Quantum Destinies 
A Ranma fanfic 
by Steven Thesken (jurai-knight@home.com) 
 
This idea occurred to me after I finished the science-fiction novel  
�Paths to Otherwhere� by James P. Hogan.   Ranma and all  
associated characters are owned by Kitty and the ever-creative  
Rumiko Takahashi.   This is purely a work of fanfiction, so please  
read and enjoy. 
 
Notes: Thoughts will be bracketed by a * on each end.   Any  
speech other than Japanese will be bracketed by < and >. 
 
 
 
Chapter 2: Memories of Me 
 
	Ranma shuts down power to his equipment, bemused by his  
sudden ability at athletics.   He knew he didn�t have the sheer  
physical abilities of the other Ranma, but he was in fair shape from  
the rigors of his mandatory physical education course.   *The  
Empire believes in strong minds in strong bodies.* 
 
	He flips open his notebook as he sits at the small desk in his  
lab space.   He makes a few initial notes on the unexpected  
development of learning new skills by absorbing them from his  
alternate lives.   *I wonder if any of my own skills have been  
transferred to the other Ranma.   The endless possibilities for  
cross-universal learning are astonishing.   If that�s so, I may just  
have made a dumb jock into a scholastic genius.*   He grins at the  
thought. 
 
	He glances at his watch as he piles his books into his bag.    
Finishing quickly, he throws a cover over the computer and the  
small pile of equipment next to it.   Hefting the bag, he unlocks the  
lab door and opens it.   His mind was full of ideas for where to go  
next with his experiments.   *Do I return to that quantum line, use  
one of those already stored in my system, or try for another new  
one?   So many choices.* 
 
	He locks the door behind him, and pockets the key.   It was  
time for final period for the day, and he didn�t want to be late.   He  
planned to return early in the morning, before first period, to try  
another session.   He couldn�t keep the grin off of his face as he  
walked up the stairs. 
 
              ****************************** 
 
	Ranma was extremely puzzled now.   Science class was his  
last class for the afternoon, and he had been dreading the  
upcoming exam.   He had tried to study for it, but with Ryoga or  
somebody else attacking him every five minutes it was rather hard  
to get in much quality study time.   Mister Sokawa had finished  
handing out the exam papers, and he had flipped his over.   He was  
fearing the worst. 
 
	A miracle had happened. 
 
	The first problem was easier than he was expecting as he  
scribbled down an answer.   The next one was simple, too.   Before  
he noticed it, he was done with the entire exam.   He was able to  
answer every problem.   Not only that, it was easy.   It was almost  
frighteningly easy, in fact.   Ranma knew that he had never done  
so well on an exam in his life.   When he was first to turn in his  
paper, Mister Sokawa had looked at him with a bemused gaze.    
Ranma had gone back to his seat, and the teacher had begun to  
grade his exam.   Some of his classmates eyed him with curiosity. 
 
	Mister Sokawa began to look over Ranma�s exam paper.   The  
bemused look on the teacher�s face changed to surprise, then to  
shock as he went down the list of answers on Ranma�s paper.    
Ranma didn�t notice, since he had decided to get a head start on  
tonight�s homework.   Akane was grumbling softly behind him at a  
particularly tough problem for her.   She hadn�t even noticed  
Ranma turn in his exam so quickly. 
 
	After class was over, Mister Sokawa gave Ranma back his  
paper with a small tear in his eye.   Ranma was utterly bewildered,  
and the rest of the class was even more surprised.   He could only  
stare stupidly at the score on the front page of his exam.   Akane  
gave a small gasp of surprise next to him. 
 
	�Thank you, Mister Saotome,� Mister Sokawa said solemnly.    
�If I can get an exam like this out of a student like you, then I must  
be doing something right as a teacher.   I finally got through to  
you.�   Mister Sokawa smiled. 
 
	Ranma was in shock, and so was the rest of his class.   Ranma  
had gotten a perfect score on his exam. 
 
              ****************************** 
 
	Physical education was an unpleasant surprise for Ranma  
when he first arrived at the school several months ago.   His father  
had made little efforts to keep Ranma up to accepted Imperial  
standards for a youth of his age while they were out traveling.    
Because of this, it had taken months of pain and sweat to build his  
physique up to tolerable levels.   His coordination was good, but his  
strength and stamina had been well below par.   Akane was among  
those who had enjoyed taunting the �weakling� for those many  
months. 
 
	Today, as he put on his workout uniform, things felt different.    
He found himself moving differently, as if something had changed  
in his brain.   Today was hand-to-hand sparring, which happened  
once each week, partners chosen by random lot.   He hoped and  
prayed that he didn�t draw Akane again, who was also in his co-ed  
class.   More than any other girl, she seemed to take some large  
measure of satisfaction in beating him up when the instructors  
weren�t watching them too closely.   His male classmates were  
somewhat sympathetic, but that was a small comfort. 
 
	After initial warm-up drills, he finds himself facing an  
attractive girl his age who seemed somewhat familiar, but he had  
never seen her in class before.   *She must be one of the new  
transfers over the semester break.*   One of the two instructors  
went down the line, barking out the usual instructions.   As the  
class waited for the signal to begin, his opponent studied him with  
her cool, gray eyes.   He studied her in return.   She had an  
attractive build, and an almost aristocratic poise.   Her long hair  
was bound up in a ponytail. 
 
	The instructor reached the end of the line.   A retired military  
officer, he took great pride in his students when they did well.   If  
they were not doing well, he became a demon incarnate.   Ranma  
remembered more than one grueling exercise session that was just  
sort of being sadistic under Sensei Takami�s care.   The instructor  
raised his hand and dropped it swiftly. 
 
	�BEGIN!� 
 
	Ranma and the strange girl began slowly enough, blocking  
each others punches and kicks.   She was obviously testing his  
level of skill, and he could tell that she was much better than she  
appeared at the moment.   Ranma just let himself relax into the  
motions when something very unexpected happened to him.    
Looking over that moment later in his memories, it was as if  
something �clicked� in his head.   His slightly awkward posture  
firmed and his movements became swifter and more sure. 
 
	A miracle had happened. 
 
	The girl across from him frowned in puzzlement, and she  
began to attack him more earnestly.   Ranma found his defenses  
able to meet every one of her attacks as they went faster and faster,  
but her defenses kept him at bay as well.   By unspoken agreement,  
they cranked up the speed of their sparring by one notch, then  
another, and still another.   The world around them faded away,  
and it became a dance of skill between the two of them.   She was  
an excellent fighter, but Ranma found himself able to keep up with  
her strike for strike.   He was so lost in the moment that he didn�t  
think to question why. 
 
	Their movements became a blur of motion, but the dance was  
drawing to its inevitable close.   His fist managed to break through  
her guard, and Ranma found himself beginning to get the upper  
hand.   He began to wear her down as he dealt her a blow to the  
chin, one to the stomach, and another one to the ribs.   Her return  
strikes only grazed him, but he found himself breathing harder and  
harder.   *My endurance isn�t good enough for a prolonged match.    
I have to finish this quickly.*   Without thinking about it, he began  
to launch a final sequence of blows that should give him the win.    
He was so focused on the fight that he never even thought to  
question how he knew that. 
 
	�BREAK!� 
 
	Both combatants froze in place at the distinctive snap of the  
physical instructors voice.   Sweat ran down Ranma�s face in long  
streams, and his hair was plastered to his scalp.   The girl looked  
tired as well.   Ranma took several gasping breaths as his opponent  
did the same.   Her gray eyes studied him more carefully than they  
had before, and there was a flash of something that hadn�t been in  
her gaze before.   Ranma was trying not to stare at her heaving  
chest by looking around at his classmates. 
 
	They were standing around the two of them with looks  
approaching awe.   Ranma spied Akane over on one side looking at  
him with undisguised surprise on her face.   A few whispered  
conversations were taking place, but Ranma couldn�t hear them  
over the thundering of blood in his ears.   Some of the girls were  
giving him appraising looks that they never had before, and some  
of the guys were looking a little jealous. 
 
	�Mister Saotome!�   Sensei Takami�s voice had a quality to it  
that Ranma had never heard before, at least not directed at him.    
�That was magnificent!   All these months of teaching you have  
finally paid off!   I knew that there was a fighter inside that  
bookish exterior!�   Sensei Takami looked like he was near tears.    
Ranma had _never_ seen that happen before. 
 
	Ranma just stood there in shock.   The girl gave him a slight  
smile.   She shook her head, scattering a few droplets of sweat from  
the end of her ponytail.   He focused his attention back on her, and  
on her face through an effort of will.   She held out her hand in a  
friendly gesture, and Ranma took it and shook it automatically.    
Her next words took his breath away. 
 
	�I�m Kodachi, Kodachi Kuno.   You�re a very good fighter.   I  
haven�t had this much of a challenge in some time.�   She smiled  
at him.   Ranma couldn�t help himself from smiling in return. 
 
	Ranma tried to get his thoughts in order.   *Kodachi Kuno?    
Hmmm.   She seems normal enough.   I wonder if her brother  
exists?*   Ranma paused to study the information from his  
alternate that had surfaced in his mind.   This version of the girl  
did not seem to be unbalanced at all.   She wasn�t letting go of his  
hand either.   Her grip was strong for a girl, and her hand was  
warm against his.   Ranma swallowed down a suddenly dry throat,  
and tried to think of something to say.   Nothing was coming out. 
 
	Ranma�s attempted reply was cut off before he could make it  
as the class ended, and the crowd around the couple swept them  
apart.   Some of the girls were giggling as they led Kodachi away,  
and she chatted animatedly with them.   Akane had a frown on her  
face as she followed behind the crowd of girls, but paused to give  
Ranma an unreadable look.   He wasn�t even looking at her, so she  
stomped into the locker room, unsure why she was so annoyed at  
him.   On the other end of the athletic building most of the boys  
were a little unsure of Ranma, so he was left to himself as he  
trudged to the locker room. 
 
              ****************************** 
 
	Ranma was lost in thought as he walked home, his bag slung  
over his shoulder.   *So much to think about.   My neural-motor  
abilities are greatly improved, which is simply amazing.*   Ranma  
looked at his hand, and slowly made a fist.   *Pop will be surprised  
when I tell him the results of my first test run.   Waitasec.... pop?*    
Ranma felt a cold shiver run down his spine.   Up until that  
moment, Genma had always been �Father� in his thoughts.   *I�m  
changing inside, maybe more than I think I like.   Perhaps I should  
avoid returning to that quantum�s personality.   If an hour long  
merger with my other self has had this effect on me, I wonder what  
the other Ranma might be experiencing now.* 
 
	He stepped around a corner, and almost bumped into Akane  
Tendo.   She was leaning against the wall of an alley that he used  
on his way home everyday, and she seemed to be waiting for  
someone.   Her bookbag sat next to her feet.   Akane had her arms  
crossed in front of her chest.   The look on her face was one of  
annoyance at something.   She looked at Ranma as he stumbled  
back from almost stepping into her. 
 
	�Akane... I mean, Miss Tendo.�   She narrowed her eyes at  
him, and Ranma started to feel that running might be a good idea.    
He wasn�t sure why exactly, but he was sure that she was mad at  
him. 
 
	�Ranma Saotome...,� as she spoke, her voice had an almost  
sultry quality to it.   She stepped away from the wall and raised her  
fists into a combat stance.   Her feet shifted into an offensive  
posture.   �I challenge you!� 
 
	�Huh?�   He took another step back, and his bag fell from his  
suddenly nerveless fingers.   �What are you talking about?   I don�t  
want to fight you.� 
 
	�I saw you today, in class.   Your skill was incredible.�   She  
advanced a half step in his direction, and a slight smile blossomed  
on her face.   �I don�t know how you improved so much so quickly,  
but I want to see how good you really are now.� 
 
	�I don�t know what your problem is, but I just want to go  
home now.�   Ranma bent down to pick up his bag, and Akane�s  
kick almost took his head off.   He snapped his body back, and her  
kick flashed by his face by less than an inch.   His body took up a  
fighting stance before he realized it. 
 
	�Not bad,� she said as she smiled.   �You must be very good to  
hide your skill from me for such a long time.�   She lunged  
forward.   �Now we fight!� 
 
	Ranma backpedaled out of the alleyway, dodging punches and  
kicks from Akane.   *She�s serious about this,* he thinks as he  
blocks a sequence of punches and combination strikes.   He flips  
over her head, and lashes out with a spin kick.   Akane blocks it  
with an upraised arm, and counterstrikes with a punch to his gut. 
 
	The punch slams into Ranma�s stomach, driving the air from  
his lungs.   His reflexes kick in, and his palm strike drives across  
Akane�s jaw.   Her head snaps to the right, and they break apart.    
*Why is she so steamed up to fight me?   This is crazy.* 
 
	Akane swallows a little blood as she feels her jaw, but none of  
her teeth seem to be loose.   *Ranma, you _are_ a good fighter.    
I�ve been missing a real challenge in my life.   When I saw you  
today, it was as if for the first time.   I knew you would be it.* 
 
	�Could you tell me why we�re fighting?�   Ranma was hoping  
that he could talk Akane out of this.   He had no real desire to hurt  
her. 
 
	�For the challenge, of course.�   She grinned at him.    
�Fighting a strong opponent is fun.� 
 
	�Fun?�   He paused to think about that, and Akane was all  
over him again.   One of her punches slammed into his face, but  
his knee caught her low in her side.   They blocked each others  
punches and kicks, but more of Akane�s blows were getting  
through.   Ranma tried to throw her away from him, but his  
balance was off and she reversed the hold.   *Oh, no,* he thinks in  
horror as he knows what�s about to happen. 
 
	Akane slammed him down to the concrete on his back, and  
rapid-fired a series of left and right handed punches into his face.    
Ranma could feel the world spinning, as Akane sprang back to her  
feet with a funny look on her face. 
 
	�Come on, Ranma.   You�re not as good as I thought you�d be  
after what I saw today.�   Akane frowned, as Ranma wasn�t  
moving much. 
 
	�Thought... you... hated... me,� he managed to gasp out.   His  
ribs felt like they were on fire, and his face hurt with more pain  
than he ever imagined he could feel. 
 
	�I hate weaklings,� she frowned at him.   *What�s wrong with  
him?   He isn�t fighting anywhere near the level he was earlier.*    
She nudged him with a toe, ready for any tricks.   Ranma groaned  
and struggled to get up.   His elbows trembled as he forced his body  
away from the concrete. 
 
	�Why do you keep picking on me, Tendo?�   He managed to  
get back to his feet.   �You get a thrill out of beating me up?   This  
is the eighth time, I think.� 
 
	�Damn you, Ranma Saotome!�   Akane kicked a can down the  
alley in disgust.   �This is different!   You managed to hide your  
ability from me despite my bullying you, but now I know the truth.    
You�re better than this, I know it!   I need a fighter to challenge  
my skills, so I�m going to keep at you twice as hard as I used to.   If  
you know what�s good for you tomorrow, you�ll fight me with  
everything I saw you had in you today.�   She picked up her  
bookbag and walked off in disgust. 
 
	*What a whacked out chick.   Looks like I�m going to have to  
spend some more time with my counterpart out of self-defense.*    
Ranma tried to clean the blood and dirt off of himself as best he  
could before picking up his bag.   He stumbled home, cursing the  
name Akane Tendo all the way. 
 
	Ranma stopped outside the front gate and tried to ready  
himself for his mother�s reaction.   *This isn�t going to be pretty.*    
He trudged up the front walk and entered the house.   He could  
hear his mother putting the finishing touches on dinner.   With any  
luck he would be able to get cleaned up in the bathroom before he  
ran into his parents. 
 
	�I�m home!   I�m going to wash up before dinner!�   His  
mother didn�t usually greet him at the door, so he didn�t wait for a  
reply before running up the stairs as fast as his abused body could  
move.   He breathed a sigh of relief as he made it to the bathroom,  
and locked the door behind himself. 
 
	He took a look at the damages in the mirror, and they weren�t  
quite as bad as he feared that they would be.   He had a black eye, a  
split lip, and some impressive bruising on his face.   His stomach  
area was bruised on both sides, but the damage didn�t seem to be  
very serious since he could take a deep breath and hold it without  
much pain.   A soak in the tub would be a blessing from the gods  
right now. 
 
	Ranma pulled out the first aid kit from under the sink, and  
applied some antiseptic to his face.   The stinging brought a  
whistling intake of breath into his lungs.   Grumbling about  
violent, psychotic, thuggish girls, he undressed to clean off before  
taking a quick soak. 
 
	�Ranma, dear?�   His mother spoke from outside the door.   �Is  
everything all right?   You never take a bath right before dinner.    
Did your experiment not go as you planned?�   Nodoka knocked  
when he didn�t answer immediately. 
 
	�It went fine, mother.   I just had a little accident on the way  
home from school, and I need to clean up a little.   I�ll be right  
down.�   He prayed to whatever gods were listening that she would  
take the hint and leave him alone. 
 
	�All right, Ranma dear.   I can put off serving dinner for half  
an hour since your father isn�t home yet.�   She moved off down  
the hallway, and Ranma breathed a sigh of relief. 
 
	Sitting on the bathroom stool, he doused himself with cold  
water.   Stifling a scream of pain from the stinging caused by the  
cold water, he stood up.   The steaming water in the tub looked so  
inviting at that moment.   Ranma lowered himself into the hot  
water with a long sigh.   When the hot water hit the bruises on his  
stomach, his eyes widened briefly as a new wave of discomfort rolls  
in. 
 
	�Akane Tendo,� he mutters as he settles his head back to lie  
against the edge of the tub.   *She wants to fight me?   I think I  
was better off when she was just bullying me.   At least then she�d  
just slug me a few times and that would be it.   What am I going to  
do now?*   He sighed as the heat loosened the tight muscles, and  
he could feel his body relax.   *I guess I�m going to have to check  
up on that other version of myself for another session.   I need to  
let more of his skills transfer into me.*   He relaxed as a vision of a  
beaten Akane Tendo groveling at his feet for mercy filled his mind. 
 
	A little later, he climbed out of the tub and dried off.   The  
soak in hot water had done his body a lot of good.   He could move  
a lot easier now as he dressed.   Stopping at the sink, he applied a  
little more antiseptic to the few scrapes on his face.   A bandage  
across the bridge of his nose and he looked halfway presentable.    
*I hope that other Ranma is having a better time than I am, right  
now.* 
 
              ****************************** 
 
	Ranma sat back and looked at his homework stack.   All of it  
was done, and he hadn�t even had any trouble with his math  
assignment.   *This is so weird.   Even my English essay looks  
better than any other one I�ve done.   Miss Hinako will certainly be  
surprised.   I know I am.*   He closed his notebook and flopped  
back onto his futon.   His eyes closed as he thought about his day  
today.   *Things had changed just before lunch, but what  
happened?* 
 
	His thinking was interrupted by a knock at his door.   *It must  
be Akane.   Boy, is she in for a surprise.*   He grinned a moment. 
 
	�Come on in,� he called out. 
 
	�Ranma?   Do you need any help with your homework  
tonight?�   Akane came into his room.   She took one look at his  
relaxed state, and immediately jumped to conclusions.   �Haven�t  
you even started?!� 
 
	�I�m done already.�   He smirked at her confused look. 
 
	�That�s ridiculous!   You�ve only been up here a little over an  
hour.   I�m only half-way done with mine!   You can�t possibly be  
finished!�   She picked up his homework notebook and started to  
flip through it, becoming more confused as she found assignment  
after assignment already completed.   His handwriting was even  
neater.   She looked at Ranma with a stunned look. 
 
	�Satisfied?   I�m going to work out in the dojo now.   All this  
brain work has given me a lot of nervous energy to work off.�    
Ranma sauntered past her, and out the door.   *Hah!   That ought  
to show her!* 
 
	Akane was confused.   Ranma had zoned out twice in class  
today around lunchtime, and he had been like a different person  
since then.   He hadn�t insulted her all afternoon.   He had been  
quiet at dinner, and eaten like a normal person for once.   He had  
even finished his homework in record time!   Akane didn�t know  
what to make of it. 
 
	Ranma skipped down the stairs.   Being done with his  
homework so quickly was a relief.   The only thing that slowed him  
down was history.   His memories would tell him one thing, but the  
textbook in front of him had something different in it.   Every other  
subject was easy for him tonight. 
 
	Nabiki stopped him at the bottom of the stairs.   She had a  
smile on her face, which would not be good for him.   �Ahh, just  
the man I wanted to see.   Shouldn�t you be doing your homework  
now?� 
 
	�I�m done already.   What do you want, Nabiki?�   Ranma  
tried to shift past her, but Nabiki blocked his path. 
 
	�Nothing much,� Nabiki said as she smiled.   �I just need to  
borrow your services tomorrow.� 
 
	�Doing what?�   His eyes narrowed in suspicion, then he  
blinked in surprise.   Nabiki had looked different for a second,  
tougher. 
 
	�Nothing too strenuous for a martial artist of _your_ caliber.�    
She noticed that Ranma was looking at her strangely.   �What?� 
 
	�Nothing.   I think my brain must be tired.   Sure, Nabiki, I�ll  
give you a hand tomorrow with whatever it is that you need me  
for.�   He pushed past her gently, and ran for the dojo. 
 
	*Ranma just gets weirder every day,� thought Nabiki as she  
headed for the kitchen for a little snack. 
 
              ****************************** 
 
	His mother took things as well as can be expected, all things  
considered.   His father was late coming home, so he only had one  
concerned parent to deal with right now. 
 
	�Ranma?!,� squeaked his mother when she saw him.   �What  
happened to you, my son?� 
 
	�It looks worse than it is.   I just had some trouble after school.    
I slipped and fell.�   He settles down without any pain into a  
kneeling position next to the dinner table. 
 
	�It looks like you fell several times.   Rather hard.� 
 
	�I�m fine, mother.   I�m rather hungry right now though.�   He  
tried a smile, since that usually worked in situations like these. 
 
	�All right, dear.   I want you to go right to bed after dinner.    
A good nights sleep will fix you right up.�   She got up to serve  
him dinner. 
 
	Ranma ate like a starving man, ignoring his mother�s looks at  
him at first.   After a while, he slowed down.   *A martial artist  
should eat as much as he can whenever he can,* he hears in his  
thoughts his fathers gruff words of wisdom.   *Must be from the  
other Genma,* he thinks with a smile. 
 
	�Thanks for a wonderful dinner, mother.   May I be excused  
now?   I�m very tired.�   He stands up. 
 
	�Of course, son.   Have a good sleep.�   She smiled as he  
slowly wandered upstairs.   When Ranma was out of sight her face  
fell into a slight frown.   *He�s hiding something from me.* 
 
              ****************************** 
 
	Ranma stumbled a little as he came into his room, before  
flipping the light switch on.   He flipped his shirt into the corner,  
and dropped the casual pants on top of it.   He yawned as he rolled  
out his futon.   *A little sleep will make everything all right.* 
 
	Sleep claimed him moments after he finished getting  
comfortable on the pad. 
 
              ****************************** 
 
	Ranma was staring out over a valley shrouded in mist.   *I  
know this place.   Jusenkyo.   Something terrifying happened to me  
here.   Why do I fear this place?* 
 
	�Something bad did happen to me here,� Ranma hears his own  
voice speak from behind him. 
 
	�What?�   Ranma turns around to see himself, dressed in a  
Chinese-style shirt and black pants.   The other Ranma is standing  
in a meditation stance, eyes closed. 
 
	�You heard me.   Something terrible happened to me here.    
Do you want to see?�   The other Ranma speaks without opening  
his eyes. 
 
	�I... I�m not sure...,� Ranma stuttered in confusion.   �Who are  
you?� 
 
	The figure smiled in a friendly manner. 
 
	�I�m Ranma Saotome of the Anything-Goes School of Martial  
Arts.   I guess I�m part of you now.�   The figure opened his eyes  
and looked at Ranma. 
 
	�Wh... what?   That isn�t possible.   I�m having some kind of  
nightmare.�   He closed his eyes.   *Come on, Ranma.   Wake up!* 
 
	�It�s not a nightmare.   I�m not sure what I am exactly.   When  
you did your experiment, something unexpected happened to you?�    
The voice of the other Ranma moves closer. 
 
	�I picked up fragments of memories, skills that I never had  
before.�   Ranma opens his eyes to see the other Ranma looking  
him over. 
 
	�Man... Akane really worked you over good, huh?�   The other  
Ranma pokes him in the stomach.   He feels a twinge of pain.    
�She�s a real piece of work here, isn�t she?� 
 
	Ranma studied his other self, as his other self studied him. 
 
	�I don�t think you have to worry about me taking over your  
body, or anything stupid like that.   The only time I came close to  
doing that was in your first fight earlier today.�   The other Ranma  
sat down in a lotus position on the rocks in front of him. 
 
	�Why didn�t you come out when Akane started beating the  
hell out of me?�   Ranma took a mirroring position in front of his  
other self, his back to the edge of the cliff. 
 
	�I dunno,� the other Ranma shrugged.   �I usually get beaten  
by the tomboy, so I guess I�m used to it.� 
 
	�I must be dreaming, but how can I do that if I know I�m  
dreaming?� 
 
	The other Ranma shrugged his shoulders again.   �You�re the  
brainy one.   I�m just the dumb jock.�   The other Ranma frowned. 
 
	�I�m sorry for calling you that.�   Ranma bowed his head low. 
 
	�You�re me and I�m you, so it�s okay.�   The other Ranma  
smiled. 
 
	�This is the most surreal thing I�ve ever experienced.   Will I  
remember this dream when I wake up?� 
 
	�How should I know?   Like I said before, you�re the brainy  
one.�   The other Ranma sprang back to his feet and began  
performing a kata in place.   �You wanted to know about this  
place?� 
 
	�Yes.   Why do I feel such fear here?�   Ranma shivered as if a  
cold breeze blew through him. 
 
	�Here is where I got cursed to turn into a girl.� 
 
	�What?�   Ranma blinked for a moment. 
 
	�Let me show you.�   The other Ranma sprang at him, grabbed  
him by the collar, and pitched him over the edge of the cliff. 
 
	�AAAAAAHHHHHHhhhhhh...�   The screams faded away as  
Ranma fell into the misty valley. 
 
	�He wanted to know the truth, and the truth hurts sometimes.�    
The other Ranma smiled. 
 
	A small geyser of water fountained up from the pool as Ranma  
impacted, softer than he was expecting after such a high fall.   The  
water tried to force it�s way into his lungs, and he began to struggle  
towards the surface.   Something felt strange as he broke the  
surface with a loud gasp.   The other Ranma is sitting near the  
edge of the pool. 
 
	�Have a nice trip?�   The other Ranma smirked. 
 
	�What the hell did ya do that for?!�   Ranma spluttered as his  
body floundered in the deep water.   His balance felt all off. 
 
	�Notice any changes?�   The other Ranma looked at Ranma  
about chest level. 
 
	�What are you...?�   Ranma found he was wearing a white gi,  
and he opened the top.   His brain almost shut down as two female  
breasts were revealed, and his mind registered that his voice was  
suddenly a higher octave. 
 
	�Oh, sir.   You fall in Spring of Drowned Girl.�   The other  
Ranma smirked at him again.   �Now do you get the idea?� 
 
	Ranma struggled over to the side of the pool, and climbed out.    
�I don�t believe this.   This is impossible.   My mass has changed,  
and my size.   Physics says this is impossible.�   He opened the gi  
top again, and just kept looking at his naked chest in stark  
amazement. 
 
	�It�s magic.   Anything is possible with magic.�   The other  
Ranma looked unhappy.   �Anything but cure me.� 
 
	A steaming kettle appeared next to the other Ranma.   He  
picked it up and poured the contents over Ranma.   Ranma felt his  
limbs tremble a moment, and then he was his proper self again.    
His clothes even changed back to what he was wearing before. 
 
	�How did this happen to you?� 
 
	�My stupid father took me to this legendary training ground in  
China.   Now he turns into a panda, I turn into a girl, and several  
other people I know turn into other things.�   The other Ranma  
turned to look out over the valley of pools.   �Life isn�t all bad,  
though.   My life is an adventure.� 
 
	�So where do we go from here?�   Ranma turned to study his  
alternate self. 
 
	�This is your dream.   I�m just memories from a life you never  
had to live.   Your life is a lot better than mine is in some ways.� 
 
	�What do you think will happen when I try the Resonator  
again?   Should I try your life again, or try other lives?� 
 
	�I really don�t know what might happen.   Further exposure  
might contaminate both minds with more residue from the other  
quantum self.   Some of you is probably left over in the real me, as  
much as I�m here.   We�re both the same person though, aren�t  
we?�   Ranma sat down on the path between the pools and cupped  
his chin with his hand. 
 
	�You certainly don�t talk like a dumb jock.�   Both Ranma�s  
grinned.   �The strange thing is that I feel like I�m more complete  
for having you here.� 
 
	�Thanks.�   The other Ranma stood up, and the scenery  
changed to that of a strange building. 
 
	�A dojo of some sort?�   Ranma found he was back in a gi, but  
the other Ranma remained in his Chinese-style clothes. 
 
	�We might as well try to do some training of your neuro-motor  
abilities while we�re together.   Your mental wiring has already  
been affected somewhat by the Resonator, I guess.   That�s the only  
reason I can think of why you�d suddenly gain ten years of combat  
training in your abilities.�   The other Ranma moved to the center  
of the dojo mat.   �Shall we begin?�