark 
trail the men were following.



     At nightfall, Ryoga stopped and set up camp.  He had finally come out of the area of woods that spooked him so.  After getting a campfire started, he looked down at what was in the slavers' bag.  She appeared to be no older than eight, with dirt, chains and manacles, and her long, brown hair 
the only things covering her.  Ryoga got some spare clothes, a pail of water from the nearby river, and a cloth to clean her up with.  After heating the water, he went to the unconscious girl's side.  'At least she too young to give me a nosebleed.' he thought, while breaking the chains about her 
neck, arms, and legs.  He cleaned her up the best that he could, got her dressed, then set about getting some food ready.

     Ryoga was just about finished with that when he heard her stirring.  He turned in time to see her open brilliant green eyes and look at him.  She didn't say anything, so he softly spoke.  "I have some food if you're hungry." Ryoga flinched when she jumped at the sound of his voice. 'She must 
be terrified.' he thought, 'How do you comfort a little girl?  The only way I've done that is as P-chan...'  He stopped when he realized that she had cautiously moved closer, and was gazing at him with a look of adoration.  His shirt hung off her almost like a small dress, with accompanying belt a
nd pants looking a bit sloppy, but functional.  She said something in the same language that the men were using, and then said "A-arigato."

     Ryoga sighed in relief when he heard the word of Japanese.  "It was no problem.  My name is Ryoga, what's yours?"

     "R-Ryoga?" she stammered.  A moment later she said, "Lara."

     "Well, Lara-chan, would you like some stew?  I made plenty.  It's just dried beef and vegetables, but it's filling."

     "Hai.  Domo arigato."

     The next few days were quiet as Ryoga got to know Lara better.  Once the shock of what happened to her wore off, she became an exuberant little child.  While he was worried that she would be lost if she went too far away, but she always could find him.  Ryoga had to admit, he enjoyed having h
er as company, because she could cheer him up even when he was at his bleakest.
One day, about a week later, Lara said, "Ryo-chan, how come you walk funny?"

     "What do you mean?  I walk fine."

     "You mean you want to go in circles, even when you're trying to find that dojo where your girlfriend is?  That seems pretty silly."

     Ryoga sighed and sat down at the side of the road that they had come across.  "Okay, I'll tell you.  You see, I've got a really bad sense of direction.  It takes me hours to find a bathroom, and that's in the house where I used to live.  Both of my parents have the same problem, just not as b
ad, but I got it from both sides of my family, and I was kind of ashamed to tell you..." it was then that he noticed Lara staring at him with an intense look of concentration.  "Lara, what's wrong?  I hope I didn't upset you by not telling you sooner but.."

     "Yatta!" Lara shouted, and gave Ryoga a world class arm-glomp. "I knew it, I was right!"

     "R-right about what, Lara?"

     "I know why you get lost, cousin Ryo-chan."

     "COUSIN!  What are you talking about."

     "Un!  Let's set up and I'll tell you."

     A short distance away, they found a good campsite near a stream and set up camp in record time.  Once dinner was simmering, Lara began.

     "Ryo-chan, you and me come from a special family where we can use special powers.  I think you just don't know how to use your powers right, so you get lost."

     "Huh?"

     "One of the powers is to walk and find anything we want.  You can walk, but you don't know how to find stuff."

     "Do you think you can teach me how to not get lost?  It gets really tiring sometimes."

     "No." Lara looked downcast. "I can't do it at all."  She looked hopeful. "But I know how to get you fixed.  We'll leave in the morning 


     In the morning, after breakfast and breaking camp, Ryoga expected to head out immediately.  Instead, Lara just stood there, with an intense look of concentration screwing her eyes shut.

     "Uh, Lara-chan, which way do we go?"

     "Shush, I'm reaching." was her only reply.

     'Reaching? Reaching for what? She doesn't even have her arms out!'  Ryoga began to despair, losing what little hope he got from believing this little girl.

     "Okay, got it.  Now hold on real tight.  If you let go, I don't know what will happen." Lara began to slowly reach her arms out, and seemed to take hold of something that wasn't there.

     Ryoga put his arms around her holding as firmly as he could without squeezing the breath out of her.  "Now whaATT..."

     His last words were lost as all around Ryoga when blank.  The only sensations that he felt were the small body in his arms and a rushing feeling past his face.

     The next thing he knew, he was lying in a heap, and the scene was different.  He was on the cold floor of what appeared to be a dungeon!  The floors, walls, and ceiling were made from rough-hewn stone and the only source of light was a small lantern hanging to one side.  The only signs of lif
e other than him and Lara was the unconscious guard he was sitting on...

     "Oops." said Lara.  "I hope that Roger is okay.  This was as close as I could get."

     Ryoga looked over at her.  She was taller!  Where before she could easily have passed for seven, maybe eight, Lara looked like a pre-teen!  "Uh, Lara,"

     "Yes, Ryo-chan?" Lara looked to where he was staring at, namely, herself.  She grinned at him.  "I'm growing up.  Now come on, it's this way.  And you better hold my hand.  This is the wrong place to get lost.

     Lara half led, half-pulled Ryoga down the semi-natural hallway.  As he glanced back, he could see the other way led to a staircase that went up into the ceiling.

     Ryoga was led down the hallway, past several branches, which had doors along the walls.  Finally, Lara dragged him down a branch that had only one door, solid wood and at the end of the hall.  She produced a key, put it in the lock, turned, and pushed the door open.  Within lay the most unusu
al sight that Ryoga had ever seen.  The room itself was plain, just a square stone room with one door.  But on the floor lay something that struck him to the very core of his being.  There was a...a Pattern on the floor, almost as if some deific child had come in and scribbled a line with blue fir
e.  That ancient god started in the far corner and went around the room in a spiral pattern, ending up in the exact center of the room.

     "What..." his voice cracked, due to his jaw hanging slack in amazement.  Moistening them, he went on.  "What is it?"

     "It's the Pattern, silly." was the reply.  "The symbol of Order, the Manifestation of the Unicorn, the ultimate force for structure in existence, and a bunch of other stuff.  But more importantly, it's the way for tapping the powers that the family uses."  Lara led him around to the far side 
where the Pattern began.

     "What do we have to do?" 

     "Well, its what you have to do that is important.  First, you get on here, and then walk the line to the center of the Pattern.  Just remember, that you can't get off 'til the end, and don't try to back up, or it'll zap you good." Lara smiled.  "Think of this as one of those training sessions
 you told me about.  The only difference is, you only get one try at this.

     Ryoga stared at it for a moment, then took off his pack and set it on the floor.  Taking a swig from his canteen, he then stepped up to the blue line.


     Ryoga nearly dropped to his knees at the center of the Pattern.  He made it!  He looked up at Lara across the roaring lines of fire.  "Now what?" he hollered.

     "Well, now the Pattern can take you anywhere you want.  If you go to the campsite, I'll meet you there." Lara called back, almost unheard due to the flames.

     "Okay." Ryoga thought of the campsite, watching his environs shift almost... casually before blacking out.

     Lara almost fainted in relief when Ryoga made it to the end.  She was terrified that she was wrong, and that her new cousin was going to pay.  The emotional bond between them was very strong; despite how little time they've known each other.  She shouldered his pack, and almost made it to the
 door before the pounding began.

     'Uh oh' she thought, 'They found Roger.' Glad that she forgot to put the key back, Lara timed the pounding, and then opened the door.  She blanched when she saw Gerard and three guards pile in.

     "Hi Unca Gerard, bye Unca Gerard." she shouted as she bolted, running down the hall and to another branch at random.  Gerard's blood boiled when he recognized her despite her age.  "After her!" he cried, "She's never up to any good.  If she wants to be here, we'll throw her in a cell!"  He le
apt up and pursued.

     Lara turned into the first open door she could find.  Looking around, she started to panic 'I hope he doesn't kill me, I really like him...' Spotting a drawing on one wall of the cell, she peered at it curiously, and disappeared just before Gerard kicked in the door.

     The young girl found herself in a cozy study, with books on all four walls, and a desk with a skull and a globe sitting on it.  A sound issued from one of the doors, and a man shuffled in.

     The odd looking hunchback peered at Lara absently wiping his hands on the nightgown he was wearing.  "Shouldn't you be in bed, child?"

     "Great-Grandpa Dworkin!" Lara shrugged off the pack and threw herself at him for a hug.  "I missed you!"

     He looked down at her in suprise and no small amount of clarity.  Then his face softened, and he gave a chuckle.  "Been playing with your new cousin, have we?" 

     She glared at him, and then giggled.  "Yeah, he likes me, and doesn't want to lock me up like everyone else."

     "They don't hate you, child, they just don't know you.  Give them time.  Now, I have a present for you and young Ryoga."  Dworkin picked up the pack with no effort, and led Lara to the desk.  Going through the drawers, he pulled out two boxes and tucked them in the pack.  "Now, don't open you
rs until your cousin has had a chance to rest.  And you had better be on your way.  Just remember, the road is no easier because you know the way."

     Lara jumped and gave Dworkin a hug.  "Thanks, Great-Grandpa, I love you." she said as she faded from view.

     Dworkin seated himself at the desk and picked up his wine.  "Ah, youth begins the contest anew." he muttered to himself, peering into the swirls within the glass.


     Ryoga drifted in a state of awareness, somewhere between being asleep and awake.  He could feel the bedroll beneath him, and the warmth of the sun through the tent.  'Where am I?' he thought.  'I don't remember putting up the tent last night...  Last night!  Ryoga sat upright when he remember
ed the ordeal and it's aftermath.  He gingerly crawled out of the tent and looked around.

     "Good morning, Ryo-chan, breakfast will be ready in a moment."

     Ryoga stopped looking at the campsite that wasn't set up when he passed out to see who was making breakfast.  What he saw was a girl his own age, wearing a yellow shirt, black pants and shoes, and had brown hair that was pulled back and tied with one of his own bandannas.  It was when she tur
ned around and peered at him with vivid green eyes that shook his brain into activity.

     "L-L-Lara?  Is that you?" He stammered.

     She looked at him in confusion, then giggled and led him to the fire.

     "Here, you eat and I'll explain.  I hope you like western foods, that's all I know how to cook."  The girl handed him a plate of food and waited for him to start eating before talking.

     "You see, Ryo-chan, I come from a side of the family that has different powers.  One of the things I can do is change my form.  Those men who captured me hurt me so badly that my mind retreated from what they had done.  My powers responded by changing my form to fit my mentality, that of a sm
all, frightened child."

     "Is this was you normally look like?" was said between mouthfuls.

     "Sort of.  I think I've stopped aging, and I've also picked up a few traits from being around you, cousin."  Lara smiled, showing off fangs similar to Ryoga's.

     Ryoga set down his clean plate.  "Do you think I could learn to change my form, too?" 

     Lara looked at him with expressionless eyes.  "Maybe.  Let me tell you about the history of Amber and the Courts of Chaos..."


     Night had fallen, leaving the dim embers and the stars as the only sources of light.  Ryoga was staring at his cousin with disbelief, despite his recent ordeal with the pattern.  Lara had just finished talking and was now gazing into the remnants of the campfire.

     "Let me get this straight." Ryoga began.  "There are two worlds at the ends of the universe, one using the powers of chaos, the other, the one we're related to, uses the powers of order."  He did not notice his cousin flinch at his words, "And walking the Pattern gives us the ability to walk 
between different Shadows, were you can go out and find any possibility imaginable?"  Lara just nodded. "And the Pattern was drawn in Amber by our Great Grandfather, Dworkin Bariman, who is a renegade from the Courts of Chaos, so the peace between the two kingdoms is uneasy at best?  Did I miss an
ything?"

     "Only that the Pattern is the force that keeps the Shadows from descending back into the Chaos that they were originally formed, and that the balance between the two forces needs to be kept, or the universe will be destroyed."  Something in Lara's tone of voice made Ryoga glance over at her. 
 She seemed to be drawing into herself, using her arms to hug her knees to her chest.

     "Lara, what's wrong?  You look upset."

     She looked at him for a moment, then drew a shuddering breath.  "I guess that I should tell you my story now. Watch."  With that she squinted, reached out her arms, and concentrated.  A moment later, a pack, much similar to Ryoga's, fell into her arms.  Lara looked up and caught eyes with him
.  "I don't have the powers of the Pattern, Ryoga, I carry the Logrus, the power of chaos within me.  You see, my mother is a member of one of the houses in the Courts of Chaos.  She decided that she wanted to bear an heir to a royal family.  So, she snuck into Castle Amber one night when the quee
n, Vialle, was absent, spiked the drink of King Random, shapeshifted so the she looked like his wife, and slept with the king."  She ignored Ryoga's gasp.  "That's why I snuck you into the castle last night.  If they had found us earlier, they would have skewered us on the spot.  None of the famil
y trusts me because of what my mother did, and my mother hates me because I 
refuse to help her seize Amber.  Those men you saved me from worked for her, 
and were taking me back for 'punishment."

     "You're scared that I'll leave," Ryoga had a rare burst of insight.  
"You're worried that I'll do the same thing everyone else did and leave you 
alone.  Well, that's not going to happen.  I trust you, and I'm not going to 
leave unless you want me to.  I've been alone most of my life, and I'm not 
about to distrust you because of something your mother did...Whoulf"

     The last was said as Lara, not holding back her tears, threw herself at 
him, giving him a hug that would have squeezed the life out of an oak.  
Ryoga, feeling his ribs groan, hugged back.

     Until the underbrush around the camp exploded.

     "Surrender or die, traitor!" The leader screamed at the pair.

     Ryoga threw Lara beside the fire and dove for his umbrella.  "Run, 
Lara!  I'll take care of..." Rolling over, he saw Lara standing in a ready 
position, with a quarterstaff in hand.

     "Forget it, cousin!  These bozos may have caught me by surprise before, 
but the two of us have them outnumbered."

     Ryoga's reply was lost in the roar of the attacking horde.

To be continued.........